http://depositfiles.com/files/7f2yqqol1

I got to open it after unblocking the chm in properties.
A few questions: all the few new commands will work only with 3.59 platform is it right? Is this platform will be released before the 3.59 full?
I guess the new commands will not run under 3.58.

It's manual, the platform itself will be released soon (today, I guess). It will be comfortable with 3.58 scripts (some of them were a bit corrected). So all you need is to install it and test, try

Besides, the exe supports some commands of 3.59 like custom dialogs handling, if-else syntax, h3custom.lod, spells support. All, that sagamosa used.

Donwload link, new help included:
http://depositfiles.com/files/tuipo3w2u

A lot of interesting options. Any hints about the path to be installed? Will affect the 3.58 editor? The players with 3.58 platform will be able to open and play a map made with 3.59?
So far I placed it on the desktop and read the help, waiting for install advice, as I see the SPtraits.txt is having an unusual WoG extension in spells.

Quote:Any hints about the path to be installed?

In the Heroes root folder, of cause.

Quote:Will affect the 3.58 editor?

No

Quote:the players with 3.58 platform will be able to open and play a map made with 3.59?

It's not a 3.59 one, it's an alternative branch of development. The players need to install Era first. 3.58 is bugged and obsolete platform.

Quote:So far I placed it on the desktop and read the help, waiting for install advice, as I see the SPtraits.txt is having an unusual WoG extension in spells.

It was done for comability with new exe. In fact, only wog spells settings are written there.

For TE commands see updated ERM help. I can upload it, if you don't find it in internet.

I see the advantages but also the disadvantages. I am not a programmer but only mapmaker and autodidact scripter. I really appreciate the work of the WoG team but I always feared that the programming side overcame the mapmakers ability.

So far, if I install the platform, all players would need to install it also to be able to play my upcoming maps, and this will be more a disadvantage. Personally I think that 3.58 is not obsolete, maybe it is for programmers as you, but its possibilities were never fully exploited by mapmakers, far from that. How many maps we have done in the last 5 years, which use the scripting process to its full abilities? 3, 4?

Would not be better and healthier to facilitate the ability to understand ERM than complicate even more the platform?

For me it will be easier to wait for a full and official release of the 3.59 version, as then everyone will have it, not having to point them towards russian forums to download a link I am not sure it will survive.

So far I try to feel comfortable with 3.58 possibilities and I am far from mastering them. So I still have to learn a lot before switching to a more developed version.

Keep the good work, I am among those who really appreciate it.

Players can wait for years and not get any result. Some people always say: "WoG 3.58f is something, that everybody has". Ok. Does everybody have the new objects patch? No! I don't have it neither and don't wonna install it (for example). Did it influence your decision to found the 300 spartans project on it?

WoG 3.58 has many bugs in ERM engine. Critical bugs. If does not support new if/else syntax, new ERM commands by ZVS and so on. Skilled gamers always install needed updated components if it helps to improve the game stability and increases scripting/modding abilities.

I understand, that ERA is developed by a programmer and for programmers. It's rather complicated for newbies, even with the english manual.
But it's not a problem for me to help anyone with examples, small manuals and so on. Many features are very useful and powerful, and everything you need is to understand them once.

Quote:Keep the good work, I am among those who really appreciate it.

Thanx. But keeping the work has no sense. Meanwhile Hota and Corewog have plans for far future, there is almost no active modmakers.
I just updated the platform for my mod called Phoenix-Mod and thought, that it would be a good idea to make English manual and installer, cause there were theoretically many active script writers in english and chiness communities.

I think we should look at this from a different point of view. Somehow you are complaining that there are no active modders to apply your work, but you don't do anything to publicize it in a friendly way.

What is a modder today? A modder is someone like ...me. Heroes hardcore player and fan who, one day, fall into WoG and read in it, as in a crystal ball, the future. Then started to learn ERM from scratch, studying hundred of maps, asking stupid questions over and over.

But one thing is bothering the modder: where is WoG team? I mean, not the physical appearance, the person, but the idea and ideals they represent. Are they doing anything do publicize their work? Are they present in every WoG thread to support those who give life to their work?

Don't get me wrong. The modders need the WoG team, but the WoG team need also badly the modders.

You make the car, I am the driver (kinda). If no one drives your car, it may be fast, red, comfortable, a nice girl on the seat, well, no one knows there is a car. You need a driver.

So far I am battleing in every thread in HC to support and gather interest from the community for WoG. I am doing my job...and yours also. I do not gain anything from doing that, but it is only for claiming my opinions and my confidence in the miracle WoG can achieve.

When it is the last time someone from WoG team posted something in HC? years ago...people needs to feel there are passionated people behind the project and then will follow them, or at least, show interest. I know there are languages problems, I know also that the russian community may be enough for you, they are skilled and inventive. But the rest of the world has also to be concerned. From time to time we would love to see a word from our gods. Or we lose faith...

Right now I am experiencing only aggressive comments about 300. "This is no more Heroes", "why adventure in a strategy game", "why is so hard", "why so many scripts" etc etc. Here is where the WoG team can show its faith and support its...modder.

My map Alexander the great ( publicity) was downloaded more than 100k times, translated in 4 languages and is on top since its unload. Do I have any comments about it? Nothing. Because it is considered as a single person project and not linked to any WoG team or project.

Which is wrong. I have faith in WoG, I have faith in WoG team, maybe now it is time for the WoG team to show a little interest/support for the few modders still active, and show to the whole community that this is no more a scattered project, but the HoMM future, if any.

Unlike many others, I am not planning to give up. Next ideas are around Might and Magic the Gathering. I will put it in WoG language.
So far I am experiencing problems with the world map, as all the maps I could find were annotated and full of comments. I will have to replay the whole game and make good use of the photoshop...

I understand you well, Valery. Some comments on post:

Quote:My map Alexander the great ( publicity) was downloaded more than 100k times, translated in 4 languages and is on top since its unload.

It's really great, that your map is so popular. Imagine, that some of my works are used by 2-3..20-30 people. Just for example.

Corewog team is tired of speaking. Their very small core just works. Slowly - yes. But works. (Anyway, you said it yourself, that wog is a platform and it's our duty to create mods, not just wait for 3.59 or other poject).
Also, no one can demand from developers or modders to chat at every forum and place advertisement of their work. I think, that it's the work of fans to share news, screens, maps with all the world.

Quote:Right now I am experiencing only aggressive comments about 300. "This is no more Heroes", "why adventure in a strategy game", "why is so hard", "why so many scripts" etc etc. Here is where the WoG team can show its faith and support its...modder.

And you're right. Some time ago I suggested to create such an institute, that would have people supporting all new projects. Every author has a right for his work to be published at the majority of available places, and every author needs fans.

Quote:Which is wrong. I have faith in WoG, I have faith in WoG team, maybe now it is time for the WoG team to show a little interest/support for the few modders still active, and show to the whole community that this is no more a scattered project, but the HoMM future, if any.

I have faith in reality. And the reality is that we (I mean active people) shoud unite and organize some new movement, you may call it OpenWog. We would be able to combine our works, create news for every our work, spread infos/tools/updates, and so on.

Quote:Unlike many others, I am not planning to give up.

Veterans never give up

(22.06.2009 14:29)Berserker Wrote:  And you're right. Some time ago I suggested to create such an institute, that would have people supporting all new projects. Every author has a right for his work to be published at the majority of available places, and every author needs fans.

Count me in. If 3.59 is released one day, all people who play my maps will use your platform, so the 20-30 fans will be somehow 200K. Without WoG platforms I can do nothing, so I am depending of you.

BTW, had you a look at James Vogan special scripts for 300?

   Labyrinth (create random 50X50 labyrinth and monsters who will follow your moves)
   Battle chess (create a true chess game in Heroes, where all creatures move like in chess)
   Jigsaw puzzles (move entire landmass in one click until you restore the picture of an artefact)
   Magic flute( use scripted melodies to charm creatures)
   The dragon game (mastermind game in WoG)
   Golems guessing
   Wine seller.

Try them one day, this guy is an expert programmer and what he can do with the "bugged" 3.58 is still amazing.

@Good move to release the platform on chinese forums. They are enthusiast and have some very good modders as Yunnings and Woodmelon. I asked them to make a proper translation of your post, as the one which translate it is awful.

Quote:If 3.59 is released one day, all people who play my maps will use your platform, so the 20-30 fans will be somehow 200K. Without WoG platforms I can do nothing, so I am depending of you.

I think you misunderstood the situation. Corewog team consists of new towns teams, GrayFace, Bourn. That's all. Corwin is their coordinator (leader). I'm a standalone modder, just like you. Corewog team are my friends.
A few words about Era. It's ALETERNATIVE extenshion. So it has nothing in common with future realeases of 3.59. I just don't like to wait for a long time and the earliest build of 3.59 alpha exe (which was used in tournament edition and is now called "exe of TE") was quite suitable for development.

Quote:Try them one day, this guy is an expert programmer and what he can do with the "bugged" 3.58 is still amazing.

All Heroes packs refuse to install any of your wog-archive (even the new objects patch). So to try it I need to create the third folder and install SoD, WoG and all updates.

Quote:@Good move to release the platform on chinese forums. They are enthusiast and have some very good modders as Yunnings and Woodmelon. I asked them to make a proper translation of your post, as the one which translate it is awful.

Section "For WoG team and foreign fans" is fulled with 80% of chinese posts. Didn't find any interesting their. No works of 300 spartans level, no activity. The number of players does not automatically raise a level of cummunity, IMHO.

The section for foreign fans is as rich as the section in english here. Thats normal. They are very advanced in modding and they have done several mods, that can be found in their maps chinese sections or scripts. I have their most revolutionary maps, but due to chinese texts I am unable to test them. Also english WoG is not compatible with the chinese one, many errors pooping. Still, maps like Chaser and The dragon slaughter (Woodmelon/Yunnings) were played by more than one million users, if you get what I mean. I asked them to translate those maps in english so we could take a look, but they are a bit slow in doing it. I think that a somehow cooperation between russians and chinese forums could born some interesting things. They are very active. But both languages are a big problem...

I would still love to understand what does their new editor:
WoG custom chinese editor

I have no idea what it does, because Google can't translate the text. Seems they can add things external to scripting process.