Lord of Rings Units?

[Mephansteras]

Wow, that's great! I agree that it should be black and maybe red-tinged. And, yeah, the sword looks cool in the full model but doesn't look nearly as nice in the game-sized model.


As for Civ-colors...I think the whip & hair idea is good. Especially if the figure is black, since just about every civ color shows up well and looks good on a black figure.

 

[Balrog]

Well, there are lot of different images about the Balrog.
Its weird, that originally the Balrogs dont have wings, but the Balrog of Moria had wings, as Tolkien described it.

Well for me this is the Balrog:

 

[black_rose]

It's looking great! This might become my fav unit after your dragons!

but some minor thoughts:

whip: I don't know how you were planning to animate this long curled up one, if you have a good plan go for it. Otherwise you could consider making it a bit shorter and giving it a couple of strands to keep it as impressive.

size: I think it is fine like it is. I've put it next to your dragon (since they will go nicely in a morgoth vs noldor scenario ) and neither dwarfs the other so that is good. I think dragons should be bigger than balrogs (both without wings) but if you shrink this one it won't be big enough compared to humans.

face: Maybe the horns a bit wider and a big single curve in stead of angled. You could consider letting them come from the side of the head. And maybe a flatter face in stead of a protruding maul.

Oh and I agree about more black (horns?) and less red though the color it has now is very nice and should be used for at least part of it. To give it more distinct features you could also consider fiery eyes or maul. Last thing: the civcoloring of the mane is a good choiche (or at 'least' the best there is) just keep it dark it should be visible but not look like a neon strip.

Again these really are minor points if you don't change anything it will still be great!

 

[Smoking mirror]

wow! he looks great!

There are some other descriptions of the balrogs in the silmarilion.
I think he should be flameless and perhaps black skinned rather than red; this would make it difficult to see the details, but I think he would look meaner; Just his eyes showing.
In the two towers the balrog has wings, but they are just bone, no skin flaps; Perhaps they have been all burned away by that point- as the balrogs from the silmarilion can fly.

it may be easier if his whip is shorter, even if it were only the length of a riding crop, but had "many tounges" like a cat 'o nine tails it would look right.

If you are going to have any civ colours I would try to optomize them for black as that is what most people would probably use.

 

[Grey Fox]

[Sugestive Request]
Maybe he can burst into flame in a rage before he attacks, and be burning during the attack
[/Sugestive Request]


And yes, I said it before and I say it again. He should be black!

 

[Balrog]

Uhm...........dark red.

 

[Grey Fox]

Originally posted by Balrog
Uhm...........dark red.

That's what the colors something black gets when enlightened by RED fire... but when he isn't burning he should be black IMHO.

 

[Nemesis Rex]

Originally posted by Smoking mirror
In the two towers the balrog has wings, but they are just bone, no skin flaps; Perhaps they have been all burned away by that point- as the balrogs from the silmarilion can fly.

Where did you read that the wings are only bone in 2 towers?

 

[Smoking mirror]

when the balrog gets beat up and thrown of the top of the mountain; That was in the movie wasn't it? When gandalf says "I threw down my enemy and smote his ruin on the mountainside"?
Perhaps I was imagining it, I only saw the movie once, but Ive read the book about twenty times.

Its not in the book.

 

[Balrog]

Do Balrogs have wings?
Well guys I think we wont be able to answer this, since noone knows the proper answer!
'The Balrog reached the bridge. Gandalf stood in the middle of the span, leaning on the staff in his left hand, but in his other hand Glamdring gleamed, cold and white. His enemy halted again, facing him, and the shadow about it reached out like two vast wings. It raised the whip, and the thongs whined and cracked. Fire came from its nostrils. But Gandalf stood firm. (…)

The Balrog made no answer. The fire in it seemed to die, but the darkness grew. It stepped forward slowly on to the bridge, and suddenly it drew itself up to a great height, and its wings were spread from wall to wall; but still Gandalf could be seen, glimmering in the gloom; he seemed small, and altogether alone: grey and bent, like a wizened tree before the onset of a storm.'


From all other parts in Tolkien's works where Balrogs are mentioned, arguments for both views [Balrog has wings or not..]might be found, the author himself does not deliver a definite answer.

BUT............->

"From Appendix A, Section III (Durin's Folk) included in the 1995 Harper Collins paperback edition of The Lord of the Rings, the initial discovery of the Balrog in Moria is described:

Thus [the dwarves] roused from sleep a thing of terror that, flying from Thangorodrim, had lain hidden at the foundations of the earth since the coming of the Host of the West: a Balrog of Morgoth.

From this passage I believe we can conclude that Balrogs had the ability to fly.

Tolkien describes the darkness around the Balrog as being like 'wings' ("His enemy halted again, facing him, and the shadow about it reached out like two vast wings"). This in no way discounts the possibility that the Balrog could have real wings. In fact, a few paragraphs later, the Balrog is described as having physical wings ("It stepped forward slowly on to the bridge, and suddenly it drew itself up to a great height, and its wings were spread from wall to wall...")."

So who knows?



Well personally I prefer the Balrog with wings.

 

[utahjazz7]

Here's an idea. I don't even know if it's possible with Poser, but I think it might work. What is the unit was colored dark gray in the default and fidget. Then, in the Fortify, he becomes red--you know, as he's getting ready for battle. He stays red during the attack, but returns to dark grey in the death animation. Well, it's just an idea.

Kinboat, this is the first time I've looked through this thread, and I was amazed at your Balrog. It looks great. I'm not sure about civ-specific coloring on the unit itself though. Maybe the whip and sword could be colors. Looking great though.

 

[Kinboat]

First off, I personally believe the Balrog (at least in Moria) has wings, although other balrogs in the other stories don't seem to have them (at least not described)... Besides without them he wouldn't be as impressive I was concerned about making it too black, it'll lose a lot of detail... ALthough I like Utahjazz7's suggestion... Now I think I'll darken it a bit and then in the Attack animation he'll brighten (imagine glowing magma). I may go over the head a bit shorten the face and maybe making the horns a little more impressive... I don't think civ-specific colors just on th weapons would be enough so I think I'll leave the mane blue... although I'll set it towards the dark side so it doesn't glow like a red district sign. And I may cut the whip down... simply because I only have 240 square pixels to work with and no room to really swing it now. Updated preview coming soon.

 

[Balrog]

Sounds good Kinboat.
Im excited! /me is a BALROG maniac!

 

[Balrog]

*oops! Double post.*
:rant:

 

[thestonesfan]

Wings are a lot of help whilst prowling subterranean mines!

 

[Ed O'War]

Kinboat, your Balrog looks awesome! I've been waiting for a good demon unit. Great work, as usual.

 

[Booda]

Kinboat, this unit looks fantastic - these units that you and all the other creators are putting out have really improved the game.

Just wondering - is anyone making an Uruk-hai unit? The colour-converted orc units that were made are good, but they don't have enough armour to be viable as a serious heavy infantry orc.

We need a bad-ass orc unit that these Balrogs can whip into action!

 

[Kinboat]

Thanks... Sorry about not updating the preview... I'll be starting the animation work soon though.
I might consider an Uruk-hai... After the my Elven Units (2 of the three are just about done but I wanted to post them all at once). The Balrog, and somewhere in between an Ettin and a Sea Serpent I'm working on. Maybe I can squeeze it in during the Balrog since those animations are going to be tough and I like to skip around a bit.

 

[black_rose]

Hi Kinboat,

I'm very exited by about all of your projects and had a short question. Could you please make the pallets of the elven units you're creating as well structured as the ones of your dragons. I mean that you can see wich row of pallet entries is used for the armor wich one for the skin colour and maybe even wich one for the hair colour?

This would make them so much more usefull for non LotR fantasy. And in fact even for LotR fantasy. I must say that I don't know how much work this would be or if it is still possible, but please consider it,

thanks

 

[Kinboat]

Well the way I currently do it it'll be a little work but I may try it out.