Might & Magic X - Jon Van Caneghem Interview

I love Gothic and I love Skyrim. And both are probably now rated higher that M&M, as far as my top 5 games of all time goes. However, I just played M&M 7 and 8 this year and finished both and had a blast with both of the games.

I just love the color palate of those games. While they are far more cartoony looking that my other favs, M&M are just as, if not more fantasy immersive than most any game.

Also, why is it not tedious to beat down maybe 100 or so baddies in one Might and Magic area and yet yell at any developer that spawns "just one iddy bitty" little monster by that oak tree in back of the tavern every so often . . . . go figure.

I would just love to see another M&M game by JVC.

so would you recommend playing them in order? I just restarted 6 but i realize that there is no way I have the time to finish it and I never got to 7 and 8. Would you pick one over another?
 
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so would you recommend playing them in order? I just restarted 6 but i realize that there is no way I have the time to finish it and I never got to 7 and 8. Would you pick one over another?
If you love everything about MM6 then I'd suggest giving MM7 a go but if you want something a little bit different (in terms of characters) with clearer graphics then play MM8.

It doesn't need to be in order either. The good thing about 7 is you can save it just before you make your decision to go good or evil and once you complete the game, load that save and you'll have half a new game to play. Oh yeh, and Arcomage.

Also, just so you know, MM8 is smaller than MM7, which in turn is smaller than MM6.
 
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so would you recommend playing them in order? I just restarted 6 but i realize that there is no way I have the time to finish it and I never got to 7 and 8. Would you pick one over another?

I know some may have taken offense by me moving M&M down my all time fav list. But I Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuued Might and Magic. There are only three games I have ever completely replayed. Gothic 2, Morrowwind and Might and Magic (6,7 & 8).

While 6 has always been my favorite, in 7 you have the ability to restore and then own your own castle. Very very cool feature. Also 7 refined the M&M rule set for a more logical game play. Plus M&M 7 had Acromage. I can easily see why many consider that game the best, but for me 6 had the best music sound track(important for me), but both 7 & 8 had superior game music.

I would say just play the games in order. The games aren't really dependent on each other so going out of order is not going to be an issue.
 
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I played 100 hours Skyrim, because of the vast landscape I was never bored. Just so much to explore both over and under land.

But at hour 101 I got bored to play the tourist, to have quote companions and dogs was immortal, to have realize the fights wasn't fun, that no story not even the main wasn't grabbing my curiosity, and NPC wasn't doing a much better job, that I was starting considering dragons as rabbits and that was like a blaspheme. Then I stopped play it.

I think Skyrim was in my top 10 during about 40 hours of play, then in my top 20 during the 40 next hours, and for the 20 next hours it was nowhere.

I still consider it as an impressive achievement, and that some of the modern design difficulties has been targeted in very interesting ways and probably set some future standards.

EDIT: So much to explore under land? I remember only some cool but very linear dungeons.

Most of the issues you have with Skyrim can be changed with mods and I have already found mods that change everything you mentioned except change the storyline. (there are content mods though)
 
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I fear that online contacts are more and more replacing personal contacts.

And seeing as some of my favorite CRPGs are now Euro, online contact is better than old school telephone contact.

For example, I have been on a one man crusade to get "Emperor of the Fading Suns" on GOG. This year I finally found and reached a developer of the game, Andrew Greenberg. He told me (via Email) that there were "Outstanding ownership issues" which prevented the game from being on GOG. That sounds like a black hole of issues, so now I have to hope somebody gives me a truck load of money so I can straighten up the whole mess.

In any event, now that JVC has spilled the beans about being interested in doing another M&M, maybe we can fill his inbox over at EA and make him dream of starting a new fantasy Role Playing game so he can resume the destiny he started with Might and Magic.
 
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I know some may have taken offense by me moving M&M down my all time fav list. But I Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuued Might and Magic. There are only three games I have ever completely replayed. Gothic 2, Morrowwind and Might and Magic (6,7 & 8).

While 6 has always been my favorite, in 7 you have the ability to restore and then own your own castle. Very very cool feature. Also 7 refined the M&M rule set for a more logical game play. Plus M&M 7 had Acromage. I can easily see why many consider that game the best, but for me 6 had the best music sound track(important for me), but both 7 & 8 had superior game music.

I would say just play the games in order. The games aren't really dependent on each other so going out of order is not going to be an issue.

Interesting stuff about the old days and meeting with JVC, thanks for sharing!

I liked MM6 but could never get that far due to the grindy dungeons. Man its just wave after wave of monsters....I just couldn't get through it. Started the game a few times and never got more than half way through. I think my favorite is probably MM2 or xeen
 
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I remember Richard Garriot visited a game store here in Arizona back around the time Ultima 6 came out. I heard about it after the fact though, I was pretty bummed. If I remember correct he was at software etc...store at the metro center mall.

As much as I love the Ultima games seeing Garriot now makes me sad, he doesn't really have an affinity for the old single player games.
 
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So those of you fans of the old might & magic fans, what do you think about MMX so far? Does it look good or too old school for you?
 
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I liked MM6 but could never get that far due to the grindy dungeons.

You really should persist and complete it just the once, even if it's just for completions' sake. You'll get rewarded with a certificate and score at the conclusion, which is always a nice memento of nostalgia for years into the future. :) (still have mine, I'm sure others do too!)

I've still only got MM2 to go in order to have finished them all. I keep saying "one of these summers" I'll bust it out and have myself a grand ol' adventure in the tradition I know and love. And so perhaps if the reports by Watchers on Might and Magic X gush with sheer positivity, I may just finally be inspired to do that. ;)
 
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