The LotM Thread Archives:
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The LotM team is looking for active posters to help beta test with us. If you aren't active, we don't want you . It sound harsh, but we are looking for people who can give us good feedback on gameplay and/or LotR history. If you can't download 100MB, play the MOD, then type up a bug report every week, don't apply. You'll enjoy the Public Beta much more than the private .
If you can beta test, and be active, we can get you into the private beta forum.
You can contact me via PM on the forum. Some other ways to contact me via direct e-mail: pchighway@msn.com
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There and Back Again.
Well, the day is finally here. As of Friday February 18th, 2005 the private beta for the Lord of the Mods has begun. It has taken a long while for us to come to this point, but I feel we've made a lasting dent in the Civ3 Mod community as a whole. When a collection of similar-minded Lord of the Rings and novice Civ3 modders banded together one year and nine months ago to the day, few could have thought the project would see completion. The climate was ripe for just such a project, however. In many respects you could call LotM the first 'grassroots' MOD team to be created.
Over the months we've certainly had our fair share of naysayers, especially during the last cycle of the MOD. I can't help but get nostalgic about what the MOD has gone through, and hopefully what it has inspired in other modders. In 2003, a time when few continually updated MODS were in the works, LotM was born. Since that time the various contributors to LotM have made over 3950 posts to the cause. Indeed, the posts and threads of LotM almost read like a novel. Like any novel, LotM has had highs and lows.
Back then LotM was just various different posters offering their insight into the MOD and voicing opinions. As time went by, two of the key members of the team gained access to the C3C public beta, and brought a lot of their understanding of Conquests into the MOD as a whole. LotM was proposing ideas that wasn't possible at the time, but would be in the future. Fortunately for us, none of those ideas violated the Non-disclosure agreement.
After LotM remained consistent in its brainstorming and idea-creation, similar 'grassroots' MOD teams popped up. I'm sorry to say that none of these teams have progressed their projects to the testing phase, but hopefully LotM will simply be the first in a storm of MODs to reach this point. I personally feel that the scores of contributors LotM has had, has helped to make something lasting. I hope that other MODs and scenarios that have been released and those that will be released have taken some of LotMs concepts with them.
The road to the public beta, and indeed, to the alpha version will be a rough one. LotM has continually reshaped and remolded it's concepts to conform to the times, and I don't see that stopping in the public beta. When someone takes something out of the idea realm and lays it into the more practical physical realm, it is bound to need fixing. Please be patient with the material we are dealing with, it won't be perfect the first time out. I ask this not of the public, but of the Mod team. It will take hard work and good suggestions to take the mod to the next level.
I'd like to give a nod to everyone who has devoted their time to bring the MOD to this phase. The people that devoted hours, days, and in multiple cases even months of their lives to helping LotM become what it is and will ultimately end up being. As The Grateful Dead once said, what a long strange trip it's been.
But enough with that sentimental 'hooey,' let's get to the practical side of things. Mrtn and I will be rearing our ugly heads, popping in and out asking questions. Questions like: "Do you prefer this," "can someone locate these files in the old thread," and "are Cheetos and water enough to sustain life?"
It will just be myself and Mrtn testing for now, trying to make the first private group test of LotM less painful to play.
Here is a list of the people who are guaranteed in the "group" private-beta, in alphabetical order. However it is important to remember, that there is no reason to be in the private beta unless you can contribute with feedback. If you don't have the time, or don't want to give feedback wait for the public beta. The private beta isn't for people who just want to play LotM. You won't enjoy it.
AlcTrv
[Ant]Wimp
TheLastConformist
Mithadan
RRnut
Weasel Op
Yoda Power
Here are honorary contributors to the MOD, who just have to ask (PM or e-mail is fine) and they will be included in the group private beta:
Aaglo
Arathorn
Celeborn
Cuivienen
embryodead
Fier Canadien
GEChallenger
Kinboat
Kindred72
Noldodan
tjedge1
utahjazz7
I realize there are others who have contributed to the MOD that are merely remaining inactive or haven't made many posts (Hamah, Olorin, Teabeard). Just post in the thread or e-mail to let me know you are active. But remember, you will be expected to help (give lots of input) if you sign up unless you are a special case. If you think you can do that, let me know. If you just want to play it for fun, wait for the public beta.
The MSN Beta site (located here) is an information page, a place to go to see what's going on. A different website host will be used for the actual beta.
***********
The LotM team is looking for active posters to help beta test with us. If you aren't active, we don't want you . It sound harsh, but we are looking for people who can give us good feedback on gameplay and/or LotR history. If you can't download 100MB, play the MOD, then type up a bug report every week, don't apply. You'll enjoy the Public Beta much more than the private .
If you can beta test, and be active, we can get you into the private beta forum.
You can contact me via PM on the forum. Some other ways to contact me via direct e-mail: pchighway@msn.com
***********
There and Back Again.
Well, the day is finally here. As of Friday February 18th, 2005 the private beta for the Lord of the Mods has begun. It has taken a long while for us to come to this point, but I feel we've made a lasting dent in the Civ3 Mod community as a whole. When a collection of similar-minded Lord of the Rings and novice Civ3 modders banded together one year and nine months ago to the day, few could have thought the project would see completion. The climate was ripe for just such a project, however. In many respects you could call LotM the first 'grassroots' MOD team to be created.
Over the months we've certainly had our fair share of naysayers, especially during the last cycle of the MOD. I can't help but get nostalgic about what the MOD has gone through, and hopefully what it has inspired in other modders. In 2003, a time when few continually updated MODS were in the works, LotM was born. Since that time the various contributors to LotM have made over 3950 posts to the cause. Indeed, the posts and threads of LotM almost read like a novel. Like any novel, LotM has had highs and lows.
Back then LotM was just various different posters offering their insight into the MOD and voicing opinions. As time went by, two of the key members of the team gained access to the C3C public beta, and brought a lot of their understanding of Conquests into the MOD as a whole. LotM was proposing ideas that wasn't possible at the time, but would be in the future. Fortunately for us, none of those ideas violated the Non-disclosure agreement.
After LotM remained consistent in its brainstorming and idea-creation, similar 'grassroots' MOD teams popped up. I'm sorry to say that none of these teams have progressed their projects to the testing phase, but hopefully LotM will simply be the first in a storm of MODs to reach this point. I personally feel that the scores of contributors LotM has had, has helped to make something lasting. I hope that other MODs and scenarios that have been released and those that will be released have taken some of LotMs concepts with them.
The road to the public beta, and indeed, to the alpha version will be a rough one. LotM has continually reshaped and remolded it's concepts to conform to the times, and I don't see that stopping in the public beta. When someone takes something out of the idea realm and lays it into the more practical physical realm, it is bound to need fixing. Please be patient with the material we are dealing with, it won't be perfect the first time out. I ask this not of the public, but of the Mod team. It will take hard work and good suggestions to take the mod to the next level.
I'd like to give a nod to everyone who has devoted their time to bring the MOD to this phase. The people that devoted hours, days, and in multiple cases even months of their lives to helping LotM become what it is and will ultimately end up being. As The Grateful Dead once said, what a long strange trip it's been.
But enough with that sentimental 'hooey,' let's get to the practical side of things. Mrtn and I will be rearing our ugly heads, popping in and out asking questions. Questions like: "Do you prefer this," "can someone locate these files in the old thread," and "are Cheetos and water enough to sustain life?"
It will just be myself and Mrtn testing for now, trying to make the first private group test of LotM less painful to play.
Here is a list of the people who are guaranteed in the "group" private-beta, in alphabetical order. However it is important to remember, that there is no reason to be in the private beta unless you can contribute with feedback. If you don't have the time, or don't want to give feedback wait for the public beta. The private beta isn't for people who just want to play LotM. You won't enjoy it.
AlcTrv
[Ant]Wimp
TheLastConformist
Mithadan
RRnut
Weasel Op
Yoda Power
Here are honorary contributors to the MOD, who just have to ask (PM or e-mail is fine) and they will be included in the group private beta:
Aaglo
Arathorn
Celeborn
Cuivienen
embryodead
Fier Canadien
GEChallenger
Kinboat
Kindred72
Noldodan
tjedge1
utahjazz7
I realize there are others who have contributed to the MOD that are merely remaining inactive or haven't made many posts (Hamah, Olorin, Teabeard). Just post in the thread or e-mail to let me know you are active. But remember, you will be expected to help (give lots of input) if you sign up unless you are a special case. If you think you can do that, let me know. If you just want to play it for fun, wait for the public beta.
I just hate waiting for final release 
I'll give it a try, I have some free time.
Currently we only have the bab bowman shrunken to dwarf size... 
