View Full Version : Did anybody notice how Ureh is similar to Minas Tirith?
We can see that Blizzard has gotten some inspiration from LOTR. The city Ureh looks similar to Minas Tirith. Plus, they also call Ureh the Golden City while Minas Tirith is also called the White City. I don't have a problem with it; I just thought it was interesting. It looks like a cool city and I wonder if we can go there in Diablo 3? They say that a portal to heaven is located in this city? Maybe we get to go to heaven as well?
We can see that Blizzard has gotten some inspiration from LOTR. The city Ureh looks similar to Minas Tirith. Plus, they also call Ureh the Golden City while Minas Tirith is also called the White City. I don't have a problem with it; I just thought it was interesting. It looks like a cool city and I wonder if we can go there in Diablo 3? They say that a portal to heaven is located in this city? Maybe we get to go to heaven as well?
Perhaps :jig:
Funkopotamus
30-06-2009, 07:41
I'm sure Minas Tirith isn't the only fictional city to be built into the side of a mountain. Or the only fictional city to have a nickname.
So, are you saying that they weren't inspired by Minas Tirith? They look almost the same and than you got the nicknames-White City/Golden City. Yea, they used Minas Tirith as an inspiration. It's a dang good inspiration too. I just find it kind of weird how I'm the only on who noticed.
By the way, is Ureh a visitable city in Diablo 3?
So, are you saying that they weren't inspired by Minas Tirith? They look almost the same and than you got the nicknames-White City/Golden City. Yea, they used Minas Tirith as an inspiration. It's a dang good inspiration too. I just find it kind of weird how I'm the only on who noticed.
By the way, is Ureh a visitable city in Diablo 3?
I doubt you are to only one that noticed that, since both I and my sister thought the same when we first saw the picture. And I'm not the brightest one out there. ;) Tolkien has inspired a lot of fantasy writers/artists in their work, so I don't find it strange that someone at blizzard might have used his work for inspiration.
korialstraz
30-06-2009, 12:53
They say that a portal to heaven is located in this city? Maybe we get to go to heaven as well?
Someone tried to open a portal to Heaven, but it failed. Instead it sent them to a place between Heaven and Hell, where they were neither living nor dead.
At least IIRC, which I may not. Others can feel free to correct me :whistling:
Funkopotamus
30-06-2009, 14:53
So, are you saying that they weren't inspired by Minas Tirith? They look almost the same and than you got the nicknames-White City/Golden City. Yea, they used Minas Tirith as an inspiration. It's a dang good inspiration too. I just find it kind of weird how I'm the only on who noticed.
Did I say that?
And people did notice it. I remember it coming up at least as early as the big art debate. It doesn't seem like it was interesting enough to keep bringing up since then and got buried in the past with everything else.
I'm glad I'm not the only one to notice it.
So, they failed to open a portal huh? Maybe our character will open a portal there in Diablo 3. Then we can all go to heaven.
Funkopotomas, don't take offense to my question. I just didn't understand what you meant. I didn't mean to dig this out of the past; I just wasn't around when people brought it up. Besides, I didn't just mention the similarity. I also asked if we'd get to go there in Diablo 3 and if we'd get to go to heaven as well?
Not to mention they both use weaponds like swords, daggers and bows, and no Diablo even has a Wizard, they are transforming Diablo into Lord of the rings oh no!
lol joking.
The first thing my gf said when she saw the D3 trailer was "that looks like LoTR"
That said, it does borrow a lot from that city, but that's for good reason. The idea of a city built into a mountainside is just a cool idea.
Either way the idea of having a city built into a mountain is as old as... Matchu Pitchu maybe. and it's a good setting for part of a game.
I hope nobody starts a "Why D3 is like LOTR" thread...
raveharu
01-07-2009, 07:50
And why can't D3 has some elements from LOTR? They are both fantasy based.
When I first saw the trailer, yes it did remind me of LOTR, and it was awesome :D
Yea it looks a lot like Minas Tirith, that's kinda obvious really and for good or worse, not that I personally care as long as it doesn't look like NY or something.
Also I think I'm off starting a why D3 is LOTR thread... :crazyeyes:
Someone tried to open a portal to Heaven, but it failed. Instead it sent them to a place between Heaven and Hell, where they were neither living nor dead.
At least IIRC, which I may not. Others can feel free to correct me :whistling:
More or less.
Don't read if you plan to read "The kingdom of shadows" ...
Urehs leader, Juris Khan, was corrupted by diablo who had disguised himself, appearing before Khan as an angel. Diablo offered the corrupted khan and his city to be transfered to "heaven" (in reality hell).
Khan himself and a group of other mages casted the spell to transfer the city to heaven (hell), but one of the mages noticed that things where off and broke away during the ceremony. The failed spell placed the city not in hell, not in heaven, but another place in between, seperated from the mortal realm.
Or somthing like that iirc.
LOL, no, there will be no why it is like LOTR thread. I didn't bring that up or say anything like that either. I just said that they were inspired by LOTR. Which is good because Ureh looks cool.
On the other hand, maybe I should make that thread just to piss people off. LOL, I'm kidding.
Funkopotamus
01-07-2009, 14:58
And why can't D3 has some elements from LOTR? They are both fantasy based.
When I first saw the trailer, yes it did remind me of LOTR, and it was awesome :D
The only thing I can think of that D2 didn't have that LotR did have is like ents. And horses.
LittleOldLady
02-07-2009, 13:24
For the record, Tolkien also pinched a lot of stuff, but mainly from Scandinavian mythology (Elves come from Iceland, and the language he "invented" is almost identical to one which used to be spoken and written there). Minas Tirith could (as someone else said) be inspired by Macchu Pichu, and plenty of ancient Japanese/Korean cities (IIRC, there's even an old Japanese tomb with seven walls).
Not that I'm dissing the originality of the story (LoTR), but there isn't exactly anything original anymore.
Oh, and Funkopotamus: D2 had Ent-ish things, the Thorned hulks (at least the way I saw them).
Its because jay wilson wanted to make diablo an epic fantasy game, and when someone thinks about epic fantasy nowdays, the first thing is associated with it is the LOTR.
Dont get surprised ,when the next announced class will be an elf or a dwarf....
Its because jay wilson wanted to make diablo an epic fantasy game, and when someone thinks about epic fantasy nowdays, the first thing is associated with it is the LOTR.
Dont get surprised ,when the next announced class will be an elf or a dwarf....I think D&D vs LOTR, but essentially, the that comes to mind ;)
I kinda lol'd @ dwarf :O
Funkopotamus
05-07-2009, 20:15
Oh, and Funkopotamus: D2 had Ent-ish things, the Thorned hulks (at least the way I saw them).
I completely forgot about those guys.
Fackelare
05-07-2009, 22:56
For the record, Tolkien also pinched a lot of stuff, but mainly from Scandinavian mythology (Elves come from Iceland, and the language he "invented" is almost identical to one which used to be spoken and written there). Minas Tirith could (as someone else said) be inspired by Macchu Pichu, and plenty of ancient Japanese/Korean cities (IIRC, there's even an old Japanese tomb with seven walls).
Not that I'm dissing the originality of the story (LoTR), but there isn't exactly anything original anymore.
Oh, and Funkopotamus: D2 had Ent-ish things, the Thorned hulks (at least the way I saw them).
Actually Elves come from Germanic folklore, not Iceland specificly (scandinavia, the Netherlands, Germany and to certain degree Great Britain). And, although a lot was borrowed from other sources, Tolkien has changed even more, and also came up with his own inventions, Hobbits, Ents and Orcs for example. LotR was loosly based on old mythology whereas the current fantasy stories all build quite heavilly on the stereotypes that Tolkien has made for us.
Plus the languages he invented are not based on Icelandic. He based Elfish on Welsh, which he thought was the most beautiful language, Dwarfish was based, loosly, on Semitic languages and Rohirrim is based on Old English.
But there is a great distinction between the inspiration Tolkien used for his stories (he took and created his own), and the amount of 'inspiration' that the current generation uses (they take and mould it into something new, not create something). But this is just my view, I'm sure that many would disagree on many points, but I'll stick by it.
GuardianHadriel
07-07-2009, 16:06
Ureh-The Golden City The High Heavens Capitol-The Silver City. This is most prbably related in various ways.
For the record, Tolkien also pinched a lot of stuff, but mainly from Scandinavian mythology (Elves come from Iceland, and the language he "invented" is almost identical to one which used to be spoken and written there). Minas Tirith could (as someone else said) be inspired by Macchu Pichu, and plenty of ancient Japanese/Korean cities (IIRC, there's even an old Japanese tomb with seven walls).
Well, your information is a bit shallow because you obviously do not know why Tolkien used these names.
First of, before you make a statement be sure you know what you're talking about. Elves from Iceland and Elves from middle-earth have nothing in common besides the name. However even their real name is Quendi ( not Elves ), Tolkien gave them decades later a nickname "Elves" because it was familiar name and thus easier to remember.
As for languages, he invented 41 languages. I don't know about which you are talking about but I don't remember any of them was identical to the old Norse language ( if that's what you meant by referring to the old Iceland ). There are similarities, but way too far from being identical, as far as I can remember. If you think I'm wrong, write down an example.
Not that I'm dissing the originality of the story (LoTR), but there isn't exactly anything original anymore.
It seems you do not understand the principles of art. The artistic originality does not depends on inspiration, it demands inspiration. That's the golden rule for you to remember.
There is a lot of originality in Tolkien's work as well as in Blizzard's newest work, and that's the case only because they knew how to transfer inspiration into creativity, it's the main characteristic which separates creative art from kitsch.
LittleOldLady
13-07-2009, 13:16
As for languages, he invented 41 languages. I don't know about which you are talking about but I don't remember any of them was identical to the old Norse language ( if that's what you meant by referring to the old Iceland ).
Apologies (part error, part laziness): Sindarin is "inspired by" welsh, but the script was taken from old elvish (there are still some who claim descendence from the elves in Iceland, and no they were not of norse origin, but pre-date that).
It seems you do not understand the principles of art. The artistic originality does not depends on inspiration, it demands inspiration. That's the golden rule for you to remember.
There is a lot of originality in Tolkien's work as well as in Blizzard's newest work, and that's the case only because they knew how to transfer inspiration into creativity, it's the main characteristic which separates creative art from kitsch.
I wasn't trying to be comprehensive, just list a couple of influences (i.e. there's always another source...if you look far enough). Just because everything is inspired by something else doesn't make it a bad thing. I just meant that "originality" seems to be an outdated concept (apologies, I've spent too much time studying/researching post-modernism), of course it's not really about "who had the idea first", but really "where can the idea go next".
I agree with you on art, except kitsch (which was an aesthetic of its own, before it got (mis)appropriated in the 70s and overused) which I think can still have value (look up any academic papers on pastiche/parody...).
Again, sorry for the confusion Charnel, I'm a bit brief which can be fine in context (tone of voice 'n' all), but doesn't always work on discussion boards...
Apologies (part error, part laziness): Sindarin is "inspired by" welsh, but the script was taken from old elvish (there are still some who claim descendence from the elves in Iceland, and no they were not of norse origin, but pre-date that).
I wasn't trying to be comprehensive, just list a couple of influences (i.e. there's always another source...if you look far enough). Just because everything is inspired by something else doesn't make it a bad thing. I just meant that "originality" seems to be an outdated concept (apologies, I've spent too much time studying/researching post-modernism), of course it's not really about "who had the idea first", but really "where can the idea go next".
Well said. Good to meet someone familiar with post-modernism ( i hope present art scene is included as well )
I agree with you on art, except kitsch (which was an aesthetic of its own, before it got (mis)appropriated in the 70s and overused) which I think can still have value (look up any academic papers on pastiche/parody...).
Again, sorry for the confusion Charnel, I'm a bit brief which can be fine in context (tone of voice 'n' all), but doesn't always work on discussion boards...
It's important to be aware of two concepts of kitsch. One which you are referring to, is the historical term used for describing certain art style, while I was referring to literal terminology used among today's art community. In present art you can make a kitsch element in your composition even though it's not overused at all, it does not depend necessarily on overuse. Perfect example are the lenses, or procedural gradient shading style which was considered kitschy even though nearly no one used it before. List goes on but I guess you will find out alone what I'm saying, if you don't already know it.
Risingred
16-07-2009, 06:15
There's talk of a city build into a mountainside. This was a common trait of a certain pueblo group, the anasazi. I studied art for a long time and I was very enthralled by their designs.
It's genius if you think about it...carving a city into a mountainside providing shelter from the elements and also only one entry point into the city. Anyway, there were also sketches in the Diablo 3 concept gallery that looked just like these cities. Maybe Blizzard is a big fan of mountain-based cities in general? ;)
Wasn't the area where Baal entered into Mt. Arreat built into a mountain or am I mistaken?
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