Heroic Corner Heroes 5 2005
Original content can be found on the Heroic Corner
Thanks to Heroes Community Member Miru for the translation.
"Heroes" has not died … "Heroes" is well!
The dark cloud of uncertainty is overhanging above the fans of Heroes after the
bankruptcy of the company 3DO, which did not know how to fix HoMM 4 even with
two expansions and many patches. The fallen banner of 3D0 caught the French
giant Ubisoft, also half a year promotion of fans in the expectation of news
about the possible continuation. And here, miraculously, producer Fabrice
Cambounet declares, that the series is living, and it begins to actively
associate itself with it's followers, regularly appearing at the forums and
gathering proposals for the new game. Miracle number two: HoMM 5 is done in
Russia, moreover it is developed by Nival Interactive, noted for operating times
in the region of turn-based strategie games.
We will build a new world with Diplomacy
Together, with the popular brand Ubisoft, we obtained heavy heritage in the form
of the intricate universe of Might and Magic, whose history was created by
different authors for the elongation of ten years (it reached the fact that some
heroes inadvertently changed floor upon transfer into the following game).
It will be reviewed, first of all, the concept itself. This game is less naive -
less open-hearted fairy tale with noble knights, excellent princesses and the
black and white division of good and evil. HoMM has became more many-sided (so,
the "bright" race of people ceased to rest on love and mercy, after selecting
the motto "Honor. Debt. Order.").
The game now shows cause-effect connections, which make it possible to see the
origin of the universe. From now on races and creatures appear not according to
the principle "each creature - on the pair", but according to the troubles of
the development of peace. For example; the traditionally underground town,
Dungeon, is now populated by the dark elves, who were separated from their
forest-dwelling relatives, after concluding an agreement with the mysterious
faceless. In the descriptions of Dungeon units, you will see present a
city-state with your principles, whereas in Heroes 3 they simply put in all who
could live underground.
The unique coloring of each race is revealed also in the characteristics of the
units themselves. The brutal soldiers of the Inferno will breathe fire; Succubus
Favorites fire beaded lightning, and Pit Lords will cover extensive sections
with a rain of meteors. Brisk forest elves have high initiative of motion, but
are insufficiently protected. There are ten similar examples.
Three-dimensional heroes
The "heroes" for the first time took a step into complete 3D, which
undoubtedly increases entertainment. Revolving camera and changing the scale of
map, it is possible to examine any detail of a majestic town or to delight in,
by immense panoramas, juicy three-dimensional special-effects that will become
additional "eye candy".
But the filling in with "eye candy" has bitter aftertaste. Will it become a
chore? Is it necessary to revolve and scale the map in order to pass a creature,
which lurkes under a fir tree? This is by no means a trifle, as it may seem at
first glance. It would be possible to skip multipalyer battles.
Heroes are not Born
Gaining experience for the hero was always one of the most favorite (and most
important) occupations in the game. Unfortunately, in Heroes 3, after rising to
a high level, the heroes, in effect, lost individuality, being converted into
the universal instrument of murder, equally hardened in both the might and
magic. Leading to a united method of "circulation" and standardized strategies
of the game.
Heroes 5 is more diverse in the sphere of the development of [being under a
guardian]. Heroes in proportion to gaining of experience can not only increase
their skills, but also acquire abilities; together with original specialisation
and with racial special features. This opens wide space for the winning
combinations.
In order not to be unsubstantiated, I will give an example. Specialization on
the archers (+1 Attack and +1 Defense for each third level) was considered in
Heroes 3 of that put outting itself in no way (but that by completely useless).
Now with a character with this specialization it will be necessary to focus
attention on him/her, since in a comparatively short time he/she makes it
possible to hammer together the imposing army of archers and it is essential to
increase her power due to the "circulation" of hero.
The first problem is solved with the aid of building Training Grounds, in which
the archers are made from the usual peasants. Certainly, such pointers bypass at
an exorbitant price, but burden can be weakened, after selecting Expert Trainer
( -10% price) and Estate (+250 gold during the day) and after building the
building, which decreases the cost of training. Then units become more steeply
because of the heroic abilities Archery (+20% to the loss), Frenzy (+1 Damage),
Toughness (+1 HP) and the development of the War Machine skill (to +3 attack).
You will want leadership, then archers will shoot more frequently, and if you
have retribution, there will be less loses. To top it off - the spells Bless and
Haste. It is prepared! Before you - a very powerful army, finished at last, to
wipe clean neutral monsters from map and to gather all resources.
Or is it better to raise a hero who specializes in the monks, and for the rapid
completion troops of the servants of faith to train them from mechanical? In the
begining, you may not be so good, but at the end game, you will conquer. In a
word, prepare actively to think and to act depending on the map and the behavior
of your enemies. Non-trivial selection exists in all races.
The ATB Bar
The classical step-by-step regime of battles is simple and predicted to the
banality: for each "round" each soldier moves in all times (or two, if it
allows high morals). Change only priority it is running units and distance their
displacements. In Heroes 5 ATB system appears (Advanced Turn-Based), familiar
to RPG amateurs.
It they be in the following. In the beginning of battle the symbols of units are
located on by right the end of the ATB Bar. Then they begin to displace from
right to left with the different speed, which depends on the initiative of the
unit. When the unit reaches the left edge of the scale, the unit takes its turn,
and finally the unit's symbol returns to the right edge and its run is
repeated.
Is this good or bad? Yes it is noticeable! The cyclic recurrence crowded
after-taste at long last disappeared, even very concept of "round" lost sense
(let us take, for example, in all the pair of units: with initiative 7 and 9; so
here, cycle or "round" in this case will compose turns of motion!) In HoMM 5
it is not easy to predict the sum of battle, although the local system works
according to the rigid laws. When desired you will be able to calculate sequence
it is running "to five scales forward", but is it worthwhile? Especially when
in the matter interfere any modifiers (of type of the fallen morale or spells),
which has an influence of the speed of movement of a creature on the ATB bar.
Further, this initiative, which determines now not only priority, but also the
frequency of motion, becomes so important a characteristic as, for example,
inflicted damage. Bright soldier will have time to resemble 2-3 times, until
turn reaches the clumsy "thick" monster. But the wide variety of valuable
characteristics indicates the more saturated in the tactical plan struggles.
The sweet part is the magic
Wizardry was given too simply in Heroes 3: if there was sufficient time to
develop Wisdom, and your wise hero mastered any incantation. The creators of
HoMM I bent stick to other side: in order to master elementary "spell" of the
first level, it was necessary to pass examination to the specialist in the
appropriate region of magic. Developers do not reveal the system of the magic of
new "heroes". It is known that it will be harder than in the "troika", but
not stricter than in the "four". On the whole, there is an occasion to hope
that "Nival" achieved the best of both worlds.
The number of spells was reduced to 40. But you do not hurry to shout "guard".
Actually, try to now name the most dear and frequently utilized "spells".
It's unlikely that you will remember 40. Then to what rest? Imaginary variety,
bitten enemy of balance, to us is not necessary.
"Make to us rapidly!"
This call became especially urgent after protracted multiplayer of Heroes 4.
Even club parties last noon, and to play through the Internet was almost
impossible because of the wearisome expectation of sending and load of of
multi-megabyte save- save-files. But the principle of the turn-based game is the
culprit of basic inconvenience: for you it is mandatory to await the motion of
opponent(s).
Heroes 5 will propose an original solution. "Ghost Mode" will allow player to
study the matter, until rivals think: it is possible to find out territory or to
arrange small dirty tricks to enemies. But for those, who do not love to be
occupied by town building and want to be immediately thrust into battle, there
is "Duel Mode", where you can assemble an army instantly and have a battle.
Evolution on the face of the revolution
In order to recount innovations in HoMM 5, fingers on a hand will be enough:
heroic abilities, ATB- scale for the battles, the clearly expressed racial
special features, the reviewed system of magic, two fresh multiplayer regimes...
Here, perhaps, and everything, without considering the renovated universe of
Heroes of Might and Magic in honest 3D here there are no revolutionary ideas
like "The hereos fights in combat on the same level as everything else" Like
HoMM IV; in the plan of play mechanics the fifth HoMM has been returned so it
is closer to the tried and tested HoMM III.
But, strictly, is this a bad idea? The main thing is so that the project would
be brought to the perfection. So that would come out the game, which never will
tire.
Certainly, the fitting of the component parts of the many-sided creation - task
improbably difficult, but indeed and forces are big enough. What stands the
two-thousandth force of the volunteer - testers (Beta Testers), which fall
developers by proposals on an improvement in all and entire, beginning from the
play balance and concluding by interface! Looking at this, it is desirable to
believe that we will obtain the ground diamond, which will become the
unconditional adornment of a 'heroic' series.
P.S. Although the worm of doubt still gnaws on the soul: the 3-D network play.
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Thanks to ThE_HyDrA for creating and looking after the Heroes 5 section of Age of Heroes!
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