[RELEASE] Heroes of Might and Magic III HD Edition (port of Android version of HoMM3 HD to PS Vita)

[Northfear]

Heroes of Might and Magic 3. Finally on PS Vita!
Original Android version is required (v1.1.6 only).
Source code, VPK file and and detailed instructions are on the github page of the project:
https://github.com/Northfear/homm3hd-vita

Custom maps are supported, but only from the "The Restoration of Erathia" version.
Game can crash sometimes due to running out of VRAM, so make sure to save the game after important battles. Some visual bugs are still present (wrong rendering order on the world map, wrong projectile direction), but I've managed to complete a few maps w/o major problems, so the game seems definitely playable for me.

 

[Reploid]

How comfort it is to play, actually? I 'member disliking Diablo 1 on vita, cause this rear touch panel only got in the way and some functions were hard to reach.

 

[Northfear]

How comfort it is to play, actually? I 'member disliking Diablo 1 on vita, cause this rear touch panel only got in the way and some functions were hard to reach.

Kinda the same as on Vita-sized phone. Screen is a bit too small for that kind of a game, but it was definitely playable. Might be hard for people with big fingers, but in general it was "alright" experience for me.

 

[DinohScene]

Pity it isn't the original HOMM3 but I'll gladly play the android version.
Amazing work! finally! HOMM3 OTG!

 

[FAST6191]

I am one of the HOMM2 is best HOMM heretics but still like to see things like this. Is the android version that gimped compared to PC versions?

 

[peter8]

Northfear is in the House ! Yeah Love you man.

Get later tested.

 

[Northfear]

I am one of the HOMM2 is best HOMM heretics but still like to see things like this. Is the android version that gimped compared to PC versions?

Yes, but no
It's not gimped. Maps and campaigns are the same as in HD edition on PC.
The only problem is that HD edition only includes original HoMM3 version (The Restoration of Erathia) w/o any add-ons that were released later (allegedly due to source code being lost back then).

 

[such]

This is amazing to have on the Vita, regardless. Thank you, @Northfear!

Interesting coincidence: VCMI just got a major 1.0 update, and that's the full HoMM3 experience, with an Android port as well.

 

[Northfear]

This is amazing to have on the Vita, regardless. Thank you, @Northfear!

Interesting coincidence: VCMI just got a major 1.0 update, and that's the full HoMM3 experience, with an Android port as well.

VCMI was obviously my first goal (back in 2019 I think), but I would probably have to leave my job just to port it, since the required amount of effort was massive (from completely changing the architecture of the engine to porting lots of dependencies). And even with that VCMI AI would probably just destroy Vita in therms of system requirements (unless it was improved recently).
So with that out of the way Android port was the only more or less realistic way to get HoMM 3 on Vita for me.
I would still love to see VCMI on Vita tho.

 

[such]

VCMI was obviously my first goal (back in 2019 I think), but I would probably have to leave my job just to port it

Yeah, I figured it'd be something along those lines. I really do appreciate this port - besides, a smaller dose of crack is still crack

 

[peter8]

Update ! From dec.2022 homm3hd-vita


v1.0.0 - Sep 18.2022
- Initial release

v1.0.1 - Sep 20.2022
- Added libgpu_es4_kernel_ext.skprx to the VPK. There's no need to install it manually anymore.

v1.0.2 - Oct 14.2022
- Fixed not working savegames with missing "pref" folder

v1.0.3 Latest - Dec 14.2022
- Increased delay between taps for ranged attack to 1.6s (making it way easier to trigger during the big battles)


Million thanks for re-work and your time to do some Fixes !

 

[Northfear]

I've dropped a new update with gamepad controls
https://github.com/Northfear/homm3hd-vita/releases/tag/v1.1.0
Only cursor movement (it's visible now) and map scroll support has been added, but that's already making the game way more enjoyable on PSV.
And I think it should be playable on PS TV too now.

 

[peter8]

thank you ! was hoping you come back, yeah.

older versions was also PSTV compatible, but had not enough time for testing.

 

[Northfear]

New update is up
https://github.com/Northfear/homm3hd-vita/releases/tag/v1.2.0
Lots of visual bug fixes. Performance during combat was greatly improved. Trophy support was added too.

 

[mspy]

Would sell a kidney to have this ported to the Switch.

 

[peter8]

yeah, but switch has the great Unreal port that we dont have on the Vita, so pro and contra I would love to have this one.

anyway, Northfear has new updates of his Ports like Fallout and more ! ...

​

 

[Kiiro_Yakumo]

VCMI was obviously my first goal (back in 2019 I think), but I would probably have to leave my job just to port it, since the required amount of effort was massive (from completely changing the architecture of the engine to porting lots of dependencies). And even with that VCMI AI would probably just destroy Vita in therms of system requirements (unless it was improved recently).
So with that out of the way Android port was the only more or less realistic way to get HoMM 3 on Vita for me.
I would still love to see VCMI on Vita tho.

That's putting it very mildly probably. VCMI uses so many things which sure work on PC as we know it (x86_64) and to some extend even on RPI4 (aarch64 aka ARM64) but that's because we can simply install this big wall of dependencies. No offense to VCMI of course, the primary goal was recreation of a game made FOR PC and that turned out great.

I think VITA COULD handle SOME form of VCMI(-like) project but it would probably require simply starting a new one from scratch, maybe in style of fheroes2. Of course including optimization of the code specially for Vita which is quite competent if one can do multi-threading. Perhaps some "weak" (TM) AI could run on separate core or whatnot.

By the end of the day, the bounty for Heroes III on Vita is that high FOR A REASON