VCMI v1.5.2 update with better AI and town screen keyboard shortcuts

VCMI 1.5.2 is now available. This is another minor update for 1.5, adding some new features that were not ready in time for 1.5.0.

Main changes:

• Nullkiller AI improvements: AI is now able to explore the map and won’t use map reveal cheat when playing in alliance with a human or on lower difficulties. Also, Nullkiller AI is now used by default for allied players.
• New keyboard shortcuts for town screen, adventure map, battles, exchange window, as requested by players. See the changelog “Interface” for a full list.
• Multiplayer tweaks such as simultaneous turns for allies, option to change simultaneous turns settings with ‘!vote’ command

Download

VCMI

Heroes 3 Complete GOG version (works only with this version)

Android release is available on Google Play

Discord Channel

• Fixed crash on closing game while combat or map animations are playing
• Fixed crash on closing game while network thread is waiting for dialog to be closed
• Fixed random crash on starting random map with ‘random’ number of players
• Fixed crash caused by thread races on loading map list
• Failure to read data from network connection will show up as ‘disconnection’ and not as a crash
• Fixed a possible crash when replaying a manually played battle with the ‘unlimited battle replay’ option set
• Fixed crash when loading save made on a 64-bit system or connecting to multiplayer game with a 64-bit host on a 32-bit system (and vice versa)
• Fixed crash when ending a battle in a draw when a hero has the Necromancy skill
• Fixed crash when having SPELL_LIKE_ATTACK bonus with invalid spell ID
• Fixed transfer of non-first artefacts in backpack if hero does not transfer as well
• Game will now abort loading if a corrupt mod is detected instead of crashing without explanation later

• Contact between allied players will no longer break simturns
• Having hero in range of object owned by another player will now be registered as contact
• Multiplayer saves are now visible when starting a single player game
• Added chat command ‘!vote’ to initiate a vote to change the duration of simultaneous turns or to change turn timers
• Added chat command ‘!help’ to list all available chat commands
• All multiplayer chat commands now use a leading exclamation mark

• If the hero attacks an enemy player and is defeated, he will be correctly registered as defeated by the defending player.
• Allow standard victory condition on ‘To kill a hero’ campaign mission in line with H3
• Fixes Adrienne starting without Inferno spell in campaign

• For artefacts that are part of a combined artefact, the game will now show which component of that artefact your hero has.
• Fixed broken in 1.5.1 shortcut for artifact sets saving
• Fixed full screen toggle (F4) not applying changes immediately
• Retaliation preview now accounts for creatures that don’t receive retaliations (Sprites, Archdevils, etc)
• Fixed not visible retaliation preview if damage estimation string is longer than battle log line due to long creature name
• Game will now select last save on loading screen
• High Scores screen and Campaign Epilogue screen are now displayed with background on resolutions higher than 800×600
• Fixed non-functioning shortcut ‘P’ to access Puzzle Map from adventure map
• Added keyboard shortcuts to markets and altars. ‘Space’ to confirm deal and ‘M’ to trade maximum possible amount
• Pressing ‘Escape’ in main menu will now trigger ‘Back’ and ‘Quit’ buttons
• Added keyboard shortcuts to hero exchange window:
• • ‘F10’ will now swap armies
• • ‘F11’ will now swap artifacts. Additionally, ‘Ctrl+F11’ will swap equipped artifacts, and ‘Shift+F11’ will swap backpacks
• • Added unassigned shortcuts to move armies or artifacts to left or right side
• Added keyboard shortcuts to access buildings from town interface:
• • ‘F’ will now open Fort window
• • ‘B’ will now open Town Hall window
• • ‘G’ will now open Mage Guild window
• • ‘M’ will now open Marketplace
• • ‘R’ will now open recruitment interface
• • ‘T’ will now open Tavern window
• • ‘G’ will now open Thieves Guild (only when is Tavern window opened)
• • ‘E’ will now open hero exchange screen, if both heroes are present in town
• • ‘H’ will now open hero screen. Additionally, ‘Shift+H’ will open garrisoned hero screen, and ‘Ctrl+H’ will open visiting hero screen
• • ‘Space’ will now swap visiting and garrisoned heroes
• Added keyboard shortcuts to switch between tabs in Scenario Selection window:
• • ‘E’ will open Extra Options tab
• • ‘T’ will open Turn Options tab
• • ‘I’ will open Invite Players window (only for lobby games)
• • ‘R’ will now replay video in campaigns
• Added keyboard shortcuts to Adventure map:
• • ‘Ctrl+L’ will now prompt to open Load Game screen
• • ‘Ctrl+M’ will now prompt to go to main menu
• • ‘Ctrl+N’ will now prompt to go to New Game screen
• • ‘Ctrl+Q’ will now prompt to quit game
• • Page Up, Page Down, Home and End keys will now move hero on adventure map similar to numpad equivalents
• • Fixed non-functioning shortcuts ‘+’ and ‘-‘ on numpad to zoom adventure map
• Added keyboard shortcuts to Battle interface:
• • ‘V’ now allows to view information of hovered unit
• • ‘I’ now allows to view information of active unit

• Game will no longer pick creatures exclusive to AB campaigns for random creatures or for Refugee Camp, in line with H3
• If original movement rules are on, it is not possible to attack guards from visitable object directly, only from free tile
• Fixed bug leading that allowed picking up objects while flying on top of water
• Hero can now land when flying from guarded tile to accessible guarded tile irregardless of original movement rules switch
• Interface will now use same arrow for U-turns in path as H3

• Nullkiller AI can now explore the map
• Nullkiller AI will no longer use the map reveal cheat when allied with a human or when playing on low difficulty
• Nullkiller AI is now used by default for allied players

• When extracting data from gog.com offline installer game will extract files directly into used data directory instead of temporary directory

• Fixed victory / loss conditions widget initialization

• Hero specialties with multiple bonuses that have TIMES_HERO_LEVEL updater now work as expected
• Spells that apply multiple bonuses with same type and subtype but different value type now work as expected
• Added option to toggle layout of guards in creature banks