Game News Polygon reports on Might & Magic X Legacy at PAX East, game to be released in September

[Infinitron]

Tags: Limbic Entertainment; Might & Magic X: Legacy; Ubisoft

After being snubbed at PAX East for days, Might & Magic X Legacy has finally been found by somebody in the gaming journalism racket willing to report on it. From Polygon:

Might and Magic X Legacy will be the first entry in the original Might and Magic series since Might and Magic 9, which the now-defunct 3DO released in 2001. Its developers are looking to bring back the old games' classic feel, but they're doing it in a modern way.​

Their main goal is "being truly faithful to the series," said Erwan Le Breton, Might and Magic series creative director, in an interview with Polygon at PAX East 2013.​

According to Le Breton, the word "legacy" in the title is meant to signal that intention to fans of the franchise, which consisted of traditional turn-based RPGs. Might and Magic X Legacy is being designed in that vein. You move through the world one pace at a time, and with each step, something may or may not happen — an enemy might attack, or a character might give you a quest. Everything takes place from a first-person view.​

Of course, you're not alone: You control a four-member party chosen from 12 typical fantasy classes like elves, dwarves, orcs and mages, and you can switch between them on the fly — even within a turn — to attack foes in multiple ways. The first time Le Breton came across a group of enemies in the world, he started off by hurling a few fireballs from his mage. Then he crept closer to the group so his dwarf, a melee-focused character, could hit them directly. Then he finished them off with a lightning bolt from the mage. Combat offers experience so you can level up, which unlocks skill points that can be spent on class upgrades.​

Dungeons are also available to explore, and Le Breton estimated that Might and Magic X Legacy will take about 25 hours to complete. The game world itself is a setting that's new to the original series: the planet of Ashan.​

"It's not a true sequel to [Might and Magic 9], but it's really a tribute to the series of old," said Le Breton.​

I wonder what they mean by "with each step, something may or may not happen". Is it a random thing, like a roguelike? How infuriatingly vague. In any case, what's interesting is that the game is being developed with a Kickstarter-like degree of fan input:

Might and Magic X Legacy is being co-developed by Limbic Entertainment and Ubisoft Paris. Limbic has experience with the franchise, having made two adventure packs for Might and Magic Heroes 6. But while Legacy is a decidedly old-school game, it is being developed with extensive community input — a relatively new method of making games.​

For Heroes 6, Ubisoft offered private, VIP forums to the game's most dedicated players. Like Heroes 6, Might and Magic X Legacy is being developed with an "actively involved" community, said Le Breton. Limbic and Ubisoft showed their fans early concept art and design ideas, and solicited their feedback by letting them vote on features.​

Le Breton noted that involving fans is a double-edged sword, because while they have a deep knowledge of the games themselves, they often don't know what they want unless it's put in front of them. They tend to be much better at commenting on something that's presented to them than at coming up with ideas themselves.​

"You need to come up with a strong vision at first, and you need to be ready for that vision to be challenged," explained Le Breton.​

Might and Magic X Legacy is set for release in September as a downloadable title on Windows PC. You can watch Ubisoft's reveal trailer here.​

Does anybody know where these "private, VIP forums" are located? I think I know one or two Codexers who deserve an invitation.

 

[Jaesun]

A shame the dude could not go into the skill/stats and magic system.

 

[Infinitron]

you can switch between them on the fly — even within a turn

What does that mean? It sounds like they're trying to describe some kind of phase-based combat system and don't know how?

 

[Pope Amole II]

You control a four-member party chosen from 12 typical fantasy classes like elves, dwarves, orcs and mages

Awesome classes.

and you can switch between them on the fly — even within a turn — to attack foes in multiple ways

So party mechanics are considered so complex now that they have to be explained from the scratch.

Le Breton estimated that Might and Magic X Legacy will take about 25 hours to complete.

That's fucking rich.

It's not a true sequel to [Might and Magic 9]

Because oldschool fans will get disappointed if it's not a true sequel ot M&M9. Heck, couldn't they've put in charge someone who actually knows the history of the series? Like, is there a single person on the planet who wishes for a true sequel to M&M 9?

Le Breton noted that involving fans is a double-edged sword, because while they have a deep knowledge of the games themselves, they often don't know what they want unless it's put in front of them. They tend to be much better at commenting on something that's presented to them than at coming up with ideas themselves.

Yeah, let the fans do your work for you and then call them dumbfucks, what a clever ploy!

I knew it was going to be disgusting, but not this much, not this much...

 

[norolim]

Finally, something. Though to be honest, it's not a very good article. Why did he put elves, drarves and mages into one pot? What does he mean, when saying that you can switch between them on the fly — even within a turn? Does he mean sth else than standard TB gameplay? I'm guessing he meant that you can decide the order your characters will take action within a turn.

 

[warmonger3]

Twenty-five hours isn't enough to warrant a purchase. Sounds like a M&M Wannabe. Any fan of M&M here can tell them a 25 hour game isn't M&M.
Edit: Just realized it sounds like yet another version of popamole because of the game's 'estimated' length. *sigh*

 

[Delterius]

you can switch between them on the fly — even within a turn

What does that mean? It sounds like they're trying to describe some kind of phase-based combat system and don't know how?

Or maybe you choose your class when the turn starts? Like changing a persona.

 

[Mortmal]

Poor uninformative article, there zero news info into that , "Might and Magic X Legacy is being developed with an "actively involved" community" id like to know what is that community , as far as i know none asked us our opinions, and theres no info on rpgwatch, nor on any abandonware forums .
I dont know why i bother 25 hour is almost nothing, especially for a might and magic game .

 

[LeStryfe79]

This fucker better be less than $20.

 

[Jaedar]

You know, considering how many news sites make series "reboots" first page news ala fallout 3 and neuxcom, you'd think this would be bigger news.

Although it might be that this game is too different to use standard preview template #3 and they just haven't calmed down from all the mountain dew to be able to type properly yet.

 

[Delterius]

That phrase is confusing. They use the word class and later mention how you can 'change on the fly' in order to attack enemies in 'multiple ways'. That sounds like changing classes on the beginning of turns to me. But then they were smart enough to conflate class and race, which might make more sense with simply changing between party members during a turn. That sounds even less likely since its neither new nor respectful of initiative/speed mechanics.

 

[Irenaeus]

Maybe you have a rooster of PCs to chose from each turn?

 

[Infinitron]

Here are the game's non-private forums: http://forums.ubi.com/forumdisplay.php/466-Might-amp-Magic-X-Legacy

It's a wasteland for the time being.

 

[Abraxas]

The "with each step, something may or may not happen" could mean random encounters popping out without warning as the first M&M, though it also talks of approaching a group of enemies, so I don't know.

 

[Falkner]

The entire article reads like it was written by someone who has never played an RPG in his life, so we may just be reading his confusion instead of actual new information.

 

[Lancehead]

The entire article reads like it was written by someone who has never played an RPG in his life, so we may just be reading his confusion instead of actual new information.

Either that or there's absolutely no worthwhile information. I mean this:

The first time Le Breton came across a group of enemies in the world, he started off by hurling a few fireballs from his mage. Then he crept closer to the group so his dwarf, a melee-focused character, could hit them directly. Then he finished them off with a lightning bolt from the mage. Combat offers experience so you can level up, which unlocks skill points that can be spent on class upgrades.

reads like he's just writing to fill the word count or something.

 

[Bulba]

It's a bit weird to hear that guy promoting the vip (who the fuck are those?) fans involvement in the development of hm&m 6, the last thing I want is those guys doing something similar to m&mX.
also can anyone explain to me what the phrase "Its developers are looking to bring back the old games' classic feel, but they're doing it in a modern way" means?

 

[Tigranes]

I never heard of this Polygon site until recently, but... man, it's like Kotaku II. They cover interesting stuff, but can't write.

 

[Infinitron]

I never heard of this Polygon site until recently, but... man, it's like Kotaku II. They cover interesting stuff, but can't write.

They used to be the gaming section of The Verge.

 

[TOME]

25 hours to complete? That's like some freebie extra adventure you get if buy the gold edition or something, not a full game.

Of course, you're not alone: You control a four-member party chosen from 12 typical fantasy classes like elves, dwarves, orcs and mages, and you can switch between them on the fly — even within a turn — to attack foes in multiple ways. The first time Le Breton came across a group of enemies in the world, he started off by hurling a few fireballs from his mage. Then he crept closer to the group so his dwarf, a melee-focused character, could hit them directly. Then he finished them off with a lightning bolt from the mage.

That's sounds to me like there is only one active character while the rest wait in your backpack. Like if you get in melee, you take a timeout and put your mage wait on a bench while the dwarf gets playtime.

 

[Infinitron]

25 hours to complete? That's like some freebie extra adventure you get if buy the gold edition or something, not a full game.

Of course, you're not alone: You control a four-member party chosen from 12 typical fantasy classes like elves, dwarves, orcs and mages, and you can switch between them on the fly — even within a turn — to attack foes in multiple ways. The first time Le Breton came across a group of enemies in the world, he started off by hurling a few fireballs from his mage. Then he crept closer to the group so his dwarf, a melee-focused character, could hit them directly. Then he finished them off with a lightning bolt from the mage.

That's sounds to me like there is only one active character while the rest wait in your backpack. Like if you get in melee, you take a timeout and put your mage wait on a bench while the dwarf gets playtime.

Doesn't seem likely, especially judging from the screens that we've seen:

Also, game time estimates are always bullshit.

 

[dab]

also can anyone explain to me what the phrase "Its developers are looking to bring back the old games' classic feel, but they're doing it in a modern way" means?

Marketing bullshit made of buzzwords.
Less likely you can translate TB-combat as "old games' classic feel" and somewhat modern graphics as "doing it in a modern way".

 

[Achilles]

Polygon is shit, avoid like the plague.

 

[Hobz]

They kept the slots for hirelings

 

[Minttunator]

There was pretty much nothing new in that article. It's a shame more sites aren't covering this, maybe we'd get some better information.