Where did people learn to play Heroes?

Here is my story: I was in school, 6th grade, and suddenly a classmate tells me, "Come over to my place, I've got this one cool game..." So me and two of my friends are sitting at the computer and start playing... then comes the time to choose a castle. EVERYONE TAKES Necropolis, Inferno (and I thought that you weren same not supposed to play as a castle, but against that castle (AS I UNDERSTOOD IT THEN) and I take Conflux (THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE EASY TO WIPE OUT)). Then I realize I'm playing as them, and I think "F*** !!!!!! THAT WAS MY FIRST GAME AND I STILL REMEMBER ALMOST EVERYTHING I DID THERE? THEN I STARTED PLAYING AS THE Necromancer since they always appealed to me, played as them for about 3 years... then I switched to Tower, spent about 2 years on them too, and then came to Stronghold, played as them for maybe half a year, now I've been playing Swamp for 5 months, AND I LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!