"First Age: Total War" (Gondolin preview)

[antkamidiv]

thank you for your reply!

i can see that you guys are really serious about this and that's a good thing. you made the whole map yet? i would like to see more of that

dragons, balrogs and werewolves and such maybe? i would certainly would like to see those. off course you have seen the balrogs of TA..? are you going to make yours (a lot) different?

and with unique city models, you mean on campaign map? or battle map? both?
it just sounds like a lot of work! (many years) but there are some modders that really stun me with there speed so i hope for the best.

with how many guys are you?

good luck with the work!

All new information and findings of our work we will show in next previews.

As for map:
Currently we plan to make city models only for strategical map, and we will likely devote to strategical map separate preview. But you will see this after we will have finished city models.
As for Balrogs:
I have already seen them and It is greate work!!! But our balrogs will have some discrepancies. Originally we decided create our own balrogs based only on Tolkien's descriptions. Some time later we concluded that it would be better if we united traits of professor's character and balrog of Peter Jackson.
As for team:
There are 11 men in our team. Work are being ongoing and I hope we will please you soon with new preview of another faction.

Thank you for questions!!!

[NikeBG]

Not to mention that merging to already existing mod-teams, especially when they're based on different nationalities and thus would have a rather serious language barrier, can be more than a real pain in the ass and lead actually to an end of the mod (or at least to a waste of time before they're unmerged). I have faith in the guys (and gals?) making the First Age and I think it's best that they do it themselves (with help from other mods, of course, but not merging with them).

[cedric37]

Cant' wait... can't wait... can't wait.

Really it is very nice to get someone answering all questions and i am very excited about your next preview
Tolkien's Simarillon was one of my favourite books and this era is much better than the 3rd age from my PoV, to make a TW mod.

Also i wonder how you can handle gondolin, as it is a hidden city. Any hint on this ?

[NikeBG]

Also i wonder how you can handle gondolin, as it is a hidden city. Any hint on this ?

In relation to that, since I re-read the Silmarillion recently, I was wondering how are you going to make Angband and Tangorodrim? Considering the professor wrote that even if all the Eldars would unite, they still wouldn't be able to capture it on their own, without help from the West. The best they could actually do was to keep the Siege before Dagor Bragollach, but not much more.

[Vhaelor]

In relation to that, since I re-read the Silmarillion recently, I was wondering how are you going to make Angband and Tangorodrim? Considering the professor wrote that even if all the Eldars would unite, they still wouldn't be able to capture it on their own, without help from the West. The best they could actually do was to keep the Siege before Dagor Bragollach, but not much more.

Technically the TW series is about making your own history in a world, wether it be fiction or our own world. I'd assume the team will do their best to get a good mix between staying true to the lore and actual gameplay

[antkamidiv]

cedric37

Really it is very nice to get someone answering all questions and i am very excited about your next preview

Nice to read these words! Thanks!!!

Also i wonder how you can handle gondolin, as it is a hidden city. Any hint on this ?

As well as Valinor will be hidden. Don't forget this land was closed for all strangers too! We have considered this issue and found solution to this. But, friend, if I tell you our secrets about realizing mod It will not be so interesting to play. Moreover It is not my secrets-It belongs all team, therefore I can just recommend to reserve patience and you will see all.

And a bit tasty - some screens of startegical map without unique city models:

Vinyamar-be done within Mount Taras on the beach in the form of breakage:

View on battle location:


Himring-indeed impregnable fortress-approach with only one side, absolutely bare slopes, poor orcs :

[cedric37]

Fantastic!
You get a really good team, units are awesome and the map is really good.
And nice to hear you dealt with secrecy issues.
Keep it up!

[antkamidiv]

cedric37

Fantastic!
You get a really good team, units are awesome and the map is really good.
And nice to hear you dealt with secrecy issues.
Keep it up!

Thanks!

NikeBG
First of all, in this mod we seek to do any steps in accordance with Silmarillion! So Tangorodrim will be realy strong and forceful faction that can oppose to Eldar's forces. How are we going to make this? I must remind you about Morgoth's units that faction of elves have no such as balrogs and dragons. They are the most powerful of all in Arda except may be valinor's mayars and surely Valars. And we have to no reckon off orcs. They are weak, but their amount is greate. Tangorodrim will be worthy rival!!!
There will be global and provincial companies in our mod. As far as I know in provincial company you will play for Gondolin and you will have to fulfill quests that will be created according to Silmarillion.(Quests are made by our team leader - Skiph.) Playing for the faction Gondolin quest involves a number of tasks that consist in collection a huge army and joining to the battle of Unnumbered tears. In global company playing for Gondolin amount of quests will be reduced, but you will get chance to defeat Tangorodrim!

[NikeBG]

The provincial campaign sounds really interesting, as usual. Kudos to Skiph!

...but you will get chance to defeat Tangorodrim!

That is exactly my question - how will Tangorodrim be defeatable? I mean, purely from gameplay-balance point of view. Because, as you said, they have the valaraukari (sorry, I like that name quite better than "balrogs"), the dragons, the huge number of orcs, wolves, werewolves and all kinds of other fiends. Not to mention the defenses of Tangorodrim itself. It's like the impenetrability of the medieval Constantinople multiplied a hundred times - practically impossible for the Eldars to win. True, the Silmarillion says that the Eldars have no chance of defeating Morgoth (without help from the West) before it speaks about the arrival of the Edains, so maybe they could tip the balance a bit more in the Elves' favour, I don't know. But, still, I doubt they'd be that much of a change. And, basically, my question is: If you make Tangorodrim as undefeatable as it's supposed to be in the book, how will that affect the gameplay balance? Or you're planning to decrease Tangorodrim's defences from "absolutely impossible" to "absolutely, extremely hard" in order to give the player a chance (which is kinda logical anyway, given the limitations of the game itself)? Or perhaps the Elves would simply have to survive until Beren steals the Silmaril and then Earendil is born and matures enough to sail to the West (scripted events, perhaps influenced by the player)? I certainly don't envy the hard task that you've taken, but you seem to be doing quite well so far, so I'm interested to learn what you've planned about this issue.

[antkamidiv]

NikeBG
When I told that you would get chance to defeat Tangorodrim in global company I kept in mind that your faction you will play will not be destroyed according to Silmarillion reality. Their capitals will likely be conquered, but faction will not be defeated so you will have opportunity to take revenge!
As for your assumptions:

Or perhaps the Elves would simply have to survive until Beren steals the Silmaril and then Earendil is born and matures enough to sail to the West (scripted events, perhaps influenced by the player)?

You are right ! Thereby Tangorodrim(faction) will not can be defeated without Valinor, and capturing fortress with the same name will be impossible! Waiting of arrival of Valinor's forces will be important and key quest of global company.

But I must underline: our considerations are at developing stage and concept of this company may change.

[cedric37]

Sounds like an innovation, in fact this will be more or less RPG-esque. I just hope this will not remove player's freedom.

BTW, which period exactly will be covered by this mod ? And what will be the time scale (and number of turns). Sorry if this has been asked before. You gave me a good pretext to re-read the Silmarillon for the Xth time

Can you say very roughly when a beta of this mod should be out ?

[antkamidiv]

cedric37

Sounds like an innovation, in fact this will be more or less RPG-esque. I just hope this will not remove player's freedom.

To my mind It will be still a startegy.

BTW, which period exactly will be covered by this mod ? And what will be the time scale (and number of turns).

Time limits of mod extend to the time interval from the arrival and settlement of first adain's tribes (people) in Beleriand (310) up to the end of first age (590 - the end of "War of Wrath", the defeat of Morgoth). About number of turns we haven't considered this. I think at first we will test mod and then will have found the best number of turns in order to game was interesting and not boring!!!

Can you say very roughly when a beta of this mod should be out ?

Frankly speaking, I can not do it. But we work and do our best to release beta version of provincial company!

[cedric37]

Thanks for your answers

[antkamidiv]

cedric37
You are welcome!

[Hereje]

This mod is awesome! Will you add some Valar units?

[antkamidiv]

Hereje
Thank you for evaluation!!!
And you will see the entire Valinor faction in this mod!

[Hereje]

Hereje
Thank you for evaluation!!!
And you will see the entire Valinor faction in this mod!

GREAT!!

[Azog]

Guys, this is just just an UNBELIEVEABLE work, I can't believe my eyes. I am looking forward to this mod, because it will be an ACE between the mods. I feel the same happiness, like when I was small and I got something on Christmas that I really wished

[cedric37]

1st post to praise 1st age mod
Yes you are not the only one waiting

[NikeBG]

Yes, they already explained it - the Elves would have to endure for some time until some events happen.