Master of Magic unofficial patch

[kyrub]

MoM unofficial patch, v1.40.

The latest version currently in development can be found HERE.

Please report any problems in the associated threads on the webpage.
Enjoy!

 

[Fez]

This is a pleasant surprise. Thanks.

 

[TheCowburner]

Never tried the unofficial patch, is it worth it?

 

[Araanor]

Cool. I will make sure to try it in an unspecified future.

 

[Jive One]

Looks interesting for sure. Thanks for the heads up and your work on this.

 

[kyrub]

Be sure to download updated version, when you are ready to play (see the link above).

Right now we are on 1.40b, I added some interface changes and corrected a few issues and a bug from previous one. And I tried a few AI measures.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Whoa, awesomesauce! Will try it out soon!

 

[Trash]

Awesome work on the patch so far. Reading the change list however I was a bit surprised. You removed death creatures from lairs, keeps and the like? This is a bit puzzling to me. Sure, death creatures have other places as well but isn't the variety of possible enemies when exploring these sites what makes it fun?

 

[kyrub]

You removed death creatures from lairs, keeps and the like?

1. First of all, to avoid misunderstanding, it is not changed for every lair.

2. Did you test the outcome? I did the "correct" version at first, and then I thought for two hours the patch was unfonctional... Because Death prevailed incredibly! I tested several games setup, with repeated outcome.
It seems that the game random number generator tends to prefer bigger results when re-used - and these are dead lairs.
I find the chaos-nature version much better.

3. Below is a table that partially explains my feelings.

tower - any color
ch node - chaos
na node - nature
so node - sorcery

ancient temple - 75% death, 25% life
fallen temple - 75% death, 25% life
ruins - 75% death, 25% life

cave - 50% chaos, 50% nature (original should have been 33% death, 33% chaos, 33% nature)
dungeon - ditto
a keep - ditto
lair - ditto

 

[SCO]

This is a problem with bad uses of some random generators. In java for example, to create a new random object each time (initializing a new one with a new seed) seems to be less pseudo random than requesting a new value from the same object (because i guess the pseudo random "function" has a codomain that favors some initial values in spite of the seed).

BTW why shouldn't this happen: "AI will not cast possession on your heroes"?

 

[kyrub]

Note that fantastic creatures and heroes cannot be possessed.

The reports said that AI often casted possession on heroes and then fled with them. I found that feature intriguing, but the patch rules are strict: what is intended is always preferred.

 

[MetalCraze]

Does it make resolution any higher?
I can take any kind of shit graphics but 320x200 being stretched to 1680x1050 with every game pixel taking about 25 real pixels is a bit too much, the interface becomes a real mess.
It's a good game but modern LCDs make it barely playable

 

[GarfunkeL]

You still have to play it in Dosbox, so no Skyway, it doesn't.

The rampaging beasts really make the game harder. My poor starting city was ambushed by a horde of cockatrices, giant snakes and earth elementals. Raep ensued.

 

[kyrub]

@Skyway
I play in Dosbox window mode, the only way out. I agree, that it would be great if somebody took those mini images and reconstructed them with higher pixels. Then I think I could reintroduce them in the game.

Maybe, with the game repaired and the AI growing tougher with every update, somebody will pick up the glove. (OK, not serious here.)

@GarfunkeL
It sounds as if you did not update to version 1.40b. In "a" version there's a bug involved that makes monsters crazy. Actually, the Revolting Raiders are tougher scenario.

 

[Trash]

You removed death creatures from lairs, keeps and the like?

1. First of all, to avoid misunderstanding, it is not changed for every lair.

2. Did you test the outcome? I did the "correct" version at first, and then I thought for two hours the patch was unfonctional... Because Death prevailed incredibly! I tested several games setup, with repeated outcome.
It seems that the game random number generator tends to prefer bigger results when re-used - and these are dead lairs.
I find the chaos-nature version much better.

3. Below is a table that partially explains my feelings.

tower - any color
ch node - chaos
na node - nature
so node - sorcery

ancient temple - 75% death, 25% life
fallen temple - 75% death, 25% life
ruins - 75% death, 25% life

cave - 50% chaos, 50% nature (original should have been 33% death, 33% chaos, 33% nature)
dungeon - ditto
a keep - ditto
lair - ditto

Perhaps lowering the chance of encountering death would work? Banning it completely from using several sites does seem a bit harsh, then again if the game massively favours death to the point that other critters have no chance of appearing then I'm all for eliminating it. Whatever gives the biggest chance of a wide spectrum of possible enemies one might encounter.

PS: Massively enjoying the game once again with your patch. AI seems a lot better at making my life miserable. I feel like I'm 15 again. :D

PPS: AI using possesion to steal your heroes? Awesome!

 

[kyrub]

PS: Massively enjoying the game once again with your patch. AI seems a lot better at making my life miserable. I feel like I'm 15 again.

Ahh, thanks, you made my day with that AI comment. So far the effort seemed to have no reflection in game experience. And - mind you - in the version you are playing, a whole AI area is unfonctional.


So I made another update, version 1.40c.
THIS should be the real stuff. :wink:

 

[GarfunkeL]

Now I only need to fiddle with Dosbox to make this run in full-screen! Playing in a window is annoying.

 

[MetalCraze]

@Skyway
I play in Dosbox window mode, the only way out. I agree, that it would be great if somebody took those mini images and reconstructed them with higher pixels. Then I think I could reintroduce them in the game.

I was thinking more along the lines of keeping them in the same res, just making the drawing field bigger and thus the res higher, much like Drog's Arcanum resolution patch. If that's even possible of course.

Windowed mode is also far from perfect, because with the bearable scaling the window is too small and with the bigger window the pixels are far from ideal.
I'm thinking about getting old 17" LCD from my nephew if he still has it for my old PC though but so far I have to stick to AoW

 

[Trash]

So I made another update, version 1.40c.
THIS should be the real stuff. :wink:

Sweet. I'll play a few games this evening and see how it goes. Really happy to see someone try and patch this old classic to perfection. Cheers.

Windowed mode is also far from perfect, because with the bearable scaling the window is too small and with the bigger window the pixels are far from ideal.
I'm thinking about getting old 17" LCD from my nephew if he still has it for my old PC though but so far I have to stick to AoW

You fucking graphics whore. The game looks fine.

 

[kyrub]

Updated to 1.40d.

AI will operate in big stacks now
+
combat spells bugs fixed
(Magic Vortex, Word of Recall, Animate Dead).

 

[Trash]

Nice. This is getting better and better. Downloading now.

 

[Jimmy McDunce]

shitty patch

 

[kyrub]

Big step to 1.40e if anyone's still interested in this old game.


AI phobia against human player's cities is gone. Much more aggressivity.
+
Other issues fixed, some complex AI changes too. See full list for the details, on the link above.

 

[Zeus]

I don't know if I agree with all the changes, but it's about time someone got around to modding good ol' Master of Magic.

Keep the updates coming!

 

[Elwro]

Thank you so much for the effort!