Fanstratics月报#36#2023-08

来源：https://www.fanstratics.com/fstnewsletter36，以下由HeavenK翻译。

• ​​Fanstratics Troop: Halberdier.
• 兵种介绍：戟兵
• Many Heroes disregard low-level Troops as battlefield fodder for higher-tier enemies. Shrewd Heroes know Allegiant Halberdiers are different. Trained and geared for assaulting ‘greater’ enemies, these stout soldiers specialize in countering Giants and Jousting Troops. When assembled in substantial numbers, and facing down larger opponents, Halberdiers thrive. Typically, when conceptualizing a Troop, Justin and I have hashed out a three-step process: thumbnails, rough, and final render. This time, because we were creating a fairly stereotypical humanoid troop, we skipped the ‘rough’. I think it turned out great. :-) For those who want to see Justin create the drawing, you can always watch a VOD of his Twitch stream.
• 许多英雄会轻视低级兵种，将其视为战场上喂给高级敌军的炮灰。但精明的英雄知晓忠义军戟兵的不同。训练有素、装备精良的戟兵擅于对抗“大型”敌人，这些健壮的士兵有着对抗巨人与骑兵部队的专长。当戟兵汇聚起足够数量时，他们能够击败所面对的大型敌人。

• HoMM3 Question: Heroes III HD ended up being a significant disappointment for me on the iPad for the following reasons.It was only ever the basic game, NOT the expansions too.This struck me as an incredibly stupid and disappointing move, since Heroes III Complete was long established and very well supported by third party maps.At the time, it seemed to me that it was simply money-grabbing, but later, someone (you?!) said they thought that the expansions weren't made HD because Ubisoft had lost the original resources.(Even if that were true, I'd have hoped that something could be done.)
• H3问题：HD版没有资料片内容，是不是因为源代码丢失了？
• HoMM3 HD was released in late January, 2015.At this time, to my understanding, the source code for the subsequent expansions (AB, SOD, Complete, etc.), was lost.I asked around, looking for a copy, but unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your point of view, everyone was honorable and did not steal any NWC code.Later, it was brought to my attention, a programmer named John Morris, claimed he had a copy of the source from doing Macintosh ports of HoMM3 and HoMM3 Complete. This was from a Twitter post in October 2017. Later, in March of 2019, he also stated he had FTP’d the source to UbiSoft, but had heard nothing from them since. So, according to John’s account, UbiSoft has all the source code.
• HD版是2015年一月末发布的，当时据我所知后续资料片的源代码已丢失。后来有个叫做John Morris的程序员说自己有H3完整版的源代码，该消息是2017年10月的，然后2019年3月他说全部交给育碧了。

• HoMM3 Question: There is a guy unrelated to HOMM3 development who has both source and beta, but he refuses to share, and actually said he had sent the source to Current HOMM Copyright Holders, and "if they do not allow me, I am not releasing these".Two years passed since, so...and this guy is a supposed preservationist, he should know better than to sit on anything.Could you maybe ask him for those?These both are needed just for interest, as reverse-engineering of code had been done many times, also there is that Dreamcast RoE-based thing (I am not a programmer, so cannot explain proper).Sorry for asking this, I just hope that maybe he would listen to you.
• H3问题：你能联系那个程序员要来源代码么？
• To my knowledge, John Morris was contracted by 3DO to port HoMM3 to iOS.If he were to release the source code to the public (without permission), or give it to me, I have no doubt Ubisoft would take him to civil court and sue him for damages to their intellectual property.Additionally, my possessing the original HoMM3 source code, could expose me to a potential lawsuit.Only Ubisoft is supposed to have the HoMM3 source code.Only Ubisoft can legally release it to the public.As long as HoMM3 continues to make money for them (GOG Edition, HD edition, etc.), I can’t imagine they would release the source code to the public.
• 如果我这么做，育碧会把他告上法庭的。如今H3版权在育碧手上，只有育碧有权力将源代码公开，不过我想只要H3还能带来收益，他们应该不会这么做。

• HoMM3 Question: If only it (HoMM3) had custodians who actually care about it - like Blizzard with WarCraft, StarCraft and the like.Heroes is SO much better as a game, yet it's never seemed as though it was properly appreciated or marketed by its owners.
• H3问题：如果H3的版权在一个真正关心的保管员手中就好了。
• Many great franchises, not limited to video games, have suffered abuse at the hands of their owners.HoMM is not unique in this regard.
• 很多伟大的系列，不仅限于电子游戏，最终都会落得这个下场。

• HoMM3 Question: So the folks at Ubisoft not like you or what? You worked on a game loved by millions and which still has a passionate 20 years after the fact.
• H3问题：所以育碧不喜欢你么？
• I doubt I’m on their radar. When Ubisoft bought the Might and Magic intellectual property, they briefly approached Jon Van Caneghem (JVC) about working on the project. They didn’t like his ideas, and decided to go their own way. Over the years, they have also been in touch with David Mullich, but not once did they speak to him about working on HoMM. To this point... consider Star Wars. George Lucas wants to retire. He puts Kathleen Kennedy in charge of Lucasfilm and sells the franchise to Disney. Any reasonable person would want to keep George Lucas in the loop as they drafted scripts, cast the actors, shot footage, edited the film, etc. This didn't happen. Why? Kathleen Kennedy wanted to make her version of Star Wars and claim all the glory for herself. Involving George would have simply undercut her position. I could be wrong, but I suspect it's no different regarding M&M, HoMM, and Ubisoft. Believe me, if I had the money, I'd attempt to purchase the IP from Ubisoft, but I don't. Unless something dramatic occurs, I firmly believe, franchise reincarnation is the only way forward.
• 我怀疑自己并不在他们的雷达上，育碧购买魔法门版权后，联系过JVC，不过他们不喜欢他的点子，于是决定自己来干。后来育碧也联系过David Mullich，不过没提到英雄无敌的事。这事就像星球大战系列一样，新掌门人想要按照自己的想法办事。如果我有足够的钱，我会试图把IP从育碧手里买来，不过我没有，所以除非出现奇迹，否则这事最终就是这样了。