[General] WE backwards compatibility

[Mashira]

Hello,

I'm getting back to modding in World Editor after a longer while and seeing recent changes and potential problems with patch 2.0, I've been wondering which game version should I pick.

I've been messing around with patch 1.27 for a few days so far. That is the last portable WC3 version, which I like since I enjoy that portability feature and maps load faster when testing, etc.
What I'm worried about is that there could be compability issues when people would like to play my map on patch 2.0.
Is it "safe" to use older WE in that case?

To my knowledge, one known issue regarding compability between these two version are real numbers to string. Is there anything else?

Which version would you recommend for me? I don't care much about tech improvements that occured in the last few years in WE since I want to create maps in SD mode anyway without a need for custom UI.

 

[Ravager16829]

The legendary Jass NewGen Pack seems to be a good choice for older WC3 due to the ability to use multiple tilesets in single map and bypass dooodad limit, although some of those features were now included in the latest patch of vanilla World Editor, like vJass, and the fact you can't longer use JNGP on the later patches.

But, some peoples also choose to go straight into 1.31 (the last WC3 patches before the actual "Reforged" came out) due to the better features like the 24 players slot, custom UI, and the ability to create a map with Lua language. Do note that 1.31 still has a lot of bugged things that were solved with Reforged.

Last, but not least, be aware that you CANNOT open the maps that are made with Reforged on pre-Reforged WC3, but older maps can still be opened with the latest patch, as long as they're not protected or used some kind of memory hacks.

 

[Mashira]

The legendary Jass NewGen Pack seems to be a good choice for older WC3 due to the ability to use multiple tilesets in single map and bypass dooodad limit, although some of those features were now included in the latest patch of vanilla World Editor, like vJass, and the fact you can't longer use JNGP on the later patches.

But, some peoples also choose to go straight into 1.31 (the last WC3 patches before the actual "Reforged" came out) due to the better features like the 24 players slot, custom UI, and the ability to create a map with Lua language. Do note that 1.31 still has a lot of bugged things that were solved with Reforged.

Last, but not least, be aware that you CANNOT open the maps that are made with Reforged on pre-Reforged WC3, but older maps can still be opened with the latest patch, as long as they're not protected or used some kind of memory hacks.

1.31 seems to be a valid option as well.

Do you guys remember if 1.31 got that annoying prompt to login via battle.net from time to time when testing a map? And does it load as fast as previous versions, I mean the game launch into map loading sequence.

 

[Ravager16829]

Do you guys remember if 1.31 got that annoying prompt to login via battle.net from time to time when testing a map? And does it load as fast as previous versions, I mean the game launch into map loading sequence.

If you are on Reforged versions, you will always get that Battle.net login prompt before loading up the map. This is where the DRM is run.

In order to do this, you have to be logged into Battle.net for at least once within a month, even if just briefly (start from app and immediately exit at main menu). You can't always start this game on offline mode with internet connection disabled. Same script happened to the other Activision Blizzard games from Battle.net.

Pre-Reforged versions doesn't have this kind of DRM. This includes 1.31. So if you executed the map through World Editor, it will immediately load that map. I remembered that in older patches, the main menu background would briefly show up before moving to the loading screen.