Fanstratics update #43 – Manticore
Fanstratics Troop: Manticore
Like most Troops in the Chimeran roster, the Manticore is a versatile warrior. Able to fly, this fearsome fighter can occasionally shoot stingers from its scorpion’s tail. With both its melee and ranged Assaults, the Manticore can also inflict a Paralyzing Venom, and through this terrible toxin, repeatedly still Enemy Divisions. Keeping the Enemy out of the fight, for prolonged periods of time, is a Manticore’s forte, making them an especially valuable Troop in every battle.
When we started work on the Manticore, I was cautiously optimistic. Overall, I was confident Justin would realize what I had in mind, but I worried the process would be more difficult than other Troops. With this particular concept, we were in largely unknown territory. While visual reference for a Manticore was easy to find, visual reference for an anthropomorphic Manticore was near non-existent. To my delight, Justin took the task very seriously and breezed through our standard operation of thumbs, to rough, to final render. Very happy with one. Another favorite.
Fanstratics Question: Is there is a chance, if you put any controversial features in the game, they will be optional for the player to check or un-check the rule? (similar to what HOMM 4 did for Neutral creatures moving around)
Not sure how to answer this question, but if a specific feature is ‘controversial’, it will more than likely be optional. Darkest Dungeon did this with their ‘corpse controversy’.
HoMM3 Question: Regnan pirates are alluded to throughout the MM series and occasionally encountered until finally arriving in full force in MM8. Later in HOMM4 there was also a pirate kingdom represented by Asylum. Through modders did we eventually get Cove. Was a pirate faction ever in the talks?
At one point, I had considered such a faction, but it never got past a line or two in my brainstorming notes. Had I stayed at New World Computing (NWC), it may have been elevated for discussion, but this is pure speculation on my part.