Officially announced only last week, the deal for Turbine Entertainment
to develop Vivendi’s Middle-Earth Online has already born fruit a
mere four months after the deal was signed. Much of this is down to Turbine’s
ability to adapt their "Turbine Engine 2.0" quickly to new designs
and so, at the Vivendi conference rooms today, we were given a lengthy demonstration
of the current state of MEO.
Turbine’s Marc Holmes took us through two of the impressively rendered
areas so far created. First up was the Shires where the hobbits make their
homes - and where you will be able to own your own. Houses are planned to
be of modular design, with different doors and windows and other decorations
available for purchase. The houses themselves - expected to be purchased
first by guilds rather than individual players - are pre-placed and pre-sized,
and if you want a different layout, you’ll need to buy a new house.
The Shire is a fairly peaceful place and Marc took his little
Hobbit over the river to the centre of the village where a number of NPCs
acted out the parts of townsfolk and showed off the number of avatars
the engine could take. Asheron’s Call 2 players would recognise
the frills and effects the engine is capable of with waves lapping languidly
on the shore and trees swaying in the breeze. The grass, as currently
with AC2, is still but that bug is expected to be fixed soon.
Towards one edge of the village square was a firework launcher. Currently
set up to show off the particle effects the engine can produce, making fireworks
is expected to be a tradeskill, with players able to produce fancier explosions
as they advance in ability. On the subject of other tradeskills Marc explained
that they should be on a separate advancement track from combat skills but
would mainly be oriented towards making things for combat.
Speaking of which, whilst final decisions have not yet been made as to
the exact form, the current implementation revolves around each character’s
four attributes of strength, intelligence, dexterity and health with them
seemingly acting as multiple staminas-like reservoirs to allow particular
skills to be performed.
After
the Shire, Marc took us into the Mines of Moria where we joined with a
towering human fighter to head to the bottom to fight a Balrog. Initially
the mines were quiet and the two characters proceeded along, searching
the area for loot. Many of the objects around were interactive and Marc
smashed one rickety shelf into pieces when picking up a sword. The noise
alerted monsters on the other side of a blocked door. The door resisted
their efforts only briefly before they smashed it aside and poured through.
After the brief battle, the two moved deeper into Moria. At one point,
crossing a bridge, the pair was assailed by hidden archers who swiftly turned
Marc’s hobbit into something akin to a pin-cushion. Halfway over the
bridge Marc’s companion used a "magic shield" to push several
opponents away and to their deaths off the bridge. Marc explained that,
as Wizards in Middle-Earth were numbered in single figures, players would
not be taking their role, but magic items and effects would be available
to players. One example from the books would be Boromir’s Horn which
would boost the fighting ability of members of his fellowship.
Marc also explained the decision to not have player versus player combat
in the game. Considering that in their own words an "An Elf and Hobbit
fragfest over the hills of the Shire doesn't honor the grandeur of this
epic story" and the problems in the past many games have had with allowing
both PvP and PvM playstyles, they decided to concentrate their focus on
one side of the coin.
Players
though will still be able to align themselves with Sauron by their actions
- on finding an evil item, the player will move themselves towards Sauron
by using it, or away by destroying it. Movement towards a certain alignment
may open more abilities up, but will also close others. Evil characters,
for example, will find themselves unable to visit Elven areas. Marc’s
companion showed off some of the effects when evil items were used - after
donning a nifty black suit of armour, his character arched his back as
he floated in their air and a huge skull effect appeared around his body.
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