From:
A.Jeffrey
To: mepbmlist@yahoogroups.com ; Harlequin Games
Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2001 3:48 PM
Subject: [mepbmlist] LA queries
Just a couple of points that seem to be common sense?, at least in my opinion. Let me know what you think.
Cheers, Alan.
RD: Hi Alan. Actually, you raise a lot more than a couple of points. I do not want to make wholesale changes to LA and I doubt Harlequin do either, otherwise we’ll never get the game off the ground. Having said that, you deserve answers so here goes, point by point.
1) Maps
The DS are all going to get maps centredin Mordor which seems to be a little wasteful. 3-4 of the 10 maps will show everything that the DS require for scouting purposes and the rest goes to waste. Would it be possible to extend the maps further towards the edges of Mordor thus showing more of the prevailing landscape. The DS settlements are in the mountains and as such the possibility of seeing enemies coming from afar is pretty high. I am aware though that the dark clouds that pervade the land of Sauron may offset this but the old maps dont show any sign of falsehood or gaps so why should this. Indeed settlements on mountainsides should give more far-reaching reports even if this is to show an unidentified army, not showing allegiance even.
RD: I agree with you that a lot of the DS maps overlap. However, in LA, apart from WiK & DrL the DS map ranges are the same as 1650. I have to say, I don’t think the DS map ranges should be extended. If you look at the IcK & DoL maps, you will find that they can ‘see’ 4 hexes east and north, respectively, of the mountain borders of Mordor. I think this represents a generous view from the mountain peaks even on a clear day!
** 2) SNA’s - Specifically Nations with 20%+/- market bonus.**
The Northmen and Dale are the most economic of the Nation Startups and their SNA’s reflect this. Their starting gold balance doesn’t though. I would assume mercantile Nations such as these would need huge banking facilities etc. for their trade uses, otherwise what would be the point of the SNA. Likewise such merchants would like to feel protected in such settlements and therefore the troops of these Nations should have some kind of training. Even in peaceful times these men would still be considered in action/duty. Caravan escorts, market policing etc. would be everyday duties and as such some degree of training would be customary.
RD: Well… this is really a matter of perception. Mine is that Men are latecomers to Middle-earth, the Elves & Dwarves have been around a long time. The Northmen & Dalemen are primitive. They barter, they don’t buy stuff for cash. Banks? Never heard of them. So they don’t carry huge stocks of gold.
Protection? In SA the Northmen and Dalemen have not yet met orcs or any of Sauron’s minions. The worst they have to contend with are wild beasts and possibly fighting with other tribes of men who have not the advantage of being able to buy Elvish or Dwarven weapons and armour. So, I see no need for more than basic training.
Stealth SNA
Nations with Stealth chance should also have an SNA for increased scouting ability to compliment this. It is reasonable to assume that having stealth would mean that character would stand out as the choice for recon/ surveillance missions. A recon SNA replacin one of their others may be a possibility. Swapping March/Food/Summons/Fearful Sna’s would be a choice for the player.
RD: Well, for starters I don’t want to give too many nations stealth and/or double scouting or it will devalue those SNAs. In LA I have, already, increased both stealth and double scouting at the expense of other SNAs, where I think it’s justified. Again in LA, I have already added stealth to double scouting or vice versa in place of another SNA, where I think it’s justified, eg Woodmen.
I have great difficulty justifying stealth for ANY DS, seeing how clumsy and destructive orcs are: ‘no other folk make such a trampling.’ I assume the stealth is due to wolves or wargs, but I can’t justify giving these creatures double scouting.
I assume the DS nations which have double scouting, have either spies in the enemy camp, or birds spying for them, or magic.
I accept that some nations with natural stealth should have double scouting, but not all.
I have been accused of being defensive. I plead guilty. I designed the LA scenario with the info at my disposal, ie, every book Tolkien ever wrote. My intention with LA, as with WotR, was to make the game resemble the book, as far as possible, within the constraints of the existing ME games.
The big problem is, that no living person (as far as we know) has ever seen an elf or an orc or a balrog, so we all have different perceptions. This was brought home to me with a bang when I saw the play ‘The Hobbit’ at Northampton, where the otherwise excellent Dwarves were beardless! And the elves were desperately overdressed for moving silently thru forest. DO go and see this play if you get the chance!
If we don’t know what a mythical person/creature looked like, how much less we know of how it behaves. The only thing we have to go on is the written description.
And if NOTHING is said about what happened to a particular artifact over a few hundred years, a game designer has to draw his own conclusions and should not be crucified because somebooby else has a different perception and won’t even admit the possibility that he just might be wrong. Sorry Alan, that last bit wasn’t aimed at you.
When people ask me to change things, of course I am going to defend my perceptions. If and when somebody provides evidence that something I have written is wrong, I will apologise and change it. I’m not going to change my mind just because somebody else has a different opinion.
May I, with respect, suggest that those of you who don’t like LA, write your own scenario? I’m not trying to be funny here - Harlequin are open to ideas - but you will have to convince them that enough players want to play your game. You will also have to put up with at least as much sniping as I have.
Regards,
Richard.
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