Abandoned Town Concepts (HotA)

From Heroes 3 wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Several towns were conceptualised by the Horn of the Abyss team over the years. These towns varied in their levels of completion before being abandoned as concepts and were typically conceived as ideas in the early years of Horn of the Abyss' development.

Asylum[edit | hide | hide all]

Fully upgraded Asylum

On 20/JUN/2008, Agar proposed the concept of the Asylum, and on 21/FEB/09, a DF2 thread was started for the Asylum town. All information has been sourced from various threads in the DF2 topic.

The town's design had many inspirations, such as previous Might and Magic games, poetry written by Edgar Allen Poe, and the literary works of H. P. Lovecraft. It also incorporated broader concepts such as madness, torture, nightmares, body horror, and the circus of fear as general themes that show in many of the designs of the buildings and creatures.

"After the destruction of Escaton's crystal at the hands of the Elemental Lords, the Elemental Planes calmed and the gates between worlds closed... though, not exactly. In some places, portals between Enroth and the plane-between-planes began to appear, and strange creatures from unknown worlds stepped, hovered, and oozed their way through to the land of heroes. Led by unknown masters, they came in search of what gives them strength: the passionate, complex feelings of mortals, and what can provide the most intense and tumultuous string of emotions but war? Asylum cities are built right on fault lines, which gives them the appearance of perpetually hanging over an abyss." Adapted from DF2 thread

Creatures[edit | hide]

All creature descriptions adapted from the main DF2 thread.

  • Level 1: Harlequins — Jesters that juggled what appears to be explosive mines/caltrops.
    • "Have you been having strange visions and incomprehensible dreams lately? Do you feel the urge to do things that contradict your usual morality that your mind did not allow you to do before? This can only mean that wicked guests from another world have found you and latched onto you; beware, for they will warp your inner world with their illusions, manipulating your mind to see enemies everywhere you turn..."
  • Level 2: Screamers — Shrieking visages that were either carried by clouds and smoke or floated around with many tendrils protruding from its face, depending on the artwork.
    • "When your nightmares become your reality, when you begin to feel your consciousness and your body is changed against your will, all that remains is to scream. To scream and to shriek. To wail like a banshee until your throat gives out, until all shall suffer and share in your pain!"
  • Level 3: Predatory Hands — Manacled floating hands with mouths filled with razor-sharp teeth in the center of their palms.
    • "Predatory Hands are truly strange otherworldly creatures. No matter how many times these beings have been dissected, nobody has ever figured out where their brain lies."
  • Level 4: Phantasms — Spider-/crab-like creatures that crawl about the battlefield.
    • "Phantasms are similar in nature to Psychic Elementals, albeit marginally weaker. These creatures phase through dreams and defile the minds of mortals, capable of making the deepest fears of their victims become their unfortunate reality."
  • Level 5: Horrors — Large oozing masses covered in eyes and mouths that see and devour all.
    • "Horrors inhabit the plane-between-planes and love to live under children's beds, preying on the fear they induce in the terrified tots."
  • Level 6: Empaths — Female humanoid mages inspired by the Asylum Mage of Might and Magic VIII: Echo of Destruction.
    • "If you are an experienced magic wielder, you can attempt to merge your essence with one of these creatures. After "upgrading" your body, you will no longer need food, water, or sleep. Your only source of life will be the agony and pain that you afflict your slaves and victims with."
  • Level 7: Proteuses — Alien masses of tentacles resembling distorted tree-like humanoid figures.
    • "Proteuses are attracted to massive waves of fear, seeking out any way to sate their boundless hunger. These formless creatures are among the most powerful beings that broke through the barrier between worlds and found their way to Enroth, forever haunting and defiling this now-forsaken land."

Gallery[edit | hide]

Citadel[edit | hide]

Fully upgraded Citadel

On 05/SEP/2007, a forum user called "hippocamus" proposed the concept of a town based around "mythical creatures that live in the sky" via a DF2 thread. All information has been sourced from various threads in the DF2 topic.

The town's design was borne of a mixture of Greek, Roman, and Mesopotamian influences, with direct references to buildings, beings, and deities such as the Colosseum, Valkyrie, and Apkallu respectively. Its architecture was especially inspired by the Ancient Greeks and Romans, with the town featuring paved roads and buildings reflecting their real-world designs. Some versions of the town screen and other creatures are from other religions, cultures, and mythologies, including an Egyptian-style Pyramid and creatures like the Valakhilya from Hindu mythology.

Gallery[edit | hide]

Crownwork (Kronverk)[edit | hide]

Fully upgraded Crownwork

On 10/DEC/2007, a forum user called "d0s" proposed the concept of a Viking-themed town, and on 26/DEC/07, a DF2 thread was started for the Crownwork town. All information has been sourced from various threads in the DF2 topic and the Heroes Community thread. Commonly referred to as Kronverk as a transliteration of the Russian "Кронверк", the Crownwork has since become the Bulwark as of 31/DEC/2024.

The basis of the town's name and principal design philosophy is the real-world Crownwork, a type of ground fortification that can be seen in the Kronverk of the Peter and Paul Fortress in Saint Petersburg. The town's design was to be influenced by Norse mythology and Nordic cultures, though no town screen or buildings were ever shown. This design is reflected in its creatures, which also take influence from the mountainous and frozen regions of western East Asia, which are and were home to the Argali and Mammoths respectively. There were different ideas for creature lineups and statistics, and since the town's concept—at least in its old form—was never released, it is uncertain which lineups or statistics could be seen as "final" or otherwise intended to be that way upon its hypothetical release.

Creatures[edit | hide]

Lineup #1

Note: The resources required for Level 7 & 8 creatures are unknown. Crystal is used as a stand-in.

Frostling
3
4
Shots
??
1–2
5
5
Growth
14
Cost
50
Level 1
Shoots.
Frostling Ranger
4
4
Shots
??
2
5
6
Growth
14
Cost
75
Level 1+
Shoots. Deals additional frost damage.
Northern Dwarf
7
7
2–4
22
4
Growth
8
Cost
160
Level 2
Mountain Defender
7
9
2–4
25
4
Growth
8
Cost
180
Level 2+
Permanent Air Shield.
Dwarf Shooter
8
5
Shots
??
1–6
22
4
Growth
8
Cost
195
Level 2+ Alternative
Shoots. Ignores 20% of enemy Defense skill.
Wild Boar
9
6
3–6
30
7
Growth
7
Cost
210
Level 3
Berserk.
Saber-tooth Boar
10
10
3–7
30
7
Growth
7
Cost
240
Level 3+
Berserk.
Furious Warrior
13
7
7–9
40
6
Growth
4
Cost
300
Level 4
When injured, casts Bloodlust on self.
Berserker
14
8
8–9
50
7
Growth
4
Cost
350
Level 4+
Strikes twice. When injured, casts Bloodlust on self.
Hirdman
12
20
10–12
60
4
Growth
3
Cost
565
Level 5
Defending in combat grants a 150% bonus to Defense.
Shield Master
14
22
10–12
70
4
Growth
3
Cost
600
Level 5+
Defending in combat grants a 200% bonus to Defense.
Crystal Guardian
15
13
13–17
70
6
Growth
2
Cost
1000
Level 6
Spellcaster: Random beneficial (50%) or negative (50%) spell.
Crystal Lord
17
13
15–20
70
6
Growth
2
Cost
1200
Level 6+
Spellcaster: Random beneficial (60%) or negative (40%) spell. Spell Power = 10 + hero's Power.
Rune Priest
18
20
14–18
90
6
Growth
2
Cost
1150
Level 6+ Alternative
Spellcaster: Rune Magic.
Yeti
17
18
30–40
200
8
Growth
1
Cost
2000
Level 7
Cold Breath.
Sasquatch
24
27
40–50
290
9
Growth
1
Cost
3500 + 1
Level 7+
Cold Breath. Spellcaster: Icy Death.
Wendigo
35
35
45–75
750
9
Growth
1
Cost
13500 + 6
Level 8
Cold Breath. Spellcaster: Icy Death. Hypnosis (20%).
Lineup #2
Pathfinder
6
3
1–3
10
7
Growth
12
Level 1
Fighter
7
9
2–4
25
3
Growth
10
Level 2
Axe Thrower
8
5
Shots
??
3–5
20
7
Growth
7
Level 3
Shoots.
Cannoneer
7
6
Shots
??
1–9
25
4
Growth
6
Level 3 Alternative
Shoots.
Bonebreaker
17
5
7–11
50
8
Growth
4
Level 4
Argali
9
11
6–9
40
10
Growth
5
Level 4 Alternative
Skáld
10
14
10–13
50
5
Growth
4
Level 5
Shaman
14
8
3–5
30
7
Growth
4
Level 5 Alternative
Rhinoceros
15
18
18–25
130
6
Growth
2
Level 6
Wendigo
20
40
30–40
250
6
Growth
1
Level 7

Gallery[edit | hide]

Factory (First Concept)[edit | hide]

Factory (First Concept)

All information has been sourced from various threads in the DF2 topic.

This alternate concept of the Factory was a design that sat somewhere between New World Computing's Forge (with elements of Mod Design Team's Forge) and the released version of the Factory town. It was a hybrid that took elements from both sides of the aisle: the advanced technology of the futuristic Forge; the steampunk-esque aesthetic of the Factory; Shield Bearers akin to those of the MDT Forge; and walking Land Mines reminiscent of Victoria's specialty. This is reflected in the faction's description:

"After the events of Might and Magic VII: For Blood and Honor, Kastore was unable to obtain an oscillation amplifier for the Heavenly Forge, a nanoreplicator left by the Ancients. The Heavenly Forge was restored to an extent, through trial and error and a splash of magic. Metaphorically, the Forge now resembles a supercomputer with assorted programs loaded via inputs made through telegraph keys. After some tinkering, Kastore and his comrades gained access to individual elements of technology from the 19th to the 24th centuries: hydraulics, chemical weapons, electric motors, electrical dischargers, and blasters.

The faction's style is, overall, "medieval techno". A certain mixture of elements of steampunk, dieselpunk, cyberpunk in small quantities, revolutionary France, Middle Ages-style dark fantasy, and totalitarianism. There will be NO cyborgs (in the full sense of the word). There are pseudo-cyborgs - with artificial organs restored by magic, as well as technoliches and cyberliches - iron skeletons revived by necromancy (both types are found only among heroes). Among the units, only fighters in exoskeletons can be called cyborgs in a certain sense, the sensors of the servosystems of which are possibly connected to the body directly at several points." Adapted from DF2 thread

The Factory's battle tactics revolved around a blitzkrieg aimed to take out their opponents within the first few rounds of combat; if they took too long to annihilate their foes, they would suffer great irrecoverable losses. The faction may also have been weak to magical assaults, as "magic interferes with electronics and interacts poorly with complex mechanics." There was also the idea of "​​combat links", whereby various units would have been directly and/or indirectly designed to work in pairs, with one unit being strengthened at the expense of the other. For example, the Technomage (shooter/mage) misses a turn, but its counterpart, the Servitor (Level 2 tanky infantry) is significantly strengthened. Chemical weapons were also found in the Factory's arsenal: the siege unit had the ability to consume Mercury to spew a gas cloud (with an area the size of Inferno) that poisoned all living units inside it (except for upgraded Factory units), and one of the factions's units, the Glider, would attack enemies by throwing vessels containing a poisonous substance at them.

Gallery[edit | hide]

  • Rookie
    Rookie
  • Dragoon
    Dragoon
  • Infantryman
    Infantryman
  • Servitor
    Servitor
  • Stormtrooper
    Stormtrooper
  • Stormtrooper Guard
    Stormtrooper Guard
  • Stormtrooper Guard
    Stormtrooper Guard
  • Motorized Infantry
    Motorized Infantry
  • Glider
    Glider
  • Living Mine
    Living Mine
  • Mortar
    Mortar
  • Technomage
    Technomage
  • Technomage
    Technomage
  • Technomage
    Technomage
  • Technoknight
    Technoknight
  • Heroes: Amelie, Mendoza, Morton --- Ibrahim, Callahan
    Heroes:
    Amelie, Mendoza, Morton
    ---
    Ibrahim, Callahan
  • Heroes: Sofia, Matthias, Alberto
    Heroes:
    Sofia, Matthias, Alberto
  • Heroes: White Noise, Victoria, Leonard --- Gertrude, Rufus, Eternal Guardian
    Heroes:
    White Noise, Victoria, Leonard
    ---
    Gertrude, Rufus, Eternal Guardian
  • Heroes: Guillaume, Tiberius --- Zelda
    Heroes:
    Guillaume, Tiberius
    ---
    Zelda
  • Assorted buildings
    Assorted buildings
  • Shield Bearer dwelling
    Shield Bearer dwelling
  • Upg. Shield Bearer dwelling
    Upg. Shield Bearer dwelling
  • 3rd Upg. Shield Bearer dwelling
    3rd Upg. Shield Bearer dwelling
  • Town screen concept
    Town screen concept

Forge[edit | hide]

Fully upgraded Forge

All information has been sourced from various threads in the DF2 topic.

The town's design was based on New World Computing's Forge that was shown at E3 between the 13th and 15th of May 1999. Some models were reused NWC assets and others were newly made by don_ko, though the lighting's tone shifted from cooler to warmer. New buildings such as the Electric Chair and Operating Room are directly inspired by real-world execution and torture methods, overtly emphasising the evil and experimental nature of the faction. The town's lineup of creatures would have directly referenced the intended lineup of creatures sourced from original New World Computing documentation and ideas. The Patrol Drone creature is also a direct reference to the Patrol Unit of Might and Magic VI: The Mandate of Heaven.

Due to the open-ended nature of New World Computing's Forge, many modders had differing ideas on what the Forge should truly be, hence the varying designs of the creature concepts. Some lean into the steampunk aesthetic, which the Factory has since embraced in part, while others are designed with the dieselpunk subgenre in mind, which are more akin to George Almond's original concept sketches of Forge creatures and buildings. Lore was heavily considered when it came to implementing heroes, with Kastore and Maximus intended to make their return to the main story, as well as a possible continuation or branch of Tarnum's legacy.

Certain assets were shared between fellow modders and forum users during the time of the town's then-development, though not all were shared with permission from their original authors. One such case was the sharing of the town's portraits, originally made by Morn, which had been pointed out by don_ko. These were then replaced with art produced by nosferatu in Feanor's Forge, an offshoot of the Forge that was being made for In the Wake of Gods by Feanor, another Horn of the Abyss team member.

Gallery[edit | hide]

See Also:[edit | hide]

Retrieved from "https://heroes.thelazy.net//index.php?title=Abandoned_Town_Concepts_(HotA)&oldid=163012"