Welcome to the Heroes of Might & Magic: Olden Era FAQ: Part 2! Here, you'll find answers to additional questions about the game, its features, and more. If you missed Part 1, you can check it out here.
How long will the campaign be? Will there be campaign-only heroes?
Our aim is to release the first 8 missions of the campaign with EA, though keep in mind this is still subject to change. Right now we cannot estimate how long these will take, as some of you may try to speedrun them. However, we do still expect many hours of gameplay for everyone that will take on this challenge! There will indeed be campaign-only heroes that will not be present in skirmish games.
Will we see some previously known characters to be present, I hope we'll see their forefathers or maybe some long-living ones, will that be the case?
Indeed, it makes sense for some characters to be alive at the time when OE happens — the undead, vampires, elementals, and maybe some extremely long-lived elves. And, indeed, some other characters may have ancestors. One faction in Olden Era happens to say “thank Forefathers” (instead of “thank gods” and the likes), and that’s for a reason! So you will see some familiar or semi-familiar faces.
But generally, we want to focus on characters who happen to be more of a blank slate. This game is such an interesting opportunity to create a backstory for characters that didn’t have it at all!
Will the slow late game be solved/shortened somehow? In the late game, players are endlessly chasing weak enemy heroes but can hardly have some tough matched combats. How will you fix this?
This topic is a bit too broad to be conveyed in the FAQ. In short, we’re aware of the issue and are working on ways to solve it. For example, some templates and maps have unique win conditions designed to create a faster endgame. Such win conditions are optional, which means that players will be able to choose their preferred play dynamic. We can also mention that there will be a timer, for both turns and the battle itself that you can toggle, as well as a shorter 1 hero mode.
Will different towns have different maximum mage guild level? Like Stronghold had 3 maximum levels and Tower had 5 maximum levels in HoMM III.
Yes. Also, mage guilds in different towns will have different specializations and a different chance to receive various spells. There will be a separate devlog about mage guilds in the future, where you will learn a lot more about the mechanics present in Heroes of Might & Magic Olden Era.
Will there be Steam achievements?
At some point, definitely. We’ll start Early Access with some campaign-related achievements and add more during this period.
Do you have any plans for a focused Tutorial to help beginners get to grips with competitive play?
We are definitely planning to release tutorials during Early Access! We understand just how important this is, as we received a lot of feedback from the community. This is one of the most requested features in the game, so we will do our best to provide an easier introduction for everyone!
Where is it in terms of accessibility; colours, sounds, folks who have trouble using inputs etc, and also how is it in ease of introduction to gameplay I guess (for new people to the game)?
We are working with the accessibility team, and customizations will definitely happen, but most likely during EA, closer to the 1.0 Release.
How does the AI work in Olden Era?
The main AI feature is hero separation into different roles: the main hero fights in challenging battles against other opponents, and supporting heroes are gatherers and couriers who deliver troops and artifacts to the main hero. AI can follow different strategies and change its behavior based on the situation. For example, after collecting a certain percentage of value in a current area, it will change to the “expand and capture next area” strategy.
Will we be able to change the colour of the UI from blue?
Not at the moment. We recognize the request, but our resources are limited and we want to polish the aspects of the game directly related to gameplay and only move on to providing aesthetic options after that. We will consider adding this feature around the 1.0 Release.
What features will be present in terms of competitive play and tournaments?
We are implementing multiple features that will make tournaments much easier to host and watch. One of these is a spectator mode for all games. You will learn more in future devlogs about competitive play!
Will each faction start with their Unique Faction skill (i.e. Necromancy for Necropolis)?
Yes, each faction will start with their faction skill. For specific details on each of them, you’ll have to wait for their particular devlogs. As you can see, we already shared Necropolis in our last reveal!
Will external dwellings keep their growth week after week?
Yes! We really liked this feature as well, and the community heavily requested it. Therefore, dwellings will stack over time in the Olden Era.
How many heroes will we be able to play for each faction?
There will be 18 playable heroes per faction in EA. We are also considering adding more later on — and that’s just Skirmish heroes! Some of the Campaign heroes are separate.
Will the Random Map Generator feature players vs. players maps? Players vs. AI? Co-op?
At its launch in Early Access, the RMG will feature both players vs. players and players vs. AI modes. It won’t have co-op or the option to unite several players in a team. We aim to add this later during Early Access.
Will RMG support mirror templates?
We understand just how important this feature is, so we will add mirror templates during early access after the release of the underground.
Will there be a gamepass for the base game and first few expansions?
For Early Access, the game will only be released on Steam and with the basic purchasing model (i.e., you buy the base game—you get it). We want to focus on the game’s core before considering expansions and their distribution model. Content updates during EA will be free.
When will we see the secret faction?
It will be playable in Early Access Day 1 👀
How will simultaneous turns and timer work?
The timer system is similar to previous games: there is a separate timer for the global map and for each battle (including PvP). The game will use a modified chess timer: you get base time for the whole match, with more added every day, bonus time every week, and increment-delta for bonus time every day/week.
OE will feature clever sim turns - yes, they end when the players can meet each other, not after the meeting. Timer values can be tuned before starting a match (via lobby).
Will heroes specialization abilities become stronger with additional levels? Like instead of +2 growth of a specific creature you can have +1 growth per 5 hero lvls?
This is exactly how specializations work in Olden Era! They scale with level.
Will there be control zones as in Heroes 6 and 7?
We received a lot of mixed feedback, or even negative feedback, about this feature, so we decided not to use it in the Olden Era.
By the way, what is the dev stance on unsolicited ideas and designs?
While we do have our creative ideas, and we mostly follow those, we understand just how important the community is to the Heroes of Might & Magic games. Because of this, we have been going through all of your feedback and will make changes accordingly to what is most requested, or of course, if balance changes are required. But do also note, we have our own vision for the game and we want to create something unique. However, we appreciate your passion for the franchise, and your ideas and requests can change our priorities!
Will we have the ability for offline LAN or Direct connections to a lobby?
Not at the moment, but we will have Hot Seat mode during Early Access.
Will ranged units have a limited amount of shots, like in Heroes V, or unlimited, like in Heroes VII?
Ranged units have an unlimited amount of shots in OE. The range penalty is not constant. It gradually increases based on the distance to the target.
Will Ubisoft Connect be required to play in Early Access?
Early Access - that's stated to launch in Q2 2025 - will not require Ubisoft Connect to play.
Is it true that the developer Leonid is kept in the basement and is not allowed to go outside?
Yes. In chains. We use them to tug him away from the computer; otherwise, he’d never sleep at all.
How can I support the project while it’s not released yet?
We greatly appreciate any support! Here are a few ways you can help:
1. Add the game to your Steam wishlist, and feel free to join our Discord server, where you can chat directly with the developers!
2. Spread the word by asking your friends to also add the game to their Steam wishlists — this would go a long way in promoting the project!
3. Leave comments about the game under any related YouTube videos.
4. You can also support us by purchasing Iratus: Lord of the Dead.
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