Might and Magic 6, 7, 8 merge based on mm8 engine. [upd. 05.11.2023]

[Roticet]

They speed at which you guys work, might as well release Might and Magic 11 by the end of the year
It honestly keeps me from actually playing, as I'm afraid that the next patch will just hit any minute now

Shhhhh, thats the secret, this is 11.

[SpectralDragon]

They speed at which you guys work, might as well release Might and Magic 11 by the end of the year
It honestly keeps me from actually playing, as I'm afraid that the next patch will just hit any minute now

If only. That's why I'm stopping my progress on other paperdolls and potential future things for now, as I don't wish to overflood Rodril and co. with ... stuff.

[GrayFace]

Here's my whole Scripts folder: https://www.dropbox.com/s/h7lspqm44p91f ... s.rar?dl=1
It has updated General\Additional UI.lua - I fixed the problem of MM7 UI displaying incorrectly in turn-based mode (not a bugfix, there just wasn't a hook done for the turn-based mode).
It also has General\Screenshot.lua that makes screenshots when you press Print Screen key and hold it for a short period of time, but before patch version 2.3.1 you'll need to manually create Screenshots folder first. Screenshots are 640x480 without the 3D view - they show regular UI that the game still draws internally even when UI layout is active.
The god() function does the god mode That is, gives you all skills etc.
It has newer version of the Editor, in which Rodril experienced a bug I couldn't reproduce.
Some other differences may exist. This is mostly for Templayer, but General\Additional UI.lua, General\Screenshot.lua and Global\GodMode.lua can be useful for anybody.

[Roticet]

I encountered another bug. Blaster broken (weapon is red in inventory) for a Drow Patriarch, and now my Noblebone Bow shoots 2 arrows at the same speed as blasters. While I IMMENSELY enjoy the overpoweredness of that, I figured I would report. Can I request this become a "feature" though? lol

[Templayer]

They speed at which you guys work, might as well release Might and Magic 11 by the end of the year
It honestly keeps me from actually playing, as I'm afraid that the next patch will just hit any minute now

Don't be afraid to play, as new patches usually do not break savegames.

Shhhhh, thats the secret, this is 11.

Nah, it is actually the real 10.

Here's my whole Scripts folder: https://www.dropbox.com/s/h7lspqm44p91f ... s.rar?dl=1
It has updated General\Additional UI.lua - I fixed the problem of MM7 UI displaying incorrectly in turn-based mode (not a bugfix, there just wasn't a hook done for the turn-based mode).
It also has General\Screenshot.lua that makes screenshots when you press Print Screen key and hold it for a short period of time, but before patch version 2.3.1 you'll need to manually create Screenshots folder first. Screenshots are 640x480 without the 3D view - they show regular UI that the game still draws internally even when UI layout is active.
The god() function does the god mode That is, gives you all skills etc.
It has newer version of the Editor, in which Rodril experienced a bug I couldn't reproduce.
Some other differences may exist. This is mostly for Templayer, but General\Additional UI.lua, General\Screenshot.lua and Global\GodMode.lua can be useful for anybody.

I'll try it. Thanks. Also god mode will surely be handy for testing things! I like the skills part of it.

OKAY, Your scripts work, the game is now doing the first time generation of files! Thanks very much!
But I can figure out what is wrong actually - when I copied your files to my fully updated version of the Merge overwriting existing, IT STILL PRODUCED THAT ERROR. But when I deleted the whole scripts folder and just took in yours, it worked! That means there is a rogue lua file somewhere, which then fails to load. Also worth of note that this was done on a clean GOG install, so previous Merge version lua files were not there, only the ones from the base Merge package + the update package + your files.

I will take a lot at which files are at surplus and where do they come from.

I found the culprit for that bug - the original base Merge package contains a file called Functions.lua that is in the General folder of Scripts. Your scripts folder, GrayFace, contains it inside Structs/After and the game works if it isn't in the general folder, so I presume it has to be removed from the base package so that no one else will get dragged by that ever again! RODRIL PLEASE FIX.

So I think I figured out what has happened with the bugged character creation - Rodril seems to have replaced some of the Goblin Male parts with Dwarf Male and Female Lich ones! BOTH Goblin Males are affected! Actual Dwarf Liches Male and Female are all right and work as intended! Also there is both a Dragon Liche and a Dragon Zombie, but they are copy pasted, with no audio and both based off on an old design (no tattered wings, etc.)

Added both to the Bug Tracker, I guess!

FOUND THE REASONS FOR THE BUGGED BEHAVIORS! *PROD* *PROD* *PROD* *PROD*

[Templayer]

I encountered another bug. Blaster broken (weapon is red in inventory) for a Drow Patriarch, and now my Noblebone Bow shoots 2 arrows at the same speed as blasters. While I IMMENSELY enjoy the overpoweredness of that, I figured I would report. Can I request this become a "feature" though? lol

Added to the Bug Tracker. How would that feature work like? Write it down and I will put it on the Suggestion Tracker afterwards.

[SpectralDragon]

Added to the Bug Tracker. How would that feature work like? Write it down and I will put it on the Suggestion Tracker afterwards.

Now I wonder how long will it take for Rodril to check these messages and fix as well as post a new patch update version of this mod. I bundled both mine and yours available in together with the Zombie Mino in the previous page's bottom.

[Templayer]

Added to the Bug Tracker. How would that feature work like? Write it down and I will put it on the Suggestion Tracker afterwards.

Now I wonder how long will it take for Rodril to check these messages and fix as well as post a new patch update version of this mod. I bundled both mine and yours available in together with the Zombie Mino in the previous page's bottom.

You could send him that through a PM so that it won't get lost in tons of thread pages. With me and GrayFace in a copy.

Rodril usually made one big patch per week not that long ago. His absence worries me. I hope he is fine. He is our lord and savior after all.

The amount of messages (presumably both PMs and thread notifications) must be quite a burden.
But it is understandable now that more people know about the project.

Maybe we could make a dedicated forum to alleviate what I have written above somewhat. When something gets too big, divide it into smaller parts. Having different sections (bug reports, suggestions, contributions for art and such,...) would help.

I could create it myself, if people tell me enough. My current website is www.Templayer.cz and I could create a MMMerge website with forum as a subdomain, i.e. www.MMMerge.Templayer.cz (lowercase of course, but I like using proper case since it will get lowercased always anyway) but that would make it seem like it is my project. And it isn't. And I kinda do not even wish it to be due to me not wanting to code in my free time.

[Templayer]

Also clicking on Default for voice with the unlocker on a Dragon Zombie produces a wood creaking sound for a ship. I mean it is a placeholder anyway, but that was unexpected!

[GrayFace]

Interesting: in the current update there already is a skeletal dragon NPC portrait - npc7027.

6. Yes, I do know NWC coders are incredibly TIGHT in coding and limitations, but nowadays there is no need for this. IF there at least was a way to open all the lods (base + additions), and then have it in folders and subfolders, then I wouldn't mind as much, but while combined those are basically all in one folder with names that are all over the place. I'm used to coding in Java, which is PRETTY MUCH THE EXACT OPPOSITE of how NWC coded their stuff by principle. (the difference in RAM usage between MM games and our Java apps is quite insane). I do get that it was needed back in the day, but nowadays people have 100 MB+ free memory even on extremely old PCs.

It wasn't needed. Yes, string comparison is faster with shorter strings, but if that was important, their linear search for graphics wouldn't have cut it. They were just used to old ways of doing things with static allocation and DOS filenames.
Fun fact: in MM8 they've created a new object-oriented GUI system (the old one didn't have any dialog element classes except "click area"). However, instead of marrying it with the old system they made it incompatible, so dialogs had to be rewritten for it. Only some dialogs were modified to support it. Plus, due to time constraints they didn't add the dialog items that are highlighted when mouse is over them. So, there are 2 GUI systems coexisting and skills in character screen aren't highlighted when hovered. That is, in original MM8. In the Merge there are 3 GUI systems, because simply drawing new elements and doing mouse reactions for them was a much more elegant solution than intercepting both GUI systems of MM8.

I found the culprit for that bug - the original base Merge package contains a file called Functions.lua that is in the General folder of Scripts.

Whoa! That's an artifact of pre-2.0 versions of MMExt!

Maybe we could make a dedicated forum to alleviate what I have written above somewhat. When something gets too big, divide it into smaller parts. Having different sections (bug reports, suggestions, contributions for art and such,...) would help.

Let's start with different threads here. I guess we can start by making a new thread for graphics.

[SpectralDragon]

You could send him that through a PM so that it won't get lost in tons of thread pages. With me and GrayFace in a copy.

Rodril usually made one big patch per week not that long ago. His absence worries me. I hope he is fine. He is our lord and savior after all.

The amount of messages (presumably both PMs and thread notifications) must be quite a burden.
But it is understandable now that more people know about the project.

After what happened with Jamesx (where he told me my PMs don't work for some Ancients-forsaken reason) I definitely cannot afford more of that unless the entire PM thing on my side is made up ... which I think it cannot be because it would demand my location, which I'm not revealing anywhere, not even here. Better be safe after all.

Ditto as well, as well, we all know that no one would wish to contribute to a dead mod. ^^;

Also clicking on Default for voice with the unlocker on a Dragon Zombie produces a wood creaking sound for a ship. I mean it is a placeholder anyway, but that was unexpected!

LOL.

[Roticet]

I encountered another bug. Blaster broken (weapon is red in inventory) for a Drow Patriarch, and now my Noblebone Bow shoots 2 arrows at the same speed as blasters. While I IMMENSELY enjoy the overpoweredness of that, I figured I would report. Can I request this become a "feature" though? lol

Added to the Bug Tracker. How would that feature work like? Write it down and I will put it on the Suggestion Tracker afterwards.

Well, the easiest way to make it work is pull a Bethesda and just not fix it. To turn it into a feature could be something like the character has to have GM in Blaster and Bow, and then as long as the blaster is equipped, the bow will still fire 2 arrows at blaster speed. Conceptually that makes absolutely no sense, because unless you are LUDICROUSLY fast, firing a bow that quickly would be impossible. But I also think that would absolutely break the archer/ranger classes. Which really aren't that great of classes to begin with IMO. The only reason I ever used those classes were for the GM bow skill, which 9/10 times I just went with a different class, because GM bow skill wasn't that important. Especially once you get to blasters to begin with. The Dark Elf race/class in MM8 is always a staple in my group though. GM merchant, GM bow, GM chain, and a few others made it worth it IMO. Prolly just better off removing the bug. I just find it fun to have an OP group. I'm one of "those guys".

[tinywhitecat]

Templayer wrote:
...there is both a Dragon Liche and a Dragon Zombie, but they are copy pasted, with no audio and both based off on an old design (no tattered wings, etc.)

I tested the dragon lich ingame and found two technical problems (unrelated to the audio/visual). The dracolich gained the blaster skill in mm7 and was actually able to equip blasters, however they were invisible and nonfunctional, as well as impossible to unequip. The dracolich also could equip an invisible wetsuit which couldn't be unequipped.

In Antagarich, I also found that the Sniper promotion pickup was missing text (Picking up the quest never told me to get the perfect bow and was instead blank).

In addition, Verdant contacted my party for completing Antagarich early. Verdant gave the victory interaction after completing "Strike at the Devils" rather than "The Final Task". It's possible that its related to the fact that I missed the "Letter for YOU", encountered Verdant randomly, and then found the letter afterwards. She also gave me 3 copies of the ring as opposed to the 1 in earlier versions of the mod, but that might have been an intentional change.

[GrayFace]

Conceptually that makes absolutely no sense, because unless you are LUDICROUSLY fast, firing a bow that quickly would be impossible.

Still, it's entirely possible. Moreover, with an explosive bow you don't need to reach blaster speeds for you enemy to get pretty much stuck in an endless "hurt" animation when playing in real time.

[Roticet]

Conceptually that makes absolutely no sense, because unless you are LUDICROUSLY fast, firing a bow that quickly would be impossible.

Still, it's entirely possible. Moreover, with an explosive bow you don't need to reach blaster speeds for you enemy to get pretty much stuck in an endless "hurt" animation when playing in real time.

You're absolutely right, which is why i called it a bug. And i was referencing our world, not MM. And you can get pretty quick with the bows, but when a blaster is equipped and then broken, the bow equipped fires as fast as the blaster does. And with noblebone bow is like firing a super quick MK19. Super fun, but overkill in this game.

[Rodril]

Hello. Patch link have been updated.
I've fixed "Scripts\General" folder; dragon ghost portrait have been added, but dragon's zombie condition still called "Zombie" instead of "Ghost", - need to find good way of applying it. I have not added new voice sets yet. Some minor bugs have been fixed, probably some added. Thank you.

[SpectralDragon]

Hello. Patch link have been updated.
I've fixed "Scripts\General" folder; dragon ghost portrait have been added, but dragon's zombie condition still called "Zombie" instead of "Ghost", - need to find good way of applying it. I have not added new voice sets yet. Some minor bugs have been fixed, probably some added. Thank you.

Thank YOU as well! Any news on Redone and Fixed Dracolich as well as Zombie Minotaur game portraits and paperdoll applications? I've left it all in the last bundle at the bottom of the last page ... unless you wish me to personally link me these (together with Templayer's redone voices and Ghost Dragon monster sprites, just so you have more options when thinking about any new Merge challenges) via an email. I cannot link them via a PM because it's apparently blocked on my side. PMs,that are. -.-

[Crusader_bin]

Hello. Patch link have been updated.
I've fixed "Scripts\General" folder; dragon ghost portrait have been added, but dragon's zombie condition still called "Zombie" instead of "Ghost", - need to find good way of applying it. I have not added new voice sets yet. Some minor bugs have been fixed, probably some added. Thank you.

Thanks a lot!

Could you please explain what is the change about the view range in this patch in Editor Outdoor Infinite View.lua?
Looks like something is changed and the setting is disabled by default, right? (for higher visibility range that is)

edit: I added on = true at line 67 and Editor.UpdateVisibility(true) at the end and I guess it works now

[Templayer]

Hello. Patch link have been updated.
I've fixed "Scripts\General" folder; dragon ghost portrait have been added, but dragon's zombie condition still called "Zombie" instead of "Ghost", - need to find good way of applying it. I have not added new voice sets yet. Some minor bugs have been fixed, probably some added. Thank you.

Thank YOU as well! Any news on Redone and Fixed Dracolich as well as Zombie Minotaur game portraits and paperdoll applications? I've left it all in the last bundle at the bottom of the last page ... unless you wish me to personally link me these (together with Templayer's redone voices and Ghost Dragon monster sprites, just so you have more options when thinking about any new Merge challenges) via an email. I cannot link them via a PM because it's apparently blocked on my side. PMs,that are. -.-

My PMs work, so sent it to me via email and I will PM Rodril with the package.

Conceptually that makes absolutely no sense, because unless you are LUDICROUSLY fast, firing a bow that quickly would be impossible.

Still, it's entirely possible. Moreover, with an explosive bow you don't need to reach blaster speeds for you enemy to get pretty much stuck in an endless "hurt" animation when playing in real time.

I still want my Relic Wand of Astrological Excursion.
I.e. the wing blowback effect used twice in quick succession, resulting in the enemy shooting upwards and probably ending somewhere in the atmosphere.

Templayer wrote:
...there is both a Dragon Liche and a Dragon Zombie, but they are copy pasted, with no audio and both based off on an old design (no tattered wings, etc.)

I tested the dragon lich ingame and found two technical problems (unrelated to the audio/visual). The dracolich gained the blaster skill in mm7 and was actually able to equip blasters, however they were invisible and nonfunctional, as well as impossible to unequip. The dracolich also could equip an invisible wetsuit which couldn't be unequipped.

In Antagarich, I also found that the Sniper promotion pickup was missing text (Picking up the quest never told me to get the perfect bow and was instead blank).

In addition, Verdant contacted my party for completing Antagarich early. Verdant gave the victory interaction after completing "Strike at the Devils" rather than "The Final Task". It's possible that its related to the fact that I missed the "Letter for YOU", encountered Verdant randomly, and then found the letter afterwards. She also gave me 3 copies of the ring as opposed to the 1 in earlier versions of the mod, but that might have been an intentional change.

Added to the Bug Tracker.

[Templayer]

Hello. Patch link have been updated.
I've fixed "Scripts\General" folder; dragon ghost portrait have been added, but dragon's zombie condition still called "Zombie" instead of "Ghost", - need to find good way of applying it. I have not added new voice sets yet. Some minor bugs have been fixed, probably some added. Thank you.

What about the Goblin Male parts being replaced by Dwarf Lich paperdoll parts, resulting in a messed up paperdoll for both Goblin Males?