'For five years I worked on and added many interesting things. 'When I began modding for Skyrim, I worked around three to four hours a day on the project, but that was when I went to school.' Here's Lothlorien, and you probably don't need me to tell you how gorgeous this looks - even on vanilla Skyrim.ĭespite the new restraints on their time, Maldaran still spends 'a few hours a week' on modding projects: but it sounds like this will be the Middle Earth mod's final version. 'I started modding over 10 years ago, firstly for the old Star Wars Battlefront 2,' Maldaran told me. I asked Maldaran, who works in an architecture office, a few questions about their work and how long they spent on the project.

The mod has certainly come a long way from its roots: Maldaran told me The Elders Scrolls V Middle Earth began as only three areas 'which were not much bigger than normal dungeons' - and the love and attention put into the mod really shows. The Shire, one of the newly-added locations, feels particularly well-crafted, and Maldaran describes this as their 'masterpiece'. The only survivors were me and one other guard, the very definition of a Pyrrhic victory.Īlthough I did encounter the occasional problem - such as floating foliage, the occasional place name that wouldn't disappear, and a few lurking snippets of German, the mod is seriously impressive and really captures the feeling of being in Middle-earth. Players can activate the battle in three separate stages using stones inside the grounds of the fortress. In one of my nerdiest moments ever, I re-enacted the Battle of Helm's Deep (role-playing Legolas) with the official Lord of the Rings soundtrack thundering away in the background. After stumbling through an orc-elf skirmish, I explored the arches of Rivendell, while Lothlorien's tree buildings have been beautifully recreated with twinkling lights.īut this mod isn't just about locations: there are interactive elements too. The elvish locations, meanwhile, were simply stunning.

:: Doom Eternal secrets locations list - where to find every hidden item on every level Here's a demon-stration.

Guess I still did better than Gandalf, though. I did not learn my lesson, and went back down again to tango with the Balrog. Having relaxed in The Shire, I then explored Moria, and got absolutely wrecked when I poked my nose into the lower depths and encountered dozens of goblins.

Skyrim fantasy soundtrack overhaul