I posted this on Tumblr a few days ago, but I think it deserves a blog post too:
A journey Through Middle-Earth is a Google Chrome experiment, a website allowing you to explore Tolkien’s Middle-Earth in the form of an interactive map. For now there’s only a few locations available, but as The Hobbit movies comes out the plan is to add to the map, following the dwarves journey.
I’ve spent more time than I’d like to admit on there… Go check it out, it’s actually pretty damn cool!
Or… nerdy. Cool AND nerdy! (Yes, it’s possible. I just said so.)
Another fun thing about it, from my perspective, is that it’s made by North Kingdom – an agency from my town. They’re well known for their creativity and innovation and have a rather impressive list of clients. In school they were THE place where everyone wanted to work. I find it amazing that a sleepy small town in north Sweden can be the headquarters of such a successful international company that isn’t about mining or forestry.
The CEO is apparently an old Tolkien fan too.
For a look behind the scenes here’s a post by technical director Daniel Isaksson describing how they created the site.
The fact that such successful project/agency originated in your hometown. Definitely brings out that pride in you because of that little connection, haha. :D That interactive quality would make it a very worthwhile experience. It’s exciting to see how it develops in the near future. :)
Whoa, that is really amazing! It’s also cool that the company is from such a place and has done so well, without having to move to a major city! :D
Hahaha that website is so cool! I love that the scrolls are read in the voices of the characters. I wish that we could explore The Shire! I’d love and interactive journey there :D
That is seriously cool. :) I am not a big LOTR fan as some people, probably because I got the boxed set at 13 and would’ve preferred to get clothes or makeup. :P I guess that’s what I get, for spending family gatherings with my nose in a book.
Oh I love it! That’s pretty neat. It’s so well done, and the fact it was done by an agency in your hometown is pretty cool.
I did not know this existed. Omg, I love it! XD
I seriously am so happy you posted this, I’m going to bookmark this and go back to it over and over again :)
Whoever says the internet is boring, because this definitely just sparked my interest.
That is one of the coolest interactive maps I have EVER seen. Screw google earth, I’m going to walk around in middle earth! I’ll be looking forward to being able to navigate The Shire and some other places as well as to be able to follow the dwarves on their journey. Pretty clever to keep some places locked until the movies come out, that way people’ll be coming back for more, ha!
Pretty damn awesome that the company that developed this thing is based in your hometown too!
That looks pretty awesome. It would probably make more sense to me if I actually read the book. I can’t wait for the movie to come out though!