Middle Earth Online

Harrison · Post by **Harrison** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:09 pm

Anyone been checking this out as well? Open beta to start this summer, will be a good chance to try it out, looks and sounds great so far.

But then again, so does every game that comes out.

http://www.meo.com

Harrison · Post by **Harrison** » Wed Apr 14, 2004 7:13 pm

Small update, found this on their forums.

Dulles, VA, April 12, 2004 - America Online, Inc., the world's leading interactive services company, and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today announced that the popular AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) service will be seamlessly integrated into The Matrix Online. This marks the first time that players in a massively multi-player online game can link an existing AIM identity to a new in-game character, creating seamless real-time communication with other Matrix players as well as other AIM buddies - whether inside or outside of The Matrix Online.

The integration of AOL Instant Messenger into The Matrix Online will enable players to see the online presence of fellow gamers and communicate with them at any time. Players who are jacked into The Matrix Online will be able to send instant messages to their friends in real time, regardless of whether or not they are playing. This will enable players in the game to chat real-time with their online friends who are not currently playing the game to ask them for gameplay tips and tricks or alert them to jack in and join a mission.

With 195 million registered users, AOL Instant Messenger adds a whole new dimension to online game play. As long as a consumer has an AIM, ICQ or Apple iChat account, he or she can receive a message from The Matrix Online players in real time from any location. Whether receiving a message via the Internet or their PDA or cell phones, players will be able to remain "in character" without revealing their AOL or AIM screen name...

To me that fucking owns.

Thon · Post by **Thon** » Wed Apr 14, 2004 9:34 pm

so...they don't have to alt tab out to use aim?

Harrison · Post by **Harrison** » Wed Apr 14, 2004 10:32 pm

No, it's integrated into the game. That's amazing to me at least.

dammuzis · Post by **dammuzis** » Sun Apr 18, 2004 10:02 am

kk anyone else things that the matrix online is going to suck more anus than earth and beyond?

Post by **Martrae** » Thu Apr 22, 2004 2:11 pm

"The Middle-Earth Online team at Vivendi Universal Games and Turbine Entertainment recently evaluated the development progress of the game and made the tough but correct decision to delay its release. The extra time in development will be used to add more content, more lore and more nuanced touches to the world, as well as enable us to extend the beta-testing period. At this time, the expected release date for the game is 2005."

Kramer · Post by **Kramer** » Sun Apr 25, 2004 12:17 pm

damn the EQ graphics look suckier and suckier with each new game out

Harrison · Post by **Harrison** » Sun Apr 25, 2004 1:20 pm

EQ is 5 fucking years old, of course the graphics blow.

Dylan · Post by **Dylan** » Sun Apr 25, 2004 4:42 pm

It makes me sad jackasses try to continue to build lore off of a incomplete story, why can't they accept the original genius is gone and leave the stories alone? I mean it was cool and all for his son to finish the Silmarillion but I'm betting this game is gonna totally fuck it up so I wouldn't ever want to play it.

TStorm · Post by **TStorm** » Mon Apr 26, 2004 5:39 pm

If it was anyone but Tolkien I might be worried. Chris Tolkien is such a psycho I'm sure he'll go over every transcript, detail, or anything related to the Tolkien universe before it's released.

Half the enjoy of the books though is using your own fantasy imho. Putting into visuals kinda ruins it, though PJ did an excellent job with it.

Wyrdrune · Post by **Wyrdrune** » Thu May 06, 2004 2:12 pm

Chris Tolkien and the Tolkien estate do not care for the movies and do not care for the game, nor care for anything else.

You see, the movies and all the other stuff going on about them now are not based on a license from the Tolkien estate.

Technically the movies and the online game and all the other merchandise you see are marketing for the animated Lord of the Rings films that came out in the 70s.

The Tolkien Enterprises logo, together with "The Lord of the Rings," "Middle-earth" and the names of the characters, events, items, and places therein are trademarks or registered trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company dba Tolkien Enterprises under license to Vivendi Universal Games, Inc. Vivendi Universal Games, and the Vivendi Universal Games logo are trademarks of Vivendi Universal Games, Inc.

Note the bit about Saul Zaentz? They's the one that got the license for the animated films and just have gone on and on and on...

Post by **Tossica** » Thu May 06, 2004 2:19 pm

Wyrdrune wrote:Technically the movies and the online game and all the other merchandise you see are marketing for the animated Lord of the Rings films that came out in the 70s.

The Rankin and Bass ones or the Ralph Bakshi "Lord of the Rings"?

Wyrdrune · Post by **Wyrdrune** » Thu May 06, 2004 4:30 pm

As I understand...
Zaentz has the rights.

Rankin-Bass ended up doing the Hobbit. But Z. was just handing over the license at the time.

Z. produced and Bakshi directed The Fellowship and Two Towers.

Then Rankin-Bass came back and did Return of the King.