Ye Aulde Fart
Minecraft dad, old fart, grump, (former) co-owner and head admin for DawnFireRealms, creator, architect, engineer, builder, perfectionist, lunatic, idiot, blunt ape, mature kid ... that's me I guess.
The worlds Tolkien and Mojang created are both incredibly inspiring. The world Mevans created does justice to both Tolkien and the creators of Minecraft. And as I like to reside (flee) in fantasy themed worlds and enjoy survival building ... I also do my thing on a number of LOTR Mod servers.
Contact
Try my FaceBook account or Alte#2970 @ Discord.
Activity on this Wikia
After I've had a rather productive period on both forums and wiki pages, I was surprisingly promoted to become one of the Content Moderators of this Wikia on January 28th 2016.
You may notice I'm most active on wiki pages for biomes and related subjects, and I tend to step in trying to help out in any forum. Pages I keep a close eye on are the Servers page and any Biomes page. I also have a preoccupation with biomes and the subjects related to my own suggestions on rpg elements, see the list below.
In April 2016 the Admins requested me and colleagues WarPig and Ithilion to take the lead in defining and implementing a new procedure to deal with suggestions. We have formed a small team discussion group on FaceBook to organise this. On behalf of the Admins Grievous joins us there, and on behalf of the mod team two Moderators also joined in. We have taken steps to gradually improve the procedure and the first steps are communicated in this announcement thread.
In March 2019 I decided to end the drag of moderating the Suggestions forum with this announcement and have regained full focus on content moderation and editing.
My 'signature' colour (originally a background and border colour) is this dark green , hex code #669900.
Tal Thoron citadel - birdseye view @ DFR Somnium Alpha
Ost Amon Faeoron - Wood-elven stronghold @ hARDA
Barad Peredhil - Arnorian fortress @ hARDA
Cópacarnë en Soronyondë - Hisildi Avari faction spawn @ DotR
Ost Soronmar, Hisildi stronghold - NE view @ DotR
Sorontorme - View from across Cuivienalde @ ToA
Osto Rúnandornórë @ TOS
Esteldor - Nan Estello - view south from the pass to the north of the valley @ The Second Age Server
Tashkurgan - Ancient Easterling Fortress
Builds
I tend to lose myself in my building efforts, which are predominantly made in survival mode. Here's a list of illustrative builds, most of them made on LOTR Mod servers:
- Tal Thoron (DFR Somnium Alpha - survival, vanilla roleplay + many plugins)
- Ost Amon Faeoron (hARDA - survival, LOTR modded)
- Barad Peredhil (hARDA - survival, LOTR modded)
- Thoronbar (DotR 'Ost Soronmar' - survival, LOTR modded)
- Hisildi Avari en i Tauráva (DotR 'Hisildi Avari' realm and custom lore description - survival, LOTR modded)
- Cópacarnë en Soronyondë (DotR 'Hisildi Avari' faction spawn - creative, LOTR modded)
- Sorontorme (Tales of Ages - creative, LOTR modded)
- Rúnandornórë (TOS - survival, LOTR modded)
- Esteldor (The Second Age Server - pure survival and still in progress, LOTR modded)
- Tashkurgan (SP, creative build started for the LOTRmod Easterling Build Contest - Unfinished)
- Various albums on green-elven stuff (The First Age Server - pure survival builds, LOTR modded)
- Ilu Ambar - Quenta Arda - various builds, all survival only, LOTRmodded.
So, I have a preoccupation with large builds ... and battlements. But I've also been focussing on more common stuff like smithies, stables and pens. Pretty enjoyable too with this fantastic mod! :)
My gameplay focus
I explained that in this thread for my character on the First Age server we had with the Eras of Arda team quite effectively: Gameplay intentions and expectations
Re-creation of imaginary worlds
I am especially interested in dark fantasy themed worlds like that of Tolkien and have a weak spot for the world created for the Civilization IV mod 'Fall from Heaven II'. This is why I introduced that world and it's lore in DFR and I am still working on finding the best way to create the DFR world 'Vesperus', which is based on that theme and the rich FfHII lore. Also I'd like to some day recreate the FfHII world 'Erebus'. The way Mevans modded Middle Earth is incredibly fit-for-purpose and inspiring, and I derive ideas from his work for implementation in the worlds for DFR.
Due to a bad medical condition I had to postpone my work as head-admin and world creator in the past year for two longer periods. In the first period, in early 2015, I restarted playing the LOTR Mod (played it from Beta 8 onward), as I found it to be very inspiring for my world creation efforts. I joined HubToo on his newly created server back then, and couldn't resist staying and playing longer than needed for my recovery ... bad Alte. The second period started in september and will hopefully end soon ... so I'll be able to recommence world creation and server management & plugin customization again ... which will imply I will spend less time here though.
Moving on to 2019, the ideas of the above past (that was 2015) still live in my tired body. After several attempts to go sub-modding with the Eras of Arda team, working on FA and SA derivates of the LOTRmod, I now found a new love in Chronicles of Elyria (CoE) where I spend much of my gaming time. Besides that, CoE offered the opportunity to launch a LOTRmodded server based on the concepts I feel important for long term, pleasant multiplayer gameplay with the LOTRmod. See below for more info on CoE and my own LOTRmodded server.
Modding
PvP Mode mod
The PvP Mode mod is a serverside utility mod aimed to improve the experience regarding PvP on multiplayer servers in various ways. It was initiated and in concept designed by me, motivated by my experiences on various servers and my views as expressed here. The purpose of the mod has shifted from supporting consented PvP, if desired, to a broad variety of useful features to help server staff and players improve their PvP experience.
Lembas
Lembas is a serverside mod that is being developed by the same team that also took on the development of the PvP Mode mod. Its purpose and scope are not fuly disclosed yet, but the mod basically aims to offer an alternative to ForgeEssentials and a serverside mod that was developed for the Eras of Arda servers: SuffixForge, which specifically supports a number of features aimed to improve immersion in roleplay.
SuffixForge
This serverside mod was created for the Eras of Arda servers by User:Timgodreuil based on directions from the former management team, a.o. me. It is no longer developed and maintained, but it is functional and in use on Ilu Ambar, providing an effective set of features aimed to enhance the immersive roleplay experience. Noteworthy are the local /rp chat, chat prefixes and a number of handy 'Essentials' for players and staff.
Advanced RPG system
This concerns one of my favorite aspects in Minecraft server gameplay: Roleplay character development & RPG features. I enjoy developing my character through roleplay interaction with others and through levelling, both vertically and horizontally. This made me combine MCMMO and Heroes on our DFR servers and design a complex system for races, classes and trades/professions, which wasn't as strict class based as most classical MMORPG's. I would very much like the LOTR Mod to include some 'Advanced' RPG System that provides similar player fun. I played with lots of ideas on how to combine plugins and mods to achieve this. Finally, after I saw this Blogpost by Mevans, I figured that announcement would offer the incentive to add some of my ideas to the mod ... so I hope. Since then, I pondered out the system I presented in the suggestions forums in late 2015 and throughout 2016 as an additional feature suggestion for this mod.
The above and the sub-sections below has crystallised out some years ago. With present insight I expect not much of what I proposed here regarding that 'Advanced RPG system' will even make it into the mod. So be it, we move on.
Objective
An advanced RPG system that fits the lore, encourages roleplay character development and promotes more variation in combat strategy and tactics.
Ingredients
Main ingredients are comprised in these 4, all community-endorsed, suggestion threads:
- 1) Player traits, gear enhancement and advanced crafting: Add options to players to convert experience, increase general cost level and lower maxed effects. The simple 'Vigour' trait system is an integrated part of this.
- 2) Armor weight and unit movement speed: Higher base movement speed and each piece of armour exerts drag, slwoing a player down.
- 3) Decrease chances of NPCs running into grinding traps: Make NPCs notice they cannot harm a player or other NPC and make them retreat (not all).
- 4) Nature bites!: Make animals avoid slaughter and players more aware of the hurt of an injury.
These 4 main features can all be added independently, but there is much synergy in the combination of them. It seems best not to code them without taking into account one or more of the others.
Related suggestions
Other relevant suggestions made by others in relation to the above are (a.o.):
- Weapon enhancements through advanced smithing: Weapon 'enchants' providing enhanced chances of critical hits (see below). Included in 1).
- Faction specific bows through advanced crafting: Bow type dependent impact strength for bows as an alternative to bow 'enchants'. Can be combined with 1).
- Faction dependent enchanting: Assumed implicit in 1).
- Status dependent weapon wielding stats: Possible addition to effect of player traits as proposed in 1).
- Scarfs: Combines nicely with 2).
- Faction specific arrows through advanced crafting: Arrow type dependent impact strength for bows as an alternative to bow 'enchants'. Can be used as alternative in 1).
- Simple and effective shields: No dual wielding assumed, but a shield as a 'weapon' only to be used to block incoming attacks! Relevant addition to 1) and 2).
- Heavy armour hinders combat capabilities: Armour type dependent modifiers for weapon wielding, especially melee. Additional to 1) and 2).
- Attack impact actual range modifier: An attack modifier that optimizes impact dependent on actual range versus optimal range.
- Critical hit rate: Randomized attack modifier simulating relative chance of low impact and high impact hits. Assumed part of advanced crafting/smithing system in 1).
- Another thought on shields by moi, and a more recent version of the same line of thoughts: Simple shield( item)s are effective while held in right hand, and while searching ones inventory for a weapon.
- On the probability an NPC unit will actually attack another NPC or player, or retreat
Note that most of these 'related suggestions' have been included (either entirely or in a derived form) in the 3 first main suggestions threads I produced on this subject.
Challenge the Lion!
I hope the conceptual code designer in Mevans is or will become weary of copying code to produce new features based on existing ones, and is or will get eager to take on a new coding challenge ... preferrably this one.
Simple RPG levelling : Vigour
As any concrete feedback on the 'advanced RPG' proposals is still pending, and I have been playing on TOS for a while, where enchanting is disabled, I pondered this proposal on a much simpler system: Vigour. This basically defines one 'trait' a player can improve. The vigour level is simply the same as the vanilla experience orb level. The levelling buff is a small percentage of damage decrease from melee combat and environmental impact, proportional to the vigour level of the player. The vigour of a player can be explained by assuming it represents a combination of the traits used in my abovementioned, more advanced, and complex, proposal.
Note that this simple system contributes significantly to the immersiveness of experiencing a 'knock-out' (minecraft death, in my interpretation). Reason is that when you have tens of vigour levels and get a knockout and lose all but 5 of them (as is the case on TOS), you, as a player, experience the fact that you have been wounded severely and need to recover to regain the vigour level you had before the knock-out.
In addition to the above, which was noted a few years ago, I can state here that it may be interesting to introduce the Vigour system described here as a module feature in the PvP Mode mod at some point.
Other suggestions to improve the LOTR Mod
Here's an overview of my most relevant suggestions to improve the LOTR Mod. Most are just aimed at improving the roleplay survival building experience. My own suggestion threads:
- Elven Portals in Far Harad Jungle & Croc spawning (This became partially superfluous with the introduction of Barren Dirt in Public Beta 28)
- Jungle mud abundance (This suggestion was - more or less - followed through / has become obsolete with the introduction of Mud Brick in Beta 27.2. Thanks Mevans!)
- Holly trees & Eregion biome and tree variants (This suggestion was partially followed through with the introduction of more tree variety in Beta 28.)
- Icon image graphical style
- Replace vertical rotisserie
- Mud brick crafting and properties
- Far Harad Swampland, land of starving crocs?
- Put willow vines to use (Implemented)
- Road smoothing (Proposed slabs implemented in Public Beta 29)
- Food decay, Rock Salt and sousing (Implementation investigated by Mevans. For the time being, the proposed mechanism appears infeasible to code. - ponders simpler alternatives -)
- Pityarocconya (Product of a braintsunami that struck me after I my foundations were shaken by the looks of the Dorwinion 'men in pyjamas'.)
- Hardening, baking, charring and drying in ovens (Kudoed by Mevans after Boyd mentioned it was discussed in the mod team. Boyd indicated all but the reed drying are likely to be implemented.)
- Defensive raids
- Habitation and patrols in the valued Rhúdel Hills
- Banner protection on barrows, ruins and pyramids
- Adjusted spawning of Barrow-wights
- Hiring high tier units requires loyalty
- East of Mordor - Land under Shadow
- Availability of mithril and crafting of mithril gear
- Food decay (simplified)
- On the honour of slaying peasants
- Real plate armour
- Customisable minimum fast transport cooldown time
Suggestions I made in other threads / to improve on other people's suggestions:
- The Forochel and the Lossoth
- Flails for Trolls
- Cured leather for fire-resistant tiles on battlements and siege towers
- Scarfs and the effect of dust bowls and choking ash
- Reinforced brick
- Low-tech transmission gear for LOTR fitting redstone functionality
- Tauredain Realm - larger clearings in the Jungle
- On Shire village centers
- More biome-specific environmental damage
- Escargot en Sauce Thranduil avec Miche - Esgaroth special dish
- Bandit camps
- Siege engines
- Gold coins
- Latrines or statues, whatever is most comfortable ...
- Heroic statues with permanent banner bearer zone morale boost
- More realistic spawning settings (Check posts 1, 10 and 16)
- All people can fight over anything
- Simple graves as additional environmental feature (My idea on how to implement do these, relates to this endorsed thread as well)
- Notion on food and drinks storage items (I may post a separate thread on this, which will include a more detailed proposal on thirst mechanics)
- Use of gate blocks as cloth and plank walls
- Let the bodies hit the floor! (On dropping body parts instead of bones upon killing mobs)
- Changes in animal spawns in Far Harad Mangrove
- Distinguish floodlands of mangroves from non-salty hinterlands
- A modest contribution to a suggestion on catapult ammo: cattle!
- Additional clay deposits in low lying biome variants
- My take on poisoned weapons
- Upkeep of hired units (Simple and effective concept to introduce upkeep for hired units, see my contributions in posts #2, #15 and #38 to this thread)
- Proposal for changes in some much used crafting recipes for construction purposes (Small specific contribution of mine included in 2nd post.)
- Quartz in Middle-Earth (On application of quartz)
- Leaves (Add a crafting recipe to obtain 'Fallen Leaves')
- Valley Biome Variant (Very cool feature for many biomes!)
- Hobbit Boomers (My idea on adding fun and useful firecrackers to the mod)
- On the effective use of walking sticks (No ... when the player is walking, duh!)
- Alarm bells (My 50 cents to this nice suggestion on adding bells)
- My take on mercenaries
- My take on the history and various aspects of Dorwinion (Both regarding the lands and the peoples)
- My take on recoveing silver from coin
- My take on large, aggressive boars
- My view on Mithril ingot availability and mithril crafting in the Third Age (This has become a separate suggestion thread)
- Make gear lose effectiveness with loss of durability (May become a dedicated suggestion thread)
- Make gear change texture when losing durability (May become a dedicated suggestion thread)
- My view on Utumno (... the part of it that popped to mind at the moment I wrote it anyway)
- Salt pans
- Make defensive raids spawn more often the more alignment players obtained from quests
- Dragon Hoards
I posted more suggestions and crazy thoughts in many suggestion threads, but these are the most significant ones I think.
Suggestions to improve this wiki
For now, only this page and related posts:
Note that I quit moderating the Suggestions forum in early 2019 as explained in this thread.
Favorite LOTRmodded servers
My 'own': Ilu Ambar - Quenta Arda
Other recommended servers:
- The Second Server That Wont Rule Anything
- Darkness upon Middle-earth
- Dawn of the Ring (discontinued)
- It's a hARDA World (discontinued)
- The servers created by the Eras of Arda team (all discontinued)
Other games
I tend to play only very few other games. Noteworthy ones:
- Chronicles of Elyria aka 'CoE'
- LOTRO
Chronicles of Elyria
For anyone who is interested in this game and has any questions, you can contact me via Discord or hop on the CoE forums or Discord server. I warmly recommend any mature roleplay focussed player to join us in the Duchy of Anor on the planned EU based server.
Support Mevans and the mods development
Check the home page of this wiki, section 'Donations'.
Staff of the Lord of the Rings Mod
Coders:
Mevans
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