H6 Expansion Release Date: Feb. 28

[Anonymous]

Ubisoft have announced the launch date of the expansion on their new official site: February 28th, 2013. The title, "Shades of Darkness" is a match to my own suggestion, a variation of the existing game from the Quest for Glory series.

The expansion will (as we knew) be a "stand-alone" version, and feature (as we also knew) the hero Raelag leading the Dungeon faction. A "complete edition" will also be made available:

"... containing the enhanced game, all bonus maps & items, adventure packs, the original soundtrack of the game and the Shades of Darkness expansion, set for release on PC on the same day."

Is there a real difference betwee the two except for the DLCs, who knows, but this certainly points to the likely fact that there will be one expansion only.

If you would like to take a look at the original page visit this link:
https://www.celestialheavens.com/1354894775

[Marzhin]

The title is actually "Shades of Darkness"

[Kalah]

Dammit. Now I have to edit that stuff ... Are you sure you didn't edit that page after you saw my article?

Oh well, at least I was right in the variation bit.

[evilp]

SOD again....

[Avonu]

The title is actually "Shades of Darkness"

Which sounds pretty stupid. Let me guess, we will have: dark, black, darker then black and pitch black, yes?

[ShardofTruth]

No Academy faction addon makes me a sad panda.

[Marzhin]

@Avonu: not much of a poet, are you?



"When I lie where shades of darkness

Shall no more assail mine eyes,

Nor the rain make lamentation

When the wind sighs;



How will fare the world whose wonder

Was the very proof of me?

Memory fades, must the remembered

Perishing be?"



(Fare Well, by Walter de la Mare)



But we both know you would have found a reason to complain no matter the title of the add-on

[Avonu]

Try translate this one to other languages and you will see.

BTW - any news about user-friendly editor, RMG or modding support? Or these features were cut?

[DanTanna]

I want a random map generator!

[Kalah]

Yeah, we all do. Still won't happen.

[Pol]

So it will be about government budget. Empire is in peril, go to the army help our tax collectors. Fill the Shades of Darkness by the gold coins?

[jeff]

BTW - any news about user-friendly editor, RMG or modding support? Or these features were cut?

Yeah, we all do. Still won't happen.

As we are about to close the book on UBI's latest attempt at producing a Heroes game; successful or not I am not going to argue, but let us hope that the lessons they should have learned with H5 and failed to correct in H6 will finally be applied to a H7. Longevity of the game is tied to a user friendly editor (campaign for me please), and a robust RMG.

[Ell1e]

Might and Magic Heroes VI: 50 Shades of Darkness. I guess it fits with the Dungeon's whole bondage theme?

[hellegennes]

I am amazed at how companies always try and copy successful games from other companies, yet they almost always seem to fail at pinpointing the features that made that game a success. For example, the longevity and popularity of Age of Empires owes a lot to its map editor and RMG. How can one fail to see that is beyond me. Hell, even if you are not sure, just check at a fan forum, spent a few hours and you'll see what makes the game popular. Paying a team to pay attention to fans of a game is way cheaper than hiring experts at copying random, obscure elements, like style and graphics.

[jeff]

For example, the longevity and popularity of Age of Empires owes a lot to its map editor and RMG. How can one fail to see that is beyond me. Hell, even if you are not sure, just check at a fan forum, spent a few hours and you'll see what makes the game popular. Paying a team to pay attention to fans of a game is way cheaper than hiring experts at copying random, obscure elements, like style and graphics.

On this we agree completely. While many may not care for an editor as creating a good map can take a very long time just for a single map; the existance of a good RMG would certainly be welcomed. I would even use one to create starting landscapes shortening the time to create the customized map. How UBI can say they listened to the fans and not at the very least create a RMG is beyond belief. Let's hope they have finally decided to listen should another chapter be written.

[Avonu]

For example, the longevity and popularity of Age of Empires owes a lot to its map editor and RMG. How can one fail to see that is beyond me. Hell, even if you are not sure, just check at a fan forum, spent a few hours and you'll see what makes the game popular. Paying a team to pay attention to fans of a game is way cheaper than hiring experts at copying random, obscure elements, like style and graphics.

On this we agree completely. While many may not care for an editor as creating a good map can take a very long time just for a single map; the existance of a good RMG would certainly be welcomed. I would even use one to create starting landscapes shortening the time to create the customized map. How UBI can say they listened to the fans and not at the very least create a RMG is beyond belief. Let's hope they have finally decided to listen should another chapter be written.

+1
I won't even play Civilization, Master of Magic/Orion, Warlock: Master of Arcane or Majesty if there weren't some kind customisation and randomisation when new map is loaded/created - it is quite boring after short time to play same map environment again and again and again. And we all know how rich maps base for HVI is.

I know that RMG is beyond reach for HVI but at least, are there any atempts to improve map editor and add some tools for creating maps in shorter time, like for example creating basic landscape (terrian, mountains, rivers, forests, etc.) by computer and fill it later by mapmaker with towns, objects, stacks and events ?

[hellegennes]

@Avonu:



I don't know if there are any plans but there better be, if they are not already working on Heroes 7. There are a lot of single player maps in H6, but they're not anywhere near enough. No matter how much effort is made, there will never be enough official maps, because it's so damn time consuming for them to make the tens of maps required for maintaining the longevity of the game.

[vicheron]

@Marzhin



How does the fact that the title references a poem make it good? "Farewell" is a poem about how short our lives are and how we should enjoy the beauty of the world in that short time. Somehow, I doubt that's going to be a main theme in this expansion.

[Loco Blutaxt]

If there really will be only this one expansion then we will have a "Heroes" game without Titans. Thanx UBI!