Suggestions & Questions

[Peredhel]

Also, Balrogs lead armies. They can't lead armies very well if they can't talk. Can you imagine?

In the Ósanwe-kenta, Tolkien describe how Valar, Maiar and the most powerful Children of Eru can communicate mentally and describe also how Melkor used that to torture its opponent's mind. However Tolkien also explain that the fences that protect one's spirit are really powerful and that Melkor decided that speech was a more powerful tool to use.

The Fall of Gondolin, even though it's an early work, also provides us with a detailed battle in which Balrogs are involved. Here they act more like some kind of totem or banner used to rally and galvanize Orcs around them, and you don't need to talk to do that, even though it's one of the ability of a commander in a Total War. In these games tactics are yours, the so-called "commanding" ability reflects more charisma in my opinion, and Balrogs sure don't lack charisma.

[insolent1]

In these games tactics are yours, the so-called "commanding" ability reflects more charisma in my opinion, and Balrogs sure don't lack charisma.

A fiery whip trumps charisma

[HakkeSennin]

This is the first time I've ever given attention to this since I thought that this is just as frozen as those two First Age-based mods that were supposed to be made for Kingdoms, but apparently I was wrong. But, I have some questions!

1) How much better will this look compared to the known LotR Total War mod that is also for Alexander? I saw that most of the units really look amazing.

2) Are you using RS2 enviroment? At least it looked like it in some of the unit previews.

3) About unit quality. Could you compare the quality of your units (that are certainly not yet finished) to that of Aristeia mod? That mod was so well versed in that area, that it took Shogun 2 to finally surpass the unit quality.

4) When do you think this mod is ready? I am now very curious about this, being a big Tolkien-fan, I'd love to see finally an accomplished Simlarillion/First Age mod!

[Bercor]

1) How much better will this look compared to the known LotR Total War mod that is also for Alexander? I saw that most of the units really look amazing.

Well, it's very difficult to quatify "how much better" something looks compared to another. With that said, unlike LotRTW, we're using gloss files in most of our units, that's why they look so neat.

2) Are you using RS2 enviroment? At least it looked like it in some of the unit previews.

Yes we are, though, if I'm not mistaken, with some changes.

3) About unit quality. Could you compare the quality of your units (that are certainly not yet finished) to that of Aristeia mod? That mod was so well versed in that area, that it took Shogun 2 to finally surpass the unit quality.

I assume you mean visual quality. I've never played Aristeia so I can't judge, though, as I said, Milner created some of the more beautiful units I ever seen in a RTW mod.

4) When do you think this mod is ready? I am now very curious about this, being a big Tolkien-fan, I'd love to see finally an accomplished Simlarillion/First Age mod!

Impossible to say, thus, when it's ready. My personal estimative is sometime next year.

[HakkeSennin]

Thank you for such a quick response! I was deceived by the look of the pictures that I saw on my phone, but now that I looked at all those previews again and the unit threads... dear god, those units are one of the most gorgeous things I've ever seen! I am sure you'll certainly recreate or awaken the feels of the First Age far more well than any mod could ever do! I can't wait to lead Turgon or Fingolfin into batte! However, I still have some questions remaining (don't mind me, I do not doubt you at all, I expect more than I've ever expected now!)

1) Will you recreate such Historical Battles as Nirnaeth Arnoediad or any of the battles of the War of the Silmarillions?

2) Related to the question before, will the campaign script involve Union of Maedhros in any manner?

3) Taking into account that you're going to turn Morgoth into a unit, will the Host of Valar possess other Vala units?

4) Will Doriath be protected by the "Girdle of Melian" in any manner? Or is that too difficult to script or otherwise accomplish, therefore making the faction just as open as the rest?

5) I know it's a tad bit too early to speak of such, but will there be an open beta for people to test it?

Feel no hurry to answer, you have a beautiful mod to complete one day!

[Milner]

1) Will you recreate such Historical Battles as Nirnaeth Arnoediad or any of the battles of the War of the Silmarillions?

It's planned but is a work "still to make".

2) Related to the question before, will the campaign script involve Union of Maedhros in any manner?

Yes!!!

3) Taking into account that you're going to turn Morgoth into a unit, will the Host of Valar possess other Vala units?

Nope, there aren't vala units in the mod.

4) Will Doriath be protected by the "Girdle of Melian" in any manner? Or is that too difficult to script or otherwise accomplish, therefore making the faction just as open as the rest?

Is something very difficult to improve....i'm still thinking how to do it...

5) I know it's a tad bit too early to speak of such, but will there be an open beta for people to test it?

We have planned to test the mod before a public release with a group of beta testers, they will be the most close supporters of the mod since we started the development of the mod itself.

[DeeLegion]

Will you include a Kinslayer trait? Wherein an Elven faction's General, Hero or Family Member kills other Elven members, and in turn will lose traits with Respect, Valour & Honour?

[Bercor]

Nope, there aren't vala units in the mod.

Unless you count Manwe as a Vala unit . Altough his bodyguard is comprised of Elves.

[Feanaro Curufinwe]

Unless you count Manwe as a Vala unit . Altough his bodyguard is comprised of Elves.

Manwë? Maybe you mean Eönwe, who led the Host of the Valar? Because Manwë was sitting it out in Taniquétil. (The same thing that caused the whole mess in the first place, ironically)

[Bercor]

Manwë? Maybe you mean Eönwe, who led the Host of the Valar? Because Manwë was sitting it out in Taniquétil.

Exactly, Eönwe , though, to be exact, he his a Maia. I don't know why the hell I said Manwë...

(The same thing that caused the whole mess in the first place, ironically)

Never loses a chance to twist the knife, eh Feanaro .

[Feanaro Curufinwe]

Exactly, Eönwe , though, to be exact, he his a Maia. I don't know why the hell I said Manwë...

Well, they are pretty similar names. Manwë's servants seems weren't very creative. (Although the Fëanorians seem to be the champions there. Fëanor gave his sons names in Quenya that were all a variant of Finwë and Celegorm brilliantly named his dog "Dog").

Never loses a chance to twist the knife, eh Feanaro .

Not my fault that Manwë's reign as Elder King was a long march of disasters and failures .

[Milner]

Will you include a Kinslayer trait? Wherein an Elven faction's General, Hero or Family Member kills other Elven members, and in turn will lose traits with Respect, Valour & Honour?

Yes, it's included...and it gives negative points in someway (there's still some reworks to improve). The trait and ancillaires system was deeply reworked, removing 80-85% of vanilla traits and 100% of vanilla ancillaires, so you see a lot of traits and ancillaires related with Tolkien's lore and no more "gambler", "cuckold", "debauched"...for example.

Never loses a chance to twist the knife, eh Feanaro .

Feanorians' spirit!!

Exactly, Eönwe , though, to be exact, he his a Maia. I don't know why the hell I said Manwë...

You are a bit confused...or losed...i think i must return here as soon as i can

[Bercor]

You are a bit confused...or losed...i think i must return here as soon as i can

You're right, Milner. Without you and Nelduin constantly putting me down, I am lost .

[Milner]

You're right, Milner. Without you and Nelduin constantly putting me down, I am lost .

Putting you down?...by the blood of the first born!!!, we only try to show you the right way (the noldorin way, of course)...

[Feanaro Curufinwe]

You're right, Milner. Without you and Nelduin constantly putting me down, I am lost .

"Milner was now a modder of dreadful power, master of models and of textures, foul in coding, cruel in testing, misshaping what he tweaked, twisting what he modified, lord of thralls; his dominion was torment."

[Bercor]

"Milner was now a modder of dreadful power, master of models and of textures, foul in coding, cruel in testing, misshaping what he tweaked, twisting what he modified, lord of thralls; his dominion was torment."

[Milner]

"Milner can simply walk into Mordor"...or that said TW Center about me...but the true is that i never walk in these dirty lands...

"Milner was now a modder of dreadful power, master of models and of textures, foul in coding, cruel in testing, misshaping what he tweaked, twisting what he modified, lord of thralls; his dominion was torment."

...thanks, Feanaro! I feel honoured!

[HakkeSennin]

Hey, I know this must have been on your minds at some point, but I think I have an idea. To make a separate War of Wrath campaign. You'd still have it incorporated in the basic campaign, but for the sake of reliving the war in it's fullest, you could also make a separate campaign. I know this would increase the amount of work enormously, but I noticed that they had incorporated this inthe Aristeia mod. They had separate campaigns for Cypriad and Illiad (earlier and later stages of the Trojan War) while they had a main campaign which too had a large focus around the Trojan War. Don't know whether this is a relevant suggestion, but I think it's a good one! D

[Bercor]

Yeah, we talked about, after releasing the first version of the mod, working on some mini-campaigns that could simulate specific periods of the First Age better. However, the ammount of work would be enormous, so we'll, for now, just focus on the main campaign.

[Milner]

As Bercor said...is a enormous work and by now it must wait, untill we'll finish the main campaing. But is on our minds, also a campaing with Feanor (is a bad thing don't use Feanor's model) leading the first noldor's wage (i'm still thinking how to do it ), and some others as the Fall of Gondolin or a campaing focused in Beleriand before the Noldor exile (Sindarin campaing). Step by step and slowly (the only way to arrive in a good port).

the ammount of work would be enormous

Without doubts, a lot of codding, scripts and sometimes improving new maps closed to specific areas...only think on it, and i believe that we had work for the rest of our lives...

but I noticed that they had incorporated this inthe Aristeia mod

That i know, is also incorporated in the last version of Iberia TW...and it gives a lot of fun and variety (different points of view to every campaing) to the mod, actually is one of my favourites (and i'm very "tikis-mikis" with the mods).