In my opinion version III was most beatifully made, version IV had nice new game possibilities but colors were poor and some graphic features irritating. Version V-bad joke in everything. How could authors of this version make about EVERYTHING so much worse compared to previous versions? Graphics are ugly, about all features are either primitive or ugly. Staring from treasures which look like postboxes, jems like grey stone etc. Wrong proportions: hero is too big and piece of map visible around is too small. Opposite in battle mode: all units are extremely small, not possible to see who they are, hardly visible difference. Where are version III nice and lovely units beatifully made and acting naturally? These new microbs are pathetic as much as videos of hero smashing enemies with effect of ugly red cloud coming out. All these videos only irritation and add nothing to the game. How can hero attack by sword any unit on field without moving himself from the starting spot? Why cities look so ugly? I paid 10 euros for this game on some sale and it not worth even one. Hire old masters (art , graphics, design) who made Heroes III and re-make this nonsence completely !

The graphics of Heroes 5 are good, I like em. It's just there is so much less of everything else, it's essentially heroes 3 with new age graphics and A LOT less content and less original factions that are far two "one race" oriented" Yes that works well for undead and demons because there are many very different classes and sub races of each... But really how many different humans, dwarves and elves do you need?

Graphics of V i smore modern, technically better, but it i snot good, not beatiful. In some details-simply primitive. Gold which you find is just a block without any details-is it nice? general color line is depressive. Heroes III looked like fairy tail or midleage saga with bright colors and lots of small details. Here it become 3D-and absolute lack of fantasy.. Take archer from III and compare to V-which looks better? In V he is 3D but look much worse. And that is true for about all units.

What is better are the graphics, skill system, new spell system, Dungeon (I love Dungeon), Necropolis... what is worse is that Ashan is presently very shallow. I am sure Nival will work it out eventually, but as it is it needs more depth.

Yes; the graphics in Heroes V are very good and realists! I never played Heroes III I only played Heroes IV but I don´t like Heroes IV it's horrible! I love Heroes V; cool races; cool creatures; cool spells..

IMO:
The best-looking strategic map is in HoMM IV.
The best-looking battle map is in HoMM III.
The best-looking game of the series, given the available techologies when they were developed, is HoMM III, though HoMM I is very close behind.
The best-looking creatures are in HoMM III, but HoMM V has some nice achievements too.
The best-looking spells are in HoMM V, but the most original ones are in HoMM II - remember how Death Ray, Destroy Undead, Armageddon, Stone Skin (and so on) looked like? The Cowardice-spell animation from HoMM IV was pretty nice too.
The best Hero portaits are undoubtedly from HoMM III.
The best-looking towns are in HoMM III and HoMM V - tough decision. Still, the Rampart in HoMM III can't be matched and the "Kreegan" Inferno is my all-time-favourite, so HoMM III has slight advantage.

No way man, the best looking creatures are in heroes 2. Just look at the evolution polls in Celestial Heavens 1-4 forum.

Same for best looking game. I agree that overland map looks nice in 4.

I miss old Academy. I'm not happy with the makeover it got, however interesting it may be now.

the factions are more diverse, in H3 all factions wher almost the same, diferent graphic (except necro).

the initiative system is better (especialy the fact that the heroe have his own initiative, not the initiative of the fastest creature).

Skill system is more complex, and better, spells system is better (the only really broken spel is Divine Vengace), in H3 - Town Portal, Dimension Door, Mass Berserk, Sacrifice, Mass Prayer a lot of overpowered spells.

bad side:

Poor A.I. the only way computer can do any problem is to recive "free gifts", not by smart decisions.

H5 vs. H3:

THE GOOD:

Initiative bar

Dark energy system for necro

Inferno gating

More interesting skill combos

Spell system makes more sense, and is not as imbalanced as H3 (where earth magic ruled, air magic was also pretty good, but water magic was terrible)

The occasional up-close shots of a combat action, especially titans (the shakey camera effect is awesome)

The combat screen also shows all of the surrounding buildings and terrain from the adventure map, which really gives the two actions (traveling and fighting) a more integrated feel

Caravans, caravans, caravans

Summon Creatures spell keeps your main hero on the front lines longer

THE BAD:

Boring non-diverse races (dwarves and orcs, mainly)

The H5 campaign story did not make a lot of sense, and did not excite me the way the H3 campaigns (including both expansions) excited me

Non-sensical AI that relies on cheating to acheive balance

Lack of mulltiplayer maps, especially hotseat

Lame attempts to make orcs and undead lovable or at least righteous in TOTE

The Tears of Asha don't get me nearly as excited as The Holy Grail

THE UGLY:

Colors of H5 are kind of ugly. I know H5 is going for a more realistic look than H3, but Ashan is just depressing

Heroes portraits in 5 look the fever dreams of 13-year-olds (cartoonish steroid and silicone freaks), whereas H3 portraits had PERSONALITY

Many of the creatures looked cooler in H3. For example, the H3 angels look strong, but the H5 angels look like fey adolescent boys, but I could go on and on about this.

Although it's usually not ugly, the game goes overboard on the fetishwear for female heroes and creatures. Dungeon looks like an S&M club. I know H3 had some of this as well, but H5 really goes all out. Those orc shaman ladies are wearing nothing more than a few strategically placed leaves. Decorum, ladies!

The voice acting and cut scenes improved markedly in TOTE, but it's still pretty goofy

quote:

(where earth magic ruled, air magic was also pretty good, but water magic was terrible)

Disagree, I also used mainly air magic at th ebeginning, but later discovered how water magic actually should be used. I never liked earth magic anyway.

Had anyone liked videos in combat mode? Is it possible to switch them off completely? I can't stand watching again and again these stupid shaking silicon bodies and red clouds around-it is simply disgusting. What is funny about watching arrow coming into some creature body again and again with the same effect, only makes battle longer...

quote:

Originally posted by Greg1038:
Lack of mulltiplayer maps, especially hotseat

That's funny there are tons of mp maps in my game.

quote:

Dungeon looks like an S&M club.

Angelspit where are those Nival party pics again?

quote:

Originally posted by ppsh1:

quote:

(where earth magic ruled, air magic was also pretty good, but water magic was terrible)

Disagree, I also used mainly air magic at th ebeginning, but later discovered how water magic actually should be used. I never liked earth magic anyway.

So, what was your secret? Other than a mass Dispel Magic, Cure, or Prayer, what did water magic offer? Certainly not the travel spells, which for me make H3 pretty easy (another improvement of H5 over H3, because once I have Town Portal and at least advanced earth magic in H3, it's all over).

Regarding angels, they're ought to look androgynous IIRC. Angels are not a specific gender. Demons are 'neither' gender. At least going by D&D, which most fantasy is inspired by.

quote:

Originally posted by Moragauth:
Regarding angels, they're ought to look androgynous IIRC. Angels are not a specific gender. Demons are 'neither' gender. At least going by D&D, which most fantasy is inspired by.

For H6, how about chubby cherubs? For added fun, you could make them really big, like a thane or cyclops. Your opponents would laugh at them until they flew across the field and dealt massive damage (or, in the case of the alternate upgrade, shot you with their Cupid's bow).

quote:

Originally posted by ppsh1:
Had anyone liked videos in combat mode? Is it possible to switch them off completely?

In the main menu, click "Options", then "Game". Under Combat Options, the 4th line reads "Cinematic Camera". Uncheck it and click apply.
If you have Tote you may want to go into the graphics options and uncheck town flyby as well.

Nival could do that, but then again I'm not sure what it has to do with what I said. I'm just pointing out why they were implemented as such.

Initiative bar - nice feat of homm5? YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!!
If I want to play FF I go play FF.
If I want to play Homm, I play a game in which a troops moves once or twice (morale)/turn. No more. No Less (unless blinded/killed/etc).
But for a Nightmare to move 10 times before the zombie it's something beyond idiotic.
IDIOTIC. Got it? Remove the bloody thing.
To all supporters. Cast mass haste and mass slow and tell me exactly what happens with the atb bar. Ok? In Homm4/3/2/1 you could. If i want to play something RANDOM i'll double click on the adventure map with the monitor shut and moving the mouse around like a mad gorilla got it?

quote:

Originally posted by unreal_az:
If I want to play Homm, I play a game in which a troops moves once or twice (morale)/turn. No more. No Less (unless blinded/killed/etc).
But for a Nightmare to move 10 times before the zombie it's something beyond idiotic.
IDIOTIC. Got it? Remove the bloody thing.
To all supporters. Cast mass haste and mass slow and tell me exactly what happens with the atb bar. Ok? In Homm4/3/2/1 you could.

Not really. Double turns due to morale can mess up a fight without even casting a spell. Moreover double turns due to wait/lastattack/firstattack are pretty silly a mechanism as well.
It's just a matter of whether you like something or not. The reasoning for it is something else completely.