25 replies to this topic

[kkaallllee]

....if its just brainstorming or gamemaking! How far have you guys come? If its just planning I hope you guys start develop beuacase this idea: ROCKS!!!!!!

[Kimball]

At one point, TLA was relatively solid in its development. Being that it depends entirely on the completion of 0 A.D., however, the team has drifted apart, hoping to regroup after we've released the game.

[kkaallllee]

Ok!

[Thorfinn the Shallow Minded]

Is there much need for concept art? I'm not too bad with the pencil.

Edited by Thorfinn the Shallow Minded, 28 December 2010 - 03:08 PM.

[Aldandil]

Rise of the East depends no less on the completion of 0 A.D., yet your team clearly has the ball rolling. I don't understand how that can be the main reason TLA still isn't moving. It looks more like the team has moved on and the momentum isn't there anymore. Which is understandable, I know, but a different reason.

Edited by Aldandil, 31 December 2010 - 05:50 PM.

[Kimball]

True. You've got me there.

It has no less to do than the simple fact that the team has disbanded.

[rohirwine]

Yes, as Rob says, we more or less got overridden by real life issues and are no more in shape to keep on with the project.

TLA was far too ambitious for 2 or 3 people to bring it on, moreover for a long period we tried to recruit new staff members but finding really dedicated peoples to whom pass the torch proved almost impossible.

So we decided to mothball it (it was a general WFG staff decision).

I think i must ask our fan their pardon for not writing an explanatory message in the forums and on the main TLA website.

There is really no rational excuse a part maybe the fact that throwing the sponge made us feel somehow sick about the situation (at least these were my feelings).

In any case there is still much material archived that could be helpful if someone in the future is willing to restart the whole thing (no need to reinvent the wheel).
Plus i have the TLA folder stored away in my HD, with some xls files and other draft work made by the team.

Still i think it could be a nice idea if the 0 a.d. project reached its final stage before starting TLA again, thus benefitting from the existence of a final and stable version of the major sister-project and maybe from the help of some of the "no more so busy" members of 0a.d. staff.

Till then, a big thanks to all you for your ideas, support, comments and criticism.
For me it has been a really exceptional human experience, and i thinlk i'll bring it on with me in the future.

Best to all
Matteo (aka Rohirwine)

Edited by rohirwine, 01 August 2011 - 04:07 PM.

[Gamling the Old]

Well, I know this is is VERY late reply but I just want to extend my sincere thanks to the entire team for being willing to take this enormous project in the first place. I've followed the team's progress since it was originally concieved as an Age of Kings mod on AoK Heaven through to it becoming a standalone project. (The last year or so, notwithstanding ) Through it all, I was continually impressed at your professionalism and willingness to include the community in the development process. As part of a mod team myself, I understand the time commitment involved in a task of this magnitude. While I think we are all disappointed that TLA has been mothballed indefinitely, I don't think anyone can fault you guys for not giving it a serious effort. I sincerely wish you all the best in whatever endeavors you may find yourselves in.

[krack]

So is this project dead? And also is the forums?

After all this time since the last few posts, is there any movement in the direction of completion?

The project sounds very interesting...

[Almin]

krack, on 20 April 2012 - 06:03 AM, said:

So is this project dead? And also is the forums?

After all this time since the last few posts, is there any movement in the direction of completion?

The project sounds very interesting...

Almost dead, almost...

[feneur]

krack, on 20 April 2012 - 06:03 AM, said:

So is this project dead? And also is the forums?

After all this time since the last few posts, is there any movement in the direction of completion?

The project sounds very interesting...

As mentioned in the post two posts above you yes, it has been abandoned due to real life taking up too much time in the life of the TLA contributors. If enough interest exists once 0 A.D. part one is done, and most importantly enough people with enough time to work on it are available, there exists a possibility that it can be restarted. It should be noted that the legal status of TLA is and has always been debatable, so perhaps the best option would be to do something more generally fantasy-oriented to stay on the safe side. But that remains for the possible new TLA team to decide once/if it exists.

[oshron]

feneur, on 20 April 2012 - 07:03 PM, said:

As mentioned in the post two posts above you yes, it has been abandoned due to real life taking up too much time in the life of the TLA contributors. If enough interest exists once 0 A.D. part one is done, and most importantly enough people with enough time to work on it are available, there exists a possibility that it can be restarted. It should be noted that the legal status of TLA is and has always been debatable, so perhaps the best option would be to do something more generally fantasy-oriented to stay on the safe side. But that remains for the possible new TLA team to decide once/if it exists.

i would totally agree with this; personally, ive kinda always wanted to make an RTS based on my fantasy crossover RPG

alternatively, attention could be diverted to Godstorm, the mythology RTS im making written designs for

[Prime624]

feneur, on 20 April 2012 - 07:03 PM, said:

As mentioned in the post two posts above you yes, it has been abandoned due to real life taking up too much time in the life of the TLA contributors. If enough interest exists once 0 A.D. part one is done, and most importantly enough people with enough time to work on it are available, there exists a possibility that it can be restarted. It should be noted that the legal status of TLA is and has always been debatable, so perhaps the best option would be to do something more generally fantasy-oriented to stay on the safe side. But that remains for the possible new TLA team to decide once/if it exists.

How so? Tolkien Estates won't sue you (I hope).

[feneur]

Prime624, on 08 September 2012 - 02:39 PM, said:

How so? Tolkien Estates won't sue you (I hope).

There are others See for example: http://www.moddb.com...ct/news/merp-cd

[Prime624]

feneur, on 08 September 2012 - 06:24 PM, said:

There are others See for example: http://www.moddb.com...ct/news/merp-cd

They used the movies and the books. If you just use the books, then that can't happen.

[zoot]

Prime624, on 08 September 2012 - 11:26 PM, said:

They used the movies and the books. If you just use the books, then that can't happen.

Why "can't" it happen?

[Arthur_D]

The Tolkien Estate has as far as I've read been quite aggressive in shutting down people using Tolkien lore for their own projects.

[Mythos_Ruler]

feneur, on 08 September 2012 - 06:24 PM, said:

There are others See for example: http://www.moddb.com...ct/news/merp-cd

On one hand, I support free modding teams to create what they will, but then on the other hand I support the copyright holders of Tolkein's works to be able to protect their IP. As a writer and content creator myself, I'd personally like to have the right to protect my IP when I see fit to do so.

But I do feel like IP and copyright law has gotten seriously out of hand. Copyrights in the 'States used to only last 14 years, then later it was extended to the lifetime of the creator, then lifetime of the creator+50 years, and now today it lasts for 125 years retroactively. I find this completely insane, hurts a free and open society and works to stifle innovation. But as long as this is the law, the Tolkein Estate and other stakeholders have a right to assert their copyright (or not assert their copyright, as they see fit). "Merp" and TLA are pretty much doomed.

(the extent of software patents is another insanity that must be remedied too, but there are far too many powerful stakeholders to easily fix)

[Prime624]

Arthur_D, on 09 September 2012 - 04:59 AM, said:

The Tolkien Estate has as far as I've read been quite aggressive in shutting down people using Tolkien lore for their own projects.

I did not know that. Wow.

But even so, Tolkien didn't shut down any other mod (that I've heard of). Not Third Age:TW, not MERP. Why this one?

EDIT: Oh and BTW, I just played 0 A.D. and I like it. RTS isn't my cup of tea, but it was still fun. I think they should release a and add more features after they release V1. It's taking too long. Eventually they can add the rest, but after they have a finished game to brag about. (And then maybe TLA can start up again).

Edited by Prime624, 10 September 2012 - 02:58 AM.

[feneur]

Quote

not MERP

Not sure whether or not you read what I posted above? Doesn't seem like it from your comment, though it is not so much the Tolkien Estate as Warner Bros in that case =) Either way, if someone wants to get in trouble with lawyers - do something related to LoTR And while it would be cool to see TLA come to life I'm not sure I can recommend it, at least not unless the people who decide to work on it have thought it through very carefully. The thing that would speak in TLAs favor is that the idea always was to portray the events that happened before LotR/Bilbo, something I can't remember having seen another game aim for - and that would lower the risk of companies trying to shut it down as people rarely want to spend money fighting something that isn't a direct competitor to themselves. (+ I'm not sure anyone even has the game rights to e.g. Silmarillion, which of course lowers the risk even further.)