This change is extremely small while provides much bigger possibilities - editing H3 creatures via mods as well as removing some hacky workarounds like current “remove_bonus” field (used only in our config files).
There won’t be any notable difference. Worst case is that VCMI will use 10-20 kbytes of memory (only during loading). One extra object on map will have much bigger impact on amount of used memory. So instead of using (for example) 90 Mb of memory vcmi will use 90.01 Mb.
As for me, I don’t want to edit creature abilities through mods, but maybe someone will use this features…
Another way of solving this problem - just make all standard/WOG creatures like external mod (graphics will stay in LODs, but creature abilities etc and upgrades will be edited by users (modders).
By the way - how’s the work going to make creature/town icons be taken from paths and not by icons index?
And another question - do your new syntax checking logging also checks, that icons, defs files exist in written paths, or they are absent?
It will be very helpful, cause now only fatal error can show, that creature’s icons/defs are absent.
Maybe… someone…
I think that right now this is one of the most requested features along with scripting - it was asked for quite a lot. Easy-to-make balancing mods, more easier translating.
Internally editing H3 objects, WoG objects and objects from mods is one big feature. Where these objects located is not that important.
It requires quite large amount of changes. I’d like to add it along with OpenGL support because these changes will be done in that branch anyway. But no ETA right now.
No. Only checks that are local to json file. Perhaps later.
I have a question if I may about adding creatures. Is it possible to add their dwelling throught new objects ? From what I have seen, adding dwellings is possible by adding new towns. But what if I want to add a neutral creature? Would it work?
And another one - is it possible to create a simple map with new objects/artifacts to test it - something like this. I know there an editor won’t be anywhere soon, but a little guide how to crate a map for sod and editit it using hex editor or something would be nice.
Cheers! 
It is not possible to add completely new adventure map objects yet. Town dwellings are just a quick workaround to make random dwellings work properly.
Adding new objects will be a very big feature and requires lots of further work.
Now you can create simple map, fill it with “Random Monster level 1…7”/artefacts balls,
and so for artifact, and rerun it, until you see all new artefacts and creatures
When do you want to implement this?
I think, that it’s good to fist release 0.93 with syntax checks. So users could correct other syntax and format errors in their mods, and only in 0.94 there may be this structure correction.
What do you think?
Our releases are mostly time-based and not feature-based. This means that 0.93 will be released in 3-4 months after 0.92 and not when specific feature will be present.
And quoting myself:
This means that mods for 0.92 should work in 0.93 and mods for 0.93 will work in 0.94.
And there are also development builds that modders can use to update mods for next version of vcmi even before its release.
Where I can get them?
Another question: not from this theme - I have some mod with lizard units.
And when change their faction from “neutral” to “fortress” - I’m starting to get error.
Is this “fortress” broken in 0.92? (other factions work - stronghold, castle, inferno at least)
They will be released some time before 0.93
For example 0.92 got two dev builds:
[forum.vcmi.eu/t/vcmi-0-91b-development-version-r3217/612/1)
[forum.vcmi.eu/t/vcmi-0-91c-development-version-r3242/623/1)
Don’t know. It should work.
Hosting provided by DigitalOcean