Posts from The seventh stage of the Van Kanegem Tournament – The Return of the Second Heroes!

The seventh stage of the annual John Van Caneghem Memorial Tournament
"Return of the Second Heroes!"

P.S. This tournament is held as part of the general John Van Caneghem Memorial Tournament. This tournament has ten stages, two stages for each version of the game.

1.1. To participate in the "Return of the Second Heroes" tournament, you must register on our website and submit an application in this thread.
1.1. The tournament will run from August 28th to September 24th, 2009. The results will be announced on September 30th, 2009.
1.2. The tournament is held as part of the general John Van Caneghem Memorial Tournament.
1.3. The tournament is played on the Russian version of Heroes II by Buky. Generating the starting save file and playing should be done strictly on the Russian version.
1.5. ATTENTION!!! Throughout the tournament, players MUST create saves at the beginning or end (both options are required) of EACH game day and keep them on their computer! The judge has the right to request daily saves and explanations for any player's progress, up to a description of the tactics used in a specific battle.
If satisfactory explanations (from the judges' point of view) are not provided, the player's result will be annulled. If there is a satisfactory description of the gameplay, but the necessary saves are missing, the player will be given a loss. The statute of limitations (the period during which daily saves must be kept) is 7 days after the final results of the round are announced.
1.6. ATTENTION!!! In this particular tournament, all players must attach the STARTING SAVE FILE along with the winning save!
Without the starting save, the result will not be considered.
1.7. ATTENTION!!! In this particular tournament, all players who achieve a result of 5 days or less must attach an archive containing saves from the end of days 1, 2, 3, 4, and the beginning of days 2, 3, 4, 5, along with the winning save! Without this archive, the result will not be counted!
1.8. The tournament host is - Qwerty.

2.1. Using any cheats or bugs in the main playthrough is prohibited. The result will be annulled.
You can read about which bugs are considered forbidden in the thread: Rules for Offline Tournaments + FAQ for HMM II
2.2. If a "+5 monsters X" week or "monster X" month occurs, the player must replay that week/month and achieve a neutral result.
2.3. It is forbidden to play on a version other than the one specified in paragraph 1.3.
2.4. Open discussion of the tournament on the forum during its duration is PROHIBITED!!!
(Players who violate this rule automatically lose the opportunity to participate in the tournament; their results will not be counted and will be annulled)

3.1. The goal of the tournament is to defeat the enemy.
3.2. The main criterion for victory is the minimum time. The secondary criterion is the sum of primary skills (attack, defense, magic, knowledge) INCLUDING WORN ARTIFACTS (counted for the hero with the highest skill total from those presented in the save file); if no favorite can be determined even then, it will be based on the amount of mercury.
Note: If victory occurs during a turn transition, the final number of days will be taken from the table of final results, i.e., the day of the final save plus one.

4.1. The final save should be made before the last action (after which victory occurs).
4.2. Along with the final save, players must send a description of the tactics used in the final battle (the more complex the battle, the more detailed).
If the win depends on morale/luck or specific actions by computer-controlled players, a complete description of the battle is required - one that allows it to be repeated.
4.3. The email with the save must contain:

• STARTING SAVE FILE!!!;
• the winning save itself;
• a description of the tactics used in the final battle;
• the participant's number in the application table;
• the abbreviation (VK709);
• the player's nickname.

Example: Email subject VK709 - vbn,
attached to the email are saves named startVK709vbn.gm1 and 1_VK709_vbn.gm1.
4.4. Send the final save to the email address qwertyheroes@gmail.com.

5.1. Download the map.
Note: The save file and map are archived using WinRar 3.62.
5.2. Place the downloaded map in the Maps folder in the directory where Heroes II is installed on your computer.
5.3. Start on "Impossible" difficulty (chess king icon, right), choosing the Sorceress race. IMMEDIATELY after starting the map, save under the name startVK709nik (where nik is your username on our forum).
5.4. Then play from the save you created at any time that is convenient for you, while remembering to make daily saves at the beginning and end of each game day.
5.5. After reaching the last action (after which victory occurs), you must save again.
5.6. Describe this last step (most likely the battle) in detail with the final save; then, the results will be determined more quickly, and there will be fewer suspicions of cheating!!!
5.7. A complete description of the tournament map is encouraged (not required). If such descriptions are provided, a competition will be held for the best description, and the top 10 will take their place of honor in the "Feats of Our Best Heroes" section!
5.8. Send the starting and final save files to the specified address (in the rules of this tournament).
5.9. Wait for the results to be announced.

6.1. This list may be added to by new participants!
6.2. Only players who are on this table will have their save files considered, so submit your applications in advance!
6.3. After receiving your save file, you will see in the application table that: the save has been accepted - indicated by a Bold Nickname.

HMM II TOURNAMENT: "Return of the Second Heroes!"
Number	Participant
1	Psixxx
2	Pash
3	vbn
4	Elcidere
5	DR28
6
7
8	-----
9	-----
10	-----

P.S. We wish all participants a good time playing in the tournament!!!

Thank you to the organizers for promoting the national version of Heroes 2. And good luck to those who have it!

Dear colleagues,
An experimental tournament has started on our website.
The idea behind this event is not new. First of all, I would like to thank the semi-legendary GreatGenius, whose materials and posts became the starting point for many of my initiatives. I would also like to thank Lavageth, who implemented a similar idea.
It is also important to note the role of Ergon, whose activity in discussing various development options on different maps also influenced my decision to conduct this experiment.
Now, about the essence.
Once, the internet was not as developed as it is now, and players often competed remotely, completing the same map in the shortest possible time. The game usually took place on the "impossible" difficulty level. Some examples of such creations were posted on an analogue of the modern internet - the FIDO network (by the way, you can still find a lot of information about completing maps on the "impossible" difficulty level in the FIDO archives). Perhaps the most famous example of art from that era is the completion of the "Pyramid" map on the "impossible" difficulty level in 7 days (also published on our forum).
The essence of the game is quite simple: start on the "impossible" difficulty level and complete the map quickly. Very quickly. Faster than anyone else. And set a record that future generations of fans of the wonderful game "Heroes of Might and Magic. Part 2" will strive to beat.

It seems everyone is generating a save file:smile33:
You can add me; I'll play regardless:smile14:

Is the map a standard one, or does it have modifications? Is it necessary to download it? I think I already have it. I might be able to participate.

2 Pash
It would be better to download it. It will be easier for me to check the saves later:)))

I will participate after all. I tried the map. It's a pity that there are no statues in the castle. The number of map generations is still limited. I can't get the desired combination.

I watched it too. If I didn't misunderstand anything, there will be many identical results.

I will still participate. I tried the map. It's a pity that there are no statues in the castle. The number of map generations is still limited. I can't get the desired combination.

If you restart the game, the list of generations is updated (personal observation).
In general, the minimum requirement is so obvious that there is absolutely no desire to spend weeks of real time trying to find the right layout.

Colleagues, as far as I know, the record for this map has stood since 1998. Therefore, I would be very happy if a large group of participants were to break it at once.

And what is the record?

And what is the record?

I can't reveal it until the save submissions are complete... It's a solid record, a good result without excessive generation. But when I looked closely at the map, I realized that, considering the current level of play in Heroes II, and with the participation of outstanding masters in the tournament, this record could be improved.

I finished the game, and based on the results, I understand that the criteria for determining the winner are insufficient. If all the indicators (days, total skills, and mercury) are the same, which is quite likely, then experience (Exp) should be added as well.

I certainly don't have the right to announce anything until the submission of saves is complete...

But does this contradict any point of the regulations?
I agree that this could become a point of reference during gameplay, but the fact that this exists on the internet and someone knows, someone will find it, and someone won't, doesn't put everyone on equal footing. Maybe it's still worth announcing? First of all, this should attract the attention of less attentive and less skilled players, and the pros will, at a minimum, already have identified it for themselves (which we are already seeing from the discussion).
So why not set the goal of beating the record, because in sports and other Competitive events, it is always known what to strive for.

I completed it, and based on the result, I understand that there are not enough criteria to determine the winner.

Well, achieving a real minimum in terms of days on the map is not an easy task (according to statistics, from 5 to 30% of participants manage it, and at the same time, generating maximum parameters and maximum mercury becomes excruciating even in a tournament with saves, and here we don't forget that everyone creates their own starting save, and the space for generating is increased many times over. Although the theoretical maximum for parameters and mercury can be calculated on many "fast" maps. But implementing it is very laborious.

we need to add more experience (Exp).

So, is the additional item in the generator the starting experience for the hero? It adds to the time spent in the game.