Software:Legends of Might and Magic

From HandWiki
Short description: 2001 video game
Legends of Might and Magic
Developer(s)New World Computing
Publisher(s)3DO
Director(s)Benjamin Bent
Producer(s)Peter Ryu
Designer(s)Bryan Farina
Jon Van Caneghem
Christian Vanover
Ken Spencer
Programmer(s)Jeff Leggett
Composer(s)Robert King
Paul Romero
SeriesMight and Magic
EngineLithtech 2.0[1]
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Release
  • NA: June 19, 2001[2]
  • EU: June 29, 2001
Genre(s)Action, First-person shooter
Mode(s)Multiplayer

Legends of Might and Magic is a first-person shooter video game developed by Jon Van Caneghem through New World Computing and published by The 3DO Company in 2001. As a spin-off of the Might and Magic franchise, Legends has a fantasy theme. Reviews likened the game to a medieval Counter-Strike, but criticized it for being a mediocre clone.

Gameplay

Gameplay in Legends is almost entirely online. An offline practice mode exists, but the game does not provide bots to simulate actual gameplay conditions. Players pick a server, and then choose from six classes of either the evil team or the good team. The evil team consists of the Heretic, Archer and Warrior, and the good team of the Paladin, Druid and Sorceress. The players then enter a map. Each map exhibits one of four game types:

  • Sword in the Stone: Each team must attempt to gain control of the sword and reach the exit. It is essentially a variation of one-flag CTF.
  • Rescue the Princess: The good team must try to save a princess who is guarded by the evil team. This mode is similar to the hostage rescue mode in Counter-Strike.
  • Warlord Escape: A player assumes the role of the warlord, who must be escorted by the others to safety. This is nearly identical to the VIP missions in Counter-Strike.
  • Slay the Dragon: Both teams battle in a map containing a fire-breathing dragon. The team that kills the dragon wins the match.

In addition to the opposing team, hostile creatures may be present for players to fight (the host of each game decides whether or not there will be monsters). By killing monsters and opening treasure chests found on the map, and also by winning rounds, players earn gold with which to buy equipment. Players lose these items when they die or at the end of a match, whichever comes first. This was another flaw attributed to the game; as players lose everything once matches end and start with only basic gear at the start of each new one, there was no long-term reward and no way for more experienced players to gauge their skill against the less experienced.

History

Legends of Might and Magic was announced at the 2000 E3 by 3DO as the first Might and Magic game designed for online play.[3] At the time, it was intended to be an Action/RPG that focused on co-operative multiplayer. With up to six players able to join up, the game was not as extensive as MMORPGs of the time, but it also included 16-player deathmatch, a random adventure generator, and a player vs. monster arena.[4] The game would allow characters to choose one of six classes with differing proficiencies in might and magic before embarking on a quest to collect four artifacts from four worlds to defeat the deranged advisor to the king before he can alter history.[4] The assignments given to the players would depend on their level and how far they had progressed.

By the beginning of 2001, however, the game had abandoned the Action/RPG elements and had become a deathmatch game, with six proposed gameplay modes, 25 maps from Might and Magic history, and the ability for weapons, skills, abilities, and equipment to carry over between games.[5] The move was defended by Executive Producer Jeffrey Blattner, who said:

"We got to a certain checkpoint some time ago and examined what we had. One thing we pride ourselves on at New World is the gameplay, and we just didn't feel like we would be able to deliver a fun experience for people with what we had at the time, so at that point a decision was made to not proceed in the original direction, and instead we decided to make a different type of game," explains Executive Producer Jeffrey Blattner. "The Might and Magic series is already so varied in terms of gameplay anyway. We have the Heroes strategy series and the tried and true Might and Magic RPG series, and everyone was really interested in branching out into an action style game, so that's how we found ourselves here. The original goal of Legends was to deliver the first online Might and Magic game, and we're still going to do that."[4]

A demo for the game was released on April 18, 2001.[6] On June 8 it went gold.[7] The first patch (Version 1.1) came out on July 20.[8]

Reception

Critical reviews

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic53 out of 100[9]
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGMStarStar[10]
CGWStarHalf star[11]
GameRevolutionC[12]
GameSpot5.7 out of 10[13]
GameSpy69%[14]
IGN5.5 out of 10[15]
Jeuxvideo.com14 out of 20[16]
Next GenerationStarStar[17]
PC Gamer (US)79%[18]
PC PowerPlay40%[19]

Legends of Might and Magic received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[9] The game was likened to a fantasy version of Counter-Strike by most reviewers; according to Tal Blevins of IGN, Legends "pretty much blatantly rips off Counter-Strike."[15] Blevins also criticized the game for its lack of strategy, lack of differences between classes, and unbalanced weapons.[15] Will Abner of GameSpy criticized the game for its poor implementation of single-player gameplay and lack of a map editor. The LithTech-based graphics were praised, however, and the game was said to have potential to grow.[14] Scott Osborne of GameSpot criticized the game for its uninspired similarities to Counter-Strike, oping that "if mediocrity and complacency were crimes, Legends of Might and Magic would get tossed in the dungeon."[13] Carla Harker of NextGen said of the game, "Unoriginal and uninspiring, this team-based FPS is not the stuff of legends."[17]

References

  1. ↑ "Online News - Legends of Might & Magic". PC Zone (Future plc) (96): 108. December 2000. https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_Issue_096_2000-12_Dennis_Publishing_GB/page/n107/mode/2up. 
  2. ↑ "3DO Ships Legends of Might and Magic". Cision. June 19, 2001. http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/010619/sftu054.html. 
  3. ↑ IGN staff (April 10, 2000). "Legends Of Might And Magic To Show At E3". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/04/11/legends-of-might-and-magic-to-show-at-e3. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 IGN staff (April 23, 2001). "Legends of Might and Magic (Preview)". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/04/23/legends-of-might-and-magic-2. 
  5. ↑ IGN staff (January 10, 2001). "New Info and Screens of Legends of Might and Magic". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/01/11/new-info-and-screens-of-legends-of-might-and-magic. 
  6. ↑ IGN staff (April 18, 2001). "Legends of Might and Magic Demo". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/04/18/legends-of-might-and-magic-demo. 
  7. ↑ IGN staff (June 8, 2001). "Legends of Might & Magic [sic Goes Gold"]. Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/06/08/legends-of-might-magic-goes-gold. 
  8. ↑ IGN staff (July 20, 2001). "Legends of Might and Magic Patched". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/07/20/legends-of-might-and-magic-patched. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Legends of Might and Magic for PC Reviews". Red Ventures. https://www.metacritic.com/game/legends-of-might-and-magic/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. 
  10. ↑ Berger, Brett (July 23, 2001). "Legends of Might and Magic". theGlobe.com. http://www.cgonline.com/reviews/legendsmm-01-r1.html. 
  11. ↑ Liberatore, Raphael (November 2001). "Blunder Strike (Legends of Might and Magic Review)". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (208): 104. https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_208.pdf. Retrieved May 2, 2022. 
  12. ↑ Silverman, Ben (July 2001). "Legends of Might and Magic Review". CraveOnline. https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/32756-legends-of-might-and-magic-review. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Osborne, Scott (July 6, 2001). "Legends of Might and Magic Review [date mislabeled as "May 17, 2006""]. Red Ventures. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/legends-of-might-and-magic-review/1900-2783066/. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Abner, Will (July 7, 2001). "Legends of Might and Magic". IGN Entertainment. http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/june01/lomm/. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Blevins, Tal (July 11, 2001). "Legends of Might and Magic". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/07/11/legends-of-might-and-magic. 
  16. ↑ Romendil (July 10, 2001). "Test: Legends Of Might And Magic" (in fr). Webedia. https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0000/00001463_test.htm. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Harker, Carla (October 2001). "Legends of Might and Magic". NextGen (Imagine Media) (82): 82. https://archive.org/details/NextGen82Oct2001/page/n83/mode/2up. Retrieved May 2, 2022. 
  18. ↑ "Legends of Might and Magic". PC Gamer (Imagine Media) 8 (10). October 2001. 
  19. ↑ Staines, Daniel; Fordham, Anthony (October 2001). "Legends of Might & Magic [sic"]. PC PowerPlay (Next Media Pty Ltd) (65): 68–69. https://archive.org/details/PCPowerplay-065-2001-10/page/n67/mode/2up. Retrieved May 3, 2022. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.

Template:Atari





Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:Legends_of_Might_and_Magic&oldid=3956301"