HOMM3 Tomes for CW Mini-Expansion Alpha now Available for Download!

MattCaspermeyer · #1 07-04-2012, 11:42 PM

I'm pleased to announce the first alpha release of the Heroes of Might and Magic 3 Tomes mod / micro / mini expansion for Crossworlds!

Note that this mod is in the first stage of its alpha development and as such there are no real changes to the game, yet. In fact, this first release is very meager, but does fix a couple of key game bugs / errors:

Fixed Ball of Lightning text description error.
The Paladin Prayer ability now heals plants and mechnical units per its description.
- If you think golems (they are not mentioned explicitly, but Cyclopses are golems) should be healed as well let me know and I'll think about this change for the second stage of the alpha development cycle.

The following files were changed by this update:

mod_homm3_tomes_cw.kfs
- TEMPLATES.LNG - fixed "shock" template for pet templates as it was misspelled and in a different language set
- ADDON_SPECIAL_ATTACKS.LUA - removed "plant" and "mech" from act_feature test
mod_homm3_tomes_cw_en(g)_lng.kfs
- EN(G)_!!!EXP_PET_HINT.LNG - ensured that template name is "shock" and not some other character set that looks like it.

That's it! I know, it is very small, but this is the first seed, and plus this mod could actually serve as an official patch from the developers!

Installation:

If you do not have a mods folder under AP_DIR\sessions\orcs\ then create a "mods" folder such that the path to the patch is AP_DIR\sessions\orcs\mods. Note that AP_DIR is the Armored Princess folder, on my system it is: C:\Program Files (x86)\1C\King's Bounty. Armored Princess
Extract all *.KFS files specified below to the folder specified above:
1. mod_homm3_tomes_cw.kfs
2. Either ( depending on your localization file set ( note that * means mod_homm3_tomes_cw ) ):
  1. *_eng_lng.kfs ***OR***
  2. *_en_lng.kfs
As this is stage 1 of the alpha phase, there are only game bug fixes, no new content and therefore you should be able to continue your game as is without issue.

By the way, here is my plan regarding the development of this mod (all phases are open to anyone who wants to download the mod and try it):

Alpha Phase
1. Stage 1:
  1. Fix bugs in the game before making any changes.
  2. To the developers: the intent is that this could be incorporated into your official patch system.
1. Stage 2:
  1. Add new game content.
  2. Work with testers to fix any bugs.
  3. Change game mechanics that will most likely require a restart.
Beta Phase:
1. Continue to add new game content as ideas germinate.
2. Try best not to affect game mechanics such that a restart is required.
Release Phase - all issues / ideas have been implemented with no plans of further updates save bug fixes.

To conduct the first part of it, I'm playing Crossworlds right now to fix issues with both Armored Princess and Crossworlds. This also refreshes my memory as towards game play, etc. since I've been playing The Legend for so long.

I'm still playing The Legend and any ideas that come from the AP / CW development may be rolled into my HOMM3 babies mod.

Feel free to post here with respect to bug fixes, etc. that you'd like me to fix, as this topic is going to be for the first stage of the alpha development process and as such, I want to fix bugs and errata in the game files before I start adding new content (and new bugs).

Also, since I'm going to try to release frequent updates, the files changed from update to update should be small and therefore if you are interested in learning how to mod, then this will be perfect for you since the file set will be small and you can ask questions about how the changes were made, etc..

Thanks for participating in the alpha development of this mod!

/C\/C\

P.S. By the way, click for for the forum topic for the AP Alpha.

If you download this file, you must extract TEMPLATES.LNG (inside mod_homm3_tomes_cw.kfs) to your Orcs\mods folder!

A newer update is available below...

MattCaspermeyer · #2 07-11-2012, 05:51 AM

Just another minor update.

This has to do with the fact that Droids are golems and so the Paladin Prayer would not work on them because of this. Now it has been changed such that the Paladin Prayer works on golems as well and so now the description for the skill is accurate.

More details:

Files affected:

mod_homm3_tomes_ap.kfs
- ADDON_SPECIAL_ATTACKS.LUA - removed "golem" from act_feature test

Please download this update below...

If you download this file, you must extract TEMPLATES.LNG (inside mod_homm3_tomes_cw.kfs) to your Orcs\mods folder!

A newer update is available below...

axelle · #3 07-11-2012, 06:54 PM

some screenshots would be nice

MattCaspermeyer · #4 07-13-2012, 06:54 AM

What would you like to see?

There's really not much to show, yet - I could post a screenie of the Ball of Lightning now working if you want to see it, but that's about it. I can't really show you the Paladin's Prayer working on plants because that is hard to capture...

So here's a screenie showing that the Ball of Lightning descriptions now work...

/C\/C\

MattCaspermeyer · #5 07-13-2012, 07:00 AM

I've run into a problem with Crosswolrds and TEMPLATES.LNG inside the KFS file. It seems like it is not reading the file inside of the KFS archive right now for some strange reason that I can't figure out yet.

I don't have this problem with The Legend or Armored Princess, just Crossworlds.

So if you've downloaded my alpha version (either version) of the mod, please extract TEMPLATES.LNG into your Orcs\mods folder (it is inside mod_homm3_tomes_cw.kfs). In the next update, I'll simply have this file by itself in the release so that you can extract it (along with the KFS's) into the mods folder.

I'm not sure why this doesn't work in Crossworlds; if anyone has some insight please let me know - thanks!

/C\/C\

P.S. The screenshot in the previous post was taken with TEMPLATES.LNG extracted to the mods folder.

axelle · #6 07-13-2012, 04:09 PM

use http://imgur.com/ to post screenshots, much easier.

like this:

axelle · #7 07-13-2012, 05:47 PM

looks good btw, keep up the good work! big HoMM3 fan here.

Fatt_Shade · #8 07-14-2012, 05:18 PM

Matt if you want to show something interesting take screenshots from theLegend version of mod, with skill descriptions and some other features that you introduced there to show players here what is available for addon in KB-AP/CW. I think you`ll have more visits and questions/suggestions after that. Good luck, and keep on great work my friend

MattCaspermeyer · #9 07-15-2012, 02:39 AM

Continuing with the micro changes and releasing as I go:

The Orc Tracker's Healer ability states: "The hunter heals and revives nearby friendly animals...". The revive part of that wasn't working so now Orc Trackers can resurrect (revive) a completely dead allied "beast" stack.

Files affected:

mod_homm3_tomes_ap.kfs
- ORC_HUNTER.LUA - added check for corpses in hunter_veterinar_calccells

I've also updated the instructions to include extracting TEMPLATES.LNG separately into the mods folder (don't forget to do that when applying the mod).

/C\/C\

A newer update is available below...

MattCaspermeyer · #10 07-21-2012, 07:01 AM

These changes deal with what is presented in this forum topic: Goblin Shaman 3 cast of astral and then attack?

I felt that this is an area that should have been looked at and fixed long ago by the developers, but it never was. So I decided to change it as part of my mod as a fix, rather than a new feature...

The Goblin Shaman did too much damage for its Astral Attack skill. The skill looks as if it was copied from the Shaman's skill of the same name and the damage not changed.
1. Goblin Shaman Throw Attack is now magic damage (was astral).
2. Goblin Shaman Astral Attack is now Magic Attack.
3. Goblin Shaman Magic Attack damage is now 2-3 (was 20-25 - 90% reduction).
The Blood Shaman's attack did too much damage for its Spirit Rage skill.
1. The damage type for Spirit Rage is now Physical (fire is being considered -was astral before).
2. The damage is left alone for now since Physical damage is easily resisted.
3. Damage is left alone at 7-15 for now...

Files affected:

mod_homm3_tomes_ap.kfs
- GOBLIN_SHAMAN.ATOM
  - Changed "throw" damage type from astral to magic
  - Changed "badabum" damage type from astral to magic
  - Changed "badabum" damage to 2-3
- SHAMAN_BLOOD.ATOM - changed "bs_spirit_rage" damage type from astral to physical
mod_homm3_tomes_cw_en(g)_lng.kfs
- EN(G)_ORCS_RAGE.LNG
  - Changed Astral Attack to Magic Attack
  - Changed description for Magic Attack to accomodate magic damage (was astral, i.e. adamage)
  - Changed damage type for Magic Attack to magic (from astral)
  - Changed damage type for Spirit Rage to Physical (from astral)

I've also attached some screenshots to show these changes. Consider these changes experimental, but I think since the Goblin Shamans still attack after they use their "Magic Attack" that the damage seems to better match their level and leadership now.

The Blood Shaman's damage may still be too high, but I think it is warranted to playtest it some and see what you think. As I mention, physical damage is somewhat easier to resist than astral.

Note the before and after in the pairs of images. The first set is attacking the Goblin Shamans being controlled by Rakush. The first picture shows the new skill description. The second picture shows after the 3 Goblin Shaman stacks attack. For a level 3 unit, they killed 17 of my Demonologists (5 were killed by Rakush's Geyser spell) and still got to attack another unit. Seems pretty fair - before they would have killed my entire Demonologist stack, which seems pretty ridiculous.

The second set of pictures is for the Blood Shaman. The first picture shows the damage type now being Physical, and the second picture shows the number of Demonologists left - they still killed 36 of them! But the Demonologists only had 5% Physical Resistance and so if I had higher Physical Resistance gear, then the damage would have been a lot lower.

Anyway, try it out and let me know what you think.

/C\/C\

Please download the update below...