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Author Topic:   Heroes of Might and Magic 3

Smeagol posted 06-10-99 03:59 PM ET
Any opinions on this game? I haven't bought it yet, and I'm wondering what's good about it and what's not. It seems to me that the whole game is centered around military units-- is this true?
JohnIII posted 06-10-99 04:01 PM ET
I hope not. More spells!
John III
Rex Little posted 06-10-99 04:11 PM ET
Have you played Heroes 1 or 2? The focus of Heroes 3 is basically the same as those: take over castles and resources for yourself and deny them to your opponents. Military units are the primary means to that end, although gaining spells and skills for your heroes is also important. Heroes 3 is different from its predecessors mainly in better graphics and increased varieties of units and buildings.
If you haven't played any of the HOMM series, you might want to look for Heroes 1 in the bargain bins. If you can get it for $10 or so, try it out. If you like its basic form, you should like Heroes 3.
JohnIII posted 06-10-99 04:14 PM ET
I have both, and POL, but I'm not sure if HOMMIII is worth my time and/or money. Convince me that I'm wrong.
John III
Rex Little posted 06-10-99 09:26 PM ET
Well, HOMM3 is basically HOMM2 with the following additions:
1. More castle, hero and unit types. All units have upgrades.
2. More spells and skills, and more interaction between the two (some skills affect certain spells).
3. Underground movement available on some maps, with passages to/from the surface.
4. Flyers have movement limits like everyone else. This means that missile units will get off at least one shot before being forced to melee, unless they're blinded or killed first.
5. Heroes may obtain quests in some scenarios, with a reward for completion. I don't know what the rewards are; haven't played much yet.
6. Graphics are prettier, of course.
There may be some other features, but that's what I can remember off the top of my head. If that's enough to make it worth your while, go for it. (Of course, if you can get it the way I did--$10 at a flea market table at a game convention--so much the better.)
Valtyr posted 06-10-99 09:29 PM ET
Hmmm...I might just get this game as well, after I get tired of Imp2.
Smeagol posted 06-11-99 12:17 AM ET
Thanks for the replies. I haven't played the first 2 games in the series, and I'm trying to look for some factor in them that would give me desire to buy HOMM 3. I am a huge fan of turn based strategy games, but good ones are so hard to come by-- in fact, I only really play 2 genres of games (TB strategy and Sports games). The concept of HOMM 3 seems a little shallow to me-- it seems focused almost entirely on gathering an army of followers and using them to take over castles. I understand that there is some building involved, but my impression is that the only real focus is the battles, and that makes me wonder if I'll like this game.
I guess I should just follow Rex Little's suggestion and buy the first one if I can find it cheap.
Koshko posted 06-11-99 12:54 AM ET
I liked HoMM II. HoMM III seems to be worth checking out when the price goes down. I'll wait for a good sale at Best Buy.
Alphaman posted 06-11-99 05:09 AM ET
I'm the same as Koshko.
I'm not going to pay full price for a spruced up version of HoMM1. I'll wait until the price drops.
And YES the whole concept of HOMM is to make armies and take castles. Yes it is a bit shallow but the first two games had me hooked.
One Question: (Rex maybe you can help)
How is the campaign in HOMM3?
Better/worse/same as in HOMM2?
Rex Little posted 06-11-99 11:04 AM ET
I can't tell you much about the campaign; I've had the game less than two weeks, and it competes with M&M6, SMAC and Strat-O-Matic Baseball for playing time, plus I've been working a lot of overtime this week. So I've only completed the opening scenario and barely started the next. There appear to be three separate campaigns (which might interlock somehow; I'm not clear on that yet). The biggest change is that heroes developed in one campaign scenario carry over to the next with their experience and skill levels (but not artifacts, alas) intact.
Alphaman posted 06-11-99 11:39 AM ET
Hmmm...
I suppose thats good but it means the computer will start with beefed up heroes as well.
Anyway, get back to us once you have done a few of the missions and you get a feel for the campaign. I would really be interested, because thats the one thing the reviews dont tell you.
Another Qn:
Is HOMM2 Multiplayable? Is HOMM3? If so, does it suck? (because of the "sit and wait for the slow guy's turn" factor)
Smeagol posted 06-11-99 08:03 PM ET
How long does a game generally last? I don't mean a whole campaign, but just one mission.
Rex Little posted 06-11-99 11:17 PM ET
I don't know if the computer starts scenarios with experienced heroes. I'm only in the second stage of the campaign, and I haven't run into any enemies yet. When I do, it should be pretty obvious whether they started out with experience, and I'll report the results here. It may take a few days; I'm in the middle of my very first game of SMAC (other than the demo), and I may not get back to HOMM3 until that's done.
Both HOMM2 and 3 support multiplay. I've never tried it; my net access is at work and my games are at home.
Just a guess based on limited experience: I'd say it should take 2-4 hours to play through a scenario, depending on size and difficulty.
Shining1 posted 06-12-99 03:17 AM ET
The HOMMIII campaign is definite a highlight of the game. You can build up some really MEAN heros during the course of it, too. I had a level 21 Warlock (Jeddite, I think), who could inflict 954 points of damage with a lightning bolt (the normal is around 110). Makes a useful addition to 5 Arch Devils and a pack of 12 Black Dragons.
They also last a fair while as well, which is good - each campaign has around 3-5 scenarios in it, and each takes a good few hours to complete. Later scenarios also allow you to carry over some items, and there is a good bit of developement in the maps and storyline, as well.
Trust me, HOMMIII is a very good game, as good as SMAC in my opinion. Wait if you must, but I'm not sure the price will drop anytime soon.
Khan Singh posted 06-12-99 09:43 AM ET
If you have Heroes II, this is strictly MOTS. The game certainly looks nice and has more variety, but I really don't know if it is worth paying full price for if you already have H II.
It's also no the toughest game on the planet. I don't have a whole lot of trouble beating it on "Impossible" level. There's plenty to do, in the traditional Heroes mold. But once you build up your superHero with a potent army you have pretty much won.
Alphaman posted 06-13-99 05:12 AM ET
I know the price wont drop soon (it is a brand new game after all) but I'm patient.
The reason I'm not buying it is outlined well by Khan Singh. ie. same as HOMM2.
MiKaeLe posted 06-13-99 10:28 PM ET

Wise words from the Provost:
Visit this Link for cool HoMM3 stuff: www.homestead.com/ulinkme/dalinkz.html
Ciao
MiKaeLe
Philip McCauley posted 06-13-99 11:14 PM ET
Woah! Did Zakharov and Boy George breed? Odd pic.
Alphaman posted 06-14-99 09:22 AM ET
Geez. That is a butt ugly picture.
Get it off plz.
That is not the Provost.
Rex Little posted 06-14-99 11:15 AM ET
OK, I finished the second stage of the campaign, and the enemy heroes I ran into were strictly beginner-level. This gave me a significant edge over the computer, as the ones I brought over were 6th-level to start, and grew to 8-12th by the end. The second stage was actually easier to complete than the first, because I had to build up my heroes from scratch in the first stage.
The game's still a lot of fun, IMO. If the campaign seems too easy (and I'm betting later stages will be a lot harder), there are plenty of stand-alone scenarios.
Dutch Boy posted 06-14-99 12:19 PM ET
Is it just me or is the combat severely limited in HOMM, I think what the world needs is a cross-breed between Master of Magic, HOMM and Dark Omen (the combat part). Firaxis, here's another game idea for ya !!
MiKaeLe posted 06-14-99 06:04 PM ET

LOL Alphaman.
I could not have ever thought that you wouldn't recognise your mother masked as Provost Zakharov.
Take Care
MiKaeLe
SnowFire posted 06-15-99 06:45 PM ET
I got the game a good while ago. It's great, but the 2nd evil campaign, 2nd evil mission is the dumbest mission in the world. You get to play creature-gatherer and run around to creature dwellings collecting skeleton fodder and briniging them back to the castle. Like any good red-blooded american, I enjoyed evil #6, "The Peasent's Revolt" in HOMMII, but that one had enemies and an objective which made it so much fun to play. Evil 2,2 is just stupid- collecting skeletons to crush good guys is fun; collecting skeletons for the hell of it is not.
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Author	Topic: Heroes of Might and Magic 3
Smeagol	posted 06-10-99 03:59 PM ET Any opinions on this game? I haven't bought it yet, and I'm wondering what's good about it and what's not. It seems to me that the whole game is centered around military units-- is this true?
JohnIII	posted 06-10-99 04:01 PM ET I hope not. More spells! John III
Rex Little	posted 06-10-99 04:11 PM ET Have you played Heroes 1 or 2? The focus of Heroes 3 is basically the same as those: take over castles and resources for yourself and deny them to your opponents. Military units are the primary means to that end, although gaining spells and skills for your heroes is also important. Heroes 3 is different from its predecessors mainly in better graphics and increased varieties of units and buildings. If you haven't played any of the HOMM series, you might want to look for Heroes 1 in the bargain bins. If you can get it for $10 or so, try it out. If you like its basic form, you should like Heroes 3.
JohnIII	posted 06-10-99 04:14 PM ET I have both, and POL, but I'm not sure if HOMMIII is worth my time and/or money. Convince me that I'm wrong. John III
Rex Little	posted 06-10-99 09:26 PM ET Well, HOMM3 is basically HOMM2 with the following additions: 1. More castle, hero and unit types. All units have upgrades. 2. More spells and skills, and more interaction between the two (some skills affect certain spells). 3. Underground movement available on some maps, with passages to/from the surface. 4. Flyers have movement limits like everyone else. This means that missile units will get off at least one shot before being forced to melee, unless they're blinded or killed first. 5. Heroes may obtain quests in some scenarios, with a reward for completion. I don't know what the rewards are; haven't played much yet. 6. Graphics are prettier, of course. There may be some other features, but that's what I can remember off the top of my head. If that's enough to make it worth your while, go for it. (Of course, if you can get it the way I did--$10 at a flea market table at a game convention--so much the better.)
Valtyr	posted 06-10-99 09:29 PM ET Hmmm...I might just get this game as well, after I get tired of Imp2.
Smeagol	posted 06-11-99 12:17 AM ET Thanks for the replies. I haven't played the first 2 games in the series, and I'm trying to look for some factor in them that would give me desire to buy HOMM 3. I am a huge fan of turn based strategy games, but good ones are so hard to come by-- in fact, I only really play 2 genres of games (TB strategy and Sports games). The concept of HOMM 3 seems a little shallow to me-- it seems focused almost entirely on gathering an army of followers and using them to take over castles. I understand that there is some building involved, but my impression is that the only real focus is the battles, and that makes me wonder if I'll like this game. I guess I should just follow Rex Little's suggestion and buy the first one if I can find it cheap.
Koshko	posted 06-11-99 12:54 AM ET I liked HoMM II. HoMM III seems to be worth checking out when the price goes down. I'll wait for a good sale at Best Buy.
Alphaman	posted 06-11-99 05:09 AM ET I'm the same as Koshko. I'm not going to pay full price for a spruced up version of HoMM1. I'll wait until the price drops. And YES the whole concept of HOMM is to make armies and take castles. Yes it is a bit shallow but the first two games had me hooked. One Question: (Rex maybe you can help) How is the campaign in HOMM3? Better/worse/same as in HOMM2?
Rex Little	posted 06-11-99 11:04 AM ET I can't tell you much about the campaign; I've had the game less than two weeks, and it competes with M&M6, SMAC and Strat-O-Matic Baseball for playing time, plus I've been working a lot of overtime this week. So I've only completed the opening scenario and barely started the next. There appear to be three separate campaigns (which might interlock somehow; I'm not clear on that yet). The biggest change is that heroes developed in one campaign scenario carry over to the next with their experience and skill levels (but not artifacts, alas) intact.
Alphaman	posted 06-11-99 11:39 AM ET Hmmm... I suppose thats good but it means the computer will start with beefed up heroes as well. Anyway, get back to us once you have done a few of the missions and you get a feel for the campaign. I would really be interested, because thats the one thing the reviews dont tell you. Another Qn: Is HOMM2 Multiplayable? Is HOMM3? If so, does it suck? (because of the "sit and wait for the slow guy's turn" factor)
Smeagol	posted 06-11-99 08:03 PM ET How long does a game generally last? I don't mean a whole campaign, but just one mission.
Rex Little	posted 06-11-99 11:17 PM ET I don't know if the computer starts scenarios with experienced heroes. I'm only in the second stage of the campaign, and I haven't run into any enemies yet. When I do, it should be pretty obvious whether they started out with experience, and I'll report the results here. It may take a few days; I'm in the middle of my very first game of SMAC (other than the demo), and I may not get back to HOMM3 until that's done. Both HOMM2 and 3 support multiplay. I've never tried it; my net access is at work and my games are at home. Just a guess based on limited experience: I'd say it should take 2-4 hours to play through a scenario, depending on size and difficulty.
Shining1	posted 06-12-99 03:17 AM ET The HOMMIII campaign is definite a highlight of the game. You can build up some really MEAN heros during the course of it, too. I had a level 21 Warlock (Jeddite, I think), who could inflict 954 points of damage with a lightning bolt (the normal is around 110). Makes a useful addition to 5 Arch Devils and a pack of 12 Black Dragons. They also last a fair while as well, which is good - each campaign has around 3-5 scenarios in it, and each takes a good few hours to complete. Later scenarios also allow you to carry over some items, and there is a good bit of developement in the maps and storyline, as well. Trust me, HOMMIII is a very good game, as good as SMAC in my opinion. Wait if you must, but I'm not sure the price will drop anytime soon.
Khan Singh	posted 06-12-99 09:43 AM ET If you have Heroes II, this is strictly MOTS. The game certainly looks nice and has more variety, but I really don't know if it is worth paying full price for if you already have H II. It's also no the toughest game on the planet. I don't have a whole lot of trouble beating it on "Impossible" level. There's plenty to do, in the traditional Heroes mold. But once you build up your superHero with a potent army you have pretty much won.
Alphaman	posted 06-13-99 05:12 AM ET I know the price wont drop soon (it is a brand new game after all) but I'm patient. The reason I'm not buying it is outlined well by Khan Singh. ie. same as HOMM2.
MiKaeLe	posted 06-13-99 10:28 PM ET Wise words from the Provost: Visit this Link for cool HoMM3 stuff: www.homestead.com/ulinkme/dalinkz.html Ciao MiKaeLe
Philip McCauley	posted 06-13-99 11:14 PM ET Woah! Did Zakharov and Boy George breed? Odd pic.
Alphaman	posted 06-14-99 09:22 AM ET Geez. That is a butt ugly picture. Get it off plz. That is not the Provost.
Rex Little	posted 06-14-99 11:15 AM ET OK, I finished the second stage of the campaign, and the enemy heroes I ran into were strictly beginner-level. This gave me a significant edge over the computer, as the ones I brought over were 6th-level to start, and grew to 8-12th by the end. The second stage was actually easier to complete than the first, because I had to build up my heroes from scratch in the first stage. The game's still a lot of fun, IMO. If the campaign seems too easy (and I'm betting later stages will be a lot harder), there are plenty of stand-alone scenarios.
Dutch Boy	posted 06-14-99 12:19 PM ET Is it just me or is the combat severely limited in HOMM, I think what the world needs is a cross-breed between Master of Magic, HOMM and Dark Omen (the combat part). Firaxis, here's another game idea for ya !!
MiKaeLe	posted 06-14-99 06:04 PM ET LOL Alphaman. I could not have ever thought that you wouldn't recognise your mother masked as Provost Zakharov. Take Care MiKaeLe
SnowFire	posted 06-15-99 06:45 PM ET I got the game a good while ago. It's great, but the 2nd evil campaign, 2nd evil mission is the dumbest mission in the world. You get to play creature-gatherer and run around to creature dwellings collecting skeleton fodder and briniging them back to the castle. Like any good red-blooded american, I enjoyed evil #6, "The Peasent's Revolt" in HOMMII, but that one had enemies and an objective which made it so much fun to play. Evil 2,2 is just stupid- collecting skeletons to crush good guys is fun; collecting skeletons for the hell of it is not.