Playhard.ru Interview

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One of these days we have managed to communicate to representatives of company Nival developing a long-awaited fifth part of legendary series Heroes of Might and Magic. They have kindly agreed to answer some our questions. Read details!

PlayHard: - At what stage now there is the development of the game? On what efforts of a command of developers first of all are directed?

Nival: - At the moment we pass 4-th, final stage of the bet?-test. We already successfully passed three stages and, at last, send on a home straight – quiveringly and carefully we prepare for release of game. We work above correction of the mistakes revealed at the previous stages of beta-testing, we correct balance of game and simply we lead up it to a final condition. On it the basic forces are thrown. To a certain extent, it as a facet of diamond - work very thin and laborious.

PlayHard: - the Cores, in your opinion, differences of 5-th part from other games of a series, its feature and a feature. Whether it is made use of experience of Etherlords, and if yes, in what degree?

Nival: - the First, on what the player will pay attention, and that absolutely precisely it will impress, it is the 3D-schedule. In game it is so realistic, how much it in general is possible in a strategy genre. People who see game for the first time, look at the screen as bewitched. It seems to us, it is a good sign:) Players can easily (one finger rotating the screen with the mouse) to approach and delete the chamber, changing scale of a card. We have in details worked animation and effects, at immersing in game another at once is felt, deeper in comparison with the last parts of game a level saturations. Most different improvements, for example - there was a system of the initiative. Each character possesses the parameter influencing how often it can operate in fight, that as a whole changes tactics of fight and the approach to construction of army. So it is possible to develop at itself such skills.
Other feature of fight – special opportunities of each creature. For example, Griffins have a unique ability under the name "Impact from heavens". The griffin flies up above a battlefield and absent during one course but after that as forces at it have accumulated during "rest" considerable (to us it seems, that it simply dives from the big height, speeding up – comment Playhard), it can strike very powerful blow on army of the opponent. But if the opponent "will guess", what of its creatures the Griffin has decided to destroy, it can allocate in advance it aside and save from an attack. Such specialization of creatures does fight deeper, tactical, interesting.

In Heroes of Might and Magic V (it Heroes of Might and Magic 5, HoMM5) each race had unique features. For example, race Haven now has an ability "Training" - an opportunity, allowing to train a command and, thus, to raise its level. That is the player can transform peasants in archers, archers into knights and so on down to paladins, in general, by a principle "from a dirt in princes", but, that is important, not without effort.

One more difference which is to be noted, is various multiuser modes. For example, there is a standard mode, and there is a mode of the duel, allowing to play only in battles between armies of heroes. It is very convenient - to take and play after work of minutes 15, to take pleasure and go home. Besides it also the additional opportunity to perfect the tactical skill, and then to exhibit it in the standard game!

As to experience of "Etherlords", probably, any comparison is lawful, in fact it is the same genre, and besides both games one company - Nival Interactive did :). But by and large, these two games only people who did them unite. Experience of these people in development of strategic games, in particular the experience received at work above "Etherlords" and "Blitzkrieg" and other projects, was useful and for Heroes of Might and Magic V and has played a main role in reception of this project basically.

PlayHard: - whether opinion Truly occuring already what the greater bias will be outlined in 5-th part aside RPG, rather than TBS?

Nival: - No more than earlier. It is still step-by-step strategy. At us a good plot and the remarkable characters deeply worked, with the characters. Before the player in campaign the greater and in details presented history is played, but it nevertheless does not mean, that the role component prevails. All those depths of tactical decisions which are in the previous parts, were kept and now.

We did not put to ourselves such purpose – to deepen line RPG. Simply all basic elements what entered into the previous parts of game, we have made at very qualitative level which regarding study of a plot and its submission to players, for example, we shall commensurate and with RPG. But thus we have missed nothing, have not lost from strategy, therefore we can approve authoritatively, that balance was successful :)

PlayHard: - your opinion in occasion of prospects of genre TBS as a whole, what in this process a role new Heroes of Might and Magic V?

Nival: - the Genre was alive, alive now, and will live :). It has enough popularity, has the certain circle of the fans. Certainly, outside the circle audiences the genre has not such high popularity though here left recently Civilization 4 very well itself has shown. We think, that Heroes of Might and Magic V will take rather worthy place in sub-area TBS and will be overcome for a rank of the best strategy of year.

Therefore prospects of a genre as a whole, in our opinion, are those – the genre will live, in it there will be beautiful interesting games (most likely, within the limits of already known series), focused not only on fans of this genre, but also on a wide audience, in fact it too demands to herself attention.

PlayHard: - More active overlapping of elements «RPG» and TBS?

Nival: There is a tendency which is actively shown in many leaving step-by-step games, in each game in own way. And we too have displays of this law. But fans who prefer to play in thoughtful step-by-step game, can play in it, anything thus will not lose and will receive all ordered volume of pleasure from a gameplay.

PlayHard: - What for today official terms of an output of game, whether the output of a preliminary demo is planned?

Nival: - Game should leave in the first quarter 2006. Players needed to wait absolutely not for long though, probably, for especially wishing more likely to play in Heroes of Might and Magic V, time lasts slowly. And for us, the developers who have left on a home straight, we shall directly tell, weeks fly by as hours.

Demo it will be indispensable, but it is complex to tell, when. Not because it is a secret that is why that while there is no exact date of its output.

PlayHard: - As it will be organized beta-testing – one of the basic problems Russian games?

Nival: - We have already organized the bet?-test together with Ubisoft and it is necessary to tell, that it from the very beginning passes top-level. Some thousand participate in it person from all world - both fans, and other players. By the way, for Russian playerrs, the beta-test begun for half a year up to release is not absolutely usual phenomenon. By results of the beta-test, as a rule, grind game, put last strokes, and on it the maximum is allocated from several weeks before couple of months. But, doing game of such level, we have started final debugging long before release.

PlayHard: - whether release of a MOD, support online and scripts Is planned?

Nival: - We well concern to founders of updatings of game and to our fans, and we shall try to support in every possible way through fashions and cards. Certainly, now for us the main thing – to let out game, to think of something the friend to us now difficultly. But we equally remember all the fans and we shall try to support their initiatives.

PlayHard: - whether you Can slightly open details of reception of the order on Heroes of Might and Magic V? Its role for the company?

Nival: - All has begun since the company 3DO has gone bankrupt and has been compelled to sell the brands. Ubisoft has got on auction brand Heroes of Might and Magic V and has declared the tender for development of game. Well and further all is simple. We have made the offer, evidently, with all passion and persuasiveness, of which were capable (at us in the company many fans of a series who burnt with the desire to do "the fifth Heroes"), have shown, that we very much wish to do following game of a series and that we can really make it. Also have sent it in Ubisoft. Developed by us, our other games reflected our rich long-term experience in manufacturing strategy, work in a genre of a fantasy. All these important things in aggregate became for Ubisoft convincing argument in favour of that we – the best command for this project. And we have won the tender.

The role of the project for the company, without exaggeration, is huge. All in Russia this game love, we receive huge quantity of offers from fans about improvements and changes of game. We simply have the rights to justify believed on us and to make game badly or well because it with trembling is waited with millions admirers. We very much try "to get in most opinions" and to execute their expectations.

PlayHard: - What further plans of cooperation with Ubi concerning Universe Might and Magic? Whether there Will be 6-th part?

Nival: - If it is fair, probably, is better to ask about it Ubisoft. But it is obvious, that in many respects the decision will depend on that, the release of the fifth part will be how much successful. From our party we make it all efforts.

PlayHard: - Plans and prospects you have in the market of strategic games, whether promotion of this genre is planned for others, except for PC, platforms?

Nival: - We for a long time and strong love strategy, it is fine in them we understand, we are able to do them. However it is known, what exactly strategy, especially RTS, worst of all survive on other platforms. This market is interesting to us, and we shall continue to search for ways of its gain, but to please with any concrete forecasts and announcements we can not yet.

PlayHard: - What expectations of the company from world release Heroes of Might and Magic V, whether are napoleonic plans? Whether it is capable to deduce this release Russian-developed games in "the big sports" world game industry?

Nival: - Napoleonic plans, certainly, are, to be exact to tell, plans heroic! At work above such project they should arise – that soldier who does not dream to become the general is bad. As experience of our previous releases allows to make such plans. Release Heroes of Might and Magic V – a grand event both for the Russian game branch, and in scales of the world game market. We realize it and we are proud the participation in this phenomenon. On results of 2005 many sources have named this project the most expected game of year 2006. Therefore no other spirit, except for the most resolute, at us can be – we have no right to let out bad or even is simple game. However, it seems to us, that all will be good :)

As a whole on results of conversation (I hope, and to you too, dear readers) it seemed to us, that the Nival employees are assured of the forces and are ready to please fans with something like legendary third Heroes in a new wrapper. We shall look, whether it will turn out at them. From its part we wish developers of good luck, in fact so many arrogant projects now terminate … we Hope, that next child waits its destiny.

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Thanks to ThE_HyDrA for creating and looking after the Heroes 5 section of Age of Heroes!