An outrageous idea?

[Snake_Tornado]

This'll sound kinda silly, but.... have you guys, the modding team, ever considered selling this mod concept back to the Creative Assembly and have them do all the messy work of unique battle maps/architecture and a few new models, in exchange for the massive royalties that would ensue when the full-game version sells like hotcakes?

As much as I appreciate that this mod is free, and though it's an exceptional mod, it's far from perfect. While I love it, I personally think it's never quite gonna reach perfection (though it may well come close), without that nice spit and polish of a professional development team. Not to say you guys aren't good. Believe me, this mod's about as close you can get to a full retail game without putting in a few hundred thousand dollars, but I'm just thinking that a full-immersion experience, like beseiging Minas Tirith, or a bridge battle over the lava pit at Barad-Dur, is never gonna happen.

Feel free to call me an idiot or accuse me of being fickle, but I thought it was a good idea. I'd buy this mod at full retail knockup in a second

Cheers

[drwizardphd]

A few problems there:

1. CA would have to get permission from the Tolkien family and the Publisher of the movies. As soon as you start making money on something, the legal issues become very muddy.

2. It's an outdated game engine, so I doubt they would even bother with it in the first place.

3. CA has recently developed a penchant for effing things up. Do you really want them to take over and mess up what is currently a great mod?

I say we leave it to the independent developers who have put so much hard work into getting the game where it is currently. Eventually custom maps will be developed, and the mod will be closer to completion, and it will be better than any commercial attempts at recreating middle earth (it already is).

[Snake_Tornado]

A few problems there:

1. CA would have to get permission from the Tolkien family and the Publisher of the movies. As soon as you start making money on something, the legal issues become very muddy.

2. It's an outdated game engine, so I doubt they would even bother with it in the first place.

3. CA has recently developed a penchant for effing things up. Do you really want them to take over and mess up what is currently a great mod?

I say we leave it to the independent developers who have put so much hard work into getting the game where it is currently. Eventually custom maps will be developed, and the mod will be closer to completion, and it will be better than any commercial attempts at recreating middle earth (it already is).

Well uhhm, in response,
1. 90% of the work is already done. They need a small investment on the rights, some new voice acting, plus hire a few designers for new architectural styles for orcs and elves, and unique battle maps. After that though, you're pretty much getting your money back for sure
2. It's still a better engine than other ones out there, and frankly, you can't make an RTS look much better than this without alienating two thirds of your potential market. Some AI tweaks are all it needs.
3. I'm not saying hand it over and have them change it completely... I'm just saying have them fill in the missing pieces. Balance is already great. After the battle maps and new buildings, maybe just let CA add some new units, polish up the models for existing ones, and presto, done

[airborne guy]

Yih, thats true but I would like to see a real Minas Tirith and all the other stuff that depicts the movie and the book. this is by far the beast TW gane that I have ever played before, and I have played them all. Maybe CA could hire KK to help develope the game?

[airborne guy]

The game could be alot better, and maybe CA could hire KK and then it would be perfect. I gurantee it would be the best selling TW game ever made

[Legolose]

and maybe CA could hire KK

How do you know he already doesn't work them

[Seleukos_I.]

How do you know he already doesn't work them

Because Vanilla is so bad compared to KK's work.

[bilwit]

Maybe CA could hire KK to help develope the game?

And then maybe they could cure cancer and AIDs while they're at it? Sorry, what you suggest doesn't work like that in the real world.

For starters, obtaining legal rights/license to create a game waving a flag that's as big of a franchise as Tolkien and WETA/the movies is very, very, very expensive -- hence why the only LOTR games are exclusively EA created (craptastic) and then there's LOTRO which has limited licenses with Tolkien's works (only the hobbit + lord of the rings) and cannot use any WETA designs. So far, all of this is just explaining why the various and successful gaming companies haven't already made LOTR games.

Now for the part. Very rarely do mods get adopted into retail (Red Orchestra, Counter Strike, Day of Defeat, Team Fortress just off the top of my head -- all of which are very unique and "breakthrough" compared to their original game they modified. Each also had a HUGE following and player base). In TA:TW's case, it's a huge collection of works and some are "borrowed" from other mods and such whether it be designs, scripts, whatever. This would mean that if you wanted to sell this mod, you would have to have every single contributer sign a contract and give them royalty. Beyond that, some models/designs in the mod flat out infringe copyright (all the various WETA/movie designs).

Most importantly, big and successful companies do not just go out and hire people essentially "off the street", especially ones that aren't (relatively) popular like this one and ones that are based off of an existing franchise..

[Ratbag]

Most importantly, big and successful companies do not just go out and hire people essentially "off the street", especially ones that aren't (relatively) popular like this one and ones that are based off of an existing franchise..

*cough* Jack Lusted *cough*

[Jean=A=Luc]

Good God y'all, you'll get yer Minas Tiriths, Helm's Deeps and other custom settlements, just keep your pants on and be patient.

S_T, it's not that simple. For one getting rights to something, especially popular fiction like Middle-Earth is not a small investment, it's a huge one. Secondly, well there's a million things involved and I'm not gonna bother but professional game development is a lot more complicated than it seems and it's also a lot more "bureaucratic". I'll leave it at that.

[Snake_Tornado]

Good God y'all, you'll get yer Minas Tiriths, Helm's Deeps and other custom settlements, just keep your pants on and be patient.

S_T, it's not that simple. For one getting rights to something, especially popular fiction like Middle-Earth is not a small investment, it's a huge one. Secondly, well there's a million things involved and I'm not gonna bother but professional game development is a lot more complicated than it seems and it's also a lot more "bureaucratic". I'll leave it at that.

I meant relative to the profits, but yes, I s'pose it would be a tad costly in the beginning. Too bad the books won't be public domain for another 40 years XD

[airborne guy]

When will we see Minas Tirith and Helms deep? and Mordor is so overpowering its insane

[Jean=A=Luc]

When will we see Minas Tirith and Helms deep? and Mordor is so overpowering its insane

Unknown except that it'll take a very long time. But the team definitely plans to do it.

[Kauppaneuvos]

Gotta love it how peoples tells about universal laws about copyrights etc. Different country, different laws.

[Outlawstar15a2]

Gotta love it how peoples tells about universal laws about copyrights etc. Different country, different laws.

And universally copyright is very muddy and complex in all countries. Plus the copyright issue comes down to what country the mod was made in. All others are irrevelent. And KK is supposedly from Germany and probably lives there to. So the copyright comes under German law, which I hear is a when it comes to copyrights. Plus the Tolkien estate is a large legal entity it would be hard for a small developement studio like CA or a independent developer to go against them. Something that neither group wants.

So everyone. Sit down, shut up, and grab some strong Dwarven ale, and a Elven lass and boogey woogey all night!

[Leckan]

Goodie, Helm's deep and Minas Tirith and Isengard etc is the only thing that's missing If you want further detailed battlemaps of them you should play "Battle for middle-earth Lord of The Rings". Love defending minas tirith and helms deep there and to attack Isengard with ents

[Muffer Nl]

...
Rep
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[Outlawstar15a2]

Guys chill, let KK, DG, and the other devs work their Valar powers. I mean you guys can't wait a few freaking months for the next patch? . And while we're at it, JAL where did you put the Phaser rifles? I need to sign one out to take care of someone.

[Point Blank]

Do we really want CA to step in and apply their 'creative control' and 'alpha-testing' processes to the mod and stifle the superb work that has been done and will be done further in the future? KK has something special going on here and we should have confidence in his ability to take it forward into the future without any 'help' by CA.

CA did their job by providing a superb platform that has enabled this mod to be constructed in the first place. That is enough.

[Outlawstar15a2]

Do we really want CA to step in and apply their 'creative control' and 'alpha-testing' processes to the mod and stifle the superb work that has been done and will be done further in the future? KK has something special going on here and we should have confidence in his ability to take it forward into the future without any 'help' by CA.

CA did their job by providing a superb platform that has enabled this mod to be constructed in the first place. That is enough.

Agreed, well spoken general.