10/04/99 - Latest News

Making a Game
Berendir @ 2:21 pm EST

Ulairi from the Middle Earth Dev board spoke about his ideas on making a new Middle Earth game. Heres what he had to say:

I am way into macking a ME game (not to compete with the big boys) just something to rp on with great content, and game play(i can use servers at my work, boss says ok)
I know C++, so do 3 of my friends at school and in my dorm.
My bro knows Vbasic, and GL

If we can get somepeople to do art work (sprits work for me) and help code it code be a good game, not a fully MMORPG but something fun to play
email if you wish to help

got 5people so far, could find 6-7more in my class if i try.

This is an interesting post, shows hope that there are those out there with the inspiration and determination to make something happen, good luck in that project.

10/02/99 - Latest News

More on MEO
Berendir @ 6:00 pm EST

I've heard from many people that they're excited about about the plans to create a Fan created Middle Earth game, possibly on NWN. Heres some of what Fredian Furryfoot had to say about it:

I am currently working on a new MEO website, Middle-Earth Post. It will cover the 'new' Middle-Earth game, and Steve's projects. It will not be promoting a mass-market game by any means, but I see no reason why we should not be informed of the project of the 'new' MEO.

I plan on campaigning to give the license to Steve or another company, and possibly, work out something with MEO Voice to create a bigger presence on the 'net. I'm fully behind Brian and his great site, and hope to work with him to make it bigger, and better. I have yet to talk to him about it, so don't take this as a promise.

I've heard from some others that they are willing to help with making the web page, and helping with the game. So we'll see where the project ends up, and whose in charge.

10/01/99 - Latest News

Middle Earth Fans Unite?
Berendir @ 2:25 pm EST

Theres lots of talk on the MEDev Board. The people that have been following MEO for all those months, have decided its time to stop feeling badly about it, and start taking a proactive approach to the situation.

Some of the ideas are to build a great fan based web site, and the theme of the site might be for a game they want to make, or play in. Some plans for creating a game from scratch were thrown around, however another one, probobly more probable was thrown onto the table by Aulė.

I'm going to try and round up all the ideas so far for creating our own version of Middle-earth, specifically using Neverwinter Nights.

NWN is going to be a complete package. The Solstice Toolset that will be included is going to allow even people who have no background in programming whatsoever (like me hehehe) to help in creating our own version of Middle-earth. Because there are rules that will be already set in place, everyone will be able to simply debate which ones we want to use. They can all help in building the world, and can always make new adventures. This means the project is VERY grass-roots oriented. You're not limited to a very few people putting in massive hours before the game engine is even ready. You have an entire army of volunteers.

The excitement started when Spiritwolf, the designer of the Middle Earth Role Players Alliance web page, spoke out about some alternatives we could do, instead of feeling badly about what seems the loss of MEO. Heres part of what he had to say:

I believe with enough player donations, and the revenue gained from a website, or the marketing of products through the website, there would be enough money to get a game through the initial design phases and into the hands of a publisher, who has a lot more money. Along the way a new community would be built. One that has a greater influence on the games development and where the developers ARE the company.

I'll keep you up to date with this situation, could be interesting to watch it unfold, or even help out and take part in it.

9/30/99 - Latest News

Game Dive Report
Berendir @ 2:22 pm EST

I couldn't make the game dive last night myself, however I was there earlier and gave the message that I was looking for someone to send me some info on it. So the following report comes from Mirkemen.

-Even if there were rumors of the restructuration of MEO, Steve Nichols, was surprised of the decision.

- Someone asked Steve if the developement team used some of the fans' ideas. He answered:"Quite a bit".
he liked much of the ideas but some were to hard to make. His favorite one was character psychology.

- The animator of the show said that he liked the idea of true death. ( Sierra doesn't like it )

-Steve commented that. He said that first of all, you have to be dumb to get killed ( animator said ironicly that there were no dumb playing RPG ). In fact, experienced players would know the places where they could get killed.

Thanks Mirkemen for the info, its appreciated. If anyone else has some info on what happend last night at the game dive, don't hesitate to send it to me.

9/29/99 - Latest News

New Poll!
Berendir @ 8:32 am EST

Hello Everyone. We have a new poll on the Gaming Havens, time to tell us what kind of Middle Earth game would be ideal for you. Strategy, Adenture, RPG, or an all out, quake style, kill fest.

9/28/99 - Latest News

MEO Community
Berendir @ 10:00 pm EST

I found this post off of the MEDev Board, and it was posted by Silmetaure.

One of the chief goals of the developement team was a developement of community. We may have had no virtual housing, no swords and no orcs, but we have a community. Some of you have come to be regarded as upstanding members of our little society, and many kudos to you. Some have spread dissidence, stuck out obtuse ideas that most didn't accept with grace, and all in all enlightened us stagnant "we know best"ers all the more. Even if MEO becomes nothing at all connected with any idea released here, our ideas are not for nothing. With them, we founded a community, a group of people that shared, that interacted, and that lived and breathed.

We had our angers, and sorrows, and even the occasional great protest. We thrived, and through it all there existed some form of companionship, some bond, that held even the most strident of opposition here in respect of one another, if not in friendship. Even some of you I regarded from time to time as narrowminded or wrong have surprised me, shown me the error of my foolishness, as you come up with a bright and insightful piece of thought. I think even the people I have railed against or muttered over as I put down responses too, I like. You make me think, and that is a precious gift indeed. If I put down some nonsense reply, I don't get away with it, I am pulled down by the very dogmas I all to often spout, so I must think and I must be careful, and I enjoy it, and enjoy interacting with all of you.

We came together for MEO, and with our villany and heroics and a thousand things between, I say we make a damn fine community. Kudos to all of you, and bravo for the true community of Middle Earth Online, for the birth of the idea was the birth of us, and never shall any other community be so intrinsicly linked to this world.

Sierra
Christian @ 8:37 pm EST

Man, their seems to be alot going on about what sierra are up to at the moment, I can hardly keep up I tell you. Restaffing! Restarting! sheish, who knows where the'll go to next.

This article talks about what may be happening, and they are also going to have a live interview with some of the former MEO developers. You need realaudio to listen in, and you go here at 7pm PDT on Wedensday the 29th of september.

Their's also another breif article about what may be happening here.

9/27/99 - Latest News

What The Fan's Think
Berendir @ 4:11 pm EST

This poll is found off of the MEVault page.

The question was, What impact do you think the restructuring of Sierra will have on MEO?

The results were:

MEO will become an EQ/UO Clone 496 57.34 % MEO will never be completed 242 27.98 % It's too early too tell 127 14.68 % TOTAL 865 100.00 %

Well fifty seven percent of the fans that voted believed that MEO will become an EQ/UO Clone, and twenty eight percent don't even think the game will be completed! Well thats not alot of faith in Sierra to do a good job with this game, but Sierra hasn't given us much reason to be hopeful as of yet.

This is one poll where it would be nice to see the fan's be completely off on.

What Do We Learn From This?
Berendir @ 2:15 pm EST

This editorial, What Do We Learn From This?
comes from the Adrenaline Vault. It's about the recent happenings with Sierra, and touches on what happend to MEO.

Here's a cut out of the editorial, go to the site to read the whole thing:

I should mention I am using the term "child at heart" in the most affectionate manner possible. We love our toys, and it angers us when someone throws them away. Indeed, Sierra has been a great source of material. Flight simulation fans have maintained that the Red Baron campaign format is an exemplar form of the genre and were anticipating the upcoming Desert Fighters with throttles already in hand. The Babylon 5 cancellation was especially vexing because of its acutely devoted fan base, most of which is mainlined into the Internet and computer games. One of the hidden casualties no one seems to be discussing much, though, is the game Middle Earth would have been. It was not cancelled, but its development team -- made up of people who left Yosemite and moved their lives to Bellevue earlier this year -- was vaporized. It is difficult for children to be accepting when it seems someone bigger than them does not give a damn, so we were entitled to stamp our feet and point out how unfair the entire thing was.