Dragon's Fate v 1.4 at CH

[Anonymous]

Ok, there will be short breaks when I'm doing real world things, but if you encounter anything unexpected let me know. I'll respond as soon as I see it.

To all: Version 1.4 is at CH. Hopefully this will end the string of bugs that has tainted its play. My apologies to Robenhagen for all of those files, and my apologies to Angelspit he correctly wants polish maps sent in to the site, and I thought they were. I am hopeful the worst is behind and only a pleasant experience will follow from here on. There are no critical flaws that I have found in map 3 but there is a problem in map 4 that is corrected in ver. 1.3 and I am making some changes to map 4 to improve a couple of the quests and remove a battle that was unintentionally overly difficult. It is not a vital combat, but the victory conversation is interesting. Please email me before you start map 4 so you can continue uninterrupted. My hat is off to those of you who are battling through this less than perfect campaign. Anyone starting this weekend will have a much more pleasant experience for the flaws you have found.

Note for Version 1.2a: Please do not play after map 3

Because I acted so quickly I was not as careful as I should have been. In version 1.2a Talon starts with the flaming sword, the emerald bow and the master logbook, which are the three artifacts you are searching for. I needed to give him those artifacts to test Neska and find out what was wrong and I forgot to remove that script. Do not restart I'll fix that in the next the file, but give those three artifacts to a creature and play as if you did not have them. That is until you find them, now you will need to find them anyway because that is how some key variables get set.

Now if you want to remove the script yourself in the editor, it is a timed script on the Talon carryover hero, it is the g script. Just delete it and save, then restart map 2.

Just posted on Celestial Heavens is my campaign Dragon’s Fate. Be sure You have the latest version you scenario information should show version 1.2 on maps 1 and 2. This brings to a close a project I have been working on for 3 years (some breaks included) and it has been tested by Zealot, Robenhagen and Wimfrits. All three have greatly influenced both the game play and the storyline of these maps. This is an RPG campaign and will require a great deal of reading to fully enjoy it. You will need WoW and TGS as the artifacts and creatures from these expansions have been used throughout and are an integral part of the campaign. I have made no attempt nor have I tested its compatibility with the Equilibris mod. Undoubtedly some scripts may not perform as intended with that mod and game play has been adjusted with the Heroes IV shortcomings in mind and any correction made by the mod will influence play in unpredictable ways. If someone wants to volunteer to modify it to play with that mod, email me and I will discuss with you the items that will need to be checked. (I suspect there may not be much, but I have not used the mod yet.)


I have made an honest attempt to make it replayable and fun at all difficulty levels. The maps adjust by the difficulty level neutral creature stacks and many quest hut requirements or hut rewards change based on the playing level. I will make more comments as necessary later, the readme file does not have a spoiler section, but I will write one if needed, but it will be a couple of weeks before an extensive one is available. For hints or comments you can either send me a private message (preferred or email me at jeffreygriffith@adelphia.net, put Dragon’s Fate in the title so it goes to a special folder otherwise it might get blocked as spam or you can post in the spoiler thread.

[Bandobras Took]

For the first time in my life, I regret not getting my hands on the expansions . . .

[jeff]

For the first time in my life, I regret not getting my hands on the expansions . . .

I am sorry that they are needed, but the editor had improvements in the WoW expansion that made my life easier and to be honest I do not know which items you lose if you have WoW and not TGS, but I used everyone of the TGS artifacts.

[DaemianLucifer]

The story looks incredible!As soon as I finish rambling here,Im back to your campaign

And isnt there a feature in h4util that enables you to convert maps to regular ones?

[BenchBreaker]

good work, looks very tempting, if only i wasn't so busy in the next few weeks...

[jeff]

And isnt there a feature in h4util that enables you to convert maps to regular ones?

Yes there is but I do not know how it deals with the TGS and WoW creatures and artifacts. There are quests that require those artifacts.

[DaemianLucifer]

I think wimfrits converted a few of his map like that and they worked fine.Im not sure though.Nor do I care,since I have both expansions

[jeff]

I think wimfrits converted a few of his map like that and they worked fine.Im not sure though.Nor do I care,since I have both expansions

Well if someone wants to run the h4util to do a conversion and send me the file, then I'll check and make the changes to the quests and oracles. Or what may work better is if I do those changes first and then have someone do the conversion, since I would probably need to reload the game without the expansions otherwise the editor will save it in the wrong format. I'll consider doing that if there is enough interest, but it will probably be a few weeks before I would have time for such a project. Now none of the essential quests require a TGS artifact (boy I hope my memory is right about that) all were given as a result of a quest or oracle and those could be changed to relics or major artifacts. There is only one story event that uses the Megadragon, but the evil sorceresses are a side branch quest that would probably just have to be removed. Hopefully UBI will release the expansions.

[wimfrits]

I think wimfrits converted a few of his map like that and they worked fine.

Randomly accusing innocent people again are you?
No, I never did such. I think the equi mod enables players to play expansion maps with only the regular version. That does leave you with the different balance of equi...

[DaemianLucifer]

I think wimfrits converted a few of his map like that and they worked fine.

Randomly accusing innocent people again are you?

Not randomly.Im sure someone did that.

[HodgePodge]

I also have both expansions & Equilibris too. Judging from the mini-maps and all the time & effort put into its creation, this campaign looks like it's gonna be rated a big 10!

[Scipion]

Hello Jeff ... Thanks a lot from Paris ... A french citizen is spending most of its time on your wonderful work for 2 days.

I have a problem :
At the end of the first map, Jarvis must give the Mug to Talon, when Dragonscale armor and shield are needed.
Well dialogs says all is Ok he gives me the mug .... BUT it doesnt appear in Talon's inventory, and game is blocked at this point.
A bug ?? How can it be ?
I am very confident you will have a good explain and solution.

Best grateful regards,

Alain

[Anonymous]

Everyone stop playing the campaign until you download the fixed file. There was an accidential ommission on the Jarvis Quest, sometime recently the give artifact command got deleted, how I do not know, but I will email the file version 1.1 to anyone you wants it, but Celestial Heavens has it posted. I am very embarassed by this and this is my worst nightmare. I will check my email all day to send the file to anyone. I am checking the critical quest to ensure there are no other such errors an so far there are none. Jeff

[Anonymous]

For those that would rather continue the campaign and not replay it you can use the cheat nwcvalhalla. If you have gone to Jarvis the only thing you will not see is Ellwines prophecy and I will post both of those text below. Just be sure you have done everything else you had intended on the map again this is just a nightmare that after 3 years an oversight like which has never happened well enough.

Whether you restart or not, you need to download the correct file and overwrite the old one, when you start map 2 it will check the red player for Ellwines armor, if it is not present it will give it to Talon. The effect is later in the campaign you will not be able to get a better suit of armor without it.





Ellwines final conversation

Well, well Talon you returned at last and you have my mug. Thank you I have wanted this back for years, and here is the armor I promised. It may not be the best armor, but I have placed a spell on it, this spell will allow a master craftsman to reform it into a much better suit of armor. This craftsman is in your future Talon, so be sure you hang onto it, but I suspect it is really the answers to questions you truly seek, am I right?

“Yes, that is correct I undertook this quest for the answers I was told you would grant me.”

She laughs a laugh that is unnerving then, “Young Talon, you a single elf, and one not of pure blood no less, with a ragtag group of humans in tow wish answers about forces that could crush all of you with a flick of a finger. Go home; Talon you have a young elf girl waiting for you there and even left unchecked your village will not be threatened for many years, and who knows a hero may appear and end the threat before any harm comes to you or your friends. Do not throw those years away. The path you are about to start will bring tragedy to you and your group. What makes you so confident that you set yourself on such a path? Turn back now and you and your friends can still have many happy years.”

You resolution has been shaken by her words, all of you had discussed the risks involved in this adventure, but you wonder did any of them really think the risks were as great as Ellwine was implying. What tragedy could be before you, all of you had faced death many times, and then you think of the faces of the refugees, the hopelessness of the children, what are 5 lives when compared to all of the suffering you’ve seen and all the suffering that would be inflicted over those many happy years. You take a deep breath, your resolution now restored. “We have already discussed the risks and our resolve is firm. You speak of happy years, how can I possibly enjoy those years with the image of all those children burned into my mind? No, we wish the answers you promised. I want a world where I can look in the sky and have my children see what I have seen, a flight of the noble dragons, those of Copper, Silver, Bronze and Gold. All we have left are a few Faeries. I also want the people of this land and their children safe; I have no choice in this matter I must go on.”

Again she laughs, “Noble Dragons, what a concept look the relationships between dragons and the races of man are like their relationship with dogs. Some of you like the meek poodle or the playful collies, others like the working dogs such as huskies and shepherds, but others like the dogs with an edge the ones like the pit bulls. Well dragons are the same not noble or evil, you elves have always enjoyed the alliance with your ‘noble races,’ while the sorcerers have found those boring and preferred the ones with an edge the Green, Red, White, Blue and Black. Then there are those dragons that refused to be tamed at all the Crystal, Rust and Azure. None are truly evil when left to their own devices, it’s mans interaction that causes such labeling. Yet I see you are determined and I knew you would reject my advice, I am after-all a clairvoyant, very well then face your destiny, but always remember I offered you an alternative.”

“What the future holds for you I can not see completely. Her face becomes wooden with a deep but blank look in her eyes. Once six, but now only five more loss your fellowship will suffer one friend will die by your command, a second by a comrade's hand, a third transformed by grief and loss, becomes powerful and savior of the land.”

You looked dazed, that’s it, after all you’ve been through all you get is a prophecy, “You promised answers, I do not understand what this means.”

Your comments has broken her trance, “Talon the future does not reveal itself as simple yes and no answers, you will find that what you heard is more than you wanted to know, now go your destiny awaits you.”

[HodgePodge]

I'm sure everyone will be understanding about this. I'm only about ¼ of the way through Map 1, so I haven't gotten that far yet. But don't feel too badly, Jeff; it happens in most player-made maps & campaigns. That's why most of the fan-made maps have higher versions than 1.0

A while back I played a wonderful XL map named Tales of Destiny, I played it for more than two weeks (real life time) and when I got to the end part, there was a "bug" in a quest gate that prevented me from getting to the final battle. But oh well, that's part of playing fan made maps. Later, after it was fixed, I replayed it again and it was wonderful.

I'll be looking for the 1.1 version at CH; I glad this was discovered sooner than later. Anyhow, everyone still appreciates your hard work, efforts & concern about how your campaign plays out. Thanks.

[DaemianLucifer]

Well,the first map kept me awake during the night.And I dont regret having to replay it either.*sigh*too bad that it seems HV wont have such an effect on me

[Metathron]

I've just downloaded the campaign and am looking forward to playing it. However, I am uncertain whether I've downloaded version 1.1 or the one that contains the described bug?

[Anonymous]

I've just downloaded the campaign and am looking forward to playing it. However, I am uncertain whether I've downloaded version 1.1 or the one that contains the described bug?

You probably do not have the correct version yet, I just checked it and it has not yet been updated see my next post. I just sent it about 30 minutes ago. The first version I sent them this morning was a fixed test version not the actual release version. So wait a little or you can send me a PM with your email and I will send it to you directly.

[jeff]

Thanks to everyone for your understanding, now if you do not restart you will not receive the armor Ellwine would normally give you. But if you download the fixed file, overwrite the current file when you then start the next map it will check and see if Talon has the armor if not it will give it to him. So please whether you are restarting or not use the lastest file if it's version 1.1a. In my haste I sent a fixed testing map version to the site early this morning I have subsequently sent the correct one and it should be available soon. Please wait for it before proceeding to map 2.

[Robenhagen]

The updated map is now available here.