ElfTheHunter
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Posts posted by ElfTheHunter
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2050 - World War III Begins
And we kind out what Ensemble's next game will be
btw, what's wrong with the forums?
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I got ROTK:EE on midnight on monday (may I express my ill-will towards the europeans who got it early
) and as with everyone else, my feelings are mixed.First, its more in line with TTT:EE than FOTR:EE... In my opinion TTT:TE and ROTK:TE was just as good or (in TTT's case) better than their EEs. Sure, I don't deny that TTT:EE had some amazing scenes (Boromir/Faramir is the highlight, with the funeral following) but the flow was broken with Gimli jokes, poorly conceived Treebeard scenes and odd content (Eowyn singing was one, I just happened to like it). In my opinion, like Mythos, TTT was better in TE than in EE. Though to be honest, the TE was not perfect.
Now, why does ROTK:EE isn't that great? Well, SPOILER ALERT, its scenes wasted into mistakes, not corrections.
More Gimli jokes, more flashy woohoos, more army of the dead and yet there is less corrections.
First, the most obvious of all scenes is Saruman's Voice. While I loved the scene, with Theoden's moving speech I saw PJ mess things up with flashy action scenes. EE should not give in to audience expectations, just because majority of people will like to see fireballs and spikes does not mean they should be in the EE. While I admit the fireball was well handled, it should not be there. So I give kudoes to PJ and crew to handle things well, but they placed them where they do not belong.
The skulls was simply the worst scene of the movie, not because it was bad (although it was, too Indiana like) but because what I was hoping for was for them to fix the undead, they didn't do that, they made them worse. And yes, I laughed when Gimli was blowing the undead away, but that doesn't mean I think it should be there. There's a difference between a good scene (both fireball and gimli were good scenes) and right scenes... they were wrong scenes for the movie.... imho of course.
The scene of where Gandalf speaks of the clouds of Mordor was an evil tease on PJ's part. He brought me hope that the film would correct one mistake, instead they made one. Sure, its good to mention that you made a mistake... but only if you actually correct it. It would not be asking too much to add a different filter and make scenes darker and cloud the sky. These guys brought a Balrog to life, Mumakil and armies out of nothing even an central character was completly built of digital effects. A simple filter should not be outside their reach!
Mouth of Sauron, the scene was good. I understand and forgive why Aragorn kills him unlike happened in the books, but the MoS himself is the problem. While his mouth is cool, and of course he is brought to life with pure artful craft like everything in the movie, its the one concept where they took a Tolkien character and uncooled him. I mean, all along, with the witchking, the balrog, the mumakil, the elves they've been beefing up and revamping the characters from the book, yet in my opinion the helm and the mouth and things just felt like they were less cool than the book. I was dissapointed with the character, but the scene was fine.
All other scenes were fairly good additions, not needed additions most of them but not bad. The problem is, ROTK needed changes not additions. And it was long, so really just beefing it to a 4:20 hour long behemoth isn't making it better, just making it longer with more good and more bad. I understand its extended edition, but I was optimistic to have a modified edition where things are different.
Now, the king of all scenes was the Gandalf vs. Witchking face-off. I have stated this when I first saw RotK, PJ improved Tolkien's Witchking. It looks cooler, its captures the essence and is simply (imo) a better Witchking than the books describe. I am really in love with the Witchking, he's not overly done like the Balrog. His voice, his simple but effective design, his attitude, his role is simply the best part of RotK imo.
Just simply put, extending TTT and RotK could not fix them. FotR was perfect, only missing a little. So the EE fix it to what I consider as near to perfection as possible. TTT and RotK were not in as a nice position, they needed changes (Elves at Helm's Deep; Faramir and Frodo Scenes; Missing Saruman Scene; Aragorn-Rangers-Anduril Section; Path of the Dead; Bright Day Pellenor; Missing Outer-Wall) and no matter what scenes you add, you need to alter the TE content to fix them. I know it would cost money, I know it would be hard but IF they wanted to fix what the movie messed up with THEN they would have to do so.
But when it comes down to it, PJ did not make a perfect trilogy, but one of the nearest that I've ever seen, he did a entertainment marvel and a powerful trilogy of films. He (and I mean his team when I say him) pushed technology used in films, acting, costume and about all areas of film-making to near perfection. And in the process, he created the single best adaptation of Tolkien I have ever seen on film. But not one that cannot be topped.
Whew
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Ok, the due date is January 1st. So if anyone wants to attempt and do it during winter break, they may.
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Holy crap... those units look awesome.
Now show me some animation (what? You thought you could silence us by showing us something new? We're fans, we always want more)
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*cough*... that was a joke
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Yay to the Orion Awards, screw Spike TV!!!!
(this message is brought to you by ElfTheHunter, founder of the Orion Awards)
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1492?!?!?!
Boabdil, the last Moorish King of Granada, surrendered his city to the army of Ferdinand and Isabella after a lengthy siege on 1492!!! Yes!, I get to play in Granada!!!!
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*imagines ES smiling at accomplishing exactly what they want*
I myself see the screenshot/render as the most important piece of evidence, and until I am proven differently I'm positive AoEIII will be in the age of discovery. And all I can say is, I hope ES does an wonderful job with it.
And there's nothing wrong with it, just that around here majority of us like the sword and shield history periods.
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The Wait Is Almost Over
2300 BC - Sargon I unifies Sumeria
That is all the imformation I got from the link, so am I missing something...
And the screenshot, while nice, I don't see how it would be that much beyond computers of today. Graphics like those can already be seen in games like Fable, Doom 3 and so on... just that they are not in a RTS setting yet (but that's why there's two years of technology expected). Really, the only thing that is REALLY amazing about the screenshot is the amount of detail, everything else is sort of what I expected from the next generation RTS (I don't consider R:TW to be next generation)
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Wow, impressive.
I really hope that's not a real in-game screenshot because of the brightness (I think they are just showing off their light engine) and the water. While it looks good, its too artsy... but the reflection looks nice and the waves (though can't really judge until i see them in motion) I must say look ok. My main problem is that its colonial, and the camera angle. I'm sick of games granting players full control over camera, it shifts the entire focus of the game. Art is designed not from one perspective but from many, gameplay is adapted to those who prefer to play from an odd perspective.... and I have yet to see a game that really has beaten the camera control. War3 had it right, they simply limited your view so that they didn't have to change their game.
Even in AoM you'd find yourself zooming in, zooming out, rotating, never finding a comfortable place to focus on the game alone. Camera control should not be a hurdle to overcome.
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Elves' everyday life...
All sociological infos on Elves are very rare. We know their mythology (but since it's history, nothing helps on that side), but that's about everything.
What we can imply is that, at least, they do not harvest as we do. They seem more like a hunter-gatherer community, from what Tolkien implied. At least, it's quite sure they don't have farms. We could maybe think though that they live something between harvest and gathering (harvesting the natural forest). This is maybe something that we can imply.
As for sex, we can imply that they see men as more powerful than women. But, there are exceptions about Luthien and Galadriel, but we must note that both of them are seen to be from a higher kind. We do not see them at war, and even we barely don't see them at all, except as lovers and wifes. We can imply as well that they feel that teir daughters are their treasure : Again, Luthien vs. Thingol, and Arwen vs. Elrond, though the first is indeed clearer.
Their distinction between kin is based on "casts" : The Noldor are nothing more then the most curious Elves on Earth, and those who have the best crafts. But, unlike Indian casts, they can mix easily, and the kids will be thaught as of the kin of the father. (Finarfin and Fingolfin, as examples of this). Hence, we can imply that they are Patrilinear.
They think better of craft than industry. In fact, we can say that they value Art over Production. They seem to produce only to fulfll their basic needs, then almost automatically pass on Art and Science (and only produced for those). This is rather "pure hellenic", platonistic.
We can imply that each lives quite decently. In fact, they don't differ much in wealth, their difference is more in their position. But if one is better than others for doing something, he will be thanked and have more richness than the commoner. But the commoner will always live comfortably.
Legolas is the best example of daily life. We can imply that their sleeping needs are rather minimalist (only needing to relax their soul). We can imply that beds are somehow common place in Imladris, but Lothlorien seems to be different (as the company doesn't seem to be able to sleep in the city).
That's about what I can think about it now.
To understand or not to understand
I am one who thinks that their should not be any limits to try to understand. Well, not 0 limits, but the less their are, the better it will be to me. Nothing is meant to be left un-understood. (But this is influenced by my belief than nothing has an essential purpose in life) And, if you try something that turns out to be dangerous, well, "Live on with your 'Sins'".
That doesn't mean to be careless : the more care you take about being secure, the better chances their are that you won't have to live with "Sins" (by "Sins", I mean mistakes that are hard on our moral being, like killing someone trying to do something.) But if something happens, try to understand why , remember it, and go ahead.
We could indeed stop all researches and experiences (each research is in some way dangerous), but what is the point to live if you can't do anything with it. To me, "Living" goes with "Playing" and "Discovering". It is not to act in such way that you'll go from point A to point B. You go on, make mistakes, live with them, and do better the next time. If you die in the process, well, you still lived.
EXCELLENT Post!!! I would give you a rep up but its not enabled yet. But, while I disagree or have things to be considered for most of your points they are all very valid and well thought out (so my reply is not attacking the post, but expanding on it)...
What we can imply is that, at least, they do not harvest as we do. They seem more like a hunter-gatherer community, from what Tolkien implied. At least, it's quite sure they don't have farms. We could maybe think though that they live something between harvest and gathering (harvesting the natural forest). This is maybe something that we can imply.While I agree to some degree, I think most gathering/hunting evidence we have we have simply because of the perspective we have of them. For example, an outsider is more likely to meet an elf hunter than a elf farmer. And we do have evidence of elven farms, like Tumladen around Gondolin. I believe in some text it states (UT or one of HoME) that there were great fiefs and fields and farms around the city.... I could be mistaken (but then the Gondolin drawing of Ted Nasmith is also wrong).
We can imply that each lives quite decently. In fact, they don't differ much in wealth, their difference is more in their position. But if one is better than others for doing something, he will be thanked and have more richness than the commoner. But the commoner will always live comfortably.Ok, while I don't necesserily disagree, I think its a big assumption. I believe that elves did not have a more unique economic life than dwarves, men and hobbits. I believe there was a currency system, there were values to items and trading occured among each other. Now, because of the society a lot was provided publicly by lords and kings. But I am of a opinion that a basic economy system like our own was common, with elves paying elves. It just seems that to understand and live with dwarves and other peoples, one would either make note of the different trading styles, or there is no difference.
Legolas is the best example of daily life. We can imply that their sleeping needs are rather minimalist (only needing to relax their soul). We can imply that beds are somehow common place in Imladris, but Lothlorien seems to be different (as the company doesn't seem to be able to sleep in the city).Remember, he COULD go on without sleeping, only resting his mind. I don't think its a standard lifestyle for majority of elves. I think they sleep and rest like men for the majority of their life.
I believe life for elves, and other peoples of middle-earth reflect the life of classical time commoners. After all, if Tolkien didn't speak of it, why should we assume there is a difference.
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Thanks, fast reply btw...
Gotta look into this PM issue.
And that was kind of the answer I was expecting, usually internal struggles remain internal. Anyway, I wish both parties good luck.
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Englishg longbow ...
"A trained archer could shoot 12 arrows a minute, but some sources say that the most skilled archers could fire twice this number."
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Lorian, let me settled your fears:
It will be 3D. Ensemble Studios will not make another 2D game, really, the shift to 3D IS the future. It's easier to develop for, you can create a lot more content. Its the reason why people don't use DOS much anymore, its outdated. I'm sure windows had its adjusting time where people wished DOS was still used.
Instead of trying to back up to a more limiting technology, the majority of high quality developers know that future technology must be successfully mastered.
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I have yet to receive anything which is fine, I forgot about it until today (bad elf!). Just wondering, what if the due date was delayed to some time around christmas or new years.... like was suggested. How many would prefer that due date, right now there is no due date since I haven't received anything. Anyway, let me know what you guys think of a new years due date (to participants, for now don't worry about a due date, just suggest one thats good for you and keep writtng
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I think guns are not bad, but trying to mix guns and swords usually turns out messy. But who knows, if anyone can do it right (other than Bliz) it will be ES. I just hope they don't fall into the 'popular' habit of making long period spanning games (progressing from swords to guns, from horses to tanks should not be recreated in a game imo). One of the reasons RoN is less than I expected.
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I refuse to give the ending away, specially in a public forum.
*asterik* if you really, really, really want me to tell you the ending, pm me and I'll reply *asterik* NOT ADVERTISED IF YOU PLAN TO PLAY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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it looks bad to me... EA games have delved further from the books then the movies did and I have so far been dissapointed by them. Not saying Vivendi did any better, they managed to do worse!!!!!
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Well, the due date is on but maybe I'll extend it if I get like two articles only... but for now its due next week
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Just got my collectors' edition (with the HL source game included as well as HL2 and CS:S). Haven't played it yet.
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Grr... my brother and I just beat it on legendary in co-op... but after we saw the same ending I saw the day before we remembered that we accidently played the first 3 levels on normal. So now we have to redo those, then beat the last level again to see if there's a special ending.
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Is the due date of November 25 still on? If its too soon you guys should feel free to tell me.
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*creeps out from his dark hole of a room*
The sun burns my eyes! But I've come to say I have beatened the game on Heroric (I tried Legendary, but its a lot tougher than Halo legendary). My brother and I are working our way through legendery co-op (we're actually in the last level) so maybe tomorrow we'll finish and I'll see the so called the alternative ending and the unloackable map. I haven't evne tried multiplayer (other than a quick and pathetic system link game).
A lot of people have been dissapointed with Halo 2 story, I have not. I find it slightly more shaky than Halo storyline, but more interesting as well. But I will not even mention anything about it, afraid of wrecking it for you guys. Now let me activate my Xbox Live account and crawl back into my hole for another week.
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This contest is about the orcs feeding, if you want to mention anything else that's fine. If you can tie it to feeding, it'll be even better. Also, soon, there will be reason to make articles of whatever you want... so if you want, make an extra article about the subject you want to write about.
AOE III: The wait is now over!
in Gaming Discussion & Match-making
Posted
Maybe its just to me (in which case its a bigger trouble) the skin is like off. In the 0ad skin all I see is the spinning map title at the top, 0ad reply/post/etc buttons and avatars... everything thing else is white with no niceness.
Gotta look into this.