Fanday Interviews!

Hello Councillors,

Three weeks ago, some members of this Council joined us for the first M&M Heroes VII Fanday.

Today, we have the great pleasure to give them the floor and share with you all their feedback about this particular event! Many of you have been asking for their feeling about the title, here are their answers!

A big thanks to all our attendees for their passion and for this amazing day again!  (& for their answers of course :))

All of those testimonies have been published "as is", representing unaltered feedback from community members. Please keep in mind that they are based on a work in progress version of the title and should not be considered as official information sources.

In this article you might also discover some Councillors that weren’t mentioned here before. Indeed, a second smaller event was also organized in the US to offer the possibility to more fans to discover the game!

Enjoy your reading!

1. Hello Councillors, could you please quickly introduce yourself to this Shadow Council and share your background with the M&M franchise?

• BeYo_OnD= Hi, I'm BeYo_OnD, but I'm better known as Stevie, especially on the Heroes Community boards. My first contact with the M&M universe was probably with Heroes 2, but I was so young back then I can't remember much. However, I really enjoyed Heroes 3 and got to play all the other Heroes games that followed. My favorite one is Heroes 5 only because of gameplay, not because of Ashan. My least favorite one is Heroes 6. Unfortunately, I didn't knew about the RPGs so I never got to play any of the old ones, but I gave a try to the newer M&M X - Legacy and I liked it very much. I also played Duel of Champions and Heroes Online for a while.

• Roch= I'm Roch, 27 years old, from France. I'm an old player of Heroes of Might and Magic series, since the first. But I was very young… The oldest game of this series which I remember the most is H3, of course! It marked profoundly my personal heroic-fantasy universe and I spent many years on this game. It's my favorite. I have a true love for the H4 too, its fairy-like graphics and its AMAZING OPERA-SONGS soundtrack! The best Heroes of Might and Magic OST! Do you agree with me? I really like H5, and I'm disgusting by H6 for all reasons you know. I love especially beasts or beastmen creatures: Wolves, Gryphon, Gnolls, Cabir, Rakshasas, Dragons, Wyvern..

• Socketboy= I am a longtime fan of the series, starting back with Heroes of Might and Magic 2. I had been a fan and re-playing the older games for years, so when I heard that Ubisoft planned to revive the series with Heroes 5, I was ecstatic. I was invited to join the VIP group and have been very humbled and excited to be included in the development processes for Heroes 6 and now Heroes 7 as well.

• SlumbrousShip5= My shadow council name is SlumbrousShip5 (randomly generated name) and I have been playing Heroes of might and magic since I was in the first grade, about 15 years ago. I am a huge fan of the old games. My first purchase was the Millennium edition which let me discover Heroes one, two, and three! The series defined the genre of turn based strategy games for me and has given countless hours of fun throughout the years.

• Micutz= Hello there, I’m known as Micutz on Shadow Council and I played Heroes of Might and Magic from 3 to 6 including and Might and Magic X Legacy. My favourite one is Heroes of M&M V Tribes of The East.

• EmeraldPhoenix= Hello everyone! I`m EmeraldPhoenix – a Heroes fan from Slovenia :) I was introduced to the Heroes of might and magic series by my uncle when I was very small by watching him play HOMM 3 and 4. Slowly he thought me how to play… And that`s how my love for the series began!

• JotunLogi= Hello Everyone, I am 'JotunLogi', a 24 years old student living in Poland. My adventure with M&M universe has begun around 1999 with Heroes of Might and Magic 2. I have immediately fallen in love with this series and since then I regularly play games set in this great universe. My favourite faction is knight/castle/Haven. 

• Galaad= I am Galaad and I think all you infidels should get out of here and praise Baa until he forgives you!

2. What was your reaction when you received your invitation to this event? What were you expecting from this day?

• BeYo_OnD= To be honest, I kinda had an idea that I might get invited, but you can imagine I was pretty excited when I actually received the e-mail. I called my family and friends to let them know I was going to participate and they encouraged me. As for what I expected, I imagined that the atmosphere was going to be more formal and that we would play a bit with all the factions revealed up until then, Haven, Academy and Necropolis, plus Stronghold, but things turned out quite differently.

• Roch= At first, I was skeptical. I was sure I wouldn't win. "WTF? Me? Chosen? What a joke. Impossible." One hour later, I finally realized that I won. “Wow, it can actually happen to anybody!"

• Socket= It was very unexpected to be invited to this fan day event, but it was very exciting. I think it is every fan's dream to get invited to the Ubisoft offices to play test the latest Heroes game!

• SlumbrousShip5=  I was very thrilled to have received an invitation to talk with the team about the game I love and was very excited to get a first look at my favorite faction in Ashan.

• Micutz= My situation is a bit different. I was so lucky to be invited to this event and when I found out that I will receive an invitation my reaction was “WHAT THE F**K??! This can’t be true!”. I expected that day to be special and it was!

• EmeraldPhoenix= I must say I never expected to win the invitation… But I still wrote why the series was important to me on the comment section, because I felt like telling it. And then, on the day the contest results were revealed, I casually went to see who won to congratulate them… And I was so shocked to see my name on the list! Needless to say I couldn`t do any real work that day… I was just so happy! :D What I expected from the day was to get a glimpse of how the game will look like and to be able to ask the team some questions about it. And I also expected it to be an adventure of course :)

• JotunLogi= Both joy and suprise that I have been chosen.

• Galaad= I started to think Ubisoft and Limbic were suicidal.

3. The main focus of this build was the Stronghold faction, what is your thought about this line-up?

• BeYo_OnD= One of the best factions in the game so far, if not the best. The line-up is amazing. Gnolls and Wyverns are back, and we get a new Basilisk creature too. Top that with one of the most requested units from Heroes 3 Stronghold - the Behemoth! I expect players to enjoy the line-up as much as I did.

• Roch= I love beast-creatures, especially Beastmen, and my favorite faction was Academy, with badass Rakshasas and cute little Cabirs. But now, I prefer Stronghold. Stronghold had always nice line-up and orcs look great. I really like the return of Gnolls and their charismatic leader, Drâkon, from H3. Stronghold screentown soundtrack please me a lot. It's an epic and instrumental music, without chant.

• Socket= My impressions of the Stronghold faction are very positive. I think it is my favorite lineup and unit design for this faction since the barbarians in Heroes 2. I was initially worried that the necessity of re-using some assets from H6 would make the game feel like H6.5, however I believe Limbic has done a fantastic job with this, using the existing assets in a clever way or tweaking them so that it feels like a whole new game.

• SlumbrousShip5= Stronghold's line up is definitely my favorite in the game. It brought some familiar faces with a new look and interesting abilities. All the units and heroes simply looked amazing. And of course the stronghold track sounds as good as they look :)

• Micutz= I’m glad that I had the opportunity to take part in this event, the line-up is AWESOME!! I really enjoyed playing the Stronghold faction. New cool creatures like basilisks, wyvern make this faction be more interesting but the comeback of the Behemoth with its jumping skills made my day! Guys, you are going to love this game, trust me!

• EmeraldPhoenix= I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the Stronghold line-up. Adding creatures from H3 Fortress to it? Great idea in my opinion! And they were so well redesigned to fit with the Orcs, I could never have imagined it! It`s also nice to see the Behemoths again! :)

• JotunLogi=  I have never been a fan of this faction and, as a result, I have barely ever played it. To my own surprise, I have had a lot of fun playing it!  The line-up is well balanced, with decent number of flyers and shooters. All the units are really cool and just fun to use due to their abilities. All in all, it is, without a doubt, one of the better Stronghold in M&M: Heroes franchise history and one of the best factions in M&M: Heroes 7 so far.

• Galaad= I think Stronghold is going to be the best faction of the game.

4. You discovered the first two maps of the Stronghold campaign; can you share your opinion about them?

• BeYo_OnD= Personally, I liked the first map better. I got a taste of the possibilities of the adventure map, terrains, objects and events. Even though it was a bit more RPG oriented, I didn't mind it at all. The one thing I didn't like was the time limit and the way the quest objectives were displayed. Also something bothered me about the camera angles but I can't recall what exactly. The second map was more classical in its approach, having a town and being able to build an army. The tech tree was something I really liked, it reminded me of Heroes 3 with the buildings being displayed in brackets, and the prerequisite paths were interesting. I also appreciated the fact that there are more buildings where players can make a choice and not only for the Champion dwelling. 

• Roch= The first map didn't convince me, too linear and difficult. The second map with the traditional approach was much, much better! A true Heroes of Might and Magic map with cities, buildings, mines and exploration. Exactly what I (we?) want. This map allowed to me to explore the gameplay in detail. Now I'm reassured, it's better than H6.

• Socket= The beginning map was a good intro, more focused but not a typically frustrating hand held tutorial. The second was fun, and gives you some of that classic Heroes gameplay. 

• SlumbrousShip5= The campaigns were quite fun. The first one gave a nice introduction of characters and story. It gave the player a few options on how to tackle the enemy depending on the preferred strategy. The second map was a great way to discover all about stronghold and its units. There was lots to do and many monsters to recruit. The story was also very good and leaves you wanting to play more.

• Micutz= My opinion, hmm… INCREF*CKINDIBLE! I just loved every single inch of those maps, the difficulty level is pretty high on the first one, thank God! This way no one will get bored playing... The story was really interesting too!

• EmeraldPhoenix= The first map was a bit short, but that`s why the difficulty was higher (you start with a low level hero without a town to strengthen your army). As you said it was more quest-oriented, but I think it`s good to change game objectives from time to time to make it more diverse. As for the second map I couldn`t get a real feeling about it since we didn`t play against the AI opponent, and it was pretty easy once you got a bigger army… But the map was nicely planned out from what I saw and I guess it will pose a nice challenge to the players after the game release. I`m certainly waiting to play it again with some real difficulty.

• JotunLogi= The first one was too scripted and too short to enjoy it as much as I would have had. Fortunately, the second one was quite nice and provided me a lot of fun!

• Galaad= Alright, was expecting more challenge though. I liked being the only one who got the first mission crashing haha!

5. What is your global feeling about the current state of the game?

• BeYo_OnD= I have a positive feeling overall. For a first impression, Heroes 7 seems to be a game I will enjoy. But there are still areas that need more work. Skillwheel, UI, Townscreens, Necropolis, creature abilities, just to name a few of the important ones. That said, I can't take away the progress that has been already made. I can only hope for it to get even better, if not in the release version, then maybe with expansions.

• Roch= I have a very good feeling about the current state of the game. The gameplay is already much better than H6. In the final version, the game will be probably better than H5! It's a melting-pot of others Heroes of Might and Magic games, especially 3 and 4, the return of seven resources, the choice between two buildings... with some new but good mechanics! I'm not totally convinced by the new skilltree-system but I'll give it a chance. Animations in battle are great and creatures are very well designed. However, the ground and its elements need many improvements as I said to the team.

• Socket= Overall I am excited about the state of the game I can't wait to play more! 

• SlumbrousShip5= I feel the game is definitely headed in the right direction. To me, it felt like a nice mix of classic creatures with an updated style of fighting. The flanking system was a nice addition that added different options in terms of battle tactics. The unit stats have drastically improved from Heroes six, which helped differentiate the armies. The adventure map is much more 'alive' now with more things to collect and places to go. Overall, it looks great and I am really looking forward spending lots of time with this game.

• Micutz= This game has, in my opinion, a big future! The foundation is solid, and with Map Editor, RMG, Duel Mode and Simultaneous Turns the replayability would be endless! I think the game will be good and the players will enjoy it.

• EmeraldPhoenix= I have a good feeling about it since things are returning back to the roots of the series (no town conversion, mage guilds are back...) There sure are changes but I think they are oriented in a good way. The only thing that worries me is the skill system… I like the new aestethic look of it but I didn`t see any randomness in it (which I consider crucial for the series), so that might be a problem. // Note from M&M team: The Random Skills feature wasn’t implemented in this version :)

• JotunLogi= First and foremost, the game is really great and I have had a lot of fun playing it it even it was just an alpha version. There have been some glitches and bugs, some of game features were not working as they should have (or were not working at all), but considering the current state of the game- everything was fine. None of these problems was really relevant or spoilt the gameplay in any way. There were some issues that bother me and that I did not like. Fortunately, the team is aware that some of them need improvement and is open to all the suggestions in order to make it as good as possible.

• Galaad= I didn’t like what I’ve seen from the skillwheel.

6. How was the interaction with the team?

• BeYo_OnD= Great! People were friendly and there was a good atmosphere. Whenever we had questions about certain things, there was always someone there to explain it to us. I also got to meet some interesting members like Marzhin and Oakwarrior who were long time fans of the franchise that eventually got involved, but also other ones like Arnaud (who's been of tremendous help to us), Alexis, Francois and even Erwan le Breton. I only wish Xavier was there too.

• Roch= Great. The team was really attentive to my opinion. It was great to speak with them during the fanday and sharing our passion and culture about Heroes of Might and Magic universe. A strong knowledge about the series was necessary. Now, I hope they'll take our opinions into account. I appreciate the afternoon too, eating, playing, and drinking soda in the same time. So cool. So Geek.

• Socket= It was fantastic to be able to talk directly with the team as I progressed through the maps to give feedback and discuss all of the details of the game. 

• SlumbrousShip5= The team was very generous and easy to talk to. We discussed our favorite factions, creatures, and our preferred styles of playing. It was a joy to spend the day with them and discuss the game. I hope to do it again one day :)

• Micutz= The team was cool, they were open to anything we had to say… They helped us, answered to any questions we had; they were friendly and I hope we’ll have another opportunity to see them and work together.

• EmeraldPhoenix= The team is great! They listened to our questions, (good or bad) critics, suggestions… and then answered and explained us what we wanted to know. They even discussed about fan ideas for the game with us! So I really must compliment those guys, they`re great! :D

• JotunLogi= It was absolutely fantastic, I have had a really nice conversation with very nice people that were both patient and open enough to talk not only about the game and all the M&M universe but also just about daily life. I really cannot say any bad word about any team member and each person deserves many warm words.

• Galaad= I didn’t kill anyone so there’s that.

7. Finally, what are your thoughts about this day?

• BeYo_OnD= I'm happy that such an event was organized and I'm really grateful I could participate. I'm convinced that communication between the developers and the community is essential to any game really, but more so in the case of Heroes and the M&M games. So I hope events like this where the community can interact with the devs will get bigger and be more frequent!

• Socket= It was a fantastic day, I am very grateful to Ubisoft for the opportunity, I would definitely attend again given the chance.

• SlumbrousShip5= It was an exciting experience for me to get a close up look on what goes on in the making of this awesome game. I really enjoyed meeting and finding common ground with the people that help make my favorite series live on. My dedication as a fan has certainly grown from this trip thanks to Ubisoft.

• Micutz= This day will definitely be one that I cannot forget… Everything was great, the game was great, team was great, Paris was great! I met Erwan le Breton, Arnaud Fremont, Julien Pirou and the rest of the M&M team and I had the chance to talk with them about the game which was great!

• EmeraldPhoenix= It was fantastic: just the right amount of gaming and talking with the team! I`m really happy about having taken place to such an event and having had the chance to meet the team – it will surely remain in my memory for a very long time! :)

• JotunLogi= It was just amazing, no other word comes to my mind. I has been one of the best days I have had in recent years. I have enjoyed every moment of it and I want to sincerely thank Ubisoft and all the people that have been involved in this event- not only those from  Ubi or Limbic but also all the fans that were present- for the great time I have spent with them.

• Galaad= Good organization, and friendly environment.

8. Any last word to share with the community?

• BeYo_OnD= As I once said to a dear friend of mine, "sticking your head up your a** accomplishes nothing". There is nothing worse you can do than feigning ignorance or pretending that everything's fine when it actually isn't. So I encourage the community to express itself, even if that just means approving or complaining about something. Those are important vectors that the developers very much need.

• Roch= Gnolls. Lizarmen. Cabirs. Rakshasas. Gryphon. Wolves. Dragons, other beasts and beastmen. I love them, and you?

• SlumbrousShip5= We all want a great Heroes game and from what I have seen, that is exactly what they plan to deliver.

• Micutz= You are going to enjoy this game guys! Can’t wait to play MIGHT AND MAGIC HEROES VII ! Let us all contribute to this game! Peace!

• EmeraldPhoenix= I just wish for more fans to be able to meet the team and play the game early as I was able to :) And I also wish for H7 to be a great game that all of us will enjoy playing for a very long time!

• JotunLogi= Just one word?!  I want to share more than just that! Stay tuned ‘cause the game is worth it! Best wishes- JotunLogi

• Galaad= I am sad to see so many people at the Shadow Council bashing on NWC games. Let me remind you loud and clear, if they hadn't created this series and made such a great success out of it in the first place, there wouldn't even be a Hello Heroes world of Ashan® to even defend! Heretics!!