DaC for Serious Tolkien Immersion

**Squeaks** · May 04, 2010, 05:36 PM

Well, I've posted 2 threads asking for your helpsies. About time I posted one about us, and what we can do to help you. I will try to answer any questions you have, as long as I am able to and not spoil ALL syrprises.

The question is simple: As a Tolkien fan, in a serious capacity only (ie events and items that exist and are explainable by lore - canon, if you like), what COULD a game do and include to make the whole world come alive for you?

Graphical content, UI, Events usage, factions, units, ancilliaries....anything you like...methods of making the game work, what you could DO, how limited certain units are in their usage/availability (should there only be 1 Fountain Court Guard unit at a time?)

Anything really. Just a decent conversation about how you see a game that would make you feel in Tolkien's world.

I realise this could open a can of worms, and I ask that:

NO political comparisons between existing games and debate on whether they are limited or better than others. It's not something I want to be laboured upon here. If you want something changed, say, but don't descend into politics or simple laboured assaults.

I posted with an honest interest in seeing what people think they would like to see in THEIR Tolkien-world....this is NOT going to be all implementable, but would be soooo nice to actually see other gamers' views and wants.

I've been playing tolkien inspired games for 30 years and I have played pretty much all of them. I have a deep interest in the game side of Middle Earth, and there are views I'd like to chat about.

This isn't meant to be what we could only make happen in a Total War game, but also about what you've played and enjoyed, and maybe some of this could make it in DaC, if that's possible. Aside from that, it's good fun to chat about it....if you want to mention old games and their enjoyable aspects and limits do...I certainly will.

I'm going to ask some other DaC members to sit in on this too.

**Ozzmosis** · May 04, 2010, 05:53 PM

Not implementable maybe, but the battlemap needs a lot of beautifying. I think the battlefield ought to look and have a totally different atmosphere to that of M2TW. If you look at Aristeia, they coloured everything a sepia brown colour, both in Campaign and battle. It makes it pretty bland, I agree, but also a unique atmosphere so that people will say "Oh yeah look at that, definitely Aristeia."
Morannon is a perfect example, minus the palm trees. The black ash and red sky are exactly the kind of thing I am talking about. I just think that similar things ought to be done for the other factions:
Rohan should have a more green/brown colour scheme for the ground (as portrayed in the films) with lots of plains and few trees: more scrubland.
Gondor I think is alright with its current feel, though maybe something could be done to tweak it (though I'm not sure what).
Dale and Dwarves should have a more bluey/greyish feel, maybe by adding grey stone textures around the mountainous parts and making it not so grassy and flowery.
Eriador ought to be a bit more wild, with caves and wild trolls kind of thing.
Lorien should actually have golden trees! At least for the stratmap that would be awesome!
Mirkwood should have a darker feel, with thick, dark trees excellent for hiding your rangers in!
Fangorn ought to be a lot darker and denser as well.
The desert places ought to be fine as is, (though new music is definitely needed!)
What would be the epitome of this kind of tweak would be to implement some sort of high tunnel ceiling for the misty mountain tunnels! I understand however that this, above all would cause many problems.
I hope something useful can be gleamed from this!
regards and good luck! Ozz

**Squeaks** · May 04, 2010, 06:06 PM

Will defo pass on and ask our mappy-person. thanks as ever.

**Squeaks** · May 04, 2010, 06:17 PM

Have PMed him, will tell you his answer Ozz. Post the reply here...love the golden trees of Lorien..

**Baywatch** · May 04, 2010, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by Ozzmosis

Not implementable maybe, but the battlemap needs a lot of beautifying. I think the battlefield ought to look and have a totally different atmosphere to that of M2TW. If you look at Aristeia, they coloured everything a sepia brown colour, both in Campaign and battle. It makes it pretty bland, I agree, but also a unique atmosphere so that people will say "Oh yeah look at that, definitely Aristeia."
Morannon is a perfect example, minus the palm trees. The black ash and red sky are exactly the kind of thing I am talking about. I just think that similar things ought to be done for the other factions:
Rohan should have a more green/brown colour scheme for the ground (as portrayed in the films) with lots of plains and few trees: more scrubland.
Gondor I think is alright with its current feel, though maybe something could be done to tweak it (though I'm not sure what).
Dale and Dwarves should have a more bluey/greyish feel, maybe by adding grey stone textures around the mountainous parts and making it not so grassy and flowery.
Eriador ought to be a bit more wild, with caves and wild trolls kind of thing.
Lorien should actually have golden trees! At least for the stratmap that would be awesome!
Mirkwood should have a darker feel, with thick, dark trees excellent for hiding your rangers in!
Fangorn ought to be a lot darker and denser as well.
The desert places ought to be fine as is, (though new music is definitely needed!)
What would be the epitome of this kind of tweak would be to implement some sort of high tunnel ceiling for the misty mountain tunnels! I understand however that this, above all would cause many problems.
I hope something useful can be gleamed from this!
regards and good luck! Ozz

This would be great if it could be pulled off. It will really give the game a much greater Middle Earth feel. +Rep for this suggestion.

**Squeaks** · May 05, 2010, 02:56 AM

Originally Posted by Baywatch

This would be great if it could be pulled off. It will really give the game a much greater Middle Earth feel. +Rep for this suggestion.

That's exactly what this thread is for, plus anything else peeps want to talk about. Cool for repping him actually....was a fine idea.

Can we pull it off? Don't know yet, but will find out...poor little map-maker

**Jean=A=Luc** · May 05, 2010, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by Ozzmosis

Lorien should actually have golden trees! At least for the stratmap that would be awesome!

The majestic mod has a feature where Lorien stays green throughout winter, it's something you should definitely implement if you already haven't.

If gold leaves are possible it would be great. The ideal scenario would be for Lorien to be green during summer and golden during winter.

**Ozzmosis** · May 05, 2010, 06:43 PM

Originally Posted by Jean=A=Luc

The majestic mod has a feature where Lorien stays green throughout winter, it's something you should definitely implement if you already haven't.

If gold leaves are possible it would be great. The ideal scenario would be for Lorien to be green during summer and golden during winter.

I of course know of this and was surprised that, when KK added the new map textures and reworked the climates, that Lorien was covered in snow!
I don't know if different trees can be used when the map changes for season, but that would be great!
The leaves only went gold when they were being shed (like when normally leaves go yellow in autumn)?

**Squeaks** · May 06, 2010, 02:41 AM

Originally Posted by Ozzmosis

I of course know of this and was surprised that, when KK added the new map textures and reworked the climates, that Lorien was covered in snow!
I don't know if different trees can be used when the map changes for season, but that would be great!
The leaves only went gold when they were being shed (like when normally leaves go yellow in autumn)?

We could have them gold for half a year basically....you're right, It WOULD be sweet.

On the subject of elveses. I thought it would be great as well if, when enemies tried to cross the fords of Bruinen, they took casualties from the river itself. Another effect of the rings' magic.

Not in vain do the leaves of Lorien fall.

I don't think leaves actually fell off, they just turned gold. That was a part of Lorien's "magic".

I would agree! Nicely backed up Jean...

Well I think the Ring of Adamant stopped the entropic designs of time on Lorien - the Ring of Adamant and all that...so I believe that that's why the leaves did not fall. Galadriel's will was turned to this. Others may disagree, but it's kind of a paradise, and you wouldn't want bald trees!

*Squeak waves paw at Jean*

**Squeaks** · May 06, 2010, 02:31 AM

Originally Posted by Jean=A=Luc

The majestic mod has a feature where Lorien stays green throughout winter, it's something you should definitely implement if you already haven't.

If gold leaves are possible it would be great. The ideal scenario would be for Lorien to be green during summer and golden during winter.

]

Coool Jean! Will mention this if they don't know already, so we can do this - thanks for da advice! I'm sure there MUST be a way to get golden leaves....I mean you can implement wondrous buildings like TA's Minas Tirith, so making leaves golden can't be THAT difficult....I'm going to Squeak incessantly to get this sorted....and no one wants high pitched Squeaks 24 hours a day. Hmm, might bite too...nasty nip I have.

**seregras** · May 04, 2010, 08:55 PM

I also very much like the golden trees idea! and if it would be possible to edit the trees so that mirkwood has that "uncomfortable" feel.. that would be awesome.. still lots of green, but kind of wild and gnarled.. you know? just not dead... the forest isnt dead, its just under a dark influence mingled with the power of the elves. But again. Great idea Ozz!

**BohemianHussar** · May 04, 2010, 10:41 PM

More "Mercenary" options maybe? I feel like if im coming to the aid of Rohan as another faction for example I should be able to "recruit" some roaming bands of Rohirrum in the plains of Rohan as my army marches to their aid, of course these mercenaries would probably be limited to good guys/bad guys. Then again there also arrises the problem that what happens when your done saving rohan, I doubt those that you recruited would like to leave their lands to march against other foes they originally have no business quarreling with.

The main goal would be to show the good factions would band together to fight their foes. Possibly a specific model for the havens/Mithlond to make it stand out more as a important settlement of Middle Earth?

Another possible feature could be to make gandalf a general that could spawn for either Rohan, Gondor, Bree, or the Dunedain depending who is in the most danger at the time? and then if able have him leave later on to represent the fact he is always on the move to help man?

One last thing, possible seasonal events/disasters. I know that the Shire suffered both a Long Winter and Fell Winter which they would not have survived without banding together or the help of the rangers/Gandalf. The Fell Winter especially would be interesting to have happen since it was one of the few times the hobbits had to fight, against the white wolves and orcs that crossed a frozen river into their lands.

**Bela** · May 05, 2010, 01:58 AM