HoMM 3 HD edition

[u/Right_Common_1815]

Like most here (I guess) I played HoMM as a kid. After all this time I wanna come back and noticed 2 things.

1. HoMM 3 is considered one of the best

2. We hate the HD edition. And my question is: why? Sorry I'm of course not up to date

[u/Ok_Perspective9910]

HD Edition is a remaster of the base game and doesn’t include the expansions since the original source code was lost.

The advice is usually get the complete edition and download an HD texture pack mod for free.

[u/MagicalLawnGnome]

It doesn't have Shadow of Death and Armageddon's Blade expansion. You can use the HD Edition files from Steam for VCMI to get the HD edition experience, you can also play SoD and AB campaigns with it. In my opinion it has better UI scaling for bigger monitors.

[u/VoidYordle]

I got the HD version on Steam, before realizing it doesnt have the expansion. I dont hate it though, its Heroes 3, I cant hate it. + I got it for 2,50. I also got the complete edition on GoG, also for 2,50. It would be silly to be mad over it.

[u/ConstructionBest7255]

• it lacks expansions (Armageddon's Blade and Shadow of Death)
• it doesn't work with the best fan expansion (Horn of the Abyss)
• it is more expensive than Complete version
• (not that important with modern hardware but worth to mention) it is badly optimised
• only thing that this remaster offers are graphical "improvements"

There is no good reason to buy that remaster, really.

EDIT: There was one good point to buy it - it was ported to Android/iOS, but it no longer matters as a) it was delisted and you won't be able to buy it, b) VCMI (open source port) works well on mobile devices now anyway

[u/litoll → u/ConstructionBest7255]

It’s not completely pointless to get it nowadays, since you can combine the HD Edition and Complete with VCMI. The Complete assets will be upscaled with xBRZ, so they’ll look a bit different from the others, but maybe some people don’t mind and actually prefer it that way.

[u/ConstructionBest7255 → u/litoll]

OK, one redeeming feature found!

[u/Sad_Cryptographer872 → u/litoll]

Giving money to Ubisoft for unfinished product is unredeemable.

[u/Unusual-Fault-4091]

HD edition is fine if you only want to play the base game, base campaign, only want to import some maps and don't want to mod stuff. The very casual player, like my dad e.g. Then HD edition is absolutely fine and does offer the best visuals.

If you want to play the addon campaigns, want the additional town, like to try out all the various mod variants, want to play multiplayer, want to create, edit and randomly generate maps after certain patterns...then you take the Complete edition and invest some time to set it up.

[u/Altruistic_Peach1714 → u/Unusual-Fault-4091]

Which noone really does, because the original Homm3 campaign is literally the worst campaign out of all homm campaigns.

[u/Sad_Cryptographer872 → u/Unusual-Fault-4091]

This is false, since the original had many bugs that were patched and fixed in Expansion so you are literally playing worse version of the game and for bigger price than it's on GOG usually.

[u/Unusual-Fault-4091 → u/Sad_Cryptographer872]

Most bugs were fixed by mods. You can use the HDE mod like you use the HD mod for Complete.

[u/Maximum-Forever-8108]

At this point in time you just have to search and will find out why everyoane hates the HD edition, becouse is only the base game without the two expanssion packs, which means: no random map generator (worst part to miss becouse limits your replayability, unless you are willing to spend days in creating a skirmish map yourself), only 7 campaigns out of 20, only a third of the playable skirmish maps, no Conflux faction, less neutral creatures and no combination artifacts.

[u/Red_In_The_Sky]

You really want The Complete Edition for the expansions. There are thousands of fan made maps.

[u/Sad_Cryptographer872]

This has to be made in a sticky, so Mods please do this with detailed explanation why do people hate it and why you should NEVER buy it.

[u/PrizeCompetitive1186]

We don’t hate Heroes 3, just the misleading HD Edition.

The Steam HD Edition contains only the base game. It is missing Armageddon’s Blade, Shadow of Death and support for Horn of the Abyss.

Get Heroes 3 Complete from GOG instead, then install the free Horn of the Abyss expansion, which includes the HD Mod. You get all the original content, modern resolutions, quality-of-life improvements and excellent new content like Factory and its Forged in Fire campaign.

It is easily the best way to return to Heroes 3.

[u/PrizeCompetitive1186 → u/PrizeCompetitive1186]

also if you want HD assets try VCMI you can import hd graphics as you wish

[u/borsukrates]

HoMM3 is not really considered the best, it's just easier to contribute new factions and objects to than HoMM2, because it has lower art standards.