The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth
Encyclopedia
The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth is a PC
real-time strategy
game developed by EA Los Angeles
. It is based on Peter Jackson
's The Lord of the Rings
film trilogy, in turn based on J. R. R. Tolkien
's original novel
. The game uses short video clips from the movies and a number of the voice actors, including the hobbit
s and wizards
. It uses the SAGE engine from Command & Conquer: Generals
and was released on December 6, 2004. The sequel, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II
, was released on March 2, 2006.
The online servers of The Battle for Middle Earth were permanently closed on December 31, 2010 by EA Games, due to the expiration of The Lord of the Rings gaming rights." The game is no longer in sale and not available for online play, however it is still possible to use multiplay function of the game via Virtual private network
programs.
Four factions on two sides wage the War of the Ring
: Representing the Free Peoples are the horse-lords of Rohan
, and Gondor
with its forges and battlements. The Forces of Darkness are the fighting Uruk-hai
of Isengard
, and Mordor
's orc hordes, bolstered by Haradrim, Mûmakil and Trolls.
Keeping with the trends of contemporary RTS titles, basic units operate in groups, significant characters are represented by "hero units" as popularized by Warcraft III
, and the destruction of units gathers points for the purchase of special abilities. There is also a unit limit.
Unit strengths and weaknesses form a sort of rock-paper-scissors
system. Cavalry beats archers as they do not have a lot of time to fire and are then forced to close quarters fighting, Pikemen beat cavalry, swordsmen beat pikemen and archers beat swordsmen. Fire beats Ent
s, Mumakil, and Trolls. Units gain experience and levels, becoming hardier and more dangerous. Squads replace lost members when rank 2 or higher without losing experience.
Most normal units have purchaseable upgrades and may also have abilities such as changing formation, changing weapons, combining with other squad types, Ranger stealth and orc cannibalism
. Heroes are unique, far more potent units (and Hobbits and Gollum
) that lack upgrades but do have multiple, elaborate abilities, and can be purchased back if killed. Most hero abilities require certain experience levels. Good has the advantage in the quantity and quality of heroes; Gandalf
at the peak of his strength is an anti-army device. Buildings also gain experience and may become able to build new units, research new upgrades, or bestow better passive bonuses such as a reduction in cavalry build costs.
The player's special powers are purchased from a small tree. They can be utilitary (Vision of the Palantír
, reveals an area), supportive (Healing), or able to call in temporary units (Summon Eagles, Summon Balrog). They are usable indefinitely once acquired, with recharge times but no cost. Both factions on a side share the same powers, and the tree is much larger (and slower to climb) in campaign mode than it is in skirmishes. Good has some powers that boost the ability of a single hero (Power of the Istari, Andúril
). Evil receives aid in resource harvesting (Industry, Fuel the Fires).
A feature used in the game is Pie menu
which makes gameplay easier especially for novices.
The Heroes for Gondor are Pippin, Faramir, Boromir, and Gandalf. Rohan's heroes are Merry, Eowyn, Eomer, Theoden, Gimli, Legolas, Aragorn, and Treebeard(he is bought at a Entmoot). Isengard's heroes are Lurtz and Saruman. Mordor's heroes are Gollum, two Nazgul, and the Witch King of Angmar.
composed by Howard Shore
, as well as original music in Shore's image by Jamie Christopherson
and Bill Brown
. The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth (Soundtrack from the Video Game) was released via digital sellers on August 28, 2006, featuring 22 tracks of cues from the game by Christopherson & Brown spanning 44 minutes
Some mandatory missions represent important events. Between these the player must take enough nearby territories in skirmish battles, variations on the theme of building a base and killing everyone. Each territory provides a permanent increase of power points, the unit limit, and/or a multiplier for acquired resources. Units, their upgrades and purchased powers also persist between battles.
The good campaign follows the story of the Lord of the Rings movies with an emphasis of traditional, scripted missions, from Moria
to Lórien, the fight at Amon Hen, the Battle of the Hornburg
, the Ents' conquest of Isengard
, the siege of Osgiliath, Sam's search for Frodo in Shelob
's lair, the Battle of the Pelennor Fields
and the Black Gate.
The evil campaign begins with Isengard's betrayal and then continues with Saruman
's conquest of Rohan
signified by the fall of Helm's Deep
and the deaths of Theoden and Eomer. It then switches to Mordor's assault on Gondor and concludes with the successful destruction of Minas Tirith
and total victory for Sauron. It provides an alternative storyline to the book and film.
award for Best Strategy Game, the 2005 GIGA Games award for Best Strategy Game, and the GameSpy
award for Best of E3 2004 Editors Choice.
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
real-time strategy
Real-time strategy
Real-time strategy is a sub-genre of strategy video game which does not progress incrementally in turns. Brett Sperry is credited with coining the term to market Dune II....
game developed by EA Los Angeles
EA Los Angeles
EA Los Angeles is a video game developer founded originally in 1995 as DreamWorks Interactive LLC, a subsidiary of DreamWorks SKG....
. It is based on Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson
Sir Peter Robert Jackson, KNZM is a New Zealand film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter, known for his The Lord of the Rings film trilogy , adapted from the novel by J. R. R...
's The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
film trilogy, in turn based on J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's original novel
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
. The game uses short video clips from the movies and a number of the voice actors, including the hobbit
Hobbit
Hobbits are a fictional diminutive race who inhabit the lands of Middle-earth in J. R. R. Tolkien's fiction.Hobbits first appeared in the novel The Hobbit, in which the main protagonist, Bilbo Baggins, is the titular hobbit...
s and wizards
Wizard (Middle-earth)
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Wizards of Middle-earth are a group of beings outwardly resembling Men but possessing much greater physical and mental power. They are also called the Istari by the Elves. The Sindarin word is Ithryn...
. It uses the SAGE engine from Command & Conquer: Generals
Command & Conquer: Generals
Command & Conquer: Generals is a real-time strategy game in the Command & Conquer series. Generals utilizes SAGE...
and was released on December 6, 2004. The sequel, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II
The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II
The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II, abbreviated BFMEII, is a real-time strategy video game developed and published by Electronic Arts. It is based on the fantasy novels The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien and its live-action film trilogy adaptation...
, was released on March 2, 2006.
The online servers of The Battle for Middle Earth were permanently closed on December 31, 2010 by EA Games, due to the expiration of The Lord of the Rings gaming rights." The game is no longer in sale and not available for online play, however it is still possible to use multiplay function of the game via Virtual private network
Virtual private network
A virtual private network is a network that uses primarily public telecommunication infrastructure, such as the Internet, to provide remote offices or traveling users access to a central organizational network....
programs.
Gameplay
The game retains the basic mechanics of real-time strategies. Warring factions gather resources, then use them to construct military bases and armies on-site. In Battle for Middle-Earth, buildings may only be constructed on the building slots of predefined plots. Plots range from farmhouses to full-fledged castles, with different slot arrangements and available buildings, and plots can be purchased when they're in the sole presence of a side's forces. The only resource are the nebulous "resources," which are produced inexhaustibly in dedicated buildings.Four factions on two sides wage the War of the Ring
War of the Ring
In the fictional high fantasy-world of J. R. R. Tolkien, the War of the Ring was fought between Sauron and the free peoples of Middle-earth for control of the One Ring and dominion over the continent. The War of the Ring took place at the end of the Third Age. Together with the Quest of Mount Doom,...
: Representing the Free Peoples are the horse-lords of Rohan
Rohan
Rohan is a realm in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy era of Middle-earth. It is a grassland which lies north of its ally Gondor and north-west of Mordor, the realm of Sauron, their enemy . It is inhabited by the Rohirrim, a people of herdsmen and farmers who are well-known for their horses and cavalry....
, and Gondor
Gondor
Gondor is a fictional kingdom in J. R. R. Tolkien's writings, described as the greatest realm of Men in the west of Middle-earth by the end of the Third Age. The third volume of The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, is concerned with the events in Gondor during the War of the Ring and with...
with its forges and battlements. The Forces of Darkness are the fighting Uruk-hai
Uruk-hai
The Uruk-hai are fictional characters in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth. They are introduced in The Lord of the Rings as an advanced breed or breeds of Orcs that serve Sauron and Saruman...
of Isengard
Isengard
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, Isengard , a translation of the Sindarin Angrenost, was a large fortress. Both names mean "Iron fortress" In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, Isengard , a translation of the Sindarin Angrenost, was a large fortress....
, and Mordor
Mordor
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, Mordor or Morhdorh was the dwelling place of Sauron, in the southeast of northwestern Middle-earth to the East of Anduin, the great river. Orodruin, a volcano in Mordor, was the destination of the Fellowship of the Ring in the quest to...
's orc hordes, bolstered by Haradrim, Mûmakil and Trolls.
Keeping with the trends of contemporary RTS titles, basic units operate in groups, significant characters are represented by "hero units" as popularized by Warcraft III
Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos
Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos is a real time strategy computer game released by Blizzard Entertainment on July 3, 2002 . It is the second sequel to Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, and it is the third game set in the Warcraft Universe...
, and the destruction of units gathers points for the purchase of special abilities. There is also a unit limit.
Unit strengths and weaknesses form a sort of rock-paper-scissors
Rock-paper-scissors
Rock-paper-scissors is a hand game played by two people. The game is also known as roshambo, or another ordering of the three items ....
system. Cavalry beats archers as they do not have a lot of time to fire and are then forced to close quarters fighting, Pikemen beat cavalry, swordsmen beat pikemen and archers beat swordsmen. Fire beats Ent
Ent
Ents are a race of beings in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy world Middle-earth who closely resemble trees. They are similar to the talking trees in folklore around the world. Their name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word for giant....
s, Mumakil, and Trolls. Units gain experience and levels, becoming hardier and more dangerous. Squads replace lost members when rank 2 or higher without losing experience.
Most normal units have purchaseable upgrades and may also have abilities such as changing formation, changing weapons, combining with other squad types, Ranger stealth and orc cannibalism
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
. Heroes are unique, far more potent units (and Hobbits and Gollum
Gollum
Gollum is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium. He was introduced in the author's fantasy novel The Hobbit, and became an important supporting character in its sequel, The Lord of the Rings....
) that lack upgrades but do have multiple, elaborate abilities, and can be purchased back if killed. Most hero abilities require certain experience levels. Good has the advantage in the quantity and quality of heroes; Gandalf
Gandalf
Gandalf is a character in J. R. R. Tolkien's novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. In these stories, Gandalf appears as a wizard, member and later the head of the order known as the Istari, as well as leader of the Fellowship of the Ring and the army of the West...
at the peak of his strength is an anti-army device. Buildings also gain experience and may become able to build new units, research new upgrades, or bestow better passive bonuses such as a reduction in cavalry build costs.
The player's special powers are purchased from a small tree. They can be utilitary (Vision of the Palantír
Palantír
A palantír is a magical artifact from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy legendarium. A palantír A palantír (pl. palantíri) is a magical artifact from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy legendarium. A palantír A palantír (pl. palantíri) is a magical artifact from J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy legendarium. A palantír...
, reveals an area), supportive (Healing), or able to call in temporary units (Summon Eagles, Summon Balrog). They are usable indefinitely once acquired, with recharge times but no cost. Both factions on a side share the same powers, and the tree is much larger (and slower to climb) in campaign mode than it is in skirmishes. Good has some powers that boost the ability of a single hero (Power of the Istari, Andúril
Narsil
Narsil is a fictional sword featured in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. It is introduced in The Lord of the Rings as having once belonged to King Elendil of the Dúnedain...
). Evil receives aid in resource harvesting (Industry, Fuel the Fires).
A feature used in the game is Pie menu
Pie menu
In computer interface design, a pie menu is a circular context menu where selection depends on direction. A pie menu is made of several "pie slices" around an inactive center and works best with stylus input, and well with a mouse...
which makes gameplay easier especially for novices.
The Heroes for Gondor are Pippin, Faramir, Boromir, and Gandalf. Rohan's heroes are Merry, Eowyn, Eomer, Theoden, Gimli, Legolas, Aragorn, and Treebeard(he is bought at a Entmoot). Isengard's heroes are Lurtz and Saruman. Mordor's heroes are Gollum, two Nazgul, and the Witch King of Angmar.
Music
The Battle For Middle-earth features score from the Music of The Lord of the Rings film trilogyMusic of The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The music of the The Lord of the Rings film trilogy was composed, orchestrated, conducted and produced by Howard Shore. Shore wrote many hours of music for The Lord of the Rings, 10 hours of which have been released in The Complete Recordings CD/DVD boxed sets...
composed by Howard Shore
Howard Shore
Howard Leslie Shore is a Canadian composer, notable for his film scores. He has composed the scores for over 80 films, most notably the scores for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, for which he won three Academy Awards. He is also a consistent collaborator with director David Cronenberg,...
, as well as original music in Shore's image by Jamie Christopherson
Jamie Christopherson
Jamie Christopherson is a musician who has contributed scores to a number of popular films and video games, including the movie "The Crow: Wicked Prayer", and the game "Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams". He was born in Los Angeles, California in 1975. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vassar...
and Bill Brown
Bill Brown
Bill Brown may refer to:*Bill Brown , Australian cricketer*Bill Brown , Australian Senator*Bill Brown , Scottish football player...
. The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-Earth (Soundtrack from the Video Game) was released via digital sellers on August 28, 2006, featuring 22 tracks of cues from the game by Christopherson & Brown spanning 44 minutes
Campaign
Good and evil each have a campaign. They take place on an animated map of western Middle-earth, where each battle represents the defense/sacking of a territory. Armies and characters move on the map, and moving the cursor over them shows snippets of the movies (whereas battle cutscenes use the game engine).Some mandatory missions represent important events. Between these the player must take enough nearby territories in skirmish battles, variations on the theme of building a base and killing everyone. Each territory provides a permanent increase of power points, the unit limit, and/or a multiplier for acquired resources. Units, their upgrades and purchased powers also persist between battles.
The good campaign follows the story of the Lord of the Rings movies with an emphasis of traditional, scripted missions, from Moria
Moria (Middle-earth)
In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, Moria was the name given by the Eldar to an enormous underground complex in north-western Middle-earth, comprising a vast network of tunnels, chambers, mines and huge halls or 'mansions', that ran under and ultimately through the Misty Mountains...
to Lórien, the fight at Amon Hen, the Battle of the Hornburg
Battle of the Hornburg
The Battle of the Hornburg is a fictional battle in J. R. R. Tolkien's novel The Lord of the Rings. The battle pitted the forces of the Wizard Saruman against the Rohirrim under King Théoden, who had taken refuge in the mountain fortress of the Hornburg at Helm's Deep...
, the Ents' conquest of Isengard
Isengard
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, Isengard , a translation of the Sindarin Angrenost, was a large fortress. Both names mean "Iron fortress" In J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional universe of Middle-earth, Isengard , a translation of the Sindarin Angrenost, was a large fortress....
, the siege of Osgiliath, Sam's search for Frodo in Shelob
Shelob
Shelob is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium. She appears at the end of the fourth book, second volume , of The Lord of the Rings.-Literature:...
's lair, the Battle of the Pelennor Fields
Battle of the Pelennor Fields
In J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy fiction, the Battle of Pelennor Fields is the battle for the city of Minas Tirith between the forces of Gondor and its allies, and the forces of the Dark Lord Sauron...
and the Black Gate.
The evil campaign begins with Isengard's betrayal and then continues with Saruman
Saruman
Saruman the White is a fictional character and a major antagonist in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. He is leader of the Istari, wizards sent to Middle-earth in human form by the godlike Valar to challenge Sauron, the main antagonist of the tale, but later on aims at gaining...
's conquest of Rohan
Rohan
Rohan is a realm in J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy era of Middle-earth. It is a grassland which lies north of its ally Gondor and north-west of Mordor, the realm of Sauron, their enemy . It is inhabited by the Rohirrim, a people of herdsmen and farmers who are well-known for their horses and cavalry....
signified by the fall of Helm's Deep
Helm's Deep
In J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth writings, Helm's Deep was a large valley in the north-western Ered Nimrais .The valley was described as being blocked over its entire width by the natural series of hills called Helm's Dike and behind that lay the fortress of Aglarond or the Hornburg, at the...
and the deaths of Theoden and Eomer. It then switches to Mordor's assault on Gondor and concludes with the successful destruction of Minas Tirith
Minas Tirith
Minas Tirith , originally named Minas Anor, is a fictional city and castle in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth writings. It became the heavily fortified capital of Gondor in the second half of the Third Age...
and total victory for Sauron. It provides an alternative storyline to the book and film.
Reception
The critical response to Battle for Middle-Earth was fairly positive. The video-game review aggregator Game Rankings displays an average critic score of 82.5%, with about two-thirds of the reviews in the 80%s. IGN praised the game for its visual flair and impressive audio, but pointed out its lack of depth in gameplay, giving out a score of 8.3 to the "decent, if not spectacular, game." Gamespot, with a score of 8.4, also commented on the visuals and sound effects as well as its focus on large-scale battles that "befits the source material", however, mediocre AI and the simple gameplay relying on long battles of attrition were criticized. Gamespy gave 4 stars out of 5, calling the game "a perfect example of a license enhancing the final product."Awards
Battle for Middle-earth won three notable awards: the E3 2004 Game Critics AwardsGame Critics Awards
The Game Critics Awards are a set of annual awards held after the E3 video game conference since 1998. The awards are given to products displayed at E3 with the title Best of E3 of their category. The nominees and winners of the awards are chosen by individual judges representing 35 major North...
award for Best Strategy Game, the 2005 GIGA Games award for Best Strategy Game, and the GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
award for Best of E3 2004 Editors Choice.