What on Earth are WB doing with Lord of the Rings?

[Aris Khandr]

War in the North was a very solid offering. If it weren't for my complete intolerance of spiders, I'd probably have played it a half dozen times. As it was, I still managed to get through it one time (mostly by shutting my eyes and letting my friends deal with that level) and thoroughly enjoy it. It had a lot of little touches that absolutely blew me away, like the effect of rain running down your armour. If you haven't played it, I fully recommend it unless you're like me and have seriously crippling arachnophobia.

 

[Shadow-Phoenix]

Dark souls gameplay lotr world. make it happen .

What gameplay we talking?, the unforgiving difficulty or the combat mechanics?.

Combat mechanics I could get behind but unforgiving difficulty would make the game that bit more niche, especially since not everyone loves balls to the walls difficulty in their games and just want to have fun or explore.

Captcha: Way to go Donny

YEAH DONNY WAY TA GO BUDDY!.

 

[BrotherRool]

Yeah fair enough that's what most people played!

The tie in movie games were generally great on all 3 platforms.

I feel like the WB Team who just made Arkham Origins could be competent enough making that kind of game, or even hire the studio who did Kingdoms of Amalur. There's tons of Open World games coming out now, maybe 5 years ago it would've been super challenging, but now I'd say it seems a lot easier.

Especially as they've got all the lore/art direction done already. Amon Hen, Amon Sul, Bree, Rivendell, The Shire, Lothlorien, Minas Tirith, Erebor, Mordor, Rohan, Isengard...all of those have had concept art done for them already so it literally requires the conversion to 3D.

If the studio who made Kingdoms of Amalur were still around, I agree they would have been the perfect choice to do this, unfortunately they went bankrupt. I think the Arkham Asylum people would have been perfect to make an updated hack 'n slash, I'm not so sure about a large open world game because the focus is something different (it's about filling areas with detail and a different kind of technology. It's not really the same skillset as needed to make City. The only developer I know whose still around and done something similar is Capcom's main team (Dragons Dogma) but obviously Warner Bros can't go to them =D


It could be done, but you'd have to be pretty lucky. Have you ever played Lord of the Rings Online btw? And how does that match up to what you want if so?


I think the hack 'n slash games would sell well, but just because the originals did wouldn't be very convincing as an executive, because as a rule of thumb movie based games used to sell really well and then suddenly in the new generation they stopped selling well. The film games came out back at a time when they were selling well. I still believe the market is there for these particular games, but I can understand why publishers haven't made them.

 

[endtherapture]

Yeah fair enough that's what most people played!

The tie in movie games were generally great on all 3 platforms.

I feel like the WB Team who just made Arkham Origins could be competent enough making that kind of game, or even hire the studio who did Kingdoms of Amalur. There's tons of Open World games coming out now, maybe 5 years ago it would've been super challenging, but now I'd say it seems a lot easier.

Especially as they've got all the lore/art direction done already. Amon Hen, Amon Sul, Bree, Rivendell, The Shire, Lothlorien, Minas Tirith, Erebor, Mordor, Rohan, Isengard...all of those have had concept art done for them already so it literally requires the conversion to 3D.

If the studio who made Kingdoms of Amalur were still around, I agree they would have been the perfect choice to do this, unfortunately they went bankrupt. I think the Arkham Asylum people would have been perfect to make an updated hack 'n slash, I'm not so sure about a large open world game because the focus is something different (it's about filling areas with detail and a different kind of technology. It's not really the same skillset as needed to make City. The only developer I know whose still around and done something similar is Capcom's main team (Dragons Dogma) but obviously Warner Bros can't go to them =D


It could be done, but you'd have to be pretty lucky. Have you ever played Lord of the Rings Online btw? And how does that match up to what you want if so?


I think the hack 'n slash games would sell well, but just because the originals did wouldn't be very convincing as an executive, because as a rule of thumb movie based games used to sell really well and then suddenly in the new generation they stopped selling well. The film games came out back at a time when they were selling well. I still believe the market is there for these particular games, but I can understand why publishers haven't made them.

I played Lord of the Rings online but didn't enjoy it. It didn't feel like LoTR, it felt like a generic MMO, from the overlarge statues, to the giant spiders and MMO-ish art direction. I would honestly like a game based on the films art direction, but open-world and single player and sandbox, like Skyrim but in Middle Earth pretty much. Cameos from people like Elrond, free roaming world etc, would be very good.

I think most people realised games of the film were sucky, so they stopped getting made, also games got more expensive to make. Shame because the LoTR tie in games were some of the best games of that entire gen on the consoles.

 

[BrotherRool]

I played Lord of the Rings online but didn't enjoy it. It didn't feel like LoTR, it felt like a generic MMO, from the overlarge statues, to the giant spiders and MMO-ish art direction. I would honestly like a game based on the films art direction, but open-world and single player and sandbox, like Skyrim but in Middle Earth pretty much. Cameos from people like Elrond, free roaming world etc, would be very good.

I figured that was what you would have felt, but I was hoping maybe it wouldn't. I've avoided playing it yet because I'm worried it would be the same as playing the Old Republic. There's nothing like MMO mechanics, other people and gigantic blank rooms designed to fit 20 people on cruddy PCs to spoilt the immersion.

I do hope they can do it right, but I can understand why the execs aren't jumping at it (I don't think either Kingdoms of Amalur or Dragons Dogma made a heap of money) and I'm pessimistic about someone doing it right. They've also made some really weird decisions (I still can't get over the MOBA and the Battlefront rip-off was weird) and sadly the studios who've handled the others games have been pretty mediocre. War in the North had all the makings of a great game, it just wasn't made by a great studio

I think most people realised games of the film were sucky, so they stopped getting made, also games got more expensive to make. Shame because the LoTR tie in games were some of the best games of that entire gen on the consoles.

Completely agreed

 

[SerithVC]

Anyone actually play War In The North? It's a solid ARPG with sweet combat. Not to mention some amazing co-op.

We also got Lego LOTR and are getting Lego The Hobbit.

Lego Games are cool...but can't we get something a bit more than them? As much as they are fun to play they're hardly...what I want.

Hey now, just because it was a game that you didn't want doesn't constitute it to be a shit game, which is the vibe I got from your opening post. Maybe I'm wrong, I probably am.

WiTN was solid, but I wouldn't mind a Dynasty Warriors style LOTR game...now THAT would be badass.

There was conquest which was kinda like a lotr dynasty warriors mixed with battlefront. I enjoyed a playthrough or two of it. War in the north was a good game, though i wish it had have had better character customization. LOTRO is just WoW painted to look like LOTR and has too much focus on fighting animals and humans for me to actually enjoy it as a LOTR game. Also, everyone on here should search up LOTR The White Council and ask 'WHY WAS THIS CANCELED!?!?' because it would have been amazing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lord_of_the_Rings:_The_White_Council


Personally i would like something thats kind of a cross between elder scrolls, dark/demon's souls, and dragon's dogma for a LOTR game.

 

[cerebus23]

Dark souls gameplay lotr world. make it happen .

What gameplay we talking?, the unforgiving difficulty or the combat mechanics?.

Combat mechanics I could get behind but unforgiving difficulty would make the game that bit more niche, especially since not everyone loves balls to the walls difficulty in their games and just want to have fun or explore.

Captcha: Way to go Donny

YEAH DONNY WAY TA GO BUDDY!.

That is why we have difficulty settings, it is not nigh impossible to satisfy both type of players in the same game. it just takes a bit of fiddling with some game numbers.

So you could build it like ds combat and difficulty wise, imagine exploring murkwood, or moria, fighting your way dodging slashing or casting, heck that type of combat is more real life than most rpg combat systems. Timing, dodging, countering, tactics hell yea that is what combat is about.

why not set a lotr game with that style of play. if you want a easier game put it on carebear mode where if buffs your armor and stats to near god levels and you can hack your way through all but the hardest of mega bosses with ease.

 

[TheDrunkNinja]

The Third Age? Hoooo boy. Now that was a trippy game. It basically bent the Tolkien-verse lore over its knee and proceeded to sodomize it with a spoon. I don't have to tell you my reaction when I got to the end to find that the final boss for these no-name Middle-earth warriors was the motherfucking Eye of Sauron itself. Still a decent game, but it will drop your jaw a few times.

As mentioned earlier, if you're looking for new titles from Middle-earth, look no further than Shadow Over Mordor. I first heard about it when Gameinformer did a cover story on it, and it looks very promising to say the least. They make a big deal out of something called the "nemesis system", which means that each enemy you face is supposed to be unique, but I wouldn't be surprised come release if it was a barely noticeable feature.

Seriously, take a look, I think it's the game you're looking for.

 

[eberhart]

While WB can be trusted to bungle quite a lot of things, they can be at least partially excused thanks to licensing issues, not to mention a lawsuit over some ridiculous achievements in their IP-pimping department. Stuff like slot machines for example.

The last time LOTRO did a Hobbit tie-in (about one year ago), it resulted in a buggy, detached and half-arsed instances/dungeons, that suffered from a mass of both short- and long-term flaws; Turbine has also managed to add several long-term "bugs" (or, if you believe Turbine - bugs, but they are not exactly trustworthy after reintroducing the same flaw thrice during several months) and design paradigms (since they were adamant many of *those* were WAI). Both pretty much wrecked item distribution and advancement ladder for an entire expansion, including that Hobbit tie-in period.

WB seems able to commit Shadows of Mordor level of nonsense in terms of "lore", but Turbine is not that lucky (though it might not be a bad thing, considering...). They are not allowed to touch anything directly related to Hobbit or eg. 1st Age, being limited to LotR and some appendices - I guess folks can offer more insight here http://lotrocommunity.com/forum/topic/2340-the-long-story-short-of-the-tolkienwbzaentz-lawsuits/ (lawsuit and dishonest PR surrounding it), as for the extent of creative freedom Turbine has - you might want to dig deeper. Just keep in mind that official forums require high tolerance for BS, paid (or unpaid, there's a lot of idiots on this Earth) "thread augmenters" and CM team that behaves like an elephant with ADHD in a china store.

Outside of licensing/lawsuits/bugs etc, WB seems perfectly happy with Turbine trying their best to sell some half-arsed version of NGE (yeah, couldn't even manage THAT) with recent x-pack and trying to appeal to Mobile/Zynga/Game-wins-itself type of customers. At the same time they count that their loyal customers will remain loyal despite those changes, through Paizification process, which amounts to, roughly, "so what if they are unhappy, if they like the game they will stay even while bitching, so we can still screw them". Fernando and Kate Paiz, inventors of this approach @ LOTRO, have been truly awesome at treating their long-term fanbase as a retarded Wallet Operators during recent years. With its lowest common denominator in terms of "challenge" or "diversity" and with multiplayer component (as in: cooperative OR competitive tasks and combat rules) systematically abused, game has become more like a toy, Sims-in-Middle-Earth.


So "what on Earth are WB doing" with that particular piece of IP? Hopefully letting it die, as there can be no other LOTR MMO while this one still is around and occasionally pretends to be a game with a chunk of decent *and new* content here and there.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Are the Lord of the Rings movie tie in games, good? Been thinking of buying the trilogy for the ps2 and they seem to be a step above most movie tie in games.

In a word, yes. We are talking about the hack and slash ones, correct? Both The Tower Towers and Return of the King were truly fun time killer games that really captured the feel of combat in the Lord of the Rings movies. You should certainly pick them up. Not sure about the third game in the trilogy you're looking at. I never heard anything good about any other Lord of the Rings games from that era.

You know what I want? I want a Lord of the Rings game like that old DOS game. Anyone hear ever play that one? I don't even know what it would be called nowadays. An rpg maybe? The cutscenes for it were from the Lord of the Rings cartoon movie. Oh man, that game was a blast to play. It was huge, and it did a lot of extra stuff outside of the main storyline--like finding Hawkeye and the Ghost King--that never really felt out of place. Okay, so the ending was a bit weird where you fight the Witch King, but otherwise it was pretty solid. I'd like a game like that again.

 

[endtherapture]

The Third Age? Hoooo boy. Now that was a trippy game. It basically bent the Tolkien-verse lore over its knee and proceeded to sodomize it with a spoon. I don't have to tell you my reaction when I got to the end to find that the final boss for these no-name Middle-earth warriors was the motherfucking Eye of Sauron itself. Still a decent game, but it will drop your jaw a few times.

As mentioned earlier, if you're looking for new titles from Middle-earth, look no further than Shadow Over Mordor. I first heard about it when Gameinformer did a cover story on it, and it looks very promising to say the least. They make a big deal out of something called the "nemesis system", which means that each enemy you face is supposed to be unique, but I wouldn't be surprised come release if it was a barely noticeable feature.

Seriously, take a look, I think it's the game you're looking for.

In terms of lore...this one looks like it might be just as bad:

Spoiler

Spirits of Vengeance resurrecting a Dunedain and giving him Wraith powers. So very confusing and un-Tolkien haha.

Also he has Narsil for some reason.

 

[TheDrunkNinja]

The Third Age? Hoooo boy. Now that was a trippy game. It basically bent the Tolkien-verse lore over its knee and proceeded to sodomize it with a spoon. I don't have to tell you my reaction when I got to the end to find that the final boss for these no-name Middle-earth warriors was the motherfucking Eye of Sauron itself. Still a decent game, but it will drop your jaw a few times.

As mentioned earlier, if you're looking for new titles from Middle-earth, look no further than Shadow Over Mordor. I first heard about it when Gameinformer did a cover story on it, and it looks very promising to say the least. They make a big deal out of something called the "nemesis system", which means that each enemy you face is supposed to be unique, but I wouldn't be surprised come release if it was a barely noticeable feature.

Seriously, take a look, I think it's the game you're looking for.

In terms of lore...this one looks like it might be just as bad:

Spoiler

Spirits of Vengeance resurrecting a Dunedain and giving him Wraith powers. So very confusing and un-Tolkien haha.

Also he has Narsil for some reason.

Well, to be honest, there is a difference here. I'm really not one of those type of guys who goes nuts over every lore inconsistency. I'll try to explain:

With the Third Age, the inconsistency with the lore stems entirely on how it treats already established material. Like we're supposed to just accept that Sauron was largely defeated because a bunch of guys climbed his tower and beat the shit out of his giant flaming other-worldly eye. And we're just supposed to accept that they also helped Gandalf defeat the Balrog on the bridge in Moria, but oh no, they were just in the background, you just couldn't see them. They were totally there the whole time. Right...

Whereas, with Shadow of Mordor (my bad for getting the title wrong originally), this "spirit of vengeance" business really doesn't fuck with anything already established. Possession by an spirit is a new idea that hasn't been touched upon in the series. It could work just fine canonically as well as tone-wise, and it is kind of inline with the books considering undead spirits, wraiths, and wights are not without presence in Middle-earth. I mean, an entire army of undead specters was a major plot point in the last Lord of the Rings movie.

Also, that's not Narsil. That's his son's broken ranger sword which he now uses as a dagger.

 

[Right Hook]

War in the North is severely underrated, my brother and I played through it together, it was a great time for both of us. It just should have been longer IMO, I also wished it had tied into The Two Towers and Return of the King some more. It felt like you had very little connection to the films after The Fellowship left Rivendell. I was totally willing to suspend my disbelief enough to believe that the three main characters from WITN could have ended up at Helms Deep somehow & showed up just in time to help with the fighting at Gondor but alas it wasn't so.

Two Towers and Return of the King were serviceable tie-in games even if they got weirdly hard at some points, haven't played them in a LONG time to be honest. The Fellowship of the Ring was based off the book and that game, along with the old Hobbit game, is really fucking weird. You owe it to yourself to check them out or at least a bit of an LP of them, just to see how bizarre they are.

The LEGO games don't do much for me, they are fun but I hate the sheer amount of collecting I feel is necessary to really enjoy any of the LEGO games.

Beyond that, I never really got into any of the MMO's or RTS's, I'm very picky when it comes to those genres. I played a GBA version of The Two Towers when I was a kid but the less said on that the better.

Shadow of Mordor sounds kinda cool, it seems like it might end up being a, for lack of a better description,
Mountain Dew/Doritos/Bro/FistBump-type game but I've read up on it and it at the very least has some ambitious goals. Overall though, we do definitely need a great LOTRs game and the sooner the better, especially with Disney trying to get its act together with Star Wars games.

 

[cthulhuspawn82]

I just realized i own war in the north from a Humble Bundle and i had no idea. Going to play it tomorrow

I recently noticed the same thing. I was like, "It must be a trial weekend" Then I was like, "Wait, I own this!"

 

[JaceArveduin]

Well, we know they are not conspiring with EA to make BFME3... So whatever they're doing, it's fundamentally wrong.

 

[votemarvel]

I'm surprised to hear so much praise for War in the North. For me the only redeeming feature was the co-op and that was only because you had someone to share the misery of playing the game with.

 

[Lieju]

But the thing is most of these games use the source material but don't capture the feelings of it. The best game for me that captures the feeling of LotR- a huge open world filled in every nook and cranny with secrets and quaint villages, is (obviously) Skyrim. There is combat in the books and films but it's not only combat, there's a lot of adventure and exploration... In fact, it's mostly exploration and adventure. Games usually only go for the combat route.
The fact that they shut down the Skyrim mod tells me that they realise this too.

This I agree with.

Most LOTR are linear affairs which break the lore of Tolkien lore - looks like Shadow of Mordor will be going that routue too. All we need is some sort of documented main quest (like the many there are in the Lore, eg. the Fall of Arnor), some kind of levelling system, and big world to explore with lots of little side quests.

Not combat focused, linear games with sub par stories.

It'd be so easy to get right that I can't believe they keep getting it wrong.

I think you're describing the LEGO-game.

I had a lot of fun running around in the miniature-Middle Earth.
Also, wasn't the MMO like that? I haven't played it myself, though so I don't know.

 

[duwenbasden]

I'll totally play an open world LOTR game with all the lores but little to do with the trilogy. I generally dislike tie-in games because of spoilers and the inability to do jack-all about it. "ugh I am going to have to do this later on."