Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era unveiled at Gamescon

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Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era unveiled at Gamescon

The game is scheduled to be available in Early Access at Q2 2025. This is like to be struck right from the heaven, as there wasn't slight indication, that new Heroes iteration is in the development. After infamous Heroes VI and VII, the hopes were low.

Please see full Ubisoft annoucement on their blog.



Overall, my collected tidbits:

• The game is supposed to be  prequel. Around the same time-space area like Heroes I-III and Might & Magic VI, VII and mostly VIII: Day of the Destroyer. 
• The core of the game is supposed to be Multi Player on randomly generated maps. That somewhat create more questions, than it answers.
• Every units are having two types of skills, passive and active. Passive skills are flying, ranged or undead. Active skills are spells and special attacks. These, who played both, or at least one game from Creature Quest or MM:EoC knows how it work.
• You will get three choices, when leveling your hero up.
  
  

Unfrozen Studio

Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is being developed by Unfrozen Studio. Now I will borrow a bit from their page, to proceed with their introduction, as I believe, that's necessary:

Established in 2016 by industry veterans, Unfrozen comprises team members who have previously worked on popular games such as League of Legends, World of Warcraft, Disco Elysium, Pathologic 2, and Disciples 3. Our first game, Iratus: Lord of the Dead, is widely recognised as the spiritual successor to Darkest Dungeon. It was released in April 2020 for PC and published by Daedalic Entertainment.
By 2024, Unfrozen has expanded to a team of 50 people and has representatives in Limassol, Cyprus; Tarragona, Spain; Guildford, England; Belgrade, Serbia and Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

That sounds good, doesn't it?




They are promising following key features:

• An epic single-player campaign set on the continent of Jadame, where rival factions must unite to face the demonic insectoid swarm known as the Hive.
• 3 multiplayer game modes: Classic (multiple heroes and map exploration), One-Hero mode (only one hero, and their death means defeat), Arena (quick battles with hero upgrades).
• 6 unique factions: Temple, Necropolis, Sylvan, Dungeon, Hive, and a mysterious sixth faction to be revealed later.
• New custom tools for the community: create your own Heroes of Might & Magic single maps and multiplayer templates (coming during Early Access).
• Matchmaking, ratings, and leaderboards for all modes.
  
  

 Final Questions:

• Big question, who will write the stories?
• And obvioulsy another one, will be the game allowed enough time?
• And infamous one, will it be modding friendly, at least for solo gaming?
• What about an AI?
  
  

X - Unfrozen | Discord  - Unfrozen | Steam - HoMM: Olden Era | HC | AC


See the comments in forum here.
Read full article...

[Pol]

A bit more links, mirroring different views on this surprise news:

• Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era
• After ten long years, we’re finally getting a new Might and Magic game
• Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era Takes the Franchise Back to Its Roots
• New Heroes of Might and Magic Game Announced

[Pol]

QA Session with Devs:
(Live)


Edit1:
Some important points from the live session:

• Simultaneous Turns are in.
• Lobby will be bundled with the game.
• Hexes are back.
• Random Template Editor will be given to community.
• Word 'community' was used a lot..
• 'eSports' word was also used around a lot..
• Spectator mod is likely.
• Recording the game is also likely.
• Grail mechanism is in but different, you shall be able to build it more often. Definitively not the Conflux (OP) type of Grail.
• In the Siege, you can control your ballista. One faction will have also a similar skill.
• Non-linear campaigns.
• Faction Units will have two types of upgrades. For example Skeletons can become Skeletons Captains or Skeleton Archers.
• Morale/Luck system is in but it will works a bit differently.
• First Campaign in Early Access will have about 6hrs.
• Modding support unknown, it will known after version 1.0.
• Matchmaking system will be in. You can select templates indirectly, by banning some of these which you don't like. Your oponnent then will do the same.
• FAQ and DevBlog will be available soon, to track game development progress.
• Your feedback is welcome!

[Daerandin]

I am most curious about how it will fit into the existing lore. I hope they manage to do it properly.

The art style is also something I am not that fond of, but as long as the game is good then I can live with it.

[Galaad]

I have to admit, I got a positive feeling from that interview. While I'm still wary because it's Ubisoft, I can't help but feel a glimmer of hope that this entry might actually turn out to be good, at long last.

[Pol]

I have to admit, I got a positive feeling from that interview. While I'm still wary because it's Ubisoft, I can't help but feel a glimmer of hope that this entry might actually turn out to be good, at long last.

I'm also positive, for uknown reason, all these people in the interview looks like old Heroes fans.

[Pol]

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2232907108?t=01h17m48s

Thanks EvilP for the link and Erien for the key notes:

• game is in development for 4y ; they did like 20 interviews with different players / streamers to ask what feature is needed / feedback / issues
  heavily oriented for multiplayer - one button matchmaking, rankings with leagues (copper, silver ... master etc), seasons with wipes
• 3 modes - classic, one hero (like outcast template), arena (with advanced draft and ban system, some mentions of heartstone); separate ranking for each mode
• timers - on map and chess like in battle
• improved simultaneous mode
• 4h - 10h multiplayer game session is the issue and should be shortened
• balancing math model consist of around 10k rows in excel spreadsheet with different weights and formulas ; advanced in-game internal statistics
• collector (in Irratus that helped them to find the bug for one boss which stroked twice instead of one and do the hotfix within 3h after the release)
• good anti-cheating system, multiplayer game checks host and all other clients for anomalies ... on any desync drops cheat warning; replays will be
• available, you can check for anomalies manually
• hero skill system is mix from homm4/homm5 without wheel ; unique faction skill (like necromancer), unique class skill (like basic strikes for warrior, mages will have something different), unique passives (like mages affinity - as example improves spells - no damage penalty for blizzard on target 2,3...)
• "AI is definitely better then 20y ago" (c) , also AI for multiplayer can be customized
• advanced map generator ; popular templates from homm3 / homm5 will be present (like homm5 universe) ; no known issues like path blocked by npc agro
• improved UI (in battle: debuffs icons, parry status icon, last mob hp exact digital value and more)
• lobby and matchmaking are different things ; matchmaking is more official, no custom templates etc
• no graphical mod editor will be present on day one ; configuration files are in text mode and self-explanatory

And another live twitch, broadcasted on Lexiav channel:
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2234446050?t=02h50m24s

[Pitsu]

Wow, unexpected news indeed. Some first thoughts: it looks like the developers have been given some time to do their homework and work on concepts. This gives hope that also the release will be when the game is ready not when a random deadline falls. To me the success of HoMM lay in single player story maps, thus multiplayer and RMG are not that appealing, but probably would give it a try. Balancing a turn based game for multiplayer is mission impossible, hopefully good luck shines to the developers. The monsters in the video seem to be recognizable mostly, although no guarantee that breeders or other “official lore only” line-up fillers appear. Graphics seems kind of dark? HoMM 1-2 and MM games were more colorful fairy tales than deep-philosophical-ultraserious-epic dramas. And it is HoMM not MM:H, or was that changed back long ago?

[Galaad]

And it is HoMM not MM:H, or was that changed back long ago?

Seems like a spinoff ? Or maybe a marketing move since "Olden Era" most likely targets old fans.

[Angelspit]

Since they are going back to the old lore, it made sense to drop "MM:H" I suppose. I guess initially Ubisoft had grand plans for the "Might and Magic" franchise as a whole that just didn't get off the ground with Heroes getting limited success. This new project is fully about Heroes.

[Pol]

Well, their previous game Iratus: Lord of the Dead was (partially) inspired by Heroes 3 Necropolis. This is what said alphyna in one of their interviews.

Also it seems that they secretly worked on the engine, until it was playable and just after that they went to Ubisoft to showcase it and got a green. The engine may have roots in the previous game.

Also interesting is their aim for replaybility(RMG+custom maps), eSports and, at last, visual customization.

[Pol]

Infernal Troglodyte / Toxic Troglodyte / Shadowlurker / Karloth's Needle / Alabaster Dancer / Jasper DancerMinotaur / Minotaur Lord / Minotaur Warrior Medusa / Medusa Sculptor / Medusa Queen / Scylla / Charybdis / Black Dragon / Albino Dragon

Once again, thanks EvilP

[Pol]

Scyalla is usually depicted differently, CQ have it right this time, the torso and head is usually human girl. Instead of Scylla and Charybda Hydra could fit better.
There are also some disproportions, Minotaur and Medusa seems about the same size like Dancer.

And something older, with more content from the game:

[Pol]

I will put it here:

Hello! Unfrozen is excited to collaborate with media and streamers. If you’d like to conduct an interview or create content about the game, we’re here to assist. Please contact us at the following: https://unfrozen.studio/press-kit/olden-era.php and email katya.prikhodko.at.unfrozen.studio

[Pitsu]

Karloth's Needle - where does this name come from? Do they fear Shiva's Rocs (who in turn fear Astral's Paper)?

[reeeload]

If it's based on H3 Jadame then we already have problems based on what i saw. Dark elves. Why they are dungeon? I played M&M 8. They have beautifull cities outside so where does the dungeon come from? Why their units look like a reskin of H3 dungeon? Why no unique units just for that faction? Escaton's crystal was destroyed why not tame some crystal beasts after that. Next new faction the swarm. Kind of ok on paper but it was stated that they were created by demon lord. All demons are dead even Escaton stated that they are no more on this world. Even if one somehow survived at least show me a sci-fi laboratory that they were created in cause kreegans are capable of building spaceships. I saw an angel on the cover. I hope it's not a hero. Are they even capable of leading armies? Do they even talk? In the H3 lore they are nothing more than warriors designed by the ancients to combat kreegans. Not much is known how much organic they are.

[Avonu]

First of all, Might and Magic 8 lore will be ignored by HoMM8/HoMM0. If it is a good thing or a bad, we will see.
Second, it's a prequel to HoMM1 and HoMM1 takes place ca. 35 years before HoMM3/MM6-8.
Third, demons are not the same as the Kreegan/devils (Inferno from HoMM3). We had Gogs and Ifrits in MM7-8, which had nothing to do with the Kreegan.

Also, Dungeon in HoMM3 was an anomaly as a Warlock's town, as it has been a swamp terrain faction since HoMM1, where it was more a mix of mountain and swamp terrains with night sky (night = evil ).
I'm disapointed that we once again get a copy o HoMM3 Dungeon with a copy of Ashan's Dark Elves no less. No major changes in line-up too unlike in HoMM3 and HoMM4. When you have the same line-up (more or less) for the fourth time in row, you probably will be a little disapointed too.

Karloth's Needle - where does this name come from? Do they fear Shiva's Rocs (who in turn fear Astral's Paper)?

[BB Shockwave]

No idea why, but I was unable to post here, had to run around in control panel until somehow this reply button appeared. Been away for a while so maybe some changes happened?

Really looking forward to this game. Seems to be taking all that was good in HOMMIII including the graphics and combat, and just adding a few new things!
Mind you it is a bit of a risk they hired a company who only ever developed one game before, but then again, we seen what more established studios (some of whom went bankrupt after Ubi dealt with them, like Capybara and the hungarians who made MM:H VI) fared little better. Their earlier game was more of that Darkest Dungeons survival game type, but it did have turn based combat, so they have experience there.

I have not seen people post it here yet, but we have seen the sixth town, in various gamer site images, as well as their units.




To me it seems like they will be the Tower faction, but infected by some sort of eldritch lovecraftian undersea entity. There is a female spellcaster with tentacle hair, a wizard on a throne of tentacles, a Jellyfish, a flurry of tentacles with a humanoid head, and some sort of rider that rides a Giant Leech-like creature. They certainly have a blue color theme going on.

I am annoyed to find we still have Dark Elves in Dungeon. Can we just go back to have it be Warlocks, Minotaurs, Medusae and Troglodytes? I never liked the D&D style underground Drow in Heroes, the games managed fine with their own identity before that.
And having the Hydra here means likely we won't have a proper swampy Fortress. Though I'd like to be proven wrong, but the lack of Dwarves in Sylvan probably means Ubisoft wants that boring Dwarven Fortress to come back.
I do like that same as in HOMMIV Fairie Dragons seem to be back in Sylvan.
While I never liked HOMMV much, the alternative upgrade routes were one of the few good ideas in that game so I am glad to see that back. Some names are questionable though, like... Scylla and Charybdis? Neither creature ever resembled a Hydra in myth, but then again, not the first time this happens, Age of Mythology also had the Scylla just be a swimming Hydra. Albino Dragon is a weird update to the Black Dragon, I assume the base form is still Red Dragon.
One image also shows a Gold Dragon, so hopefully we have that back on the Sylvan front!
I actually do like the Hive - it is a new and weird faction, but the Inferno similarities are quite noticeable. I assume the Demons somehow infected these creatures and control them. That is not so hard to imagine with the Kreegan scientific knowledge. Anyhow, the whole "Demons are aliens" thing never really worked well IMHO, in Armageddon's Blade for example they were behaving and being treated more like they are from Hell.

The overland map is gorgeous, and I recognized a ton of classic buildings - windmill, watchtower, witches huts, Dragon Utopia, Spell shrines, Learning Stone, various mines, and even artifacts I recognize.
One thing I found odd - I could see all the classic resources - wood, ore, gold, crystal, gems, mercury - except one, sulphur. It seems to be gone?

[Pitsu]

One thing I found odd - I could see all the classic resources - wood, ore, gold, crystal, gems, mercury - except one, sulphur. It seems to be gone?

Check creature hire screens, sulphur seems to be present, although not as yellow as before.

That ice town - it smells more and more that instead of epic battles between titans, dragons and cyclopes we are going to have epic battles between that-creature-with-big-fangs, the-spagetti-monster-wannabe and the-unknown-entity.

[BB Shockwave]

Hmm do you have screenshots of the creature hire screen? I have not seen any so far.
Thanks for the confirmation though. Maybe they have just not perfected the model for the pick-up resource and the mine yet, then.

Yeah, at least we have 2 Dragons for sure (Black and Gold and their upgrades) and the Angel (one of the upgrades of those is a ranged attacker) but no Titan or Bone Dragon so far. I am just really, really hoping that Ubisoft fired that weirdo guy who has a Spider fetish and they won't be forcing Spiders and knockoff Lolth and Driders into the Necropolis lineup.