|
| Thread: Some questions about modding |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 · NEXT» |
|
Hive
Tavern Dweller
|
posted May 23, 2013 03:51 PM |
|
|
Some questions about modding
Hi
I'm a long time Heroes III fan who recently "rediscovered" the game. Long story short; I'm looking to mod it. And as such, I have been reading a bunch of different threads on these boards and have looked at some different mods... but I'm still a bit unsure about exactly what can be done and what cannot be done.
So, I'm hoping that some more knowledgeable people could be so kind as to enlighten me:
1) Is it possible to add new creatures without removing old ones? And if so, is there a hardcoded limit?
2) Are the creature special abilities (like the double damage of the Dread Knight and Death Stare of the Mighty Gorgon) hardcoded?
3) Can new creature special abilities be added?
4) Can new grail types be added?
5) Can new towns be added without removing old ones?
6) Can new hero abilities be added?
7) Can new heroes be added without removing old ones?
8) Can a creature be given a spellbook, like in later Heroes games?
9) Is it possible to do extensive editing without using the WoG mod?
Thanks in advance!
____________
|
|
Warmonger
Promising
Legendary Hero
fallen artist
|
posted May 23, 2013 04:05 PM |
|
|
Quote:
Is it possible to do extensive editing without using the WoG mod?
No. The only way to do all these is to write ERM scripts, which however may be not mutually compatible or reusable.
You can add new creatures only with ERA and Amethyst (?) plugin nobody uses or with VCMI, but this version if far from complete. Adding new towns is also possible only in VCMI, unless you're member of HoTA team 
____________
The future of Heroes 3 is here!
|
|
Hive
Tavern Dweller
|
|
posted May 23, 2013 05:57 PM |
|
|
Quote:
No. The only way to do all these is to write ERM scripts, which however may be not mutually compatible or reusable.
You can add new creatures only with ERA and Amethyst (?) plugin nobody uses or with VCMI, but this version if far from complete. Adding new towns is also possible only in VCMI, unless you're member of HoTA team
But is ERA dependent on WOG, or can I use ERA without WOG?
And are you saying that the HoTA team, as the only ones, found a way to add new towns - but refuse to share their technique with others?
____________
|
|
Macron1
Supreme Hero
|
|
posted May 23, 2013 06:12 PM |
|
Edited by Macron1 at 18:15, 23 May 2013.
|
Quote:
And are you saying that the HoTA team, as the only ones, found a way to add new towns - but refuse to share their technique with others?
This is not the only one thing they refuse to give humanity:-)
Screenshots of their towns are also their sacred property.
HotA altrough is based on H3 sources, so there is no WOG/ERM/ERA support for it's exe.
So if you don't need scripts, you better look for VCMI.
|
|
OxFEA
Promising
Famous Hero
feanor on DF2.ru
|
|
posted May 24, 2013 10:57 PM |
|
|
Quote:
1) Is it possible to add new creatures without removing old ones? And if so, is there a hardcoded limit?
Yes.
Quote:
2) Are the creature special abilities (like the double damage of the Dread Knight and Death Stare of the Mighty Gorgon) hardcoded?
Yes.
Quote:
3) Can new creature special abilities be added?
Yes.
Quote:
4) Can new grail types be added?
Yes.
Quote:
5) Can new towns be added without removing old ones?
No*.
Quote:
6) Can new hero abilities be added?
Yes.
Quote:
7) Can new heroes be added without removing old ones?
No*.
Quote:
8) Can a creature be given a spellbook, like in later Heroes games?
Maybe.
Quote:
9) Is it possible to do extensive editing without using the WoG mod?
No*.
*) "No" is shortage for "No, unless you want to spend countless ages"
|
|
Hive
Tavern Dweller
|
|
posted May 25, 2013 09:26 AM |
|
|
Thanks for the replies, guys. I'll see what I can do within the given limits.
I must say though that I'm a bit shocked that some modders are keeping secrets from others; I'm used to modding communities that help each other out and share work. But oh well.
____________
|
|
Hive
Tavern Dweller
|
|
posted May 28, 2013 11:29 AM |
|
|
So... let me see if I got this correct:
Unless I use WoG or VCMII (which is also WoG), I can't do any proper modding? There's no way to just mod vanilla Heroes III Complete - apart from the HoTA way, which they refuse to share?
____________
|
|
gnollking
Supreme Hero
|
|
posted May 28, 2013 11:45 AM |
|
|
Quote:
There's no way to just mod vanilla Heroes III Complete - apart from the HoTA way, which they refuse to share?
Apart from editing/modifying the current game files and just adding map objects, nope. I've not been able to do anything else (not saying that I'm a good modder or anything). There are three unused artifacts though, those can be used as well. And actually, four unused creatures, but those I've no idea how to implement.
____________
|
|
Hive
Tavern Dweller
|
|
posted May 28, 2013 12:39 PM |
|
|
Quote:
Apart from editing/modifying the current game files and just adding map objects, nope. I've not been able to do anything else (not saying that I'm a good modder or anything). There are three unused artifacts though, those can be used as well. And actually, four unused creatures, but those I've no idea how to implement.
Hmm okay, thanks. That's really too bad, as I'm not a fan of all the changes made by the WoG team.
Three unused artifacts and four unused creatures sure ain't much...
____________
|
|
Warmonger
Promising
Legendary Hero
fallen artist
|
|
posted May 28, 2013 12:43 PM |
|
|
Quote:
That's really too bad, as I'm not a fan of all the changes made by the WoG team
That's why you can DISABLE pretty much all of them. No one forces you to play with all the ridiculous scripts in existence.
____________
The future of Heroes 3 is here!
|
|
Hive
Tavern Dweller
|
|
posted May 28, 2013 01:16 PM |
|
|
Quote:
Quote:
That's really too bad, as I'm not a fan of all the changes made by the WoG team
That's why you can DISABLE pretty much all of them. No one forces you to play with all the ridiculous scripts in existence.
Ah, I see. I misunderstood VCMII's dependency on WoG then.
____________
|
|
Salamandre
Admirable
Omnipresent Hero
Wog refugee
|
|
posted May 28, 2013 11:11 PM |
|
|
You misunderstood almost all.
First, Hota team does not refuse sharing techniques or screens, they are just not interested babysitting modders. You want to learn technique, you open the exe and learn, it is not protected.
Secondly, VCMI is one thing, WoG/Era is another. VCMI is not yet ready for complex modifications but you can add already a lot of content, which in Era wasn't possible.
Third, WoG/Era does not change the game. It is you who change it depending which options you enable. For instance if you start the game with SoD mod enabled, you will get 100% SoD but have the possibility to add your own scripts in.
____________
Era II mods and utilities
|
|
Warmonger
Promising
Legendary Hero
fallen artist
|
|
posted May 29, 2013 06:23 AM |
|
|
Quote:
You want to learn technique, you open the exe and learn, it is not protected.
Yeah, if you want to learn about electronics, just open your PC and investigate all the circuits with magnifying glass. It's that easy. People just do it all the time, already 0 teams managed to do the same what HoTA did.
What you say is not true, Sal, modders complained that some HoTA files are encrypted. How can you claim that they share something if it's encrypted?
HoTA is private, closed project and telling random newcomers they should recreate it is just ridiculous.
Quote:
they are just not interested babysitting modders.
Modders need to be babysitted since ERM/ some of ERA modding is just damn hard and not many people can understand it at all. You can't expect people to spend a year learning everything on their own just to change one thing.
____________
The future of Heroes 3 is here!
|
|
Salamandre
Admirable
Omnipresent Hero
Wog refugee
|
|
posted May 29, 2013 07:30 AM |
|
|
I just gave a short answer to someone who don't read forums before making questions cascade. What files are encrypted? I have HoTA and I can open everything, including the Hota.exe with any basic hex editor.
Anyway, HotA will have its place in a museum from now, given that VCMI can add new towns so easy. As for ERM, yes is hard. But people who spent time to learn it are willing to help others, assuming there is a little effort on the other side, not just asking for ready things. Time is precious.
|
|
Sav
Known Hero
|
|
posted May 29, 2013 09:09 AM |
|
|
HotA.dat is encrypted. It contain texts, creatures stats etc.
This encryption isn`t necessary but it was made long ago for unknown (for me) reason and now there is no reason wasting time removing it. When there will be new format of storing data, it won`t be encrypted.
|
|
Hive
Tavern Dweller
|
|
posted May 30, 2013 11:14 AM |
|
|
Quote:
I just gave a short answer to someone who don't read forums before making questions cascade.
I've been reading this forum for several weeks but did not find the answers to me questions. So I asked them. Harmless enough, I'd think. I didn't mean to stirr up anything, and I apologize if I offended anyone.
Quote:
But people who spent time to learn it are willing to help others, assuming there is a little effort on the other side, not just asking for ready things. Time is precious.
I never asked for "ready things".
Really, there's no reason for getting so hostile.
____________
|
|
Salamandre
Admirable
Omnipresent Hero
Wog refugee
|
|
posted May 30, 2013 06:42 PM |
|
|
Wasn't directed at you. It happens that very often people ask for x/y script, we do it for them then they don't even bother to look again at thread or say thanks at least. That's why it is advised to give help only if there is motivation on the other side, not just questions.
____________
Era II mods and utilities
|
|
Macron1
Supreme Hero
|
|
posted June 07, 2013 06:36 PM |
|
|
Can I use this theme and ask a question?
I have some PNGs with transparent background (i open them in Paint.NET).
But when i try to convert them to BMP (without transparency, with IrfanView) and give these files to H3DefTool, there i see some noir around graphics (i think these PNGs were from JPG files with transparency).
Is there is a way to replace in batch mode transparency pixels to H3 standart background colour (like RGB as 0,255,255)?
I don't like an idea to do it by hands.
|
|
Hobbit
Supreme Hero
|
|
posted June 07, 2013 07:33 PM |
|
Edited by Hobbit at 19:33, 07 Jun 2013.
|
Quote:
Anyway, HotA will have its place in a museum from now, given that VCMI can add new towns so easy.
It would have there if VCMI worked in the same way as HotA or even SoD... but well - it's not that easy as it looks like.
VCMI is (kind of) good for modders, HotA is good for players. Even with 4 towns VCMI is at the moment less playable than HotA or ERA. I don't know why any of them would have to be placed in any museum.
Quote:
I don't like an idea to do it by hands.
I'm afraid it's the best idea.
____________
Horn of the
Abyss on AcidCave
|
|
Macron1
Supreme Hero
|
|
posted June 07, 2013 08:27 PM |
|
Edited by Macron1 at 20:28, 07 Jun 2013.
|
Quote:
I'm afraid it's the best idea.
Don't believe in a second that this is not automated. It's only because Iview don't understand transparency.
|
|
|
|
