Posts from Новости Dark Messiah Of Might And Magic

In Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, players will be introduced to the world of Ashan, a new setting for all future Might & Magic games. Ashan is a dark and unforgiving world, scarred by a bloody history and threatened by an apocalyptic prophecy: Dark Messiah.

It is said that the game is being developed using the Half-Life 2 engine.

Also, Ubisoft has launched a flash website for this game: http://www.mightandmagic.com/us/darkmessiah/teaser/

Accordingly, you can also find out that the developers are Arkane Studios and Floodgate Entertainment.
And from the videos, it is clear that M&M9 was used as a basis. Which personally doesn't please me. I didn't find any other information.
Here is information from the developers' website. There is no translation, though.

UBISOFT ANNOUNCES DARK MESSIAH™ OF MIGHT & MAGIC® New Might & Magic® game to be powered by Source™ Engine from Valve SAN FRANCISCO – AUGUST 4, 2005 – Today Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, announces the development of Dark Messiah™ of Might & Magic®, a new first-person action game for the PC, powered by an enhanced version of the Source™ Engine, the award-winning game technology Valve created to power Half-Life®2. Developed by Arkane Studios, the team behind the critically acclaimed Arx Fatalis game, Dark Messiah of Might & Magic puts players in a first-person perspective, allowing them to immerse themselves in the legendary Might and Magic universe as never before. It is also the world’s first fantasy action game to feature a complete first-person combat system. It takes full advantage of the Source™ Engine’s exceptional technological enhancements in areas such as character animation, advanced AI, real-world physics and shader-based rendering. Ubisoft acquired the Might and Magic brand in 2003, and Dark Messiah of Might & Magic is the second title Ubisoft will be launching as it restores this famed franchise to glory. Dark Messiah of Might & Magic is scheduled for a summer 2006 release and will be shown for the first time at the Games Convention in Germany on August 17, 2005.

From what I understand, it will be a kind of mix of 3D Action and RPG. Personally, I don't like this approach. I would prefer a proper RPG like M&M7 (one of the best games in the series). :) This means that the RPG aspect will be minimized. In other words, the new game is something like Jedi Knight and System Shock. And apparently, only one hero will be available, not a group as before. Arkane Studios website http://www.arkane-studios.com/
If anyone can open videos other than the first one, please let me know what's in them

1- First of all, could you introduce yourselves and give us some of your professional background?
RWG - I am Romain de Waubert de Genlis, Ubisoft Producer of Dark Messiah.
RC - I'm Raphael Colantonio, Arkane Studios Game Director of Dark Messiah.
2- How would you present us the concept behind Dark Messiah of Might & Magic in a few words?
RWG - If you were to live an adventure in a heroic fantasy universe filled with combat, how would you want to experience it? The answer to that question is the core of what's going into the making of Dark Messiah.
If we were to start fresh in such a universe, it is obvious that we would all have different sensibilities on who we would want to be and how would you defeat your enemies. Would you rather use your muscles or your magic or your mind? In Dark Messiah you all start the same but no one will live the same experience, no one will end up the same.
The first person point of view also helps us to create a more impressive and, to a certain extent, a more immersive experience. In first person you can't see these monsters lurking in the shadow behind you, and when you stand at a dragon's feet, only then will you realize what it means to be 5 stories tall.
3- For this game, you are using the Source™ engine from Valve. Could you explain why you decided to use this engine? To what extend does it answer your development objectives?
RC - Back in 2003 we were building our own engine. During a game show, we ran into a few folks from Valve who had played and liked our first game (Arx Fatalis™). We checked out the Valve booth at E3, saw their amazing demo and realized that the Source Engine was providing absolutely everything we wanted and more. We decided to start talking with them about a license.
Valve was very enthusiastic about giving us access to Source at an early stage, even before they would officially license it, which was great because it was just the engine we needed. Being the second generation of one of the most proven engines for first person action games, Source featured all of what we were looking for: super realistic rendering, stunning physics integration, solid multiplayer architecture and great flexibility for quickly prototyping crazy new features.
RWG - For me it is reassuring to work with a team like Arkane that does not have to focus on building an engine from scratch - with all the technical challenges which that entails - but instead. can dedicate all the creative energy on making great gameplay.
Very early on we were able to discuss the prototyping of some specific gameplay elements, instead of having to spend most of our development time in hoping that ultimately "it will work."
4- What is the level of your collaboration with valve?
RC - I like to think that our collaboration with Valve goes beyond a simple license deal. We share the same passion for games. We play each other's games. Our team regulary spends time at Valve's offices where we have "hands on" sessions and showcase our latest features for Dark Messiah.
It's good for us to see and hear their reactions. We get consulting from some of the smartest guys in the industry and we really appreciate this.
5- Could you introduce the universe and storyline of Dark Messiah?
RWG - In Dark Messiah, you are Sareth, apprentice to a powerful wizard. He has raised you for a single purpose, training you in the arts of magic and war.
At the beginning of the game you are given an ancient artifact and ordered to carry it to a friend of your master.
It seems like a simple task … But of course, yours will be a sinuous journey, filled with unexpected encounters and revelations, and upon your quest, looms the shadow of the Dark Messiah…
6- How did you come up with this scenario? What was the original idea behind it?
RC - It's a constant team effort between Ubisoft and Arkane and it goes through many iterations. Arkane Studios was more focused on the story details and narrative elements that would drive Dark Messiah's level design.
Ubisoft played a more over-arching role: Erwan Le Breton and Richard Dansky worked a lot on the Might and Magic universe and background that we share with Heroes of Might and Magic franchise. They also provided consulting support for polishing our dialogues and improving the characters' personalities and motivations.
7- So you say Dark Messiah is mostly an action game. Could you detail that a bit further? How, for instance are we going to play as a warrior, a mage or an assassin? Can I really decide to be only an assassin and finish the game that way?
RWG - First person action drives Dark Messiah, while the game does have elements of an RPG, everything is handled in real time and monsters will not wait for you to think before to act. If you want to plan ahead how you will bypass a challenge, try to look for a vantage point and have a look at the scene, and plan your course of action.
Playing as a Warrior or as an Assassin will be totally different. One will charge headlong on his enemies, using his skills and superior control over the most advanced techniques of close combat while the other will try to kill without being detected, plan traps, and when finally the enemies detect his presence it should be to realize that all reinforcement has already been taken care of.
8- What challenges did you face regarding the choice of a first-person view?
RC - We already had some expertise with first person in our previous game (Arx Fatalis), so the challenge was more about how to bring something new to the experience. We decided to tackle the combat system: create a first person melee experience that just felt right. There have been attempts in the past, but we think nothing as convincing. This was a great opportunity and a great challenge. A tremendous challenge in fact.
First, we had no choice but to support a body awareness system (the experience of seeing and almost feeling your own body in first person). Aside from the fact that having a body feels very immersive for obvious reasons, it's also absolutely necessary to see your feet when you kick an enemy. It also improves the player's ability to evaluate distance between himself and the opponent. Basically, you're not just a floating camera; you belong to the world, which makes a huge difference.
This body awareness is a very challenging feature, believe me. There are gazillions of things to think of when you start developing it.
Along with body awareness, we took on the challenge of creating a melee combat system that is fun, where the aiming is smooth, not confusing; where player strategy is at the forefront and where you really feel the hits (both given and received).
We're thrilled with the results so far: The constraints of a first person view have actually become our ally. There are things we implemented that you can only do in first person, such as aiming at a specific part of the body to maximize damage or disarm your enemy (if you aim at the hand).
But most of all, the character/player relationship - thanks to body awareness - becomes visceral. You are the fighter, because you feel it. You are in your shoes. You are the guy who just managed to do the super cool move, and this is all possible thanks to the first person view.
9- How important are physics in the game?
RC - Highly simulated environments have always been one of our obsessions because they lead to emergent gameplay and fun situations. Physics naturally take a very important role in game mechanics: any object that looks like it could move is physically simulated so that it can potentially have an influence on the game world and change the experience for the player.
RWG - It is very important to us to provide the player with this "vertical" freedom (as opposed to the "horizontal" freedom you have in games with huge environments), and physics are an important part f the mix in that they greatly add to the depth of the game. It is very satisfying and rewarding to know that you will be able to use physics during combat or to alter the level design of a room and generate a new path or situation.
Using the objects and the environment against your enemy is of course one of the most fun things you can do. But you are even more stunned when you realize that your opponent can and will take advantage of it too…
10- What about the RPG elements in the game?
RC - Dark Messiah features some of the classic RPG elements such as collecting items and building up your character. As you progress, you pick skills to coincide with your chosen play style (whatever it is) and be assured that the quest is going to support whatever style of play you choose.
RWG - For instance if you decide to play as an assassin, you will have access to skills that will improve your ability to stalk your enemies while remaining undetected, such as silent walk, backstab, advanced disarm.
The great challenge and originality in Dark Messiah is that innate and acquired are intrinsically tied together in the game. The innate - your own skills, the ones you have in real life - is nothing without the skills you acquire in the game. And gaining a new skill is useless if you do not learn how to master it.
It is really a mix between the traditional skills of a RPG (purely based on statistics), and the ones of an action game (purely based on the player skill).
11- What about the multiplayer?
RWG - The game will be playable as a team-based multiplayer mode, playable with up to 32 players. We have dedicated a whole team just to develop that part. We are lucky to have an engine that powers games like Half Life 2 death match Counter Strike and even crazy multiplayer physics experiments such as Gary's mod.

For all Half-Life 2's blinding technology, it didn't contain a single wizard. Tsk. Spotting this gargantuan flaw, developer Arkane whipped the Source engine from beneath Gordon's feet and ran off to cast spells with it.
The result: a first-person stabber/archer/speller based within the Might and Magic universe - and it's looking good already. And yet, ironically, we still haven't seen a single wizard.
Never mind. Even those not familiar with the M and M games (which reached well into double figures with role-playing and strategy variants before fading away several years back) needn't worry about not being up to speed.
Dark Messiah is set in Ashan, a world new to the resurrected series, and the action-oriented first-person style is the key to it all.
Even if you don't especially like stabbing at giant spiders in wet dungeons, or wizardly spellage generally, you will be excited by this. Assuming you like FPS games, that is.
Ashan has its share of orcs, spells and swords, but the choice of Source-powered sorcery means two things.
Firstly, Arkane is free to create the game rather than recreate all the basics of 3D for the eleventy-ninth time. And secondly, all those wonderful HL2 physics can be exploited to the maximum, what with all this magic about.
The early work we saw is notable for its scale; the interiors are frequently cavernously vast, while the villagers have perched their homes on colossal cliffs rather than, say, a lovely meadow.
Furthermore, the Ashan-tians haven't discovered the balustrade yet. There may once have been a safety officer for NPCs, but we're worried we might have shot him. Some years back.
The cathedralesque scale allows for hilarity. Tall rooms mean tall statues, and those propped up by wooden scaffolding can be easily toppled... and if you're lucky (or clever), they'll take out enemies as they fall.
Of course, if you concentrate on magic skills you can also freeze bad guys in place and watch them shatter on impact. Then shrink half the survivors to Lilliputian proportions and stamp on them. And levitate the rest clean out of the window 50 feet above.
The freeze spell is particularly useful on precarious walkways. Guards will slip on icy patches, and frankly comedy death is always welcome... alternatively, you can just concentrate on combat skills and go wading head-on into all comers.
Hack and slash. Hey, if it's good enough for America's foreign policy, it's good enough for us.
Your third option is to play the thief, be stealthy. Each objective allows for multiple approaches, and a bit of exploration - perhaps combined with the arrow-based grappling rope - may bring you conveniently behind a particularly awkward guard. Perfect for a nice, gruesome, silent kill.
And it shouldn't just be random luck that you found the route, if all goes to plan, as enabling the player to fully see (and so assess) each problem is part of the design ethos.
So Arkane is really working at giving us choice in how we deal with a situation, from the scope of our character's abilities (he's called Sareth, by the way), to your information within the level, to the customisation of the skill tree.
Specialising in one of the three main abilities is key, of course, but it's still a long way from the traditional RPG. And though you can't achieve greatness in all areas, there's scope for mixing and matching, while the emphasis remains on action. Also, stabbing.
Arkane is also doing a great job with the first-person view: modelling guns is one thing, but getting swords and even fists poking about convincingly is another problem entirely.
Yet here you can even convincingly clash swords with an enemy while you eyeball each other over the stuttering blades, swashbuckler-style, in a credible way.
But who wants convincing all the time? Sometimes you just want to throw wizards out of church windows. If you can find one.
Dark Messiah of Might and Magic will be out for PC in 2006
P.S. I don't know when a full translation will appear :( Only if I find it somewhere in Russian.
For now, I can say the following:
We will have three character classes (Warrior, Mage, Thief). The game will be a 3D FPS. Essentially a fantasy Half-Life. As for the RPG component, it seems we're getting something like Hexen. The main emphasis is on special effects.
By the way, almost all fans on the DM forum are against this approach. But who asks them :confused: As long as FPS games are in highest demand, we have to make do with the good old games.

---

Russian translation of the preview

2. How would you describe the concept of Dark Messiah of Might and Magic in a few words?
RWG:
Would you like to find yourself in an era of heroes and discoveries in a fairytale universe shaken by wars?
If so, the answer is the upcoming game Dark Messiah. When we bring a new hero to life in such a world, we usually choose various starting characteristics—sensitivity, who we will be, and how we will defeat enemies, preferring to use muscle, magic, or cunning. In Dark Messiah you start similarly, but each person will live their own story, gain their own experience, and there will not be a single similar ending.
The first-person view will immerse you in an impressive, and to some extent maximally realistic environment. Seeing the world from the first person, you cannot see monsters hiding in the shadows behind you, and only when you stand at a dragon's feet will you understand what the phrase "as tall as a house" really means.
3. You are using Valve's Source engine for this game. Could you explain why you chose it specifically? Does it meet your goals for the game's development?
RC: In 2003, we were developing our own engine. But at one game show, we met representatives from Valve who had fallen in love with our first game (Arx Fatalis). We checked out the Valve booth at E3, saw their amazing demonstration, and realized that the Source engine provided absolutely everything we wanted and even more. Therefore, it was decided to start license negotiations with them. Valve were pleased with our proposal and gave us access to the Source engine in its early stages, even before they officially licensed the engine. It was just great because it was exactly what we needed. Being the second generation of one of the best engines for first-person action games, the Source engine gave us everything we were looking for: a high-quality realistic environment, stunning physics integration, a good multiplayer structure, and great flexibility for rapid prototyping of crazy new ideas.
RWG:
I am very encouraged by the fact that I am working with a team like Arkane. The team does not have to focus on designing a game engine from scratch, with all the technical problems that entails, but can instead devote all its creative energy to creating extensive gameplay. Very soon we were able to discuss prototyping some gameplay elements instead of spending most of our time on development in the hope that "it will work" in the end.
4. What is your current level of relationship with Valve?
RWG: I like to think that our relationship with Valve has gone far beyond just a license agreement. We share the same passion for games. We play each other's games. Our team regularly visits Valve offices, where we discuss and show our latest achievements in Dark Messiah.
It is very useful to see and hear their reaction. We receive consultation from some of the most brilliant people in the gaming industry and we value that.
5. Could you tell us about the game world and the storyline of Dark Messiah?
RWG:
In Dark Messiah, you are Sareth, the apprentice of a powerful wizard. He raised you with a single purpose: teaching you the art of magic and warfare. At the beginning of the game, you are given an ancient artifact that must be delivered to a friend of your wizard. It seems like a simple task, but it is not. Your path will be winding and difficult. Along the way, you will have to face many dangers and adventures, make discoveries, and try to survive clashes... And the shadow of Dark Messiah will loom over your path.
6. How did you come up with the script? Was there an original idea before this?
RC:
The plot idea emerged from constant discussions between Ubisoft and Arkane. Arkane Studio was more focused on story details and narrative elements that would lead through the levels of Dark Messiah. Ubisoft worked more on bringing the images together: Erwan Le Breton and Richard Dansky worked more on the Might and Magic universe and the foundation we share with Heroes of Might and Magic. They also provided consulting support in refining our dialogues and emphasizing personal characters and character motivations.
7. So you say that Dark Messiah is more of an action game? Could you tell us about this in more detail? For example, how can I become a wizard, warrior, or assassin, and is it possible to choose, for instance, the path of the assassin—one specific direction—and finish the game this way?
RWG:
First-person action leads the Dark Messiah through a game that has some RPG elements, all processed in real time, and monsters will not wait for you, thinking before they act. You have the opportunity to plan ahead how to bypass a clash. To do this, you need to look at the scene map, find the necessary course, and plan your actions. Playing as a Warrior and an Assassin will be completely different. One will charge at the enemy using their strength and superior control over advanced mechanics, while the other will wait in ambush and stalk their enemy, killing silently.
8. Were there any difficulties associated with choosing the first-person view?
RC:
We already tested the first-person view in our previous game (Arx Fatalis). In general, the tasks were only in the direction of how to bring something new to the hero's development. We decided to tackle the combat system: creating melee fights. There were attempts in the past, but we hadn't reached anything until now. It is a great opportunity and a great task. A huge challenge, actually...
From the very beginning, we started developing a system of "understanding" the human body (seeing it, almost feeling it). Besides the fact that you need to see changes in the body due to some external objective reasons, you also need to see your legs when you kick an enemy. By the way, this also helps in estimating the distance between yourself and the opponent. And it turns out that you are not just a floating camera, but you belong to a WORLD that is very diverse and dynamic.
This understanding of the body is a very stimulating feature, believe me. There are countless things to think about when you start developing this. Along with body awareness, we set out to solve the problem of creating a melee combat system (the most fun part, in my opinion), where you don't need to aim much; the battle is primally simple. Where the player's strategy is to be at the center of events and where you will feel the hits (both dealt and received).
So far we are happy with the results; the first-person view has become our ally. There are things that we could only achieve this way, for example, precision. This is when you aim for a hand to immediately disarm an opponent or another specific part of the body. The connection between the character and the person, thanks to body awareness, becomes intuitive. You are a fighter because you feel it. You feel that you have boots on your feet. You are the one who just managed to make an amazing lunge or jump, and this is all possible only with a first-person view.
9. How serious is the physics in the game?
RC:
Highly simulated environments have always been one of our obsessions because they lead to interesting situations in gameplay. Physics plays an important role in the gaming process: any object that looks possible to move is physically modeled so that it potentially affects both the surrounding world and changes the player's experience.
RWG:
It is very important for us to provide the player with this "vertical" freedom (as opposed to the "horizontal" freedom you have in games with huge environments), and physics is certainly very important; it adds depth. It is very pleasant and useful to know that you will be able to change the viewing angle of a room, use physics during combat, or carve out a new path.
Using objects and the environment against your enemy will be quite fun, but you will be even more surprised when you realize that your opponent can also use external items in their own interests.
10. What about RPG elements in your game?
RC:
Dark Messiah demonstrates some of the classic RPG elements, such as collecting points and character creation. In Dark Messiah, you progress and gain skills that correspond to your chosen playstyle, but rest assured that your quests will be supported regardless of your chosen development style.
RWG:
For example, if you decide to play as an assassin, you will have access to skills that improve your ability to stalk your enemies while remaining undetected, such as stealthy walking and the ability to secretly stab a knife in the back or disarm them.
A great interest and novelty in Dark Messiah is that innate and acquired properties are linked together in the game. Innate—your own skills, those you have in real life—are nothing without the skills you acquire in the game. And obtaining a new skill is useless if you don't learn how to handle it.
This game is a connection between traditional RPG features (based exclusively on statistics) and action games (based on the player's own gaming skill).
11. What can you say about the multiplayer mode of the game?
RWG:
The game will have a multiplayer team mode supporting 32 players. We have an entire team developing this part. We are lucky to have an engine that powerfully handles games like Half-Life 2 Deathmatch, Counter-Strike, and even such a crazy physics experiment for multiplayer as Garry's Mod.

- The first-person perspective is based on the games in the series. This includes centering, archery, and spellcasting.
- The action takes place in Ashan.
- It's a 3D shooter.
- The levitation spell can lift you to a height of 50 feet.
- Statues and other interior details can be dropped on the heads of enemies (orcs).
- There is a freezing spell.
- You can choose a warrior and honestly fight one-on-one.
- The Rogue (Assassin) specializes in ranged combat and silently eliminates their enemies.
- And a lot about the realistic swinging of swords. (Tell George Lucas about it ;) )
- You can throw enemies out of windows.
- Release date: 2006.

February 2006 PC Game
A new preview of Dark Messiah has been published here.
Here is the link
As one of the participants in the Ubisoft forum reported, there is nothing new there.
The parrying mode was mentioned. Right mouse button.
And the force of the blow depends on how long you hold down the left mouse button. For example, a simple press is a short blow, a long press is a blow of great force/special attack.
P.S. Does this magazine exist in Russia? I don't read computer game magazines and don't follow them.

The Ubisoft forum for Dark Messiah has finally come to life! :)
Here's a link to another preview with screenshots from Dark Messiah of Might and Magic
Everything is in English.

A new interview with the developers of Dark Messiah has appeared. They assure that the game will be available for purchase as early as this summer. Here is the link, along with new screenshots.

Information about the next monster has been revealed on the official English website:

Another monster profile has appeared – this time for an ORC.



A video has been announced, which can now be downloaded [over 30mb] or viewed online [3mb]:

<

Dark Messiah of Might and Magic - Multiplayer Modes
The producer of the RPG Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, De Waubert de Genlis, shared new details about the multiplayer modes of this game with the public.

Dark Messiah will feature several multiplayer modes: deathmatch, team match, and a completely new Crusade mode, each of which can accommodate up to 32 players. De Genlis noted that deathmatch and team deathmatch will be very similar to the familiar modes that we often see in online shooters such as Quake III, Unreal Tournament, or Doom III. However, the Crusade mode is much more interesting - it will be an unusual mix of Battlefield and Battlegrounds.

In this mode, each round will take place on a huge map filled with respawn points for reinforcements. Your task will be to capture as many flags as possible in order to reduce the enemy's reinforcement potential - the more flags you find, the fewer reinforcements your opponent will be able to call in. The game ends when there are no more such points left on the map, that is, after all the flags have been captured.

You will be able to choose from several classes, as is practiced, for example, in Battlefield 1942. Among them are: an assassin, who is not as strong as representatives of other classes, but when it comes to stealth, you won't find his equal; a warrior, who is much stronger than everyone else and specializes in hand-to-hand combat; an archer - a specialist in inflicting maximum damage from a long distance. Also, mages, priests, and other classes will be featured in the game's multiplayer modes.
The release of the RPG Dark Messiah of Might and Magic for PC is scheduled for September of this year.
Source:http://www.ixbt.com/news/all/index.shtml?06/18/98

At the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, Dark Messiah made a stunning impression. There was one playable demo level that showcased all the delights of the game's intense gameplay.

The information is indirect, but if you look at one page of the French version of the Amazon online store, you can see the date September 26, 2006. This means that Dark Messiah of Might and Magic might be released on this date. Link to this page

Ubisoft has released a description of another hero...