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

[Templayer]

https://drive.google.com/open?id=15fVpc ... 2Fa2CIVYZ2
fixed dracolich/spectral dragon not knowing Dark Magic and Dragon Ability
added debug button

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14mgrTw ... sp=sharing
Here it go! Zombies Turn to Undead but only on character creation.
Previous change about Racial Skillls
now the AutoBios for party says both class and race (previously only the class)

all changes with simple comment (*what it does* - fixed by majaczek)

Nice!

I finally had time to test out your stuff, and it is nice! I am going to Merge it to the Community Branch now.


https://gitlab.com/templayer/mmmerge

[fanasilver]

So far I have breached in the Breach, finished reunited all my lost companions, and also finished all the riddles and grab the "Runaway Chaos" in my group as an NPC. I also cleared all his riddles as well.

So can anyone tell me - what's next? I had searched the map file and Quest lua about some keys, but cannot find any one of them..

[wuxiangjinxing]

https://drive.google.com/open?id=15fVpc ... 2Fa2CIVYZ2
fixed dracolich/spectral dragon not knowing Dark Magic and Dragon Ability
added debug button

Unfortunately, this file forbids the creation of more than one party members (a lua error pops up, game continues but only the first member is in the party).

Is this just my problem, or is this file really buggy?

[fanasilver]

I have opened up an MR at https://gitlab.com/templayer/mmmerge/merge_requests/1 . After several trial and error I believe this formula works best:

(BolsterMul+1)^BolsterMul)

Bolster% HP Times
0 1
1 2
1.5 4
2 9

Nice. Thank you very much, I didn't actually you to make a Merge Request (however I am pleasantly surprised!!)

There is one problem though, but it is my problem, not yours. I asked majaczek (who made two other such modifications) to make it possible for the game to have a txt "settings" table with optional modifications (so probably a name for an optional modification, value (usually true or false) and description) and he didn't respond.
I was kinda waiting for that, because for the Community Fork, it would be nice to have such "settings".

Hmm.

What I am going to do - I will apply your Merge Request, and since that Merge Request will be in the history together with the changes made, I can refer to it from a new TODOs section in the README to make a "map" of such stuff that should be toggleable.

So a probable solution for your case once such table exists:
The code reads the HP formula from the text table you have edited. If BolsterMonster_LessAggressiveHitPointsFormula is true in the settings table for optional modifications, use yours, if not, read the vanilla one from the "Data/Tables/Bolster - formulas.txt" (which will have to be reverted).

Sounds good?

I am a developer too and also an open-source guy
No problem. I will still be around in the Breach and the Merge for quite a lot of time, especially when I found that you can actually restart the game with all the statistics and inventories after Final Quest of Breach is finished. Please share me anything that can be fixed by extern guys

[wuxiangjinxing]

After a simple debug, the problem might come from the new debug button (icon as a tent) or the "better biography" part. After removing those concepts everythings works well.

[wuxiangjinxing]

I made a MOD that allows druid to summon skeleton warriors when casting stun.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tuoP94 ... sp=sharing

Please put this file in Scripts/General. You need to cast stun from spell book, not from quickspell, so as to summon skeletons.

I would like to convert each earth magic to a summon spell for druid, so I would appreciate if anyone can give me some suggestions on which spell to summon which monster, and make the relative monster tier and spell tier rather consistent.

[Templayer]

https://drive.google.com/open?id=15fVpc ... 2Fa2CIVYZ2
fixed dracolich/spectral dragon not knowing Dark Magic and Dragon Ability
added debug button

Unfortunately, this file forbids the creation of more than one party members (a lua error pops up, game continues but only the first member is in the party).

Is this just my problem, or is this file really buggy?

After a simple debug, the problem might come from the new debug button (icon as a tent) or the "better biography" part. After removing those concepts everythings works well.

Just checked and it is caused by the better biography modification. Thanks for reporting. I have commented it out - check the lua file in question on GitLab - https://gitlab.com/templayer/mmmerge

*made an error*

There has been an error reported within your code. Better Bibliographies have been disabled for now until someone fixes it.

[Templayer]

I have opened up an MR at https://gitlab.com/templayer/mmmerge/merge_requests/1 . After several trial and error I believe this formula works best:

(BolsterMul+1)^BolsterMul)

Bolster% HP Times
0 1
1 2
1.5 4
2 9

Nice. Thank you very much, I didn't actually you to make a Merge Request (however I am pleasantly surprised!!)

There is one problem though, but it is my problem, not yours. I asked majaczek (who made two other such modifications) to make it possible for the game to have a txt "settings" table with optional modifications (so probably a name for an optional modification, value (usually true or false) and description) and he didn't respond.
I was kinda waiting for that, because for the Community Fork, it would be nice to have such "settings".

Hmm.

What I am going to do - I will apply your Merge Request, and since that Merge Request will be in the history together with the changes made, I can refer to it from a new TODOs section in the README to make a "map" of such stuff that should be toggleable.

So a probable solution for your case once such table exists:
The code reads the HP formula from the text table you have edited. If BolsterMonster_LessAggressiveHitPointsFormula is true in the settings table for optional modifications, use yours, if not, read the vanilla one from the "Data/Tables/Bolster - formulas.txt" (which will have to be reverted).

Sounds good?

I am a developer too and also an open-source guy
No problem. I will still be around in the Breach and the Merge for quite a lot of time, especially when I found that you can actually restart the game with all the statistics and inventories after Final Quest of Breach is finished. Please share me anything that can be fixed by extern guys

Excellent.
Feel free to check the TODOs section on the readme for the Community Branch.
Also you can check the Bug Tracker and the Suggestion Tracker and fix / implement any of those on your leisure.

[Templayer]

I made a MOD that allows druid to summon skeleton warriors when casting stun.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tuoP94 ... sp=sharing

Please put this file in Scripts/General. You need to cast stun from spell book, not from quickspell, so as to summon skeletons.

I would like to convert each earth magic to a summon spell for druid, so I would appreciate if anyone can give me some suggestions on which spell to summon which monster, and make the relative monster tier and spell tier rather consistent.

Skeletons sounds really bad for a druid.
Normal level spells (four slots): Wolves, Snakes (Couatl), Bees, Dragonflies, Bats, Rats, Suckers, Spiders ... choose
Expert (three slots): Trees, Griffins, Oozes, Boulders, Wyverns, ... choose
Master (three slots): Scorpicores, Thunderbirds, Salamanders, Basilisks ... choose
GM spell => random elementals.

EDIT: I've got a semi-interesting idea. I was thinking on how to incorporate more of them, and then I realized a good solution - make it continent-dependent! I'll make a new list in a new post, so that this edit isn't overlooked. It really makes sense for the druids to summon the animal / elemental that is the closest.

Feel free to experiment and change this to your liking, it is a draft only, I am not forcing this on you or anything like that.

Less expertise = less monsters and weaker variants, more expertise = more monsters and stronger variants.

It would be great if you made a button that would show up for a Druid on the Earth magic spellbook screen that would switch it up.
Later down the pipeline, removing all the spell icons graphics and replacing them with custom ones once the button has been clicked on (changing Earth Magic to Summoning Magic) would be very nice. You might need GrayFace's help with that part, however.

I will add this to the community branch once all Earth spells have a summoning effect for the druid.

[wuxiangjinxing]

So here is a working version of the druid summon mod

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tuoP94 ... sp=sharing

I assigned monsters to be summoned by earth spells, mostly based on the nature summoning spells in HOMM IV.

Stun -- Dire Wolf
Slow -- Elf Archer
Deadly Swarm -- Griffin
Blades -- Wyvern
Stone to Flesh -- Unicorn
Telekinesis -- Thunderbird
Mass Distortion -- Phoenix

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TBD:

In the current version, the function is called when Game.CurrentScreen == 20. This is a screen when you selected a spell from your spell book, and the game is waiting for you to select a target. Due to this reason, spells without a target selection step, including earth resistance, stone skin, rock blast and death blossom, are not working in this summoning MOD. It is very appreciated f anyone can give me some suggestions on solving this problem.

TBD:

Continent-based summoning is a pretty decent idea. I'm looking foward to Templayer's new list.

[Templayer]

I made a MOD that allows druid to summon skeleton warriors when casting stun.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tuoP94 ... sp=sharing

Please put this file in Scripts/General. You need to cast stun from spell book, not from quickspell, so as to summon skeletons.

I would like to convert each earth magic to a summon spell for druid, so I would appreciate if anyone can give me some suggestions on which spell to summon which monster, and make the relative monster tier and spell tier rather consistent.

Skeletons sounds really bad for a druid.
Normal level spells (four slots): Wolves, Snakes (Couatl), Bees, Dragonflies, Bats, Rats, Suckers, Spiders ... choose
Expert (three slots): Trees, Griffins, Oozes, Boulders, Wyverns, ... choose
Master (three slots): Scorpicores, Thunderbirds, Salamanders, Basilisks ... choose
GM spell => random elementals.

EDIT: I've got a semi-interesting idea. I was thinking on how to incorporate more of them, and then I realized a good solution - make it continent-dependent! I'll make a new list in a new post, so that this edit isn't overlooked. It really makes sense for the druids to summon the animal / elemental that is the closest.

Feel free to experiment and change this to your liking, it is a draft only, I am not forcing this on you or anything like that.

Less expertise = less monsters and weaker variants, more expertise = more monsters and stronger variants.

It would be great if you made a button that would show up for a Druid on the Earth magic spellbook screen that would switch it up.
Later down the pipeline, removing all the spell icons graphics and replacing them with custom ones once the button has been clicked on (changing Earth Magic to Summoning Magic) would be very nice. You might need GrayFace's help with that part, however.

I will add this to the community branch once all Earth spells have a summoning effect for the druid.

Continent-based summoning is a pretty decent idea. I'm looking foward to Templayer's new list.

Based on the EDIT section of my previous post:

Druid summoning table for the continent of Enroth:
Normal level spells (four slots): MM6 Bats, MM6 Rats, MM6 Suckers, MM6 Spiders
Expert (three slots): Cobras, MM6 Oozes, Agar's Experiments
Master (three slots): MM6 Hydras, MM6 Thunder Lizards, MM6 Sea Serpents
GM spell => random MM6 elementals.

Druid summoning table for the continent of Antagarich:
Normal level spells (four slots): Dragonflies, MM7 Bats, MM7 Rats, MM7 Spiders
Expert (three slots): Trees, Griffins, MM7 Oozes
Master (three slots): Scorpicores, MM7 Behemoths, Flying Sharks
GM spell => random MM7 elementals.

Druid summoning table for the continent of Jadame:
Normal level spells (four slots): Wolves, Winged Serpents, Wasps, Boulders
Expert (three slots): MM8 Wyverns, Demolishers, MM8 Thunderbirds
Master (three slots): MM8 Fire Birds (Phoenixes eventually), Basilisks, Dragon Turtles
GM spell => random MM8 elementals.

Druid summoning table for the continent of Breach (CHAOS! Also these shouldn't be mentioned in any descriptors... ):
Normal level spells (four slots): MM6 Evil Eyes, MM7 Golems, Crystal Walkers, Ether Knights
Expert (three slots): Angels, MM7 Droids, Fears
Master (three slots): Cacti, Wyrms, MM6 Terminators
GM spell => normal - Fallen Defender, expert - Unicorn King, master - MegaDragon, GM - Q (aka the arrow-sponge! )

With the names I am representing all three variations and trying to find the name that best describes the line of monsters.
Due to Druid's limits, the best variation should always be attained at Master, and GM only makes an army of it. (except for the Breach + GM => Q Easter egg)
So normal level of Earth Magic - easiest variation of summoned creature;
Expert Earth Magic - medium variation;
Master Earth Magic - strongest variation;
GM - makes a small army.

And I need to back this all up, it took some time and checking to make.

[Templayer]

TODOs updated on the Community Branch on GitLab.

[Templayer]

In the current version, the function is called when Game.CurrentScreen == 20. This is a screen when you selected a spell from your spell book, and the game is waiting for you to select a target. Due to this reason, spells without a target selection step, including earth resistance, stone skin, rock blast and death blossom, are not working in this summoning MOD. It is very appreciated f anyone can give me some suggestions on solving this problem.

I'm going to *prod* several people that might know this.

Or finally Le Great Boss

And Le Also Great Boss

(Just making Le fun by adding Le in front of Le everything )

[Templayer]

Maybe we found the reason for the huge HP numbers?

Yes, that's true. Power function is.. devious . Consider the fact that if 200% difficulty is used, then the monster HP will be squared in most cases, and a queen dragonfly (original HP 50) can be as much as 2500+. This is exactly what happened there..

I modified the formula to be a flat 5 * BOLSTER, which turns out to be fierce enough. Now a Queen of the Dead is 1000+ HP even when you are only level 10.

200% bolster is certainly op. Even weak monsters require herculean efforts to kill. However, 150% is actually not bad. I have played through 80% of 7 and 6 so far (skipping back and forth between the two) with 150% bolster using all of my skills to make my characters as optimized/op as possible and it is not only doable but nicely challenging. Tier 1 and 2 versions of monsters die pretty easily, the tier 3 versions are always damage sponges. If a place is too difficult (which they usually are when they are spawned), I level up a bit and come back and it's much smoother (because their HP is set until the area respawns). That can make some areas very easy; for instance, I rushed the Titan's Fortress to get all my 2nd promotions early, then came back rl days later to find they were all pushovers (I had outleveled them). 1-2k hp red dragons when I have been fighting 1.5k Magyars and 5k Magyar Matrons. You have given enough tools (stacking buffs, larger pool of artifacts, more characters, more npcs, etc) to actually make it playable. The numbers are more scary visually then they are in practice (5k Matron?! That's too much! Dies in about 5 rounds. Eh, ok.)

TL;DR 200% is certainly overturned. It's doable but way too tedious. 150% however is a good challenge for an experienced player.

PS. I hate splitting Elementals. Not only is it annoying to have to kill the highest tier 7 times, but when they split they frequently get stuck in walls and glitching through terrain where they are sometimes killable, sometimes not, and always annoying. Not to mention with high resistances they do practically no damage. I have resorted to meleeing them down with a team of mages just to conserve SP, or ignoring them entirely. Unlike Giant Rats which... at 15d16+99 damage can one shot a level 50 lich.

The Community Branch now has a fix for the too high HP monsters bolstering by a courtesy of fanasilver.

[Jaojin]

Bug with Cycle of Life (ring received from Verdant after completing one of the main questlines). Shared life effect persists even when removing the ring, and there are some strange interactions with Ethric's Staff. This one is going to take some explaining.

I have a goblin with Ethric's Staff (and enough regeneration to counter it's HP drain), equipped with cycle of life to a lich and a dragon. Lich and goblin HP ~300, Dragon ~1200. The dragon had regeneration skill and about 4 magical regeneration items and was losing about 120 hp a tick at max health decreasing in health lost until it got to about 400 health at which point it stopped losing health. Removing the Cycle of Life did not stop the loss of HP, removing the staff from the goblin stopped the loss of HP regardless of whether the ring was worn, same with killing the goblin. Removing the ring from the goblin did not stop the loss of HP (so long as the link was established beforehand). The lich never lost any HP, but that could be due to the fact their HP is nearly identical (the Lich has no HP regen). Tried this with another high HP character (lich/goblin + elf@800) and the elf would lose HP same as the dragon. In the pursuit of science, I removed all the HP regen from the goblin, wounded it, and tested to see if the Lich would decrease HP. The goblin instead went back to full (because of the dragon's high HP, I assume). Waiting for an hour and now the dragon/elf stop losing HP at ~600 rather than 400, and will fluctuate between ~50 HP. Re-equipping the goblin with HP regen equipment and the dragon/elf start losing health til they get to around 400.

Now, I am not entirely sure how the mechanics of Ethric's Staff work but it never seemed to effect Lichs in the first place. Shared Life always seemed a little wonky to me (sometimes decreasing high HP characters by inordinate amounts).

[Jaojin]

Yes, that's true. Power function is.. devious . Consider the fact that if 200% difficulty is used, then the monster HP will be squared in most cases, and a queen dragonfly (original HP 50) can be as much as 2500+. This is exactly what happened there..

I modified the formula to be a flat 5 * BOLSTER, which turns out to be fierce enough. Now a Queen of the Dead is 1000+ HP even when you are only level 10.

**Wall of text removed**

The Community Branch now has a fix for the too high HP monsters bolstering by a courtesy of fanasilver.

Great news! Just bolstered the party to level 100 to see if the 150% scaling was ever going to be too much. 12k HP enemies is certainly intimidating, but still doable. If I find myself overwhelmed I will test out the patch (honestly having too much fun with the challenge to give it up just yet).

Edit: Is it just a patch for the HP or does it affect damage as well? (especially the damage on Shrapmetal, that spell is murder when used against me).

[Jaojin]

Also: This is in regard to the bug where Archibald telepathically contacts the characters upon arriving in Eeofol regardless of whether they have progressed that far in the story (gives the player a blaster and asks them to free Roland). Turns out, if you wait 2 years before doing this quest it will prevent you from ever finishing the storyline, even if you don't enter the Hive. After 2 years, Roland will no longer be in the cage, and since you cannot open the path to Xenofex without freeing Roland first (and cannot get the key to open his door) there is no way to finish "Strike the Devils". My hypothesis is that Archibald triggers the interior of the Hive during that interaction by adding Roland to the cage, and if the dungeon resets, then it is restored to pre-archibald interaction. Backtracking a few months (December of the previous year) found Roland in the cage where he should be. It would make sense to have a version of the Hive where the players could never free Roland and reach Xenofex if they had not yet gotten to "Strike the Devils" due to the cutscene after leaving the Hive only having relevance after "Kill Robert the Wise" (the Pit coup sends Archibald and a handful of necromancers to Clanker's Lab, where they permit him to stay in exile).

[Created this into a separate post]

[justl]

and now for something completly different ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk-kQSz-Qv0 )

best of wishes for you and your kin. have a happy slide into new year (best without injuries)

[raekuul]

Delaying entering Eofol for two or more years breaks the quest chain

For clarification, is this two years after entering Eofol for the first time, or is this entering Eofol for the first time in that game after two years have already passed?

[Templayer]

Edit: Is it just a patch for the HP or does it affect damage as well? (especially the damage on Shrapmetal, that spell is murder when used against me).

It affects only HP. If you want the damage formula to be changed as well, contact fanasilver, I am sure he will be happy to help and I will then incorporate it into the community branch as well.