Heroes V Legends of the Ancients

[Thelonious]

Mmm, now I'm sory to say that my computer isn't up for the challenge of HoMM V...

So I can't be of any help, though I'd like to help out if I could...

[Orfinn]

Battle Griffin > Battle Griffin

No specific reason to change this one. I thought they could be griffins trained to fight in arenas.

What about Arena Griffin?

[vicheron]

Since this is a sequel to Heroes IV, wouldn't you want to put a lot of emphasis on story?

[Marzhin]

Since this is a sequel to Heroes IV, wouldn't you want to put a lot of emphasis on story?

Yes, but I don't want to spoil it either
Here is the short summary I gave soem time ago in another thread (I upadated it a bit) :

Chapter 1 will follow the civil war raging (again) in Nekros, where Malustar, self-proclaimed demon king, tries to seize power from Gauldoth and his necromancers. In the meantime, Great Arcan and Palaedra are having some border incidents, which may very well turn into war...

Chapter 2 will take you to Aranorn, where you'll witness the escape and the following "adventures" of the traitor, Lord Harke, trying to redeem himself for his past crimes...

Chapter 3 will take place in Hanndl's Grasp (Chedian, Framon...) where the forgotten prince of a forgotten world will meet his fate, fight thousand terrors and become a true hero.

Chapter 4 will show the power struggle between the immortal king of Channon, Mysterio the Magnificient, and the mysterious magister Alamar...

[Akul]

Interesting.

However, I never imagined Gauldoth to wear armour. Sometimes during reading of his story he seemed like having physical problems (undead body and all).

BTW, so Mysterio conquered Channon? Interesting.


Looking forward to this project

[vicheron]

I hope the storyline will be unconventional like the Heroes 4 campaigns. I think Gauldoth would be smart enough to suppress the demon population after setting up a sufficiently large human and undead army. The Kreegans should definitely come up with a more creative plan for conquest.

[Pitsu]

@ evilp : no, it's just good old textboxes.

I think also stationary "cutscenes" can be added if necessary. Animations are a pain to do AFAIK, but using the cutscene screen you can add map views or with some additional effort any image you wish. I have not played with the sound part, but a sample what kind of screens you can call up during the game:
http://www.celestialheavens.com/admin/pitsu/scene2.JPG

The image is slightly bended as you see. It can be made better, but not sure if I am skilled enough :p. Bad fit into the window is just because it is only a proof of principle screenshot.

[Marzhin]

@ evilp : no, it's just good old textboxes.

I think also stationary "cutscenes" can be added if necessary. Animations are a pain to do AFAIK, but using the cutscene screen you can add map views or with some additional effort any image you wish. I have not played with the sound part, but a sample what kind of screens you can call up during the game:
http://www.celestialheavens.com/admin/pitsu/scene2.JPG

The image is slightly bended as you see. It can be made better, but not sure if I am skilled enough :p. Bad fit into the window is just because it is only a proof of principle screenshot.

That's very interesting. I may have use for this, to make opening and closing "movies" for each "book". Thanks Pitsu

[Akul]

-Gauldoth - he seems a bit... young. In the story he felt/was drawn as someone older and with longer hair. Someone in his stair does not seem to care if he looks younger when he looks horrible.

-Lord Lysander - shoudn't he be calld King Lysander or does he still has his I-am-not-King policy tough he found out that he has Griffins blood in him?

-Potraits look fabulous

[evilp]

http://www.heroworld.net/heroes5site/Sc ... ffect1.jpg
http://www.heroworld.net/heroes5site/Sc ... ffect2.jpg
http://www.heroworld.net/heroes5site/Sc ... ffect3.jpg


Will use any spell effect or other effect in map?

[Marzhin]

http://www.heroworld.net/heroes5site/Sc ... ffect1.jpg
http://www.heroworld.net/heroes5site/Sc ... ffect2.jpg
http://www.heroworld.net/heroes5site/Sc ... ffect3.jpg


Will use any spell effect or other effect in map?

Can't see your screenshots, when I click on the link it only displays www.heroworld.net, but I see what you mean.

I will indeed use effects on the map but only if it is justified by story.

[Marzhin]

Rather than staying idle now that Book 1 is done and will be released soon ™ (as soon as Nival get the HoF version of the campaign editor out of their ***...), I am hard at work on Book 2. It is fully written and in proofreading. It will be 4 maps long and for the moment the first 2 maps are done.

A few "work in progress" pictures of some of the characters. The portraits are "under production" as I speak (now that sounds serious )



Harke is back six years after the end of "Elwin and Shaera"... Based on Thralsai. I love putting graphical stuff from previous MM games in my skins, so you may recognize his shield from MM6 or 7.



Thalia, a new character, is based on Ylaya from HoF. I modified her skin a lot, trying to give her an "egyptian queen" feel.



He's big, he's black-furred, he's a powerful and dangerous geomancer : Darkstorm is back and ready to kick some elven butt. I still have to modify his axes and a few things here and there (the horns are too white, and so on). The body markings were inspired by the Sunners in the comics "Wasteland". He kinda invited himself in the story after Jean-Mathias (the friend who is drawing the portraits) insisted on drawing minotaurs

[Marzhin]

In LotA you will encounter "map-specific" variations of existing towns which are for scenario use only as they are unbalanced. Here two examples :

The "Pirate Haven", with a line-up of various creatures including gremlins gunners, blade-dancers and dwarf brawlers...



The "Chedian Haven" where the Chedian units (modified from HoF renegades) can be recruited.



I'm trying to change the music in the town screen for those special towns, but it seems the music is defined in the Reference tables so you can't change it on a specific town without changing the music for all haven towns. If somebody knows how to do it...

[Marzhin]

A very, very special town... The background is not finished yet, but it gives you a good idea of what I'm aiming at

[arturchix]

Wow, it looks absolutely awesome! I can't wait for it, especially the underwater town.

[Pitsu]

Eh, will anyone recognize this "campaign" as H5 when it cones out. Looks more like a completely other game.

I am confused how the rogue haven town skeleton was modified. Is there a method to actually insert your own models?

I'm trying to change the music in the town screen for those special towns, but it seems the music is defined in the Reference tables so you can't change it on a specific town without changing the music for all haven towns. If somebody knows how to do it...

Yes, it looks like the music is defined by the town type. At least in standart game, there are also TOWN_NO_TYPE and TOWN_SPECIAL which one could perhaps use to define a completely new race (or town type). It needs mod overwriting several reference tables though, as some important links for these types are missing and have to be added. I did get my own music playing in an academy/haven chimerae, but the game crashed when tried to build a structure. So, I lack experimental evidence whether it is possible to add a new race with fully functional and customized castle or not.

But anyway, Keep up the good work!!!!

[Marzhin]

Eh, will anyone recognize this "campaign" as H5 when it cones out. Looks more like a completely other game.

Err I haven't changed that many things... Mainly a few visuals here and there. gameplay-wise, it's 100% H5

I am confused how the rogue haven town skeleton was modified. Is there a method to actually insert your own models?

I haven't modified the skeletons. I just switched the skydomes and changed the ambient lights, removed the fog and a few spcial effects (pigeons in the underwater towns for instance ).

I'm trying to change the music in the town screen for those special towns, but it seems the music is defined in the Reference tables so you can't change it on a specific town without changing the music for all haven towns. If somebody knows how to do it...

Yes, it looks like the music is defined by the town type. At least in standart game, there are also TOWN_NO_TYPE and TOWN_SPECIAL which one could perhaps use to define a completely new race (or town type). It needs mod overwriting several reference tables though, as some important links for these types are missing and have to be added. I did get my own music playing in an academy/haven chimerae, but the game crashed when tried to build a structure. So, I lack experimental evidence whether it is possible to add a new race with fully functional and customized castle or not.

Yep all my tries in this direction ended up in the game crashing. The best I managed was the game not crashing but the UI disappearing when I try to click on anything on the town screen.

But anyway, Keep up the good work!!!!

That's the plan

[Marzhin]

Another pic of the underwater town with reworked background.

[Marzhin]

A quick update on the release dates of the various Books

• Legends of the Ancients Book 1 : Fires from the North will be released next week. Yay ! (for Hammers of Fate)

• Book 2 : The Sunken Kingdom will be released in September. (for Hammers of Fate)

• Book 3 : Demons and Wonders will be released this fall, after the release of Tribes of the East. The Chedian setting could do with some orcs

• Book 4 : Heirs of the Dead will be released in spring 2008. (for Tribes of the East)

[arturchix]

That's great news!