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| Thread: Mod for adding new creatures, abilities, projectiles and spells |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 3 · «PREV / NEXT» |
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H4Zer0
Tavern Dweller
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posted June 27, 2022 11:38 PM |
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Edited by H4Zer0 at 23:54, 27 Jun 2022.
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NimoStar said:
So, this will recognize the names of previous creatures just like the Creature Ability plugin did, right?
Can't I change the .h files with just a text editor? Abnd just use Visual Studio for generating the dll.
Yes, but instead of writing the creature names in a string format like in CreatureAbilities.json you need to use them like they are defined in the "enum eCreatures" list with the "eCreatures::" prefix.
You can use any text editor like Notepad++ but I really recommend Visual Studio because it has many more advantages like syntax and error checking, code completion etc.
Just like with any new thing we want to learn, the beginning might be a little hard but in a few weeks you will get used to it and in the long run the effort will be very worthwhile 
iliveinabox05 said:
Check your pm's man
Sorry, I'm still learning all of the facilities of this forum 
I've just replied to your pm's.
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NimoStar
Responsible
Legendary Hero
Modding the Unmoddable
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posted June 28, 2022 12:47 AM |
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Thing is that according to MS webpage, typical VS 2019 installation takes anywhere from 20 to 50 GB (and up to over 200!). I don't have either that kind of free space o bandwidth to download all that ATM...
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Never changing = never improving
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AlexSpl
Responsible
Supreme Hero
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posted June 28, 2022 03:48 AM |
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Edited by AlexSpl at 03:58, 28 Jun 2022.
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Quote:
It didn't work for me without loading it separately but maybe I did something wrong when compiling my modified version of h4ms.dll.
Every dll that uses patcher_x86.hpp header loads patcher_x86.dll from the directory where this dll is located, so maybe it was an issue of paths.
Quote:
Thing is that according to MS webpage, typical VS 2019 installation takes anywhere from 20 to 50 GB (and up to over 200!).
For beginners I recommend VS2008 Express Edition (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=104679), but this solution is written with C++11/C++14/C++17 language extensions, so it would require some changes in the code to work with the C++98 standard.
By the way, you can download the latest MS VS here. It's around 2 GB for C++ only, just create an offline installer:
vs_community --layout c:\vslayout --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.NativeDesktop --includeRecommended --lang en-US
and then install:
vs_setup --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.NativeDesktop --includeRecommended
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NimoStar
Responsible
Legendary Hero
Modding the Unmoddable
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posted June 28, 2022 04:12 AM |
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thanks but I don't know how to make the changes to work with "C++ 98" standards, plus VS 2022 doesn't work in Windows 7:
Quote:
Windows 11 Home in S mode, Windows Enterprise IoT, Windows 10 IoT Core, Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC edition, Windows 10 S, and Windows 10 Team Edition. You may use Visual Studio 2022 to build apps that run on these editions of Windows.
Yes, I know win 7 is unsupported in general but VS 2019 would still run.
Anyways, I will try to install Win 11 on another PC soon, but I'm waiting for internet to be fixed (eternal struggle...)
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BTW H4Zer0, did you try to make Magic Resistance work backwards?
Say, instead of having 90% magic resistance, you have minus 50 percent. If it works with a signed integer it's easy.
There is this unused ability in the base game, "Magic Vulnerability" that may imply creatures with negative magic resistance were planned. If you add the icon you can even put it in, does nothing tho (much as the icon for Magic Resistance)
A creature with -50% Magic Resistance would take 50% more damage from spells, for example. Factors that increase its magic resistance to positive numbers would instead first have to negate this disadvantage (for example, casting the Magic Resistance spell would get it to 0%)
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Never changing = never improving
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AlexSpl
Responsible
Supreme Hero
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posted June 28, 2022 11:48 AM |
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Quote:
VS 2022 doesn't work in Windows 7
Actually it does, just skip the warning.
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H4Zer0
Tavern Dweller
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posted June 28, 2022 11:06 PM |
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NimoStar said:
BTW H4Zer0, did you try to make Magic Resistance work backwards?
Say, instead of having 90% magic resistance, you have minus 50 percent. If it works with a signed integer it's easy.
There is this unused ability in the base game, "Magic Vulnerability" that may imply creatures with negative magic resistance were planned. If you add the icon you can even put it in, does nothing tho (much as the icon for Magic Resistance)
A creature with -50% Magic Resistance would take 50% more damage from spells, for example. Factors that increase its magic resistance to positive numbers would instead first have to negate this disadvantage (for example, casting the Magic Resistance spell would get it to 0%)
I tried it right now and it works!
If you put -50% the text is displayed correctly and the creature receives 50% more damage from spells, and with -200% it will receive triple damage!
The "Spell Vulnerability" and "Ignore Wards" abilities are actually used just internally and activated for creatures when the hero has the "Ring of Greater Negation" and the "Ring of Lesser Negation" artifacts.
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NimoStar
Responsible
Legendary Hero
Modding the Unmoddable
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posted June 29, 2022 02:41 AM |
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Edited by NimoStar at 07:22, 29 Jun 2022.
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Very nice. This thing about magic resistance is quite important. We can make creatures that are strong in combat and weak to magic this way.
Or spells that increase the magic vulnerabity of enemies! That would be cool.
About the abilities i think we are talking of different things.
Ignore magic resistance ability works as ring of greater negation
Ignore wards works as ring of lesser negation.
But this third ability is just "spell vulnerability" and does neither
They are three different ones,i can show you in ultimate later, but i guess you can search in ability list written in hexes in the exes
BTW, do you plan that hooking up new artifacts will also be possible within your system?
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PS:
Installed the goddamned visual studio. gee, the things one does for a bit of modding. Do I need the windows SDK as well?
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Never changing = never improving
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karmakeld
Responsible
Supreme Hero
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posted June 29, 2022 08:58 PM |
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H4ZerO just want to congratulate you on the progress. I just replied to you in another thread that no one had succesfully added creatures or spells yet, great to see you've broken the code and found useful info in some of our older posts.
Oh and a BIG welcome to the community ;D
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knotter
Tavern Dweller
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posted June 29, 2022 09:03 PM |
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Hello everyone. I tried to add magic to the original monks using scripts for adding new creatures and adding spells to them. And everything worked out. I also had to add links to spellcast animation frames. Without them, the game does not crash, but spells are simply not cast. Magic!
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H4Zer0
Tavern Dweller
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posted June 29, 2022 10:55 PM |
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Edited by H4Zer0 at 23:08, 29 Jun 2022.
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NimoStar said:
Ignore magic resistance ability works as ring of greater negation
Ignore wards works as ring of lesser negation.
But this third ability is just "spell vulnerability" and does neither
They are three different ones,i can show you in ultimate later, but i guess you can search in ability list written in hexes in the exes
I was referring to the ones with ids 3F and 1F, which is the id of the third one that you are referring to? For example from this list of this post of yours:
[url]http://heroescommunity.com/viewthread.php3?TID=37350&PID=1391554#focus[/url]
NimoStar said:
BTW, do you plan that hooking up new artifacts will also be possible within your system?
Yes, I'm planning on looking on how the Equi team added new artifacts and also changed the advanced classes because I want to make some improvements to the weakest ones.
NimoStar said:
Installed the goddamned visual studio. gee, the things one does for a bit of modding. Do I need the windows SDK as well?
Iirc the Windows SDK was not necessary, you can install it anyway later if it's really needed.
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H4Zer0
Tavern Dweller
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posted June 29, 2022 11:12 PM |
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Edited by H4Zer0 at 23:25, 29 Jun 2022.
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@karmakeld
Thank you, it's a really nice and friendly community
@knotter
Very nice, I'm glad you managed to add spells to the monks
You have to indeed add links to the spellcast animation frames of the creature in its combat_actor file, or if it doesn't have them you can use
its melee attack animation frames for example, like I did for the Pit Fiends:
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NimoStar
Responsible
Legendary Hero
Modding the Unmoddable
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posted June 30, 2022 09:37 AM |
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Weird to see editing creature sprite list in java, I just do it in hex editor as I first started doing it years before and was the first one to do it...
But anyways, I had released the full actors YEARS ago, I reccomend you just copy those, else my painstaking hex editing has been in vain ; )
Here is a rerelease:
https://www.moddb.com/mods/greatest-mod/addons/heroes-iv-creaturepack-full-actors-ranged-spellcast#downloadsform
These have all the Ranged and Spellcast frames filled, just pack them, nithing will changeunless you use ranged or spellcast action on the creatures.
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Quote:
I was referring to the ones with ids 3F and 1F, which is the id of the third one that you are referring to? For example from this list of this post of yours:
Don't remember the hex codes now as was just using the JSON. However there is an ignore magic resistance ability (which is unlisted there), an Ignore Wards ability (the two you mention)
and another third, separate Spell Vulnerability unused trait for marking what I believe is theoretical negative magic resistance.
There is also a fourth unused by default related ability which also works Ignore Mind Immunity.
I have used the three abilities that work in Ultimate, but Spell Vulnerability truly seems to do nothing (much like Magic Resistance).
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It is great news that you will work on artifacts and advanced classes.
Another thing we would need is creating Order Ward, Nature Ward and perhaps even Might Ward abilities. It is very unfair that only Chaos, Death and Life have abilities that Ward against them, while the other factions are free to do as they please.
And of course, a system for at least regulating the numbers in skills (from spell points granted to necromancy to charm). I know you canonly work on one thing at once and I'm willing to wait or to do it myself if needed, but just filling out easy tasks for a more complete modding system.
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Never changing = never improving
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H4Zer0
Tavern Dweller
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posted July 01, 2022 05:22 PM |
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Thanks but for now I prefer to use H4ResourceEditor for changing the sprites list.
Regarding those animations, do you know if the heroes and creatures "block", "melee_up" and "melee_down" animations are used anywhere in the game? Because I don't think I've seen them.
I've checked again and it seems I've missed the third ability you were talking about, it is indeed the "Ignore Magic Resistance" one
I will try to find if it's used anywhere in the code or what purpose it has.
Order and Nature Wards should be pretty easy to create, maybe even the Might one.
Yes of course, all of these will take some time but I want to eventually add as many things as possible, even a battle queue like the one from the HD Mod for H3.
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iliveinabox05
Honorable
Famous Hero
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posted July 01, 2022 06:09 PM |
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H4Zer0 said:
Thanks but for now I prefer to use H4ResourceEditor for changing the sprites list.
The only reasonable way to do it 
H4Zer0 said:
Regarding those animations, do you know if the heroes and creatures "block", "melee_up" and "melee_down" animations are used anywhere in the game? Because I don't think I've seen them.
The "melee_*" animations should be used when attacking units on towers during siege battles.
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H4Zer0
Tavern Dweller
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posted July 01, 2022 08:12 PM |
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iliveinabox05 said:
The "melee_*" animations should be used when attacking units on towers during siege battles.
Thanks, didn't notice this detail of the siege battles, very interesting idea of the H4 designers for including this
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NimoStar
Responsible
Legendary Hero
Modding the Unmoddable
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posted July 02, 2022 07:12 AM |
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Edited by NimoStar at 07:18, 02 Jul 2022.
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Quote:
Thanks but for now I prefer to use H4ResourceEditor for changing the sprites list.
Unnecesary... they are all already filled. By hand. As I anticipated this moment! 
And abyays in H4resourceeditor you need to change/copy paste 8 times for a single anim. In hex editing, you just copy-paste all eight facings at once. Easy peasy.
See, other people shill for M$ C++ and say anything else is inferior, I have the right to shill too 
Quote:
Thanks but for now I prefer to use H4ResourceEditor for changing the sprites list.
This but also take into account:
- Only three directins have different anim
- Not all creatures use them
- They ae also used when attacking through wall AFAIK
Block is never used for creatures without the block ability.
I don't remember if I added it too or not in my pack, it's been many years. But block shield sprite always appears anyways.
Anyways, here's the thing:
- We need an artifact/skill that gives block so that heroes block sprites are used.
- We need to change block ability as 100% block is frustrating. I suggest instead of 40% chance of 100% damage blocked, we do 50% chance of 75% damage blocked. Math of damage prevented is about the same, but this disallows things such as "1 minotaur survives attack by 20 black dragons"
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Never changing = never improving
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Blake00
Known Hero
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posted July 10, 2022 05:44 PM |
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kkfkkkfk
Adventuring Hero
Nothing is impossible
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posted July 17, 2022 11:54 AM |
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Well done.
All neutral Army will be forcibly divided into 3 groups during the battle in Equilibris.
I wonder if there is any way to change it back.
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Albyx
Known Hero
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posted July 17, 2022 01:36 PM |
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Windows started thinking that h4ms.dll is a virus. It didn't happen before, but at some point Windows defender started deleting it. But it works with your version, maybe you had same problem?
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karmakeld
Responsible
Supreme Hero
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posted July 23, 2022 03:31 PM |
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Albyx said:
Windows started thinking that h4ms.dll is a virus. It didn't happen before, but at some point Windows defender started deleting it. But it works with your version, maybe you had same problem?
I think this is a common issue with Win 8 and surely Win 10. Cant you add it, to safe programs so it wont think it's a virus?
Same goes with Equilibris, likely cause its recognized it as a russian program.
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