HOMM 2 vs HOMM 3

[Abelian]

Holy shit is that screenshot for real? It looks really cool. Liking the insporation from Metropolis.

It sure is. You can read about it here.

And terribly out of place.

It makes more sense coming from the M&M games, which used sci-fi concepts from the get-go. Then starting with M&M 6, NWC decided that the M&M and HoMM series would take place in the same universe.

But I agree that it wouldn't have made a good fit with the mythology-inspired fantasy of the HoMM games.

 

[bloodlover]

Oh shit I remember where I saw the Forge before. The guys working on Horn of the Abyss mentioned it.

http://www.hota.acidcave.net/about_the_project_add-on_versions.html

It seems that it will be playable at some point. They even released some drawings on their FB page.

I think it would fit somehow with the HOMM games as long as it's not too SFish. Might and Magic games already had some SF elements.

 

[Transfiguring Roar]

I was never a fan of the look of the Necro town in H2, it looks a bit tacky to me. A lot of the buildings don't go together well. I like the Warlock's and the Sorceress' towns. The others didn't do much for me.

Some of the H3 towns may look a bit bland, but I think they did a great job with their overall presentation, bar the Conflux. Rampart's my favorite.

 

[Reject_666_6]

Necro town in H2 is absolutely retarded and I question the sanity of anyone who prefers it over the H3 Negropolis.

Thematically they threw everything and the kitchen sink in there. Colonial mansions mixed with medieval (?) skull-castle complete with moat, the pyramid of Khufu and a mage guild that wouldn't be out of place in HoMM3 Inferno. Not pictured is the dragon gazebo that ties everything together. The layout is also completely whack because the empty city is a bunch of fancy cobblestone roads going nowhere (because they didn't change the town background when you upgraded your city hall like in H3). This also highlights the bad perspective some of the buildings are drawn with, but I guess we finally know who ITS hired to draw AoD's world map.

I'm not going to judge the H3 mod that this pic is taken from since it's obviously a work in progress and they have some adjustments to make on the new buildings they made, but it exacerbates all the above problems: more empty space, more kitchen sink, more bad perspective.

Say what you will about the gritty, realistic art style H3 went with, but at least their Necropolis looks like it was built by the same group of people in broadly the same style.

 

[Transfiguring Roar]

... Not pictured is the dragon gazebo that ties everything together. ...

The final nugget that drops into the toilet.

 

[blamzooie]

I like HOMM2 graphics because that was first time I played HOMM series. I can't wait for the above-linked mod to be complete.

 

[Infinitron]

The Necromancer town in HOMM2 was obviously a tongue-in-cheek, Monster Squad type thing:

 

[octavius]

Having a nostalgia moment, I have downloaded both HOMM 3 Chronicles and HOMM 2 from GOG. I have played HOMM 3 a little but I couldn't play further than the 3rd scenario of the campaign, I found it stale. Started HOMM 2 and I absolutely love it. The graphics, the music, the long campaign, everything blends in a perfect atmosphere that HOMM 3 couldn't achieve.

HoMM2 and its expansion had much better campaigns than HoMM3 (especially the first campaign was boring) and Heroes Chronicles, IMO.

But HoMM 3 has better AI and game mechanics. Try some of the user made maps, like the Pride trilogy, to see what could be done with HoMM3 that HoMM 2 could only dream of.

Some of the creatures look different than I remember. Modded?

 

[dehimos]

Some of the creatures look different than I remember. Modded?

Yes, Succession Wars Mod for HoMM3.

 

[Coriolanus]

HoMM3. It's still played competitively to this day (as well as being the only competitive TB game that I find fun to watch)! Some of the things these guys manage to pull of are amazing.

Spoiler

http://www.twitch.tv/directory/game/Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Shadow of Death

I also highly recommend checking out the "Horn of the Abyss", if you haven't already. The pirate-theme campaigns complete with a new town are really well done (better than the Conflux expansion, IMO).

 

[hoverdog]

HoMM3. It's still played competitively to this day (as well as being the only competitive TB game that I find fun to watch)! Some of the things these guys manage to pull of are amazing.

Spoiler

http://www.twitch.tv/directory/game/Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Shadow of Death

I also highly recommend checking out the "Horn of the Abyss", if you haven't already. The pirate-theme campaigns complete with a new town are really well done (better than the Conflux expansion, IMO).

I wonder, what houserules do people use when playing 'competitively'? No town portal, no conflux, no logistics? 'cause the game is anything but balanced.

 

[Coriolanus]

HoMM3. It's still played competitively to this day (as well as being the only competitive TB game that I find fun to watch)! Some of the things these guys manage to pull of are amazing.

Spoiler

http://www.twitch.tv/directory/game/Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Shadow of Death

I also highly recommend checking out the "Horn of the Abyss", if you haven't already. The pirate-theme campaigns complete with a new town are really well done (better than the Conflux expansion, IMO).

I wonder, what houserules do people use when playing 'competitively'? No town portal, no conflux, no logistics? 'cause the game is anything but balanced.

Yeah, there are a LOT of rules. I can't find a link in English, unfortunately, as the community is predominantly Russian-speaking - though there is one very notable Dutch player. Matches are also played on fixed random 'seeds' (that is, the ones considered to be the most balanced). Due to remaining randomness (e.g. getting 4 vs. 6 griffins in the angel house) and near-perfect macro execution it all comes down to who is better at mind-games and can come up with the most creative and efficient tactics on-the-go (since no two starting conditions are ever the same, and even the best will screw up occasionally).

 

[Luka-boy]

HoMM3. It's still played competitively to this day (as well as being the only competitive TB game that I find fun to watch)! Some of the things these guys manage to pull of are amazing.

Spoiler

http://www.twitch.tv/directory/game/Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Shadow of Death

I wasn't aware of this at all. Thank you very much for sharing.

 

[Leonorai]

I wonder, what houserules do people use when playing 'competitively'? No town portal, no conflux, no logistics? 'cause the game is anything but balanced.

Here's a little taste

- no DD/Fly (you can''t use Dimention Door and Fly spells as well as Angel Wings artefact)

- no Scrolls Level 4 - 5 (you can''t use magic scrolls with spells Level 4 - 5)

- no Necro (you can''t select Necropolis as starting town, you can't use Necro skill (must dismiss all gained skeletons after each battle) and can't build new creature buildings in necro towns if you will find them)

- no Conflux (you can''t select Conflux as starting town, and can't build new creature buildings in flux towns if you will find them)

- no Diplo (you can''t take, level up Diplomacy skill and join monsters.)

- no Joiners (you can''t join wandering monsters even without Diplomacy skill)

- no Log spec (Kyrre, Gunnar, Dessa can't be starting hero and can't attack into final battle. Final battle happens were both heroes have >50% HP of their bought troops)

- no Grail (you can''t build Grail in towns)

- no Carto (you can''t visit Cartographer)

- no Hillfort (you can''t upgrade creatures in Hillfort)

- no Upgrades (you can''t upgrade creatures from Conservatories/Hives)

- maximum 1 level 7 dwell of each town type is allowed to flag on the whole map for one player.

- no Doublebuild (you can't build up 2 same towns. Not allowed to build only creature dwellings level3-7. Example: if player start with Dungeon and has 2 Strongholds then he is allowed to build 1 Stronghold and Dungeon)

- no Red Rush (Red player can''t attack Blue or flag blue's unguarded town on Day 1 of ANY week after Red has bought some NEW army (in any town or dwelling) or Red has hired new hero)

- no Hit & Run (Fleeing or surrendering from combat is not allowed for the first 3 rounds if you have done more damage to your opponent than he has done to you (HP). You are allowed to flee/surrender in any situation if that is the first action you take. Not allowed to use magic level 3+ by prison heroes level11 or higher.

At that point i was honestly wondering why they don't just mod all of those changes into the game itself or just throw the entire game out the window and play chess.
I was told the masochists a.k.a. players like those rules and don't mind memorizing and carefully micromanaging all of the above bullshit and more just to have a semblance of a "fair" game.

The game is amazing, the community is dumb as rocks.

 

[hoverdog]

I wonder, what houserules do people use when playing 'competitively'? No town portal, no conflux, no logistics? 'cause the game is anything but balanced.

Here's a little taste

- no DD/Fly (you can''t use Dimention Door and Fly spells as well as Angel Wings artefact)

- no Scrolls Level 4 - 5 (you can''t use magic scrolls with spells Level 4 - 5)

- no Necro (you can''t select Necropolis as starting town, you can't use Necro skill (must dismiss all gained skeletons after each battle) and can't build new creature buildings in necro towns if you will find them)

- no Conflux (you can''t select Conflux as starting town, and can't build new creature buildings in flux towns if you will find them)

- no Diplo (you can''t take, level up Diplomacy skill and join monsters.)

- no Joiners (you can''t join wandering monsters even without Diplomacy skill)

- no Log spec (Kyrre, Gunnar, Dessa can't be starting hero and can't attack into final battle. Final battle happens were both heroes have >50% HP of their bought troops)

- no Grail (you can''t build Grail in towns)

- no Carto (you can''t visit Cartographer)

- no Hillfort (you can''t upgrade creatures in Hillfort)

- no Upgrades (you can''t upgrade creatures from Conservatories/Hives)

- maximum 1 level 7 dwell of each town type is allowed to flag on the whole map for one player.

- no Doublebuild (you can't build up 2 same towns. Not allowed to build only creature dwellings level3-7. Example: if player start with Dungeon and has 2 Strongholds then he is allowed to build 1 Stronghold and Dungeon)

- no Red Rush (Red player can''t attack Blue or flag blue's unguarded town on Day 1 of ANY week after Red has bought some NEW army (in any town or dwelling) or Red has hired new hero)

- no Hit & Run (Fleeing or surrendering from combat is not allowed for the first 3 rounds if you have done more damage to your opponent than he has done to you (HP). You are allowed to flee/surrender in any situation if that is the first action you take. Not allowed to use magic level 3+ by prison heroes level11 or higher.

At that point i was honestly wondering why they don't just mod all of those changes into the game itself or just throw the entire game out the window and play chess.
I was told the masochists a.k.a. players like those rules and don't mind memorizing and carefully micromanaging all of the above bullshit and more just to have a semblance of a "fair" game.

The game is amazing, the community is dumb as rocks.

 

[FeelTheRads]

Exactly. Like I keep saying, the proper non-faggy way of playing Heroes is random everything and no house rules.

 

[hoverdog]

Well, I understand (or even support) disabling Conflux and Town Portal (which, curiously, isn't on the list), but most of the stuff on the list is simply retarded.

 

[Darth Roxor]

I think my favourite points are how you are not allowed to take advantage of shit you've conquered

 

[tuluse]

I played HoMM3 first and for years before I played HoMM2. I like it a lot more, but I have to agree that HoMM2 had better art direction (which is basically, a 10/10 instead of 8/10).

I'm not sure it wins the total art category though has I remember HoMM3 having way more variety of art and just more stuff to look at basically.

 

[whatevername]

Here's a little taste



At that point i was honestly wondering why they don't just mod all of those changes into the game itself or just throw the entire game out the window and play chess.
I was told the masochists a.k.a. players like those rules and don't mind memorizing and carefully micromanaging all of the above bullshit and more just to have a semblance of a "fair" game.

The game is amazing, the community is dumb as rocks.

Chess must be played the following way:
- No queens, because they could be read as queers and that's offensive to some
- White must play with 7 pawns, because white starts first and that's unfair!
- No thinking 2 or more moves ahead!
- No kids' checkmate!!!

 

[baturinsky]

Chess must be played the following way:
- No queens, because they could be read as queers and that's offensive to some
- White must play with 7 pawns, because white starts first and that's unfair!
- No thinking 2 or more moves ahead!
- No kids' checkmate!!!

Gomoku tournament rules really looks something like this.

 

[Endemic]

Those house rules seem excessive. I only came across no TP\DD\Fly spells permitted and Logistics specialists being frowned upon.

 

[Norfleet]

Chess must be played the following way:
- No queens, because they could be read as queers and that's offensive to some
- White must play with 7 pawns, because white starts first and that's unfair!
- No thinking 2 or more moves ahead!
- No kids' checkmate!!!

Sounds like you want Blizzard Chess.

 

[General Maxson]

Well to tell you the truth, I agree, battlefields and units look better in 2, but the overal adventure map I think looks better in 3 (more atmosphere and details, I always liked that part of the game), castles are a toss up, some look shitty in H3, and there are some that don't look that good in 2 too. Both games are fantastic IMO.

So, this The Succession War mod is a mod for H3 that wants to recreate H2 with better graphics and units in H3 engine and more of everything (castles, units etc.)? Esentially make a H3 game with "better" H2 aesthetics and atmosphere?

Anyone know is the Horn of the abyss still developed, i.e. will they deliver those 2 extra castles and other content eventually? And where can I find the latest version, as the first one I played seemed great?

 

[tyrannosaurus rex]

Heroes 2 campaign map looked even more like a board game than Heroes 3. Graphic wise I hand it to 2.

I do believe the visuals are important. That's what makes playing good games even more agreable.

Otherwise I can't think of any gameplay mechanics that Heroes 3 didn't handle better.

2 was more simple and the faction more diverse (random really it wasn't balanced), whatever's your preference.

There should be a third ''I like one as much as the other'' option.

Lastly let's not forget that both soundtracks were really great





Long Live Romero!