Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    I know the owner of the local Amiga store here in Reno,  We played
    around with the Middle Earth program for a couple of hours.  The
    disks weren't copy-protected as such but we did run into something
    interesting while running on 2 backup disketts.
    After about half an hour of playing, the program put up a requestor
    asking for map co-ordinates of a town.  If you don't have the large
    fold-out map, you can't play any longer.  Unfortunately, even though
    we entered the co-ordinates, the system still stayed locked.
    It looks like an extremely good game although it seems as though
    you don't have as much control over the characters as I would like.
    
    Please do your review so I can decide whether or not it's worth
    investing the money.
    
    Terry,
    

    I bought the game last night.The starting graphics,and music are
    great.However I seem to be missing something when it comes to
    controlling the characters.The documentation is fun,and all but it
    lacks real concise info on actual game play.I have skipped through
    the manual looking for answers to several questions but had little
    luck.I like to solve adventures,but don't feel game controll should
    be one of them.I have had several characters walk by me without
    being able to interact with them.Of course this can be done,but
    not by me just yet.The game looks to have great potential and I
    am looking forward to playing it but first I have to learn how.It
    must be something very simple I missed because the options seem
    limited.Can anyone tell me what I missed?
    							bill 
    

Being somewhat of a fan(atic) of Tolkein's works, I'm curious. Is this program
in any way related to The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings literature? I had the C64
version of The Hobbit but found that the game didn't really follow the book that
well. 

Dave 

    The manual seems close to the books,as fa as I can remember.All
    the characters are there,and the object of the game is too get the
    ring to to Mt. DOOM and destroy it.I remember seeing a reference
    to "permission of the Tolkeins estate".I don't imagine you will
    ever see a game that follows the books any closer.I even find myself
    thinking about picking up the Triligy again.
    							bill

    It almost seems to follow too well.  I still have only played a little
    (I'm an actor currently entering production week for a show so my Amiga
    has been lying dormant :-) ) and haven't seen a whole lot.  
    
    As for copy protection, it is based on the middle earth map.  But the
    people who wrote the game we're angling for a ..<gasp>.. MS-DOS sort of
    angle.  So to install it on a hard disk would require two partiations
    mounted named, you guessed it, A: and B: Aaarrggh.
    
    On following the book, it seems to follow pretty well.  From the simple
    flight from the Shire to Tom Bombardills house, and to Barrow Downs
    (darn those wights! :-)) all is pretty much as written ...but...
    
    <minor possible spoiler but also nit with game>
    
    On the final bridge into Rivendell (city of the Elves), in the book the
    party is ambushed by Nazguls.  In the game it happens too.  After twice
    going through and watching it happen, my roomate saw the bridge and
    ordered the party to move north and received a requester saying "I
    won't follow your orders, right now." (<- or to that effect).  The
    party marched across the bridge, was ambush, losses we're taken, and
    then you had control over the party again.
    
    So, unless we we're doing something worng (<- little joke.. :-)) then
    it seems you only have *some* control and have to, at least to an
    extent, conform to the story.  It's not exact.  Often coming from the
    shire we are beset by wolves and a few times Sam, or Merry, or Pippin
    have bought the farm.  I don't know.  More information later as I have
    more time to play.
    
    George
    

    In response to George in .0
    
    It is possible to run WiME from Hard drive, here is what I did.
    (There are probably other alternatives though)

    1) Copy both WiME disk in a HD directory (I used DH1:WiME/)

    2) Patch (I used NewZap) the program WarInMiddleEarth
       2.1 (first copy WarInMiddleEarth to War)
       2.2 Patch ALL string "B:" to "A:" *EXEPT* the one in block 175
           (The only one not just before a file name) of War.
    3) Create a file in DH1:WiME/StartWar containing:
       ASSIGN A: DH1:WiME/
       ASSIGN FONTS: A:
       ASSIGN LIBS: A:
       ASSIGN DEVS: A:
       ASSIGN L: A:
       War
    
     Once this is done then you can run from Hard disk in the following
     manner:
    1) Make the mouse pointer disapear (Leave a dot) or else you will
       end up with 2 pointers in the game, does any body have a better
       fix?
    2) using shell, Change Directory to DH1:Wime/
       then EXECUTE STARTWAR
    3) MAKE SURE you leave disquette 2 in DF1: it needs it few seconds
       once at startup (protection?)
    
    P.S. I tried to copy disk 2 in a directory but somehow the system
         "Guru" always if "B:" is not defined to DF1:
    
    Anyway, it works and it increased the speed to about 6 to 8 seconds
    on HD from about 8 to 21 seconds between screens.
    
    Have Fun, may the grey orb be with you!
 Say Hi to Gandalf for me.
   
     Vince.