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On Visualizing A Virtual Middle-Earth

Posted by simoniker on from the gollums-and-saurons dept.

Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing to the Middle-Earth Online website's new developer diary, in which the PC MMORPG's production designer Marc 'Taro' Holmes talks about the "epic responsibility" of visualizing Tolkein's world. He discusses some of the visual controversies: "The debates go back and forth, seemingly without end - does the Balrog have wings or is he made of living flame? Do dwarven women really have beards? How tangible are the Nazgul? How beautiful are the elves?", and shows some early concept art for the barrow-downs at Tyrn Gorthad.

2 of 30 comments (clear)

  1. Movies reducing your options by evilhayama · · Score: 4, Insightful

    For a lot of people now, the LoTR movies will have defined exactly what many of the aspects of middle earth look like. Previously it was mostly about imagining it yourself from the books, but now elves, dwarves and even balrog have a certain look. This would be especially true for the Masses who didn't even read the book. but saw the movie and now know what a nazgul steed looks like...

    1. Re:Movies reducing your options by lafiel · · Score: 3, Insightful

      "know" what Nazgul steeds look like... a sad state of affairs, as a big LotR fan I really don't like the direction I see this going. The movies, while impressive, still rob people the ability to imagine the leader of the Nine reach out for Frodo as he huddles, alone, frightened...

      I just see this as an opportunity for LotR to reach the masses and become just some big fad, where everyone raves over how great the visuals are and how great the movie's story is (of course.. you're taking a revised script from one of the best six-book series of all time, it better be damn good!).

      Sadly, I rather the movies never existed, and this online middle-earth scrapped. Let middle-earth exist in the imaginations of those willing to read, not those who were enchanted by someone else's thoughts (a movie director's) and firmly believe that Legloas can use an arrow like a dagger.