Heroes 5 - Live chat logs with Fabrice Cambounet

MuadDib: Fabrice CAMBOUNET – Producer
Thunak: EMEA Community Manager

MuadDib: Fabrice CAMBOUNET – Producer
Thunak: EMEA Community Manager

(Thunak): Hello and welcome to the Heroes of Might and Magic V live chat! Thanks for joining us! Our guest this evening is Fabrice CAMBOUNET
(MuadDib): Its a lot more quiet now :)
(Thunak): Fabrice, would you care to introduce yourself for those who don't know you yet?
(MuadDib): I'm the producer for HoMM5 here at Ubisoft*
(Thunak): Short and sweet :p
(Thunak): Here we go then
(MuadDib): Too short ? :)

(Lord_Ruslan_Nightmare): Beta-test will be multiplayer-only? Beta testers will be able to play single games and campaigns?"
(MuadDib): The beta test will be multiplayer only, yes. You will get to play with other testers through ubi.com on a few MP maps.

(Oakwarrior): When will the beta start?
(MuadDib): It will start around the middle of next week, we're still testing the version.

(Fabrice): what are the system requirements?
(MuadDib): For the beta test version, we're aiming at a P4 2Ghz, with 512Mb of ram, and an ATI 9700 or Ge5600 videocard. Remember that these are for the beta test version, not the final game.

([Estonia]Oakwarrior): How big will the beta game be?
(MuadDib): The first download will be under a CD size, probably around 500-600Mb. The updates will be smaller of course.

(znork): Will the beta support linux or mac? if no way not?
(MuadDib): No, we're not supporting linux or mac at this time, sorry. If the game is successful enough a port could happen.

([Swe]MacSoft): When will the mails go out to the lucky beta testers?
(MuadDib): People who got chosen will receive a mail one or two days before the beta starts. However we will include more people with each update, so you could still be selected later if you don't receive a mail at the start !

([DK]sNipes): I wondered: Will the level editor feature new functions, etc. a tool to make hills or mountains, because of the new game environment..
(MuadDib): Of course the map editor will be adapted to how the game is looking now :)*

(znork): Will the beta be protected with stare force?
(MuadDib): Yes it will be protected with the special version of Starforce for downloaded content. So you should be able to test this protection system on your computer. You will get an activation key with the confirmation mail before the beta.

(Tristan-IJB): Will we be able to play in Beta all the six factions??
(MuadDib): Yes, all of the game elements will be in beta version, all of the races at the start of the beta. We will be including gameplay modes with each update every two weeks. Maps will also change with each update

(Wight): How many spells will be available ?
(MuadDib): There are around 40 spells. They should all be included in the beta test. If not in the first download, they will come in the updates.

([Swe]MacSoft): How long will the beta phase go on?
(MuadDib): The beta test is scheduled to last two months, with an update every two weeks. The content will change with each update, and new testers will also be added at the same time.

([Estonia]Oakwarrior): How many players can play in one map?
(MuadDib): Multiplayer games can host eight players.

([ro]unreal_az): wil the hero be able to carry an infinite number of troops or it will be limited to his level
(MuadDib): If you're talking about stacks, the hero can move along with one stack of creatures minimum, and seven maximum. Regarding the number of creatures though, it is not limited.

(znork): Will the hotseaet function be beta tested?
(MuadDib): No, the hotseat mode will not be included during the beta test. You will only play through ubi.com, in order for us to be able to collect statistics. But of course the hotseat will be in the final game.

([Swe]MacSoft): Will the beta testers get a forum were they can discuss the beta amongst themselfes and with the developers?
(MuadDib): Yes, precisely. You will be able to discuss the beta test in specific ubi forums, and only there. There will be language-specific forums. We will gather your ideas there

(Kizgel[ArchMage]): what is hotseat?
(MuadDib): Ah, a beginner question :) This is when you're working for too long and your seat starts to heat. Then you have to leave work. Seriously though, this is a multiplayer session played on one computer. Each player takes his turn then gives the keyboard to the next player. It can be a bit long to finish one game in this mode :)

(Fabrice): In the multiplayer lobby - each player have stats and ranking?
(MuadDib): Yes, there should be a ladder in the final game. But it will probably be not there for the beta test though. I also hope we can provide tournament support for the communities.

([Estonia]Oakwarrior): Are we allowed to test it out with our non-betatester friends?
(MuadDib): That's a tricky question. Basically it will be hard to hide yourself from the sight of the rest of the world. Unless you're a game coder, of course, as you are living this way. But you are still responsible for not disclosing information on the beta. What it boils down to, is that you should trust the people who will have a look at the game. But don't part with your girlfriend because of the beta test, please :p

([ro]unreal_az): will we have an open beta also?? maybe after lag issues finished?
(MuadDib): Ok, that's a brand new info :) There will be an open beta, after this closed one is finished. Details have still to be worked out, but you will get more information during the beta certainly.

([rus]Wight): How long will campaigns be?
(MuadDib): That's really unrelated to the beta :) We're talking about the single player here. The main campaign will go through all of the races, with one chapter each.

([Swe]MacSoft): Will you guys from UbiSoft play the beta too?
(MuadDib): Only the nice people from Ubi and Nival will :) We'll hide our identities and refute any loss in MP games to avoid shame, of course.

([Estonia]Oakwarrior): How are we going to report issues and problems/bugs?
(MuadDib): That's the main info that I need to give here :) There are different ways to report feedback. The simplest one will be for bugs, you will have access to a simple bug form to tell what bugs you encountered As said before you will have access to forums to give your opinion, and we will try to summarize that - this will be tricky. And while you play we will also collect statistics. I think that's it.

([Swe]MacSoft): Is the beta test purpose aimed at bug hunting or balacing? Maybe both?
(MuadDib): Actually this is both, and also collecting opinions and finetuning the game. The primary objective is balancing though, but I hope we can go beyond that. To do more it depends on the quality of the beta testers :)

(PhoenixVII): Are the final races going to be revealed before the beta starts?
(MuadDib): Yes, all races should be revealed before the start of the beta :) We wont give all the details on them though, this will come during the beta for some of the remaining races.

([LT]Alien_Hominid): What about heroes? How many? Are there old ones?
(MuadDib): All heroes of the final game will be in the beta, except those linked with the scenario. Regarding old heroes, perhaps you will have to search them ? :)

(lettered): Could you give us a picture on what things we should not speak about if we beta test?
(MuadDib): Basically, as per the NDA that you will accept when installing the game, you are not allowed to talk about anything you will see in the beta test. Apart from discussing it in the dedicated forums, of course. Any information that is revealed on the official forum is public data, so this can be said, of course. But the rest must be kept confidential.

([Swe]MacSoft): How many how applied for the beta?
(MuadDib): I think the total number of completed and valid registrations passed 15000. It was around 5000 in the first day :)

([ro]unreal_az): will all appliers be notified if they got in yes/no ?
(MuadDib): We will mail the selected testers with the details on how to download the version. People who do not get selected straight away can still be selected and join later, with each update of the version. So we wont mail you if you are not selected right now, just to save on stamps :p

([SER]GnevZmaja): What will be the size largest battlefield in movement tiles??
(MuadDib): Hum I supposed this has been calculated in the forums based on the screenshots from the Leipzig version ;p Its something around 14x16 tiles if I'm correct.

(Fabrice): What is "vanilla mode" multiplayer? tell us about this
(MuadDib): I think you refer to the plain multiplayer game, meaning without any option turned or anything. This sounds like an American expression, so I might be wrong :) However we didn't create an ice cream mode in Heroes 5 :p

(Citadel_Sealt): Aside from bug reports and similar things, will the developers also consider the beta testers suggestions about certain features they like or dislike?
(MuadDib): Yes ! As said in a previous answer, your feedback and opinion will be welcomed in the dedicated forums. That doesn't guarantee that what you ask for will be developed, but it will be taken into account.

(Fnord): At this stage, is there any chance of new features being added if a lot of beta testers request it? For example, a text battle log?
(MuadDib): It would depend on the complexity of the feature itself. But the thing with game development is that many things are still being changed very late. That's also why games get late :p The simple answer is yes :)

([ro]unreal_az): What are the special events u talk about like the shadow dragon from the end of the 2 movies battle and teaser is that a spell, ability, custom event or a thing that happens only in campaign
(MuadDib): It might be any of these, who knows?

(Kizgel[ArchMage]): why did you decide to make this game?
(MuadDib): I saw in the stars that this game had to be made, and lo! It happened!

(Thunak): One last question :)

(davinov7): What do you prefer in Heroes???
(MuadDib): Probably when you finally really decide to save and quit the game, and realize its 4am in the morning and that you wont get any sleep before going to work :) Now that I remember that, its probably a bad idea to do this game, it would ruin the players' sleep, so we'll discontinue the development

(Thunak): I guess that's all the time we have today. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. Any last words?
(MuadDib): Thanks for your questions, I hope you got some useful information on the beta test. I also hope this beta test will prove successful and polish the game, see you in the game !