Lord Of The Ring: The Battle For Middle-earth

Necro

<div class="IPBDescription">what? a decent game from ea?</div> <a href='http://www.gamespy.com/articles/march04/lotrbfme' target='_blank'>http://www.gamespy.com/articles/march04/lotrbfme</a>

sounds cool to me - but i'm sceptical

<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Skaggs said that you can group archers and swordsmen into a group and the swordsmen will then form a ring around the archers to protect them. If you group orcs and a troll, the troll will throw the orc like artillery pieces. There will be plenty of different combinations that will be available and the A.I. will change the individual unit behavior to adapt to a group setting.
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The development is also working on ways to bring actual emotion to the units in the game. "In the trailer, there is the Oliphant going on a rampage," Skaggs said. "That isn't because it was directed to. If you look closely, its back is on fire and it is panicking. There are other areas where we are employing this as well. In an RTS, if you tell units to go to a spot, they go. Here, if you tell a couple of Gondor soldiers to attack a troll, they might hesitate because of the tremendous fear factor."
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CommunistWithAGun

<!--QuoteBegin-Necro-+Mar 2 2004, 08:39 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Necro- @ Mar 2 2004, 08:39 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
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The development is also working on ways to bring actual emotion to the units in the game. "In the trailer, there is the Oliphant going on a rampage," Skaggs said. "That isn't because it was directed to. If you look closely, its back is on fire and it is panicking. There are other areas where we are employing this as well. In an RTS, if you tell units to go to a spot, they go. Here, if you tell a couple of Gondor soldiers to attack a troll, they might hesitate because of the tremendous fear factor."
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Omg yes, its like NS, your troops won't listen!



<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> what? a decent game from ea?<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Har har, so true. Except Zero Hour. I loved that.

Nil_IQ

Isn't this out already? Why don't you just buy it and see <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->

Necro

um...no

that's war of the ring, a warcraft 3 clone basically.

JediYoshi

Well it's a preview dated today, and

"The game is still several months away from alpha"

so, meh.

Nil_IQ

Huh? I saw something similar in the shops, what was that then?

<!--QuoteBegin-Necro+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Necro)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->um...no

that's war of the ring, a warcraft 3 clone basically. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

*edit* Ah, well that would be it then <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif' /><!--endemo--> *edit*

Retales

Seems that this is the closest one to a LOTR Total War game. Imagine how COOL it would be to get Middle Earth: Total War.

xect

<!--QuoteBegin-Retales+Mar 2 2004, 04:28 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Retales @ Mar 2 2004, 04:28 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Seems that this is the closest one to a LOTR Total War game. Imagine how COOL it would be to get Middle Earth: Total War. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Bad thing is, I was sitting in the cinema under the largest battle scenes and thinking "this is so much like total war". The battlefield looked just like a game of total war <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->

CplDavis

<!--QuoteBegin-CommunistWithAGun+Mar 2 2004, 09:34 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (CommunistWithAGun @ Mar 2 2004, 09:34 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Necro-+Mar 2 2004, 08:39 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Necro- @ Mar 2 2004, 08:39 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
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The development is also working on ways to bring actual emotion to the units in the game. "In the trailer, there is the Oliphant going on a rampage," Skaggs said. "That isn't because it was directed to. If you look closely, its back is on fire and it is panicking. There are other areas where we are employing this as well. In an RTS, if you tell units to go to a spot, they go. Here, if you tell a couple of Gondor soldiers to attack a troll, they might hesitate because of the tremendous fear factor."
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Omg yes, its like NS, your troops won't listen!



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ahaha lol.

But then again would YOU go rush an Onos with basicaly your knight amour/sword (HA/Knife)


I think this is an interesting step in the direction of realism, just so long as it does not make your troops totaly useless.

I mean come one, there will always be those natural leaders, and rambos of the group too. I wonder if they will be scripted into the AI as well.

CplDavis

<!--QuoteBegin-xect+Mar 2 2004, 10:50 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (xect @ Mar 2 2004, 10:50 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Retales+Mar 2 2004, 04:28 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Retales @ Mar 2 2004, 04:28 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Seems that this is the closest one to a LOTR Total War game. Imagine how COOL it would be to get Middle Earth: Total War. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Bad thing is, I was sitting in the cinema under the largest battle scenes and thinking "this is so much like total war". The battlefield looked just like a game of total war <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
lol the Gondorian soldiers all looked like midgets too i jsut noticed. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->

Venmoch

I'd much rather see something that had the AI of the Battle Maker that they used to render the soldiers in the films.

Every man was assigned a "personality" and acted it out on the battlefield.

Now that would be cool.

Zig

<!--QuoteBegin-Venmoch+Mar 2 2004, 11:38 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Venmoch @ Mar 2 2004, 11:38 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I'd much rather see something that had the AI of the Battle Maker that they used to render the soldiers in the films.

Every man was assigned a "personality" and acted it out on the battlefield.

Now that would be cool. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
that would be cool, mos def.

but..

it would take like, 7 supercomputers to run it =\

Gwahir

<!--QuoteBegin-Venmoch+Mar 2 2004, 02:38 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Venmoch @ Mar 2 2004, 02:38 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I'd much rather see something that had the AI of the Battle Maker that they used to render the soldiers in the films.

Every man was assigned a "personality" and acted it out on the battlefield.
<!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
It was called "Massive" and the concepts in it are old ones well known in AI for quite some time. The attacks and defenses were simply classified into several categories and the animations were all preset. Interesting to look at, long time to run. They actually did add ways of directing the agents a bit though.

It was little more than a decision tree. Okay I perceive this this this this, no, this this, blah, etc. Now I decide and activate actuators this this this, not you *slap*, this this, etc. I'm sure certain variables were randomized to predispose certain decisions over others differently between agents, effecting that personality you spoke of.

Perhaps this particular soldier really likes an overhead attack, but the guy he fights first really likes a low attack. Well if they both start out fighting, the soldier probably loses, but they tell each other what they've decided to do and one may try to block, but may not. It's just these little variations that make them win or lose.

TychoCelchuuu

The Gondorites in that first shot DO look like midgets. And all the Gondorese have beards of the same exact color. I mean, if we're supposed to be connecting to the troops on a personal level or something, it would help if they didn't all wear their facial hair the same day. Does EVERY Gondorian have a beard?

xect

<!--QuoteBegin-Venmoch+Mar 2 2004, 08:38 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Venmoch @ Mar 2 2004, 08:38 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I'd much rather see something that had the AI of the Battle Maker that they used to render the soldiers in the films.

Every man was assigned a "personality" and acted it out on the battlefield.

Now that would be cool. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
That would be cool, except for the fact that rendering speed would be measured in seconds per frame rather than frames per second <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->

baconflaps

Riders of Rohan need a trample ability. Nothing better than 10000 Rohirrim just flat-out charging your ****. I also can't wait to see Nazgul and the Balrog. Maybe it'll distract me from the Ring Wars custom WC3 map. Maybe.