Posts from Walkthroughs for custom maps.

In theory, you can also use slow animations and then catch the moment :D

I usually use this to burn the enemy with a wall of fire. With turbo mode, it's hard to see how the creatures move and where they are going, so it's more advantageous to place the wall. I have to change it during key moments.))

On HD+, you can also find the right random outcome by iterating through rounds, but this is only suitable for quite specific battles. As an example.

You can also find the right random outcome on HD+ by iterating through rounds, but this is only suitable for fairly specific battles. As an example.

I have used this myself many times. In the Bug Race, in a battle against 600 black dragons, the duck, with random outcomes from HD+, guaranteed to poison the dragons. And then it was possible to complete the battle map using the method of substitution. Otherwise, you could spend hours on that battle. As with the final battle in Break in One Day :D

Paragon 2.0 defeated the archmage, and the enemies... are gone. All paths are blocked. There's no Divine Armor, and the guardian won't let me reach the helmet; it says I need to defeat someone, but where do I find this someone??? Can't complete the map without 8 archdevils? It's all too complicated. Probably many people stopped playing just because of this. Many paths are simply impossible to find:smile07:

Added after 10 minutes
It's a bit disappointing; I've made it so far. On the way to the helmet, random gremlins also appeared, and I can't even reach the guardian of the question.

There's an interesting nuance related to this. If the battle starts with the AI's turn, the initial time delays are always identical, which means the initial state of the turn is also identical: units move the same way, deal the same damage, and their morale/demoralization/fear levels change identically.

This is a well-known fact because the pauses between the AI's continuous actions are always the same. For simplicity, you can consider them equal to 0. I remember one battle where you had to choose a hero with a tactic to disrupt this sequence during the AI's first turn.

This is very interesting. So, the monster week mechanic can somehow be trained. I need to take a look at that map.

I don't remember a map where I couldn't generate the desired monster week. Sometimes I had to rewind a few days, but the issue was always resolved.

In HD+, you can also find the desired random outcome by iterating through rounds, but this is only suitable for quite specific battles. As an example.

I have the feeling that it might have been possible to do it faster without HD+, but here you have a guaranteed result.

Since the forum has become less active and my video suddenly gained a lot of views, I started thinking about creating another video with impressive battles. So, what memorable battles can you recall? I don't want to showcase obvious bugs (although that could be a topic for a separate video), so the ideas should be feasible on Hd+ and sod_sp.
I can think of the remaining battles from Metatag, as well as the Moon with Firewall against the Titans from Xeidu, and the battle with the Berserker and Medusa on level 111 from RotK.

Of course, it would be great to add a narrative element, but I'm currently lacking good ideas, just like I did with the Sawmill, so let's at least figure out the battles.

Dandy, have you tried this map? http://en.heroesportal.net/maps/view/3855
I tried it myself, but I couldn't figure it out. It's too difficult.

Lider1 is actually a map created by the author metatxer, and the aforementioned battle with the angel and the medusa is from this map. Like many others here, I played through the first day, but the checkpoint in the form of a pillar, which is supposed to be removed by a computer-controlled unit, didn't work for me either, so the map is likely unplayable in terms of the author's original intention. Recently, wenwell described the possibility of completing the map by exploiting a flaw and finding a flying creature, but that is, of course, not the author's intended solution.

Many interesting battles come to mind, but most of them fall into the category of "you'll only understand if you try it yourself," because what seems obvious in a video may not be obvious in practice, and vice versa. For videos, I think something very illustrative is needed, for example:

1. Battle of harpies against magogs and a stack of hydras in Lord Rings.

2. Imp against a dark knight in Ira the Mage.

3. Some battles in Bug-Race - troll vs cerberuses and nagas, manticores and archdevils vs black dragons.

4. Fake suicide in Ira the Mage.

+ a battle of a hobbit against harpies in RotSK, but you already know about that.

I could suggest some more battles from my first map, but spoiling it myself wouldn't be very fun! ))

Thanks, yes, it's roughly what's needed, but "fakes" are a bit off, they're too fast. Only if you're making some kind of "wtf" compilation.
And regarding the hobbit versus harpies – honestly, I've never understood the value of this fight; it's immediately obvious how they'll be killed, the question is just about kiting. I think the fight from xeidu against the titans is more interesting; it adds a prioritization mechanic. The hobbit fight reminds me of the troll versus angel fight in a map by rouzkavalier – it's also a question of kiting. This is, of course, subjective, and it might be because in online play, Luna is used very often, and the execution in this fight strongly resembles that.
But when discussing the value of this fight, another association came to mind about "nasty hobbits," and it seems like you can find or adapt a couple more interesting fights with them. Is that a hint for a video plot? Though again, it's just a hint, and the quality of the fight ideas is, in my opinion, worse.

wenwell, what's your map? Send a link. And under what conditions (HD+? SOD_SP?) is it played?

Dandy, with fakes, the trick was to lure the enemy hero into the Castle and then attack that Castle. That was the only way to win. But it's harder to convey this in a video, there's that ((

Many people liked the battle with the Hobbit; I think it should be a hit. Although, I personally like the angel vs. troll battle in Deeply more. There, the obstacles and creature speed are perfectly matched, and the priority principle is also used, where the angel prefers to move one square at a time, which allows us to survive.

I think there's still a lot to learn from Aeris's maps, but I keep thinking of bug-filled battles. As an exception, here's a battle with fire walls.

I had an idea at one point to write a short overview article on interesting maps in chronological order. Like, how map design has evolved over 20 years. Not just about complex maps, but about good maps in general. But then I gave up on it. It's hard to write about it when you hardly play yourself. Maybe someone will pick up the idea? :)

I sent a message about the map in a private message.

I once had the desire to write a short overview article on interesting maps in chronological order. Something like, how mapmaking evolved over 20 years. Not just about complex maps, but about good maps in general. But then I gave up on it.

Interesting. Do you have any kind of draft, or is it just in your head? If you have one, can I take a look? Even in a private message. Because such an article would be interesting to many. I myself could only write well about the maps that I played, and that's not even all of them, even from the "classics," and I can say very little about maps for pro players.
I remember that a couple of years ago, one person on another site promised to publish his review of the best maps, which he had even supposedly already written, but for some reason, it was never published.

Interesting. Is there at least some kind of draft, or is it just in your head? If there is, can I take a look? Even in a private message. Because such an article would be interesting to many. I could write well about the maps that I have played, but that's not even all of them, even from the "classics," and I can't say much about maps for pro players.
I remember that a couple of years ago, one person on another site promised to write a review of the best maps, which he had even supposedly already written, but for some reason, it was never published.

No, I haven't even started. If someone takes it on, I can help with the material. But it shouldn't be in the style of "My favorite maps" or "Maps that I recommend playing," because anyone can write that. A systematic approach is needed, and experience with the second game is also desirable, as some things still carry over from it.

Then you should do it in collaboration with someone. Probably, no one else could do it better than you.
I have serious doubts about the chronological order: the creation date is not known for every map. And it is not always possible to confidently track when certain techniques began to be used: for example, something became possible after the release of a well-known patch for the editor (mainly, object replacement), and it is impossible to know for sure about individual tricks (for example, editing the map file in a HEX editor) based on all existing thousands of maps - when and who first applied them.

Map Name: Limes Inferior
Author: Sprocket
Version: English
Difficulty: 200%
Downloaded: from the maps4heroes map catalog

Finally completed a map that, back in its day, dealt a own same blow to my heroic ego :D

Difficult maps in Heroes can be conditionally divided into two categories: those rich in opportunities and those poor. In the first case, the authors give the player practically everything as the scenario progresses; the main thing is to manage what you're given wisely (Metataxer's Revenge, Xiedu). In the second case, the authors follow the principle of "give nothing" (campaigns by Maxuta-Phoenix, Minchev's maps). Limes is exactly an example of an ultimate challenge following the second template. I have never encountered another map so poor in terms of potential opportunities. All schools of magic are banned; the available Mage Guilds are limited to third-level spells, making wisdom useless here. But the map still cannot be called "heroes of might not magic," as the AI has offensive magic. And only offensive!

Before actually starting another attempt to beat Limes, I had to spend several evenings generating a starting save, since a lucky generation is about a third, if not half, a guarantee of success in this case. In the end, I still wasn't entirely satisfied with the generation, as wood and stone both came out at 9, and Dragon only had 41 gnolls, but it allowed for good progression both along the +8 attack line and the 10 gorgons line. The realization of how great this save was came during the process.

The author wrote on Polish forums that he planned the map to be unbeatable at 200% difficulty and consequently was unable to beat it on impossible himself; meanwhile, he even made it harder in the English version (!), which in my understanding gives me carte blanche to use any tricks I am capable of (not referring to cheats or save editors, of course). By the way, one idea never panned out. I thought about generating a grail for the starting town, but testing on a map showed that if obelisks are missing and the author hasn't placed a grail, it doesn't generate.

At first, I tried playing through the +8 attack bonus, but the generation got stuck dead when transitioning from day 7 to 8 (the necessary Dragon didn't arrive at the tavern). So I tried playing with the cow bonus and was surprised by how much better it is in terms of tempo than attack. Also, in this save, Cipesca visited our respawn during the transition from 1.4.4 to 1.4.5, so it's a good thing I didn't play through the attack bonus.

Order of actions at the start:
1.1.4 - capture town, break through 1 ruh.
1.1.5 - Tazar runs toward wyverns, tavern is built.
1.1.6 - break through all wyverns, buy Dragon, prefecture is built.
1.1.7 - break through lizard warriors, smithy is built.
1.2.1 - buy previously dismissed Dragon with 52 gnolls; under him, buy Gervulf with ballista. Tazar with 11 cows, 91 gnolls, and a ballista breaks through 38 upgraded basilisks in a tedious battle. Losses are around 20 gnolls. Market is built.
1.2.2 - break through cyclops without losses and then break through 22 cows (losses again around 20 gnolls). After this point, Tazar has expert armor, basic tactics, basic logistics, and advanced attack (!). Mage Guild is built.
1.2.3 - Tazar goes for a turnaround, municipality is built.
1.2.4 - Tazar spends the night at home, book is bought, fort is built.
1.2.5 - Tazar runs toward the ring, breaking through gnolls along the way; gnoll hut is built.
1.2.6 - take the ring, Tazar enters the barbarian part of the respawn, flies are built.
1.2.7 - break through goblins, Tazar positions himself under ogre shamans, Stronghold is built.
1.3.1 - buy Wistan with 18 lizards; using Dragon, he brings in lizards and gnolls, breaking through ogre shamans (losses: several lizards, 20+ gnolls). Castle is built.
1.3.2 - break through orcs, lizards are built.
1.3.3 - Gervulf breaks through flies with 1 cow and takes their external dwelling; Tazar runs toward thunderbirds, capitol is built.
1.3.4 - break through thunderbirds, Tazar runs to cyclops, wyverns are built.
1.3.5 - break through cyclops and then upgraded cows; only 31 gnolls remain. Resource depot is built.
1.3.6 - collect resources in the corner, Tazar returns. Captain's quarters are built :D
1.3.7 - in a wild battle, 11 cows, ballista, and single units of gnolls break through 157 raiders, losing only gnolls. Cows are built. Gervulf, with three artifacts from the legion statue set, crashes into town.

This is essentially my vision of standard development via the 10 cow bonus. Basilisks didn't appear on week 3, but that's absolutely not critical.

I generated week 4 with +5 cows, captured the right town with small losses, and this is where the conditions appeared to apply the imba-strat from wenwell's map "Break in One Day". Under certain conditions, a small group of shooters and flyers can destroy an opponent who far exceeds them in physical strength but does not shoot or cast offensive magic, with negligible losses. The respawn is fully cleared; among other things, thunderbirds on boots, monsters, hydras, and monarch wyverns are broken through. Cipesca bursts in from the right, but we're in no hurry to drive her away; we wait for 2.1.1.

The second and all subsequent months up until the sixth were generated as snake month. For these purposes, a small Chinese-made program called CreatureMoon came in handy, which, although it works intermittently, does work. On 2.1.1, I cranked out 179 upgraded flies and knocked out Cipesca, and then Chuaseka. It was already possible to think about breaking through the right garrison. But here are two unpleasant nuances: heavy losses in the garrison and poorly developed swamp-dweller castles. In general, there's no real point in rushing your tail off just to arrive at half-empty AI castles. First, I put it off until 2.2.1.

All this time, the situation with the Inferno AI gave me no peace. The author completely went overboard with the English version and for some reason eased its development. A preliminary test showed that at timing 3.4.1, Lucifer has the same setup as in the Polish version at timing 4.2.1 (archdevils, 200+ upgraded pits, area magic from Mage Guild), and if you arrive 1-2 weeks earlier (which is possible), he's stuck inside the zone behind the right garrison with a smaller army, but hitting him is very inconvenient; the garrison guards and anti-morale events get in the way. And all this had to be pulled off while short on +8 attack :confused:

In general, I went to kill Lucifer on week 6. Using a bug, I broke through 500 pit lords on the way, and on the second pack, I leveled up the new governor of hell, Alkin. On 2.2.3 was the battle with Lucifer, which I spent two evenings on :D He only has 45 spawn of evil, but my 200 flies under 14 attack and bless killed only 7 per hit. In short, a classic battle in the spirit of a masochist's dream, where you need to resist magic arrow, morale all units, not trigger morale yourself, and resist slow on enemy stacks, prevent them from fleeing, and avoid heavy losses :smile04:

Next, we forget about the orange one. Following timings:
2.3.3 - swamp garrison.
2.4.2 - wave goodbye to blue; because of snake month he had nearly 200 upgraded dragonflies, but he broke through easily despite that. The same blue idiot also built me 3 Mage Guilds in the barbarian castle for some reason, which meant I didn't upgrade snakes in one swamp. Unheard-of luck!
3.1.3 - barbarian garrison.
3.2.2 - red is finished off.
3.3.5 - first Inferno garrison.
3.4.7 - second Inferno garrison.
4.3.x - skirmishes with green.
5.2.x - skirmishes with brown (because of Tazar's strength, he doesn't show himself for a long time if you hang around near the exit portal). The surprise was that one of the browns is Mephala. A very tough fight.
6.2.x - buying and delivering everything, and heading toward the Necropolis garrison. 2000 flies were bought in one of the towns. There was an alternative to stay on the respawn longer and farm flies, but there were two problematic points: tedious control of green is ahead, and money is still insufficient for a proper fly buy-out.
6.3.2 - break through Necropolis garrison, negligible losses.
6.3.x - purple is wiped out (had to take an imp to the face once), four Necropolises are captured.
6.4.7 - break through the garrison before Necro City in a grim battle; about 1700 flies, 200+ cows, nearly a thousand lizards and other bits remain. Purple is finished off.
7.1.4 - steal the legion statue before Sprocket.

Then comes several months of army farming for the final battle. I tried it in month 9 but couldn't manage. So I broke through on the tenth.

Overall, the completion was somewhat experimental, with bug-strats in a couple of battles with neutrals and some grinding with monster weeks and months, but generally, it works. Such a map, such methods. I recommend playing this map only to dedicated masochists :smile11: I wanted to record the battle with wolves on 1.3.7 for memory, as I thought I'd found morale for the cow in rounds 1 and 2 on fix-random, but while recording, I realized I hadn't :D

Marlo_Stanfield, Congratulations! I had a feeling you wouldn't just leave this map unfinished. I think you would have completed it a long time ago, even in the Polish version, if you hadn't initially chosen logistics as your bonus. Have you tried checking the map for overpowered landscapes? My h3mtered isn't working. I also noticed that the font has changed. Did you update the HD mod?

Then you need to do it in collaboration with someone. Probably, no one else could do it better than you.
I have serious doubts about the chronological order: the date of appearance is not known for every map. And it is not always possible to confidently track when certain techniques began to be used: for example, something became possible after the release of a well-known patch for the editor (mainly, object replacement), and it is impossible to know for sure about individual tricks (for example, editing the map file in a HEX editor) based on all existing thousands of maps - when and who first applied them.

In any case, you can find the dates of the maps in the map file itself, but too detailed classification is not required. Of course, it is impossible to play all the maps, just as it is impossible to read all the books, watch all the movies, etc., but there are still maps that were among the first in something specific.