Panda_Tar said:

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Nice work, Nimostar.

If it was finished few years back, I might have a lingering feel for playing H4 again, which is my second most beloved title, after H2. Nowadays, though, my mood is soaring far away from games of this genre.

I just came to accept that I shouldn't spend much time trying to revive old experiences and feelings, because they're volatile. But cherish what has passed, and allow myself to discover something new.

Alas, this is not a garbage-proof philosophy, so I'm still vulnerable to trashy games in general, hohohoho.

I hope people enjoy your mod. o/

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HEROES 4 ULTIMATE v9 - The Iconic Update
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Instructions:

Copy the contents INSIDE the MAIN folder and paste INSIDE your existing H4 folder. You may want to archive your previous "maps" as there is a new classification that works best with a clean map folder. See below for full notes and changelog.
This update is focused on making the game more readable. Of course there are massive updates in many areas such as a new creature (Hierophant) replacing the unbalanced Wardens, new lairs for previously unrecruitable monsters, updated artifacts, and much more.

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INFRASTRUCTURE
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* Updated the version of HD mod (by Verok). Now has upscaling.
* Several bugfixes, some of them critical.

* Use the "[patched]heroes4_extras.exe" to be able to access ULTIMATE, EQUILIBRIS and OBJPACK maps and objects.
** While still having the original 2002 game, graphics and balance by New World Computing.
*** This method will allow to use more special and new objects in future maps, campaigns and remasters.
("Extra" versions read UL2.h4r from /data, while "Regular" ones read the non-existing "new.h4r".

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MAP OBJECTS
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** Added animation to Skeleton, because some people in streams people would just ignore it like animal skeletons (it can give you an artifact).
* Added mirrored animated skeleton version so people can have died on a different orientation (left-handed people probably).

** Pyramid appearance replaced.
NY** Prison appearance replaced.
(The originals were too blocky and low-effort)

* Added more objects with a focus on adapting sea treasures to land, and vice-versa.
* Added floating stone pile to balance out Flotsam with wood.
* Added "land treasure chest" with XP option on sea.
* Added "Mage's chest" with artifact on sea.

* Faction tamples are now enterable from any direction. This fixes positional map balance and roundabout behaviour.
* Same is true for "blattner stone", "rainbow", "oyster", "faerie ring".
* In contrast, Learning Stone is only accessible from the front and back.

** Added more sea doodads like differently-colored kelps.

* Slightly rebalanced some Creature Banks.

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CREATURES
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Water Elemental rebalanced:
* Given a single-ammo ranged attack.
* While overall stats are higher, the Water Elemental will be weaker in melee due to melee penalty.
* Ranged attack could be used up retaliating from ranged strike.
* Cost and XP slightly upped.
Notes: Despite my efforts at nerfing Water Elementals before, they were still the best elemental even outside water. Now at least they can lose a brawl with Earth Elementals which have 50% magic resistance. Considering their spellcasting prowess the Water Elementals will always have utility anyways.

Hierophant introduced replacing Wardens:
* It has a no-range-penalty shooting attack, yet only two shots.
* These two shots have a chance of ranged-stunning the target.
* On melee, it calls Lightning; given this is now a nature spell (which doesn't harm elementals and is target-luck dependent), this is appropiate.
Note: Hierophants are the glass cannon the Wardens were supposed to be. Yet the Wardens used to be OP, while the Hierophant isn't. Due to the nature of magical damage bypassing conventional defense, Hoerophants are better against high-level creatures. Unlike Wardens, they are defeated by most portal creatures on an equal-XP basis (not least because of the Elemental nature of half of them).

** Mermaid creature description updated.
** Sea Monster creature description updated.
** Archangel creature description updated.

* Unicorn +2 defense
* Unicorn -2 HP
* Unicorn +5 unit gold cost

TEMPORARY CHANGES FOR V9:
* Pirates are now undead Dread Pirates.
* Use of special greenish Skeleton frames in some anims.
* +1 attack to compensate the -2 morale to non-death from Undead ability.
(This change will probably be reverted on v10)
** New undead pirate portrait.

** Imp portrait updated to resemble the new colors.
** New succubus portrait.
** Several portraits fixes and updates.
** New Medusa portrait.
** New Minotaur portrait.
** New Rogue (formerly Bandit) portrait.
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HEROES
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** Brendemar hero bio updated.

* Changed fidget animation on Solmyr's sprite.

* Ensured some heroes woudn't share the same appearance sprite file so they can be independently used/edited.

* Sir Mullich was a self-insert of the NWC boss who rushed the games (thus his + Speed boost in H3). Since his rushing was pretty bad for H4, and since at this point I have worked on the game way longer than he did anyways , I took the liberty to replace him with another character of an opposite philosophy.

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MAP EDITOR
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* Replaced the appearance of Air Elemental Dwelling.
* Replaced the appearance of Earth Elemental Dwelling.
* Replaced the appearance of Fire Elemental Dwelling.
* Replaced the appearance of Water Elemental Dwelling.

* Added many new objects.

* Replaced default campaign editor object pallette for an older, more stable one.
* Now only distributing Editor_Ultimate_V due to less reports of problems compared with the VI version.
* Changes in the wording of some spell descriptions and effects.
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MAPS AND CAMPAIGNS
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* Added new translated maps.
* Added new translated campaigns.

* Updates to remastered Life campaign, The True Blade (original H4)
** Sir Worton was made a considerably more challenging opponent, gaining an extra level every week, and many artifacts to increase his power and resilience. He can also recruit rogues in his Hideout.
** Includes new secret underground areas.
** Landscaping improvements all around.
** Partial monster rebalance.
** AI players made stronger.
** Increased the protagonism of Peasants.

* Updates to remastered Might campaign (original H4)
** Some usability updates majorly on the first map.
** Major landscaping improvements in all of the campaign's maps.

* Updates to remastered Order campaign "The Price of Peace" (Original H4):
** Improved Gavin Magnus's victory mechanism and added dialogue.
*** Improved his artifacts.
** Added secret areas.
** More water gameplay. Everybody loves water gameplay, right? (*Don't say no*)
** Partial monster rebalance.
** Major landscaping improvements.

* Updates to Chaos campaign "A pirate's daughter" (Original H4)
** Landscaping improvements.

* Improvements to Ultimate version for Delusions of Grandeur:
** Initial gameplay slightly adjusted so that Hierophants are less destabilizing.
NY** Wrap Delusion map in Campaign packaging.

* Updates to Ultimate version of Masters of the Elements (H4 Chronicles campaign)

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TERRAIN
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* Updated Ice River tooltip to clarify it counts as a river for combat.
* Updated several terrain tooltips to clarify to which combat terrain their adventure types correspond.

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FIXES
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* Several fixes originally based on equi355 and h4zero work
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SPELLS
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* Banish from Order to Life.
* Mirror of Revenge (Pain Mirror) from Chaos to Order (joining elder mass brother).
* Quickness from Life to Chaos.
* Mirth (Life) -> Frolick (Chaos)
* Morale (Chaos ex-potion) -> Resolve (Life)
** Icons updated.
** Names updated.
** Descriptions updated.
*** Explanations: The upgrade of Chaos with double attack (even in a limited form) requires the nerfing on another area. It seemed to me that chaos morale for heroes was too high and would stack too strongly with this, since it could be cast from the adventure map. Also this would allow to annihilate enemies with damage since it all but guarantees first turn. This happening with Life is more logical and less of a problem. That also compensates the relative loss of Quickness as offensive potential for Life.
*** This also partially fixes Life having too many level 2 spells, by switching one lvl2 for lvl3.

* (Re)Animate Dead can animate enemies again, but enemies may resist the reanimation. -20% power.
* Dark Calling (formerly Death Calls) may be resisted by enemies as well. Mechanical no longer a valid target (?), but Elementals are. +20% power.
* Army of the Damned -> Reduced power due to much increased utility (Mass Animate Dead).

* Mind's Flurry (Mass Magic Fist) power slightly increased

* Rock Growth formula updated.
** Somewhat worse at first, but power increases significantly more.

** The spell icons that used to designate the "potion-style" effects now designate adventure-enabled spells instead.

?* Spell Shackle now counts as a Damage spell.

* Increased Fiery Blade power scaling.

* Fireball, Frost Ring, Inferno spell casting resumes updated with damage area specification.

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ARTIFACTS
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* Improved, more descriptive icons for potions.
* Improved, more descriptive icons for vials.

* Improved descriptive images for Vials in Blacksmiths.
* Improved descriptive images for Potions in Blacksmiths.

* Reclassed the rarity and nominal cost of the expansion artifacts.
** This makes the common according tot heir new tiers and power.
*** Before this, they were all relics costing 9999 (and you would KYS if Rod of Disruption generates as your relic. Ignore wards, how quaint!).

* Charm of Fireballs renamed Sol Ring.
* Charm of Fireballs moved to Ring slot/s.
* Can now stack mana production.

* Changed Charm of Weakness for Circlet of Weakening.
* Changed Charm of Bless for Miter of Blessing.
* New images (adventure and artifact slot) for each spellcasting artifact.
* Wand of Animate Dead to Baton of Reanimation, is used on Left Hand. (the "Twin" of the Wand of Illusion)
** Descriptions updated.

* Flaming Sword from Major to Minor.
** It wasn't that powerful, now you get to see it more often.

* Holy Kirpan (ex Angel's Blade) is back to being of Minor rarity, is now worn on neck.
** As a sword it was useless, there's only five undead creatures (also only useful on a melee combat hero) and it was otherwise a common longsword. Now as a necklace at least it can give another boost.

* David's Sling is now carried on Left Hand instead of in Ranged slot (more useful for boosting creatures like Shields, than to boost ranged attack of the hero, where it does nothing).

* Artifacts will now mention their own names in their descriptions (quality of life feature, useful such as when buying them in Blacksmith shops)
* Several description fixes and clarifications.

* Trinket of Health to Zircon of Health.
** New equip image.
** New animated adventure image.

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ADVENTURE OBJECTS
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- Changed several strings adding clarifications (such as rally flag effect lasting for 30 days)

- Added Monstrous Abyss (Sea Monster dwelling)
- Added Mermaid dwelling
- Added Megadragon dwelling

__________________________________________________

Done changes
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v* Add inverse-dying Air Elementals teleport effect.
v* Re-import pirate sprite (glitch foot)
v* Re-import zombie sprite (glitch foot)

v** Change Fire Elemental melee sprite for ex-ranged attack
v** Also possible to make melee->fidget and fidget->flinch (can store flinch in Block)
NY** Change the Fire Elemental adventure sprite to use Fidget?

v* Campaign-ize and add alternate pathways for "Hierophant Things" with different heroes and tutorials.
(Ability synergy tutorial, new magic/spells tutorial)

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NimoStar said:

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Yes, do notice that he copyright claimed ALL of my releases, even though, I only included the EQUILIBRIS-ORIGINATED QOL and bug-fixes in my v9 version from 2024, and no other version includes any equilibris, or albyx for that matter, code at all.

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NimoStar said:

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It seems ModDB just deleted all my files due to mass reporting from Albyx's accounts, as I said, even files which are several years old and predate the very entry of Albyx into the community.

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NimoStar said:

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This is unbecoming not only of the mod community, but of human decency in general.

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NimoStar said:

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Sadly, the extreme envy of so-called "persons" such as Albyx is depriving the people of the ability to download and play Heroes 4 ULTIMATE at this time. Using underhanded techniques such as reporting from multiple fake accounts, and sending false information, Albyx has endeavored for the deletion of H4 ULTIMATE contents of the last three years, even from before "his" "own" mod even existed.

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NimoStar said:

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I put quote marks since "his" mod is made from stolen code from Equilibris, and using a closed-source illegal variation of the open source H4 plugin system used for years exclusively on ULTIMATE. He publicly and blatantly lied denying this was the case several times on H4 ULTIMATE Discord (by Brucknerhun), after which he finally had to admit it was true after I showed him HIS OWN README from an alpha version in which he admitted everything. Therefore claiming "nobody cares" that he "stole" their code without permission at all.

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NimoStar said:

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Actually, I would agree to that, if not for his (and this time truly his) underhanded tactics of therefore claiming it is his "EXLUCIVE USE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY"

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NimoStar said:

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And thereafter lurking on my discord to poach people and ideas, immediately making a claim to implement creature artifacts the very day I published plans to that matter.

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NimoStar said:

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Well, it seems he "cares" because he's doing extreme sabotage when I never put any obstacle to his blatant disregard for others, all without making any public statement and hoping all stays on shadows and subterfuge. This is not the way of men, but of rats. Yes, do notice that he copyright claimed ALL of my releases, even though, I only included the EQUILIBRIS-ORIGINATED QOL and bug-fixes in my v9 version from 2024, and no other version includes any equilibris, or albyx for that matter, code at all.

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NimoStar said:

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It seems ModDB just deleted all my files due to mass reporting from Albyx's accounts, as I said, even files which are several years old and predate the very entry of Albyx into the community.

This is unbecoming not only of the mod community, but of human decency in general.

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BrucknerHun said:

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Hello Nemo! Thank you for communicating this to the HC community.
[...]

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NimoStar said:

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Not responding to the lies of fake accounts. Sorry. At least use your real account to lie, be half a man.

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I’ll start this post out with the following: By completely ignoring every point Albyx and I made in our posts above, you, nimostar, have admitted to being a thief.

You are now also a certified thief by your own admission, nimostar

NimoStar said:

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Ehlesgens art is a fake of Iliveinabox, we also had this false "user" come in the H4 Ultimate discord to start sh*it (always at the same time as Iliveinabox and connected simultaneously saying "iliveinabox is such right, wow"

Again, only lies and fakes come.

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NimoStar said:

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Notice how this user never posted anything except for this matter.

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NimoStar said:

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The actual "H4 Chronicles" maps were made by ByteBandit, he never demanded their removal or contacted me.

The "text" can not be copyrighted by Iliveinabox since it is copy-pasted straight from H3 Chronicles made over 25 years ago by New World Computing!

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NimoStar said:

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To boot this is only a maps, not "content from another mods" used "without credit" (the whole Chronicles readme and credits were always included within the H4 Ultimate distribution). This has been so for three years.

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NimoStar said:

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Furthermore, it is this "readme" which fails to give proper credit, since the object pack was made at my behest first, see here
Even failing that, there is still a "Nimo" tag in the object pack with my first objects, which is loaded by defualt in the object pack campaign editor!

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NimoStar said:

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This is being distributed "without authorization" by both Ilive and Albyx in all of their releases, and is actual mod content and not just maps

Guess I should "report" everything from Iliveinabox and Albyx so they are deleted on this, huh?

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NimoStar said:

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Not responding to the lies of fake accounts. Sorry. At least use your real account to lie, be half a man.

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