“Why didn’t the Eagles take the One Ring and drop it on the Mount of Doom?” Now, as a developer working on a “Lord of the Rings” game, let me tell you exactly why. Because it gave us the opportunity to explore and immerse ourselves in a rich and complex world.
In the making of The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, our motto is the world that JRR Tolkien created, using his vision as a guidepost to visually interpret his world. It was about respecting how they viewed the richness of the world.
Tolkien always wanted other artists to bring his writings to life and continue his great creation of English mythology. Of course, I wasn’t thinking about video games at the time. But his passion for meticulous attention to the history, language and names he used to live in Middle-earth has always inspired our industry. Whether we realize it or not, all game creators owe much to Tolkien’s writings.
Following Gollum’s journey, we had the chance to explore parts of the world we’ve never seen in such detail before. We started with everything we could find in lore. We then filled in the gaps with our own ideas and knowledge of the culture and people who lived there.
For example, in the mighty fortress of Barad-dûr, we wanted to emphasize the stark contrast between the gigantic scale and the smaller heroes. We imagined the fortress constantly expanding and changing. The builders could not keep up with the speed and size of the ever-growing walls and towers. Chaos grew around the perfectly shaped main tower.
One example is this service bridge that crosses the tower’s enormous moat, but whose builders probably intended it to be straight.
Mordor is iconic and famous for its dark volcanic rock and reddish light, but the design of Thranduil’s palace in Milkwood was more difficult.
Contrast is intentional. While Mordor is pointed, Thranduil’s Hall is rounded. Elven buildings preserve and respect the shape of the mountain while Baradur seeks to dominate and transform its environment. It is a harmonious interplay between architecture and nature. Welcome rather than threaten. A place that repels Gollum but attracts Smeagol. His native element, water, is everywhere and comes to life in many forms.
The Chamber of King Thranduil was also a fascinating place of creation. The king likes to ride his horse at night and hunt under the stars. His room is decorated to look like a dreamy forest at night and is more symbolic than functional. The king’s bed is like a ceremonial boat floating on the river, which he only boards occasionally for dreams and visions.
Working on this game is both a great honor and a great responsibility. We felt a lot of excitement and tension when we started this adventure together. What will happen? Will it feel right in the end? And we feel that same excitement and tension as we share it with you.
We hope that our boundless passion for the world of Middle-earth is reflected in all these details. I also hope that you feel the same way after starting your journey.
See you in the world of Middle-earth!