 The game 's water effects received substantial upgrades because of the large role naval battles play in The Battle for Middle @-@ earth II . The developers endeavored to make the surface of oceans and lakes look realistic by using techniques similar to those applied in films when creating computer @-@ generated ocean water . The digital water simulates deep ocean water by reflecting its surroundings on the surface , and wave technology was used to create large waves along coastlines to immerse the player in the game experience . Lost towns , corals , and fish were added underwater to add to the effect . Water was chosen as the first graphical component of The Battle for Middle @-@ earth II to take advantage of DirectX 9 programmable shaders . These additions were part of an overall Electronic Arts strategy to continue the Lord of the Rings experience that began with the trilogy film series . 
