Ask Your Questions Here!

[Thangaror]

What is crucial for a mod depends on the mod's orientation. Custom settlements are a main feature for TATW, because visuals are its only selling point. Those custom cities were the only major difference between TATW 3.0 and the previous version, which speaks volumes.

Vanilla TATW does lack many features that make a mod really worth to play and different from the original game. TATW has a very rudimentary recruitment system, simple buildings trees, no city diversification etc. Thanks to it's shiny-shiny policy though, the mod does attract tons of players, many of whom take interest in modding, but are unwilling to create a complete mod of their own. That is why there are so many submods for TATW, which implement all the thing, TATW is really missing.

[Blatta Optima Maxima]

TATW is like the movies it takes after: shiny, but lacks substance.

[Aradan]

Regarding the text work, if I may be so bold to say it, I still (maybe naively) hope you didn’t forget this (link)...

No, I haven't, but it's not at the top of our list either.

[breenma]

I just want to make sure cuz it has taken a while but this isn't a dead mod, right?

[Aradan]

No, it's not.

[LOTRRTW]

I look at the old threads and posts on other sites by team members and often I find, normally circa early 2011, statements that DoM would probably be out by late summer but definitely pre-Xmas... What happened/why did you think that back then? Just curious...
also this is a ridiculously minor issue but just thought I'd notify you and you can decide if to do anything... On many banners and flags, ie in the town center, annoyingly, not the just flag rotates ('flutters in the breeze')... The entire 20 foot pole, somewhat unrealistically swivels constantly....
it's very minor but it irritates the perfectionist in me....
just my opinion...
thanks for your great work

[Aradan]

I look at the old threads and posts on other sites by team members and often I find, normally circa early 2011, statements that DoM would probably be out by late summer but definitely pre-Xmas... What happened/why did you think that back then? Just curious...

As I said, back then we had 4 people actively working on the mod, and the mod's scope was smaller. Since then the number of mechanics, factions, units, buildings, traits, models, descriptions and everything else increased, while real-life forced all of us to spend less time on the mod. Simply put, in 2011 we had more manpower for a much smaller job.

also this is a ridiculously minor issue but just thought I'd notify you and you can decide if to do anything... On many banners and flags, ie in the town center, annoyingly, not the just flag rotates ('flutters in the breeze')... The entire 20 foot pole, somewhat unrealistically swivels constantly....
it's very minor but it irritates the perfectionist in me....
just my opinion...
thanks for your great work

I believe that's how it is in vanilla and all mods. Maybe it's more noticeable in TNS because the colouration of the pole makes the movement noticeable? Not sure. We'll check it out though.

[breenma]

Two questions
1) Are you still doing the contest for the voice?
2) Will you guys have a third Dev Diary when you get close to coming out?
Thanks

[Aradan]

Yes, the contest is open, and any contribution welcome.

We'll probbaly do some sort of grand preview before the release; perhaps a dev diary.

[CaliGen]

Is this released? Sounds interesting

[Aradan]

The current available version was released in 2008. DoM (the one we're working on atm) is not yet released.

[breenma]

Not sure if this is the right place to ask but do you guys need any help with the unit and building descriptions I can't do any code work sorry.

[Aradan]

Text is an area where we are almost done actually. We appreciate the offer nonetheless!

[TesalionLortus]

It's propably late question but it've just started to bother my mind and I'm just curious. How it looks with music and 'boring copyrights issue' with TATW? For example in the case of Mr. Arkenstone ? (coz if I'm right the rest comes from free to use sources). Have some of his tracks permission to use for non-profit projects or is it even acomplished in the way of special agreement of his? (ow, or here no one just don't care and its fine nonetheless xD)

Don't to bother, of course. Answer if there is a little time for that ; )

[Aradan]

All our music sources, Arkenstone, Born of Hope, Hunt for Gollum, Tolkien Ensemble, Edgen, etc, have given us permission to use their material. Same with our imagery, we've got permission for everything that's copyrighted (and for many things that are not, common courtesy).

[TesalionLortus]

Born of Hope, Hunt for Gollum are non-profit works themselves so it's understable the music authors will support Tolkien things But did you had some ideas for music and someone rejected your request? And such owners like Arkenstone or Tolkien Ensemble, I assume it was hard to get the permission. (not talking about it how long of time can pass before you get the answer xD) Sorry for such questioning but it's just interesting case and not always is the ocassion to gain any knowledge about it

But about the mod itself coz I wasn't online for a while- is the case of Easterling faction already solved? If it is, I'm dying to know the final name coz there was a plenty of propositions there and propably its a hard decision to chose something xd yet not all of them were really creative/'fresh' if i good remember

[Aradan]

Actually both Arkenstone and Tolkien Ensemble (and all other artists who sell their music whose work we used) replied quite quickly and gave permission easily iirc. We haven't had a rejection yet, no. I think if people actually bothered to ask for permission, they'd get it most of the time. I mean, MoN got permission from Hollywood music producers for tracks included in Gods and Fighting Men...


As for the Easterlings, we decided to keep the same name, "Chiefdom of Rhun". None of the suggestions seemed to really fit and we couldn't think of something better ourselves, so...

[MasterOfNone]

Yes, I've been amazed over the years how artists - both those in music and visual artwork - are willing to allow their work to be used if you just ask. I can't think of anyone who said no (there may have been, but I don't remember). I pursued a policy of always asking for permission for everything we used in FATW, and we have never used anything from the movies.

When I emailed the Danna brothers about using the Blood of Cuchulainn in "Gods and Fighting Men" I never imagined I'd be on the phone to them a week or so later discussing which tracks I could use and full-card credits Mychael Danna recently won an award for his soundtrack for Life of Pi.

[TesalionLortus]

Wow, that's surprising xD But something tells me they they didn't have any idea the music files will be just in easy-to-access folder instead of special game decrypted files But very good to know.

Oh, rather I would like to have them with more 'own' name than simply 'chiefdom'. But if that's your decision it's still fine. And btw playing LOTRO game in the Great River region, where Easterlings are introduced the first time, I have learnt how their tribe is called there: the Khundolar, I found it as very attractive name somehow xD And I like their design too

[Jagmodo]

Yes, I've been amazed over the years how artists - both those in music and visual artwork - are willing to allow their work to be used if you just ask. I can't think of anyone who said no (there may have been, but I don't remember). I pursued a policy of always asking for permission for everything we used in FATW, and we have never used anything from the movies.

When I emailed the Danna brothers about using the Blood of Cuchulainn in "Gods and Fighting Men" I never imagined I'd be on the phone to them a week or so later discussing which tracks I could use and full-card credits Mychael Danna recently won an award for his soundtrack for Life of Pi.

And that’s right policy in my opinion. You have clear hands and don’t have to worry of anyone suing you for the violation of author’s rights.

Wow, that's surprising xD But something tells me they they didn't have any idea the music files will be just in easy-to-access folder instead of special game decrypted files But very good to know.

Oh, rather I would like to have them with more 'own' name than simply 'chiefdom'. But if that's your decision it's still fine. And btw playing LOTRO game in the Great River region, where Easterlings are introduced the first time, I have learnt how their tribe is called there: the Khundolar, I found it as very attractive name somehow xD And I like their design too

Chiefdom is the term that was used by Tolkien and, in my opinion the right way to call their state. What I read about LOTRO, I never played it, is that it expands the story in some really wild ways to make it more interesting to players, which is understandable. But I doubt such interventions are desirable in this mod. If I can see correctly Khundolar is just some word-play to make it similarly sounding to Khand. By the way, Khand in TNS used units somewhat similar to those you shown.


Regarding Easterlings, I remember they had one distinctive feature that other cultures lacked. Their women were trained to defend themselves and their family for the case they were attacked and warriors were absent. That’s one of the reasons, among other things, why Northmen uprising against Wainriders went wrong. Also, apparently Northmen adopted some parts of that culture and hence shieldmaidens emerged. Will that feature somehow be seen in the mod (militia composed of women, ancillaries...)?

Vanilla RTW had senatorial traits. Will you similarly represent Council of Gondor thru traits or ancillaries in the mod? Being member of it would bring some perks to councillor, no?