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| Thread: Faction Creating Guide for Heroes 6 |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 · NEXT» |
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xerox
Promising
Undefeatable Hero
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posted September 08, 2008 09:50 AM |
bonus applied by GenieLord on 11 Sep 2008. |
Edited by xerox at 21:44, 18 Sep 2008.
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Faction Creating Guide for Heroes 6
Hi, here is a pretty long guide on how you create a good (maybe even perfect) and of course balanced town that other people will think is cool 
1. World & Race
Before you start doing the faction itself - you must choose what world you want to be in. It could be another unknown continent on Ashan (H6 based, like Lizardmen), in the known world of Ashan (like Naga) or maybe even in the old worlds (Colony, Axeoth and the Ancients).
After you have choosen this you can soon begin to work.
First you should start by doing a suiting background story.
Now I dont know much about the Ancients - so I cant write something fast about them in 10 seconds.
However the Naga could for example be fanatically loyal to their empress and treat her like a god or the Lizardmen could once have been slaves of the Naga but managed to escape to a swamp.
In addition to the background itself, you could make a timeline.
Something like this:
Insert Number Here: Asha creates Shalassa.
Insert Number Here: Shalassa creates the Naga.
Insert Number Here: The current leader of the naga, Empress Xiara manages to trick her people into beliving that she is a incarnation of Shalassa etc.
Then you could make a description of your faction.
For example who is their leader, are they evil or good, magic or might, racial colors, motto etc.
Now you can begin with the creatures.
2. Creature Line-Up and Layout (kind of)
Now its time to make creatures. But before you start you should think of what stats your town should be based on.
For example - Sylvan is based on Speed & Iniative and Necropolis on high growth and low cost.
So your Naga could be based on lets say... High Attack & Health Points. Usually I have two very good stats, two moderate stats and two low stats on my creatures.
Now lets make a interesting creature line-up.
This is the average line-up:
1. Walker
2. Shooter
3. Walker
4. Flyer large creature
5. Shooter
6. Walker large creature
7. Flyer large creature
Sure, its very good and a very balanced line-up but it would be much more interesting if you created a unique creature line-up that still would work!
A better version:
1. Walker
2. Flyer
3. Shooter
4. Caster
5. Walker
6. Flyer
7. Flyer
But this is totally unbalanced! If you want to have 3 flyers then you will have to reduce your shooters to zero and make the casters very wea or something.
The final version:
1. Walker
2. Flyer
3. Shooter
4. Walker
5. Caster
6. Flyer
7. Walker
Now this is a both unique and balanced line-up.
But now for the actual creatures!
3. Creatures, Names & Abilities *UPDATED*
Okey now you have choosen how your creature line-up should look like, lets make the actual creatures (finally ;P ).
I will base my creatures on that line-up.
Lets say.... a Lizardmen faction.
If you want to the Lizardmen you will likely have swamp creatures in it - because thats what most people assosicate (spelling) Lizardmen with and wants. Of course you can make them in any theme you want, Swamp is only a popular example. Any if you want to find swamp creatures why not play Heroes 3? There are lots fo interesting creatures there that fits the swamp like the Hydra and Basilisk.
Wikipedia is also your friend. Search around for mytholical swamp beasts.
Anyway, you could also search on google about swamp monsters and lizardmen or the race you want to do.
You could base them on the Maya or Aztec indians.
Okey the first creature would not be very cool, so lets say its a Lizardmen Tracker. Every creature should try to be unique, but all creatures cannot be super cool like a faction with fullgrown Dragons as tier 1.
Okey - Tier 1. Lizardmen Tracker.
But what is this!?
It doesnt work at all!
Lizardman Tracker is a horrible name, only use it if you create theme-based H1, H2, H3 and H4 towns.
This is important because the old worlds had mostly theme based towns which means you have more diffrent creatures then "racial" creatures.
In H5 however and in Ashan, most are race based except for towns like Academy (but Academy has always been like that, no need to change).
So if you make a race based town then NEVER call them "Orc Soldier, Orc Archer, Orc Sage" etc.
Just use "Soldier, Archer & Sage" but please - more creative names.
Tracker is a fine name. Now go and look for alternate meanings on Tracker that sounds cooler and add "Tribal" to it and suddenly you have an upgrade!
Tracker-Tribal Poacher, okey not exactly but still similar.
So for names instead of using "Lizardmen Priest" you could use... "Hoodo Priest" or something like that.
Now abilities. Make interesting abilities and not two many of them. Three abilities is enough.
You should have one active and 1-2 passive (like no enemy retailation) depending on creatures tier.
The higher tier, the more abilities but that doesnt mean you can add 20 abilities to a tier 7 creature.
The active abilities should be interesting.
"Roar" - Increases attack by 1. NOT INTERESTING.
However of course some creatures should have something boring, as I said before its unfair for a town to be superior and a lot more cool then the others.
Here is an intersting ability.
"Spirit Link" - Creature binds up to three enemy creatures souls. 10% of the damage one of them deal is splitted among them.
So for example: I bind Peasant, Archangel and Champion. Archangel attacks for 1000 damage. 100 damage is now dealt to all of them.
Passive abilties doesnt need to be boring either.
"Brave" - Creature always have +3 morale BORING, but nescessary for some creature to have it.
"Killing Spree" - For each stack this creature kills, it raises its attack by 5 for 4 turns. Stacks up to three times. Interesting.
So here is a short but fitting creature line-up for a swamp town that I came up with in 10 seconds.
1. Tracker
2. Serpent Fly
3. Huntsman
4. Basilisk
5. Hoodo Priest
6. Coatl
7. Hydra
Also dont forget if you have race-based towns then the perfect number of race based units are 3, otherwise it just becomes boring for most people.
Now for the most important part (or one of the most important) = teh creature roles.
Each creature should have a diffrent role, for example its not interesting to have two tanks in a row - but of course its almost impossible to come up with 7 totally diffrent creatures.
So that is why you can split up them in 3 groups.
The Low Levels (1,2,3), the Mid Levels (4,5) and the High Levels (6,7) or something like that.
Some creatures are utility based, some are offensive and some defensive, some are fast and some are slow etc (depending on which two stats your town is based on, like Sylvan in H5 is based on Speed & Iniative).
You could for example have 1 offensive, 1 defensive and one utility based creature in the Low Level group. One offensive and one utilty in the Mid Level Group and one offensive and tank in the High Level group depending again on what you base your town on (speed, agility, melee combat, stay at range, dont get hit etc).
4. Balance, Balance and Balance More!
For a town to work it MUST be balanced.
To make a town balanced this should be done:
* Two high stats, two modereate stats and two low stats for creatures.
* 3 flyers at most, if 3 flyers then only one shooter and weaker units overall.
* If you only have one shooter then give them something like "Chain Shot" (aka succubi, note that skip this if your making a town that has 3 flyers).
* Three shooters at most, one caster at most.
* ALWAYS THREE LARGE CREATURES! This is a must! There are 3 large creatures in all towns.
When you make a town then do "balance waves". You should read through your faction several times to see whats overpowered and underpowered.
5. Skills
The Racial should be fitting and not boring. For example the most common - but also best Naga racial is to make them flood the battlefield to gain either a protective shield, extra stats (like I do), enemies drown, all troops can fly etc.
The other skills are not really important. Its not like your town is ever going to make in-game anyway. But still, if you bother its pretty funny to create sub-skills.
Have around 25-35% of your own unique skills and the rest skills that are already used.
6. Heroes
Some think its important and some not.
Anyway if you make heroes, come up with good names and nice specials.
The name depends on the faction setting.
Is it might or magic, what terrain do they live on?
A Naga might hero could be called Harbinger and a magic hero Hydromancer.
For the names themself - its really hard to come up with names sometimes. My trick? Get a latin lexicon and search for stuff there.
For example we want to name or Naga hero. Then get a english-latin lexicon and search the world "Maelstrom, Water, Ocean" or something and there will come up with LOTS of nice and cool words.
Dont copy them, someone might actually speak latin these days so dont name your hero "Poo or Ass" but in latin 
Anyway base your names around the latin language.
Aquanion, here I come
For the biography... start with doing a specalty first, okey?
If I remember right there are 8 heroes in HoMM5.
A good idea would be too: Make two of them improve a skill, two of them a creature, two of them a spell and the rest something random.
Boring specialty: Tidal Wind - gives you a 10% chance to bless a random friendly creature with haste on expert level each turn (okey, my bad - that was a pretty cool skill). The chance to bless increases by 1% per hero level and the number of blessed creatures 1 per 10 level.
Cool specalty: Shalassian Wrath - summons a 1x1 large maelstrom to devour nearby creatures. The size increases with 1x1 per 5 level (so if you were level 10 you would have a 3x3 large maelstrom).
Can also spawn water elementals.
7. Buildings
If you want to make buildings then you could make something I call a "Battle Plan".
Here is an example of a fast made "battle plan"...
With all 'yer photoshop skills ya can probably make better then me
Anyway for īspecial building balance you usally have 3-4 special buildings. Maxium two horde buildings, 1-2 that improves racial skill and a last one that doest something random (like creates a Thunderstorm when enemies attack or something like that).
8. Twilight of the Xerox
Good luck on creating a great faction!
I hope you got atleast a little bit help with this little guide.
Also remember to make your faction to look good:
BAD = yugusdddddddddddddd
dfdssssssssssssssssssssdfsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssdsssssssssssssssssss
dfdsfsfsdsfddsffdfsssssssssssss
ffsdfdfddsfdfsdfdsfdfsfd
fdddfdsfdsdfsddf
GOOD =
fdfsds: fefsdd
fdsf: fsfsdfsf
dsfgds: fsdfdsfds
fdfdfdsf: fdssssssssssssss
dfssdfdfsddfsdfdfddsf
fdsffffsdf
dffdssdfdsfsdff
dffddsfdsf
fdffdfdfdfdsdfs
dffsdfd
dffdfdsddfdsfsfdfd
fdddfdfsfdfdsf
dffdffdfdfdf
Thanks, just want to finnaly contribute to the forum 
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Over himself, over his own
body and
mind, the individual is
sovereign.
- John Stuart Mill
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War-overlord
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
Presidente of Isla del Tropico
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posted September 08, 2008 11:56 AM |
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Nice guide Xerox. It's usefull, to the point, easy to read and creative.
However I don't agree on the order of the steps. I would switch step 1 with step 3. But that is because I think the creatures in a town are the base of the faction. IMHO, Lore is there to enrich gameplay. Games are a medium for a story, but it should not be the purpose (Unless you want to make a text- or Point & Click adventure). Still I have to agree that the Lore is a keystone to a good faction and it should not be overlooked.
Also given this handy guide you've written, I'd like to hear you're thoughts on the Line-up I created back in the Perfect Temple.
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Vote El Presidente! Or Else!
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Daystar
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Back from the Dead
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posted September 09, 2008 12:32 AM |
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QP.
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How exactly is luck a skill?
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DagothGares
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
No gods or kings
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posted September 09, 2008 12:38 AM |
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I would read this, but I'm forced to sidescroll, though... Any reason why this is?
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If you have any more questions, go to Dagoth Cares.
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Lexxan
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Unimpressed by your logic
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posted September 09, 2008 12:44 AM |
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Funny Guide, Excellent work. Though I ask myself if it's really needed. 
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Coincidence? I think not!!!!
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Moonlith
Bad-mannered
Supreme Hero
If all else fails, use Fiyah!
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posted September 09, 2008 02:32 AM |
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Edited by Moonlith at 02:35, 09 Sep 2008.
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Hmmm, I am not sure if I can agree with all the things you claim.
For example, in my current H6 project I'm working on, Stronghold has 0 flyers. You could argue this is bad (according to your guide it is), but at the same time this makes the faction unique. (The main disadvantage during sieges is actually compensated for by having 2 units that can attack castle walls).
And wether or not an ability is boring or interesting is irrelevant, as long as it is effective and works properly. Minotaur's bravery ability is just fine (and above all, a severe break with continuity when lacking).
Other than that, it does contain some good tips 
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zazu1
Adventuring Hero
Makes Sense
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posted September 09, 2008 04:33 AM |
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Quote:
Lizardman Tracker is a horrible name, only use it if you create theme-based H1, H2, H3 and H4 towns.
Lizardman Tracker could be the upgraded the name with Lizardman as the un-upgraded name.
Quote:
I would switch step 1 with step 3. But that is because I think the creatures in a town are the base of the faction. IMHO, Lore is there to enrich gameplay. Games are a medium for a story, but it should not be the purpose (Unless you want to make a text- or Point & Click adventure).
This was a strong point I was trying to make on my other thread, and I completely agree with this.
But overall, nice job. However I do agree with what Monolith is saying. It's a nice job, but it somewhat restricts the creator a bit. It is a nice guide, but if you want to be more creative and unoriginal it is possible to break your rules. Especially since these ideas are for Heroes 6. It could be a much different game but still balanced. Variety usually makes a better game.
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alcibiades
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
of Gold Dragons
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posted September 09, 2008 06:25 AM |
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Good guide here, Xerox, albeit I have a few comments.
First off, I actually agree with points 1-2-3 in the order you've added them. I think one should have a plan before executing the plot, so to speak, and I think it's important to first consider which creatures - and what type of creatures - you want in your town.
What I think also needs to be mentioned is the role each creature is going to play in the combat. Obviously, each creature has a different role - some are offensive, some are deffensive, some are versatile - and it's good to consider which role each creature will have, so that balance becomes more or less even. If you look at it, you can divide creatures into low-level (levels 1-3), mid-level (level 4-5) and high-level (level 6-7), and as a general rule of thump, each faction has creatures with different roles in each group - particularly in the low-level group.
A final word - try not to be too steal-set in your statements. I know there are things you might think are good or bad, and while you might be right, sometimes that's not the *only* right. For instance, while it's true that 3 racial creatures in town might be the comfortable average, I still hold that in some cases, more can be suitable - and, in some cases, less can be. The important thing is to consider *why* it needs to be in one particular way.
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GenieLord
Honorable
Legendary Hero
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posted September 11, 2008 03:27 PM |
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Great job, Xerox. This is now a stickied thread.
I put instead of the old H5 Faction Makers Guide, which has too many instuctions of guiding lines which were true mainly for H5. For example, it refers only to the faction, while everything here should be a piece of the entire world pazzle. Anyway, this is like a current version. This will be stickied temporally, until we make a summarizing thread that will include parts of all the guides.
Anyway, I gave you a QP for all the effort and the good tips. The best thing is that everyone will post his guides/tips here, and we'll have a useful thread to cover all the important things. Most have been covered by Xerox at the master post, but much more can be added by our posters.
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xerox
Promising
Undefeatable Hero
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posted September 11, 2008 10:24 PM |
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Thanks 
Since it got stickied I guess I will have to update it soon (when I can) ^^
____________
Over himself, over his own
body and
mind, the individual is
sovereign.
- John Stuart Mill
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xerox
Promising
Undefeatable Hero
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posted September 18, 2008 09:44 PM |
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Hello, I updated the main posts Creature, Abilities, Etc section. Changed some stuff, added some stuff etc.
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Over himself, over his own
body and
mind, the individual is
sovereign.
- John Stuart Mill
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Adrius
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Stand and fight!
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posted September 19, 2008 09:24 PM |
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Very good Xerox
The English-Latin tip is great, never thought of that, it might help a lot.
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zamfir
Promising
Supreme Hero
Allez allez allez
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posted October 18, 2008 05:07 PM |
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Edited by zamfir at 18:18, 18 Oct 2008.
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I like this guide very much, yet many things can be added.
This is what I tought to complete this guide.
A Summary of what you'll find
Many of the thins I listed are not very subtle, but a lot of people tend to forget them. That's why I think they should be enumerated in an organized way.
6. Heroes
Apart from the bioghrapies and specialities, the must have starting skills (Basic [Racial Skill] and Basic Luck, Basic [Racial Skill] and Basic Attack, Advanced [Racial Skill] etc.)
Don't forget to also give them starting creatures. If a hero specialises in a low tier creature, he could start only with the respective creature, in according numbers; no 20 tier 3s for a starting hero. If the creature is a high tier, you can give a few to the hero(Ylthin, for example, starts with one Unicorn). Don't give tier 6 or 7 as starting creatures to a hero.
Besides, imagine an unique movement path for your faction hero. There is no need to draw/post an image (tough it would be ideal if you can). Only a clear description is enough.
Remember that the faction should also have Campaign Hero(es). Their portraits/biographies/specialities must be unique, tough you can make some standard heroes as 'guests' or even 'placeholders' in the campaign. They shouldn't play the "main role", however. Also, the Campaing Heroes should be locked for scenarios.
Another neat idea would be to chose three heroes (not campaign heroes) and make them Duel Heroes. Create some balanced presets and implement your heroes in the Duel Mode. Make your faction as complete as possible, this is certainely an upper hand.
7. Buildings
Also, little details bring savour to a faction and raise it's artistic value. A good thing to add are some personalised tavern lines to fir your faction. In our Lizardmen faction, one line might be: "I heard that Cleansing can't cure the poisonous bite of the Basilisk...". It must be more elaborate, but this is just a little example.
Some music themes (one for the town screen, one for the recruting screen and one for the tavern screen) are welcome; post the links in the thread.
Another important thing, yet often forgotte, is introducing adventure structures associated with the faction. A faction is not complete without these. For example, you can add a creature bank (a Hydra Utopia, a Tracker Hideout) guarded by creatures from your town. Or a structure that gives a temporary boost to the racial skill. This is indeed important, since all faction have these adventure buildings.
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5 Times TV
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xerox
Promising
Undefeatable Hero
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posted October 18, 2008 05:45 PM |
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Sounds good, I will add it when I have time
____________
Over himself, over his own
body and
mind, the individual is
sovereign.
- John Stuart Mill
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zamfir
Promising
Supreme Hero
Allez allez allez
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posted October 18, 2008 06:12 PM |
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I'm glad you like it. I'll also add more in my post when I'll have time.
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5 Times TV
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shadowhedgehog
Tavern Dweller
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posted January 22, 2009 03:49 PM |
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I would like to see lizardman nation. And it seems, that when I am not the only one, who came up with this idea, it will come true. I am looking forward to see lizardmans and basilisk again since H3.
The faction you created as an example as almost the same what I would create. I agree with everything you said in the guide... but with few exceptions. You do not allow three flyers and two shooters? Look at H5 necropolis. Three flyers - ghost (very dangerous), vampair (in large numbers incredibely dangerous) and dragon (not the best 7th level unit, but it comes in numbers) and two shooters - skeleton and lich, who has cloud of death, so it is even more imba.
And what about academy, they have (they always had that in whole - H2-H5) two flyers, (one of them is completely useless and the second has very good attack, but is very weak, but you have to count with them) and THREE shooters. Gremlins, not the best shooters, but useful, and mages with Titans, incredibely strong shooters.
And if you take Stronghold in H5, you get only one flyer (which do not even share the racial ability) and one rather weak shooter.
What I want to say is, that the actual gameplay can be balanced even when it doesn't look like at first (I believe it is balanced).
It doesn't have to be that strict.
But I would expect, that there has to be at least one shooter, one flyer (or creature with teleport or ability, which allows it to overcome obstacles, walls and other creatures), one caster and three of them would be large creatures, but only if you expect, that H6 will have the same or very similar combat screen.
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ryoukung
Tavern Dweller
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posted July 15, 2009 07:05 PM |
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thank it will help me alot
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Nirual
Famous Hero
Imbued Ballista
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posted July 17, 2009 08:42 PM |
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One last thing everyone seems to forget about: The musical theme. Every faction in 5 has a distinct theme, often present in all themes associated with that faction (battle, siege, town, tavern, recruiting creatures).
I realize that that's probably the hardest part, but since everyone is posting factions around here it might be a good idea to heighten the standards a bit.
And for precisely the same reason (and the rest of the work that goes into creating a faction for the actual game), I wouldn't be surprised if HoMM 6 starts with only the eight factions from TotE and adds one more per expansion, if any.
In fact, I even hope so because that will probably mean more attention towards the general gameplay mechanics and overall quality, something that wasn't quite V's strong suit initially.
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In ur base killing ur doods... and raising them as undeads.
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Jarlaxle
Tavern Dweller
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posted August 08, 2009 11:53 PM |
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With your guide I will create a faction of ultimate werewolves to conquor all of Ashan !!!!!! MHUAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!!
Nice.
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funstuffalex
Tavern Dweller
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posted October 20, 2009 03:56 AM |
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thanks im begginer helped me alot
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