r/heroes3 • u/OlegRu • Jul 25 '23

Question - Solved Help on HOMM3 stuff to install + getting it working as original.

I want to get back to playing HOMM3 - starting with the basic and then through expansions. Also being able to play online would be cool.

I did this a few years ago and encountered some issues, so just wanted to clarify how to get best experience.

What I remember from last time:

  • I followed on directions online (maybe reddit) on which Heroes 3 to install etc.
  • I remember it was to def. get the Complete from GOG, not the HD from Steam.
  • Then there was something like HDMod and HoTA. I don't quite remember what they were now.
  • I remember when I was trying to just play the campaigns, there were directories and files I'd have to look up in the game and figure out which order to play them, instead of just having it all integrated officially and smoothly bundled as the real game, I even had to make myself a list so I knew the order. This wasn't pleasant.

Questions:

  1. How do I make it so I can easily access the bundled campaigns/campaign "episodes", as intended in the original game?
  2. Does having the expansions on there still allow me to play starting at the basic game?
  3. Is there a place to find people to play with online, or is that more of connecting with friends thing?
  4. What are the differences of GOG Complete vs w/HDMod vs w/HoTA?

Thank you kindly!

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5

u/br0du Jul 26 '23

Okay, so you've done most things right, but got a bit confused close to the finish line. Here we go:

  1. install Heroes of Might and Magic 3 Complete Edition (available at GoG, not Steam)
  2. Download and install HotA - it's a single .exe installation file, here's your link: https://h3hota.com/en/download
  3. HotA has HD mod included and a convenient launcher, where you can select HotA.exe or Heroes3.exe - running the 2nd option will allow you to play all original campaigns. Running HotA will allow you to play a new campaign with new town. Both options will allow you to use super convenient multiplayer lobby

5

u/br0du Jul 26 '23

Gog complete is a basic game as you remember it from 2000s. HD mod allows you to play in any resolution with convenient key bindings and other quality of life features. It also hosts online lobby. HotA includes HD mod features, new town, campaign, balance tweaks and much more. You should try it, it's awesome

3

u/OlegRu Jul 26 '23 edited Jul 26 '23

Thank you very much my friend! I wonder where I went wrong(?)

Some follow up questions, if you don't mind, I'll number them for convenience

  1. Here's what the fully copied heroes 3 folder looks like on my external HD from back when I tried it - are you able to see the issue by any chance? (if not should I just do a fresh install?)
  2. So just installing 2 things - GOG's Complete Edition (I bought it previously) + HotA?
  3. The launcher I gain from HotA applies the HD mod (so better resolution settings + key bindings to both the "regular" Complete one with all original campaigns and the HotA one?
  4. I can use either *.exe file for multiplayer?
  5. Mostly the difference between launching HotA and not is a new Campaign and Player type (town) to play? Are these really fan created/designed??
  6. Is there somewhere to find people to play with or is it kind of B.Y.O. friend who plays HOMM3? :)
  7. Edit: sorry - should also ask - I totally forgot, what's the most fun to play - campaigns? random scenarios? etc.
  8. Edit 2: I also remember seeing that it's important to install (or not install) into Program files or some certain name directory to prevent some issues - could you please confirm what that was please so I do it properly?

Apologies for the many questions and any redundancy, these are most clarifications.

Thank you again!

3

u/Kevkoss Rampart Addiction Jul 26 '23

Ad.1 It seems fine. But if it's really old installation that you haven't touched in a while, it would be better to make fresh install even though both HD mod and HotA have autoupdate option.

Ad.2 Yes. Personally I did GoG Complete Version + HD mod separately + HotA as last one due to old habits and outdated installation process. But Just GoG Complete Version + HotA should work now.

Ad.3 Yes. You can just run HD_Launcher.exe and then in the top left corner under logo you'll have dropdown menu, from which you can choose which version of game to run:

Heroes3.exe is complete version

H3blade.exe is separate exe file just for Armageddon's Blade for some reason (not needed, as campaigns are available in complete version already)

h3hota.exe is HotA

Ad.4 Yes. HotA has active online lobby and commity. As far as I know there is also online lobby for complete version, but I've never tried it as it was paid very long time ago. I think that has changed since then.

Ad.5 Yes and yes. Well, HotA also have new terrain types, some balance changes, new skill, new artifacts, new neutral creatures, new map objects and so on.

Ad.6 There're some Discords. But HotA online lobby has public chat and public games list.

Ad.7 To each their own. Each part might be enjoyable based on your own preferences - original campaigns, original scenarios, random maps, comunity created scenarios, HotA campaign and so on.

Ad.8 I've been running HoMM3 on separate disk for years and I haven't got any issues in very long time. My current installation path is "F:\HoMM 3 Complete".

3

u/OlegRu Jul 26 '23 edited Jul 26 '23

Wow - thank you so much for more replies! I hope finding this post/comments helps someone else.

So I've got the game installed and running - even stayed up until 5am (usually sleep at 1:30am) playing last night lol and beat 1st scenario of 1st campaign ("Long Live the Queen").

  1. I was wondering what would be the best settings to run it full screen on this monitor?

As you can see, not too bad, but figured maybe there's more optimal settings for it!

  1. Btw, did being in town/battle etc. always show up "windowed" against the basic walking around view like that?

  2. Are the campaigns meant to be so easy, at least for first few scenarios? I got to start "Guardian Angels" (2nd scenario of LLtQueen campaign) with 4 heroes that I made badass last scenario, and already have loooads of resources and angels, and its' like Day 3 only!

3

u/Kevkoss Rampart Addiction Jul 26 '23

Stretchable 32-bit GDI is fine. What matters the most is Stretch Filter (dropdown under resolution). And here you have to just check what looks ok for you and what is not having stutter issue - for me some filters are causing massive FPS drop or even lag (most likely SmoothSal or xBRZ - it's been some time since I played with it). Link to ingame screenshot is broken BTW ;)

​

Yes, windowed combat is native for HD mod as that screen can't be modified too much on base engine. Same with town windows. So the solution was most likely to put it in popup window in center of screen. In vanilla game without mod both views would be full screen.

​

Also yes. It's introduction to the game :) Later campaign get gradually harder and HotA campaign is from what I heard really challenging for average players.

3

u/OlegRu Jul 26 '23 edited Jul 26 '23

Fixed the link in the comment, and here it is again also https://imgur.com/a/QsM9kZh

I don't think I've noticed any issues at all really with graphics/stutter/lag or anything - so I guess i should leave as is.

Strange my link to settings had photos of each drop down menu, but im seeing now just shows top one hmm...here is all the settings screenshots

Vanilla game is the Complete GOG or original back in the day one?

2

u/Kevkoss Rampart Addiction Jul 27 '23

Scale2x + bilinear sharper is the same filter I use. Though I have monitor with higher resolution. But it works well enough. As you're playing fullscreen, one thing you could try is changing resolution to your native, so 1920x1080.

As for your question about vanilla game - yes and yes. It's any of original versions released on CD or from GoG without mods :) Though more proper therm would be base or just unmodded ^^

2

u/OlegRu Jul 27 '23

ooh okay - this is too good to just switch away from it to not have windowed - i barely notice it anymore anyway... It is a little annoying sometimes because shows diff resource amounts etc if u bought/traded...

also YTF did I just ruin my usual 1am sleep schedule, staying up until 7am, playing 10 hours straight! omg video games are cray!

3

u/jotaftw Jul 26 '23

I can answer last one. Long live the queen campaign is meant to be tutorial campaign, and therefor easier. Following campaigns do raise in difficulity, especialy in Shadow of Death and Armagedon Blade campaigns.

2

u/OlegRu Jul 26 '23

okay awesome! great to hear!

I remember back in the day playing one, I think it was LLtQueen, but a bunch of scenarios in - resource-scarce and locked in by mountains etc., and enemy had so many heroes that travelled by boat i was getting decimated - but it was so fun to keep strategizing how to beat it! Though sometimes, if you fucked up your first few weeks, your destined to lose! lol

Btw, you know how it tells you that you can import some number of heroes into each next scenario? Should I be making that many heroes each time to not lose out?

Im asking cause I've never been a quantity hero guy - always do the strong hero with big army, the support hero to bring the first one more troops but also keep somewhat of an army to take on little creature stacks/protect town, and then sometimes a 3rd hero with like 3 pikeman to gather resources, and windmills etc.... lol

3

u/jotaftw Jul 26 '23

Yeah, you should recruit atleast as many heroes as you can take to next scenario.

Reason 1: free troops at the begining of next scenario. Each hero comes with his own troops, same as he would be recruited in tavern. On many missions combining armies from 4-5 heroes in first few days can be the difference between easy early game push or struggle, especialx on higher difficulties.

2: heroes specialities like estates/premium resource generation. Free 350 +gold each turn for whole camaign on estates specialists can be massive difference over longer games.

3: more heroes=more ground covered=less fog of war. You see enemies sooner, you pick resources lying around sooner, you get artifacts sooner. Even more: each resource you pick is denied to enemy, each artifact empowers you, not enemy heroes.

2

u/OlegRu Jul 26 '23

I just hate managing lots of heroes! lol

That does make sense tho - is it imperative to have full amount recruited to be able to beat the campaign or just makes easier ?

3

u/jotaftw Jul 26 '23

It just makes it easier/faster to beat the campaigns, especialy first ones. But its a good training for random maps and further online matches, if you ever get pulled there. Ther