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| Thread: Level designer of H7 writes |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 3 4 · NEXT» |
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frostymuaddib
Promising
Supreme Hero
育碧是白痴
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posted May 08, 2016 05:34 PM |
bonus applied by Maurice on 08 May 2016. |
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Level designer of H7 writes
'ello 'eroes. Thanks to my pal Verriker, who saved the article, written by MMH7 level designer, from the oblivion, I was able to translate it to english using the power of Google Translate. I tried to fix what I could, and in the end, I think that the text is understandable. I left some original parts in (( )), because I was unable to translate that correctly. Enjoy 
ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF MIGHT AND MAGIC HEROES 7
In the summer of 1998, when I was playing actively Heroes of Might and Magic II, I had no idea that I would almost fifteen years later participate in the establishment of the continuation of this legendary game. What once seemed like an impossible dream, has now become reality with all its consequences.
That is why I was able to put aside all the high epithets on the "heroic" series and discuss what is going on behind the scenes. Namely, talk about creating Might and Magic Heroes 7 in terms of level designer.
TECHNICAL DEMO
Technical demo - this is a primitive playable prototype, created using the temporary content. This is the first phase of development, which laid the foundation for all of the key game mechanics and create all the necessary tools.
In this case, the re-inventing the wheel was not required - it was enough to recreate carefully implement basic game mechanics upon the Unreal 3 engine, the ones that represent "heroic" gameplay (city management, capturing resources on the strategic map and tactical fights).
Development of the technical demo began in April 2013, and took place in two stages.
The first phase (April-July 2013) included the creation of a prototype of a tactical "chess" where it was possible to fight step by step, alternately moving figurines of characters on the cells. As a temporary assets list we used standard UDK resources and Heroes 6.
Image 1
The second phase (August-December 2013) ended up with a playable version of a full-fledged strategic map. The player had the opportunity to manage an army, capture mines and forts, gather resources, and engage in battle with the neutrals. The number of tactical maps was increased to five, and their appearance was dependent on where on the strategic map the player will enter the battle (the coast, forest, fields, mountains, etc.).
During the process of developing a technical demo, the level designer team consisted of two men - one engaged in the tactical map, the other strategic. Developers, in turn, worked on the superstructure for the UDK Level Editor, which later became the basis for a new simplified editor of Heroes 7.
Along with us, writers from Ubisoft engaged in writing the script of the game, thinking through the characters and the selection of locations on a global map of Ashan.
SCOPE OF STRATEGIC MAPS
Creation of the prototype allowed us to answer some important questions:
-How to make the gameplay on the strategic map more dynamic in comparison with Heroes 6?
-How will the distance of the camera on the strategic map affect map's detail?
-How to optimize the process of building levels?
The main problem of the Heroes 6 gameplay was that it had a limited number of actions in a single turn. This was due to the large size of the map and the low saturation of the area with interactive objects. As a result, to grab mine and grab some artifact, the player had to make an indecent number of moves, while crossing the large blank areas on the maps where nothing happens. Play became not only boring, but also very long.
In Heroes 7, we decided to change the scale and intensity of strategic maps to the standards of Heroes 3, which allowed to kill two birds with one stone. Firstly, we immediately had a feeling for the big world tour, because Army could quickly move from one landmark to another. Secondly, because of the good saturation of the space with interactive objects, the number of the player's actions during the same turn (to win the neutrals, grab mine, to besiege the fortress) has increased many times over.
In artistic terms, it was decided to show a realistic landscape in the style of "bird's eye view", in which all the gameplay elements have been stylized.
Image 2
Distance of the camera not only allows you to recreate the form similar to Heroes 3, but also made it possible to not focus on fine details of the environment but to focus more on the epic landscapes. This approach will further allow us to save a lot of time creating a level.
For example, in Heroes 6 on the strategic map the player can bring his camera close to the landscape and see a lot of small parts (3d grass 3d stones). The problem was that for the full decoration of only one such level, artists had to spend as much as four weeks. Together with scripting and design of gameplay map, manufacturing process dragged on for several months.
In Heroes 7, this problem was solved just by eliminating useless over-detailed layer. Since the player is not able to zoom in closer to the surface, there was no point in spending time on drawing 3d grass 3d stone just yet. With this solution, the production time of the same level in Heroes 7 was reduced to two to three weeks.
And now look at a few videos showing the technical prototype of Heroes 7 of December of 2013. Strategic map looked like this:
Video1 set to private on youtube
And in this video, you can judge the state of gameplay:
Video2 set to private on youtube
A test version of the cutscenes of a technical demo, in which titan is destroying the city.
Video3 set to private on youtube
FIRST PLAYABLE VERSION
The main objective for the period from January to April 2014 was the first full playable version with a small portion of the final quality of the content. In fact it is an alpha version, showing the basic game mechanics and art style.
In January 2014 by the writers of Ubisoft we first got the current version of the script with the description of the main key locations and battles. In the same period, two new level designer and a cinematics designer were transferred from another project. We immediately began to discuss the future study of maps and layouts on paper for the first two campaigns (The Academy and the Alliance of Light ((Heaven I guess?)).
At the same time we were engaged in the creation of strategic maps for the first playable version. level of evolution can be seen in the screenshots below:
Image 3
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Image 7
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Image 11
By April 2014 the game included: Hotseat mode, a multiplayer strategy map in a desert setting with underground, one faction (Academy) with all units, main buildings and resources (town fort dwellings, mines), examples of cutscenes, fog of war, alpha version of voice and music tracks.
The final screenshots of the first playable version as of April 2014 were as follows:
Image 12
Image 13
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Image 15
Image 16
By this time, the first version of the simplified level editor was ready, which is a mixture of UDK and "heroic" superstructure. An hour of work for two minutes:
Video 1
PUBLIC DEMO
In early July, we started working on demos for public exhibition GamesCom 2014 / Igromir 2014.
The main requirement was a small story map with linear gameplay for ten minutes, showing the two factions (Heaven and Academy) and three natural regions (green forests, snow-capped mountains and desert oasis).
It was decided to focus on the epic events in the game environment, in consequence of which lined up a very interesting scenario that contains a lot of spectacular moments (in the style of God of War).
Image 17
The creation of the first playable prototype level took a week, and the demo have been finished in about a month. The demo was an excellent proving ground for testing the system scripting events and cinematic cameras. At this stage, we still had a lot of "crutches", which were later replaced with high-grade chips. ((На этом этапе нами всё еще использовалось множество «костылей», которые в дальнейшем были заменены полноценными фишками.))
For example, all of the moves of the Titan armies had to be created manually in the form of cut-scenes (Matinee). For comparison - in the release version of the game, all scripted movement neutral armies used the game logic and auto search of ways - it was enough just to specify the coordinates of the desired cells.
Video 2
PROTOTYPING CAMPAIGNS
By the end of 2014 the level design team has grown to 10 people and we have started mass production of maps for the story campaign. By that time most of the necessary tools for scripting cut scenes were already available, which made it possible to gradually throw out map prototypes of all time "crutches" and replace them with high-grade chips. ((временные «костыли» и заменить их полноценными фишками.))
During the development of the story campaign for Heroes 6, action of level designers and writers' collective of Ubisoft were very poorly coordinated. This led to the fact that all the maps have been built without looking at the script and just before the start of the game developers had to hurry to add plot on existing levels. In the case of the Heroes 7, it was decided not to repeat this error and the story for each map was worked closely with Ubisoft at the start of production of the game. Simply put, the levels of were developed based on the story, not vice versa.
Process of gameplay prototyping for story campaign was conducted as follows. Level designer studied the script, created a sheet of all the events at the level and designed the step through a future mission. Then designer pictured a 2d plan, which is usually the starting point for the creation of 3D levels. Sometimes the layout is created based on rough notes in the editor, showing certain features of the landscape. After discussion and approval of the level of the plan could start working in the editor.
Image 18
Left: The campaign for the Haven Mission "Blind tool of fate"." Right: Campaign for the rebellious tribes, the mission "free slave"
The most effective tools for prototyping levels for Heroes 7 were the simplest functions of the editor - the brush to paint layer on the terrain (soil type and special markers would help block cells).
In order to start testing the gameplay, it was enough to draw the game space (the green fields and roads), to outline to interactive objects (cities, mines, resources) and lock all cells leading off the map. Alter the landscape at this stage there was not much need, as all the gameplay takes place in 2D plane and elevation changes are purely cosmetic element. If desired, the level can be added triggers issuing text message with comments that in this place should occur. Using this method to create a simple playable card blanks spends only one day.
Image 19
WALK for rake ((ПРОГУЛКА ПО ГРАБЛЯМ]))
Most of the problems of development of Heroes 7 rested on indecent low budget and short development time. Fierce savings in all, did not allowed to expand staff, capable of qualitatively improve the game.
For example, the development of artificial intelligence (AI) takes only one person. This led to the fact that most levels have been built without the opportunity to test the gameplay in "combat" conditions, and the whole gameplay scenarios had been scripted entirely. Designers have received more or less working AI only at the end of the development (the same one single programmer AI still finished his work). Looking back, we can say that attend the creation of sane AI had another prototype stage.
Adding chips((фишки)) while maintaining the game in the middle of the development level designers to enclose all the big pig((подложило всем дизайнерам уровней большую свинью)) - to ensure the correct preservation, I had to lose a lot of time for processing all scripted events. On good, save the system need to lay still at the prototype stage.
The visual style of the game environment expected turned out to be a weak point in the development of Heroes 7. In the studio of the artist was not selected for the game environment, and art director was constantly busy with outsource control and coordination of every detail with Ubisoft. Monitoring the status of each map and working closely with the designers of levels were physical possibility for him. As a result, designers are left to themselves and worked to the best of their abilities.
All this has led to some levels began to suffer variability in terms of scale and artistic style. The same objects can be found on different maps at different scales. The situation was saved by the fact that the team with time to allocate some talented guys with a good artistic taste, which helped pull the clearance levels from a "terrible" to "very good" and sometimes even "beautiful".
Thus, the visual part in any case should not be allowed to drift. If your designers for some reason suddenly must deal with levels of decoration, then it is vitally important to provide guidance on the design of the gaming environment, taking into account the style of games (compiled by art director).
Incidentally, with the gameplay in this respect was all right, because guide to creating a level we have made at the stage of prototyping.
Another problem was the lack of time to test the gameplay. In most cases, it worked out only the main quest line, and alternate behaviour of player was not thought over. As a result, the player steps on the part of the storyline led to a large number of exploits and critical bugs breaking passage. Needless to say that in order to save time in their levels of designers playing with cheats and basically balancing the real games began in fact only after its release.
TOTAL
In my opinion, for the low-budget project developed in a short time a young team, Heroes 7 turned out quite good game with a lot of innovations in the field of "heroic" level design (breakable forts, bridges, caravans, control zones, verticality, a large number of scripted events, puzzles etc.).
Another of our achievement is very easy to use map editor, which began to be popular among modders. Will Might and Magic Heroes 7 descriptions or sink into oblivion time will tell.
____________
"Occam's shuriken: when the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas." -- Dr. Gordon Freeman (Freeman's Mind)
"lol" -- VERRIKER VON ERWINSSEN
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LizardWarrior
Honorable
Legendary Hero
the reckoning is at hand
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posted May 08, 2016 05:42 PM |
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Quote:
На этом этапе нами всё еще использовалось множество «костылей», которые в дальнейшем были заменены полноценными фишками
Spider tongue 
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fuChris
Promising
Supreme Hero
Master to the Speed of Light
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posted May 08, 2016 05:55 PM |
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LizardWarrior said:
Quote:
На этом этапе нами всё еще использовалось множество «костылей», которые в дальнейшем были заменены полноценными фишками
Spider tongue
"But... there is one they fear. In their tongue... he is Level designer of H7 'Erwinkiin' - Spiderborn!"
____________
"Now I am become Chris, the destroyer of worlds." - Robert Oppenheimer.
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Selpen
Adventuring Hero
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posted May 08, 2016 05:59 PM |
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Can you post original russian version? It will be easier to understand at least for me 
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Antalyan
Promising
Supreme Hero
H7 Forever
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posted May 08, 2016 06:04 PM |
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frostymuaddib
Promising
Supreme Hero
育碧是白痴
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posted May 08, 2016 06:06 PM |
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Here is the original in txt format.
http://www.filedropper.com/original_3
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"Occam's shuriken: when the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas." -- Dr. Gordon Freeman (Freeman's Mind)
"lol" -- VERRIKER VON ERWINSSEN
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Selpen
Adventuring Hero
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posted May 08, 2016 06:10 PM |
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Selpen
Adventuring Hero
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posted May 08, 2016 06:20 PM |
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Edited by Selpen at 18:20, 08 May 2016.
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Very sad text. Now i understand why creatures designs are so awful. Designers did other stuff 
This guy and some other guys don't work in Limbic anymore. So Heroes 7 development started before release of Heroes 6 SOD?
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verriker
Honorable
Legendary Hero
We don't need another 'eroes
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posted May 08, 2016 06:22 PM |
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Antalyan said:
My overall impression from this article is that Limbic guys are very talented (much more than I expected) because they were able to make my favourite game in the conditions they had.
my mother once told me if I can't say anything nice about someone, don't get caught swearing my balls off at the monitor lol
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Datapack
Famous Hero
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posted May 08, 2016 06:41 PM |
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Antalyan
Promising
Supreme Hero
H7 Forever
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posted May 08, 2016 06:48 PM |
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Antalyan said:
My overall impression from this article is that Limbic guys are very talented (much more than I expected) because they were able to make my favourite game in the conditions they had.
However I would really like to know how the game could have looked like if Limbic had got more money and time 
____________
Important H7 tips & tricks
H7 Community Patch (UCP)
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vitirr
Adventuring Hero
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posted May 08, 2016 06:52 PM |
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You'll see it with the fortress addon.
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Stevie
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
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posted May 08, 2016 06:53 PM |
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Arugaf
Adventuring Hero
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posted May 08, 2016 07:09 PM |
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Quote:
Alliance of Light ((Heaven I guess?)).
Yep.
Quote:
At this stage, we still had a lot of "crutches", which were later replaced with high-grade chips. ((На этом этапе нами всё еще использовалось множество «костылей», которые в дальнейшем были заменены полноценными фишками.))
It means that in demo they didn't make some systems and instead they just scripted it manually. Crutch (костыль) = duct tape/kludge. Chips (фишки) = features.
Quote:
WALK for rake ((ПРОГУЛКА ПО ГРАБЛЯМ]))
It's from russian proverb: to step on the same rake. Means "to make the same mistake again".
Quote:
level designers to enclose all the big pig((подложило всем дизайнерам уровней большую свинью))
Means "do a dirty thing to somebody".
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kiryu133
Responsible
Legendary Hero
Highly illogical
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posted May 08, 2016 07:12 PM |
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frostymuaddib said:
In my opinion, for the low-budget project developed in a short time a young team, Heroes 7 turned out quite good game with a lot of innovations in the field of "heroic" level design (breakable forts, bridges, caravans, control zones, verticality, a large number of scripted events, puzzles etc.).
I can understand this. doesn't make the game GOOD by any means but I can agree with the sentiment.
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Storm-Giant
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
On the Other Side!
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posted May 08, 2016 07:33 PM |
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Unless it's a translation mistake. the innovations part is simply hilarious.
At least he was honest on the game being crap on certain areas due to a low budget, a relative short development time and the usual Ubisoft antics.
Oh well, gone with the wind it is.
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frostymuaddib
Promising
Supreme Hero
育碧是白痴
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posted May 08, 2016 07:36 PM |
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@Arugaf
Thanks for clearing that out
____________
"Occam's shuriken: when the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas." -- Dr. Gordon Freeman (Freeman's Mind)
"lol" -- VERRIKER VON ERWINSSEN
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verriker
Honorable
Legendary Hero
We don't need another 'eroes
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posted May 08, 2016 08:20 PM |
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here's the original article html for whoever may want it to archive enjoy have fun lol
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Maurice
Hero of Order
Part of the furniture
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posted May 08, 2016 08:21 PM |
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So, if I get this correct ... they did all the balance testing within the campaign maps? Not in a sandbox mode?
No wonder it was such a mess.
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Elvin
Admirable
Omnipresent Hero
Endless Revival
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posted May 08, 2016 08:40 PM |
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Quote:
The main problem of the Heroes 6 gameplay was that it had a limited number of actions in a single turn. This was due to the large size of the map and the low saturation of the area with interactive objects.
And yet they limited hero movement which pushed in the opposite direction. As for the saturation.. nothing I need to point out.
Quote:
For example, in Heroes 6 on the strategic map the player can bring his camera close to the landscape and see a lot of small parts (3d grass 3d stones). The problem was that for the full decoration of only one such level, artists had to spend as much as four weeks. Together with scripting and design of gameplay map, manufacturing process dragged on for several months.
Thus no zoom because of cutting corners.
Quote:
It was decided to focus on the epic events in the game environment, in consequence of which lined up a very interesting scenario that contains a lot of spectacular moments (in the style of God of War).
Uh huh.
Quote:
Most of the problems of development of Heroes 7 rested on indecent low budget and short development time. Fierce savings in all, did not allowed to expand staff, capable of qualitatively improve the game.
That much is obvious but still, the skill/magic system and hero specialties that were the major issues with the game were a matter of direction.
Quote:
The visual style of the game environment expected turned out to be a weak point in the development of Heroes 7. In the studio of the artist was not selected for the game environment, and art director was constantly busy with outsource control and coordination of every detail with Ubisoft. Monitoring the status of each map and working closely with the designers of levels were physical possibility for him. As a result, designers are left to themselves and worked to the best of their abilities.
Really? No wonder it's called a Frankenstein's creation. The disproportionate scales turned me off big time, to the point of considering 3lion's scale mod an absolute must for playing the game.
Quote:
All this has led to some levels began to suffer variability in terms of scale and artistic style. The same objects can be found on different maps at different scales. The situation was saved by the fact that the team with time to allocate some talented guys with a good artistic taste, which helped pull the clearance levels from a "terrible" to "very good" and sometimes even "beautiful".
Considering H7 does not look all that good, I find that hard to visualize.
Quote:
In my opinion, for the low-budget project developed in a short time a young team, Heroes 7 turned out quite good game with a lot of innovations in the field of "heroic" level design (breakable forts, bridges, caravans, control zones, verticality, a large number of scripted events, puzzles etc.).
Another of our achievement is very easy to use map editor, which began to be popular among modders.
Where to even start...
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H5 is still alive and kicking, join us in the Duel Map discord server!
Map also hosted on Moddb
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