firstly i'd like to say hola to everyone, this is post 1 for me
as many of you may be aware of/own/have looked at before, there is a middle earth atlas that is supposed to be terribly accurate to the tolkein world. And it kinda made me wonder, has this atlas been used as a basis or could it be used as a reference in game play? and is it as accurate as it claims to be?
~dinty~
Full Version: Middle Earth Terrain
I suspect that you can't use this atlas, except maybe as a general guide, because the devs will have gone back to the books and essentially made their own atlas. This probably means there will be differences between MEMod and this atlas because the devs may have interpreted things from the book slightly differently than the people who made this atlas.
Hello and welcome to our forums thatdandydinty,
MEMod will not use that as a resource to build off of but that doesnt mean that you still cant use it, as it is for the most part it will be accurate. We will have changes in places though.
MEMod will not use that as a resource to build off of but that doesnt mean that you still cant use it, as it is for the most part it will be accurate. We will have changes in places though.
yes, and no.
in general terms, large-scale maps and the likes will be accurate.
in the details, however, there's likely to be significant differences which we've taken from the source texts and interpreted in particular fashions - we've gone to quite a tragic length working out a geological map of middle-earth with the probable geology, which will effect exactly what is what and where - just what might cause the long lake to form with a waterfall at the southern end, just what rock type could cause characras to be red, the geology behind the white downs, and so on.
once we'd got the geology, we then spent time working on the erosion patterns, so, for instance, in the examples above, working out how the striations of the Forest River into the long lake form the fenlands referred to, or the way small unmarked streams in the downs will cause particular watercourse patterns, of just how much glaciation would've altered the shapes in the mountains and valleys... expect to see things like hanging valleys and u-shaped valleys, eskers, moraines and striated rock erosion in parts.
having got the geology and water, we've been able to work out where the geology is condusive to caves, and where it's condusive to tunnelling. then there's the process of working out the flora and fauna for each section.
Of course, a lot of this is textual interpretation, often using small comments to calculate the larger scale of things - white tower in minias tirith, for instance, indicates white stone - limestone, indicating not only a relatively nearby source, both in geological tems but also in socio-economic terms. given that we work out the geology of the white mountains in a certain pattern, resulting in a very particular detail, based on tolkien's own map as a master source image. textual reference to oroduin clearly indicates a volcanic source, and the mountains around mordor are likewise of a similar source in contexts. in each case, we've been looking at geological reference from reality to ensure it will feel "right". the demo will indicate that when it's released - the vertical scale is perhaps a little over-exaggerated - I'd have liked to go back and reduce the vertical by about 20% if we restarted, but, that's not practical, nd only came to notice during playtesting. it ha meant we were able to adjust the global heightmap more effecively, however. What will likely strike players is that there are none of the "morrowindian" hills in Memod, and that you're likely to follow the routes of pathways with a "flow" in reality.
In short, forget the atlas for detail, but hang onto it for general indications of the layout.
Suz
in general terms, large-scale maps and the likes will be accurate.
in the details, however, there's likely to be significant differences which we've taken from the source texts and interpreted in particular fashions - we've gone to quite a tragic length working out a geological map of middle-earth with the probable geology, which will effect exactly what is what and where - just what might cause the long lake to form with a waterfall at the southern end, just what rock type could cause characras to be red, the geology behind the white downs, and so on.
once we'd got the geology, we then spent time working on the erosion patterns, so, for instance, in the examples above, working out how the striations of the Forest River into the long lake form the fenlands referred to, or the way small unmarked streams in the downs will cause particular watercourse patterns, of just how much glaciation would've altered the shapes in the mountains and valleys... expect to see things like hanging valleys and u-shaped valleys, eskers, moraines and striated rock erosion in parts.
having got the geology and water, we've been able to work out where the geology is condusive to caves, and where it's condusive to tunnelling. then there's the process of working out the flora and fauna for each section.
Of course, a lot of this is textual interpretation, often using small comments to calculate the larger scale of things - white tower in minias tirith, for instance, indicates white stone - limestone, indicating not only a relatively nearby source, both in geological tems but also in socio-economic terms. given that we work out the geology of the white mountains in a certain pattern, resulting in a very particular detail, based on tolkien's own map as a master source image. textual reference to oroduin clearly indicates a volcanic source, and the mountains around mordor are likewise of a similar source in contexts. in each case, we've been looking at geological reference from reality to ensure it will feel "right". the demo will indicate that when it's released - the vertical scale is perhaps a little over-exaggerated - I'd have liked to go back and reduce the vertical by about 20% if we restarted, but, that's not practical, nd only came to notice during playtesting. it ha meant we were able to adjust the global heightmap more effecively, however. What will likely strike players is that there are none of the "morrowindian" hills in Memod, and that you're likely to follow the routes of pathways with a "flow" in reality.
In short, forget the atlas for detail, but hang onto it for general indications of the layout.
Suz
edited out the double post. the acid's worn off now 
looks as though the immortal one's are capable of error, erm? hehe
anyway, can You explain this a little differently, I am interested but can't quite understand:
anyway, can You explain this a little differently, I am interested but can't quite understand:
| QUOTE |
| What will likely strike players is that there are none of the "morrowindian" hills in Memod, and that you're likely to follow the routes of pathways with a "flow" in reality. |
i thinks suz's talkinga bout the fact that morrowind mountains are made up of hills? like maybe they actually modelled cliffs and mountains?
Wait... did Suz just double post or is the acid taking effect on my mind?
Pretty interesting idea, it takes me back to using the Morrowind map (the one that came in the game's box) to find my way around Vvardenfell.
Interesting to see so much effort going into the basic terrain.
~Valdir
Pretty interesting idea, it takes me back to using the Morrowind map (the one that came in the game's box) to find my way around Vvardenfell.
Interesting to see so much effort going into the basic terrain.
~Valdir
Its the acid...
shiiit, maahn. it's like. really heavy.
and the purple nasty is just like so far out it's not real, man.
Suzeohfeckingshitmanyou'reallturningintolizardsandthesky'sgonepinkrain
and the purple nasty is just like so far out it's not real, man.
Suzeohfeckingshitmanyou'reallturningintolizardsandthesky'sgonepinkrain
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