9-08-02 Latest News

Decipher takes LOTR TCG Online!
Flinch @ 3:31 pm EST

(NORFOLK, Va., September 6, 2002)One of the most popular trading card games in the world The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game (TCG) is about to go digital! Decipher announced today that it has teamed up with Worlds Apart Productions, widely recognized for its critically acclaimed online roleplaying game, 'The Eternal City,' to develop the online version of the game. The Lord of the Rings Online Trading Card Game will open its virtual doors on the decipher.com web site to Œround-the-clock' Internet play in early 2003.

'The Lord of the Rings TCG is one of the most incredible games Decipher has ever created. We are extremely excited about bringing this game to the expanded audience of players on the Internet," said Decipher's Chairman and CEO Warren Holland.

The Lord of the Rings Online Trading Card Game will allow players to purchase randomly assorted card packs, build decks, make trades, and play against a multitude of opponents just like they do with the popular paper version of the game. However, the Internet version will allow players to find opponents worldwide 24 hours a day.

Worlds Apart Productions, has been developing and managing online games for six years. In a previous announcement Decipher said that Worlds Apart will manage all of Decipher1s online game development. The Lord of the Rings Online Trading Card Game will join the already popular Star Trek Online Customizable Card Game, which launched in May 2001.

'The Lord of the Rings Trading Card Game is easily the best TCG on the market today. Its accessibility allows you to learn the game quickly and the depth and sheer fun of the gameplay keeps you coming back for more. I can1t think of another license-based game that more closely captures the spirit of its source material,' said Scott Martins, President, Worlds Apart. 'We are quite proud to work with Decipher to bring this game and prestigious property to the Internet.'

Weekly Cast Watch
Xoanon @ 2:26 pm EST

To get more information, use the sites I use like the ones below. Simply find a movie or actor you want to see, go to one of the sites below and see if the film is playing in your area. mydigiguide.com, tv-now.com and IMDB.com

Note: These are films that are listed as being on TV THIS WEEK ONLY, this is NOT a list of all the films the cast has done

Paul Kirwan Seminar Report
Xoanon @ 1:33 pm EST

From: Lolly

Here's my report on the seminar given by Paul Kirwan during the Science Week held in Canberra back in August. It was so popular that the 6pm session was booked out so quickly that another session for 3pm that afternoon was also scheduled. This too was booked out very fast, not surprising given the popularity of the Lord of the Rings plus the fact Paul is a Canberra Boy! We attended the 6pm session. It was a fascinating seminar, I was madly scribbling notes in the dark to report back.

After thanking both Weta Digital and New Line for the permission to both come back to Canberra for the Science Festival as well as show images from Fellowship of the Ring, Paul gave us a brief outline of how he came into the field of digital animation. He is originally studied Computer Science at the Australian National University (ANU), then went on to be a data base administrator. Having found that rather dry, he then did a course in computer graphics and animation. After that he then completed a Masters in computer animation. He worked in James Cameron's effects studio, on a number of projects including films such as Dante's Peak and Titanic. Some 18 months ago he moved to Wellington to work at Weta on the Lord of the Rings.

Paul is a 2D compositor, he has a very good eye for detail which is something he said you either have or don't, you can't teach, but such ability is crucial for the work he does. Technically, there has been nothing like LOTR before, although Star Wars came close but the feel is different. He stated that it is crucial for the special effects work properly, he believes that he's done a good job if you can't tell that it is actually a computer generated image. This has been difficult with LOTR, particularly as we know that demons and trolls don't exist, but they had to make them look believable.

We were treated to three scenes on which Paul had worked on, and were taken from the early pre-visualisation (very blocky, basic graphics) to blue screen shots of the actors/body doubles, right through to the finished shot.

The first was the bridge at Khazad-dum. Although the entire scene is around 3 and a half minutes, it was 6 months work with 35-40 effects shots. Paul pointed out that 99% of the arrows shot in FOTR were all computer generated, due to the danger of shooting real arrows! We were shown the process from the goblins/orcs who were shooting at the Fellowship after Gandalf and Legolas had jumped across the breach in the bridge. It was interesting to hear that when filming the extras against blue screen, where one falls into the chasm after getting shot, the guy bounced back which you could see in the shot. They were able to mask this through both background as well as having the creature fall.

The next sequence was the Watcher at the Moria entrance. A huge amount of time was spent on this sequence, as it was one of the three major monsters (the others being the Cave Troll and the Balrog). Originally the scene was 3 minutes, but was cut down to 1, and there was more blood and guts, but this too was cut in order to meet the PG13 rating. Paul showed how the Watcher was developed, skeleton, slimy wet skin and all, and the detail behind Frodo being grabbed by the leg and pulled up and out of shot. As we saw Elijah Wood being dragged up and out of shot by a cable attached to his leg by a leather cuff, Paul explained that as the actors also had a passion for the project, they did things well beyond the call of duty, the passion of Peter Jackson was contagious!!

The final scene was that of the Cave Troll (Troll Boy as he was referred to!). Paul explained how much thought and detail went into the troll, which is why he looks heaps better than the Harry Potter version (my bias creeping in there!). Once the basic troll had been developed, the animators then put him through some physical activity to make sure he moved right. We were treated to Troll Boy watching a fly then swatting it with his club, juggling a number of coloured balls and finally doing some serious sniffing, which included a whiff of his own armpit! We even saw a "shell" of the Troll's torso being "dropped" and watching cave troll fat wobble, all in the name of realism. As well as detail on the Troll, we were shown how they morphed a CGI Aragorn with a Aragorn garbed stuntman to get the realism behind Aragorn being flung aside by the Troll. We also saw motion capture images of Elijah Wood, Orlando Bloom and Viggo Mortensen, for their computer generated doubles. Paul explained the difficulty in doing hair (strange to see Aragorn with a head half Gandalf hair and half Legolas hair) and cloth, however this is getting easier with developments in both software and hardware.

The seminar went a full two hours, too short of course. Paul explained that in FOTR there were about 485 shots, 25 minutes of film, that were computer generated. He's currently working on The Two Towers, they have 9 weeks to go. Paul believes that TTT will be better than FOTR, with some 800 computer generated shots, and Return of the King even better, with approximately 1,200 shots. He was treated to a huge round of applause by an audience of both LOTR fans and computer geeks.

Media Watch: Pulse Magazine
Xoanon @ 1:07 pm EST

From: angel24

Nancy Kapitanoff of Pulse Magazine gave FOTR a great review in the current September issue. Here's what
they had to say:

"This is just plainly and simply one of the greatest films ever made--as well as probably the best combination of classic book and classic movie in the history of cinema. Director Peter Jackson embraced one of the most beloved texts in all world literature and turned it into something his own while keeping entirely faithful to his source. It was, in part, because the tools of the medium were equal to his imagination--that cave troll, those dark horsemen, the weird effects when Frodo foolishly puts on the ring, those Orcs, that thing of fire, the Balrog. In part, too, it was because Jackson was given the inestimable gift of time: Not only is this three-hour film merely one third of the story that he'll ultimately tell, but we're sure one day to see a cut closer to 12 hours--and I will set aside a full day to luxuriate in it as soon as you tell me when I can, thank you. Finally, the thing is exquisitely mounted, cast, played, paced, scored, shot--you name it. There's enough humor to temper the foreboding, enough explication to keep the neophytes up to speed, enough natural beauty to make you book a flight to New Zealand, and more action and supernatural whatnot to appease the boy-geek in us all. And how instructive that it came on the heels of the first Harry Potter picture--a movie that amounted to little more than a half-afternoon of day care compared to the mammoth genius of Jackson's achievement."

Ringer Events: Picnic in Calgary, Hobbit play in Chico
Tehanu @ 11:51 am EST

News for Calgary Ringers from Galadriel: "I just thought I'd let you know that a group of Calgary Ringers are putting together a potluck picnic for the Baggins' Birthday on Sunday, Sept. 22nd at Edworthy Park. Tentative events include Tolkien/fantasy-themed improv games, Middle-earth trivia contests, and a demonstration by a local medieval recreation group. All Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves, Humans, Wizards (and even Orcs) are invited. The details are available here"

For Northern Californian Ringers, there's the Chico Cabaret's production of The Hobbit. [More]

More On Alan Lee's 'behind The Scenes'
Xoanon @ 1:18 pm EST

Celebrated artist Alan Lee will discuss his contributions as illustator of the centenary edition of THE LORD OF THE RINGS and the 60th anniversary edition of THE HOBBIT (Houghton Mifflin) and as Conceptual Artist for the film trilogy directed by Peter Jackson (New Line Cinema), illustrated with behind-the-scenes footage. Presentation to be followed by book signing.**

Date/Time: September 26, 6:30 -- 8:00 p.m.
Location: Cleaview Chelsea West Theater, 333 West 23rd Street (8th & 9th Ave.)
Tickets: $15.00

To purchase tickets, visit the Chelsea West box office or call Moviefone (777-FILM)

A limited number of $100 premium tickets are available. They include reserved seating, transportation, and access to all-evening celebrity champagne reception.

For more program information, and a complete listing of New York Is Book Country's Film Book Festival's event lineup, visit www.nyisbookcountry.com

**Soon to be available from Houghton Mifflin and ON SALE at the event: a newly reconfigured three-volume edition of THE LORD OF THE RINGS illustrated by Alan Lee.

For more details click here

Media Watch: Germany's 'Cinema' Magazine
Xoanon @ 12:51 pm EST

Ringer Spy Padfoot sends along these scans from Germany's 'Cinema' magazine, and provided a translation for us, take a look!

The calm before the tower (I think it lost something in translation here -Xo)

Icy cold winter rain drums down on the Weta Studio buildings. Peter Jackson isn’t the least impressed. Barefoot and in shorts, the director trudges towards one of the ocre-coloured buildings. The New Zealand weather is his least problem. Because in the wooden bulding lies a treasure that elecrifies “cinema pirates” all over the world. The film material of his “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Only a few initiates know the details, admittance is forbidden to unauthorized people.

The “Ring” forge has turned into a top-secret laboratory. Whereas before the start of The Fellowship the makers stepped willingly before the public, they’ve now been muzzled. The arrogance of producers, sure of victory? It’s true that the people involved know by now that The Two Towers will become money safes, but their secretiveness has other reasons as well. In the Weta FX labs and cutting rooms they are working on a part II that’s not only to exceed all expectations – but by far exceed them.

But the dream of the top-secret-status is gone. More and more informations that give an impression of The Two Towers, leak through from New Zealand.

It’s already known that the movie will contain more exciting creatures and action scenes. Besides the creatures Treebeard and Gollum, exotic war elephants and giant werewolves belong to the beasts. “The closer we get to the kingdom of evil, the more fantastic and more evil the monsters will become”, promises Richard Taylor, Peter Jackson’s FX supervisor.

Center of The Two Towers will be the battle for the mountain fortress Helm’s Deep. It’s approximate length will be around 45 minutes. In one scene, the elf warrior Legolas will glide over his enemies’ shields like a surfer.

But Jackson won’t just be adding an extra load of blood and bytes to The Two Towers. He’s setting more an psychology than on pyrotechnics. The “Kiwi-Spielberg” is taking the consequences from The Fellowship. Self-critic, he’s complaining about the restless pace of the movie. For example, it had only partly been possible to show the characters’ relationships and the dimsions of their journey. The Two Towers will contain more scenes that concentrate on the development of the different characters. This means that The Two Towers will be farther away from Tolkien’s original – even more than it’s predecessor. For example, the fans will have to do without the cliffhanger final when Frodo, paralysed by a spider’s bite, gets captured by Orcs. These scenes will be featured in the 3rd movie.

How determined Jackson is, show the re-shoots that took place in June. Originally set up for 2 weeks, the shoots took twice as long. Almost all of the leading actors – except Orlando Bloom, Ian Holm and Cate Blanchett – had to return on camera. Apart from small completions and corrections to the existing material, completely new scenes (that were previously left out) were shot. To do that, he even had re-built the giant set of the Edoras Throne Hall and the Forest of Fangorn.

Even the dead experienced their re-birth. “Boromir” Sean Bean was flown in to shoot flashback sequences that explain his relationship to his brother Faramir (David Wenham). About 25 additional minutes were created this way. The actors realized and understood how ambitious their director is: “This film is way deeper”, Bernard Hill (King Theoden) explains enthusiastically.

However, one negligence happened to Peter Jackson. He’s trained a competitor. On a day off, “Sam Gamgee” Sean Astin shot the short movie “A Tall Story” with the entire crew. His Tolkien-inspired subject is: Differences in sizes…

But by next year, Jackson will show everyone again who’s the real Lord of the Rings. Because by then the re-shoots for The Return of the King will take place.

TOURNAMENT SPOTLIGHT: Mile High Comics - Southern California
Lao_of_Gondor @ 8:18 pm EST

The tournament scene in Southern California has definitely found its stride. Thanks to the So Cal "Riders of Rohan" (Decipher's Product Champions), LOTR TCG players now have an incredibly wide range of locations and playing communities to test their skills. Cities like Garden Grove, Tustin, Pasadena, Lancaster, Santa Barbara and San Diego represent just a few of the very diverse playing communities in So Cal, with players ranging from novice to veteran. The tournament circuit is fun, challenging and a great way to meet other LOTR fans as well as gaming fans (TCG, CCG, RPG and LARP) in general.

If you have never been to a tournament before, or if you are a new player and feel that the tournament scene is too intimidating or competitive for your taste - then here is an example of how fun a tournament day can be for you and for players of all skill levels:

Tournament Date: August 24, 2002
Location: Mile High Comics - Garden Grove, CA

What a great day for the tournament scene! The game welcomed 10 (out of 24) brand new players to the scene as well as three female participants! During the course of the tournament, each player competed in a total of five games - the Swiss Format of tournament play. Each victory and loss resulted in points earned to qualify for the next game and another chance to play against a completely different person.

The Uruk-Hai were out in force, as many deck designs relied on the power of Saruman and the savage minions of Isengard to acheive victory! The nine Nazgul thundered down from Minas Morgul as their thirst for the power of the one plagued the Fellowship from the very start. The relentless goblin swarms of Moria tried at every turn to overwhelm the Fellowship with their sheer numbers. And the prescence of Sauron was only briefly felt, yet problematic enough for the Fellowship's defenses against his battle hardened army who marched forward waiving banners of the Eye, armed with vile blades and seething with hate.

As for the Fellowship, early Elven support as seen with Legolas and Arwen were among the more popular starting companions for their combination of direct damage and anti-Nazgul defensive strength. At the Prancing Pony, Aragorn was summoned early to defend the Fellowship with his unparalleled fighting skills and armaments. Remember, he knows what hunts you...

The competition was indeed fierce as each opponent tried their best to protect Frodo and the rest of the Fellowship from falling into shadow; succumbing to the forces of Goblins, Orcs, Uruk-Hai and the Nazgul. And then of course...there was the Balrog.

After five very intense and engaging games, veteran player John Patchell from Apple Valley, CA - on his birthday, won the coveted first place prize with a fantastic record of 5-0. Randy Simon, another local veteran from Long Beach, CA took second place. But the most surprising victory of the day - and the most inspiring for new players - was from Eddie McGovern; a brand new player who took third place in his very first tournament. Congratulations to all the players for a fun and exciting day of tournament play.

First time TD (Tournament Director) Ramesses DeLeon, a top-level player from Riverside, CA - ran a very well organized, fun and exciting day. The veteran players had a great time and the newer players - especially Eddie McGovern - really stepped up their games and gave many of the vets a pretty good run for their money!

For those of you who live near the Garden Grove area - Mile High Comics is a great place for all skill levels to come and try the tournament scene. And if tournaments aren't quite your pace, but you still love playing the game - there is always league play in almost every playing community out there.

For more information on LOTR tournaments and league play in your area, please contact your local comic or trading card
retailer, or visit Decipher's website at www.decipher.com or check out the Decipher Games Management Authority (DGMA) at www.dgma.com.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: The next tournament at Mile High Comics will be September 14, 2002 starting at 12:00 p.m. Please check out Decipher's tournament boards for further details.

And if you are interested in the tournament and league playing community at Mile High Comics here is how to contact the store:

Mile High Comics
12591 Harbor Blvd.
Garden Grove, CA 92840
(714) 741-2096

Until next time...

Scandinavian RingFest
Tehanu @ 2:20 pm EST

On Saturday 30th November & Sunday 1st December 2002 we launch a gigantic Lord of the Rings event in Copenhagen Denmark: The Scandinavian Lord of the Rings Fair.

Among the many attractions at the Fair, fans from all over Scandinavia can meet the special guest star Richard Taylor from Weta Workshop. Richard is head of Weta Workshop, the special effects company behind the Lord of the Rings films.

The event mix a traditional trade fair, with a host of booths packed with all sorts of Lord of the Rings merchandise and games, with a grand show for all Lord of the Rings fans.

Something for all fans…
Here’s a rundown of some of the events at the Scandinavian Lord of the Rings Fair:

Guest Star. We are proud to announce that our guest of honour is the Oscar© winning special effects magician Richard Taylor from Weta Workshop. Giving all fans a unique opportunity to meet the guys who brought Tolkien’s Middle Earth to the screen.
Live size Weathertop ruin. The first thing the visitors see is part of the Amon Sûl ruin build in live size scale.
New trailers from New Line Cinema. See the newest clips from The Two Towers on a big screen.
Behind the scenes clip from the Lord of the Rings movies.
Mega Displays. We’ve build a huge landscape with hundreds of Games Workshop’s Lord of the Rings miniatures, taking the spectators through the adventures of Middle Earth.
Live Role-play Swordfight. Do you fancy to be dressed up as a Mordor Orc or a valiant Man of Gondor and try your skills as a warrior in our arena? Skilled instructors guide the visitors through a battle with latex role-playing weapons.
…and much more. Quizzes, price draws, seminars and workshops, Bilbo’s Hobbit hole (for the youngest children), make up artist (do you want to be painted like an Orc?).

Trade Stands
We’ll give the visitors a unique chance to feast their eyes on a wide range of Lord of the Rings merchandise and other products. Here’s a short list of some of the Lord of the Rings product you should expect to find at the Fair:

Games Workshop brings along their new tabletop strategy game The Two Towers.
Electronic Arts new PS2 game Lord of the Rings – the Two Towers.
SideshowWeta show up with an impressive selection of their finest Lord of the Rings Collectibles.
Toys. Action men, swords, key rings, etc.
Merchandise. Posters, t-shirts, post cards, book marks, caps, banners …you name it!
Books. The whole range of Tolkien’s work, movie books, etc.
Video/DVD. Special edition, collectors edition and the normal editions.
…and much more. Costumes, masks, make up effects – indeed something for all and any tastes!

More information and links
More information about what is most likely turning out to be Europe’s biggest Lord of the Rings event, please go to our Danish website: Ringenesherremesse (includes a brief English Version).

Thank you – hope to see you in Copenhagen!

TheOneRing.net sponsors Hector's Dolphin
Tehanu @ 1:43 pm EST

Some of you are aware that this website gives its excess profits to various organisations, including the World-Wide Fund for Nature. They chose to use our contribution to help them in the fight to save a rare dolphin species found only off the coast of New Zealand. Like many such initiatives, its success depends on making politicians and lawmakers aware of the danger facing these dolphins, and working towards achieving changes in the law that will protect them. While not as exciting or glamorous the kinds of protest and activism that grab media attention, it is this kind of hard work at a political level than can affect the fate of an endangered species. TheOneRing.net is proud to be able to help WWF for Nature achieve its goals. It is especially pleasing given that our own financial security was so uncertain at the beginning of this year. Many thanks to all of you who have helped support us; it gives us pleasure to pass on our support in turn.

Here's the state of play on the dolphin issue:

Already delayed by nearly two months, the Minister of Fisheries is due to announce measures to protect the critically endangered North Island Hector's dolphin from fishing on the west coast of the North Island.

Before making his decision, Pete Hodgson must consult the new Minister of Conservation, and WWF understands Chris Carter has a matter of days to make his response.

"WWF urges Mr Carter to recommend the strongest action possible for protecting the world’s rarest marine dolphin", said Chris Howe, Conservation Director for WWF New Zealand.

"Chris Carter’s first recommendation as Minister is one of the most closely watched, as the 15,000 plus emails to the Ministry of Fisheries from WWF supporters shows. It is also one of the most important."

WWF is calling on Chris Carter to insist that the decision includes at least:

A ban on all set netting in the dolphin's range, including in harbours
Observers on all trawlers within four nautical miles of the coast
Clear actions to enforce a new ban on commercial set netting, and to raise awareness about the existing recreational ban

"It is vital that the dolphin is fully protected before the new fishing season starts on 1 October", said Chris Howe.

At least three dolphins died last summer from drowning in set nets, including one in a commercial set net. The population, which numbers less than 100, can only withstand one human-induced death every seven years.

Notes:

1. The North Island Hector's dolphin is the world's rarest marine dolphin. The population numbers less than 100, and is found between Maunganui Bluff and Pariokariwa Point on the West Coast of the North Island.
2. A previous package of management measures, made in August 2001, was overturned by judicial review in March 2002, leaving the critically endangered dolphin at risk from drowning in set nets.
3. WWF's full submission to the Minister of Fisheries can be found at WWWF.org, setting out all of WWF's recommendations for his decision.

For further information contact:
Megan Huber, Communications Manager, WWF New Zealand, Megan.huber@wwf.org.nz

Live In NYC? Wanna Meet Alan Lee?
Xoanon @ 1:25 pm EST

MithrandirCQ writes: This month New York is having a Book festival entitled New York is Book Country. In honor of this event, Houghton Mifflin is sponsoring “The Lord of the Rings - behind the scenes with Alan Lee”.

Location: Chelsea West Theater - 333 West 23rd Street between 8th and 9th Avenue

Date: September 26, 2002

Time: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Tickets will be going on sale soon and they will cost $15.00. Since Alan Lee is the speaker it will probably deal with artistry and landscape designing of Middle-Earth. You will probably be able to purchase tickets through Moviefone or the like.

TTT For GBA Preview
DarthCaeser @ 7:19 pm EST

Game Info

Publisher Electronic Arts Developer Griptonite Games Genre Action/Adventure Players 1-2 Playable Characters Aragorn, Eowyn, Gandalf, Gimli, Legolas Release Date November

I recently got to pay a visit to Electronic Arts to check out their Lord of the Rings games, and as part of that visit I got the chance to play The Two Towers for the Game Boy Advance and chat with the Producer, Josh Hendren. I got set up in a conference room and read old Gaming mags while waiting for Josh to show up. Josh finally arrived and handed me a GBA, the Lord of the Rings theme pouring from the speakers. We discussed the fine points of the game and the license, my hands almost shaking with anticipation all the while. Finally, after what seemed an eternity but was more like five minutes, it was time to play. I went to the character select screen and chose Aragorn. I was quite shocked at what happened next... There was a Full Motion Video collage of The Two Towers footage, actual TTT footage, not gummed down at all. Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Helm's Deep... It was like watching the trailer on a really really small TV.

After I propped my jaw back in to place, the game itself began. There's a little Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn), and here comes a little Miranda Otto (Eowyn), and here's some sappy dialogue, I hope they don't use that in the movie. Skip... skip... skip... Here we go. I've got to fight my way through the pass of Caradhras. Coolness. I start exploring, leaping in to combat whenever I stumble across an Orc raiding party. Combat is real-time, no turn-based menu scrolling to slow down the gameplay. Combat and the controls in general are very intuitive, and a snap to pick up. By the time Josh got to explaining the controls, I already had them figured out.

I continue on, when all of a sudden a tree starts shaking. Three Crebain leap out and take flight, I've got to kill them before they escape and alert Saruman. I take out two of them with my sword, but the third one gets away. Then a little red eye pops up in the corner, that's the corruption meter. Things like letting enemies escape and putting on the ring will fill it up, too much and you'll have the Nazgul nipping at your heels.

After I was done with Aragorn, I took Legolas out for a spin. Now I had a ranged attack in Legolas' bow. I could take out orcs before they got close enough for hand-to-hand combat. But the orcs have archers too, and sitting back and trading shots is a good way to drain your health. Thankfully Legolas also has his daggers, so you can dash in for some close range damage.

After Legolas, I decide to try Gandalf. Josh worked some de-bug magic and warped me to Moria to check out the cave troll. Now the other members of the Fellowship join in the battle. We get swarmed by orcs but we're fending them off without trouble. All of a sudden the fearsome cave troll bursts through the wall! It's kind of hard to translate the cave troll's awesome size on the GBA's tiny screen, besides that it's an awesome rendition, very detailed for a GBA game. Anyway, I cast a couple of spells at him, including one that summons a giant eagle to dive-bomb him with it's talons, and I dash in for quick slashes with Glamdring. After much hacking the mighty cave troll fell and that was the end of my hands on time with the game.

One of the coolest features of the game that I wasn't able to try is the ability to trade items with a friend. Say you're playing as Legolas and you pick up a cool sword, and you have a friends with a GBA and a copy of the game who's playing as Aragorn and has a nice bow that might come in handy for you. Just connect the two GBA's and trade away. You can even give items to a friend without having to get something in return, I don't know how popular that feature will be though. ;) I was also unable to try out the multi-player portion of the game, you can connect two GBA's for some co-op action with a friend. I can't wait to try out that feature.

With the movie quality FMV and the sheer size of the game; 35 missions per each of the five characters, multiple skills, hundreds of weapons and items plus unlockable secrets, this game is pushing the GBA to the limits in what it can do. Will the gameplay get lost in the shuffle? From what I played, the game is a blast, sort of a cross between Zelda and Gauntlet with LOTR locations and characters. I was loving every minute of it, which isn't true of most pocket games for me. EA is intent on making this game as fun and action filled as the movie, and from what I've seen, they're succeeding. But I barely scratched the surface. Hopefully we'll get some more hands on time with the game soon, and of course we'll have a full review when the game is completed. Stay tuned to the Havens for all your Lord of the Rings gaming news, and keep an eye out for our upcoming preview of The Two Towers for Playstation 2.

Decipher’s 'TCG Challenge' News
Xoanon @ 2:22 pm EST

Decipher’s “TCG Challenge” Proves to be a Huge Success at Summer Conventions!

Press Release from Decipher: (Norfolk, VA, September 3, 2002)—During the summer convention season, Decipher introduced hundreds of people to its The Lord of the Rings™ Trading Card Game by challenging gamers and non-gamers alike to come to the Decipher booth and learn to play with one of Decipher’s product champions. Over 1,900 people took the “TCG Challenge” at Wizard World, Origins, Comic-Con International, Gen Con, and Gen Con UK—and with amazing results.

From hard-core gamers to suburban soccer moms, convention-goers eagerly approached the Decipher booth to take the challenge. With lines approaching a thirty-minute wait at times, demo-ees anticipated their turn to put the game to the test—knowing that if they liked the game, they would walk away with a free starter deck of The Lord of the Rings™ TCG and, if they didn’t, they would walk away with a booster pack from the competition (Magic: The Gathering, Dragon Ball-Z, Legend of the Five Rings). Overall, there was a resounding outcry for starter decks of The Lord of the Rings™ TCG. With 1,928 total demonstrations taking place over the course of the five conventions, 1,882 starter decks of The Lord of the Rings™ TCG were given out compared to only 46 booster packs of the competition.

At Wizard World in Chicago, 108 demonstrations took place, with 104 starter decks given out compared to three boosters of Magic and only one booster of Dragon Ball-Z.

Demonstrations at Origins totaled 424, with 413 starter decks chosen compared to eight boosters of Magic, two boosters of Dragon Ball-Z, and one booster of Legend of the Five Rings. Comic-Con International was the first time that lines started to form for demonstrations. Product champions were swarmed over the course of the four days as they did 493 demos, with 481 people choosing a starter deck, 10 choosing boosters of Magic, and two choosing boosters of Dragon Ball-Z. Gen Con in Milwaukee saw the demo tables surrounded by congregations of people as 692 demonstrations took place. Of those, 681 demo-ees selected a free starter deck while nine chose Magic and two chose Legend of the Five Rings. At Gen Con UK, 211 demonstrations were given by product champions, with 203 attendees choosing a starter deck and only eight choosing boosters of Magic.

Overall, the TCG Challenge was a great success in getting The Lord of the Rings™ TCG into the hands of people new to the world of trading card games as well as intriguing true gamers enough to try a new game. An added perk for fans of The Lord of the Rings™ was a Shire or Eye of Sauron stamp on their convention badges that identified them as having completed the TCG Challenge.

Media Watch: DirecTv Magazine
Xoanon @ 2:18 pm EST

DirecTv Magazine has a feature on FOTR, and Ford of Rvendell sent us the scans! Take a look!

ISENGARD Part 3 - The Deconstruction of Isengard
Lao_of_Gondor @ 1:54 pm EST

Greetings fellow Lord of the Rings TCG gaming fans!
Welcome to the Third and Final installment of my intensive study of the culture ISENGARD.

As I have mentioned earlier in my previous articles WINDS OF CHANGE and FUEL ON THE FIRE: Many playing communities believe that the Realms of the Elf-Lords expansion has made Isengard "too powerful, broken and unbeatable". Armed with two versions of Saruman, a dangerously versatile army of Uruk-Hai and a unique subculture of Orcs, there is no doubt that Isengard is definitely the most powerful and diverse culture in the game. But is it unbeatable?

No. Isengard is not unbeatable - no culture is. However, Isengard is the only Shadow culture that truly maintains the "perception" of invulnerability. This perception is further supported by incredibly diverse and unique deck designs and playing strategies; none of which are infallable. Anticipating the strategic capabilities of the Isengard culture is the key to penetrating this perception. In other words, when you playtest a certain deck strategy, you become familiar with its capabilities and limitations; its strengths and its weaknesses. Apply this philosohpy to Isengard, and you will learn that while it is the most powerful of the Shadow cultures, it is neither broken or unbeatable. Let us explore these issues even further in this final article I have appropriately called:

THE DECONSTRUCTION OF ISENGARD

Originally, I was going to entitle this article "The Melting Pot of Isengard" because Isengard is, for all intents and purposes: an alliance of Shadow forces, rich with a multitude of creatures and resources. Strong as a homogenous culture, Isengard becomes exponentially stronger when infused with the resources drawn from the rest of the Shadow forces.

Isengard strategies are most successful when they are NOT solely dependant upon the resources of their own culture. However, Isengard has several very unique characteristics, which makes it the strongest cultural choice upon which to build a sound and powerful strategic foundation.

ISENGARD'S STRENGTHS:
1. DAMAGE +1: Most Uruk-Hai are damage +1, which gives them very strong stopping power even without the support of strength modifiers.
2. VERSATILITY: Isengard has the best range of effective special cards in the game ranging from strength enhancement to possession destruction.
3. ISENGARD ORCS: A class of minions with a range of native effects such as canceling special archery ability to exhausting the Fellowship's companions.

However powerful these characteristics may seem, Isengard suffers from several basic strategic weaknesses that can only be reinforced by elements from the remaining Shadow cultures. This is when the Isengard melting pot fully realized.

ISENGARD'S SUPPORT:
1. SAURON: Tower Assassin - Isengard does not have the native capability to remove allied support. Albert Dreary (who can exert to remove Isengard and Moria conditions), Orophin (special directed archery against Uruk-Hai) and Rumil (special directed archery against Orcs) are strong examples of such allies. The Tower Assassin, with his 11 strength and 3 vitality, can eliminate such allied support which makes him a perfect choice when used in concert with the Uruk Ravager.
2. NAZGUL: Ulaire Enquea - During the maneuver phase, spot 6 companions (or 5 burdens) and exert this minion to wound any companion except the ring-bearer. Ulaire Enquea is a strong addition to any shadow strategy. Coupled with Isengard's newly enhanced abilities to inflict both heavy damage (with the Orcs) and burdens (Worry, Can You Protect Me From Yourself); sooner or later, members of the Fellowship will fall to the dark power of this devastating black rider.
3. MORIA: Goblin Runner - When you play this minion, you may add 2 to the twilight pool. Perfect for any situation where additional twilight, and an extra attacking minion, is necessary. Twilight depravation is a key strategy against Isengard so if it is possible, make sure to include the Goblin Runner (several if possible) to your deck.

Of course there are various other excellent candidates that you can also stir into the Isengard "melting pot". Look through your collections and discover which minions can best enhance your Isengard strategy. Choosing the right support will transform your deck dramatically and will give you a better understanding of how this culture truly works.

Now you are probably asking yourself, "If these combinations make Isengard even stronger, how can it possibly be defeated?" As I mentioned earlier, understanding Isengard will give you greater insight into its strengths - and its weaknesses. After playtesting several different Isengard strategies, you will realize that it is vulnerable to a great many things. Here are a few key examples, which routinely plague Isengard strategies:

ISENGARD'S WEAKNESSES:
1. ARCHERY: First and foremost, Uruk-Hai and Orcs are extremely vulnerable to archery fire. Uruk-Hai support cards are heavily exertion based, as are the special abilities of Isengard Orcs. Archery fire can either eliminate an Isengard minion (or minions) outright, or strip it of its ability to execute a potentially dangerous secondary action. Aside from Spies of Saruman, there is no other Isengard resource that can cancel the archery phase. And with the addition of Gondor Bowmen to compliment Legolas, Elven Bows, The Splendor of Their Banners, Double Shot and Aragorn's Bow - Isengard minions can be easily kept at bay or eliminated, increasing the potential for that critical second site move.
2. ALLIES: As mentioned previously, the right allies can cripple Isengard decks. Without the Tower Assassin, Isengard has no counter to the versatile support which Fellowship Allies - especially Elven allies - can provide.
3. TWILIGHT DENIAL: As with all minions, managing the twilight pool is the key to the success of your game. However, the Isengard Orc class is extremely vulnerable to the game text of both Sting and Glamdring and can severely hurt your chances of generating an attack force of significant stopping power.
4. DIRECT DAMAGE: Properly executed, there are several key combinations that can severely reduce the attacking numbers of both Uruk-Hai and Orc based decks. For example, the direct damage inflicted by Orc-Bane (used in concert with Sting and Glamdring) is deadly to both classes of minions. Complimented by archery fire, Orc-Bane has the potential to eliminate an Isengard attack force even before the Skirmish phase begins.
5. ARMOR: Armor is perhaps the single greatest and most effective possession against the Uruk-Hai. It is effective not only against their Damage +1 ability, but it also negates the power of damage modifiers like Lurtz's Battle Cry.

As you can see, there are many different ways that you can combat the seemingly "unstoppable" power of Isengard. The examples provided above are only a glimpse of various strategies, which can soundly defeat this seemingly "broken and unbeatable" enemy. The KEY to successfully defeating Isengard is the ability to anticipate your opponent's strategies. And the only way to do that is to study Isengard and learn its strengths, weaknesses, timing and countermeasures.

So, after reading this in-depth study of Isengard, do you still believe that it is unbeatable? Do you still think the overall culture is broken? Remember, every player has a weakness, every strategy has a weakness and every enemy has a weakness. The best part about playing this game is trying to discover those weakness is and exploit them!

Thanks for being a great audience. You've heard all my thoughts on this subject - now I would like to hear yours.

Feedback is always more than welcome, so drop me a line here and let me know if this information was helpful to you - or if you have your own ideas on this subject.

Stay Tuned for my next cultural study: GONDOR!

How Does 'Cable Guide' Describe FOTR?
Xoanon @ 10:26 am EST

From: Frodo's Girl13

Since LOTR is about to appear on PPV, we're all gonna have to deal with some weird movie descriptions... Tolkien help us, but here's what this month's Cable Guide says:

"Fans of the fantasy genre rejoiced and those who weren't fans were quickly converted after witnessing the epic tale of Frodo and his turbulent quest to return a ring to its rightful place before it's slipped onto the wrong finger."

...Kinda vague, but I'm sure we'll see worse. :-) Just one of the things we geeks have to put up with...

Which `Rings' Is Right for You?
Xoanon @ 10:23 am EST

From: The Orange County Register, Calif.

There's nothing more infuriating than buying a DVD of a movie you like and then discovering weeks later that a special edition will be coming out, forcing you to buy a second version of the same film. That's just bad business, but it happens a lot, and it really ticks off consumers.

Several months ago when New Line announced the DVD release date for "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (New Line, 2001; rated PG-13; 2 hours, 58 minutes plus supplemental material; Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound; Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo; $29.95), it was very up-front and also announced that a second DVD, with a half-hour of restored footage, would follow a few months later (Nov. 12). That was a smart business decision. Letting consumers know where they stand is always good business.

But which DVD version of "The Lord or the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" should you buy, the one in stores or the one coming in November? Or should you get both?

The answer depends on what you want out of your DVD. If you've never read the classic J.R.R. Tolkien books on which the film is based and are familiar with the story only through the first of the three films made from the acclaimed trilogy, you might want to opt for the version now in release.

The movie looks and sounds great, and a second disc contains more than hours of supplemental material.

But if you love the books, as I do, you might want to wait for the version that's due in less than three months.

I say that after having seen the three-minute-plus preview of the extended version that's on the supplemental disc of the current version.

On that preview it's clear that much of the footage restored by co-writer and director Peter Jackson, a true Tolkien fan, are scenes taken directly from the book that were trimmed for time.

In any case, if you opt to buy both versions you won't be getting any duplicated extra material.

New Line promises that the extras that will show up on the four discs in the coming extended version are different from the extras on the current version. And the extended version will have a commentary track, something the current version does not have.

So what kind of extras will you find on the current version?

To begin, there are two behind-the-scenes documentaries, "Quest for the Ring," a 21-minute-plus film that aired on Fox, and "A Passage to Middle-earth," a 41-minute-plus film that aired on cable's Sci-Fi Channel. My only complaint is that much of the material in the two programs is the same.

Actually, one of my favorite extras is "Welcome to Middle-earth," a 16- minute-plus promotional film put together by Houghton Mifflin, the American publishers of all Tolkien's work. Part of the film is an interview with Rayner Unwin, who, when he was a child in the 1930s, was asked by his publisher father to read a manuscript of "The Hobbit" and write a book review. Unwin's favorable review led to his father publishing Tolkien's "Hobbit," and that led to the publishing of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy in the `50s.

Other extras include all 15 short films on the production that were placed on the film's official Web site, lord oftherings.net, three theatrical trailers, six TV spots, a music video and a sneak peak at a coming video game tied to the films. My only complaint is that there's a good bit of duplicated material here.

My favorite extra is a tantalizing behind-the-scenes preview of the second film in the trilogy, "The Two Towers," which arrives in theaters in December. I've watched that preview a half-dozen times in anticipation of the second film.

Believe me, I'm psyched.

Weekly Cast Watch
Xoanon @ 9:02 pm EST

To get more information, use the sites I use like the ones below. Simply find
a movie or actor you want to see, go to one of the sites below and see if the
film is playing in your area. mydigiguide.com, tv-now.com and IMDB.com

All DRAGON CON All The Time
Xoanon @ 7:15 pm EST

Complete Dragon Con Roundup!

Missed all the DCON news from this weekend? Calisuri, Corvar, Tehanu, Jincey and all TORN staffers have been posting daily reports on all the goodies a day before the con opened to late after it closed...take a look at all the info below!

Friday August 30th: Somewhere behind the fog, the sun rose in Atlanta. The TORN staff rose considerably later...Today DragonCon started to fill up with guests, though we ain't seen nothing yet. [More]

Saturday August 31st: After a succesful presentation, the TORn staff went out on the town. So Mhuirrich, a great friend and helper for the site, offered to write today's report. Hope you enjoy! [More]

Sunday September 1st: Day three of the Con was the biggest yet. I pity any unsuspecting hotel guest who chose this weekend to stay at either of these hotels, unless they happened to be broad-minded and loved science fiction and fantasy. For us, we loved the endless parade of mind-boggling costumes that passed our table. [More]

PHOTOS

Day 2 Photo Gallery (taken by Asfaloth)
- General DragonCon, Atlanta and other photos

Day 2 Photo Gallery (taken by Calisuri, Saulone, Bill)
- Pictures of general DCon crowd, TORnado Bowling Shirts and the contestents in the 'Evening in Bree' Costume Contest.

Day 3 Photo Gallery (taken by Calisuri, Saulone, Andy, others...l)
- Pictures of general Fan Table crowd, prize winners, TORn presentaiton crowd and activity and much more!

The Topanga Canyon Does 'The Hobbit'
Xoanon @ 6:45 pm EST

Press Release: The Topanga Canyon performance of The Hobbit won't be the only production in California this September. The Chico Cabaret, located in the northern California "City of Trees" Chico will begin our version of Tolkien's timeless tale on September 12th! Starring 30 children and three adults, this performance will be amusing and thrilling for the entire family. Enclosed is a copy of our poster ( which is a Photoshopped rendition of Mark Lawrence, who is playing Gandalf). During the next week I'll try to send more photos, and hopefully, newspaper clippings,as the sets go up, the costumes and makeup are tried on, and the rehearsals become increasingly grueling and stressful! This will be a lighthearted and humorous production, and if you live anywhere in northern California it will be worth the journey. Think of it as your own personal Ring Quest!

FoTR takes Hugo Award at Worldcon
Demosthenes @ 5:39 am EST

FoTR took out one of the Hugo Awards at this year's Worldcon in San Jose (also known as ConJose), with Sam Astin and Sala Baker there to accept the award for Best Dramatic Presentation. Ringer Spy Samwise Gamgee was there to get the scoop.

Samwise's Update:
My information was true, as far as, what me and my friends did. Seems that we gave up too early...

However, Sean DID NOT LEAVE THE BUILDING like we thought he did. He stayed, and signed autographs, and talked to fans. Then, he went back over to the Fairmont, and talked some more, and was friendly and approachable. He was not afraid of the fans at all. This is all very good news! I'm so glad for the people that did stay, and the ones that got the REAL photos will undoubtedly be sending them along to you.

Oh yes, also, the person with him was Sauron (ie: Sala Baker), not Lurtz (Lawrence Makoare) ... Yikes! All that makeup ... can't tell the bad guy actors apart. My mistake.

GOT THE SCOOP:
Sean Astin at the Hugo Awards, September 1, 2002

WorldCon, the international Fantasy/Science Fiction Fandom convention, took place in San Jose, CA this year (also referred to as ConJose). The Hugo Awards, presented at each WorldCon, is the yearly awards for the Science Fiction community which includes book, film, TV, fanzine, magazine, art, etc.

Sean Astin was a last-minute special guest, to appear at the Hugos to accept the award for Best Dramatic Presentation: Lord of the Rings, the Fellowship of the Ring. I was lucky enough to find out about this fact a day early, being a featured artist at the con who struck up a nice conversation with ConJose’s director. So, naturally, I immediately planned to attend the Hugo Award Ceremony to catch a glimpse of Sean with two of my LOTR fan buddies.

The Awards started at 8:00 pm tonight (Sunday.) We filed in and got as close as possible to the stage. Many importantly dressed crowds arrived, including famous authors and artists from the F/SF industry, which garnered applause from the crowds. I was looking for Sean of course, my camera in hand. Of course he was nowhere to be seen.

On stage, the MC called for people’s attention to wish someone well in fandom who had become gravely ill. While this occurred, the Sean Astin group moved into the front row from the side entrance, taking advantage of the distraction. He was well-guarded by Lawrence Makoare on one side, and in general, ducked and turned his head so he would not be noticed. It was flawlessly done, and I barely noticed him enter before he was seated about 8 rows ahead of me.

The Hugos began and went on, honoring fans and professionals alike. Clips were displayed on large screens for the Nominees of Best Dramatic Presentation. We were treated again to our favorite scene, The Boat Scene with Sam and Frodo at the end of FOTR. The applause was enthusiastic, and there was no doubt Sean Astin would indeed be accepting the award at that point. I had some serious anticipation jitters!

Finally: The big announcement that FOTR did indeed win for Best Dramatic Presenation. He got up to accept the award, amid flashing cameras and cheers. Mr. Astin was smiling and friendly, making jokes about the last-minute nature of the venue, a couple of heartfelt quotes (One J.R.R. Tolkien) and comments about Fantasy and Science Fiction in general, and then speaking warmly of New Zealand before handing the Hugo over to Mr. Makoare to give his thanks. Sean pointed out that he had never been out of New Zealand before coming to California. (Another interesting detail that stuck in my mind is that Sean did mention Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy as a book he enjoyed, in passing, which is absolutely one of my favorite books as well! Cripes, and he’s an Angel fan too? What great taste!) We made
valiant attempts to get photos, however the lighting and distance prevented us. My good friend Talisha did remember a tape recorder to get his acceptance speech, and it looked like it worked, but she has yet to play it back and type it. We’ll have to see about that when she’s done with it. (fingers tightly crossed)

After Lawrence had concluded, Sean hugged him warmly, smiled like a million bucks, and exited stage left ­ grabbing the rocket-shaped Hugo award and “flying” it in his hands offstage as the two left. Applause was loud and appreciative. The general impression he gave was casual, happy, funny and slightly goofy. Yes! Bliss achieved! ;)

We left immediately to catch a further glimpse of our favorite celebrity, dashing down the front steps and around the back of the building. I am in awe of Mr. Astin’s people: they are evidently ex-government. His entrance and exit were so slick and expertly timed that there was absolutely no way to meet him on his way in or out. Evidently, his car had pulled up and taken him, roadside, before he could even be identified by passers by. We were mildly disappointed, as we had brought things to sign (I had brought original Hobbity artwork of mine) but we were still incredibly happy to have seen him in person all the same. Definitely worth it.

Thanks go out to the awesome ConJose staff and management! These are all volunteers who by some magic managed to capture a major LOTR film star in San Jose for a brief time.

Hooray for ConJose!

Signing off now~
Samwise Gamgee