M&M: Heroes VII - Q&A's

[Myrthos]

Ubisoft is interviewing Terry Ray, who worked on M&M: Heroes IV and he also wrote two campaigns, that were never released at the time, but will be released as expansion to Might & Magic: Heroes VII, later this year and early next year.

• Can you tell us about yourself?

I’ve been a writer slightly longer than I’ve been a gamer. I wrote my first story around age nine and I’ve played video games ever since Pong. I flipped Asteroids in the arcade, but I sucked at more games than I was ever good at. Still had fun though. Been a father less than both but it has influenced my life in much greater ways.

My father was in the Army, so I had the great pleasure of living in Europe during my high school years. I consider that time in Europe some of the most important years in my development. It gave me a global outlook, not one that was centric to my nationality, and an open mind. I wish everyone had the chance to do that.

Today, I have recommitted myself to telling stories. I am, at my core, a writer. You can’t deny something like that. I learned that the hard way. So, who am I? Writer, father, gamer, trickster, humorist, amateur philosopher, and lover of grilled salmon.

Also Couch spotted this video in which Jon Van Caneghem, the creator of the M&M: Heroes games, is interviewed.

More information.

 

[Hastar]

Thanks for that interview with JVC. Creator of Might and Magic and HoMM. One of the greatest rpg's ever made. Also, one of the best strategy games ever made. M&M2 and HoMM 3 are both in my top five games of all time.

 

[luj1]

Good interview.

Too bad every HoMM after the first four is trash.

 

[wolfing]

Good interview.

Too bad every HoMM after the first four is trash.

I disagree. #4 was trash, but 5 and 6 were great. I'm actually playing 6 right now, love it! (my favorite after #3). I already finished it, but playing the expansion (Shade of Darkness) I'm just about to start the last map in the last (of 2) extra campaigns. The only major problem with 6 is technical. Gameplay-wise it's great, but I get the dark screen bug every few hours. But since the game auto-saves every turn (plus I usually quick-save before battles), it's just a quick reload when it happens.

 

[DArtagnan]

HoMM 4 was great, especially in multiplayer

 

[Archangel]

I hated HoMM4, but I liked HoMM 5. Didn't play 6, probably will not play 7 as well.

I liked 2 and 3 the most.

 

[Carnifex]

One thing that isn't in question is this: anything that requires the Ubisoft platform isn't worth playing. To the depths with thee!

I still play two and three from time to time. That is where the series concluded for me, until they throw off the yokes of Ubijunk.

 

[wolfing]

One thing that isn't in question is this: anything that requires the Ubisoft platform isn't worth playing. To the depths with thee!

Why is that? There are many great games that require Steam, I don't care (since it's mostly transparent).

HoMM 4 was great, especially in multiplayer

If you only play MP then I guess you didn't experience what makes HoMM4 so bad, basically its AI.
Since I don't play MP, to me AI is probably the most important aspect of strategy/tactical games, and in the case of HoMM4, my 3 year old nephew randomly clicking the mouse probably plays better than the AI.

 

[DArtagnan]

If you only play MP then I guess you didn't experience what makes HoMM4 so bad, basically its AI.
Since I don't play MP, to me AI is probably the most important aspect of strategy/tactical games, and in the case of HoMM4, my 3 year old nephew randomly clicking the mouse probably plays better than the AI.

I never play against the AI except as practice. I don't see the point - since victory is inevitable and almost always predictable.

That won't change for many, many years.

 

[luj1]

I disagree. #4 was trash, but 5 and 6 were great. I'm actually playing 6 right now, love it! (my favorite after #3). I already finished it, but playing the expansion (Shade of Darkness) I'm just about to start the last map in the last (of 2) extra campaigns. The only major problem with 6 is technical. Gameplay-wise it's great, but I get the dark screen bug every few hours. But since the game auto-saves every turn (plus I usually quick-save before battles), it's just a quick reload when it happens.

HoMM 4 was legit (both single and MP), it can easily stand on its own as a turn based strategy

 

[luj1]

I disagree. #4 was trash, but 5 and 6 were great. I'm actually playing 6 right now, love it! (my favorite after #3). I already finished it, but playing the expansion (Shade of Darkness) I'm just about to start the last map in the last (of 2) extra campaigns. The only major problem with 6 is technical. Gameplay-wise it's great, but I get the dark screen bug every few hours. But since the game auto-saves every turn (plus I usually quick-save before battles), it's just a quick reload when it happens.

Whats so good about 5 and 6? Isnt there less of everything, streamlined design, and changed to a weird art style?

 

[luj1]

I hated HoMM4, but I liked HoMM 5. Didn't play 6, probably will not play 7 as well.

I liked 2 and 3 the most.

What they did to MM Legacy is disgustng

 

[wolfing]

Whats so good about 5 and 6? Isnt there less of everything, streamlined design, and changed to a weird art style?

4 is the worst game ever in history, even including the previous universe cycle before the Big Bang. You might not have noticed how bad it was because you were cackling while roflstomping everything with one spell. Balance was non-existent, you didn't need any armies after a while. Also the strategy map AI was pretty much just random, you could see the AI troops walk past undefended forts, and walk back and forth doing nothing turn after turn. It was a total joke.

5 and 6 were great from a gameplay and story point of view. 6's problem was really technical, many bugs, some of them that were never fixed, but the AI was sound and the games were much better balanced. I just finished 6's main campaign a few days ago, and I'm about to finish the second campaign in the expansion. Loving it.

 

[luj1]

4 is the worst game ever in history,

Youre so wrong

 

[DArtagnan]

4 is the worst game ever in history, even including the previous universe cycle before the Big Bang. You might not have noticed how bad it was because you were cackling while roflstomping everything with one spell. Balance was non-existent, you didn't need any armies after a while. Also the strategy map AI was pretty much just random, you could see the AI troops walk past undefended forts, and walk back and forth doing nothing turn after turn. It was a total joke.

So, what you're saying is that the AI of HoMM4 was crappy.

How about the rest of the game, did you hate it all?

 

[wolfing]

So, what you're saying is that the AI of HoMM4 was crappy.

How about the rest of the game, did you hate it all?

No, I'm saying the AI was crappy; the game wasn't balanced at all; you didn't need any tactics in a tactics game, just start battle with one skeleton against 9,000 enemies, cast chain lightning or armageddon or other high level spell, click 'end combat'. Basically, a total joke of a game.

 

[DArtagnan]

No, I'm saying the AI was crappy; the game wasn't balanced at all; you didn't need any tactics in a tactics game, just start battle with one skeleton against 9,000 enemies, cast chain lightning or armageddon or other high level spell, click 'end combat'. Basically, a total joke of a game.

You're not answering my question. You're repeating your exaggerated position on the AI.

Did you like anything about the game or not?

 

[SirJames]

You're not answering my question. You're repeating your exaggerated position on the AI.

Did you like anything about the game or not?

Do you really think its ok that you can have 1 skeleton and cast chainlightning on over 9000 enemy units and just end turn and win? Skeleton isnt even a very good unit. What exactly is tactical about winning every battle in the game with chainlightning and end turn? Do you think skeleton has like 1000 hitpoints? Well, allow me to be the first to enlighten you on that. It doesn't. 1000 hitpoints is far too high for such a low level unit as a skeleton so I don't know why you're even bothering to argue the point. I don't even believe this skeleton was upgraded in any way.

Was it an upgraded skeleton, wolfling?

 

[luj1]

It doesn't matter. So AI was bad, and?

 

[wolfing]

It doesn't matter. So AI was bad, and?

Ok, let me put it in bullet points:
- Strategic AI was non-existant.
- There was no balance making tactics not matter in a tactical game.

I could mention other things, like the art style or whatever, but anything else is minor compared to the two points above.
Remember, this is a strategy/tactical game, if there is no strategy and no tactics, then what's left? Imagine if in The Witcher 3, whenever you attacked a creature it just stood there yawning while you whack it with your sword, that's pretty much the same situation.