Town Window instead Town Screen

[Crayfish]

As we've seen before this time around it's all about making the game go faster... 20 min games are what one should shoot for to capture today's ADD audience.

Not true, I could go to at least 35 hey look a frog! (Really, I found this big frog today, it was awesome.)

It would be nice to have the option of short multiplayer games. Not just for the ADD but the general increasing lack of free time. Working in Japan: turns out it kinda sucks. No scrap that, being an adult: blah.

[ThunderTitan]

If you lack time the SP should keep you busy enough.

And if not that that's what the Duel Mode is for...

And yes, having to work sucks.

[Metal Wolf]

Seems like Black Hole have somewhat of a fetish for removing classic features/elements of HOMM series from H6.

3-Tiers system, No Warlock/Wizard/Sorceress faction and now the town screen issue... Sure some changes are necessary and maybe even turn out to be refreshing (area of control, fewer resources) but there is no need in bringing change to the classic elements of the game which every HOMM fan likes. IMO, Heroes is about the atmosphere above all.

Time will tell if that was the right decision, but for the moment I'm not very optimistic.

[Pol]

I would like both. As I don't need the full town screens for playing the game and the game is supposed to be faster like that. I used them from a purely relaxation point. They may a good point to abstract your thoughts.

[Spin]

I like the town window. To me, speed is a VERY important part of heroes. Heroes 3 and 4 were extremely fast to navigate and were great in that way, as well as the fact that heroes generally moved heaps per turn.

There's nothing worse than half the game being loading screens like in Heroes V where you moved 8 steps on average per turn, then had to load the 3D town screen which, while looked beatiful at first, you don't care so much the 50th time, and then at the end of your turn the AI took ages to act.

I want to spend most of my time playing the game, not waiting for stuff to load. If i wanted to do that i'd be playing Gran Turismo 5 now.


P.S it's obvious black hole are making this game more about the combat than anything else, they've basically put Town building and the economy side of things on the back, making it so you're most of the time in a combat screen.

[Romanov77]

Loading a simple 2d animated townscreen shouldn't take long...

[MattII]

There's nothing worse than half the game being loading screens like in Heroes V where you moved 8 steps on average per turn, then had to load the 3D town screen which, while looked beatiful at first, you don't care so much the 50th time, and then at the end of your turn the AI took ages to act.

Therein you have highlighted two separate issues, town screens and AI turn times. Also, of course the town screens get boring after the 50th time, but that goes just as much (perhaps even more) for 2D screens than for 3D ones.

[ThunderTitan]

There's nothing worse than half the game being loading screens like in Heroes V where you moved 8 steps on average per turn, then had to load the 3D town screen which, while looked beautiful at first, you don't care so much the 50th time, and then at the end of your turn the AI took ages to act.

That was crappy programming, taking stuff out won't ever fix that.

[Dalai]

That was crappy programming, taking stuff out won't ever fix that.

Taking stuff out is much easier than fixing it.

[dark-whisperer]

Saying that loading town screen takes seconds is beginning to irritate me, because its simply a lie. Unless you have really old computer loading of "graphically intensive 3D screen" takes fraction of a second. How many times per turn do you really enter town? How many times do you have to enter five towns in single turn to really feel slowed down by that "loading second"?
And secondly same "delay" happens while battle screen is loaded - so I guess that for some people it would feel natural to play battles in window that occupies 30% of screen, or that quick battle is only option for it.
That excuse is lame beyond any words and insults my intelligence.

[ThunderTitan]

That was crappy programming, taking stuff out won't ever fix that.

Taking stuff out is much easier than fixing it.

Of course them using a new engine means they don't have to fix anything, and just get it right the first time around... crappy loading times are annoying even without a town to load...

[dark-whisperer]

CH: 10. How far along is the town screen, and will it be animated?

Marzhin: "We know there is a lot of confusion and worry in the community on this subject. Here is all I can tell you about the current town screens at this point:
The town screen is actually a town window. It is designed to remain the same size whatever your screen resolution is, even if you use a 16:9 monitor.
The town visuals will be animated and are what could be described as "2.5D".
Each town has its own musical theme (as usual).
The town visuals change when you build stuff (although in the current design, not all buildings appear).
Building and recruiting is done through the window interface, rather than clicking on the buildings directly."

So there... worst thing possible.

[Kalah]

At least you got your answer.

[Mirez]

CH: 10. How far along is the town screen, and will it be animated?

Marzhin: "We know there is a lot of confusion and worry in the community on this subject. Here is all I can tell you about the current town screens at this point:
The town screen is actually a town window. It is designed to remain the same size whatever your screen resolution is, even if you use a 16:9 monitor.
The town visuals will be animated and are what could be described as "2.5D".
Each town has its own musical theme (as usual).
The town visuals change when you build stuff (although in the current design, not all buildings appear).
Building and recruiting is done through the window interface, rather than clicking on the buildings directly."

So there... worst thing possible.

why? this is basically exactly like heroes 3...

[Darkström]

CH: 10. How far along is the town screen, and will it be animated?

Marzhin: "We know there is a lot of confusion and worry in the community on this subject. Here is all I can tell you about the current town screens at this point:
The town screen is actually a town window. It is designed to remain the same size whatever your screen resolution is, even if you use a 16:9 monitor.
The town visuals will be animated and are what could be described as "2.5D".
Each town has its own musical theme (as usual).
The town visuals change when you build stuff (although in the current design, not all buildings appear).
Building and recruiting is done through the window interface, rather than clicking on the buildings directly."

So there... worst thing possible.

why? this is basically exactly like heroes 3...

You seem to have a very broad definition of "exactly"...

[dark-whisperer]

why? this is basically exactly like heroes 3...

What do you mean? Like Heroes 3 HD? Even then town screen is interactive and all buildings appear as you build them. Not to mention that window came as mod of H3 and original intention was fullscreen town screen.

[lotusreaver]

Yeah, I've been playing the Heroes 3 HD mod and I like the way the town window is implemented. It makes the town feel more like it's part of the world, rather than a separate entity.

That being said, I can see why some people are concerned about the implementation of a town window in H6, in particular the non-interactive buildings. It feels like a departure from something native to all of the Heroes games so far.

However, I personally don't mind the change. Heroes V already used interface buttons to manage building and hiring. Heroes IV enabled players to hire units directly from the interface as well. In Heroes III, I hired units by clicking on the Fort to avoid having to click on each individual dwelling.

Point is, I can see why some people are up in arms about this and I respect their perspective. But for me personally, I don't mind the change. The simplification of town management jives with my play style.

[Neidhaart]

I'm thinking about the same as to what lotusreaver said

[ThunderTitan]

Here's a better question...

What actual resolution is the town window picture?

I'm guessing, it being 2D, for it to always be a window it would have to be lower then the min res the game can have...

[Blocks100]

Really like the art of the Inferno town screen, superb. Just a shame it's not interactive The ugly interface buttons and unit slots seem like a throwback to H5. Dispense with the 'fisher price' baby buttons and give us a proper town interface please!