What about maps. I think that random maps playing with ME Civs would be great, but also playing on Acurate ME Specific maps would be amazing as well.

The major idea about this mod is to make it work with the random map generator. We don't it to be a specific scenario. We want to be able to let the player load the mod, then play Arda on a complete different map then ME.
When it's complete with the random map generator, then we'll add more specific maps.

Sounds good. Thanks for the info.

i found 2 strange map about arda
1.
http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/6629/daymapeastjk1.th.jpg (http://img385.imageshack.us/my.php?image=daymapeastjk1.jpg)

2.
http://img484.imageshack.us/img484/6143/daymapwesthr7.th.jpg (http://img484.imageshack.us/my.php?image=daymapwesthr7.jpg)

They are from the Atlas of Middle-Earth. That is how the world looked before the sinking of Beleriand and Numenor.

It's a bit strange that Tolkien left most of his lands unnamed. The rest of the Arda period is meticulously figured out with multple languages. I wonder if he would have written more stories set elsewhere and that was just for creative freedom?

I have the Middle-Earth Atlas - I'll scan in the whole Arda (Aman, ME, and the place on the other side of ME) map when we're ready.

I already have the Karen Winfonstad Atlas of Middle-Earth in my PC... it has some very interesting maps, even climatological and such. But most of it was done based in supositions - thought the best supositions ever, with a lot of research and geografical accuracy.
And Tolkien probably wrote some texts about other places in ME, but his stories were most about the Northwest of ME because the elves lived mostly there. As it's said, Gandalf and the other wizards (except the blue) went there because there lived the last elves, and the peoples that were contacted by them and so freed from the Shadow, so there was more hope of defeating Sauron. (Made me remember the Light of Aman religion... it's more important than I have thought when made the religions...)

If you can find them or download them, the old ICE Maps for MERP were absolutley amazing. I'm talking about the Poster Maps. They showed the entire continent, from East to West and North to South. Including the forested lands south of Harad. They would give you great references to use in map making for specific ME maps, if you do them someday.

I saw them once. I prefer Karen Winfonstad's, much more accurate. I myself didn't like what I saw of MERP... Things like elven civs in Harad, evil elfs, too many spellcasters, a lot of things without base on Tolkien's works.

Elda King is right. I have many merp rulebook but there isn't many (it must be any" :) ) acceptable thinks.
But There is "Parma Endorion". it good source about geography, history, wonders and many thinks.


Edit: you can find it here (http://www.bookstore.gr/ebook/parma_endorion.pdf)

I have read the Parma Endorion, and it's really very helpful. Many ideas of the mod were taken from it - including civ designs and such.