Work in Progress - Conquests of Might and Magic III

[tom2050]

Conquest of Might and Magic III
- Development Thread

Status:
-------
Civilizations - 100%
Leaderheads - 75%
Overall Graphics - 90%
Resources - 100%
Advances - 99%
Improvements and wonders - 99%
Governments - 100%
Units - 98%
Civilopedia - 80%
Maps - 30%
Terrain - 92%
Epic Game - 99%
Initial Scenario - 15% (Restoration of Erathia will come with inital release, other scenarios will continue to follow)
Other (Includes all misc things) - 80%
----------------


Posts showing current creatures:

View The HERO List here (with unit pics and previews)... the post is updated regularly.

Neutrals
Castle
Conflux
Dungeon
Fortress
Inferno
Necropolis
Rampart
Stronghold
Tower



This is debugged while being created. So right now there are ZERO errors, and when released, I expect there to be ZERO errors. I can't stand errors, they are annoying, so I make a point to get rid of them all!


ORIGINAL POST when thread was created (with some edits):
----------------------------------------------------------

Welcome! One of my all-time beloved great games Heroes of Might and Magic III. I have decided to do a Civ III conversion of this epic great.

For those who are familiar with HOMMIII, it is obvious that many of the gameplay elements are impossible to implement into CivIII. I have in mind the best way to incorporate Heroes gameplay into the CivIII world, and look forward to jumping into it! Much needs to be done though, so I have my work ahead of me!

Things to do:
- create new terrain graphics based off of the Heroes game. EDIT: Terrain is very close to complete.
- creating new City View Background screens to show your city grow as you build creature structures. EDIT: Not possible to do, idea was scratched.
- incorporate the sounds and music of the game (if 3DO doesn't mind)
- possibly create new unit graphics for those that are not available. EDIT: Will include many recolourations as well as convertions.
- will likely be released as a completed modpack, as well as scenarios based off of the game (Restoration of Erathia, Armageddon's Blade, or Shadow of Death anyone?)
- Civ's will include the originals: Conflux, Castle, Dungeon, Fortress, Inferno, Necropolis, Rampart, Stronghold, and Tower.
- Scenarios will have preplaced units (that guard passes as in the original game), whereas Epic games do not have the ability to do this.
- probably much more, although I have only started work.
- Resources such as Wood, Ore, Crystal, Gems, Mercury, and Sulfur will be required for units/creature structures. EDIT: Over 150 Resources will be available to the player (Bonus, Strategic, Luxury).
- Magic played a big part in the HOMM universe, but there is likely no real way of implementing this into CivIII. EDIT: Magic has been incorporated into every aspect of this mod thanks to HoMM3 (80+ spells included all with Civ3 unit graphics), and thanks to the help I have received from the community.

Since the basis of Heroes was the battles between Heroes and their armies, Armies will be included in this mod, but will (unfortunately) not be able to be overly powerful, due to AI shortcomings in using them. EDIT: Armies (Heroes) will be unique to each Civ, and each civ must select between Might and Magic (but can change during gameplay); also AI will have the same Army capabilities as the human player in how many they will have.

Comments and Suggestions are more than welcome, as any ideas are greatly appeciated as I gather my 'need to do list' for when I begin.

Tom

 

[General 666]

Years ago I was used to have some Hotseat games with a friend of mine...

We have more than just one graphic from HOMM3 here. Additionally there are a lot of fitting Techs,Wonders,Buildings,Units and Terrain files of all kind here. You should have no problem finding things.
By the way ,you know that it is the best to look out for files in the Library AND dl all exisiting Fantasy Mods ?
Do ,at least, test-play them all. Than you will see ,why this is my advice in the moment. (Watch out for GFX (Graphics) ; FX (Sounds) ; Unit Settings ; AI Settings)

Bye
General 666

 

[Ogedei_the_Mad]

Interesting. aaglo's fantastical creatures will find nice homes here.

Also, just so that you're aware: City-view screens are disabled in any modded games.

 

[Grandraem]

To me new fantasy mods are always welcome. I don't really know much about HOMM, but as long as the mod is well laid out I'm sure I'll enjoy it as a fantasy mod. Your comment, "- possibly create new unit graphics for those that are not available," has me curious (and hopeful!).

Please keep us updated from time to time on how the mod is going.

 

[tom2050]

Years ago I was used to have some Hotseat games with a friend of mine...

We have more than just one graphic from HOMM3 here. Additionally there are a lot of fitting Techs,Wonders,Buildings,Units and Terrain files of all kind here. You should have no problem finding things.
By the way ,you know that it is the best to look out for files in the Library AND dl all exisiting Fantasy Mods ?
Do ,at least, test-play them all. Than you will see ,why this is my advice in the moment. (Watch out for GFX (Graphics) ; FX (Sounds) ; Unit Settings ; AI Settings)

It still is a great game, HOMMIV and V I don't think quite lived up to expectations among the hardcore Heroes fans, but many games have fallen in that category

Thanks for the info, I will go and check out all the existing fantasy mods. I did not think about doing that, but have found some graphics that I did not see in the downloads and unit forums sections. Some great recoloured graphics among other things have been found.

Interesting. aaglo's fantastical creatures will find nice homes here.

Also, just so that you're aware: City-view screens are disabled in any modded games.

Yes, Aaglo amassed a terrific many fantasy creatues, which are all wonderful! As well as many of the other great unit makers.

That is quite a disappointment about the city-view screens. I never paid any attention to it being disabled in modded games. I wonder if there is any way to turn it on in modded games, it is probably a function either in the .biq file or the .exe file... maybe I will research a little bit and see if I can find anything.

To me new fantasy mods are always welcome. I don't really know much about HOMM, but as long as the mod is well laid out I'm sure I'll enjoy it as a fantasy mod. Your comment, "- possibly create new unit graphics for those that are not available," has me curious (and hopeful!).

Please keep us updated from time to time on how the mod is going.

Well, there are some graphics that I don't see which will be needed. I can do recolourings fairly easy and quickly, so it's likely many recolourings will be included, which I can upload to the database as well. I believe I remember seeing some Genies graphics around (may have been the Djinn, which I can use), but some others I will possibly make if I cannot find are:
Troglodytes
Imps
Gremlins (the Santa Gremlin will be interesting )
Pixies
Lizardmen (these might be around somewhere)
Gogs (Fireball throwing demons)
Golems (with at least 4 recolorings for each golem type, most likely more)
Serpent Flies (some graphics have been found that may be useable)
Cerberus (3 headed dog) - I could have sworn I have seen this before, but now cannot locate, I could use the flesh hound and add in 2 more heads
Basilisk
A new Elemental may be needed
Manticore
Cyclops (I think these are around also)
Bone Dragon
A few others

If someone knows where one of these is, please let me know... I have all the programs to create animations (and started learning them a year ago, but actually making good graphics is tougher than I initially thought it would be), but given some practice I should be able to pump out some decent looking graphics.

After some thought, I've decided to create an Epic game as well as several scenarios which chronicle the original campaigns to an extent, as the campaigns were quite interesting in HOMMIII.

Tom

 

[Balthasar]

I use three primary sources for finding units:

1. The download database
2. The Unit Makers Library (desperately needs updating)
3. GI Dustin's File Emporium

There are actually other libraries out there, I've stumbled upon them myself, but I keep losing the URL's. These include Apolyton sites and Civ sites in other languages. Perhaps someone could direct you to the better ones. The only things I saw on your list that couldn't be filled in with some existing unit (that I know of) would be the Manticore and the Cyclops.

Hope that helps.

 

[nick0515]

Excellent idea!!! I loved that game. And your so right that it went down hill after HOMM III.

re the units:
Lizardmen (Some in Warhammer Fantasy scenario)
A new Elemental may be needed (lots of different varieties of them I'm sure)
Bone Dragon (think there's one of these around)

Can't wait for you to get started on this. Will be awesome!

Re Maigc in Civ III. I've been giving this a great deal of though for my own fantasy scenario. There aren't many options. Cruise missile type units can be used as spells and transported by magic using units. Enslave can be used for necromancy to generate skelleton units. Or I have thought about using enslave as a general kind of summoning magic to summon all kinds of madical creatures. Reacon missions and re-base missions can be used for magical sight and teleporting. I think it is possible to represent magic in Civ III but it's a bit crude and rather limited. Also the AI can't handle some of the things I mentioned.

Anyway, good luck with the project. I'll be keeping a close eye on this thread and if I can help in anyway I will!

Nick

 

[Grandraem]

I did not think about doing that, but have found some graphics that I did not see in the downloads and unit forums sections. Some great recoloured graphics among other things have been found.

Yes, there's always a good source of 'extras' in some mods. My mod will have new graphics included in it that I'm not releasing ahead of time. Hopefully there might be something in there you might be able to use (if I get my mod done before yours).

As Nick said, there are actually quite a few lizardmen for download that Kinboat made. I had a list as I was going to replace one of my civs in my mod with the Malpheggi Lizardmen now that I've got an acceptable LH for them.

You said you think there's a Cyclops around, but I don't remember seeing one. If you find it, please post the link here (yes, I know I could search for 'Cyclops', just lazy to do so).

Gremlins and the Bone Dragon I always wanted to make, but I know that I'll probably never really get around to some active unit making other than C&P.

A Cerberus would be very cool as well.

 

[tom2050]

I use three primary sources for finding units:

1. The download database
2. The Unit Makers Library (desperately needs updating)
3. GI Dustin's File Emporium

There are actually other libraries out there, I've stumbled upon them myself, but I keep losing the URL's. These include Apolyton sites and Civ sites in other languages. Perhaps someone could direct you to the better ones. The only things I saw on your list that couldn't be filled in with some existing unit (that I know of) would be the Manticore and the Cyclops.

Hope that helps.

Thank you for the links... I forgot about Gi Dustin's site. It's nice that there are previews set up there for easy viewing. For Manticore and Cyclops I will probably have to re-familiarize myself with Poser and attempt some models that way.

Excellent idea!!! I loved that game. And your so right that it went down hill after HOMM III.

re the units:
Lizardmen (Some in Warhammer Fantasy scenario)
A new Elemental may be needed (lots of different varieties of them I'm sure)
Bone Dragon (think there's one of these around)

Can't wait for you to get started on this. Will be awesome!

Re Maigc in Civ III. I've been giving this a great deal of though for my own fantasy scenario. There aren't many options. Cruise missile type units can be used as spells and transported by magic using units. Enslave can be used for necromancy to generate skelleton units. Or I have thought about using enslave as a general kind of summoning magic to summon all kinds of madical creatures. Reacon missions and re-base missions can be used for magical sight and teleporting. I think it is possible to represent magic in Civ III but it's a bit crude and rather limited. Also the AI can't handle some of the things I mentioned.

Anyway, good luck with the project. I'll be keeping a close eye on this thread and if I can help in anyway I will!

Nick

Yes, I remember when HOMM5 came out, they changed the basic foundation of the game, and it strayed too far off what made it great (IMO). HOMM3 (just like Civ3) are the classics...

Magic is almost impossible to put in Civ 3 . The telepad feature could possibly be used in some situations also. I was distraught from the fact that city view screen can't be used in modded games! I was going to redo those to show the HOMM3 city screens.. Maybe I can find the magic switch in the .exe or .biq file to turn it on!

Yes, there's always a good source of 'extras' in some mods. My mod will have new graphics included in it that I'm not releasing ahead of time. Hopefully there might be something in there you might be able to use (if I get my mod done before yours).

As Nick said, there are actually quite a few lizardmen for download that Kinboat made. I had a list as I was going to replace one of my civs in my mod with the Malpheggi Lizardmen now that I've got an acceptable LH for them.

You said you think there's a Cyclops around, but I don't remember seeing one. If you find it, please post the link here (yes, I know I could search for 'Cyclops', just lazy to do so).

Gremlins and the Bone Dragon I always wanted to make, but I know that I'll probably never really get around to some active unit making other than C&P.

A Cerberus would be very cool as well.

I might be able to C&P the cerberus from the flesh hound that is available.. sometimes C&P comes out rough looking if it's not meticulously done. I think I found the Lizardmen from Kinboat; it's amazing how many units are out there, I really had no idea (the thousands) since I never dwelled through them all since I joined the site some years ago. Mindboggling really. I may have mistaken the Cyclops for the Hill Giant (or something similar) as I haven't seen one either now.

I did the first recolour of Kinboat's original Griffin, to make the Royal Griffin.


Tom

 

[Grandraem]

The Griffin looks great. Nice job on the conversion. I see that Balthasar had already mentioned the Cyclops before me. Oops. For the lizardmen, don't forget to also search for the 'Saurus' and 'Skink' units if you haven't already. They may not be lizardmen exactly but they're close enough to help fill out the ranks.

 

[nick0515]

Yeah that's such a shame you can't see the city veiw in mods. Would really have helped create the feeling of the original game. Good luck finding the on switch!

 

[General 666]

Thanks for the info, I will go and check out all the existing fantasy mods. I did not think about doing that, but have found some graphics that I did not see in the downloads and unit forums sections. Some great recoloured graphics among other things have been found.

What about my personal list ?
Dragonia
Dungeons & Dragons - Mystara
Fantasy Empires
Lord of Middle Earth
Master Of Myrror Returns
Midgard Fantasy MOD
Warhammer Fantasy MOD 2.5 (+several sub-scenarios).
These are the Mods that I`m aware of that share the most with the world of HOMM.
You should even find an unreleased Unit here and there. (new or recolor)

For the Guards that blocking the way ,you can place ten defenders above a fortress. Don`t forget to give the defenders the enslavement feature ,he he.

Bye
General 666

 

[tom2050]

The Griffin looks great. Nice job on the conversion. I see that Balthasar had already mentioned the Cyclops before me. Oops. For the lizardmen, don't forget to also search for the 'Saurus' and 'Skink' units if you haven't already. They may not be lizardmen exactly but they're close enough to help fill out the ranks.

Thanks, the Skink works perfect for what I need.

Yeah that's such a shame you can't see the city veiw in mods. Would really have helped create the feeling of the original game. Good luck finding the on switch!

I suppose the Temple build screen is also disabled then? I could actually use either one just as an extra.. but I don't believe seeing that one either in a modded game.

What about my personal list ?
Dragonia
Dungeons & Dragons - Mystara
Fantasy Empires
Lord of Middle Earth
Master Of Myrror Returns
Midgard Fantasy MOD
Warhammer Fantasy MOD 2.5 (+several sub-scenarios).
These are the Mods that I`m aware of that share the most with the world of HOMM.
You should even find an unreleased Unit here and there. (new or recolor)

For the Guards that blocking the way ,you can place ten defenders above a fortress. Don`t forget to give the defenders the enslavement feature ,he he.

Thank You for the list, it has already helped me out already.

Guards, I suppose, will have to be only available on the scenarios I create, since there is no way to set them up in the epic game. I agree, they will probably need some toughening up to be able to resist a human player for long.

Like this poor Halberdier, desperately trying to guard these precious Ore resources



The Efreet Sultan (my recolouring of Aaglo's Djinn) - Download this here!


Genie (my recolouring of Aaglo's Djinn) - Download this here!

Tom

 

[nick0515]

I suppose the Temple build screen is also disabled then? I could actually use either one just as an extra.. but I don't believe seeing that one either in a modded game.

Yep.

The Efreet Sultan (my recolouring of Aaglo's Djinn)
View attachment 222628View attachment 222630

Master Genie (my recolouring of Aaglo's Djinn)
View attachment 222644View attachment 222645


Tom

Those look great! This is gonna be a sweet mod!

 

[Grandraem]

Efreet and Genie look great. I might try to poach the efreet off of you for a D&D Efreet later on as a patch. Aaglo's Djinn is great, and you did a great colour conversion.

 

[General 666]

Cool recolors ! Where`s the dl link ?

 

[tom2050]

There's actually 2 of each. I did an Efreet and an Efreet Sultan, as well as the Genie and Master Genie. The Genie though is too bright of a blue, so I need to recolour it again to fix it. The Efreet is the same as the Sultan, but with a different magical cloud colour.

I have a horde more recolourings to do in order to get/differentiate creatures and their upgrades. I was going to release them all when this mod is released, but if someone specifically needs one before this is released (which has no date yet, could be years away j/k) just PM me.

They will all come with recoloured PCX files as well.

Tom

 

[nick0515]

Hey Tom how hard is it to do recolourings? What programmes do you use? I might need to do some recolouring for my own fantasy scenario.

 

[tom2050]

It's actually pretty simple to do. Each of these took about 30-45 minutes or so on average. I have Adobe Photoshop, but I'm sure most other programs can edit the color palettes as well. I use Flicster to export the animation files to PCX formats, then open the PCX in Photoshop. The PCX files have indexed color palettes (256 colours). In Photoshop (the version I have at least) you can go to Image -> Mode -> Color Table, which then shows the 256 palette the image is using.
The first 2 colors are usually the transparent colors (magnenta/green) and the last few rows are the civ colors.

Then it is just a matter of adjusting the appropriate individual colors to get what you want. To keep the colors in sync with the original though, I usually adjust the RGB values or the HSB (Hue Saturation Brightness) in a systematic way so the colors still blend together well as they do in the originals.

Photoshop allows you to use the eyedropper tool to pick a color on the palette, and then it shows where those colors are used in the actual PCX file. This is an easy way to determine which colors need to be recoloured and which do not.

At first I had trouble figuring out the palette system (it seemed like a pain) but once you play around with it a bit, it is fairly easy.

As far as the PCX files go (lg, sm), that was just a matter of selecting the appropriate areas to color adjust and then making the color adjustment using Hue, Saturation, Brightness, Colorizing the individual portions to be able to match it up with the FLC.

What program do you have? I'm not sure if there is a thread out there, but perhaps a thread regarding how to recolour units would be a good idea, and different people could create tutorials on how to do so with different paint programs.

Tom

 

[nick0515]

Thanks for the detailed responce Tom.

That actually sounds pretty easy. I don't have Photoshop but I have GIMP which is pretty good (and free ). The palette stuff shouldn't be a problem for me as I've been playing around with that a lot while trying to make various terrain graphics.

Haven't used HSB (Hue Saturation Brightness) before but hopefully GIMP has a similar function.

A tutorial thread would be a good idea.