I'm remaking Heroes 1 maps to Heroes 2.

[UndeadHalfOrc]

I'm taking requests to convert Heroes 1 maps into Heroes 2.

Why do I want to do that?
Some Heroes 1 maps are fantastic, but I don't feel like playing H1 EVER again due to its half-baked game mechanics.

The most popular maps, as decided on this thread, will be re-done faithfully (eventually, when time permits), starting with the most popular one, of course. Any map, user created or those by NWC.

I've already redone 'Claw'. Someone else has done it too, but I prefer my version. Judge for yourself.
http://pages.infinit.net/plague/Claw.zip

Although every adventure map item from Heroes 1 appears in Heroes 2, It's impossible to be 100% perfect sometimes, due to the mountains and some other adventure map items taking slightly different grid space.

I can do the original maps from the DOS version. I've found a way to load them in the W95 editor. It may not allow me to modify them, but I can load them just fine. So when picking your fav map, pick from the in-game list, not the editor, because some maps won't automatically appear in the editor's map list.

---Original DOS version maps---
Claw (Easy)
Archipelago
Around the Bay
Badlands
Close Quarters
Continentia (this one doesn't even show up in single player unless you change the file name)
Crossroads
Desert Isle
Dragon Pass
Four Corners
Four Nations
Hermit's Isle
Jolly Roger
Knight's Quest
Land Bridge
Pathways
Rivers End
Shangri-La
Squirrel Lake
The Jester
Two if by Sea

Then there were 16 maps added to the Windows 95 version, able to be modified in the map editor also new to the W95 version. Their prefix is W95. Here they are:

---Windows 95 version maps---
Arabian Nights
Atlantis
Bayou
Civil War
Empires At War
Fire Island
Ghost Town
Gringoland
Hail Brittania
New World
Neighbors
The Arena
The Sound
Safe Corners?
Sea Breeze
Town Haul



There was also a contest in 1996 organized by NWC where players submitted their best maps. I still have all of those maps saved.
'Dragon Rider', converted to Heroes2 by NWC, was the winner from that contest.

---List of maps from the 1996 contest---
4 ways to die
The Crusades (shield shaped map)
Cyclops Eye
"Ray" mond (cyclops shaped map)
Island of Doom
Dragon Rider (already redone for H2)
Lone Star (Texas)
Fairy Queen
Flower
Download them here: http://pages.infinit.net/plague/contest.zip

Then there's also Phil McCrum (aka the astral wizard)'s 3 maps, which I downloaded ages ago from his site.
Hidden Valleys
Concentricity.
Shattered Alliances
Download them here: http://pages.infinit.net/plague/astral.zip


LAST REMARK. Many of those maps force a Knight/Barbarian/Sorceress/Warlock castle to some locations, obviously excluding Wizard/Necro from ever appearing if done the same way in H2, so for those maps, it might be best to replace these with a random castle, depending on how the map works.

[Pitsu]

Some Heroes 1 maps are fantastic, but I don't feel like playing H1 EVER again due to its half-baked game mechanics.

May I wonder what is it so broken in H1 that was fixed in H2?

I do not have a problem playing either game, but i certainly do not mind if good maps are available for all versions with minimal modification.

[UndeadHalfOrc]

Some Heroes 1 maps are fantastic, but I don't feel like playing H1 EVER again due to its half-baked game mechanics.

May I wonder what is it so broken in H1 that was fixed in H2?

Where do I begin...

- Bad spell system without MPs. All spells regardless of power, use up 1 "memory" point.
- Only 1 status at a time, good or bad. So, a simple Bless or Armor will cure any curse or blind spell.
- Every defense point in difference soaks up 10% of damage, unlike H2 where it's 5%
- Warlock AI almost never builds Minotaur maze. In H2, Hydras take priority over Minotaurs, sure, but they eventually get them given enough resources. In H1, start the AI with 5 gem mines and 40 gems, and they still will most likely never get a minotaur maze.
- Combat grid way too small
- Indestructible castle turret, so 1 sprite can defeat 1000 ogres.

And of course there's the lack of extra features that I take for granted having played H2 so much...
Wizards, Necros, upgrades, marketplaces, secondary skills...

[Pitsu]

I actually really like H1 magic(knowledge skill) system as well as the small battlefield. Together with some other stuff they IMO make the game more strategic. While in certain situations 1 sprite can indeed win 1000 ogres, H2+ magic systems and large battlefields are much better ground for exploits.

[Kristo]

I'm with Pitsu on that one. You don't hate H1, you're just spoiled by H2 and beyond. Some of the differences are fun when you look at them on their own (not compared with later games). Personally, I can't stand H1 because I can't keep the game running more than 5 minutes without it crashing.

Anyway...

I would go with Hail Britannia so you can re-make the map that appeared on the cd sleeve for the H2 demo that came with PC Gamer.

[Dstr]

I think all games in the H1-5 series are fantastic, despite all differences... except ofc for H4, I can't stand the fact the hero could die and you should send some monster in order to load his remaining corpse : )) also, the map fog, stealth skill, the system of skills.

[dudejo]

this is mostly personal opinion but another issue could be that most of the monster art suggest they may be from the same gene pool as the Hunchback of Notre-Dame.

[ponting]

think all games in the H1-5 series are fantastic, despite all differences... except ofc for H4, I can't stand the fact the hero could die and you should send some monster in order to load his remaining corpse : )) also, the map fog, stealth skill, the system of skills..
Term Papers

[hatsforclowns]

think all games in the H1-5 series are fantastic, despite all differences... except ofc for H4, I can't stand the fact the hero could die and you should send some monster in order to load his remaining corpse : )) also, the map fog, stealth skill, the system of skills..
Term Papers

Spam Alert!

[hatsforclowns]

Personally, I can't stand H1 because I can't keep the game running more than 5 minutes without it crashing.

That really is the bane of gaming...sometimes you'll have so much trouble just getting an old game to run properly, and not even virtualisation or emulation always solve the problem.

So many old games I wish were remade -- but not with "improved" shader graphics and awesome MMORPGIRLCTS features, just a simple remake/recoding/porting to make it work on newer systems. Possibly very small improvements, such as unresolved bugs, improved handling of resolutions, and so on, small things.

Good Old Games is really amazing in that matter!

[UndeadHalfOrc]

Personally, I can't stand H1 because I can't keep the game running more than 5 minutes without it crashing.

This is a big issue for me as well. Unless I completely turn off the sound AND music, the game will crash at the start of every other battle.

Come on fellows, list some more maps! So far only Hail Brittannia has been named, and (IMO) it's mediocre, I don't think it deserves the honor when there are so many better maps I listed. Did you download the contest maps? Most of them blow NWC's maps out of the water.

[Pitsu]

Played all the listed fanmade maps (singleplayer, max difficulty)

-4 ways to die
-Cyclops Eye
-Island of Doom
Good maps, but i found nothing very special in them.

-The Crusades (shield shaped map)
Not a very special setup, but i enjoyed it more than other generic maps. For MP may be less balanced that others though.

-"Ray" mond (cyclops shaped map)
- Fairy Queen
Nice maps, but H1 AI has problems in them. AI players would certainly need extra gold.

-Dragon Rider (already redone for H2)
Excellent map

-Lone Star (Texas)
Gives a feeling of random map generator with odd placements of objects, be it Texas or not.

-Flower
-Concentricity.
Due to rarity of mines and moderate water content were challenging. Fun to explore. Enjoyed very much.

-Hidden Valleys
The map has an idea, but i found gameplay rather boring.

-Shattered Alliances
Excellent map. If i need to pick one, this would be my favourite.