Forth Eorlingas!

[wei yau]

Alas, I've purchased yet another PC game that promises to suck the very life out of me. I am now committed to late nights of waging war in the warm glow of my monitor. Even my dreams will be invaded by visions of clashing armies and the plotting of grand strategies.

I intended to purchase "Dawn of War" (http://www.dawnofwargame.com/), a real-time strategy game set in the Warhammer 40,000 Universe. However, I am very reluctant to pay full price for a new release. Eventually, these games get heavily discounted as there is a seemingly endless tide of new releases.

So, while browsing the aisles of Best Buy, I found "Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth" (http://www.eagames.com/official/lordoftherings/thebattleformiddleearth/us/home.jsp) ... ON SALE!

Now, I get to command the armies of Good (Rohan/Gondor) or the armies of Evil (Mordor/Isengard) in the epic struggle for the One Ring. I've only just started the campaign and am guiding the Fellowship through the Mines of Moria.

The campaign is more than just a simple walkthrough of the story as depicted in Peter Jackson's films. Once it gets underway, I'll be able to dramatically change the forces involved in each battle. The last march of the Ents need not end at Isengard. I can rally them to defend the White City of Minas Tirith. I can even summon a Balrog to lay waste the defenders at Helm's Deep.

I suspect I won't get too many response to this post, as few of you strike me as RTS gamers. But, I am giddy with excitement and had to share.

I fully intend to purchase "Dawn of War" at a later date. I also have my eye on "Kohan II: Kings of War" (http://www.timegate.com/kow/). I am addicted to real-time strategy games, though I have to admit I largely suck at them....especially the ones that require actual tactical skills like "Rome: Total War" (http://www.totalwar.com/community/rome.htm). But, my poor abilities as a general does nothing to reduce my enjoyment of these games.

[Ymir's blood]

I'd be interested on hearing how the game goes. It sounds interesting, especially the part about controlling the forces of Mordor. :pitch:

[viscousmemories]

I was really into Warcraft, Starcraft and AoE (respectively) when they came out, but then I got sucked into Unreal Tournament online and haven't played an RTS game since.

Back in '94 I was heavily addicted to a MUD called Genesis, which was in large part based on LOTR. I was a Ranger of Ithilien and so lived in Gondor. I've never read the books and I haven't seen all the movies but I generally know the names and places when people talk about them because I've been there...

[Corwin]

Hang on..........

I was RoI around '94......

[wei yau]

I'd be interested on hearing how the game goes. It sounds interesting, especially the part about controlling the forces of Mordor. :pitch:

Well, I've just completed the "Good" campaign. I'll probably start the "Evil" campaign this weekend. I'll let you know what it's like to command a horde of Orcs, Trolls and Uruk-Hai.

I'm a bit worried because the forces of Mordor was not a problem during the "Good" campaign. I was able to wipe them out pretty easily. I'm hoping that's caused by poor AI instead of poor game-balance.

[Weaselboots]

I am totally and i mean totally addicted to World of Warcraft.....housework-bah, eating- who needs it, work- hey i got plently of sick days.
Its a online game that only came out in November. I got it for Xmas, have to share with man but we have been good about it so far. Haven't had to resort to "but its my game" tactics..yet... :P
I bought him Half Life 2 for his birthday in December, its really good too, kept having freaky zombie dreams. Haven't touched it since WOW.
Yes we are geeks.
Going down south next week for a short break. A whole week with no computer, we will be shaking from withdrawal by the first day i bet. :giggle:

Have fun with the games.

[viscousmemories]

Warcraft II and Halflife I are two of my all-time favorite games. I'd love Halflife II. :yup:

[wei yau]

I am stuck with lowly dial-up at home. I intend to keep it that way. If I had broadband, I'd be hopelessly addicted to online gaming like Weaselboots and "World of Warcraft".

I'd ignore everyone and everything around me. My life would fall apart.

It's not worth it.

right? it's not worth it? cause if you tell me it is, then I'm signing up for broadband tomorrow

[Weaselboots]

right? it's not worth it? cause if you tell me it is, then I'm signing up for broadband tomorrow

Oh its worth it.....you know you want to.
My life hasn't fallen apart...yet.
I'm at work, not thinking about how to do that tricky quest at all, completely focused.
Plus its damn cute to look at. I'm a Tauren, a bipedal cow, with a big gun. It rocks. I've met some cool people online to form parties with, see not isolating at all, plus we both spend quality bonding time together, watching each other play......not sad for one moment...really.

I will get back to Half Life 2 at some point....plently more zombies to kill and wierd dreams to have.

[Ymir's blood]

Seebs turned me on to Temple of Elemental Evil which is sucking out a lot of my time. The game only cost me $10 (gotta love old games) and apart from a few minor problems is really fun.

[JoeP]

I am stuck with lowly dial-up at home. I intend to keep it that way. If I had broadband, I'd be hopelessly addicted to online gaming like Weaselboots and "World of Warcraft".

:badcon:

[wei yau]

Well, I've just completed the "Good" campaign. I'll probably start the "Evil" campaign this weekend. I'll let you know what it's like to command a horde of Orcs, Trolls and Uruk-Hai.

I'm a bit worried because the forces of Mordor was not a problem during the "Good" campaign. I was able to wipe them out pretty easily. I'm hoping that's caused by poor AI instead of poor game-balance.

I have just conquered Middle Earth for the Dark Lord Sauron. The White City of Minas Tirith fell in flames and blood. The Age of Men is ended.

Playing the "Evil" campaign requires more tactics and maneuvering. The forces of evil are considerably underpowered, particularly the forces of Mordor. The forces of Isengard, the Uruk-Hai, are more capable of going toe-to-toe aginast the armies of Rohan and Gondor. However, when commanding the forces of Mordor, even with the aide of Haradrim and Men of Rhun, is much more difficult.

These forces have very weak offensive capabilities and almost no armor to speak of, they get chewed up very easily by opposition much smaller in numbers. When using the Mordor armies, it's a question of churning out enough Orcs to replace the fallen and overwhelm the opposition through attrition.

This strategy works in only some of the scenarios. In Mirkwood, the Elves are simply to powerful to overcome with only numbers. And in the Siege of Minas Tirith, it seems that only the Uruk-Hai have what it takes to wear down the defenses.

All in all, a good game. Both campaigns are fun to play. Now on to skirmishes.

[Gurdur]

......like "Rome: Total War" (http://www.totalwar.com/community/rome.htm).....
My own favourite.
I love changing the course of history in this one.
At the moment, it's 219 B.C., and I've built the Macedonians into the premier world power --- I control all the Greek isthmus, and the areas known today as Belorussia, Rumania and Hungary, and I keep those pesky hubris-ridden Romans locked away by my naval blockade in Italy and Sicily.
Carthage, as a a result, is doing pretty well too, and Ptomeliac Egypt is doing OK.
heh, heh, at the moment the Iberians are besieging the Romans in Marseilles.
Me, I just build up my cities in Greater Macedonia.
Alexander is reborn !
________________________________

I stil have the very original LOTR computer game, LOTR 1 and 2 (no 3 was never brought out).
In the original version of LOTR 1, you have to play on a 386, because the game runs at direct computer clock speed, and playing on a 486 let alone a Pentium means the characters race across the screen so fast you barf from motion sickness.

[wei yau]

My own favourite.
I love changing the course of history in this one.
At the moment, it's 219 B.C., and I've built the Macedonians into the premier world power --- I control all the Greek isthmus, and the areas known today as Belorussia, Rumania and Hungary, and I keep those pesky hubris-ridden Romans locked away by my naval blockade in Italy and Sicily.
Carthage, as a a result, is doing pretty well too, and Ptomeliac Egypt is doing OK.
heh, heh, at the moment the Iberians are besieging the Romans in Marseilles.
Me, I just build up my cities in Greater Macedonia.
Alexander is reborn !

Damn, that sounds awesome. I might just have to get that game. I'm not sure, though. I found "Shogun: Total War" to be just way too hard for me. I'm afraid that Rome will be even tougher.

You know, I'm surprised that livius doesn't love this game.

In the original version of LOTR 1, you have to play on a 386, because the game runs at direct computer clock speed, and playing on a 486 let alone a Pentium means the characters race across the screen so fast you barf from motion sickness.

I wonder if that's why my borrowed copy of Warcraft (the original) runs so damned fast on the screen. I can't play it because of the motion sickness.

[Gurdur]

I'm afraid that Rome will be even tougher.
It is.
I've always been a Shogun fan, and a fan of the sequels; Medieval Total War and now Rome Total War.
But Rome is definitely the toughest and most complex.

[livius drusus]

You know, I'm surprised that livius doesn't love this game.

livius is unfortunately game incompetent. Tetris is pretty much the top of my gaming skills curve. If I weren't so sorry, I'd be all over RTW, I assure you.