There's nothing really new in this preview. Not even new screenshots. So, it wouldn't even rate mentioning except for a line right near the beginning that's a bit ambiguous:
"This expansion ends the epic story of Moria and the land mass that players will be able to explore is Southern Mirkwood. Dol Guldor, Elves and Olog Hai, oh my! What about Northern? Well yes, if there's Southern Mirkwood, Northern will follow. Soon. Okay, it's not Rohan, but we'll get there eventually."
The question is, does this comment reflect something said to the interviewer or did MMORPG.com just assume that Northern Mirkwood would be soon because Southern Mirkwood is coming soon? I'm inclined to go with the latter myself, because I'm hard pressed to see Turbine deviate so far from the Fellowship's journey. Then again, if we're a year out from the Rohan Expansion (i.e. next fall) then there should be one or two landscape additions from free Book updates between now and then. Where would these landscape additions go? They could be south along the Anduin to prepare for Rohan. Or they could be north farther into Mirkwood, exploring more of the evil there. Or maybe into the fields of Gladden.
It's an interesting question, at any rate, and based off of the MMORPG.com quote, there's very little to point us in the right direction. It actually just confuses the matter even more.
"This expansion ends the epic story of Moria and the land mass that players will be able to explore is Southern Mirkwood. Dol Guldor, Elves and Olog Hai, oh my! What about Northern? Well yes, if there's Southern Mirkwood, Northern will follow. Soon. Okay, it's not Rohan, but we'll get there eventually."
The question is, does this comment reflect something said to the interviewer or did MMORPG.com just assume that Northern Mirkwood would be soon because Southern Mirkwood is coming soon? I'm inclined to go with the latter myself, because I'm hard pressed to see Turbine deviate so far from the Fellowship's journey. Then again, if we're a year out from the Rohan Expansion (i.e. next fall) then there should be one or two landscape additions from free Book updates between now and then. Where would these landscape additions go? They could be south along the Anduin to prepare for Rohan. Or they could be north farther into Mirkwood, exploring more of the evil there. Or maybe into the fields of Gladden.
It's an interesting question, at any rate, and based off of the MMORPG.com quote, there's very little to point us in the right direction. It actually just confuses the matter even more.
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8 Responses to "MMORPG.com SoM Preview"
I agree that it is possible they will not delve into Northern Mirkwood. Southern can be included in the trilogy because of Gollum's capture and torture at Dol Guldor but that's about it for the entire zone.
Unless they get rights to more books like the Hobbit, they probably will have no reason or need to go into Northern Mirkwood.
Not that I wouldn't like to see it. Because I'll take any bit of middle earth I can get!
With the new movies due soon I wouldnt be surprised if they try to cash in by opening up Northern Mirkwood and further east(lonely mountain). Also as most of the Shadows of Angmar deviates from the fellowships course (Ered Luin,Angmar,North Downs, Misty Mountains) I dont think that reason alone would stop them. Anyhow its all speculation at this point.
@ James
The difference between Shadows of Angmar and the current development is that SoA was the beginning and they had time to deviate because the game had yet to build momentum in a specific direction. Right now the biggest force is the movement of the Fellowship, so that carries more weight than before Mines of Moria.
I'm wondering...
They could open up Northern Mirkwood and lead us to Legolas' old neighborhood. Don't forget that Gollum escapes his imprisonment there, so we could be asked to go help track down his whereabouts (since they don't know that he's already been through Moria and has been tracking the Fellowship there).
In his PAX interview, Jeffrey Steefel strongly hinted that they had plans to move into Northern Mirkwood at some point, and it's not inconceivable that it could be sooner rather than later.
Perhaps they just think it's more worthwhile to exploit that area of the world now when the upcoming movies are increasing interest. Rohan would still be exciting in a year or two when they eventually get there!
I agree with Chuck Steel, this is a definite option with The Carrick, Beorn, Misty Mountain eagles etc thrown in for good measure. Timing with the Hobbit movies is a bit premature however so that influence wont be there as it is currently. The more Middle-earth the better IMO!
@ unwize
Oh really? Was that in the TenTonHammer video or from a previous mmorpg.com article? I must have missed that somewhere. That's cool to hear, though I think the timing might be a little off with Hobbit movies coming out in 2011 rather than 2010. Not that there's any relation or link between the two licenses, but the smart marketing would release concurrently.
I am thinking Northern Mirkwood would be SoM's "Forochel". An area that is not part of the LOTR directly but a part of "Middle Earth" nonetheless. Northern Mirkwood has potential to extend the content and since most of the art, creatures and all that coding stuff would be done for SoM anyway they can make it a slight diversion fairly easily.
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