Music was a key to creation…
_ (Eliel) _
- Music was a key to creation…
- Chance Thomas
- Un élan Communautaire formidable
- 1st1, le CM inoubliable
- MrRrrRRr, le rédac’chef de mon coeur
- En route to the future
- The Lord of the Online Rings, goes well, rather very well even.
- New in the graphics…
- Poutoux…
Ainulindalë, Le Chant des Ainur, relates the creation of the world, and what is a persistent world without music?
The latter has a special place within the work of Tolkien and by extension in the Lord of the Online Rings. It accompanies us for a few moments of presence at stake (which can for some now count in years), and sometimes it comes out of this universe to accompany us in our everyday life.
Who did not find each other one day humming an air of the sdao even when he was no longer at stake?
Chance Thomas composed our favorite tunes as soon as the Shadows of Angmar, he then regularly returned during highlights such as the Mines of Moria, Rohan and Mordor .
Everyone has their favorite song (I admit I have several), Chance agreed to tell us a few words on the occasion of this fifteenth anniversary of the Lord of the Online Rings.
Chance Thomas
Music occupies an important place in the universe of the Lord of the Online Rings, how did you get to this project?
It was a hell of a trip to get there! I’ll tell you the story.
In 1998, I started writing music based on Tolkien’s literature. After doing in -depth research on his books, I discovered many references and inferences to sound, songs, voices and instruments. I continued my research while making up.
Aptly at the same time, the creator of games Sierra Online began to build the original prequel of SDAO, Jrr Tolkien ‘S Middle-Earth. I became the composer of this game until it is canceled.
Universal bought the rights and assets, thus expanding its license with the succession of Tolkien, which allowed him to create other games based on his literature. I was hired as a musical director of the Tolkien franchise, responsible for ensuring the continuity of music throughout the franchise and reaching a high level of quality. As such, I worked on the war of the ring, the community of the ring, the hobbit and the next prequel of the SDAO, Middle-Earth Online.
A part of my work consisted in composing and producing a series of original themes for each of the main breeds of the game, and writing a detailed style guide so that the group of constant expansion composers is on the same wavelength.
Universal then merged with the French giant Vivendi, and the Tolkien Games were finally abandoned. All except Meo, which was sold to Turbine Entertainment. Turbine renamed the game The Lord of the Online Rings and prepared his first commercial outing, Shadows of Angmar. I composed all the orchestral, choir music and the music of small acoustic sets that you hear in these first parts of the world of the game, all in the studio. “Tom Bombadil’s Theme”, “Song of the Dwarves”, “Hills of the Shire”, etc.
Geoff Scott also added a few pieces of solo acoustic guitar to the partition. All the other music for Angmar was created with Midi virtual instruments by Steven Digregio, Lenny Moore and Brad Spear.
After having composed for the shadows of Angmar then thought you come back to the Moria, the Rohan and the Mordor?
I was so grateful to be reingated for Moria. I had lived and inhabited the world of Tolkien so deeply when I worked with Universal and Vivendi. I had the impression that a huge part of me had disappeared after the exit of Angmar and that I had no more involvement. So yes, when they came back to me for Moria, I was delighted. Ditto for the Rohan and the Mordor.
What compositions were the most difficult (we can think of Mordor who is particularly dark)?
Sometimes it is actually the simplest songs that are most complicated to create. When you are looking for a simple melody, as for “Tom Bombadil’s Theme”, the track is so exposed that you end up writing it and rewriting it thousands of times, trying to find something that (in words From the great John Williams) begins to seem “inevitable”.
At the other extreme, you have complex combat music like “Drums in the Deep” by Moria and “Bring it” by Mordor which bring an overwhelming number of animated components to the partition. Weaving all these lines together in a significant cacophony can also be a challenge.
What is your favorite piece in these compositions for the Lord of the Online Rings?
I love “Ages of the Golden Wood”, because its abundant strings, its sweet flute and its enchanting elven songs reflect the magic essence of Lothlorian that I imagine. “Learning to ride” of the Rohan extension always takes me in large hills hilly on the back of Hasufel or another noble destrier – find my way, orient me, then gallop freely in the wind. And “After the Fall” by Mordor, despite his simplicity, gives me a little goosebumps. You can listen to these songs and others to this link: 10th anniversary soundtrack.
We hope to find you soon in the land of the environment for new compositions, but in the meantime what is your news?
In fact, I have recently been retired from the composition. My last soundtrack was The settlers for Ubisoft , which I finished in February. I don’t know yet when it is published. In the meantime, I have traveled a lot (including a month around the Mediterranean) and worked on my memories.
Does the music industry for video games have changed a lot in 15 years?
Absolutely. For example, The Settlers uses an AD music system
Un dernier commentaire pour célébrer le 15ᵉ anniversaire du Seigneur des Anneaux Online ?
J’ai aimé chaque étape de ce voyage. Le SdAO continue de grandir, d’évoluer et de trouver un public de plus en plus large tout en restant intéressant et amusant pour ses joueurs fidèles. Je suis très fier de l’équipe de développement et de la direction qui maintiennent le monde fantastique de Tolkien en vie et en plein essor ! Ces 15 années ont été formidables et l’avenir semble plus radieux que jamais.
Un élan Communautaire formidable
Kaelendil – Chasseur – serveur Estel :
Je me souviens toujours de mes premiers pas en Terre du Milieu, j’incarnais à l’époque un jeune chasseur solitaire et j’ai encore en mémoire l’offre qui m’avait été faite de rejoindre une confrérie (Manero) alors que je venais de subir une mort héroïque face à un sanglier du pays de Bree.
Quelle joie de jouer avec des compagnons, de découvrir la force des conjonctions, et que ce monde était plus joli et agréable à parcourir à plusieurs.
Cet esprit de partage se trouvait également via des sites tels que lotro.fr qui permettait de recenser les points d’intérêts de la Terre du Milieu – alors que rappelons le – à cette époque le brouillard de guerre masquait les parties inexplorées des cartes et que l’indicateur de quête n’était pas encore implémenté.
Je vous passe les épisodes où je me faisais guider dans la Moria, mon sens de l’orientation cessant de fonctionner dès le premier pied posé dans une caverne – et c’est toujours valable aujourd’hui.
Ce sont les mêmes sentiments qui animent également deux acteurs du début du jeu MrRrrRRr un des fondateurs de la confrérie de Bree et rédac’chef de la section JoL LotRO mais également 1st1 (Instinct), le tout premier Chargé de communauté francophone du Seigneur des Anneaux Online pour Codemasters.
1st1, le CM inoubliable
Tous mes vœux d’anniversaire à Lord of the Rings Online, pour sa communauté, sa durée de vie et son univers incroyable !
J’ai eu la chance de travailler sur LOTRO en 2008, en tant que Community Manager chez Codemasters, qui était à l’époque l’éditeur du jeu en Europe. Ce fut une expérience magique : pouvoir partager les news et événements de ce MMORPG à ses débuts – en particulier avec JoL et ses administrateurs & administratrices passionnées – a été révélateur selon moi d’une des plus grandes forces du jeu : le pouvoir de fédérer la communauté autour d’un univers riche et féérique.
Cela avait permis l’organisation de concours et d’activités en dehors du jeu sur les forums et fansites.
En cherchant dans les archives, plusieurs projets qui donnent le sourire sont ressortis des cartons et ils donnent un bon aperçu de la quantité et de la variété d’opérations qui avaient pu être organisés : – Un quiz de connaissances sur le personnage de Bilbo – Events ingames : RP, Fêtes, Musique, Combats – Dev Diaries pour présenter les nouveautés à venir (par ex. les escarmouches dans Siege of Mirkwood) – Coordination des FAQs et Interviews entre JoL et les développeurs au studio – Invitations de JoL à des événements presse, alors qu’à cette époque, c’était traditionnellement plutôt des journalistes de sites généralistes qui étaient invités (même si ça a sûrement beaucoup évolué depuis) – Envoi de goodies promotionnels en tout genre : consommables ingame, t-shirts, versions spéciales du jeu lors des sorties de nouveau contenu, etc.
*lien du quiz bilbo: https://lotro.Online/actualite/24272/anniversaire-bilbon-concours-Online
*lien du Dev Diary Escarmouches Mirkwood: https://lotro.Online/actualite/24620/systeme-escarmouches-4eme-partie-soldats
La Paris Games Week par exemple, avait rassemblé de nombreux fans et permis à plusieurs des créateurs (Jeffrey Steefel, Aaron Campbell) de venir des États-Unis pour présenter une des extensions (« Les Mines de la Moria ») dans une belle ambiance. J’avais essayé tant bien que mal de traduire en français les interventions live de Jeffrey sur scène.
Tout ça pour dire que ça a été une expérience incroyable et qu’on espère bien sûr que le jeu et son univers continueront d’apporter bonheur et rêve à la communauté !
- En vidéo version camescope de l’époque : partie 1 partie 2
- le baptême du feu : l’arrivée du F2P
MrRrrRRr, le rédac’chef de mon coeur
Happy birthday to Lotro! What a longevity!
I have wonderful memories, especially with the wonderful community that frequents it.
It all started in 2007, the first MMO concerning me: discovery of the vocabulary of the MMO, the universe and especially its community!
We founded a brotherhood (brotherhood of Bree on Estel (l)) on a “misunderstanding” and recruitments on the fly.
In the end: many IRL friendships who still continue today and souvenirs in a mess!
So, of course, there have been more tire or frustrating moments, sometimes heavy farm but above all a lot of challenges noted and nice events!
What memories on the Wipes with the Faille, Helegrod,… The nominated for craft creations,… the arrival of the F2P,…
Evenings with various competitions (chicken races, raids “without equipment”, simple RP discussions in taverns, the search for hidden and not exploited corners,…With hindsight, when you observe the size of the game card and the epic frame, you can only be complimentary compared to the transcribed universe. It’s huge !
All these discoveries, all this research has made it possible to carry out numerous articles on Jol-Lotro. With the help of the team (among others Vala, Eliel, Skro, Aalix, Enge, Ekiss, SC4LP,…), which evolved during these years, we were able to make the page dedicated to the game very active, complete and attractive (Well there are beautiful verbal duels on the forum, for passion we will say… Memories of Melky, Ingor, Moukou,…).
Exclusivities also remain memorable memories because we were able to assist upside down: the first beta on Bullroarer in GM mode, interviews at Gamescon, the presentation of the Black Forest in London…In short, when I talk about it, I only have positive and a certain nostalgia.
I hope with all my heart that Lotro will still live in good years and that its community will remain what it is: faithful and fantastic!
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The Lord of the online rings celebrates fifteen years in the field of the environment
En route to the future
The Lord of the Online Rings, goes well, rather very well even.
For this anniversary, he had a peak in connections as it had not been seen since 2012, and Réinia the producer of the game had wanted to thank the players for this attraction.
This renewed interest is in doubt linked to the change of economic model with the extension of the free to play model to level 95 (the Helm abyss) and the limited offer (until May 11) offering the others Extensions with the exception of the latest GUNDABAD .
If for players who experienced the previous periods of gratuitousness during the Covid crisis, that does not change the situation a lot, there is no doubt that for new players to come this will make the offer clearer and above all more attractive.
Especially since the game should see new players arriving in September with the release of the series Amazon : The Lord of the Rings, the power rings, which should benefit from very strong media coverage. Both the studio and its owner EG7 count on the latter to confuse a crowd of new hobbits, men, elves, dwarfs, blunders (and some monsters) towards the MMORPG currently having the license.
During May, and while the latest Gundabad extension will become available in the store at the game against SDAO points, the producer’s letter will specify the next destination in terms of content.
Indeed, the narrative arc concerning the dwarves was closed with our adventures in the Mother Mountain, and a new chapter should open. Given the change of economic model operated this year, it is not unlikely that a new “extension” or paying DLC is available in 2022 to mark this new adventure with a buffer zone in the summer (in the genre of the distant county) but all this is only speculation.
New in the graphics…
This is the news that had made all the players vibrate during the presentation by EG7 of its assessment to its investors. If this renewal was attached with an outing of the game on the Nextgen consoles, this aspect was erased during the last presentation.
However, the work on graphics should take place, it is difficult to say what the scale will be. It is interesting to note that the studio has joined the services of Storm Flag Games specializing in technological upgrades, optimization, and game engines.
In the same spirit, SSG is currently recruiting a “lead content designer” with experience with 3D Unity , Unreal and Maya tools.
We were able to dream of a change of engine, the Lord of the online rings being built with the “Turbine Engine 2” which had been developed for Ascheron’s call 2 released in 2002, if anything is possible, is also a question of means because the entire operation should be outsourced to a service provider and requires enormous work of quality insurance.
All these dreams of engine changes are also carried by the work of Miniexpbounder who had simulated some sequences of the game on Unreal 4
Pending more concrete announcements, the announced abandonment of the 32 -bit customer will be emphasized on January 2023 (will only remain 64 bits) for the terms of producer Rasinia bring “many improvements that do not work Not on 32 -bit systems ”.
We therefore hope for notable improvements on the current engine but not before 2023.
Poutoux…
When I asked Thomas luck a few words to illustrate an article over fifteen years in midfield, I thought of a happy ending with a “I have secret negotiations with SSG for the next extension”, good the doors of Hell opened with a “I retire the composition and I write my memories”.
Afterwards, I had asked for a comment from the studio which despite several rebounds did not answer me – I still have more success when I report a bug.
At the start, I said to myself Kaels: it’s been a while since you do it should think of thanking the world.
So the idea is nice, but very quickly we say to ourselves: “And if I forget someone” and very quickly comes the ‘oh my God I risk forgetting so much of people “and like a black hole it takes All the place, because even the forgotten at one point we liked them..
To forget no one, I would say that the first companions of the “Circle of Sages” on Estel, “Brothers of the Shadow”, the “Guard of Silence”, “Legend”, the “Pick Up Deluxe”; “DAE”, I always have a thought for you.An adventure over fifteen years on a game that we bought in 5 minutes is still not bad.
So yes at the moment I am walking: I am annoying my forever prunaprismia and yao friends but it’s the game my poor lobelia! “
Players of always or new arrivals, there are very good human adventures to build on the Lord of Online Rings, we can slap with a fish (K. I always have video proof), meet great people, s ‘Love, get married, move, in short, living!
In this game we have strong female characters Arwen, Galadriel, Eowyn, Arine, Shan, Pruna do not hesitate to join us!
In summary : Come to the land from the middle, there are games, beautiful human stories, and above all above all a lot of love and so many other things to write!
And what could be better than a little luck Thomas to finish on a nice musical note:
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The Lord of the Online Rings – Ever on
