Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor - Early Pre-Production Phase, Main Character Exploration #1

In the early days of exploration for the game that would eventually morph into Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, a lot of brainstorming took place. During this early concept phase, many ideas were explored for the direction of the game, and who the main character might be.

Initially, one idea called for an Elf protagonist. The take on the character was to feature a more somber and world weary elven character, than had been seen in the books or film to date. His equipment was derived from the Second Age, not from the more contemporary weapons and designs seen during the time of the Lord of the Rings films and books.

This design sheet was an exploration for using the Second Age elven armor (featured in the Fellowship of the Ring/Mount Doom prologue scene) as the basis for his costume design. The exploration was in keeping his weapons and gear from a much earlier time, yet to design some new elements, such as the six daggers on his chest.