Modernizing Heroes III?

[ShadowLiberal]

I think heroes 3 does need a bit of enhancing, specifically a few things.

-Changes so it'll run fine on newer windows operating systems (it randomly crashes/closes itself at times on windows 7), I'd buy a new version of heroes 3 just for this.

-Add caravan functionality.

-Add the option to exclude some of my army from battle (but not to position them wherever you want, as that's part of tactics), or let tactics do this at a minimum.

-Make earlier versions of Heroes 3 have some of the later functionality of Heroes 3, like artifact set bonuses, and the extra misc artifact slot.

[GreatEmerald]

> -Changes so it'll run fine on newer windows operating systems (it randomly crashes/closes itself at times on windows 7), I'd buy a new version of heroes 3 just for this.

That would be the problem of the audio subsystem. It usually runs fine if you disable music... but then it's not fun.

[CloudRiderX]

Disable the music in Heroes III? I shudder at the thought...

[hellegennes]

The music of Heroes 3 is ok; but certainly not to par with H2. In my opinion, it's even less good than that of H4. Perhaps it's the lesser of any of the games of the series, in terms of music, although still better than that of many games of the genre.

[dark raider]

as a hardcore fans I must say that I would actually love to see a Remake of the Heroes 3 game, with a few differences...som new and improved townscreens...maybe some new on map buildings.. ex. but leave the factions as they where...and the spells etc. I love this game series.



And by the way... I do not agree that remakes are bad... I played many remakes and the where great, resident evil 1, tombraider 1 etc where great remakes...pretty much same gameplay but with some new twist and a much better graphic... So I actually hope Ubisoft would to this as a kind of anniversary edition.

[sezerp]

> it randomly crashes/closes itself at times on windows 7

AFAIK it is because H3 doesn't really work well with multicore processors. IIRC running it in Windows 9x compatibility mode helps (I use GoG version)

[Salamandre]

Whatever they do or whatever company they hire, it still would be below WoG functionality and flexibility level. Probably better graphics ok, other that, not interested. (talking about Ubi, right?)

Exactly, HoMM3 doesn't really need any updates, it's already fine as it is

I wish you were right, but it is very bugged game and being able to complete complex custom maps or campaigns safely is almost a miracle. Hoping for VCMI to finally create a proper code.

[GreatEmerald]

> I wish you were right, but it is very bugged game and being able to complete complex custom maps or campaigns safely is almost a miracle. Hoping for VCMI to finally create a proper code.

By "complex" you mean of incredible level of complexity, right? Because I haven't seen any problems while working with vanilla H3Complete map editor at all.

[Salamandre]

No, any decent XL custom map can be a target. A few out of my head:

The biggest bug being AI heroes, they can freeze without apparent reason at any moment in the game, and your game is over. This chance increase by xxx% after month 12. A lot of good mapmakers use immobile AI heroes, so several maps may look safe, but if you give to AI freedom, big chance you won't see the end.

The second biggest bug (or simply big omission) is the inability to disable month of. So you play for months and suddenly discover that pesky creatures are in the wrong spot and can't land. Game over.

Or if you play necro or simply very big maps, moving stacks of more than 32k creatures will make those stacks vanish in thin air.

After month 12, any AI hero behind a border gate will no longer move if released. Nor AI heroes will attack you properly, they will look as disabled.

If your treasury gets above coded levels, it will reset to negative values without warning. If this occurs to AI, game freezes for ever.

If mobs are not set to savage, AI will join them then put in towns garrisons slots. When all the 7 slots are full, he tries to recruit from town but no free slot, game freezes again, just found this in last Maygwan map.

If your stats go over 99(+25) you will get a 0 to all primary skills hero without warning.

Experience levels are bad coded, from 74 you go to 88, then 100, then 108 and finally...6024, lose all stats. Taking a tree of knowledge when being level 88 brings your hero down to zero level and negative experience.

If you try to clone while the targeted creature is surrounded, the stack will be lost after battle.

If you look at SoD maps comments on mapsforheroes, there are endless frustrated complaints about maps not being playable until the end, bugs related. A few of them could be fixed in wog, but not the most important as AI freeze, mapmakers worst nightmare.

Thus I would not refuse some rework on, but certainly not Ubi, H3 will not generate enough money. Turn based games are ignored today, youths look for adrenaline first.

[GreatEmerald]

Well, all of those are just pushing the engine limits and wouldn't occur on smaller maps. Also, if the AI heroes are not moving, then it's generally a good thing for players, as they can defeat said AI easier...

But yea, there are small glitches as well. Like when an enemy is surrounded, and you have a flyer, then you can still click on the enemy as if it was attackable and lose a turn doing nothing. Or the game can crash if you have too many resources. But like I said, it's mostly either small glitches or pushing the limits that were never supposed to be pushed that far.

[Artas1984]

Salamandre, you amaze me once more.



About Baldur's Gate remake - i am guessing that it is being made not because "the graphics suxed", it's because infinity engine was weak compared to, let's say, aurora engine, while the gameplay and plot were great, so that they are revamping everything to modern standards keeping original plot and gameplay..



Modernized heroes 3 - i think it is impossible with what you have. You'd have to start everything per new. I recently had an idea to replace some terrain from NWN 2 to HOMM3, but after compressing from 24 bit to 8 bit, all the shiny magic went away.



So i am thinking you can not make the game look better, we just need a REAL developer to make a REAL H3 remake, like it was done with Resident Evil remake.

[Salamandre]

Today we have the tools to make an amazing Heroes 3 with 3D graphics, light effects and such. But no one is going to do it because people are for most of them conservative, there will be always a majority to complain about changes.

If there were a serious demand, ok, but it is not. Atm, the new obsession is about new towns.

[Kalah]

@Artas: That's the point, yes. Hollywood are making remakes of classic/successful movies because they want to make money on it; it's a ready-made economic success that simply has to be put into a modern context. You can do the same thing with games.

[Chrambo]

I have to admit (and I would consider myself a"Hardcore" fan) that I wouldn't really want to play a heroes III remake. Don't get me wrong, I loved the game and factions and music and just about everything in it. I just wouldn't really want to play a remake.



Instead I wish Ubi could get their butts in gear and make an excellent successor to it rather than hurry out something that's just not quite ready.

[GreatEmerald]

>Instead I wish Ubi could get their butts in gear and make an excellent successor to it rather than hurry out something that's just not quite ready.

For one, that's seemingly impossible. Moreover, even if it was to happen, then it still won't matter as it's no longer in the original universe. Plus their visual style is likely to stay a copy of Warhammer and what not...

[Chrambo]

My opinion again, but I wasn't that attached to the "old" universe. It blew up and I got over it. Perhaps its because I never played any of the mm games.



I feel like Ashan could be much better than it is now if map makers and writers got over the whole cliche that it has become (I'm looking at you, Zehir). Story telling is a difficult art, and one of my favorite things about HOMM IV. The sixth installment could use something of that intensity and creativity again, in my opinion.

[jeff]

Story telling is a difficult art, and one of my favorite things about HOMM IV. The sixth installment could use something of that intensity and creativity again, in my opinion.

Whether you are ‘attached’ to it or not is fine. However to tell stories you need an editor that can be ‘easily’ used. That never happened in H-V and it hasn’t happened yet in H-6. Personally I will not make any maps until a campaign editor that I can use exists. To tell true in depth stories IMHO requires a campaign. Though there were several single map creations in H-IV that succeeded in that endeavor.

[Chrambo]

Ya, I really hope that campaign editor comes out soon. I'm looking forward to using it. I gotta admit though, I don't really want an "easy" map editor if it makes lousy maps. I think that the HVI map editor is extremely powerful but only easy once you get the hang of it. That first few attempts is definately a put-off.



That being said, I'll let you be the judge of the quality of what comes out of it. As soon as I have a few hours to myself I'm hoping to finish up my first map and post online.

[Salamandre]

With a such simple editor as H3 one, it still takes 8-12 months to create a good map. Seeing the complexity of H6 editor, I would multiply that by 2 or even 3. Or you get crap.