Basically: Copying the base files for Reshade/Mastereffect into the LOTRO game folder along with a “dxgi.dll” DirectX hook will let you replace the game calls for DirectX with modified calls that can add features (or remove).
By pressing a control key while playing the game, you can either disable or enable the hook. (i.e. toggle between normal game graphics or modified ones)
Opening and editing (with a text editor) the configuration file(s) you use for the hook you can change values and see an immediate result in the game.
(apparently I can only have 32.000 characters in a post so couldn’t attach my config file.).
Turns out that MasterEffect has been neglected with the recent updates to Reshade, so you will have to just use that one, or grab an older version of MAsterEffect+Reshade.
I recently replaced my old version of Reshade with the latest for my Warframe setup, and had to redo all the configuration. Which can now be done in-game through a user-interface that is overlaid onto the game screen (and you control it with your mouse). The + side of this is that you can just share a “.ini” file with your settings. I’ll see what I can get working for LOTRO and try to put it up here, or you can just experiment with the options yourself.
Some guidance would be great… I tried to do the simple install approach and now seem to get error messages (which do not break the game). Pretty sure it is not working as intended currently…
At least with LOTRO you can pick in the in game options if you want to play using DirectX 9 or DIrectX10/11 renderer, I think that also decides which option you need to pick when you run Reshade_Setup_3.0.7.exe.
Then it should ask you if you want to download shaders, which you say yes to.
When you launch the game, Reshade will then start a overlay (Shift-F2 is the hotkey for it) that will go through a sort of tutorial on how you use it.
If you used the old Mastereffect files it will give a bunch of error messages on startup related to .FX files etc, so you need to remove all of those (MasterEffect.h, Reshade.fx, Shader.fx) from the game folder.
With the new reshade you’ll have a DLL file (dxgi.dll for DirectX10/11 hooks, D3D9.dll for Dx9) and some .ini files.
If you switch between dx9 and 10/11 in LOTRO I guess you can copy dxgi.dll to an extra file d3d9.dll.
Part of what put me off in LOTRO is how the artist tried to draw geometry for low pol models. So much this that chain mail looks like something painted in cloth instead of actual armour. Instead of playing hero in middle earth, this make me feel some pretender that have painted some t-shirt to look like chain mail and so on.
I think trying to undo this with a sharpen filter is a good idea, but I don’t think the results solve this problem. I think only having actual geometry would fix this.
The game started development back in 2002 or 2003 if memory serves. You probably know that. And the new devs have stated a desire to redo the player models with new ones.
I think, arguably, you don’t get decent looking armor until Moria, at least. I dumped the Beorning starting outfit into a cosmetic slot since it looks better than anything in the original game.
Do not forget, I believe tomorrow begins LOTROS 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY! WOHO!
That means a bunch of extra stuff for the rest of the month for every player, and even more if you’re a “VIP” (Which you should be if you’re playing!).
Note: You have to become VIP TODAY (The 19th, sorry Australia, you guys always cheating into the Future! (Oh yea, Kiwis as well…and Japan, etc… ) to be eligible for it tomorrow.
@BrianRubin I’ll see if I can make a better guide tomorrow as I’ll have to play during the 10 year anniversary to finish the events etc. :)
@Teiman Some armor sets look worse than others I suppose… Well, I don’t suppose, they really do. But some of the stuff look decent enough. Yes, it would be nice with layered “actual” models of gear complete with textures, PBR, bumpmaps and whatnot, but I’d also settle for a 64-bit engine that ran better (Very noticeable slowdowns when using the war-steeds)…
I have 1-year through 9-year anniversary gift boxes still in my bank from the previous Anniversary events. I wonder if the contents of those are the same as what’s listed here for each year’s box? If so, I’ve had an Azure Steed and a loot box key wasting away in my bank for years and didn’t know it! Such are the pitfalls of not enough inventory and bank space (and being too stingy to purchase any more with real money). ;-)
EDIT : Checked the LOTRO Wiki and confirmed…contents for each year’s box are as listed on the Tenth Anniversary link above, so it looks like I have some gift opening to do this weekend!
Can’t believe this game is ten years old already. I jumped in really early (was there a beta to try? I can’t remember) having bounced off a few other MMOs. I went into it thinking there’s no way LOTRO would succeed where others failed, but I still really dig this game. The Books were what did it for me along with the great rendition of Middle Earth.
I remember way back running around in the shadow of Weathertop not caring that my quest log was full of kill X of Y and return missions. Just getting the chance to run around in the world was what I was looking for out of the game. I remember getting my first mount when that came at level 35 and cost a chunk of change. My friend, who introduced me to LOTRO, and I hit 35 almost at the same time questing in Evendim and managed to group up right after we got our horses and rode around. I remember dinging fifty the first time questing in Forochel. I remember the first time I finally got into Moria.
I ended up hating Moria right off the bat and hit a bit of a wall. So I thought I would give the new Warden class a try and found that to be insanely fun. By the time I got back to Moria with that character, they had updated it. Present Moria is a much friendlier experience than release Moria. I basically just did the Book quests there and really enjoyed them. Got enough XP, I don’t care about the 340 other leveling things they’ve added over the years, so it ended up a good time.
Such a great game, I put it up there with my all time favorites even though I don’t play as much any more (the horse combat really doesn’t work for me).
Also, just to add quickly, I really like Angmar. Again, maybe that’s because I first encountered it back when it was mostly the endgame, but man…
I started out in Archet, quested around Bree, then over by Weathertop, the Trollshaws, Rivendell, Evendim, all sorts of places. Sure some have ruins, sure goblins, but Angmar was the first time I felt like I was on the front lines in the war for Middle Earth. Nature is gone, the sky is red, everything is ravaged and evil. Everywhere else felt safe and behind the lines, not so grouping up and going into Carn Dum.
Tell me about it. Reason I quit playing before F2P was inventory problems. Same reason I dread Returning to Destiny and try to get the Year 3 achievement (Will be impossible since I didn’t play the game at launch I believe…) All my bags and banks and alts have full inventories so … really annoying.
I returned once F2P since I could then get more bags :)
Think I am close to having unlocked the maximum number of bag slots, shared and bank vault not. And still not enough room.
Yea, guess I’ll be swamped with gifts now as well :P
Angmar was awesome when you first got there, so much danger at 50. Loved Moria, but I started a bit late on that part so most people had left it already, no problems finding groups for stuff though. Spent 10+ levels in there I think.
There’s so much content I haven’t done but plan to “do once I’m max level and can do it quicker”.
