Special Raid and PvMP Focused Bullroarer Preview This Week

[Cordovan]

We are hosting a special preview this Wednesday and Thursday on our public preview server Bullroarer to determine the impact of some changes made to how the client communicates with the server in instance and raid groups. We have been doing analysis behind the scenes and we believe we have identified ways to optimize how effects are communicated across the system. In order to determine the impact of this work we are hoping to gather raid groups and PvMP players on Bullroarer this Wednesday and Thursday during two windows, from 2:00 PM Eastern (-4 GMT) to 4:00 PM Eastern (-4 GMT) and again from 9:00 PM Eastern (-4 GMT) to 11:00 PM Eastern (-4 GMT).

We are hopeful that many of you will be interested in potentially helping us identify work that will improve game performance on the live game worlds, but we also want to make a small gesture to encourage players to participate. During these preview windows, our Community Manager Cordovan (+Cordovan on Bullroarer) or other developers will distribute Coupon Codes for a new upcoming in-game title that has NOT YET BEEN RELEASED! This title, called “Fellow of the Bullroarer”, will be made available more widely in the future, but participants this week will be the first to get the title when it arrives to the live game worlds with Update 45.6.

If you are not familiar with the Bullroarer preview server, you can read more about the server here. You can download the Bullroarer preview client here.

During the preview, we would love to see you copy over your “main” raiding characters, get into full groups, and run whatever raids you would like to. Additionally, we are hoping to get some larger group PvMP action going on in the Ettenmoors. +Cordovan or another developer will randomly select a bunch of characters during these preview windows who are actively engaging in gameplay and will message them on Bullroarer with a code. This code can be redeemed on the LIVE GAME WORLD at any time, although the title will not be available to select until Update 45.6. To redeem the code, enter it through “Redeem Code” in the LOTRO Store inside of a game world.

 

[Pharone]

Questions...

1. Does it matter what raid we do? For instance, if I get my kinship to run old Moria raids with max level characters, will that count, or do we need to be running raids at intended level to generate best test data?
2. Do we need to contact anyone or sign up for doing the raids in order to get the codes?

Assuming that we can run them and level does not matter, Lore Bound Walkers will be running Moria raids starting at 8pm Central on the Bullroarer server. Communication will be handled via our Discord server in the Raiding section.

 

[Cordovan]

My understanding is we are looking for full groups rather then specific raids, that said probably doesnt hurt to consolidate. The answer to two is in the OP.

 

[Magneticthor]

Are both of the time windows, 2pm-4pm EST and 9pm-11pm EST, the same for both Wednesday and Thursday? I assume these times are to accommodate both Europe and US.

 

[Cordovan]

Are both of the time windows, 2pm-4pm EST and 9pm-11pm EST, the same for both Wednesday and Thursday? I assume these times are to accommodate both Europe and US.

Yes and yes!

 

[JohnMHammer]

Will there be 1,000 or more virtual/bot accounts logged in to Bullroarer during this live player testing to simulate something like the load that is present most evenings on Glamdring and Orcrist? Will Bullroarer be run for a minimum of 3 days (with active virtual/bot accounts) before this testing begins to simulate the length of time between a typical Wednesday restart/maintenance period and a Saturday night?

 

[Giseldah]

Aha, so this is for U45.6 and not next expansion with level cap 160. I was already wondering. Anyway, nice to see stats in motion.

Class related base stats amounts for Agility/Might/Will go up at all levels, because of a delayed change to main stats coming through there. This means that characters on this BR will have a bit more Agility/Might/Will, compared to live.

 

[isaredux]

It APPEARS that you can copy your 150 characters NOW (I just hit enter on it), though I won't know until/unless I get the email that it went through or failed.

IF people are able to copy NOW, why are you not saying so NOW? Remember that last time you underestimated how many would be charging the gate? You know, that DEBACLE that was transferring to 64-bit servers? It takes TIME for copy/transfers to go through. Sounds like a major snarl up for tomorrow, even though the numbers will likely be smaller.

ETA: My copy went through quickly at this time, at least my email says so. I won't know until you open the server!

 

[Yewlin]

So when instances or pre-views as this run will the time frame still be the same? As my in home aid will be in home at 3 pm today. So if I am able to help it would only be for an hour. How ever if I know this is the time slot for such things I can make sure the aid comes at 4 rather then earlier.

 

[Pharone]

I participated in the the tests last night on Bullroarer.

One thing of note I want to point out for anyone looking to do this tonight is that you need to run specific raids for the test. I had gone there with my kinship intending to run some lower level raids in Moria and such, but we were asked to only run current end game raids from Legacy of Morgoth.

Not a big deal other than the fact that I had promised to run my lower level kinship members through Moria raids to help them get the title for helping test on Bullroarer, and ended up not getting to do that which made me feel bad that they didn't get the opportunity to get the title.

I mean, I get it. @Orion had certain raids he wanted to monitor for the test. It's just the original post in this thread said "run whatever raids you would like to", so I made a promise to my kinship members that I was not able to uphold. It is what it is, but was a downer for some of my kin last night.

Overall, had fun running the raid. Thanks to those that carried my noobness through it lol. Was great getting to beat it!
Ps. I am Lorrandan, level 150 Human Champion. It was nice meeting all of you last night in the raid.

Anybody that wants to see the raid, you can check it out on YouTube.com/Pharone1 or Twitch.tv/Pharone.

 

[odinns]

My understanding is we are looking for full groups rather then specific raids, that said probably doesnt hurt to consolidate. The answer to two is in the OP.

I wanted to ask long time ago... probably in winter this year i joined a raid in Laurelin to UB and noticed a tanky cap named Cordova. Could it be that was our beloved community manager?