Lord of the Rings: War in the North - Games

[img]http://filesmelt.com/dl/lotr-war-in-the-north-logo.png[/img] [I]The Lord of the Rings: War in the North[/I] is a new action RPG game from Snowblind coming this November for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. Info (shamelessly stolen from the official website): [quote]The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is a co-op Action RPG that immerses you and your friends in a brutal new chapter in the War of the Ring. Snowblind Studios is in the unique position of drawing inspiration from both the literary and film rights to world of Middle-earth, allowing players to bloody their axes on a wide range of deadly enemies and traverse both established and never-before-seen locations. The result is a journey that is both epic and intimate, familiar yet unexpected. [B]ACTION MEETS RPG[/B] Intense, visceral, and satisfying combat. Rich, layered, and impactful character progression. In War in the North, you get both. Find and equip the best loot, upgrade your hero using a wide range of skills and items, and feel the intense satisfaction of rushing into real-time battles with friends by your side. Fight through the brutal realities of the war on all fronts that were brought to life in the lore. Immerse yourself and make your own mark on Middle-earth. [B]CO-OP AT ITS CORE[/B] Build your own fellowship of three heroes to confront the growing army in the North. The survival of your group and all of Middle-earth depends upon your uniquely skilled heroes working together. You must fight together or you will die alone, and these high stakes make the experience of playing together both socially engaging and incredibly satisfying. The first time you rescue a friend who has been grabbed by a troll and is desperately yelling for help, you will understand what we mean. [B]AN UNTOLD STORY[/B] While much attention and focus has been placed on the journey of the One Ring, the assault on Middle-earth hits all corners of the map. War in the North turns our attention towards an integral part of the storyline that is grounded in details within the books and various appendices. This is not someone else’s fight. This is your own effort to forage a way through the dark, dangerous, and unknown landscape, defending all that is yours. This is your war.[/quote] [h2]Characters[/h2] There are three playable characters in the game: [B]Eradan - Dúnedain Ranger[/B] [t]http://filesmelt.com/dl/Ranger_pic_-_smaller.png[/t][t]http://www.warinthenorth.com/img/game/dunedain02.png[/t] One of the Rangers of the North, secret protectors of the lands once ruled by their ancestors. The life of a Ranger is a hard one; to survive he has mastered many skills. Always outnumbered, he has learned evasion tactics, allowing him to take enemies by surprise or to escape from a tight spot. He is a master archer, able to bring down foes from afar. And when stealth and archery are of no avail, he is more than capable with weapon and shield, dual-weapons or two-handed swords. [B]Andriel - Loremaster of Rivendell[/B] [t] http://filesmelt.com/dl/Elf_pic_-_smaller.png[/t][t]http://www.warinthenorth.com/img/game/elves02.png[/t] An Elven Loremaster, schooled in ancient wisdom by Elrond himself; yet she is no meek scholar. In her hands a simple staff becomes a deadly weapon, not only because she wields it with Elven-skill, but also because she can use it to focus her power, striking down enemies near and far. But as capable as she is in combat, Andriel’s true strength lies in her power to preserve and protect her allies, and with her arts she can create shields of light which heal and restore those within. [B]Farin - Champion of Erebor[/B] [t]http://filesmelt.com/dl/Dwarf_pic_-_smaller.png[/t][t]http://www.warinthenorth.com/img/game/dwarves02.png[/t] A Champion of the Dwarf-realm of Erebor. From his first taste of war at the Battle of Five Armies, he has been one of the foremost defenders of his homeland. A true son of a warlike race, Farin is skilled in the use of all melee weapons and adept with a crossbow as well. While he strikes punishing blows, his greatest strength lies in his ability to endure harm. In battle, Farin is an unyielding rock upon which waves of enemies break. The sound of his fierce war-cry bolsters his allies, even as it strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies. [h2]Media[/h2] [B]Screenshots:[/B] These aren't all screenshots, more can be found [url=http://www.warinthenorth.com/index.php/media/screenshots]here[/url]. [t]http://www.warinthenorth.com/images/galleries/screenshots/webrelaunch06.jpg[/t][t]http://www.warinthenorth.com/images/galleries/screenshots/ettenmoors07.jpg[/t] [t]http://www.warinthenorth.com/images/galleries/screenshots/e32011_ss_06.jpg[/t][t]http://www.warinthenorth.com/images/galleries/screenshots/ettenmoors06.jpg[/t] [t]http://www.warinthenorth.com/images/galleries/screenshots/e3_ss_02.jpg[/t][t]http://www.warinthenorth.com/images/galleries/screenshots/ettenmoors04.jpg[/t] [t]http://www.warinthenorth.com/images/galleries/screenshots/ettenmoors15.jpg[/t][t]http://www.warinthenorth.com/images/galleries/screenshots/e3_ss_05.jpg[/t] [t]http://filesmelt.com/dl/loot-menu.png[/t][t]http://filesmelt.com/dl/skillpoints-dwarf.png[/t] [B]Videos:[/B] These aren't all videos, more can be found [url=http://www.warinthenorth.com/index.php/media/videos]here[/url]. Heroes will Rise trailer, from E3 2011: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFu5_FBSupE[/media] Gameplay video: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFsfq_CiCsc&feature=player_embedded[/media] Fellowship trailer: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCQ_yFKD0Vg&feature=player_embedded[/media] Movie touchpoints trailer: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYbdkAIpE1s&feature=player_embedded#![/media] Power of Three video: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrUlKRvzWrs&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL[/media] Combat vignette: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Upa4XNEkGac&feature=player_embedded[/media] [B]Release dates:[/B] America: November 1 Australia: November 2 Europe: November 4 UK: November 25 The release for the UK was delayed until the 25th of November by Warner Bros. and they haven't given an explanation for this.

It looks really sloppy, judging from the Gameplay video, the combat looks slow and doesn't seem that smooth. Yet everything that's based around LotR, Alien and Starwars and so on is automatically really cool.

Let's just hope it will be as good as the 3 Lotr movie games.

As some additional information and as a bump, here's some more details: [B]Information about the challenge maps[/B] (also mentioned in the [I]Power of Three[/I] trailer) [quote]The Lord of the Rings: War in the North contains two challenge maps that allow you to play though several waves of enemies in an arena style setting. The waves of combat focus on the different enemy types as they are presented in the main story campaign and will display all of their combat behaviors and weaponry. Once you reach the second “hub” of the game, you will see that you have unlocked 2 infamous battle grounds of Middle-earth, Osgiliath and Lorien! These maps are accessible from the Middle-earth map at any time once they are unlocked. You can choose either of the two challenge maps to start with. Each map will display level recommendations for player characters; after all, we want to make sure you’re ready for the challenge! • Osgiliath is recommended for players who are level 4-16 • Lorien is recommended for players who are level 11-22 Challenge maps are a great way to get bonus XP, loot, coins and achievements! Upon completing each of the challenge maps you will get a lump sum XP bonus on top of any bonuses you got along the way! You can use the Fellowship symbol located in either of the challenge maps to return to town any time during the challenge should you choose to exit, so you won’t have to lose your place in the story, either. Also – the original plan for the challenge modes was that they would be available to only pre-orders. However, after seeing the passion from the Community and Fans for this mode of play, we have decided to put them on disc for everyone to enjoy! All in all, we feel like the challenge maps are a great addition to the already full story mode, so get out your best weapons and armor to take on the hordes! [img]http://www.warinthenorth.com/images/stories/chmap-dialog1.jpg[/img] [url]http://www.warinthenorth.com/index.php/news/37-dev-blogs/863-challenge-maps-dev-blog-with-andre-maguire[/url][/quote] [B]Tl;dr[/B] There's a challenge mode at different maps, suited for different levels. Finish them and get XP and bonuses. They were planned as pre-order items, but they left that idea behind when the community really liked the idea [B]Q&A about the loot:[/B] [quote] We'll admit it: We're kind of obsessed with loot. I mean, that's probably not such a surprise to fans of our other games like Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance and Champions of Norrath, but it's good to get that off our chests. Speaking of chests… don't you just love big wooden ones filled with loot? See? Obsessed. We're lucky that caring so much about loot is actually a big part of making an Action-RPG like War in the North so satisfying to play. We know firsthand that there's nothing better than finding that oh-so-sweet item and equipping it to get that extra buff to your character. From awesome armor to deadly weapons and everything in between, War in the North is a loot-lover's paradise. Two of our designers, Jason Olander and Chris Hoge, recently took some time to answer your questions about our loot systems. Just be careful, because these details have a high probability of making you as obsessed about loot as we are. Consider yourself warned! Council Members: Click here for a handful of Council-exclusives answers to your loot-related questions, including answers about how loot and lore are related, how our inventory system works, and why it really does pay to work together with your fellowship. Q: It has been previously said that when finding a chest all classes will get something specific to their class. Can you tell us more about how this works? Loot drops in War in the North come from several sources, including dispatched enemies, breakables (crates, barrels, urns), loot piles, and, of course, chests. In cooperative multiplayer games each player gets their own “version” of these loot drops, so there is no need to race to a chest and fight over the loot -- everyone can collect their share of the loot in their own good time. And since in single player you can swap characters between missions -- and in multiplayer there is a system in place to allow sharing of gear -- trading and swapping gear is allowed and encouraged. You can always buy and sell cool loot when you come across a vendor, too. Q: Will all loot be race specific, e.g. Dwarves get Dwarven armor, or will you be able to pick up that sweet Orc axe or sword your enemy just dropped? While some weapons are optimized for specific classes -- crossbows for the Dwarf, bows for the Ranger, staves for the Elven Loremaster, for example -- players can collect any gear and keep it to later sell or trade to another player. Since enemy weapons and gear is almost always inferior to your own (Orcs are not exactly master craftsmen), you won’t be picking up weaponry that was just being wielded by the enemy. However, even the dark forces occasionally craft something useful, so you may just find special weapons on exceptionally tough enemies. Q: How will the construction, design, shape, colors, etc of armor change for each character as you rise in level? There are three main tiers of armor type: Standard, High and Masterwork. As a player progresses through the campaign and levels up their characters, they will gain access to the next tier of armor. Each tier has a distinctive look and feel, and they generally become more elaborate as you go. For example, a Standard-tier headpiece might be a simple heavy cloth hood, a High-quality cap would have some light chain-mail protection, and a Masterwork helmet is an engraved, full-metal piece. Shields, which are usable by the Dwarf Champion and Dúnedain Ranger, come in many different shapes and sizes, and they also upgrade in form and function throughout the campaign. Of course, there are variations within these basic tiers, so rest assured that not only will you acquire more effective armor throughout the game, but you will look cool as well. Q: Will the loot be random? Example: you find a chest and a sword is inside, will you always get that sword from that chest or will it be random? Yes, loot drops and stashes are random, so each play-through will yield different gear, weapons and items. Note that while we say “random”, there is a method to the madness: while the specifics of each loot collection are randomized, there are systems to ensure that the loot is appropriate to the game mission and player levels at any given moment. Q: What items factor in to a drop? (for example, strength of enemy, equipment, specific skills, difficulty setting, etc) There are really two different types of loot to collect: loot dropped from enemies, and loot placed in chests and breakable objects. For enemy loot drops, we factor in the enemy type, the strength of the enemy, the current difficulty level of the campaign, and the location of the mission within the North of Middle-earth. For chests, the main factors are the campaign difficulty setting and the mission location. Q: Will it be like previous Snowblind games where you won't reach the level cap after the first play through? As far as loot goes, will you find better loot the second and third times through the game? Yes, absolutely! Loot will be better the second and third time through the game as you continue to level up. We love hacking up enemies, leveling up, building your character, and of course awesome loot, so the team has always focused on providing a compelling experience for multiple campaign playthroughs. It will take about three full playthroughs to reach the level cap, and the loot becomes better (and stronger) as you play through the higher difficulty levels. Q: Can you explain in more detail how loot sharing will work? In cooperative multiplayer games, each player has their own “version” of a loot drop, so if your friend kills an Orc over in the bushes, your friend may have some loot to collect from the kill, and there may be a bit of loot waiting for you there as well. For chests, everyone can go over and loot the chest, no arguing necessary. One great feature in multiplayer is the ability to trade gear with other members of your fellowship, enabling players to swap items. Of course, if you just want to drop everything, you can do that as well, in which case the dropped gear can picked up by anyone. Q: If I kill a guy offline and get this cool weapon, does it transfer to online play or do you start out with basic weapons every time? We went through a lot of effort to make awesome weapons, so heck yes you can take your cool weapon with you when playing multiplayer -- along with any other gear you score! Building your characters and equipping them with the finest gear is a big part of the game, and being able to bring that character and their gear into cooperative multiplayer games is great fun, and encouraged. Q: Will it be easy to know if certain loot is better than what we already have? For example, if I pick up a sword, will it be clearly shown if it is better or worse than what I already have? Yes, you can tell at a glance if a gear item has higher stats than the item you currently have equipped: an up-facing green arrow denotes a higher stat, a down-facing red-arrow means the stat is lower. This quick comparison is provided for weapons and armor. However, many items have unique properties or magical attributes, so of course you may have your own opinion about the value of those additional properties. Q: Are there other types of loot other than weapons, armor, and potions? I mean food, herbs, books and supplies for the trip as blankets, torches, ropes, pipes, lamps, clothes, keys, tools, picks, charms...? Items in the game are focused on enhancing the player’s success in combat, so to keep the clutter to a minimum miscellaneous gear is not included in loot. However, there may be some items which contribute to the flavor of the world and the lore, but these are not as common. We do have some food items (which can be consumed by the player for various benefits) and herbs which the Loremaster can utilize in crafting. [url]http://www.warinthenorth.com/index.php/news/37-dev-blogs/694-community-qaa-loot[/url] [/quote] [B]tl;dr[/B] There's a lot of loot, and a certain system to stop people from arguing about who opens a certain chest. The loot will get better each playthrough. It's possible to trade items between players. There are even more of these [url=http://www.warinthenorth.com/index.php/component/content/category/news/37-dev-blogs]here[/url] They also uploaded some [I]interactive screenshots[/I]. It's simply put screenshots that you can turn, zoom in on, and look around in. You can find these [url=http://www.warinthenorth.com/index.php/news/34-news-media/884-interactive-screenshots]here[/url], though Apple's Quicktime plugin is required for it to work. You can download that from [url=http://www.apple.com/quicktime]here[/url]

if it's anything like conquest, i wont touch it man that was shit

For some reason the combat reminds me weirdly of The Witcher 2. Looks pretty good.

Haha UK has to wait an ENTIRE month for the game they've gotten fucked in the ass real good

At least it gives us time to wait and see if its any good, rather thangetting it day 1 and being left dissapointed.

I just cancelled my BF3 preorder, my Batman preorder, and my Skyrim preorder. Just preordered this.

Looks pretty interesting actually. It's refreshing to see lore that wasn't the main focus of the movies. [editline]17th October 2011[/editline] Plus the lotr universe gets exponentially more badass the further North you go.

[QUOTE=seano12;32834616]I just cancelled my BF3 preorder, my Batman preorder, and my Skyrim preorder. Just preordered this.[/QUOTE] hopefully youre joking

Oh cool I like LOTR games. I still think that the one that was like starwars battlefront was the best.

[QUOTE=Awegner;32838246]Oh cool I like LOTR games. I still think that the one that was like starwars battlefront was the best.[/QUOTE] You mean the worst LOTR game ever made.

Three new trailers up: Ranger: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqfxCgL9qCk[/media] Dwarf: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulETaM-zKvk[/media] Elf: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mBBXe5vuxo&feature=player_embedded[/media] You can also pre-order this at [url=http://store.steampowered.com/app/32800/]Steam[/url] now.

This kind of reminds me of that Third Age game. That was fun, aside from that one part in Helm's Deep with your guy goes crazy and fights like a dozen trolls with no break to heal. That fight was a bitch. I've got this on Gamefly, I await it with interest.

[QUOTE=WebbyKing;32838272]You mean the worst LOTR game ever made.[/QUOTE] I enjoyed it to some extent, playing with friends and small Multi-player matches were pretty fun

yea bumpd. my friend is having an issue with his game where the game will start up in a resolution (maybe?) that doesn't fit his screen so it turns out black. he's able to take screenshots with steam and see the screenshots. he's tried alt-enter he's tried starting it up with the -w -L launch properties and that didn't work. he even tried multiple compatibility modes. So any one else with this issue or have any ideas?

So, do you have to play this with friends, or are there bots you can play with or something?

I've been playing this. It's surprisingly fun. If you guys have ever played LOTR: The Third Age it reminds me a lot of that, except action RPG instead of turn based combat. The combat is solid, there's a surprising amount of loot, and a lot of different locations to go to. Skill trees feel a little bit small, but I'm not sure what the level cap is. From what I've seen in game, I'm guessing high 20's, maybe 30? I'm only level 15, so someone further in will have to confirm or deny that. it also reminds me a lot of the great Two Towers and Return of the King games for the last generation of consoles. It just feels good to play a LOTR game that's actually made to be a decent game and not a cash cow. The gore is good but not excessive and makes kills satisfying.