I played MM series right up to mm6. After alot of years away from this game, I wanted to start playing them again. Should I go with mm7 now or skip to the latest version? Plus, do I need to patch the game or dose it come with the latest patches?

You should play MM7, then MM8. Most would recommend leaving MM9 alone.

If you haven't played HoMM, then 2 and 3 might be up your ally. They have strong links with MM6 and 7.

You should definitely play MM7. It's (next to MM6) the best part of Might and Magic series. And then MM8 and MM9. I don't know why people hate this part. It's different, but worth to try. Have specific style but it's still Might and Magic dammit! :)

Definitely try 7 & 8. I wouldn't recommend 9. Only if you want to see for yourself why it sucks.

When released (by 3DO who were in their death throes and rushed the unfinished game out the door) M&M 9 was full of bugs, graphic glitches, dialog errors etc. There was eventually a fan made patch that fixed most or nearly all of the errors and I think GOG 's version is already patched up with the fan patch (but someone correct me if I am wrong).

There are still a few annoyances in the game even fully patched but it is still worth playing now.

I found the story for Might and Magic IX a lot less engrossing. And there were these events, I forget the term for it, but it what happens when you are reading a story (and it can logically be extended to playing an RPG, IMO) when suddenly the author does something so jarring it totally knocks you out of the willing suspension of disbelief. I don't mean surprising things that make sense in the fictional universe. I mean things that can't make sense or get tiresome. I can't list them without giving out spoilers, but I found them very annoying. I was also upset that Enroth was no more. So, I wanted to see the gameplay as crappy, but it was actually good fun. Not as fun as it could have been, but I liked being able to swim, and those crazy little bastards dodging around were a nice challenge.

How do you use spells in this game? Attacking is easy, but although i'm at the start of the game, i dont know how to yet.

Click on the spellbook button at the lower right or press the short key ("C") and double click on the spell you want to use.

Thanks, i shall play through more tomorrow. The game is interesting so far.

Thanks. I am learning as i go currently. I found out that you have to go to a certain guild to level up skills, which helped. I guess i should use the slow fighting option (when pressing enter) for spells in attacks. Because at the moment, fighting in real time is a handful.

I might just try that. The goblins are doing that to me and it's hindering my progress. My characters are basically broke though, so i don't have the funds to get bows.

I'll find way though. I'm so used to games where i add all the stats to the strength and melee my way through, lol.

Also you should check the manual for tables, which list which skill ranks every class can achieve. Not everyone can become grand master in every skill they can possibly learn. For example, knights, thieves and clerics can learn bow, but only Archers can become GMs in them. Just as only thieves can become GM in Disarm Traps. I learned that the hard way (as in, after I gave my thief, instead of my clerice, the Merchant skill), which is one of the reasons I started over today.

And buy/sell stuff with the party member that has the Merchant skill (if any of your characters has that one). I always have trouble remembering that.