r/heroes3 • u/MaGaSi • Feb 07 '24

Question - Solved Heroes 3 on MacAir M1 ?[SOLVED]

I tried almost everything from the cheaper / free options to run Heroes 3 on Mac M1. 2024

Here are the steps worked for me:

What did not work not just for me: .PlayOnMac: couldn’t dowload Windows part .Wineskin: crashes every minute .those compiling stuff..

Note: After playing the way in the description, you do not need to run PortingKit every time, just run you HoMM wrap from the library it installed (I put it in Mac/Users/my username)

Keywords, to save some time in search coz it took me a day to find relevant posts: MAC Heroes 3 MacAir M1 Portingkit Winery Wineskin Apple Play PlayOnMac crashes

32 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

31 comments sorted by

4

u/snugglelove Feb 07 '24

Also adding mods like HotA is super easy with this method. Been playing on my MacBook for months with no issues. 

1

u/andypandy342 Feb 07 '24

can you ELI5 how you do this?

4

u/snugglelove Feb 07 '24

Download the HotA installer but don't open it. In Porting Kit, on the HoMM3 page, under 'Play', there's a 'More' drop down. Click 'Install Patch/Mod', choose the HotA installer from your downloads when it gives you the option tp choose a file, and go. It may say Mac can't open the file because it's not verified, but just close that window and the installer will launch anyway.

2

u/Studko May 05 '24

I installed hota via 'install patch/mod' put it in the same folder, but I am getting error: 'Your homm3 HD version is obsolete and not compatible with HotA. You should update HD or play HotA without HD.'
Normal exe and HD runs fine, but I would love to play HOTA, since it's better. Tried using 1.7.1 hota over complete version. If you or anybody else worked out this, let me know. thanks!

1

u/zdalrovjezh Jul 12 '24

Did you solve this problem? I am having the same one

1

u/Studko Jul 18 '24

Hey man, I did. I have SHITTY memory - but I currently have 2 (4 with map editor and campaign) icons in GAMES>Installed in Porting Kit. I think I clicked on add Aplication and added h3hota exe as separate app (icon) into space. Not sure if it worked straight away but after some testing it worked. Maybe I even tried to not update to HD as last steps via those youtube videos, but only did it AFTER I created new icon (shrotcut or whatever).

I tried multiple solutions (order of steps from youtube videos of porting kit installs of H3) and one did work.

1

u/Big_Sun_6333 Oct 16 '24

During install, when the second wizzard pops out wanting to install the HD version, cancel the HD wizzard (not the whole portingkit install). The install finishes successfully anywayt and you are asked about primary .exe to run the game. Choose Heroes3.exe. Then install HotA using 'Install Patch/Mod' as described above.

Then you need to launch HotA_launcher.exe. I didn't know how to do it so I've replaced original Heroes3.exe by HotA_launcher.exe (there's probably a better way but worked for me). Finally click Play in the portingkit.

1

u/Signal-Buy-9642 Nov 05 '24

so there's no way to play hd version of h3 hota? with better textures etc?

1

u/careborn Apr 27 '24

Where do I find the hota installer?

1

u/BirdLooter Oct 07 '24

Here: https://h3hota.com/en/download

Just use the pixeldrain link on top, worked flawlessly.

1

u/BirdLooter Oct 07 '24

I can confirm that this works! Do not forget to adapt the installation path to "GOG Galaxy -> Homm3 Complete", the default path will probably not work. This is potentially the problem that the other guys here had.

3

u/imr-sv Feb 07 '24

Apple user here, I recently upgraded to an M3 mac from my previous Intel chip model. I haven't gotten around to installing HIII yet, but this information will certainly come in handy once I do...thank you for your useful insight!

It's such a shame that the Wineskin port is no longer suitable. It took me a while to get everything to work correctly using that method on my old machine, but once I had all the kinks figured out it ran rather flawlessly.

Edit: Spelling

3

u/emmettflo Jul 29 '24

Can confirm this works on M3 MacBook Pro! Thank you!!!

3

u/BirdLooter Oct 07 '24 edited Oct 07 '24

[2024 Macbook Air M3] THANK YOU!! This works, even with HOTA, as u/snugglelove described! You HAVE TO closely observe the video for installation paths and it will work flawlessly!! Man I was struggling with wine and everything, I should have gone this route far earlier. To me it sounded like I need an account, as OP described it, but the only account you need is one on gog.com.

Thank you thank you thank you!

The best thing about this is: The game runs even faster on my air, than on my Windows gaming computer with a 3080 TI GPU. Wtf. Loading times are way quicker on the air.

2

u/MaGaSi Oct 08 '24

Enjoy, man!

2

u/[deleted] Feb 07 '24

I just used CrossOver but it worked on Whiskey too. The installer from GOG is fine.

The issue you’ll run into us that the standard executable doesn’t actually work, but the HD mod does. I cannot explain to you the reason for this, and it doesn’t really matter either way. Just install the HD mod and enjoy. :)

1

u/UnicornsZen Apr 26 '24

Would this also work with the HoMM 4 version?

1

u/MaGaSi May 06 '24

I think, if you have the correct version, yes. It worked for me with Sims1

1

u/PolaroidMog Jun 17 '24

I'm on Mac M1, is it normal that the porting Kit app is sooo slooooow to load ? I'm getting frustrated trying to install HoMM3 because portal kit is so laggy.

1

u/BorisPulemet Aug 08 '24

when playing heroes on macbook air, the mac gets very hot, how can I fix this problem?

1

u/MaGaSi Aug 11 '24

For me too. I am not expert, but I understand that to do that, the Mac needs to emulate a Win environment inside a Unix, with its own file sys and memo, etc, so… yeah. But I played multiplayer for 4 hours with hosting server and nothing happened.

1

u/zyrquix Dec 07 '24

Hi thank you for the right up. What is acc?

1

u/MaGaSi Dec 07 '24

Account

2

u/zyrquix Dec 08 '24

Of course.

Thank you so much for posting these instructions. I bought Heroes of Might and Magic II back in 1996. Nostalgia led me back to it a couple years ago and I’ve been playing it with my son since.  I never played 3 but had read it was the pinnacle of the series. So happy to be able to play it on my Mac.  Is the HD version the only one that is playable on portingkit?  The play button for the non-HD version is greyed out for me. 

1

u/MaGaSi Dec 08 '24

I am not really sure, but HD will gove the same feeling

1

u/spadeaceace123 Jan 01 '25

Thanks a lot! I was even trying to install virtual machine (which is a rabbit hole) until I see this post.

1

u/Competitive-Ocelot-1 18d ago

Porting kit is stuck forever at the wrapper configuration. The loading bar keeps moving but the installation is stuck in this step for like half an hour now.

I'm on an M2 Macbook Pro.

Anyone else had this issue? The installation worked fine on my intel macbook pro but now it just refuses to work :S