A message from the MMH7 Team

February 5, 2015, 8:27 am

Hi there,
A word from the team!

Today, we would like to share serious thoughts with you all.

Indeed, for us this website is a platform for mutual respect and passionate exchanges, and we would like first of all to ask you to stay civil and polite at all time.

We do accept passion and criticisms but there is always a way to put things. Some comments in the past few weeks have been way over the line, regarding to the message they were delivering (name shaming for instance) but also the selected words and tones. We do want to promote transparency and free-opinion, but if this becomes necessary, we might have to delete some belligerent messages and lock down posts if things are getting out of hands. Moreover, we won’t also tolerate attacks towards other members of this community. We are responsible for this website and cyber harassment is thankfully becoming a more and more serious matter in our societies. Threatening people online or sharing sexist or racist statements are highly reprehensible actions, and we are determined to keep the Might & Magic franchise with a tolerant and responsible community.

This has nothing to do with the nature of opinions expressed in the comments section, and we would not trade all this overwhelming passion for a quieter website. You are our beloved community (even when you scold us), but some basic politeness would be much appreciated.

Keep in mind it’s not just me Ubi-Nox around here. The whole development team is actively reading your comments. We are a passionate 40+ people strong team, all dedicated to develop a great game already two years in the making. We do not ask you to keep your mouth shut or to agree with each part of our little on-going project, but we really want to keep all the nasty business out of the comment section.

On a side note: Erwan is not directly involved in the actual development of the game. He is the creative director of the brand and helps us staying true to its legacy, but he is not making the call on most of the decisions we discuss on this website. We are. So calling for his firing from Ubisoft is both unacceptable and completely mis-targeted.

Remember: comment, debate, argue, but keep the vitriol at bay.

Cheers, and do not forget: Asha uses all.
The Heroes 7 Team.

↧

Academy's Might Heroes

February 9, 2015, 9:13 am

≫ Next: Tales of the Ten Years War, part 7

≪ Previous: A message from the MMH7 Team

Hello Councillors,

Discover today the Might Heroes of the Silver Cities. Even if Academy is well-known for its magic Masters, there are also powerful warriors and leaders in the desert. All of them have the ability "Metamagic", allowing them to trigger synergies between spells to unleash even more power and destruction on the battlefield.

Might Heroes from Academy are divided into 3 classes:

Blademage,
Alchemist,
Sheriff.

Blademage

Blademages are the warriors of Academy. They wield magic powers but still rely mostly on the might of their troops. Masters of Prime Magic, they prefer offensive spells to any other kind, and harness the full power the magical pyramids.

Main skills: Metamagic, Prime magic, Warfare

Alchemist

Alchemists are the greatest economists of the desert, able to make gold out of sand, they are also amongst the best scholars of Ashan. Decent spellcasters, they focus only on Prime and Water Magic, and remain mostly army generals.

Main skills: Metamagic, Economy, Paragon

Sheriff

Sheriffs are the law officers of the Academy faction, and came to prominence during the Purge of the Necromancers. While they can lead armies on the battlefield, they focus on defense and are the most proficient casters of Light Magic of their faction.

Main skills: Metamagic, Diplomacy, Light Magic

↧

Tales of the Ten Years War, part 7

February 10, 2015, 8:52 am

≫ Next: The map of ashan (853 YSD)

≪ Previous: Academy's Might Heroes

Previous episodes

Looking for guidance, Ivan decided to visit the abbey of Skarena, one of the Empire’s oldest temples of Elrath. Two figures were waiting for him inside. One was an Elf druid, who introduced himself as Tieru. The other was the Angel Murazel, and she was offering to reveal the truth about Sandalphon’s death.

Tales of the Ten Years War

849 YSD – The Hour of Truth

Revelations

Soon after Ivan entered Skarena, the Elf Tieru summoned a Spirit Gate. Stepping through it, Ivan found himself transported to a distant place: one of the secret fortresses the Dragon Knights call the Hidden Houses. It is there, within the safety of these walls, that he would learn the truth.

Ah, I see that some skeptics among you are wondering how I know of their conversation. What kind of Spy Master would I be, if it was so easy to hide things from me? Suffice to say that I have my ways of uncovering information people would like to keep secret.

Know also that what I'm about to reveal is something that can never leave this Shadow Council. Nobody would believe you anyway...

The abbey of Skarena
As it turns out, Tieru was not meeting Ivan as an envoy from Irollan, the Elven realm, but as a member of the Dragon Knights, that elusive group dedicated to preserve Ashan's balance between Order and Chaos. While the Dragon Knights had no intent on getting involved with a civil war, they had a particular interest in the survival of the line of Falcon. Sar-Elam's prophecy made clear that the end of the Falcon bloodline would tip the balance in favour of Chaos, which was not something the Dragon Knights could allow.

Which is why they had offered Murazel shelter when she fled Flammschrein. Because Murazel had not fled Flammschrein alone. She was trying to put Brendan Falcon out of harm's way.

Five years earlier, a boy had been brought to the Conclave of the New Dawn. A hunter had found him in a forest not far from the ruins of Falcon's Reach, living like a beast among the animals. The hunter had brought the boy to Flammschrein, where Murazel and Sandalphon had been able to ascertain he was, indeed, Brendan Falcon. But there were... complications, and because of those, Murazel and Sandalphon decided it was better to wait before revealing the survival of the Falcon heir to the rest of the Conclave.

Someone must have discovered their secret, though, as one night, a group of assassins sneaked in the citadel of Flammschrein, intent on killing the boy. According to Murazel, these assassins were Dark Elves, but Tieru was adamant not to accuse the whole of Ygg-Chall without proof -- a mistake he had himself committed in the past. Murazel's descriptions of the assailants had led Tieru to believe they were part of a group of assassins-for-hire calling themselves the Blades of Erebos, after the great Faceless tactician of the Elder Wars. Sandalphon tried to protect Brendan, but the Blades proved well-versed in the art of fighting Angels, an art they had reputedly learnt from their legendary founder.

Erebos, the legendary Master of Assassins
Knowing she would be no match for Sandalphon's killers, Murazel did the only thing she could think of -- she grabbed the boy and took off in a flutter of golden wings, to seek the help of the Dragon Knights.

Tieru's Plea
Who had hired the Blades of Erebos? Neither Murazel nor Tieru knew with certainty. But they believed it was someone who had access to the Conclave, or had informants within Flammschrein. They didn't think it was a Demon plot. Rather, the act of someone with the ambition of sitting on the throne, which would not have been possible had Brendan been confirmed alive.

The Dragon Knights had observed all the Dukes and Duchesses of the Holy Falcon Empire. Of them all, there was only one they had confidence could not have been the mastermind behind the attempt. And it was Ivan.

But Ivan was not happy with what he was hearing. If Brendan Falcon was alive, why keep it a secret any longer? The civil war had been raging on for years, and countless lives had been lost. Whoever had tried to kill the boy had failed, and it was time for the Falcon to come home. Only then the Empire would know peace.

But Tieru shook his head, and took Ivan to another part of the Hidden House. Brendan's chambers.

Tieru, the Druid turned Dragon Knight
Murazel had mentioned complications. Now Ivan understood what she meant. Brendan was 18 year old, almost a man. But his behaviour was that of a small child. Tieru explained that seeing his whole family massacred by the Demons in front of his young eyes had shattered the boy's mind. This Falcon would never rule.

Ivan finally asked why Murazel and Tieru had brought him to the Hidden House to tell him the whole story. He already knew the answer. Because the Falcon line must continue to maintain the balance, but the Dragon Knights would have it endure in secret, far from the Empire, where no Demon or treacherous Duke can put it -- and the rest of the world -- in danger. Yet the Empire needed an Emperor, and they believed Ivan himself was the best candidate, and therefore deserved to know the truth, to fully understand what was at stake.

When Ivan was brought back to Skarena, he refused to talk about what had happened. His mood was sombre, and so were his thoughts.

An empire at war

The year 849 YSD was the deadliest of the Ten Years War. In the west, the feud that had opposed the Unicorn and Greyhound Duchies had escalated into a three-way struggle following Seamus of Stag's northern invasion. Rowena of Unicorn had decided to push forward and lay siege to Enguerrand of Greyhound's fortress in Whitecliff. But behind her, all the way from the coast of Tirya Bay to the Rose Mountains, all was fire and blood.

In the east, Amílcar of Bull and his Black Guard reinforcements had dug deep into the Wolf's territory, taking Merlon and Stormdale, and marching on Chillbury. Stefan of Wolf had gathered his forces in Kriegspire and was preparing for a counter-attack. But he knew he had lost too many troops to the Orcs in the north. Sooner or later, the Wolf would kneel to the Bull. All he could hope was offer enough resistance to negotiate fair terms with Amílcar.

That's when Murazel appeared in Isegrim, Stefan's castle, with an offer. Ivan of Griffin was ready to pardon the Wolf's attack on his lands and strike an alliance against the Bull armies, if Stefan agreed to recognize Ivan's claim to the Falcon throne. All Wolf territories would be returned to their rightful lord.

What Ivan was offering was more than Stefan could hope from Amílcar, and Ivan knew it. Without even waiting for Stefan's answer, the Griffin armies entered the Bull Duchy and quickly captured the trade city of Waterway. Then he pressed south. The following months saw many battles, both in the Bull and Wolf Duchies. The combined armies of Ivan and Stefan even took Chiaroscuro itself, forcing Amílcar to flee to his summer palace, Cornadora, with his mercenary forces abandoning him to his fate. On the 14th day of the Month of the Radiant Crown, with two armies at his gates, the Duke of Bull finally yielded.

↧

The map of ashan (853 YSD)

February 12, 2015, 8:18 am

≫ Next: Academy's Magic Heroes

≪ Previous: Tales of the Ten Years War, part 7

Welcome, Shadows Councilors.

Many have you have expressed an interest to have a map of Ashan at hand to follow the story of the prequel articles, the Tales of the Ten Years War. The writer of these articles himself has been making an interactive Ashan Map using the website Mashupforge, in order to keep track of the various lands, cities, and other places of interest. Today we are sharing this map with you. It shows the lands of Thallan, the main continent of Ashan, at the time of Ivan’s Council (around 853 YSD).

Please keep in mind that this map was created by one person as a personal “writing aid”. It is constantly evolving, keeping track of the events unfolding in the various games of the Might & Magic franchise. While this map aims to be as canonical as possible, it may still contain a few inconsistencies. Also, some theoretical town locations might change when said towns actually appear in a game.

Use the sidebar on the left to show or hide the various items on the map, and the +/- symbols (or the wheel on your mouse) in the top right hand corner to zoom in and out. And don’t hesitate to click on the icons to display the locations’ names and descriptions (and sometimes pictures).

Have fun exploring these not-so-uncharted territories :)

Click to see the map on http://mashupforge.com/5423/8Z2tfc/

↧

Academy's Magic Heroes

February 13, 2015, 7:27 am

≫ Next: Battles in Heroes VII

≪ Previous: The map of ashan (853 YSD)

For all the other factions of Ashan, Magic equates to Faith. Magic powers are granted by the Dragon Gods, through their spiritual servants, to those who offer their worship and perform the correct rituals. Spells are miracles, gifts from the Gods.

For the Mages of Academy however, Magic is simply a higher form of knowledge that must be developed through extensive study of arcane lore (mainly the teachings of Sar-Elam) and a rigorous discipline.

Instead of praying to the Spirits, Mages bend them to their will. The main source of their magic is therefore in the spirits that serve them and the artifacts they create or collect, in which spirits of all magnitude are bound.

Mages from Academy are masters of all schools of magic with no discrimination. Their search for power and knowledge gives them access to all existing spells and has led them to develop new ways to use and combine them.

Magic Heroes from Academy are divided into 3 classes:

Battlemage,
Wizard,
Enchanter.

Battlemage

Battlemages are the masters of destructive magic. Experts of Lightning and Fire, they occasionally use Dark magic in battle. On the side, they are decent explorers and army leaders.

Main skills: Metamagic, Air Magic, Warfare

Wizard

Wizards are the great explorers of the Silver Cities. Great scholars and masters of Prime magic, they are decent administrators and diplomats. Their knowledge of magic is quite impressive, and it is noticeable that they are among the few Masters of Water magic on the surface of Ashan.

Main skills: Metamagic, Prime Magic, Paragon

Enchanter

Enchanters are the defenders of the Silver Cities, wielding unchallenged Earth magic and quite proficient in Light and Prime magic, they are pretty decent explorers, diplomats and scholars.

Main skills: Metamagic, Prime Magic, Earth magic

↧

Battles in Heroes VII

February 17, 2015, 9:35 am

≫ Next: [Closed] Win an invitation for a special day

≪ Previous: Academy's Magic Heroes

This article is about what changes, novelties and also current balancing tasks on Heroes VII’s battle system. You’ll find out the recipe is not really changed but we’re trying to make battles more interesting and varied.

For many of you, some of those elements can appear to be “implicit” but this website is a place for all kind of Heroes :)

1. Tactics phase

We discussed a lot about this feature and found out the tactical phase was too important to be reserved to certain Hero classes with the relevant skill, so in Heroes VII, all heroes can benefit from the tactical phase and deploy their troops according to their own tactics, though some Heroes, thanks to the Leadership skill, can improve the area where they can deploy during this phase.

Positioning your Cabir in the battle map

2. Armies layouts

In Heroes VII, we developed a system to have more flexibility when creating battle maps, which include the possibility to have custom deployment formations for CPU controller armies. It means the “ambush” formations seen in Heroes III are possible, as well as other exotic formation.

3. Boss battle maps

In Heroes VII, we don’t plan at the moment on having bosses because we want to stay in a paradigm of army vs army, so we are focusing on efforts in making unique battle maps using the tools we have developed. That means instead of one 4x4 creature with more health than a thousand champion units, you will fight a regular army, but in a map with specific shape and encumbrance, and with unique positioning of enemies. This will challenge your ability to adapt to a tactical situation that is out of the ordinary, while staying in the normal rules of the game.

4. Initiative

This is one endless topic of discussion, and we had a hard time getting a majority’s opinion from out studies in the community. Some prefer a dynamic initiative like in Heroes V, some prefer the classic “creature initiative-based” system. We decided to go for the latter, while trying to improve it. We know the timing of the Hero action in the turn is a critical element of a battle, and that relying on his creature’s initiative is debatable, but having the Hero in the initiative bar with its own initiative value proved to be impractical during our prototyping phase.

5. Flanking

Flanking in Heroes VII is an experiment which goal is to promote movement during battles and counter natural tendencies to turtling, even if more tools have been developed with that in mind, like more area of effect abilities and spells. Flanking grants damage bonuses to creatures attacking the flank or rear of an opponent. We had originally designed it as more powerful but our first tests have proven it wrong. Flanking is to be used as the main tool of the most mobile units like fliers and teleporters, but should only remain a “bonus” for most creatures.

6. Covers

Cover feature existed in Heroes VI but we tried to make it more obvious and efficient in Heroes VII. We’re working on a system to provide a clear preview of which enemies will have reduced damage when shooting at your creature, when you’re about to place said creature behind an obstacle to take cover. Placing your shooters in cover during tactics phases could improve your chances to rule the fight.

7. Retaliation system

Heroes VII will also feature Retaliation system. All creatures will be able to retaliate after the first melee attack they receive in the turn. Heroes need to be sure that their creatures do not suicide themselves when rushing on weak but devastating enemy units.

8. Defend action

The defend action in Heroes VII has a significant effect on a creature’s defense, making it not only a default action when you can’t do better but a real boost for a defensive tactics.

9. Wait

The wait order moves a creature back in the initiative bar, for the turn. Creature with higher initiative (the slowest) will wait longer than those with low initiative. Fast creature will then always act before slow ones. Each creature can only wait once a turn. This has a critical impact on how to manage enemy retaliations.

10. Hero attack

Heroes can act one a turn during a battle, when one of their creatures has the initiative. The default action is an attack, which is ranged and does not trigger retaliation. In Heroes VII, the power of this attack is currently balanced to allow a starting hero to kill 2-4 core units with one strike and a maximum level hero to be able to kill most champion units with one strike. Of course we will continue to reiterate and adjust those values until the very end of the development.

11. Hero spells and warcries

Heroes have two other major ways of intervening in the battle. Spells are powerful and affect enemy or allied troops immediately or during multiple turns, and they cost mana, so they are limited according to your investment in magic skills and abilities. Warcries are tactical options that grant bonuses to your troops and that can also be upgraded through one skill, reserved only for Might heroes, and warcries cost no mana.

12.Autocombat

Before engaging a battle, you are generally asked if you wish to play it manually or to let the statistics talk and do the job for you. In Heroes VII, we don’t want autocombat to challenge a real player’s ability, so unless the odds are greatly unbalanced, you’ll tend to lose more troops when using autocombat than if you play manually. Of course if you succeed in getting the upper hand and outnumber greatly your opponents, autocombat will allow you to smash your enemies as well.

↧

[Closed] Win an invitation for a special day

February 18, 2015, 10:14 am

≫ Next: Necropolis Update & important information

≪ Previous: Battles in Heroes VII

Thank you all for your participation, the contest is now over :) We will review the entries and contact winners in the next few days!

Hello Councillors,

Today, we have great news to share!

Indeed, during the second week of March the M&M Team will have the pleasure to receive a great selection of various gaming magazines and websites from different countries to present the game progress and unveil some new exciting information. This event will allow us to let the press put their hands on the game for the first time and discover the upcoming fierce & wild faction in exclusivity.

First previews of the game should be available after this event so we will do our best to deliver great Heroes experience!

At this occasion, we decided to dedicate one day to the community by inviting some contributors of this platform and M&M VIPs to our place. The objective of this special event will be to give some of you the opportunity to play the game but also meet and discuss with the team as Shadow Council representative!

Unfortunately we won’t be able to invite as many members as we would like to in order to represent this Council but we will start to contact some of you by email in the next few days among the top members of this platform. Due to the fact that we are located in Paris Area, we will give priority to closest members in order to invite a maximum of participants but other events might happen in the future in alternative areas.

However, we also wanted to give all of you a chance to be part of this event and will invite TWO additional members of this Council to join us!

The event will take place near Paris on Friday, March 13th. The winner will be invited by the M&M Team, with all logistic expenses covered (transport, hotel, etc.).

At the menu:

Friday 13
- Morning: Arrival
- Mid-day: Welcome and lunch
- Afternoon: Play and chat with the team
- Evening: Diner with the team
- Night: Let’s have a drink!
Saturday 14 Return

In order to participate to the contest you just have to share your passion for Might & Magic before February Wednesday 25th 00:00am CET.

To do so, all means are available: you can share in the comments section why you think you are the hardest Heroes fan, share pictures, videos or anything that could support this statement! Originality will be rewarded and even if you are not selected in the end, your contribution will be rewarded through this website.

The jury will be composed of the full M&M Ubisoft Team that will debate of who will join us for this glory day!

Of course, you will be able to share anything you want after this event, including your opinion about the game, the event, the interaction with the team etc. However, we will have to make you sign a non-disclosure-agreement to make sure that no information is shared before embargo time (end of March, exact date to be confirmed). We are sorry for this little counterpart but it is necessary for organizing this event that no information is “leaked” before the press is able to publish their news too. You might also be interviewed/photographed/recorded during this event for the purpose of an article in the Shadow Council.

We wish you all good luck for this event and are looking forward meeting some of you to share our passion all together!

↧

Necropolis Update & important information

February 19, 2015, 5:40 am

≫ Next: Update on game development

≪ Previous: [Closed] Win an invitation for a special day

Hello Councillors,

As you may have discovered, the Necropolis update is now live: https://mmh7.ubi.com/en/factions/necropolis
On this page, you will be able to discover CURRENT concept arts and animations of the Necropolis creatures.

Important information:

Today we decided to share with you our decision regarding Necropolis topic. As mentioned previously, we discussed internally the possibility to rework the 2D/3D designs of 1 or 2 creatures of the faction (see here for more information: https://mmh7.ubi.com/en/blog/post/view/necro-a-word-from-the-team)

Creating new models for a creature is a costly and time consuming process. Indeed, this could imply severe impact on various aspect of the game (gamedesign, animations, campaigns, etc.), that is the reason why we took the time to estimate the cost and impact on game progress.

Nevertheless, the different actors of this development agreed to operate changes on two creatures design: The Lich & the Vampire.

We hope this decision was for the best of the game and the community.

Stay tuned for more information about this topic in the upcoming weeks.
The M&M Team.

↧

Update on game development

February 24, 2015, 9:45 am

≫ Next: Contest results - MMH7 Paris Fanday

≪ Previous: Necropolis Update & important information

Hello Councillors,

Today we would like to share with you a small update on the game development.

Production is currently in full swing and our team is currently hard at work on the game Alpha. Alpha means a lot of things to a lot of people, so let’s try to explain what we mean by that.

One important stage for any project is to reach a point where all your features are implemented, even in a rough state. Implemented means that now all the important gears are in place and won’t change drastically. They are no more paper-ware, but real pieces of software & systems that interact together to form a coherent whole. At some point, all important part of the game are implemented and that’s what you call an Alpha. At least that’s one of the meanings of the term :)

The team is currently busy on that front. We had in the past few months some important milestones that were designed specifically to reach an Alpha stage on the core gameplay elements.

For example, our December milestone objective was simple in terms of vision but complex to fulfill: delivering a 100% playable map from A to Z with all basic elements and features. That new alpha was quite a success and meant we had solid foundations on which we can build and expand! At the end of this month, we also have a second important milestone that will build upon this Alpha stage through iteration. This also means a good opportunity to ensure great content to come in this blog and we hope that during the coming months, we will be able to show you some of those progresses through articles and videos.

But Alpha also means content. So while the coders are busy building a great piece of software, level designers and writers are buildings great campaigns using our powerful map editor. And at some point, those campaigns will reach an Alpha stage, rough diamonds we will then polish until we get shiny maps for you to play.

In addition to this quick description, we would like to offer you a greater visibility on the current development advancement. Of course this is just a rough summary and not a precise extract from our current sprints and planning.

Please keep in mind that even if some elements are finals (or are close to be), we won’t be able to unveil all of them in advance since they are often linked to additional constraints or decisions.

Adventure map

The full gameplay experience is already present in the adventure map; Heroes are able to ride through different unique settings and interact with many levers including: resources, dwellings, artifacts, interactions with other heroes, scripted events etc. The main interface is almost final but we will continue to improve the UI for all story-telling/fight popups for instance. Maps will continue to offer different layers with deep undergrounds and various exciting universes to explore through the fog of war. Puzzle maps is a working feature but visuals still are in the production process for all factions. Now that fundamentals are strong, we will be able to focus even more on content creation and thanks to our tools, add more and more polish.

Combat map

Combat features also are implemented: Heroes, creatures, animations, spells etc. Even if interface is close to final, we will review the sign-&-feedback elements and improve the integration of key information such as stack number and unit description. We already have a nice range of combat maps, offering great diversity in terms of ambience, layout and size.

Hero Management

Unfortunately it is a bit too early for us to be able to share more information about all “RPG” elements of the game but of course Heroes VII will allow you to develop your Heroes skills and inventories. This part is implemented in the current version of the game but interfaces (hero screen, leveling interface, skill wheel etc.) are work in progress and will be revealed soon.

Town Management

Most elements are here already functional but we will continue to improve some visual elements and interface windows for all recruiting/trade/spying/caravan features in the upcoming months.

Story & Music

The storyline of the game is complete and our writers have been polishing it for almost two years now to offer an exciting campaign mode to the title. You were already able to have an overview of the origins of this story with the Tales of Ten Year Wars articles. As for the soundtrack, all faction themes are achieved and you already had the opportunity to discover some extracts from Paul & Rob amazing work in this website.

Factions

First of all, as you may know if you are following this website on a regular basis, we now have our complete roster for Heroes VII release day. Indeed, the community has been heard and you decided to integrate Sylvan and Dungeon to the tale of Ivan. You have already been introduced to the Haven, Academy and Necropolis line-ups. The next one you will be able to see is Stronghold. It is already fully playable with 3D models and animations implemented. Some polish is still required and we are waiting for a special event to share it with you, but be prepared for something big, wild and fierce! On the art side, the council of Ivan is now complete and you will discover the 6 Councillors and their precious learnings in the coming months.

Level design

Campaigns are at varying stages of production. Some like Haven, Stronghold, Academy and Necropolis are already quite advanced. For instance Haven and Stronghold are close to Beta on some maps, with all the bells and whistles. At the same time, some are more in the planning stage. You remember that our dev team had to wait for the closing of the votes to start working on Dungeon and Sylvan. But don’t worry, as our production planning is set to get them in great shape as the other ones.

↧

Contest results - MMH7 Paris Fanday

February 25, 2015, 11:25 am

≫ Next: Limbic Entertainment – Introduction Part I

≪ Previous: Update on game development

Hello Councillors,

Today we have the great pleasure (but also the difficult task) to announce the winners of our Paris Fanday contest!

First of all, we would like to thank you all for your participation! Even after 20 years, the passion remains strong in this community and we received moving testimonies from all over the globe. Most of you discovered this game when they were really young and kept fighting for the best of the franchise since then. We knew that our community was devoted, but it is even clearer today.

Thank you for your true words, your creations and your passion.

Before breaking the news, we would like to remind you that this might not be our last event and we will keep this Council at the center of our attention. All participants will also be rewarded in the upcoming weeks with special bonuses in this website, stay tuned!

This decision really was hard to take and so we are sorry for all the other members that would have deserved to be part of us for this day. We decided to invite a few more people than originally planned but many others have our complete recognition today.

The time has come, you will find underneath the complete list of attendees for the Paris event from the Shadow Council:

GalaadleHaut
BeYo_OnD
Lizard_Warrior
EmeraldPhoenix
JotunLogi
Xiaraz
Roch-Silverfang

Congratulations to all participants!

Don’t forget that this is the list of your representatives so do not hesitate to prepare questions you would like them to ask to the team during the event!

If your name is on the list, please contact us as soon as possible using the email mentioned in this article (don’t forget to add your username): https://mmh7.ubi.com/en/blog/post/view/closed-win-an-invitation-for-a-special-day

Thank you again Councillors.

↧

Limbic Entertainment – Introduction Part I

February 26, 2015, 9:19 am

≫ Next: Tales of the Ten Years War, part 8

≪ Previous: Contest results - MMH7 Paris Fanday

As previously announced, we will be hosting a press event in March with first hands-on. This is an important milestone for the project and the team is doing its bet to provide an exciting demo for the journalist but also for the Shadow Council representatives!

Thus, we might be a bit busy in the upcoming weeks due to the organization of this event and might have to slow down a bit in terms of content during this short period. It is indeed difficult to retrieve information from devs or other members of the team at the current time since their mind is 200% focused on this key event! However, this also means that we will have some cool stuff to share with you afterwards!

For now, we would like to take this opportunity to share with you more information about the studio behind the development of Heroes VII and introduce little by little the different teams through interviews and testimonies.

Please also give a warm welcome to Limbic-Jaelle, she will be the one sharing news and testimonies from the Studio with you all!

Let's start right away with Limbic Entertainment studio overview!

What is Limbic?

Limbic Entertainment is an independent game development studio based in Langen, Germany.

Its core competencies are game design, programming, hosting and maintaining games. Since Limbic Entertainment was founded, the company has released more than 60 product versions, published in more than a dozen languages.

Limbic Entertainment was founded in September 2002 by the former Sunflowers-employees Stephan Winter, Eike Radunz and Alexander Frey.

Regarding the Might & Magic-franchise, Limbic Entertainment worked on both Might & Magic Heroes VI DLCs and Shades of Darkness extension. Besides that, Limbic was responsible for the development of Might & Magic X- Legacy and now Might & Magic Heroes VII.

Why Limbic?

In Latin "limbic" is a term for a part of the central nervous system, which is well connected to the mid brain. The limbic system is associated with certain autonomic functions and various emotions including pleasure, fear and happiness.

That's what we want to achieve with our games as well.

The Location

Some may imagine a Gamedev studio as something really interesting, full of cool people. Well, they are right.

Just a few months ago I entered the building of Limbic Entertainment studios for the first time by myself.

Let me guide you through my experiences.

The building itself

The studio of Limbic Entertainment is located in Langen, right next to the Flight Control. From the outside you can't tell the difference to the other companies in the neighborhood, but you feel it in that very moment, when you're entering the door.

Silver-and-blue dominates the style of the interior. The white walls are covered with posters and artworks all over the place.

Over two floors you'll find the work spaces of the management and bureau staff, level designers, game designers, content creators and game programmers. They count up to almost 70 people – and there will be more!

The art of Limbic

Many work spaces have some special styles, as well as some walls around them. They are as different as their owners. Figurines, pictures, nerdy gadgets or flowers... everybody brought some personality into their surroundings.

Freedom

Beside the kitchen there is a community room as well, where the employees can share their free time together. This happens on lunch break or after work. There are even consoles and Magic the Gathering- cards for gaming! Sometimes there are playing-events for the whole crew.

In summer there's a BBQ-spot as well. Smooth!

Conclusion

Working at Limbic is challenging and boosting as well as fun and inspiring. I hope I was able to get you a glimpse inside the Dev's Location.

Next time, I'm telling you something about Limbic Entertainment, I will spread a few words about the units, which are working on Might & Magic Heroes VII.

Cheers,
Limbic-Jaelle

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Tales of the Ten Years War, part 8

March 3, 2015, 5:18 am

≫ Next: March Screenshots

≪ Previous: Limbic Entertainment – Introduction Part I

Previous episodes

The following months saw many battles, both in the Bull and Wolf Duchies. The combined armies of Ivan and Stefan even took Chiaroscuro itself, forcing Amílcar to flee to his summer palace, Cornadora, with his mercenary forces abandoning him to his fate. On the 14th day of the Month of the Radiant Crown, with two armies at his gates, the Duke of Bull finally yielded.

Tales of the Ten Years War

850 YSD – The Stag Emperor

An Unexpected Announcement

After the defeat of Amílcar, the alliance between Griffin and Wolf marched west, with the intent of supporting Rowena of Unicorn who was struggling to wage war on two opposite fronts. But soon after they had passed the border between the Bull and Greyhound Duchies, unexpected messengers presented themselves to every single commander, generals, and of course Duke and Duchess. To say these couriers materialized out of thin air would not be an overstatement. They were the Glories of Elrath.

These Light Elementals were often used by the Church of Light when they needed to deliver messages in a timely fashion. This time, the message the Glories were delivering was simple: an Emperor had been chosen. And that Emperor was none other than Seamus na Feidh, Duke of Stag.

The news came as a great shock and surprise to most belligerants, as the Church had remained relatively quiet in the previous years, and after the debacle of the Conclave of the New Dawn, their legitimacy to choose a new ruler for the Empire was heavily disputed. As it turned out, the Church had rallied behind the charismatic figure of Archbishop Wilhelm. A hero of the War of the Broken Staff, Wilhelm had chosen to support Seamus’ claim, and had managed to convince the ecclesiastical authorities to do the same, in the interest of pacifying an Empire that was ripping itself apart.

After seven years of war, the people of the Holy Empire were all too willing to let the Church decide who should rule them in exchange of a return to peace and stability.

Seamus na Feidh, Duke of Stag

Immediately, Enguerrand of Greyhound and Amílcar of Bull put their pride and ambition aside and swore featly to the new Emperor. A few weeks later, under pressure from her people, Rowena of Unicorn had to lay down arms and bend the knee. But while the announcement had effectively brought a temporary end to the fighting, peace was still a faraway dream, as Ivan and Stefan still refused to acknowledge the new Emperor.

The Inner Crusades
Seamus set his imperial court in Horncrest, which was already the capitol of the Stag Duchy. One of his first imperial decrees was to repatriate the Crusader Orders. These regiments were the remnants of the forces that had once hunted the Orc rebels to the ends of the known world. Scattered in the Sahaar Desert and other dangerous areas on the Empire’s borders, the Crusaders had spent the last few centuries keeping a watchful eye on the Empire’s neighbours. Only the Emperor had the power to recall them.

Horncrest, capitol of the Stag Duchy

In a public address amidst the ruins of Falcon’s Reach, Seamus tasked the Crusaders with bringing bread and other resources to the most devastated areas of his dominion, crafting for himself the image of a just and generous ruler. He quickly became popular among the citizens of the Empire.

Ambassadors of the neighbouring nations made the trip to Seamus’ court, to gauge the new master of the world’s most powerful nation. We are lucky that the delegation sent by the Silver Cities included none than Ivan’s old “friend”, Tanis of House Anima. After a few months at Seamus’ court, Tanis began sending Ivan reports of the matters discussed in Horncrest, and what was truly going on in the Stag Emperor’s lands.

Seamus had explained the Crusaders would help restore order and justice in the Empire, as most of the Empire’s armies had been decimated during the seven years of inner conflict. But Tanis’ information made apparent that their real purpose was actually to enforce Seamus’ authority, by force of arms if needed.

A Crusader commander
Many arrests were made to get rid of “seditious elements”. Villages were burnt to the ground for having displayed sympathies towards Ivan or Stefan in the past. While Seamus was distributing bread in one of the Empire’s corner, his Crusaders were perpetrating mass executions in another.

Resumption of Hostilities

Even after Tanis’ reports had been confirmed by my own agents, Ivan was not willing to take any action against the Emperor. There was one last person he wanted to get in touch with before going to war. That person was Nolwenn, Seamus’ eldest daughter, with whom Ivan was in a relationship before the war. Ivan remembered Seamus as a good man that Nolwenn loved dearly -- he needed to know how much of it remained in the man now sitting on the imperial throne.

After many manoeuvres and shenanigans that would be too long and tedious to detail here and now, I managed to arrange a meeting between Nolwenn and Ivan in Talonguard, a castle built by Ivan’s ancestor Anton of Griffin.

Nolwenn na Feidh, Seamus’ daughter
According to Nolwenn, her father had grown obsessed with the idea of becoming Emperor after Maeve’s death. Now that he had achieved his goal, he was subject to frequent mood swings, as well as fits of anger and depression. At first Nolwenn had interpreted this behaviour as resulting from the -- understandable -- stress of his new responsibility, and had been doing her best to appease him. But Seamus was becoming less and less tolerant of his daughters’ kindness, even growing suspicious of her motives. A few days earlier, he had accused her of conspiring against him. Nolwenn was pained to admit it, but her love for her father was turning to fear.

By the time she left, Ivan had made up his mind. Using Talonguard as his base of operations, he would gather his and Stefan’s forces, march on Horncrest and remove Seamus from the Holy Throne. Of course, thanks to the information I had obtained on my end, he already knew that beyond the borders of the Stag Duchy, Seamus was also preparing for war…

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March Screenshots

March 5, 2015, 10:33 am

≫ Next: Necropolis Might Heroes

≪ Previous: Tales of the Ten Years War, part 8

Hello Councillors,

We know that you are thirsting for news and even if we can’t produce a lot of content at the moment due to the press-event, we decided to share with you a bit more of Heroes VII screenshots :)

We will have a lot more of interesting visuals and information to share after the previews so stay tuned!

As usual, Please keep in mind that in those screenshots:

- We didn’t used default camera angle & high to allow a better overview of environments
- Armies were set randomly / resources are random
- Creatures/Heroes/Items scales are not final at all
- There are glitches and work in progress assets
- Visual quality is not final too etc.

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Necropolis Might Heroes

March 10, 2015, 6:44 am

≫ Next: Necropolis Magic Heroes

≪ Previous: March Screenshots

Hello Councillors,

Dissidents in the Seven Cities, Necromancers were first persecuted and hunted. However today, they stand in the rear of waves of undead armies, countless in number, infinitely obedient and immune to fear or pain. Heroes from Necropolis can raise dead enemies to reinforce their ranks and replace their own fallen lines thanks to their racial ability: Necromancy.

Discover today the Might Heroes from Necropolis:

Ebon Knight,
Death Knight,
Bone Guard.

Ebon Knight

As all members of House Eterna, Ebon Knights can raise the dead to reinforce their army after each battle, but their talents are best used on the battlefield itself, as they can leverage the full extent of warcries, warfare units, offensive maneuvers and spells to send their enemies to Asha. They are also experts of dark magic, casting terrifying spells to weaken their foes even more.

Main skills: Necromancy, Offense, Dark Magic

Death Knight

Death Knights are the spearheads of the Undead armies, usually tasked with expanding the Necromancer’s dominion. On the frontier, Death Knights can take control of new settlements and towns and manage their growth more efficiently. But while they are good administrators they remain masters of Necromancy, able to raise large armies of skeletal regiments to serve their purpose.

Main skills: Necromancy, Warfare, Economy

Bone Guard

As patient as death itself, Bone Guards are the protectors of Heresh. Masters of Necromancy, they can raise and control Undead armies, but they also know when to negotiate the surrender of their enemies instead of killing them. Make no mistake though, when a fight to the death cannot be avoided, these heroes won’t hesitate to unleash devastating forces on their enemies.

Main skills: Necromancy, Defense, Diplomacy

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Necropolis Magic Heroes

March 12, 2015, 8:11 am

≫ Next: The forgotten track

≪ Previous: Necropolis Might Heroes

Hello Councillors,

Emissaries of Asha, Magic Heroes of Necropolis also master the secret art of Necromancy, focusing on the erosion of the body and domination of the spirit. Thanks to their powerful spells they erode the will of their enemies before bringing them down to the graves and back in the ranks of their own armies…

Discover today the Magic Heroes from Necropolis:

Necromancer,
Embalmer,
Archon.

Necromancer

The Wizards of House Eterna are powerful spellcasters, using dark, prime and water magic to terrify, hurt, slow or freeze their enemies, before raising their corpses to reinforce their own troops. Aside from their magical abilities, tough, they are also skilled commanders on the battlefield, capable of dealing a fair amount of damage using offensive abilities and the power of their warfare units.

Main skills: Necromancy, Dark Magic, Offense

Embalmer

Embalmers are the keepers of balance. Educated and passionate, they have an interest for both the dead and the living. Powerful spellcasters, they rely on both Prime and Dark magic, but their talents are not limited to magic, and they also knowledgeable in economy and diplomacy. When it comes to battle, however, they are not to be underestimated: they too can raise the dead to fight on their behalf.

Main skills: Necromancy, Prime Magic, Paragon

Archon

Masters of time, Archons learned the art of Necromancy from Belketh, the Angel of Death, himself. They still use dark magic and even fire magic from time to time, but they are scholars first and foremost, students of Asha’s eternal cycle of Life and Death. Less fanatical than the other members of the Spider Cult, they act defensively in battle, and wear down their foes with infinite patience.

Main skills: Necromancy, Prime Magic, Defense

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The forgotten track

March 16, 2015, 11:32 am

≫ Next: Haven’s Hall of Heroes

≪ Previous: Necropolis Magic Heroes

Here's a funny story that happened a few days ago.

While moving some boxes around the office, one of our designers came across some archives from the 3DO days.

Browsing through that box, he found a CD labelled "Heroes 1-3 Best-Of Music". That seemed a great thing to listen to while working on Heroes VII. But after a few well-known tracks, suddenly his ears were filled with a haunting melody he had never heard before!

He immediately sent the track to the Heroes composers, Rob King and Paul Romero, hoping they could tell him more about it. While they remembered the track itself, they didn't recall where it was supposed to be used originally.

After some more research, he discovered that the mystery track had been used as an alternate Sorceress town theme in the "Millenium Edition" release of Heroes II. That version of the game had a strange soundtrack, with many
town themes being replaced by their Heroes III counterparts, weirdly. So where does this mystery track really come from? Maybe it was meant to be the town theme for the Forge faction before it was scrapped? Nobody remembers...

In any case, it's always a pleasure to discover a forgotten piece of Heroes music! :)
https://soundcloud.com/paul-anthony-romero/mystery-theme-from-homm-3-by-paul-anthony-romero-rob-king

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Haven’s Hall of Heroes

March 17, 2015, 9:17 am

≫ Next: Tales Of The Ten Years War, Part 9

≪ Previous: The forgotten track

Document sans nom

Today, we wanted to share with you the portraits, bios and specializations of some of the Haven Heroes you’ll be able to hire in the Hall of Heroes in skirmish or multiplayer maps. While they are not the main characters of the campaigns, some of these characters might play a role in the stories.

Longtime Heroes fans might also recognize some familiar faces :)

Keep in mind all of this is still work in progress, especially the class attributions and specializations.

KRYZSTOFF

Race: Human
Affinity: Magic
Class: Inquisitor
Specialization: Spellweaver (Hero starts with +X Magic)

Biography: Kryzstoff rules a small barony located on the contested border between the Griffin and Wolf Duchies. Maybe because his parents gave him a name that nobody seems to be able to write correctly, he grew into a punctilious and pernickety man, which made him the perfect material to join the ranks of the Inquisition. Make no mistake though: he is very much a man of action, and his meticulousness even made him an efficient spellcaster. As a result, the white eagle that adorns his blazon is quite often soaked in his enemies' red blood.

TYRIS

Race: Human
Affinity: Might
Class: Paladin
Specialization: Cavalry Officer (Increases the production of Cavaliers and Cuirassiers by X/week in the Area of Control.)

Biography: Tyris comes a prestigious line of horse riders and trainers. She made her ancestors proud by becoming the first woman to win the tournament held every 30 years to commemorate Richard of Unicorn's legendary victories in the jousting arena against Duke Siegfried of Wolf's champions. Following her victory, Tyris was awarded a knighthood and an officer rank in the Duke of Unicorn's armies. It is during a tour of duty in the Seven Cities that she met the one who would become her husband, Edric.

YMORIL

Race: Human
Affinity: Might
Class: Paladin
Specialization: Justicar Captain (Increases the production of Guardians and Justicars by X/week in the Area of Control.)

Biography: Hailing from Hammer Fall, Ymoril Redshield is a young captain trained by Konrad Wolf in person. Ymoril lost her parents at a very young age and Konrad, who had just been appointed governor of the city, adopted her as his own daughter. Ymoril grew into a capable fighter but also a wise administrator, and she has the full trust of her foster father.

EDRIC

Race: Human
Affinity: Might
Class: Vindicator
Specialization: Beast Tamer (Increases the production of Wolves or Griffins by X/week in the Area of Control.)

Biography: Born in the Seven Cities, Edric was named after the imperial Crusader who saved his father's life when the scholar fell prey to a pride of Griffins he intended to study. While the anecdote ensured Edric would grow up fascinated with Griffins, he was never too fond of his "exotic" moniker, until a peculiar event changed his life forever. It is indeed his very name that caught the interest and curiosity of Tyris, the beautiful gold-headed knight who stole Edric's heart. The young Blademage left the Seven Cities to follow his beloved back to the Unicorn Duchy, and never looked back.

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Tales Of The Ten Years War, Part 9

March 18, 2015, 11:11 am

≫ Next: Album - Press/Fanday Event

≪ Previous: Haven’s Hall of Heroes

Previous episodes

Using Talonguard as his base of operations, Ivan would gather his and Stefan’s forces, march on Horncrest and remove Seamus from the Holy Throne. Of course, thanks to the information I had obtained on my end, he already knew that beyond the borders of the Stag Duchy, Seamus was also preparing for war…

Tales of the Ten Years War

851 YSD – Scars of War

The Price of Loyalty

On the other side of the North River, Seamus was moving his troops. Regiments sporting the green and gold banner of the Stag were gathering around Dun Carria. He called upon his vassals to become his first line of defense against the Griffin-Wolf alliance. Amílcar of Bull himself was given command of Ronan’s Gate, the old Angelic fortress built on the Stag border, just north of the hill where Falcon’s Reach once stood.

While many would have seen it as an honour, the proud Amílcar was reportedly not too happy to become “Seamus’ doorman”.

Meanwhile, Enguerrand of Greyhound’s forces marched north, althrough their progress was slowed down near Timberwood during a series of skirmishes with a company of Windswords led by Andras of Hammer Fall, a mercenary of honourable reputation. Now mercenaries only work if an employer pays them. I have gethered clues leading me to believe Andras might have been hired by Irollan to impede Seamus’ war effort, although other clues have drawn my suspicions towards the merchant guild of Eridan Crossing.

Coincidentally, Rowena of Unicorn’s own contribution to Seamus’ reinforcements was much lower than expected. According to the Redhead of Yorwick, too many of her soldiers had died during the last seven years of conflict, and these meagre forces were all she had left. And while this in itself doesn’t prove anything, my spied report that Rowena asked her captains to reach the Stag Duchy through less-traveled roads – more specifically, not the ones Enguerrand’s troops had taken…

Seamus’ eyes were fixated on Talonguard, where Ivan had moved his quarters. Back in the sixth century, Talonguard had been established as a peaceful refuge, where Empress Gwendolyn and her consort, Anton, could escape from the politics and endless intrigue of the imperial capitol. War was now reclaiming it.

Winds of War

By the early days of spring, Ivan made his move. His target was not Dun Carria, as Seamus was expecting, but Brynwood. If the Griffin-Wolf alliance could take this city, then it would have an almost open road towards Horncrest. While Ivan’s forces were entering the Stag’s domain from the south, Stefan of Wolf was launching a simultaneous attack from the east.

While I admire my lord’s audacity, I have to say his plan was far from faultless. Seamus had been at war before, and was not so easily fooled. He also had the council of Archbishop Wilhelm, who had fought a long war of attrition against Archon Belketh in the War of the Broken Staff. The Stag Emperor ordered several regiments stationed in Forkriver to reinforce Brynwood’s garrison, while Enguerrand’s armies were sent to Meadowfair, providing a crude, but efficient second line of defence.

Archbishop Wilhelm
To counter Seamus’ tactics, Ivan was finding himself forced to change his plans in all haste and press north. He needed Stefan to be successful at Brynwood, as they would then be able to reunite their forces to march on Meadowfair. But first, he had to capture Forkriver.

Ivan thought of himself as a man of honour, a man that would spare innocent life when possible. But there’s no such thing as a clean war, and time was of the essence -- Ivan needed to cut Forkriver’s supplies without delay, to avoid a long siege that would only benefit Seamus. There was only one way to achieve this goal: burn the fields, the farms, the orchards. Peasants who refused to abandon their lands were left to burn with them. That’s how Ivan gained the first of many nicknames: Ivan of the Ashes.

Following Brynwood’s fall, the Wolf and Griffin gathered their forces and marched west, towards Horncrest, leaving a trail of fire and death behind them. In the Stag lands, he was not even known as Ivan anymore -- he was the Bloody Griffin, Ivan the Starver, Lord Cold-heart, the Bane of the North, the Oathbreaker, the Betrayer. Each of these nicknames became a burning scar on his soul. Ivan’s plan was back on track, at the price of his reputation.

Seamus’ armies, led by the Stag Emperor himself, had joined Enguerrand’s troops in Meadowfair. As autumn descended on the lands of the Stag Duchy, the greatest battle of the year 851 was about to begin. But you already know it ended – had things gone differently, this council would have no reason to be held. Meadowfair was the Griffin’s darkest hour.

The Gathering Storm

You probably heard the story of the duel Ivan fought against Seamus on the battlefield. How the “traitorous” Duke of Griffin had once again underestimated his opponent. How Seamus was not only a skilled swordsman, but also a master of the arcane arts, how his magic had turned the tide of the battle, and how the renegades were forced to run for their lives “as if Crag Hack himself was on their heels”, as the old proverb goes.

But Ivan and Seamus never actually crossed swords in Meadowfair. As always, truth and legend intertwine. The Stag Emperor indeed proved a powerful magician, but it is precisely why he was actually far behind the frontlines, using his magic to support for his troops, and not in the melee. The one Ivan really faced that day was Enguerrand of Greyhound. Enguerrand was wielding the Blade of Loyalty, one of the seven bastard swords of Elrath.

History likes to repeat itself. Once, Ivan had shattered the Blade of Truth with his own Blade of Revelation. On that autumn day, amidst the blood-soaked fields of Meadowfair, the Blade of Loyalty ran through Ivan’s sword, Iron Feather, the sword once wielded by the founder of the Griffin line, and broke it into dozens of pieces. An iron shard flew into Ivan’s face, opening a gaping wound across the right side of his noble visage. It is a miracle he didn’t lose his eye.

The Blade of Loyalty could never lose against a betrayer…

As Enguerrand was about to strike the fatal blow, putting an end to Ivan’s rebellion, a strange bird came out of nowhere and distracted the Duke of Greyhound, giving Ivan’s loyal Master-of-Arms, Kente, an opportunity to take his wounded lord away. Suddenly ice and lightning were raining on the Stag and Greyhound soldiers, causing great confusion across their ranks. As the mysterious blue bird guided Kente and Ivan to safety, it became apparent the delegation from the Silver Cities – or at least part of it – had decided to turn against Seamus.

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Album - Press/Fanday Event

March 19, 2015, 8:15 am

≫ Next: Academy’s Hall of Heroes

≪ Previous: Tales Of The Ten Years War, Part 9

Hello Councillors,

Last week we had the great pleasure to give the opportunity to journalists and fans to play MMH7 for the first time! Through 3 intense days, the team shared its progress and its passion with players from all over the world. Several announces were made and new content has been unveiled but you will have to stay patient a little longer to know more… :)

Today, we wanted to share with you a bit more of those events and take the time to thanks the whole team for their great work and all attendees for those fascinating days!

Some representatives of this Council honored us with their presence; it was a real pleasure to exchange with true fans!

After news embargo date, you will be able to discover first previews of the game, new content on the website but also hear feedback from your fellow Councillors! Stay tuned!

The Press-Event

A lot to do!

We are ready to go!

This is where the magic happens!

Do you remember our Gamescom CGI Trailer?

After playing, some journalists wanted to do an interview with the team. Please meet Oakwarrior, former M&M VIP who joined the team as programmer!

The Fan-Day

Our precious guests and some team members!

Let’s play and discuss with the team!

After a long playing session, some SC members conducted interviews with Erwan & Marzhin

Unfortunately the day is already over :(

Breaking News: A masked man assaulted Erwan le Breton on his way home...

↧

Academy’s Hall of Heroes

March 24, 2015, 10:55 am

≫ Next: Vote for the Lich design!

≪ Previous: Album - Press/Fanday Event

Today, we wanted to share with you the portraits, bios and specializations of some of the Academy Heroes you’ll be able to hire in the Hall of Heroes in skirmish or multiplayer maps. While they are not the main characters of the campaigns, some of these characters might play a role in the stories. Longtime Heroes fans might also recognize some familiar faces :)

Keep in mind all of this is still work in progress, especially the class attributions and specializations.

MINASLI

Race: Human
Affinity: Magic
Class: Wizard
Specialization: Master of Water (Increases Magic by X when casting spells of this school.)

Biography: Minasli was the type of child who takes things apart to find out how they work. Studying magic was a slow process for her because she was more interested in deconstructing spells than learning new ones, much to her tutors' annoyance. Her natural curiosity and thoroughness served her well in the end, though: impressed by the knowledge she has acquired, Headmaster Theodorus has recently asked Minasli to become the new teacher of Magical theory.

MIRYM

Race: Half-Elf
Affinity: Magic
Class: Enchanter
Specialization: Protector (Hero starts with Defense skill rank 1 and the “Town Protector” ability.)

Biography: Mirym is a half-breed, the son of a famous Knight of the Empire and a Dark Elf sorceress. Seen by many as an anomaly, even an abomination, Mirym struggled to find his place in the world until he joined the Academies of Magic, where questions of race and origins do not matter. Mirym decided to embrace the open-mindedness wholeheartedly. He swore to never let any bias or prejudice cloud his judgment, and has made friends in all the major Houses.

ASAD

Race: Rakshasa
Affinity: Might
Class: Blademage
Specialization: Rakshasa Officer (Increases the production of Rakshasas and Rakshasa Rajas by X/week in the area of control.))

Biography: Asad al-Kzin is charming, smart, haughty and a tad sadistic – pretty much what you would expect a giant cat to be. However, do not let is laidback and indolent attitude fool you: when the situation calls for it, Asad can become a remorseless and merciless killer in the blink of an eye. Of course, he'd rather kill only when it serves his own interests, but sometimes you just have to enjoy the small pleasures in life.

SAABIRA

Race: Human
Affinity: Might
Class: Alchemist
Specialization: Cabir Summoner (Increases the production of Cabeiri by X/week.)

Biography: Saabira is one of the greatest Archmages of House Chimera, and has specialized in the creation of Beastmen. Her mastery of the art of fusing man and animal allowed her to join the Circle of Nine, the ruling council of the Academies. After the great revolts, she has been working on new ways to enforce the obedience of her creations, and to ensure they remain harmless -- that is, until she doesn't want them to be. In the meantime, she uses summoned spirits like Cabeiri to do her bidding.

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