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| Thread: On the difference between the Heroes game zones | |
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polaris
Promising
Known Hero
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posted November 19, 2005 05:13 AM |
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On the difference between the Heroes game zones
I was reading some literature on this fine, upcoming game, and I was reading one phrase that said something like "Heroes 5 preserves the 3 main game zones players are used to in a Heroes game: the adventure map, the combat map, and the town screen." This got me thinking.
First, why the separation between these zones?
They are all pieces of the same world, so why are they presented differently?
Obviously there are different purposes for each, but could there not be an adaptive interface to handle these changes in context?
Why not just have one display- all the time? No combat screen, no town screen, just an adventure map where everything takes place. Of course the game would still functionally be divided into the 3 main parts, and an adaptive interface would determine which situation you were in and give you appropriate options.
Think of what this could add to the game: (I added where I took the idea from and where I added it to in parenthesis, A=Adventure map, C=Combat map, T=Town screen)
-Adventure objects in the combat screen (A->C)
-Enhanced formation customizability for combat (C->A)
-Adventure objects in town (A->T)
-Town buildings on adventure map (other than creature generators) (T->A)
-Sieges directly based on town layout (C->T)
Even if you don't like the idea of one display all the time, some of these may be good ideas anyway. (Although I admit some of them are too outlandish)
Just think of things you can do in one module (eg. visit adventure map object), and imagine if you could do a similar thing in another module (eg. in combat). There are a lot of untapped possibilities here.
Any other thoughts?
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dvader
Adventuring Hero
Dark Lord of the Sith
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posted November 20, 2005 03:09 AM |
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Edited By: dvader on 19 Nov 2005
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It sounds good in theory, but the three different zones of the game have been an integral part of the Heroes series since the beginning and there seems to be no reason to fix what isn't broken.
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"Wipe them out...
All of them."
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TDL
Honorable
Supreme Hero
The weak suffer. I endure.
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posted November 20, 2005 11:38 AM |
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Edited By: TDL on 20 Nov 2005
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Hmmm... how would the game look like?
Hi Polaris. I would think my participation in this thread is not necessary, but there is not a thing where I didn't stick my nose in. Lol, I must have overlooked this thread yesterday 
The ideas you propose are quite interesting. It would certainly bring some interesting shifts to the game, although I don't think the fifth part should have such things implemented. Sixth, mayhaps?
Now, it's my turn to speak about your ideas.
First of all, how would the game look like?
Would the game surely be a TBS then? Dunno. But some things in your posts seem to be "outlandish" for sure. How would it affect the gameplay? I have nothing against this, but I am not sure if the game wouldn't be overloaded. Imagine, what CPU you'd have to have.
Secondly, about the gaming zones.
I didn't like the whole three aspects mixed as it would make the game more of a real-time strategy.
But when looking on the positive side, certain ideas were quite ok. Firstly, I liked the idea of adventure and the combat maps mixed. I would certainly like to see nearby objects of the adventure map (trees, plants, mines etc.) in the background. Also, it would be nice if there was a possibility to visit an object which would heal the creatures, boost their stats or for example provide additional troops. This wouldn't be so much like a RTS game, but still, it is just a theory, an utopian one so-to-say. Another thing, is about the sieges being directly based on town layout. There could be an extra wall to bash, the front lines, the pitfalls - all in one - on the adventure map. During the combat it would have to be zoomed in order to attack the town. Catapults, for one, would not only attack the walls, but also the inside of the town for "extra special effects" There would be moats, guardhouses, towers that would possibly have to be destroyed.
The main aspect which makes me think the ideas you provide would make the game more real-time-based, is the town screen mixed with the adventure map. Even tho, the creature dwelling would not necessarily appear, it would seem to RTS like. The map is always a map, town screen a town screen and the combat a combat. I do not think such changes would have to be made. I don't even imagine how would you buy buildings in your town with all three being mixed. There should be a set of extra buttons then, lol.
Ummhhh..... My thoughts have evaporated. I may have misunderstood what you posted, but still I think my reply is related to the idea.
Cheers 
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Daystar
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Back from the Dead
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posted November 20, 2005 03:05 PM |
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seiges with an acual town layout? hey, that's promising!
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polaris
Promising
Known Hero
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posted November 22, 2005 05:20 AM |
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I appreciate everyone's feedback, it was an interesting read. TDL, to be honest I think you have thought the idea out more than I had. Although I do not understand why you think it would make the game RTS-like, I like how you took the initiative to flesh out some of the ideas that I posted.
I would like to emphasize that the ideas in my post were all separable, meaning that any one could be taken without taking the others. I mention this, because the fans seem to be none too receptive about the unified interface that I proposed and many seem to be disregarding everything else on this basis.
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TDL
Honorable
Supreme Hero
The weak suffer. I endure.
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posted November 22, 2005 06:24 AM |
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lol... I seem to have messed things up...
In reply to Polaris:
You ask why would it ressemble a Real Time Strategy game?
If there were any structures (objects) on the battlefield as well as on the map, towns built directly on the adventure map or sieges directly based on town layout, it would simply ressemble.
A simple explanation. Because these features are most likely to be found in RTS games. When you're battling someone, during the combat, you do not have to stick to the combat (as there is one map only)- buildings, structures, nearby objects (on the map) are easily accessed or, if there is a feature that allows to destroy the environment, destroyed. That is to be found more often in RTS than in TBS (if there is smth like that at all).
But if speaking about the town building s, I must have misunderstood what you said. I thought what you said was about how you build structures DIRECTLY on the adventure map, but now I somehow understand what you wanted to say: separate buildings from towns placed on the adventure map. If that is the case, I do not find this so harmful. Infact, some buildings separated (like Blacksmiths, Abilities-Boosting structures) are quite a useful thing.
But if you meant that structures you would normally build when the town screen is entered would be built DIRECTLY on the map, without opening the screen, I would certainly disagree with such ideas. Everything could be seen with just moving the cursor - the progress in your encampment, new buildings being added etc. - which means that it would look much like when you build structures in RTS games. New ones appear, the simplest details are sharpened, you have to be very attentive to see the progress in the game... If you would like to see the true beauty of the town when everything is built, you'd have to have it not zoomed at all are zoomed in max. capacity. It would simplify the game so much, in that case, that it would rather be not called of the HOMM series again, lol
And when speaking about the sieges..... yes, it would be nice if you were able to attack the walls, the moats, the inside of the town, but it would seem so unHeroic. I found that combatting with the enemy in Age of Wonders 2 Shadow magic seemed to zoom the map into a certain space where you would fight. The same goes for sieges. If we add this to HOMM series, I say it'd lose many unique aspects (moats, arrow towers, catapults etc.). This would be a nice feature to add to any game (that is of strategy type, I mean), but not to have it implemented in HoMM
Oh well, that's all I am about to say now.
Maybe you will not understand a thing I wrote here (as it is still VERY early here and I am still half-sleeping), but I hope the reply was good
Moderator's note:This topic has been closed, as it refers to an older version of the game. To discuss Heroes 3, please go to Library Of Enlightenment, to discuss Heroes 4, please go to War Room Of Axeoth, to discuss Heroes 5, go to Temple Of Ashan.
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