War in the North (LOTR)

[spaceboy]

Anyone love Lord of the Rings and interested in next week's War in the North? It is a co-op RPG set during the time of the books/movies but not specifically the books story of course but the "War in the North".  I really think the co-op will be fun.

Lord of the Rings: War in the North - Extended Combat Trailer

[Art Blade]

a lot of creatures there lost their heads  :-D

[PZ]

Looks cool - is this SP or only co-op MP?

[spaceboy]

pretty sure if you play offline the other two in your fellowship are AI controlled.  You can also have 2 players local and one AI, or 2 players local and a 3rd online.  Or all online of course.  I'd check the offline to be sure but that's what I recall.

My first introduction to LOTR was the movies, now I'm reading the books - about 3/4 through Two Towers.  I loved the PS2 games of TT and ROTK, but didn't like the demo of Conquest enough to get it.  I'm hoping this fulfills that LOTR gaming itch I have :)

[PZ]

So many games...  ^-^

[Art Blade]

 :-D

[Binnatics]

I love LOTR books. Also "the Hobbit", the small prequel where Bilbo goes on a quest with Gandalf to steal the dwarfs' gold from Smoog. When he originally finds the ring.

I've only seen the first movie, which was a disappointment to me. I remember the story hadn't even half begun when that first movies allready finished. I was in a Cine in Spain, where they'd put the volume far too loud. I had pain in the ears when I came out.  :-\\
I should watch the movies again one time, I was impressed by the graphic quality. Only my image of Frodo wasn't fitting into this human actor. I'd imagined the hobbits more like potatoe-like creatures :-D

I allways had the idea the games are a bit "final fantasy-like". Not really my type. But the rolling heads are cool ^-^

[Art Blade]

haha, that happened to me, too: Cinema in Spain with mind-blowing volume. I think people in aeroplanes flying over the cinema were able to understand spoken language coming from that particular cinema I was being shaken around in.  :-()

[fragger]

I don't know why they do that in cinemas. Hello, we're not deaf! Although we could be by the time we come out of the cinema

@Binn, if you want to watch the LOTR movies I suggest getting the extended DVD versions, there's tons of great additional scenes. Altogether they add up to around 11 hours of movie.

I love the LOTR movies as movies but I also don't believe they do the book justice. There is a LOT of departure. For one thing the hobbits were all way too young in the movies, they should all be middle-aged (Frodo is 52 when he sets out from Hobbiton in the book). I understand why the film-makers made the changes they did as the films had to appeal to people who hadn't read the book, or were not familiar with the story. Anybody who puts up around $280,000,000 for a trio of films is going to want to see a return on their investment, which means getting as many bums on cinema seats as possible, which means providing mass-appeal and not just catering to the die-hard fans, which means substantial changes to the characters and story. Another example is Liv Tyler's character, Arwen - in the book she was a minor character who didn't even have any dialogue and is only glimpsed a couple of times in passing (and she didn't save Frodo with a spell at the river - that was a male elf called Glorfindel). In the movie she was made into a semi-major, pivotal character. So the movies ended up being "Hollywoodized" as a result of financial concerns. One can't deny though that the films were a labour of love, the TLC that went into the making of them is very evident.

RE: the game :-() I've never played any of the LOTR games, this one looks interesting :-X

[Art Blade]

TLC= Town Loadable Content?  ????

[fragger]

Tender Loving Care :)

[Art Blade]

ah hehe, cheers :-()

[JRD]

I read all the three books before watching the movies. I agree that the movies are not just like it is in the books but I wasn't disappointed at all. Maybe because I'm not a hardcore fan of the book (and the movies for that matter) but I think they did a good job after all. I mean, what happens is just like in the book, but how it happens in the movies is a different story. For example: in the books the four hobbits are passing through a forrest, right in the begginning of their journey to destroy the ring, where there is a side character I can't remember the name (Tom Bombadil, I guess). They go through some adventures and somehow end up in a tomb-like place where they find swords they get to use for a while. Later on they meet Strider and fight some of those flying demons while camping on a hill top. In the movies the whole Tom Bobadil - or whatever his name is - is left out and by the time they meet Strider they have no weapons at all. During the scene they are attacked at the camp site, Strides gives them the swords they'll use for the rest of the first movie.

Therefore: they meet Strider and fight the demons with swords they managed to get somehow. That's pretty much what happens in the books, only in the movies they skipped a long, quite boring and unnecessary part of the book that otherwise would make the audience rather bored right from start. It goes along to what fragger said... they hollywoodized the books, but I think they did a very good job in the end!

As for the games... never played any, so nothing to tell about it. It has the core of potentially great games though and as long as they are well developed there can be outstanding gameplay!  8)

[Art Blade]

In my experience there has never been a quite as good follow-up that would meet our expectations. Be it a film followed a game (Wing Commander, Tomb Raider, The Fast And The Furious which wasn't half bad, after Need For Speed) or the other way round (Adventures of Indiana Jones although it wasn't half bad, Alien.. oh dear).

So, good luck, then  :-()

[Art Blade]

Fiach I was editing while you were reading.  ^-^ Maybe take a second look, then  :-()

[Fiach]

Doesnt seem different, maybe I just happened to see it as soon as it was posted  :-X

[Art Blade]

ok, ta  :-D

[Binnatics]

Hmmm, my commentary about the movies has provoked quite some movement...
Don't get me wrong: I think that when I watch the movies again I will enjoy them a lot, in my own living-room cine experience that is  :-D And thanx for the tip Fragger for the extended DVD version, that seems a good idea ;)

I think the whole movie thing is to be approached differently I think, different from the books. I movie can never be like these books. But still can be great. The critics I spawned on the movie are the only ones I found, but back then for me quite disappointing. I had expected more story, more happening in that first movie. It was over before I got really into it. I'm sure the second and third part have compensated the double for that matter.
And I completely agree on the holliwoodized theory; I didn't expect anything else.

Actually, I'm getting all excited in buying these movies soon ;)

[spaceboy]

very fun game so far.  Great visuals and music.  Co-op works seamlessly.  Lots of Orcs and goblins to slay, and lots of treasure to loot as well!

[Art Blade]

aw phew  ^-^ :-X

[PZ]

very fun game so far.  Great visuals and music.  Co-op works seamlessly.  Lots of Orcs and goblins to slay, and lots of treasure to loot as well!

Glad you're enjoying it - does the battle feel like the movie?  I always liked the way the Ranger sliced up the orcs and urukai.  :-()

[spaceboy]

I'd say yes, it's basic hack and slash, light and heavy attacks, blocking, rolling.  There are also special attacks you start to unlock/earn.  If you get enough hits in a row you start to get "critical" blows and such.  These come with the head lopping and limb dropping.  You also get some nice slow motion animation at times.  You can heal yourself with potions or help a fallen member of your fellowship back up by healing them.  You can give each other items from your inventory.

It was funny because one of the players gave me a nice new helmet (I'm playing as the dwarf first), which was a nice gesture I thought.  You can also change weapons as you earn or buy them.  I prefer the two handed axe right now but I played for a bit with a shield and short axe.  The dwarf also has a crossbow which I love.  I try landing a few bolts at the oncoming goblins, or take out higher up archers, before I need to resort to the axe for close combat.

The three of us took down a troll which was good to see lots of arrows and crossbow bolts sticking out of its hide.  Eventually it fell after we got in close for a few axe/sword hits, then quickly rolled away to safety from its huge hammer.  After a few rounds of this he came crashing down.

The AI takes over if someone leaves the session and in fact you can launch with just AI then others can join you or leave at their will.  I can't wait to get back at it.

[PZ]

Sounds cool, space, and you mentioning the dwarf reminded me of a TV cooking competition that I watched yesterday - Top Chef, Las Vegas.  In the program was a cook - it you gave him a helmet, you'd immediately think of the dwarf in LOTR - other than being full size, he was a spittin' image! 

[Fiach]

Is there a mage class? Is the AI good enough for SP do you think?

I'm kinda conflicted on this game, played LOTRO for a few years, dunno if I'm ready to go back to middle earth just yet, but I do love the books/movies/lore :)

I have a few earlier games on PS2, but the more recent console versions have been RTS games, which I dont really c are for.

[spaceboy]

The elf takes the w@&k of a mage basically.  I don't even know all the skills of each class tbh, but the elf girl has this staff and can put up a shield dome that protects you.  I think nothing passes through but it could also just protect arrows or something.  The human and AI controlled elf both used it a couple times but I wasn't near it so it didn't help.  It was too chaotic for me to watch what the others did too much.  You can find and use healing potions yourself (even during battle).  I can compare to other RPGs or ARPGs since I really never played any.

The AI seemed competent and healed my arse up once too.  I think SP would be easier to take your time looting, searching, going through your inventory, and buying stuff.  But I'm foregoing that for now to see how the co-op works which has been pretty cool.

I played and loved TT and ROTK for PS2.  These really are similar.  So far it is quite linear, I'm not sure if the areas open up much.  But it isn't a problem, and too open might make the pacing suffer.