Video: Ability System

[Kalah]

This newly released <a href="/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbFxylvn_G8">3-minute video</a> explains how the <b>ability system</b> works in <i>Heroes VI</i>. Through a step-by-step walkthrough, M&M ComDev Irina shows us how the ability tree works in practice.



The tree is divided into three sections: Might, Magic and Hero. These sections are then divided into subsections or skill families - also called "schools" - such as the paragon and realm schools, affecting the hero and having to do with the management of the kingdom, respectively.



All in all, the system looks complex and opens up for a high degree of variety. Which is - as we know - what the <i>Heroes</i> series is all about: Building your hero into having a certain skill set affecting the overall game.



<center><iframe width="425" height="349" src="/http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZbFxylvn_G8?hl=nb&fs=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center>



Have a look at the video and tell us what you think. Also, don't forget to vote in our <b>current poll</b>, to rate what you think of the videos released thus far.

If you would like to take a look at the original page visit this link:
https://www.celestialheavens.com/1309869322

[Skullmane]

It's still a bit odd playing without learning spells from towns, but the new system seems nice, less restrictions and more customization.

[Ya5MieL]

I'm afraid the choice is an illusion, and the game feels like it goes in same direction whenever i try it. Only 2 builds seem to be happening "user preferred might" and "user preferred" magic. There is very little variation after a while - it feels much more repetitive than before.



And no I'm not bashing for the sake of bashing, I actually like heroes6

[CloudRiderX]

Well this is nice, they changed the mechanic that limited you to a few skill choices upon leveling up. There seem to be quite a few skills as well.

[Rife]

Honestly aside from the spells, I can't tell if the skills I pick make a difference. The tooltip text are worded strangely, missing variables that tell exactly how much bonuses you're currently getting, or are generally confusing. I expect when the game is out of beta this will be addressed, but overall I don't notice my army improving significantly after I pick a skill. It's not even to say they don't just maybe the effects are so small and incremental they're not noticeable.

[Kosh]

I find the background music is too loud in many of these dev videos. It can be hard to hear/understand the narrator, especially given the accent. Otherwise a good intro video to the ability system. Would have liked to hear more said about the reputation part of it since it's completely new to the series.

[Skullmane]

I believe a video about reputation has already been released a while ago. Either that, or it was a text answer. Whichever it was, it's already been explained.

[Variol]

I'm paying more attention to Irina's accent, than what she's actually describing.

[Eon]

I like they got rid of random skills at level up.

[hellegennes]

Well, what do you know! Suspiciously similar to Blizzard's Diablo system. The new skills that appear seem to be shared with those in Heroes Kingdoms (e.g. the Architect skill that Irina picks, here).

[YoshMaster]

The thing I dislike is that it seems from what I played of the beta that the skills are almost useless at low level! Since there doesn't seem to be the classic "basic...advanced...master" level of skill, they now depend entirely on your Hero's level. So at the first 10 level, most skills are useless and give you like a +1% damage or something...



Also I can't seem to understand how we are suppose to use the "Re-specialize" button to reset our points and use them again...
Edited on Tue, Jul 05 2011, 23:14 by YoshMaster

[hellegennes]

That's the exact way the skills are used in Heroes Kingdoms. I feared that they'd do that.

[oUcH]

Put in exact numbers ,values can be obviously adjusted and I also like that the randomization factor in picking skills went bye bye.

[CloudRiderX]

As far as music goes I just found it distracting because its so damn nostalgic. This background music is my favorite from the entire series.

[Panda Tar]

Hum, will each faction have some different skills as well, or just that few ones as specialization? I mean, at late game, most heroes will just look the same, like FF 12 characters, when all your characters could learn everything?



Take the skill Architecture as an example. I see logic having architecture as a skill for Haven and Sanctuary, not so much for Inferno or Stronghold.



Now that it's not random, sounds much better, but the feeling that later on everyone will just seem to be the same thing (save the specialization) is grabbing hold of my understanding.



And this lady indeed has a sweet accent. Sounds like me when I was learning English at my classes.
Edited on Wed, Jul 06 2011, 10:43 by Panda Tar

[Mirez]

I still think prime is a very weird school, they should leave the spells to the corresponding school and use prime for stat increases and stuff like that

[ThunderTitan]

>>Hum, will each faction have some different skills as well, or just that few ones as specialization? I mean, at late game, most heroes will just look the same, like FF 12 characters, when all your characters could learn everything?<<

Looks like all the Might skill trees are available to all, while the magic schools depend on your faction, although you seem to get at least 5/7 of them for any class...

And of course might heroes only get the first 2 tiers of spells, while magic heroes only the first 2 tiers of might skills.

And Might active abilities seem not to cost anything, and are only limited by cooldown, and because so are spells methinks might active abilities are a bit more useful.

But yeah, there's a lot of potential for cookie cutter builds becoming the norm...

[ThunderTitan]

>>The thing I dislike is that it seems from what I played of the beta that the skills are almost useless at low level! Since there doesn't seem to be the classic "basic...advanced...master" level of skill, they now depend entirely on your Hero's level. <<

That's fixable by starting out at a higher % and then increasing it less for new levels... we should totally pester them about it.

[astral76minor]

I like the skill system better than the older Homm system, since you have more of a choice and you know what you are getting into.

[ThunderTitan]

Sure, but wait until someone discovers the 2-3 best builds and then everyone just uses them and no others...