User blog comment:Sir Lazuli/Replacing Redstone/@comment-33763020-20180128143219/@comment-33763020-20180130124519

I think we basically agree on many points, except for the fundamental issue of technological progress of that age :). Allow me two more elaborations on the complexity and the purpose.

I'm not an engineer, but it seems to me that windmills are actually really simple machines without need for refined machinery: wind creates rotary motion and there are only 2 touchpoints of rotary axis that transfer this energy to whatever device via analogue motion: to a water/earth-displacement wheel (for irrigation purposes), to a grindstone (to create flour) or a saw (though cutting wood this way is obsolete in MC), etc. Cogwheels are probably the most “complex” part of this, but they can be made of any size with little sophistication, the dwarves easily used similar devices in their forges probably. Also, this is still the most simple type of energy transfer, pure motion, no compression or other dimension like heat or conducting involved. In my opinion it still makes no case for a refined system as there is no change of signal inputs, except for ON/OFF and power transmission is quite straightforward as a direct and constant (kinetic) force (well, as the wind blows or the water flows, that is..).

This brings me to the second point, Purpose: the need for technological progress in the Third Age (or lack thereof). Since above basic operations require simple engineering such as a windmill which may be one of the most complex systems that existed in Middle-earth (surprisingly simple in fact in relation to the remarkable craftsmanship of the dwarves who were most likely the main supplier of any durable material and would easily have been able to develop refined clockwork machinery if they wanted to), it shows that the level of technological progress of that age was far behind that of more complex engineering solutions where circuitry is involved, be it in the form of ropes or any other kind: the concept of windmills in our time is almost 2000 years old in relation to their common use more than a millennium later, which is still significantly earlier than the middle-ages type of setting that the LotR is set in. This is precisely the issue I have with anything that steps beyond the need of a simple windmill or some cogwheel or pulley systems that hobbits, dwarves, humans or goblins may have been using: it would assume the NEED for technological progress, while actually that age did not depict any such need, probably due to the existence of magic to balance this out. Technological progress is usually dictated by increase in population, as efficiency is key in keeping the masses fed or keeping up with basic needs of clothing, housing, heating, etc. In the Third Age however there was no mass production to speak of to serve any sudden increase in population. Forces of the Shadow were perhaps an exception of wanting to change that status quo, which was mostly aimed at speeding up the production of its war machinery (just look at Saruman cutting down forests, river damming, creating Uruks as a kind of genetic mutation (though with magic and not technology, showing again the purposeful avoidance of Tolkien of anything technological)). Still, even these attempts were made within fairly simple technological boundaries of that time with not more sophistication than windmill cogwheels and still served their purpose well. In fact I read that Tolkien may well have based Mordor and its symbol of a dark shadow spreading over a peaceful world as the polluting, inhuman and harmful rise of industrialization. The area of Mordor itself he allegedly based on the English West Midlands of the 19th century, which we now call “Black Country” for exactly these reasons. To apply more advanced technology however which is even beyond industrialization and in fact would assume accessible knowledge to all Middle-earth inhabitants would in my opinion be more like wielding a lightsabre in the Middle Ages :).

Having said all this, I understand your opinion of course that applying more technology even if not exactly canonical could pull in more players and provide existing ones with more room to play around with, opening new dimensions. I’m afraid however that any development that is non-canonical and may take time to develop or implement takes away time from other developments that I would find much more useful to improve immersion, the list is pretty long. As we know, the development resources are scarce and this leads to far too long a time to be able to enjoy new features. We all have our selfish reasons, mine just give priority to other features. It would also inevitably impact on existing gameplay, as certain features become a substitute for others, especially when we talk about technology. Just take the example of the use of water or wind energy: the extent of need for mining coal or lava would suddenly decrease drastically, which in turn would impact the use of these materials for forging for example, impacting the ease of forging dwarven/Elven steel, the extent of resource availability will then probably be modified,   so this starts a chain reaction of modifications to keep the game balanced. All of such influencers need proper thought and trial before becoming permanent to keep immersion realistic and technology is probably the heaviest topic in this equation, so time spent on its development will take precious time from other features. I’d much rather sail a well-functioning sailing ship to Meneltarma or down the Anduin without bugging out, than be able to farm animals with a press of a button. I tend to disagree with you on the easy avoidance of automated farms for example, as any sophisticated system inherently lends itself to provide automation. It is basically its purpose :). Once you build these in the mod as an automatic feature, there is no way of controlling its consequences as it would question the purpose of having created it in the first place.