Gentlemen "newcomers"! Reading your correspondence is quite entertaining at times, but perhaps you could move this dialogue somewhere to the "Tribune"?

Marmot, the green nickname isn't with us, it's with you.
That is true, it can and should be moved to another place.

@dnaop-wr @Ben80
Why resort to personal attacks? That leads nowhere.

I'm saying that AI players for online are almost pointless. Only if someone really wants a free municipality.

Well, I thought it was all about the +2 AI (at 200% of course). Because online players are looking for "easy ways."

Fat format - a game format common among "dads," with fat zones, lots of utopias and other goodies, with a very low density of true players.

The fact that these players prefer a game format you don't like ≠ does NOT make them non-dads or low-skill.
They just play what they like and you don't.

But Jebus Cross is so far from Heroes' classics that I have no desire to play it.

Neither do I. I don't play it either. Nobody's forcing anyone.
But online isn't just Jebus Cross, of course.

- The Eagle Eye skill becomes completely useless

This crappy skill is almost useless in any other format too. Unless in solo play against the computer you can find some use for it, and even then only in specific conditions/maps.

I rather mean this. A game with more than 2 true players (more precisely, more than 2 coalitions) takes on a new quality, elements of nonlinearity that make the game very interesting.

So you mean FFA mode. Well, it has a right to exist too. For fun.

I've played these modes in other games, and they were "broken" when two acquaintances would team up and attack a single player together.
No more balance than in Jebus Cross.

By the way, in classic Heroes even for 2 players you can find such nonlinearity elements - for example, Hill Fort, Cartographer, and partly the Grail. Objects that give a chance to turn the game around. And these elements are often banned in online. Even many artifacts/spells have that ability, but in classic conditions, not in conditions of an overabundance of goodies characteristic of the Fat format.

Here you've fallen into a pit. And a deep one. They are banned because they are IMBA. In a relatively average competitive game, what does the game become after visiting the Cartographer? The same as playing with the map editor open. A cheat! Except here you can also get information about the enemy hero's army strength and location.

I just saw somewhere on HeroesWorld a phrase that Heroes 3 was made for M maps.

A lot was written on HW, including various nonsense, especially in old threads. The relevance of which is close to zero.
You need to look at the context. And who wrote it.

As for "those who haven't played online" - I agree that having personal experience is important. But you can understand a sport without being an athlete.

You can, but you need understanding. This isn't a case where you don't have to be a cow to judge the taste of milk.
Otherwise you get arguments that the Cartographer is OK. bAlance.

I suggest we explore the "nonlinear effects" of multiplayer Heroes together. Say, a 3-player game - find a third person and play.
For example, on this template (L-U, 200% (!), 3 AI (!)).

https://postimg.cc/WtZdjv5c

200%, but resources could be given at the start, like on 160%, except gold. A simple plugin for that could be written quickly.

I've stepped away from the game, my current skill level is on the floor, and I don't feel like playing. Just dropped in to see what's happening. (the HD mod is noticeably developing, a bunch of plugins, freshes, SP, etc.)

Heroes takes up too much time. That's the main downside I see in them. And it's pretty dull.

On the other hand, something new and just for fun could be tried. Remember the old days, sort of.
Send me the rmg in PM, I'll take a look at a few generations to see what's there. If it's like http://pixs.ru/showimage/velikayaza_6522270_31227039.png, then it's not worth wasting time.