From November 1998 through September 1999 I was responsible for the Art Direction of a Massively Multiplayer On-Line Role Playing Game based on J.R.R. Tolkien's classic works of literature The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings.  During production the Oakhurst division of Sierra was closed due to a reorganization by parent company Havas Interactive.  The core team was moved to Sierra's Bellevue office, and during the transition most of the art team was lost.  After many months spent rebuilding the project, it was canceled, and the remaining Middle-earth staff were laid off along with approx. 50 other Havas employees.

The Layoff 

The following is a list of links compiled while researching the project.  Feel free to browse or to add them to your list of Tolkien resources.

Remember...Frodo Lives!

 

Middle-earth is ( was ) growing in Activeworlds

at AlphaWorld 537N 141E

Now it's kind of a shrine to a project lost....visit if you like and plant a flower.

 

To learn more about Middle-earth check out these Tolkien Links.

 

  Tolkien Resources

 

 The Gray Havens
 

 Tolkien Pictures 

 Rolozo Tolkien

 

Hear Tolkien Speak!

 

The final proofs of LOTR
 

The Middle Earth Vault 

The Middle Earth Chronicler

 

Browse a Huge list of Tolkien Links on...
 

The J.R.R. Tolkien Information Page

 

 
 

Need a bit of trivia?

 

http://www.silcom.com/~manatee/tolkien_hobbit.html
 

Need a good read?

 

 http://www.connect.ab.ca/~carmen/books/sciencef/jrrt.htm
 

Need to buy a book?

 

 http://tolkien.cro.net/bookshop.html

 

Need an interested fan?
 

http://www.theshire.com/compgames.html

 

Need some misc. art?
 

http://members.tripod.com/~teardren/index.html 

 

Proof that Hobbits exist!

Hobbits are not just a figment of a brilliant imagination.....

 They exist....
and still live among us!
Here is the proof.
 You decide......
An actual letter from a hobbit?
 

http://home.wxs.nl/~hobbiton/HOBBITON.HTM

 

 

  The Hobbit Travel Guide

  

 Need to learn basic Dwarven for that 2 week vacation to Middle Earth?

  http://www.chem.lsu.edu/cbury/ETEP/Tolkien/R/rune/hobbit.htm

 

  Need a place to stay?

 

  http://www.theaa.co.uk/region3/27384.html
 

Or maybe something more tropical....

 

 http://hi-hobbit.com/accommodations/
 

Tour Tolkien's Oxford

http://ftp.sunet.se/pub/pictures/fantasy/Tolkien/TolkiensOxford/index.html
  

Need a Bite to Eat?

 

  http://www.ocean-city.com/hobcoup.htm
 

Need a translation ? 

 http://www.mines.edu/students/j/jchuhta/trans.html 

Need a scratching post for your cat?

 

 http://www.catabode.com/hobbit
  

So you want it in Russian?.....OK! 

 http://www.gis.net/~men/tolkien/

 

 

Middle Earth Games

Can't wait for Middle Earth? Try a Tolkien MUD!

http://fire.pvv.org/

 

Learn more about Tolkien Games!

 

http://www.lysator.liu.se/tolkien-games/

 

The Lord of the Rings Movie

 

The Unofficial Site
http://lotrmovie.tolkien.nu/

 

 

Check out the Competition!

 

Ultima On-Line

EverQuest

 

Asheron's Call
 

???

 

If you've gotten this far, drop me an email and let me know what you think!

 jonbock@sti.net