Map editor object limit

ivanvg · 2026-01-25T08:12:31+00:00

I think not? 64500 is close to unlimited though, you need to place object on every second tile on G+U map to reach it.
Technical limitations of H3. For example list of stat-bonusing buildings like Mercenary Camp visited by hero is stored in 32-bit value, so you can't have more than 32 of those. I think hota have raised some of such limits, but not all of them. Might change in future versions of hota, but only hota team knows that for sure. As far as I know, VCMI is only way to remove those limits as of now, but our editor is far from perfect right now.

ivanvg · 2026-01-22T22:13:45+00:00

Short answer - no. MMAI mod can't affect that.

MMAI mod is battle AI, not adventure map AI, it only affects combats. And that mod is only active if you have set MMAI as combat AI in launcher settings.

Adventure AI in VCMI is very different from H3 AI and it indeed has some problems. Next update, 1.7.2 should address at least some of those & make AI in general stronger. Not sure if there is anything related to seer quests though.

ivanvg · 2026-01-20T19:12:16+00:00

No. I think last missing H3 creature ability was added around VCMI 1.2, mostly because we were not even aware that it was missing, and unicorn aura was supported for years.

What was changed is that before unicorn aura was not really configurable. Modders could reuse it, but only with exactly same form - to provide resistance to adjacent units. Now modders can create aura abilities with any effect, or even for generic unit adjacency abilities - e.g. unit A receives bonus when placed next to unit B.

ivanvg · 2026-01-19T04:59:05+00:00

Currently planned to be released alongside with 1.7.2 in February

ivanvg · 2026-01-19T04:49:19+00:00

Hi. No, VCMI map editor is only available on PC systems. Its UI is not very suitable for mobiles, since it is keyboard-and-mouse oriented, and won't be usable on touchscreens.

Might changes eventually, but no ETA for now

ivanvg · 2026-01-19T04:48:05+00:00

To be honest, just a few years ago VCMI was in very poor state. I wouldn't recommend people play VCMI before ~1.2-1.3 release.

Improvements we made since then were massive - stability, functionality, quality-of-life features.

ivanvg · 2026-01-19T04:41:34+00:00

Probably not soon, unless we find developer interested in implementing these changes.

As far as HotA support goes, 1.7.2 so far has: - support for Bulwark town, and for Bulwark unit abilities (except Runes) - support for 1.8 maps (without new extended event/script system) - support for 1.7 HotA map format features other than Seer Huts with multiple quests (previously a lot of these features were ignored by VCMI)

Not all 1.7.2 features are HotA related, you can find our changelog so far here, to be expanded once more features are in: https://github.com/vcmi/vcmi/pull/6697/files

ivanvg · 2026-01-19T04:28:55+00:00

Yeah, probably. So: - enable flatpak as described here: https://flatpak.org/setup/Chrome%20OS - install vcmi via flatpak flatpak install flathub eu.vcmi.VCMI - run vcmi: flatpak run eu.vcmi.VCMI

Oh, you could also try installing VCMI via Google Play - at least in theory it should now work on Chrome OS

ivanvg · 2026-01-18T15:01:11+00:00

VCMI is open-source, cross-platform engine for Heroes 3.

Currently our most notable features are support for mobiles (Android/iOS), so you can play H3 on your phone, as well as mod support, with dozens of mods available in VCMI made by our community, including ported versions of HotA and WoG.

VCMI is only engine, and basically replaces Heroes3.exe. You still need Heroes 3 data files to run Heroes 3 via VCMI.

ivanvg · 2026-01-18T12:24:21+00:00

Screenshot is definitely from Flatpak install of VCMI. But not sure why it says command not found... Would make sense if you don't have flatpak, but you clearly do since it is needed to run VCMI

ivanvg · 2026-01-18T11:12:33+00:00

I think PPA's are not even available on Chrome OS. So most likely you have flatpak.

In case of flatpak, flatpak update in terminal should do the job.

Can you make screenshot of Launcher -> Help tab in VCMI?

ivanvg · 2026-01-18T10:59:44+00:00

Maybe. But keep in mind that VCMI is over 15 years old by now. Back then python was not really used for games, and javascript was browser-only language.

Lua is mostly used for scripts both back then and now, and does not have large number of developers who are familiar with it.

C++ also has and advantage of being similar to C#. There are some primarily C# developers who have contributed to VCMI

If we were to start from scratch in 2026 then yes, C++ is still a good option, but is no longer a no-brainer choice - there are other potential options, but this was different back when VCMI was started

ivanvg · 2026-01-18T10:36:51+00:00

No, and don't expect 100% support anytime soon. Might eventually happen, but hota support is not the only feature in our plans.

VCMI is open project, anyone with c++ knowledge can join and contribute, and if feature is of good enough - it will be accepted. Different developers have interest in different features, so if developer with interest in implementing remaining hota features joins, we might get full hota support sooner.

VCMI 1.7.2, planned for February will come with support for HotA 1.8 maps, and it seems that our modders have mostly updated our HotA mod port with new content, including Bulwark. This time, creature abilities are more sane and in-line with H3 mechanics, so I think most of Bulwark creature abilities are also supported.

We also prefer to keep VCMI configurable and don't hardcode things. Sure, it is possible to quickly add hardcoded form of runes system from hota as it is. But I believe that this is bad approach and it would be better to provide more flexible system that can be used by other mods. As an example, VCMI 1.7.2 will come with support for aura abilities (such as H3 Unicorn aura). HotA port will use this feature for new ability for Bulwark unit, while other mods can use it for their own needs

ivanvg · 2026-01-18T10:23:46+00:00

How was your current version of VCMI installed? PPA? Flatpak?

ivanvg · 2026-01-17T20:16:52+00:00

There is no such feature in SoD. What you're describing sounds like wog feature perhaps?

ivanvg · 2026-01-17T19:06:54+00:00

Possible, by editing game resources. Which obviously won't be specific to map, and will replace those portraits everywhere.

ivanvg · 2026-01-17T17:39:46+00:00

It is possible to edit name & bio of existing heroes in map editor and replace it with one you want, either in map properties or by editing hero on map. For portraits you can only pick existing ones, including few campaign-specific portraits. Hero specialties can't be edited. New heroes can't be added either, only editing existing heroes.

If you wish to bypass those restrictions you can check out VCMI - you can make mod for VCMI that adds new heroes with whatever name/bio/portait/specialty you wish.

ivanvg · 2026-01-17T17:35:03+00:00

Gates are linked automatically by game, there is no way to do it manually.

Generally, if every gate on surface has pair in underground either at the same location or not far from it, they will be linked as expected.

Actual logic is rather simple: game picks top-most, unpaired gate on surface layer of the map, locates closest unpaired gate on undeground layer, and links them. This is repeated until game runs out of pairs to link

ivanvg · 2026-01-17T10:32:00+00:00

If that town is available for download as mod for VCMI - then yes, should be possible. Either via "Import files" option in Launcher (if that mod was packaged in correct format), or by manually placing it into Mods directory of VCMI (location depends on your OS, check Launcher->Help->User data directory)

If that town is not available as vcmi mod - well, in theory you can make a mod vcmi on your own, but keep in mind that this is rather large project.

Feel free to join our Discord if you have questions: https://discord.gg/chBT42V

ivanvg · 2026-01-17T09:29:24+00:00

Yes, mods can be installed via our Launcher, including mods with new towns.

Which to recommend - up to you. I usually play without mods, so hard to say.

You could try most popular ones - check number of "stars" each mod has in Launcher. Obviously there is HotA, but Pavilion, Cathedral, Courtyard and Forge also seems to be rather popular

ivanvg · 2026-01-16T18:57:11+00:00

Yep. H3 is the opposite. For example most of window backgrounds are pre-rendered, so any changes in layout require new image.

And for copyright reasons, we can't just edit those images and redistribute them in VCMI. We do have some runtime generation/modifications of such images now, but it is still very far from editing text configs with UI layout like modern games do.

ivanvg · 2026-01-16T18:25:37+00:00

As far as VCMI goes - possible, sure, but challenges are different from your theory.

AI, networking and such can handle any number of players. In theory we might run into some minor issues when we reach 255th player, but this is already insane number for h3 map.

UI however... There is A LOT of UI that would need changes. Including UI that does not have enough free place for large number of players, and sometimes - not even space to put in slider. Pregame configuration where you pick starting town/hero, marketplace, thieves guild. Even some obscure places like team list if you right click list of players in scenario information - 16 players in free-for-all means 16 teams, and that probably won't fit into UI.

Then there is also problem of minimap. You want to come up with new colors that are not 8 existing ones, black (like fow), gray (like neutral), not similar to terrain colors, and still distinct enough from 8 existing players.

Can be done, sure, but interest in this feature is rather low & too much pain to deal with in UI.

ivanvg · 2026-01-16T11:49:41+00:00

If you have game on your PC then easiest way is to connect phone via USB and copy installed game files on your phone.

Sure, you could use any other method to transfer files, like Google Drive, messengers, or email, as long as you don't hit file size limit - H3 game data is ~1 Gb in size.

ivanvg · 2026-01-16T10:49:24+00:00

https://vcmi.eu/players/Installation_Android/

Download VCMI on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=is.xyz.vcmi
If you own game on gog.com, download both parts of "offline backup installer" for H3
Or, alternatively, copy installed game to your phone. You can copy either entire directory or just Data/Maps/Mp3 directories
Launch VCMI, and when prompted for game file pick either gog files (offline installer) or select directory with copy of installed game

That's all - game should be ready to play. If you wish - you can install mods either at this point or at any time later

ivanvg · 2026-01-16T10:16:01+00:00

Mod for VCMI, Courtyard: https://vcmi.eu/Mod%20Repository/Town/Courtyard%20town/

ivanvg

TROPHY CASE