Pier and Kronverk. An Essay on the Screens of Cities

City screens in Heroes of Might and Magic III are a form of art that is overlooked by almost the entire gaming industry (exceptions include the upcoming Stormbinders, the Eador series, and the Disciples series). The variety of city screens is one of the main advantages of the unforgettable third part of the popular turn-based game series.

The HotA Crew has created three original fantasy cities so far, which I perceive as a special creative feat requiring immense expenditure of creative energy and intellect—how many fantasy city-builders or turn-based strategies do you know that feature such a form of art?

The pirate improves twice

The dock impresses with the number of animations. Perhaps the additional complexity was the reflection of the mirrored surface of the water during the city's development. The palm city, where the cool shade from the cozy shanties gives rest to the weather-beaten ships, feels as alive as the abundant and splashing magic of the Convergence.

The composition of the mage guild, the waterfall of nymphs, and the tower of the seas—is a dream of an artist or a poet. So beautifully and elegantly slide down the cliffs the guild and the exquisite waterfall with the voluptuous statue (the very hair of the nymph cascades like a waterfall, covering her graceful bosom), while the tower is adjacent to them, making one want to applaud the genius of this creation, shedding rare tears of amazement and joy.

The salt-scented dock has the same qualitative property as the other cities—distinguishability of buildings. Statues are rarely used in Heroes of Might and Magic III as a means of expression. The dock screen has another building—an enhanced fort of nixies—which uses statues for better readability. The previously faceless fort acquires the required features, although flags with nixies or shields of nixies could have been used. The very composition of the fort, the two nests of acid, and the soaring mast of the frigate with the flying “Jolly Roger” strikes with beauty, filled with raw, hurricane-like power. The second composition appears as a symmetric response to the first, light, magical composition of the guild, waterfall, and tower. The nixie statues, like a puzzle piece, complement the second composition, almost obscuring the nests of acid. Let me remind you that in the competitor, Heroes of Might and Magic V, the stalactite city of dark elves lacks any reasonable labyrinth of minotaurs; only stalactites and statues—alas.

The marvelous sky with starry clusters, shining around the North Star, and the predatory whirlpool swirling to the left, a sneaky side—praise to the colossal beauty and atmosphere of the city, shimmering in evening hues, marked by the genius of a creator-fantasist in love with the game.

Left my heart in Boreas

Moon in rivers glimmers,
Dancing among the mountains,
And rises above them a watchful son of love.
Why will it start beating in the heart

Like a whirlwind, frost-bitten!
— I love the expanses of snowy oceans
And the clatter of free-breathing Markhors,
Ice thundering their beards.

Tears of happiness welled in my eyes when I first discovered the tenth city, listening to the extraordinary and mesmerizing melody of the dock. Perhaps the graceful spellcasters with a diadem and in a sapphire mantle did their best and enchanted the ear. The game was charged with cannon-like, brilliant enthusiasm. So far, no one except for the HotA Crew has added a new tenth city to the game engine from the original developer, New World Computing. By the way, VCMI (Vinyar Callor Meletyo ar Ingoleo) has its engine.

The author’s expansion Horn of the Abyss is in a phase of lush blooming. Mind-blowing CGI videos for the Factory campaign have been added. A snowy Kronverk has been revealed, thanks to the deep efforts of the team. The orchestral version of the city melody of Kronverk confidently captures the attention of the esteemed public and marks the opening of a new, golden milestone in the book of game arts Heroes of Might and Magic III.

The music of Kronverk takes one far into snowy valleys—the heart commands to rush after the Markhors, who gallop in search of fresh streams or rivers, living among mammoths and hugging kobolds. The local first level is as charming as the red-haired rascals, the hobbits of the Factory.

Enchantingly beautiful, Kronverk looks at you with the pupils of torches from the depths of the mountains. The emerald moon illuminates the guild of sorcerers that greets frostbitten travelers with the dance of flaming tongues on bowls. The fair smells of exquisite cheeses and roasting scarecrows. I love you, Kronverk.