Warcraft 3 patch wish list

[Almia]

Allow cursor-related events ( unit selection precisely, and other unit orders that requires targeti) too work while the mouse is inside a multiboard or a leaderboard

 

[Zwiebelchen]

I'm not sure if this is possible, but I would really appreciate JPEG support in wc3. It's already there in some places, but especially for images and ubersplats JPEGs would be amazing.
TGA allows texture resolutions up to 2048x2048 when used for images. But the problem is: TGAs of that size are MASSIVE.

 

[fenix140]

It could be implemented, new functions to change in jass "angX, angY, height", "scale", "color, sound", etc to "WeatherEffect" and no longer create climates with the same effect with different angles or different sizes with different colors, etc in the main Exel.

Example:

Hidden

function SetHeightWeatherEffect takes weathereffect whichEffect, real height returns nothing
function SetAngXWeatherEffect takes weathereffect whichEffect, real angleX returns nothing
function SetAngYWeatherEffect takes weathereffect whichEffect, real angleY returns nothing
function etc...

It would only be a plus, but would help generate more atmosphere on a map using the editor Jass, without having to be creating various effects of climate in a exel .
Greetings... (this could go in the section Other.)

 

[Almia]

I'm not sure if this is possible, but I would really appreciate JPEG support in wc3. It's already there in some places, but especially for images and ubersplats JPEGs would be amazing.
TGA allows texture resolutions up to 2048x2048 when used for images. But the problem is: TGAs of that size are MASSIVE.

This.

I hate it when you don't have a Photoshop and other image-editing tools and you want to import images.

 

[Dr Super Good]

Tho I can't see how it's ever useful.

Automatic garbage collection of objects like SC2 has would mean leaks become almost a thing of the past.

Well, that wasn't clear since DSG didn't make the difference between local and arguments.

I was not talking about this at all...

Once all references to an object handle have been removed then the handle is automatically recycled. The object the handle represented is not automatically removed. There may also be a reference from object to its handle (not sure, never tested if leaked objects could have their handle index recycled).

This applies to both local declared local variables and parameter declared local variables as well as globals. A bug means that local declared local variables can leak a reference count and hence permanently prevent a handle index from being recycled. To be recycled they still require no references, meaning that if you leave a reference to a handle in a global variable that you never set again then that also counts as a handle index leak, although a very small one.

Once the handle index for a trigger object has no more reference counts inside the trigger system then there is no excuse for it to not be automatically destroyed. This would deprecate functions like RemoveLocation, DestroyGroup and DestroyForce since the game will automatically destroy such objects just like how StarCraft II does it.

I'm not sure if this is possible, but I would really appreciate JPEG support in wc3. It's already there in some places, but especially for images and ubersplats JPEGs would be amazing.
TGA allows texture resolutions up to 2048x2048 when used for images. But the problem is: TGAs of that size are MASSIVE.

BLP files already support JPEG. Most of the game textures are JPEG blp files. They are stored as BGRA JPEG (non-standard) as opposed to Y′CbCr JPEG (standard JPEG, no alpha support). I am not sure how standard JPEG texture support would work as standard JPEG lacks alpha channel information and suffers from colour space conversion which needs to be done sensibly.

What needs to be fixed is the 512*512 JPEG BLP file limit. It should be raised to something like 2048*2048 or whatever practical limit there is.

I hate it when you don't have a Photoshop and other image-editing tools and you want to import images.

Generally you need them anyway to perform the gamma correction on images. Most images come in sRGB color space (non-linear RGB) but all game textures are linear RGB.

 

[Zwiebelchen]

What needs to be fixed is the 512*512 JPEG BLP file limit. It should be raised to something like 2048*2048 or whatever practical limit there is.

That would be fine too. I wonder if there is even a technical reason for the 512x512 limit, since obviously the game CAN process 2048x2048 when using TGAs.
Is it because of mipmaps are being limited to 8 layers?


Also, I'm not sure if it has been mentioned already. I really hoped that the DX9 support would fix this, but it didn't: the goddamn light engine drawing edges on the ground when using too many omnilights is annoying.

 

[Dr Super Good]

That would be fine too. I wonder if there is even a technical reason for the 512x512 limit, since obviously the game CAN process 2048x2048 when using TGAs.
Is it because of mipmaps are being limited to 8 layers?

BLP format supports up to 65536*65536 images as it always allocates enough space for 16 mipmap levels. They also have no "power of two" limit to dimension size in the format. Both the 512*512 max and requirement of power of two dimensions seem to be something hard-coded into WC3 rather than the format itself.

Also, I'm not sure if it has been mentioned already. I really hoped that the DX9 support would fix this, but it didn't: the goddamn light engine drawing edges on the ground when using too many omnilights is annoying.

It is because it uses the legacy D3D7 fixed shader graphic pipeline. Each 4*4 terrain chunk is rendered separately after setting up a fixed number of lights. The number of lights is very limit due to the API (API not required to support more) and so the game tries to choose only relevant lights however if a light covers too much area then it may be cut off in precedence of other lights. This is where the light boarder issue comes from as one terrain chunk is rendered with the light on yet its neighbouring chunk is not.

Coincidently this is also why the game performs so badly when viewing big maps horizontally as it will then render more terrain chunks and each chunk corresponds to a dozen odd API calls.

 

[pyf]

That would be fine too. I wonder if there is even a technical reason for the 512x512 limit, since obviously the game CAN process 2048x2048 when using TGAs.
Is it because of mipmaps are being limited to 8 layers?

WC3 officially supports 8Mb Voodoo3 video cards.

Voodoo3's max texture size is 256x256. You may use higher resolution textures, but the higher the resolution, the more the texture appears blurred on screen. This is why the workaround for loading screens, is to divide them into squares.

Voodoo3 cards have other technical limitations.

More info here.

BLP format supports up to 65536*65536 images as it always allocates enough space for 16 mipmap levels. They also have no "power of two" limit to dimension size in the format. Both the 512*512 max and requirement of power of two dimensions seem to be something hard-coded into WC3 rather than the format itself.

Not sure Blizzard would drop support for Voodoo3 video cards.

 

[Himperion]

What about fixing cluster rockets damage bug.

When editing, or creating a new hability based on this spell, and modifying the damage, Damage became 0 and only cause stun on the targets.

 

[Dr Super Good]

Not sure Blizzard would drop support for Voodoo3 video cards.

I am not sure if Voodoo cards are officially supported by anyone at all anymore. I doubt they even work with WC3 as they migrated it to D3D9 last patch and I doubt Voodoo cards have a D3D9 driver.

Also you can downsize textures using the game settings, so I doubt that was the reason for the upper bound limit. What is more likely is that they decided that no card in the world will ever have enough memory for dozens of textures larger than 512*512 so they would deny the ability to use such textures. This made sense back when video cards had 16-32 MB of memory. makes no sense at all now when most cards have 1GB+ of memory.

 

[Warseeker]

I wonder if they could make WorldEditor read new costum Tech-Tree using Map Test.
And a way to change a unit/Hero proper name in game
And specialy fix those graphism Ability effects after a Load like Fire Breath and Undead building birth.

 

[pyf]

I am not sure if Voodoo cards are officially supported by anyone at all anymore.

There is no official support for 3dfx products anymore. But there are 3rd party, unsupported drivers, developed by loyal fans.

more

3dfx Interactive was bought by Nvidia about 15 years ago. All intellectual property from 3dfx now belongs to them. Nvidia never had any intention to develop 3dfx products any further under the 3dfx brand, and that sadly includes its drivers. A subset of the 3dfx technologies has been implemented into the Nvidia line of products.

More info here
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3dfx_Interactive

Mainly since 2003, you can download 3rd party drivers (compatible up to Win7 at least) for 3dfx hardware. They are developed by loyal enthusiasts. Of course, these drivers are not endorsed by Nvidia in any way.
http://www.3dfxzone.it/news/reader.php?objid=16199
http://www.3dfxzone.it/enboard/

I doubt they even work with WC3 as they migrated it to D3D9 last patch and I doubt Voodoo cards have a D3D9 driver.

Voodoo cards also have an OpenGL ICD driver. Using 3rd party unsupported drivers, higher compatibility with OpenGL games can be achieved up to a point, through Mesa 3D / MesaFX.
http://www.3dfxzone.it/enboard/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=49

For info, Blizzard does not support Glide (3dfx's proprietary 3D graphics API) in WC3. However, there is official Glide 3 support in Diablo II .

Also you can downsize textures using the game settings, so I doubt that was the reason for the upper bound limit. What is more likely is that they decided that no card in the world will ever have enough memory for dozens of textures larger than 512*512 so they would deny the ability to use such textures. This made sense back when video cards had 16-32 MB of memory. makes no sense at all now when most cards have 1GB+ of memory.

Root causes for the upper bound limit imho :

- Short version : WC3's engine was designed in 1998, for a different kind of game (remember Heroes of Warcraft ?). And one simply can not program for something which does not exist yet.

- Long version :

time traveling back to 1998

Initial WC3 development began in April 1998. Therefore, critical decisions about the engine were made, at a time when 3dfx cards were king for fast 3D gaming. I believe these core design decisions held until the game's official release. This is why one could still play the campaigns on a PII 350Mhz, in 2002. Though I must admit, in a more or less satisfactory way (using medium/low settings).

Some engine things have to be monolithic, thus can not be changed easily. Changing them during game development would mean redo everything from scratch, which is not economically viable. Therefore, retail games still have lots of dead code and obsolete/unused stuff/ideas in them. The more time development takes, the more potential dead code/ideas remains. WC3's development took 4 years. In 2000, the game's development shifted directions.

All game developers suffer from Development Hell, due to the fast evolution of computer hardware, coupled with increased development times. See the chaotic development of Ritual's Sin. Or the evolution of Valve's Half-Life (especially its 3D engine). These horror stories are countless.


In 1998, 3dfx's lead product was the Voodoo2. Like all other 3dfx products of the time, it has a maximum texture size of 256x256. It might be possible Blizzard envisioned Voodoo2 support for WC3 back then. In fact, I would not be surprised to find some dead Glide code within WC3.

Back then, video cards in general were still mainly PCI cards, not AGP ones. AGP was first introduced in 1997. Many video card manufacturers first built AGP compatible video cards at *physical slot* level only. Meaning, no AGP texturing on you AGP 3D graphic card (damn you ATI, for the Rage series !). Thus only video RAM could be used reliably. In 1998, video RAM was roughly 4/8 MB. In 2002 it was indeed roughly 16/32 MB, as you pointed out.

Speaking of manufacturers... in 1998, the video card market was shock full of competitors (3dfx, S3, Matrox, ATI, SiS, Nvidia...). Cirrus Logic, Hercules and Trident were already less prominent back then. All these competing video cards were poor/medium at fast 3D gaming, except 3dfx cards. For info, ATI cards were a pathetic joke, until the Radeon 9 line of products. Nvidia was still emerging, with its RIVA line of products (128/TNT).

In 1998, OpenGL was at its 1.2 specs, and was not very well supported by mainstream 3D card manufacturers (if at all). 3dfx focused on its Glide proprietary 3D API / MiniGL drivers. DirectX was at version 6.0.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct3D#Direct3D_6.0
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenGL#OpenGL_1.2



Since Blizzard decided WC3 had to remain compatible with Voodoo3, I believe it was decided in 1999-2001 to keep the lowest common denominator regarding texture size, even when the game's development itself changed directions, and even when Nvidia started to truly take over the 3D video card market with its TNT2/GeForce. Blizzard might have missed an opportunity here. But again : development time and costs.

Also, please remember the game was initially slated for a 2000 release, and it was first envisioned as a different kind of game. For info, Blizzard reused the title "Heroes of Warcraft" in Hearthstone, as a fun tribute to early WC3 development, and the 1998 years. Now Blizzard you old nostalgia-driven guys


Voodoo hardware blurs textures larger than 256*256. It is still considered tolerable for 512*512. This is why a game like Unreal Tournament 99 has some 512*512 textures, but not beyond that resolution.

- A Voodoo3 does not do S3TC. Only S3 Savage video cards had it back then, and they are not officially listed as supported in WC3. 3dfx had FXT1, which is its own proprietary texture compression method. But at that time, I remember paletted textures were prefered to save precious video RAM
- A Voodoo3 does not do AGP texturing
- A Voodoo3 does not do 32 bit video modes
- A Voodoo3 renders internally in so-called "22 bit"
- Lowest common denominator for Voodoo3 is 8 MB video memory on PCI

http://www.hardware.fr/articles/29-4/autres-limitations.html (in French)


Pity is even in 1997, video cards apart from 3dfx products, had much higher maximum texture size support than Voodoo cards. For example, even a lousy 4 MB PCI S3 Virge DX from 1997/1998 had 1024x1024 maximum texture size support. But such a card (as well as most, if not all, the others) was more or less unsuitable for fast, high-res 3D gaming.

And by high-res 3D gaming, I mean 800x600 in glorious 16-bit color. yay ! Again, please think end of the century.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/graphics/display/voodoo3-3000.html

The concept of limits varies over time. 640KB of PC memory ought to be enough for anybody, remember ? Also, do you feel your brand new PC is limited in any way ?

Again, the problem is Warcraft 3 is a 18 year-old game. It is a venerable relic from the *20th* century. Sadly, it is also a dinosaur in today's programing world.

Now I am curious to see how Blizzard can make a dinosaur resurrect, and adapt to modern times. Hope it does not imply using some equivalent of frog DNA somewhere


But again, all of this is my own personal, uneducated point of view. Only Blizzard can tell the full (and true) story.

 

[Dr Super Good]

For info, Blizzard does not support Glide (3dfx's proprietary 3D graphics API) in WC3. However, there is official Glide 3 support in Diablo II

I thought that might have been removed with the last patch where they fixed up D3D/DD compatibility on modern OS.

Voodoo hardware blurs textures larger than 256*256. It is still considered tolerable for 512*512. This is why a game like Unreal Tournament 99 has some 512*512 textures, but not beyond that resolution.

And this is a problem because? The game visual settings allows one to select up to which mipmap level is loaded so for supporting such cards all that was needed was to disable the highest quality texture settings.

WC3 also uses 512*512 textures. Most famous of which is the Griffon skin used by the storm hammer missile.

The limit might come from how textures are loaded. If they only allocate a single buffer large enough for 512*512 pixels which they reuse for all texture loading then the limit will be that.

 

[fenix140]

After seeing the work of ENAleksey on the manipulation of shadows, lighting, etc. for each model. Now leandrotp is advancing in obtaining basic data of each unit, object, skill, etc which have during a game, currently the publisher does not provide default these values, such as:

Jass function

//attack types are hero magic pierce etc
function GetUnitAttackType1 takes unit u returns integer
function GetUnitAttackType2 takes unit u returns integer
function SetUnitArmor takes unit u, real r returns nothing
function GetUnitArmor takes unit u returns real
function GetUnitWeaponType1 takes unit u returns integer
function GetUnitWeaponType2 takes unit u returns integer
function GetUnitAttackRange1 takes unit u returns real
function GetUnitAttackRange2 takes unit u returns real
function GetUnitDamageDicesCount1 takes unit u returns integer
function GetUnitDamageDicesCount2 takes unit u returns integer
function GetUnitGreenBonusDamage takes unit u returns integer
function GetAbilityCD takes integer abil, integer level returns real
function GetAbilityManaCost takes integer abil, integer level returns integer
function GetAbilityPositionX takes integer pability returns integer
function GetAbilityPositionY takes integer pability returns integer
function GetUnitScale takes unit u returns real
function GetRegenerationLifeBase takes unit u returns real
function GetRegenerationManaBase takes unit u returns real
:

Well, here are some lists that can be marked as possibly achievable in Warcraft 3.

by DracoL1ch Undecided/Unfinished/Other

Undecided:
JASS:
Add native GetObjectData(integer objectID, string dataname) (maybe vaious GetObjectDataInt()/GetObjectDataStr()/... for diferent data values?)
Basically this will allow to get object's properly like movespeed: GetObjectData(GetUnitTypeId(u),"spd"). dataname - exact match for values from SLK tables. "spd" - 35th column of Unitbalance.slk

by Skyflash:, Mike7742, fenix140 Undecided/Unfinished/Other

Undecided:
fenix140:
- Get data of the editor objects of a unit through triggers. (Optional, Ability, Doodad, Buff, etc)

Skyflash:
Add GetHeroMainAttribute to jass

Mike7742:
- Hp/Mp regen values as actual values somewhere on the UI, preferably at the bottom of a hero/unit's stat bar.
- Attack speed values displayed instead of the usual "Very Fast" listed hopefully as number of attacks per second or something.

Greetings...

 

[Almia]

I agree.

Blizzard should provide these natives

 

[pyf]

I thought that might have been removed with the last patch where they fixed up D3D/DD compatibility on modern OS.

Glide got broken in Diablo II with patch 1.14a. Customers rightfully complained. It was restored with 1.14b.

Sometimes, using Glide emulation allows for an overall better gaming experience. Depends of the game, and the issues met with D3D/OGL support (if said game supports different 3D API, of course). It is always worth experimenting imho.

And this is a problem because? The game visual settings allows one to select up to which mipmap level is loaded so for supporting such cards all that was needed was to disable the highest quality texture settings.

The bigger the surface to texture, the more of a visual problem it is. The texture does not look sharp at all, missing detail it should have.

I experienced that first-hand on real hardware 10 years ago.

I was then checking a 3rd party hi-res pack of wall textures, for Hexen source ports. I used either jHexen or the Hexen part of the Doomsday Engine, I can not remember.
- on voodoo2 hardware, textures looked blurry and so-so (lacking detail)
- on Nvidia RIVA TNT2 Vanta hardware, textures looked sharp with great detail
(and what an elegant video card it was technically, compared to 3dfx hardware !).

WC3 also uses 512*512 textures. Most famous of which is the Griffon skin used by the storm hammer missile.

hehe I know that already.

Hope to see more of your programing someday, btw

The limit might come from how textures are loaded. If they only allocate a single buffer large enough for 512*512 pixels which they reuse for all texture loading then the limit will be that.

I trust you on that one, I never delved into it. And I do not own official 3dfx documentation about "best practices", aimed at 3D game programers who wanted to code for their hardware.

I believe this 256*256 texture size limit existed since the beginnings of Voodoo hardware. Back then it was great stuff. But 3dfx kept the same hardware architecture for too many years, and that was their downfall imho.

During the success of the Voodoo2, they should have gone back to the drawing board, and have designed an entirely different card architecture. Instead, they tried to slap something new on top of something old, in order to save R&D costs. Bad move. This is why newcomer Nvidia was so superior : no old ideas from the middle of the 90's in their hardware.

 

[Paillan]

Well, more things:
1) Allow to customize the height of the projectile from nerubian's passive the ones that go and return)
2) add a skillshot system (a missile that deals damage when it hits something, not everything in a line)
3) fix the barrage bug (you can't shoot less than 3)
4) Make barrage be affected by enemy's evasion/unit's chance of failing the attack (because of curse, for example)
5) Fix the vertex coloring windwalk bug

 

[DracoL1ch]

you can make barrage affects 2 targets only if you'll set maximum damage dealt = 2

 

[Dr Super Good]

The 512*512 BLP limit is a hard-coded limit with the loader. Specifying images larger still load but they load something different, in my case pure opaque black texture. BLP files with indexed content do not need to be powers of two, even for textures.

Adding support for BLP2 files might be useful for modders.

 

[EdwardElric]

whats about adding support for bold, italic, underline formatted texts? at the moment we can only use color codes...

refering to:
http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/...-98/bold-italic-messages-transmissions-44082/

and whats about my other suggestion:
http://www.hiveworkshop.com/forums/...tch-wish-list-257163/index20.html#post2823789

does Ezekiel12 still updates his first post?
(just saw: "Last edited by Ezekiel12; 03-18-2016 at 12:07 AM. Reason: revision")

 

[Emm-A-]

Hey guys, great list so far.

I dont know if this might be useful, but I often thought to myself, that it should be possible to reduce upgrade levels. Like that they would be more useful to quickly manipulate a lot of units. If this is just a boolean to change or something, it would be worth including this option .. Compared to other things this is pretty worthless though ..

 

[Tpiom]

They should consider adding the updated Warcraft 3 models for Starcraft II to... Well, Warcraft 3 also.

And release that cut map for the Night Elf campaign mentioned in Blizzcast Episode 12 [25:10]: http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/community/blizzcast/archive/episode12.html
Perhaps alternative maps too, like the one mentioned here [06:05]: https://youtu.be/0Jwb73Wx8og?t=365
...as well as any other unused models and whatever. I can only imagine what they have in the archive - it'd give people a reason to come back too and see the "new stuff"

 

[Dr Super Good]

...as well as any other unused models and whatever. I can only imagine what they have in the archive - it'd give people a reason to come back too and see the "new stuff"

Probably a lot of buggy unfinished stuff. Judging by the quality control of what we got.

 

[pyf]

They should consider adding the updated Warcraft 3 models for Starcraft II to... Well, Warcraft 3 also.

And release that cut map for the Night Elf campaign mentioned in Blizzcast Episode 12 [25:10]: http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/community/blizzcast/archive/episode12.html
Perhaps alternative maps too, like the one mentioned here [06:05]: https://youtu.be/0Jwb73Wx8og?t=365
...as well as any other unused models and whatever. I can only imagine what they have in the archive - it'd give people a reason to come back too and see the "new stuff"

In the file war3x.mpq, you may already find some interesting, unfinished content :
Doodads\Cinematic\IllidanVictoryCinematic\IllidanVictoryCinematic.mdx

Do you already know of the official additional maps Blizzard released on a regular basis, back in the days ?
http://ftp.blizzard.com/pub/war3/maps/war3maps060920.zip
http://ftp.blizzard.com/pub/war3/maps/war3maps050505.zip

Other scraps of Blizzard history might be found on Blizzard's "ftp" (ftp contents has been indexed by other sites).


Releasing the cut map for the Night Elf campaign (as a standalone file), would indeed be a most generous gift to all loyal Warcraft 3 fans worldwide.

 

[Kacpa2]

Must To DO list:
-Official Replay compatibility, Rewind options, or if impossible on this engine some kind of substitiude like jumping to later parts of replay, backwards playin etc.
-Memory Could not be read/written errors(plague, they NEED to fix it)
-reasonless crashing on Win10(shuts down the application for some people with no crashlog information, it's separate from memory error)
-Hosting with native game option
-Battle net imporvements, more friends on the list, improved communication and information, chat imrovements
-fixing their own mistakes committed with 27 "compatibility patch" that's it and they NEED to make these happen, and i dont know get some decent people who actualy seen warcraft 3 dev kits/tools or whatever they were doin, cuz basic mistakes like one with C++ library, and reverse effects to what patch was supposed to do it just .....tragic. It increased rate at which game crashes at some bigger maps.



About else, i highly dislike "updated" hero models they prepared for SC2, they stink with WoW genericness all over like Orcish heroes, changing original design from scetches and what old graphics were presenting(you got many hd spotlight of elements of old models on many many icons, namely few they changed for no reason, like Palandin's hammer, Archmage's stuff, Blademaster's face and weaponry, Tauren chieftain looks to young and to beefy(pun not intended) and Far Seer together with BM having stupid generic orcish face from wow, while in wc3 we had last instance of varrying orcs or characters for that matter, and they menaged to basicly make it gone with almost wow degree same facial structures and body builds. Icons and artworks by samwise should be starting point not lazy copying of WoW's styling which i highly disklike for just how generic everything in it is + having orcs as hulks which is made even more aparent in movie coming up :/ but that's my personal opinion so, Blizz just focus on doing all from my MUSTTODO list from first half...

 

[Khazmo]

One issue that I personally feel should be rushed close to the top of the list, is to get the cinematic files fixed so that they run on newer systems. I've tried every single recommended fix for the black-screen cinematics and not a single one of them works. It's not a game-breaking bug, but it almost is for me.

 

[Paillan]

Fix the detect damage system so that we don't have to import a DDS too every single map...

 

[pyf]

The next Warcraft 3 patch will fix a number of display issues with the cinematics / FMVs. Testing is on the way.
http://us.battle.net/forums/en/bnet/topic/20745594507#2

Happy, Warseeker ?

 

[DracoL1ch]

ye, because the only thing which matters is clean cinematics, right. goddamn.
they cannot confirm a shit about really needed stuff, but here

 

[Spacebuns]

Ah yes, please let us have the proper "updated" models in SC2 for this game! Even if somebody can "rip" those models from SC2 into .mdx format, they will still look very weird in WC3, largely due to the shading.

(it might be very hard though, if the newer models use techniques such as bump-mapping and texture masking)

 

[pyf]

ye, because the only thing which matters is clean cinematics, right. goddamn.
they cannot confirm a shit about really needed stuff, but here

Classic answers to Haolerot on the Battle.net forums.
Haolerot's post deals with cinematics issues, and nothing else. Please read the OP.

I would suggest you post a respectful request for official full information regarding next patch, on the Battle.net forums.

 

[DracoL1ch]

Classic answers to Haolerot on the Battle.net forums.
Haolerot's post deals with cinematics issues, and nothing else. Please read the OP.

I would suggest you post a respectful request for official full information regarding next patch, on the Battle.net forums.

im not blaming this one person or like that. im blaming blizzard for 1990's strategies of game dev. today, with given possibilities, you can get in all the fans around and make something wonderful, especially in wc3, which had tens of awesome programmers over it's history. but no, they do nothing about it. no work with community. no work with request. god thanks they took a list of request made by hive, but what did it take? 8 years since last major release (return bug fix/adding tons of replacers)? that's not the way wc3 should be

 

[pyf]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_for_hire

Already posted that one elsewhere yesterday, with additional comments.

 

[DracoL1ch]

im not talking about "progs should crawl throu forums/feedbacks"
everyone works on their own job
with given competitors (RTS died, only RPG/MOBA lives today, dota2 is heaviest competitor due to the fact dota kept wc3 alive for 5 last years) and lack of any desire to get higher (hire SMM, merge their data into workflow, adjust dev course) wc3 won't be bigger anyway.

fans did better - no source, no help, just dedication. sharpcraft, newgen editor, all those optimizers. Im healiy insists on feedback-based dev, but nobody listen. Peopple tends to thank Blizz for remembering this game like they did great thing when came back swinging (into abyss). This mental attitude of blizz' defenders is breaking me.

 

[Paillan]

you know... some features are really not to be expected, as the cost of implementing them would make more logical to make a new game...
About Blizz being a total troll, I think... well, we can all agree that RTS isn't a competitive genre anymore, so it's natural for it too have less importance.

 

[DracoL1ch]

you know... some features are really not to be expected, as the cost of implementing them would make more logical to make a new game...
About Blizz being a total troll, I think... well, we can all agree that RTS isn't a competitive genre anymore, so it's natural for it too have less importance.

as soon as they release 27b with PURE MELEE BALANCE changes you'll see that

 

[fenix140]

http://us.battle.net/forums/en/bnet/topic/20745594507#2
Happy, Warseeker ?

Why?, I hope it's just a joke, this game has for more, and Blizzard says we improve cinematics for the Lols.. please .. I hope you have received the list for upcoming patches, if not (just wait)
......

 

[pyf]

Why?,

You are not Warseeker, are you ?

I hope it's just a joke, this game has for more, and Blizzard says we improve cinematics for the Lols.. please ..

Classic answers to Haolerot on the Battle.net forums.
Haolerot's post deals with cinematics issues, and nothing else. Please read the OP on Battle.net

Fixing CGI cinematics' display is part of the Warcraft 3 Hive Suggestions pdf file.

I hope you have received the list for upcoming patches, if not (just wait)
......

I would suggest you post a respectful request for official full information regarding next patch, on the Battle.net forums.

As for me, I will post here any *official* (read : developer) public info about next patch's contents, be it partial or full.

 

[fenix140]

I would suggest you post a respectful request for official full information regarding next patch, on the Battle.net forums.

As for me, I will post here any *official* (read : developer) public info about next patch's contents, be it partial or full.

Oh. " post here any *official*(read : developer)" thanks...

Why?,

You are not Warseeker, are you ?

"Why", this goes related to most peteciciones that were sent to Blizzard, and so far there is only one answer for cinematics ...

You are not Warseeker, are you ?

hehe, not really XD..

Classic answers to Haolerot on the Battle.net forums.
Haolerot's post deals with cinematics issues, and nothing else. Please read the OP on Battle.net

Fixing CGI cinematics' display is part of the Warcraft 3 Hive Suggestions pdf file.

At this point I wanted to get, Haolerot is suggesting good things but I wonder if "Classic" is only responding because if, only to give us a bit of expectation ... but still not confirm exactly if they in the future will consider those requests.

That's why I say "just wait". The good thing is still no date for the new patch, so anything can happen.
Greetings...

 

[Khazmo]

Is someone actually complaining about them fixing a broken aspect of the game? wow...

 

[Kaijyuu]

I'd like them to include the models from the Funny Bunny Egg Hunt. They're official blizz models, much like the cars from their car racing map, but weren't included in a patch (unlike the cars from the racing map).

 

[TheLordOfChaos201]

well let's see....

being able to imported spells unit data and bla bla bla without erasing all current data... damn you world editor!!!!

 

[Rui]

My wish for some future patch: make Warcraft III able to play .mid files!

 

[Dr Super Good]

make Warcraft III able to play .mid files!

Problem is that the availability, sound and quality of instruments available to playback midi files is not standardized, or the standardized ones sound terrible. Hence why midi went out of fashion for lossy compressed audio streams in the early 2000s since there is no ambiguity in playback and they are capable of sound effects which midi is not (standard midi cannot recreate some advanced instrument techniques such as analogue properties of a piano key).

For example, if you are a music professional with an expensive audio card then the resulting sound quality will probably sound much better than someone with an integrated sound chip (most of the public). Another example is an integrated sound chip from one vendor may result in completely different sounds from an integrated sound card from another vendor.

It is probably too much work to create their own set of standardized WC3 midi instruments.

 

[pyf]

Hehe, currently (re)playing standalone Warcraft 1 and 2 music files (converted to .mid) in a media player. I use CoolSoft VirtualMIDISynth for that. It emulates sustain, reverb, does mixing interpolation....

These SF2 files are worth checking out imho :
- Arachno SoundFont (148 MB) - many video game musics sound great with it
- FluidR3 GM (141 MB)
- WeedsGM3 (52.3 MB) - your mileage may vary with that one
- Roland SC-55 v1.1 (9.42 MB)

As for standardization, I point out DirectMusic was introduced with DirectX 6.1. Its software synthesizer uses Roland Sound Canvas samples in DLS format (gm.dls, 3.28 MB).

 

[Dr Super Good]

As for standardization, I point out DirectMusic was introduced with DirectX 6.1. Its software synthesizer uses Roland Sound Canvas samples in DLS format (gm.dls, 3.28 MB).

Yes but if one reads up about DirectMusic Microsoft says the following...

Warning: This technology is deprecated as is all of DirectMusic. Deprecated components are considered obsolete. While these components are still supported, they may be removed in the future. When writing new applications, you should avoid using these deprecated components. When modifying existing applications, you are strongly encouraged to remove any dependency on these components.

Due to changes in the sound stack starting with Windows Vista, DirectMusic compatibility is very basic with many of its features no longer working.

The closest they can reliably use is DX9's XAudio2 with its most basic API version which will use DirectSound on Windows XP and the native stack of Windows Vista and later. As far as I am aware it does not particularly support MIDI natively, likely for the reasons I stated above (MIDI file formats are just not very good).

For Mac support something completely different is needed as Mac have no DirectX APIs (they are Windows/Xbox only).

 

[pyf]

Thanks for pointing out. I did not know MS deprecated DirectMusic (for yes, I use XP). Anyway this is unimportant, as any software MIDI synthesizer can be selectable for midi playback. Please see attached pic.

I point out too, WC3 seems to use the midi/DLS combo already, with day/night ambient sounds. I believe it is because WC3 comes with The Miles Sound System.
http://www.radgametools.com/miles.htm

Not sure what happened to The Miles Sound Tools (MilesT32.exe) free download... It includes the Miles Sound Player, which allows to play midi files with DLS. My version is 7.1a, from the year 2007 (includes both 32 bit and 64 bit exes).

 

[Dr Super Good]

Anyway this is unimportant, as each different software MIDI synthesizer can be selectable for midi playback. Please see attached pic.

Starting with Windows Vista that functionality has been removed. There is no driver level midi support anymore. Hence why DirectMusic is deprecated and obsolete and should not be used. Midi support has to be entirely software emulated. Sound cards require separate non-standard drivers with applications being specially written to take advantage of them.

I point out too, WC3 seems to use the midi/DLS combo already, with day/night ambient sounds. I believe it is because WC3 comes with The Miles Sound System.
http://www.radgametools.com/miles.htm

WC3 also can apparently play midi files already, although a bit buggy and hacky. Still does not mean they will sound correct, playback correctly, or even play back at all due to limitations with the mid format and midi in general.

If midi support is properly added it would need to have support for accompanying downloadable sound files and depend fully on a software synthesizer to assure correct playback.

While they are at it they could add support for looping music.

 

[pyf]

Midi support has to be entirely software emulated. Sound cards require separate non-standard drivers with applications being specially written to take advantage of them.

Yup, and it should give satisfying results too. Or at least, as satisfying as Miles allows them to be.

On my audio hardware, the BASSMIDI midi synthesizer driver has high latency with my sound card drivers. CoolSoft VirtualMIDISynth works perfectly, though.

WC3 also can apparently play midi files already, although a bit buggy and hacky. Still does not mean they will sound correct, playback correctly, or even play back at all due to limitations with the mid format and midi in general.

Ambient day/night sounds play perfectly in the standalone Miles 7.1a player, as long as you load their corresponding DLS file. One may try to load the stock gm.dls DirectMusic DLS file instead. It leads to somewhat "interesting" results (if you are into experimental music, that is).

If midi support is properly added it would need to have support for accompanying downloadable sound files and depend fully on a software synthesizer to assure correct playback.

I 100% agree. A DLS file as good as Arachno SounfFont would do the trick. I also agree it would indeed be quite a bit of work. Blizzard might want to add the possibility to load any custom DLS file for midi music ? (if they ever wish to support midi music at all).

While they are at it they could add support for looping music.

In the Miles Sound Player, midi files do loop.

 

[Rui]

Wow, how did you guys find all this out. @pyf you study music?

I've got a decent amount of stuff on my todo list for this Summer, but I definitely planned to try synthesizing some .mid music. I really wasn't aware the file type was no longer in use.

It is probably too much work to create their own set of standardized WC3 midi instruments.

But is it possible to just pass the .midi instructions to the sound chip and play them? I'd work with that option even if not everyone heard the exact same thing.