On Visualizing A Virtual Middle-Earth

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.

Comments

Re:Movies reducing your options

[ConceptJunkie]

Well, I guess you didn't mind the fact that the Hildebrandt brothers had defined the visuals of the LotR a generation ago in the Tolkien calendars. Or the Ralph Bakshi movie, which certainly capitalized on the huge popularity that Tolkien had in the 70's, and defined many of the visual elements of Tolkien (admittedly poorly in places). There were "Frodo Lives" bumper stickers and Harvard Lampoon riding the wave with their brilliant parody "Bored of the Rings". I had a LotR board game, which was actually very well implemented for a fairly simple game.

The fact remains that fads will come and go, but the story will remain. You will always be able to read the book. So what if someone else's exposure to Tolkien consists solely of having seen the movies and having a Burger King fake-crystal glass shaped like Aragorn's head. Anyone not willing to take the opportunity to read the books doesn't deserve to experience what you and I have cherised. That's their loss, not ours.