GamePro Magazine’s May issue features their Reader’s Choices for 2002 including what should come as no surprise to anyone The Two Towers by EA Games for the PS2, Xbox, and GameCube. While it seems that every time someone says “Best” and “Action” in the same sentence they are speaking directly of EA’s beautiful rendition of the second installment of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings. With rankings like this now, one can only imagine what EA has in store for us for Return of the King.
Other fantasy games didn’t do so bad themselves with one of my all time favorites The Legend of Zelda: The Link to the Past coming in Second for Best Handheld Game, and Blizzard’s WarCraft III coming in as the Best PC Game of the year. GamePro ranked the top Adventure Games of the year naming Grand Theft Auto: Vice City number one, Resident Evil O number two, and Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outkast Third.
Overall I can’t wait to see what the next wave of Tolkien Games will bring. Will Middle-earth Online and War of the Ring battle it out for PC Game of the Year? Will Black Label Games next book game best EA’s strong running film franchise?
Only time can tell, but I can tell you one thing for sure, it’s gonna be a good year. What about you? What are you looking forward to in this new season of Tolkien based Games? Drop us an e-mail to Havens@TheOneRing.net and tell us what you think!
Games Workshop Announces Its Games Day Hobby Celebration and Gaming Convention Schedule!
Games Day is the huge gaming extravaganza for the Games Workshop series of hobby games such as Warhammer Fantasy Battle and Warhammer 40,000, the world’s most popular tabletop battlegames. These special events draw thousands of enthusiasts from across the country to join with fellow players in enjoying their favorite games. This year will see an additional third Games Day convention hosted in Los Angeles, to join the established events in Baltimore and Chicago. There will be gaming events ranging from beginner to expert for all the games, plus seminars, tournament games, special guests, and more.
The Golden Demon Awards will be at each show featuring the top painters from around the country and their incredible hand-painted miniatures, showing off the finest displays of the painted Citadel figures to be found. Special campaign games will be running through all three Games Day conventions, allowing players to become part of huge overall events of thousands of fellow fans. Gaming Clubs from around the country will also be a part of the show as they put on their own gaming events for players.
There will be lots of new Lord of the Rings tabletop battlegame events too, including displays and promotions plus of course sneak peeks at the new The Return of the King figures and game for the upcoming motion picture! Also in attendance at each show will be Sabertooth Games, running events for their Warhammer 40,000 Collectible Card Game and the new Warhammer Collectible Card Game, plus showing off their upcoming Tradeable Miniatures Game for The Lord of the Rings.
First up – Games Day Los Angeles! Games Workshop will be holding its first ever Games Day celebration event in Los Angels, an event sure to rock the West Coast like nothing before. For years players have been demanding Games Workshop put on a Games Day in California, and this year it will finally happen. It’s sure to be huge event, the largest ever put on by the company in this region!
Guests will include the head of the Games Workshop Studio Jim Butler, lead designer of the new The Lord of the Rings tabletop battlegame Alessio Cavatore, artist and painter for many of our projects on The Lord of the Rings Dave Andrews, author William King (of the popular Gotrek and Felix series of novels), Tony Cotrell from the special Forge World division, and more!
Show Date: May 31 Location: Ontario Convention Center, CA Hours: 10am -7pm Call us at 1-800-394-GAME for more information, or on the web here.
Games Day History Long a tradition in England where the Games Workshop hobby started, Games Day in the USA started over 10 years ago in one of Maryland’s Games Workshop Hobby Centers. Despite the small venue, nearly 100 dedicated fans showed up for the full day of fun! The next year the show was moved to a real convention hall, where the show grew even larger. So big in fact that two years later the show moved to the Baltimore Convention Center and spread into a 2 day event. Each year the show has expanded in both size and attendance, with thousands arriving each year to play, paint, and celebrate the miniature gaming hobby.
Each year has seen such wild events as Squig Hopper Races, fun (but messy!) Speed Painting competitions, and Formula Waaaagh! demolition derbies. Clubs devoted to Games Workshop games also put on special events to show off their enthusiasm for their favorite hobby. One highlight has always been the Golden Demon miniature painting competition, showcasing the best figure painters in the country and their work with the finest miniatures in the world. Last year’s Games Day events drew over 6,000 enthusiastic hobby fans, and even more are expected at all three events this summer.
For more information, visit www.games-workshop.com or call 1-800-394-GAME.
About Games Workshop For almost 30 years Games Workshop has designed, manufactured, distributed and sold tabletop wargame systems and associated miniatures, marketed as a complete hobby for teenagers and older. Its key brands are Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000. The latest addition to the range is The Lord of the Rings line of battle games and miniatures produced under an exclusive global license from New Line Cinema, with imagery based on the Oscar winning series of films directed by Peter Jackson.
With its international headquarters in Nottingham, England, the company also has wholly-owned subsidiaries in the US, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, and Australia. Over 2,200 people are employed by the company through these operations. Games Workshop America has its headquarters in Glen Burnie, Maryland and oversees a coast-to-coast operation which includes independent retailers, direct sales, and Games Workshop operated retail hobby centers.
Games Workshop owns nearly 300 retail stores worldwide and its products are featured in over 2,000 independent outlets internationally. Games Workshop is a public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange.
Games Workshop controls every aspect of its business, from initial concept and design through to manufacture, distribution and retail. Its long-running publication White Dwarf is available via the stores, by mail order, on newstands throughout the world (in several languages), and through its website: www.games-workshop.com.
For further information please contact: For further investor information please contact: Tim Huckelbery Julia Woodall Public Relations, Games Workshop America Investor Relations, Games Workshop PLC Tel: 410-590-1400 Tel: 011 441 1591 68100 Timh@games-workshop.com JuliaW@games-workshop.co.uk www.games-workshop.com http://investor.games-workshop.com
With its very own book “The People’s Guide to J.R.R. Tolkien” fresh off the press, the TheOneRing.net staff will be “pressing the flesh” while attending the L.A. Times Festival of Books at UCLA on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27. (http://www.latimes.com/fob) The free festival, a celebration of the written word, hosts authors, readings, panels and a children’s area and this year will feature TORn authors and staff members who have spent years refining their Tolkien scholarship with a lively on-line correspondence with you, TORnados from all over the world. Anwyn, Ostadan, Quickbeam and perhaps Tehanu will be on hand to meet TORnados in person. Co-author Turgon will not be in attendance.
Located in booth #155, at the University’s Wilson Plaza, most of the five TORn authors will be on hand to talk Tolkien, autograph the “The People’s Guide to J.R.R. Tolkien” books, and will sell a limited number of “Two Towers, One Party” t-shirts, “The Lord Of The Rings” books and other Tolkien related merchandise. In short, it will be your one-stop Tolkien shop. Each purchase will also come with a raffle ticket and a chance of winning one of the prizes given away every hour of the festival after Noon. Prizes include: A Noble Collection Arwen Evenstar Pendant, Sideshow/WETA Saruman and Aragorn statues, an extended DVD version of “The Fellowship Of The Ring,” autographed copies of “The People’s Guide to J.R.R. Tolkien” and the soundtrack to “The Fellowship Of The Ring.”
The guide is a collection of essays that explore Tolkien’s myths and the world they are set in. The multi-author approach gives readers different ways to approach Tolkien’s beloved works and explores why Middle-Earth has had such a special hold on reader’s hearts and minds for over 50 years. One section of the book discusses why the fantasy genre is currently so popular while another examines what informed and inspired Tolkien’s creative process.
The section “Good and Evil” looks at the the author’s moral universe and the ways people find guidance and inspiration from his works. “Cultural Norms” delves into how Tolkien’s books are understood – and misunderstood – in a changing world and there is a section about the Peter Jackson films adapted from “The Lord Of The Rings.”
Unique to these authors who interact daily with readers and film-fanatics from every walk of life the world over is the section of answers to the most-asked Tolkien questions. Published by Cold Spring Press the authors, known by their TORN names are Tehanu, Turgon, Quickbeam, Anwyn and Ostadan. Esteemed Tolkien scholar Tom Shippey wrote the forward.
Festival hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. On Saturday Quickbeam, Anwyn and possibly Tehanu will sign from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.. Sunday will feature Ostadan and Quickbeam from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Parking is $7.
Tindril sends in a great report from the Project Elanor event that Sean Astin was involved in over the weekend.
Tindril writes:
What a day we had!
I had been assigned the duty to oversee the construction of a deck and some benches. Keep in mind that I have never built anything like this before, but I was willing to give it my best. I had my husband with me for guidance (and he was also on the construction team) and I imagined that there would be some detailed plans to follow… I felt confident I could to that: I can read, I can follow directions and I learn quickly.
We arrived at the site about 9:45, a bit later than I had planned, but I didn’t miss anything, so it turned out OK. We brought all our tools and a case of Diet Dr. Pepper, what else do you need? The prep work had been done by some very intrepid Bit of Earth people the day before, so all the sod had been removed. But it had been rather rainy lately, and the ground was really soggy. I tried hard not to slip on the mud and make an utter fool of myself.
Sean Astin came out and played MC, introducing Orangeblossom (one of the organizers of Project Elanor) and the director of the Riggs Institute (the benefactor of our efforts). After the brief opening talks, we got down to some buisiness.
We started out by marking off the layout with spray paint, then everyone got busy with shovels, picks, hoes or whatever, to dig up and loosen the soil in the planting areas. The paths were also marked and dug. I had a flat shovel and worked on turning the edges along the marked paths.
Then it was time to assemble the construction team. Those authorized to operate power tools were given orange arm bands, and those who were team leaders also had armbands, so I got to wear two! I was given a “cut list” for the lumber and dimensions, but the plans weren’t there yet. We first moved the power tools next to where the lumber was stacked, getting everything set up. Then tried to make sense out of the matrials list. It wasn’t making sense because the dimentions needed didn’t seem to match the materials in the pile….
My husband wisely advised that we should not cut any lumber until the plans arrived. So we began helping unload and spread the gravel over the area where the deck would be. I weilded a metal rake while others trundled wheelbarrows of gravel from the pile. Our goal was to level out the ground and provide drainage under the deck. While we were working on the gravel, Sean was helping the path and planting bed crews. It was now after 11:00 and still no plans…
Finally the person who had gone to fetch the box which contained the plans arrived… unfortunately, the box did NOT contain the plans for the deck and benches, only the garden plans. Mr. Frodo decided to send someone to the nearby Home Depot to buy the book from which they had gotten the plans in the first place.
Since I was waiting for some plans to begin figuring out how to build the deck and furnishings, I decided to take a break and have some breakfast. There were some very yummy brownies and some bagels and cream cheese.
Some time after noon the plans arrived. Except they weren’t really *plans* they were detailed instructions for how to build a deck. My comment to Mr. Frodo was, “What, you want me to actually *think*??” LOL… I spent some time poring over the instructions while he explained what they had in mind. We scribbled some diagrams on the inner cover of the book and I set out to come up with an actual PLAN for how to build it. We (this was mostly help from the Riggs institute director’s husband, my husband and Josh, the men on my team) managed to figure out the construction of the deck frame (which would rest directly on the gravel).
It seems like we had just begun getting into the construction phase when lunch arrived. Delicious fish and chips and salad. Yum! Just as we finished up eatin lunch the rain arrived. It began pouring so hard we though perhaps it might hail. Luckily the rain did not last too long, but the book with the plans got a bit soggy…
Once the basic frame was constructed, it was decided that the joists needed some support in the middle to keep it from shifting. By this time Sean was involved with the deck building. It was a good thing, too, he is extremely good at organizing labor! Cross members were added, staggered along a line and nailed into place. I had the privilege to work right along-side Sean swinging a hammer.
Once the deck top was begun I turned my attention back to figuring out what lumber needed to be cut, the lengths, number of pieces and construction of the benches. I really didn’t want to operate large power tools like the chop saw and table saw… delegation is the privilege of a leader ;). Josh did a lot of the work of cutting lumber, as did my husband. There were not enough 2x4s so some of the 2x8s had to be ripped lengthwise and then chopped.
The work on the benches got put on hold so that we could see to it that the deck top would get mostly done. It was clear that we would not be able to finish the job today.
Sean needed to leave early to catch a plane home. He took a break from construction to sign any items for those who hadn’t yet had the chance (he had been doing personalized autographs periodically throughout the day). I handed over my Project Elanor “who’s who” brochure to Orangeblossom for Sean to sign, then went back to work. It would not be a personalized autograph, but I will cherish it along with all my mementos.
All day the work progress and action was being photographed by one of the volunteers. She must have used up a dozen rolls of film or more, actually laying down in the mud to get interesting shots of people at work. I cannot wait to see the pictures! Someone else also filmed the event with a video camera.
Just before Sean had to leave the volunteers were all called together for a group picture. There was a raffle for a book and for a special photo with Sean. Then Sean came out for his goodbyes. After the photos, he began giving out hugs and last minute meetings with volunteers.
I shook his hand and asked if I could brag on my husband, “I’m married to the *real* Samwise Gamgee”, I said.
“Sam’s a great character,” he commented to those who were gathered around him, “she must love him a lot!” Then he turned to me again and asked, “So where is he?”
“He’s the guy back there who’s still working,” I said as I motioned with my thumb over my shoulder. He had continued to work on the deck while everyone else was getting their pictures taken and meeting with Sean.
“We’ll have to go on over to him, then!” and he marched over to where my husband was to shake his hand and talk to him a bit. “Your wife tells me you’re the real Sam, but you’re way too tall!” (almost 6’4″) That generated some laughter from those who had come along. Sean affibly agreed with my husband’s suggestion that they should get together for a beer some time. Sounds like something Sam would say… 😉
After Sean left I managed to construct some legs for the benches, but by now my arm was aching and my feet hurt, so I delegated the task to younger hands. All the pieces needed for the legs of the benches had been cut and put together by the time we left, shortly before dusk. Work on the project will continue this week and next Saturday.
In the back of the Boston Sunday Globe’s TV week, they have a column where people can send in questions, and this question and answer appeared today (April 6):
“Q: I have become a big fan of Billy Boyd from the Lord of the Rings movies. What is he currently working on? [from Christine via e-mail]
A: In addition J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King, next Christmas, the 34-year Scottish actor co-stars next with Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany in Peter Weir’s Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.
By the way, asked recently whether he really is anything like accident-prone LOTR character “Pippin” Took, Boyd told an interviewer that the first time he tried to read the Tolkien trilogy, he dropped the book in a hotel swimming pool. ‘If that’s not a Pippin thing to do, I don’t know what is,’ he laughed.”
With its very own book “The People’s Guide to J.R.R. Tolkien” fresh off the press, the TheOneRing.net staff will be “pressing the flesh” while attending the L.A. Times Festival of Books at UCLA on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27. (
