Skilling change is finally here!

[Antalyan]

The changes for skillsystem finally come and I can say only that I am (positively) surprised. I think they have done the best they could.

To sum up:
- Added weight system to hero class template
- Changed all skills to Major (Master)
- You always get 1 old and 1 new skill as offer
- No skill rank (level) requirement
- Grandmaster need 3 abilities as a requirement
- All skills can become Grandmaster, with a limit of 3
- Dynamic number of offered abilities [(2 + Max((#Skills -2), 0) )]

[Pol]

Which means new version of Wheel, I assume

What bout EN version?

[Avonu]

Old skill system will stay too. The changes are to Random skill system.
So if you like to choose skills and abilites yourself, you can still do that (but you will be restricted to skills chossen by developers).

Random skill system is still not perfect (there are still skill restrictions and combination of some abilities are gamebreaking, if nothing will change) but it is a large improvement over what we have now. Too bad we didn't have this from the beginning.

[Galaad]

but it is a large improvement over what we have now. Too bad we didn't have this from the beginning.

That's what they get for starting to consider feedback AFTER vanilla release. Good thing VIP program is that old.

[Avonu]

And guess when did Ubival start listen to fans? Before Heroes 5 release? Before Farmers of Hate (well, IIRC H5's Fortress was suppose to be fans' line-up, but only Russian fans)? Or when they started to create Tribes of the East (Memory Mentor, Alternative Upgrades, Mixed Neutral Armies, Random Map Geberator, etc.)?

And I didn't like VIP idea from beginning - it didn't work with Heroes 5 (up until ToE), it failed miserably with Heroes 6 (and it was both Ubisoft and Black Hole fault), it failed with MMX ("early access" ) and it didn't quite work with Heroes 7 ("Ubisoft and Limbic design philosophy").
However H5-6 was the worst - Ubival and Ubihole didn't ask or barely talk to fans - they talk only with VIPs (and ignored much of their feedback anyway). With MMX and Heroes 7 at least we have much normal communication and not all fans' reaction was ignored (townscreens or Lich and Vampire design).
And as you can see, even if Ubisoft and Libmic were stubborn with their idea of skills, they changed it eventually for something, which fans suggested. And skills are not only changes in Heroes 7 - we got new icons for resources, better colours on Adventure Map, etc.
There is still much to be done (AI on Adventure Map for beginning) and much of bugs to be fixed but things are getting better. Of course we need to wait and see, if Farmers of Hate 2 Trial by Fire won't be another butchered (pre-)release, like Heroes 7 vanillia.

[Galaad]

Well it's true feedback being ignored until things are critical at best is no news under the sun. Nival had some pretty silly ideas indeed (wraith and bone dragons incorporeal too XD) and TotE seemed like a miracle.
From what I read on H6 BH weren't the ones directly responsible for all the drastic changes, apparently Ubi were the ones wanting so "new and fresh"...
Then of course you've read testimonies from Cepheus, Quantomas and others, about how the VIP program works (or rather, does not work very much). I believe there was some VIP input for the skill system of Trial by Erwin but I really have a hard time in general to approve teams with such mindset (vanilla...). Like every other fan I wish for the iteration to become good with time and redeem itself but wounds are pretty severe.

Thankfully there is wonderful fan projects such as Heroes III The Succession Wars representing the true spirit of the franchise.

[gourley4p]

And now in game RMG is coming. Long load times, but a welcome addition.

[parcaleste]

When something looks nice - it looks nice.

[Pol]

Yes, now just the rest. AI, rules, modding (tools).