Maestro MOD Patches

[Big Daddy Jim]

Sir BG,

Good to see you're still gamin' in the MM world!

BDJ

[vladimir-maestro]

Some bad news:
My Hard Disc colapsed. That one which stored MM MOD and stuff for that.
I need some dayes to restore information.
-------------
I have no idea how to change starting skills. If i knoew - I would change barbarian swork -> axe. I think it is EXE coded.

I still gather bug reports and will be ready for fixes in some days.

[DarthVadre]

Some bad news:
My Hard Disc colapsed. That one which stored MM MOD and stuff for that.
I need some dayes to restore information.
-------------
I have no idea how to change starting skills. If i knoew - I would change barbarian swork -> axe. I think it is EXE coded.

I still gather bug reports and will be ready for fixes in some days.

That really sucks. It seems like hard drives always do that when you are developing stuff.

[Captain Emo]

Hi everyone,

I have tested this mod with MOK's patch, but the new skill table can't be used with the exe from MOK's patch. Have tried to install it manually, but with no success. Have anyone tried it and have it worked?
For a test, the alchemist class can learn the repair skill to grandmaster, without the new skilltable it's not learnable.
It would be nice to play the mod with MOK's patch, because I don't have the speed problems, in the credits for example, with the patch.
If it is impossible I will stick to the old exe.

Some bad news:
My Hard Disc colapsed. That one which stored MM MOD and stuff for that. disagree
I need some dayes to restore information. eyes wide open

Thats really sad to hear, I hope you can restore everything.

Captain Emo

[vladimir-maestro]

Someone used MOK!
Install MM7 game -> Install MOK Patch -> Install Maestro MOD -> Patch New_Class.exe

Should work!

Some good news!
It wasn't a harddrive!!! It was connection cable
Nothing is lost!
Just need to replace a cable!!!

[Herry Hardfoot]

Thanks for educating me, Herry *B*

Oh, dear. I'm afraid my comments about the Sorcery staff came off a lot more critically than I meant. That's what I get for writing at 2 a.m. I merely meant to provide information, not to criticize. My sincere apologies. And, I took your advice regarding how to do quotes.

To BDJ, thanks for the 7-zip! It works very nicely.

[bungleau]

Now THAT is about the best news a guy can get! Glad it's just the cable, Vladimir-Maestro!

And yes, BDJ, I'm still gaming away. Went through your mod, then back to MM6, then up to MM8, and was just starting an MM9 game when Variol let me know that Vladimir's mod was ready for initial testing... *just* the kind of excitement I really needed

For the record, I simply installed this mod over the Rev4 mod, which included Mok's patch. No major problems or issues, other than the ones I've mentioned. Thanks for the update on the starting skills, Vladimir. I don't consider it a problem... just an item on the wish-list

BTW, anything broken disappears, so it's not just rusty chain. I had a stone axe get broken and disappear. Is there a link missing between the "good" and "broken" images? Also, the Drow armor also has a footprint issue... it looks like it's 3x3, but it's really 3x4. Or something like that... I think the graphic should stretch a little longer to fill up that last row.

Looks like I missed something, though... I only had the standard character classes, although I had all the new races (a dragon and a drow in place in this group ). I think New_Class.exe will be on tonight's agenda

I haven't felt this geeked since BDJ's mod came out...

*B*

[Captain Emo]

Someone used MOK!
Install MM7 game -> Install MOK Patch -> Install Maestro MOD -> Patch New_Class.exe

Should work!

Sorry, it really doesn't. Forget what I have written in the last e-mail towards you, have tested it now more properly.

Here that, is the message.

Versenwald's quick and dirty
Might and Magic VII
skill progression editor v1.1

(E) Extract skill table from MM7-Rel.exe

(L) Load skill table from a skill block file

(V) View skill table

(C) Change skill table

(I) Insert skill table into MM7-Rel.exe

(S) Save skill table to a skill block file

(Q) Quit



[Warning: Back up your MM7-Rel.exe file before using this program!]
[Reading skill offset from ski_edit.ini: 977040]

Choice: Error: Skill block contains invalid data. Cannot proceed.

I don't mean it doesn't work at all, but the new skill table isn't installable with this patch. Once again, for testing it look at the alchemist class. If repair is lernable to grandmaster, the new skill table is active, if it doesn't something is maybe wrong... or is it the way it should be???

BTW I'm glad that it is only the cable. The last crash I had to fix was a nightmare. It was a RAID 0(the fast mode) system.

Greetings
Captain Emo

[Herry Hardfoot]

Someone used MOK!
Install MM7 game -> Install MOK Patch -> Install Maestro MOD -> Patch New_Class.exe

I'm the culprit who used Mok's patch, and stupid me, I thought it was working. I just tried the Repair skill test with the Alchemist, and it doesn't work. So, back to the start without Mok.

Vladimir, great news about your hard drive!

[vladimir-maestro]

New_Class.EXE patch works that way:
tested under win32!! It do not work under win64!

The patch lookind for the bit concequense in exe file (mm7.exe) and replace everything after them. If you have "cutted" game version, you may probably has cutted exe file where consiquence of the bites is mixed.

So patch cannot find a place for importing new data and crushes!

Try to send your EXE file (upload rapidshare and give a link) I will try to patch it myself.
P.S. I do not remember if Alchemist has got Grand in reparing but remember for sure that he should know Water magic at Grand!

[Captain Emo]

Hi Vladimir,

thanks for your kind offer, I will sending you the mm7.exe via e-mail.
Maybe you can, if it works, upload a fix for mok patch users.
So other players, who wish to play it with the mok patch, can also enjoy your new skill table.
BTW I don't use a 64win, because some older games won't work with it.

Greetz

[vladimir-maestro]

there are so many versions of MM7 in all over the world!
Even 1 version is different with(out) MOK patch! I patched the same exe file with MOK -) putted it the same game without MOK -> game crushed!!!

So Class patch should be installed at your game only!

You might have NOCD for your games, that why patch cannot work with file 12 kb size! There must be file about 1mb. Copy it in other folder -> rename it into MM7.EXE -> run patch with it. Then rename it back and returne to game.

[Herry Hardfoot]

I tried playing the game without Mok's patch and it won't run. I think the problem is my computer has WinXP--that's what Mok's patches are for, so you can play Might & Magic games on later versions of Windows. So this is not a mod problem, it's a long-standing Windows problem with playing older games.

For the moment I will take a breather and await developments.

[Herry Hardfoot]

This game is so addictive I just couldn't let it go. I went looking for another solution to the WinXP problem, and may have found it in the Windows Compatibility Wizard. It let me reset WinXP to a Windows 98 configuration. I just launched the game successfully, so I will see if I can play a full game with the mod.

[Variol]

What do you mean? Mine plays fine on XP.

[Big Daddy Jim]

So here I am, with a 12th Level Party, travelling through the Barrows after finding,the Wonka Scroll, lookin' for a EXIT to the outside. Just transported to Barrow XV, killed a couple 'creepies' and then, lo and behold, I encounter not one, but two Gigant Monsters (Behemoths). After recovering from cardiac arrest, I entered Turn-based mode and looked around for a place to retreat.

Ah! a narrow passage way that these beasts cannot 'fit' through, so I'll just spend a couple of hours shooting them to-death out-of-harm's-way with my bows. Twank! Twank! Twank! Yeah, this is kinda KOOL!

Oh No!!! What just happened! These suckers can now 'cast' Rock Blast and I see three of my members replaced by Grave Stones!

No way out and no way to get past these beasts.

The morale of this story? Be careful how you modify the game and use the summon spell, or you will make it soooo unbalanced that it will become unplayable!

Photo upon request.

BDJ

[bungleau]

Thanks for educating me, Herry *B*

Oh, dear. I'm afraid my comments about the Sorcery staff came off a lot more critically than I meant. That's what I get for writing at 2 a.m. I merely meant to provide information, not to criticize. My sincere apologies. And, I took your advice regarding how to do quotes.

Hey, no worries, Herry! I was not offended in the slightest... I was serious

You helped clarify why I was seeing a staff in the wrong place. The fact that I realized that I'd better start reading the descriptions... that's just an indication that this mod is going somewhere different, which is good

So thanks!

@BDJ... thanks for the sad heads-up! I've often used narrow passageways to take care of behemoths before.... guess I'm going to need something new now.

*B*

[Herry Hardfoot]

What do you mean? Mine plays fine on XP.

Maybe we have different versions of MM7, or of WinXP. I was never able to able to play MM7 on this computer before, without Mok's patch. The Compatibility Wizard fix seems to be working, though, as I played through Emerald Island and on to Harmondale with no problems at all. The new classes seem to be working as intended.

Now, at last I can really dig my claws deep into this game.

Also, thanks BDJ for the warning. Behemoths in the Dwarven Barrows? When you warned us before about tougher challenges in Deyja and the Barrow Downs, you weren't kidding! That makes the humongous spiders look like cuddly little pets.

[bungleau]

Hmmm.... It appears I haven't set things up properly. I don't see the new classes, and trying to run New_class.exe generates an error. I tried reinstalling from scratch, and no such luck. Perhaps someone can spell out what I need to do.

Here's what I've done:

1. In new directory on new drive, install MM7 (version 1.0)

2. Install Maestro mod, checking new class box.

3. Verify... no new classes. Run update manually... error about mm7.exe ending too early. Verify the size... it's 234kb.

4. Run MM10-11 patch. Still can't run new_class.exe

5. Find old larger mm7.exe. Still no go.

6. Realize the 1.1 patch wanted me to reboot, which I haven't... and get the same results.

7. Search through my hard drive for a number of versions, patches, and such. Under nothing can I get new_class to work properly.

I must be missing something... probably something very simple. Can someone confirm or correct these steps?

1. Install MM7 clean (v1.0) - MM7 .exe is 234kb
2. Install MM710-11 patch - not sure what happens to mm7.exe
3. Install Maestro mod - not sure what happens to MM7.exe
4. Install Mok patch - MM7.exe to 12kb

I'm sure I don't have those in the order I did them... in fact, I'm not sure what I've done any more

Can someone help me save Erathia again?

*B*

[Captain Emo]

Hello bungleau,

hmm strange, my mm7.exe is about 1.01MB.
After installing the Patch 1.1.
Your game isn't with nocd or in any way cutted?
After installing MOK's patch I have a new files, some patched files in the DATA folder, some new m3d files, some new dll's,
mm7.exe which is now 12KB and mm7-REL.exe which is 1.02MB.

With the unpatched version I can play it in WIN-XP without the compatibility mode when I run it in software 3d and without 3d sound.
But the credits runnig that fast that's impossible for me, as non native englisch reader to read it. Not a problem at all, because there is no need for it.

With the compatibility mode I can select everethying, but the sounds are doubled, it sounds very messed up. Therefore I wanted to use MOK's patch
because it updates all DLL files with newer ones for a better hardware support. Accelerated 3D Video options are now choosable (and useable).
The downside is, if you have not make a copy of the old files you can't switch to the old original exe (gladly I did, but hope that MOK's patch can in any way be supported). The mss32.dll is patched that way, that it is impossible to stick with the old mm7.exe.



BTW, the history in the game still say, that goblins taken over the castle, but we all know, that bandits dit it.


Greetings
Captain Emo