Warcraft 2 First War Returns, new warcraft 1 remake, MOD

[dannyldd]

Hello there. This is a new mod I'm looking up to complete. It's a remake from Warcraft 1 plot, mission maps and content all together in a Warcraft 2 mod, september 2022.

Demo alpha version 1.0 already available in: https://gamebanana.com/members/submissions/mods/1738346

First demo playthrough: https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=QufdPczG6GE
Second demo playthrough: https: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9Bv1tR97Vk

The mod is NOT intended to be a 100% replication of Warcraft 1 but to add up several features that I like from Warcraft 1,2 and 3.

New generation modding features included into this mod for warcraft 2.

- One of them is ai_fix plugin incorporated to the mod. Ai_fix delivers several new era features that make computer smarter in several ways. All thanks to Edo-gorod/Mistral for his contribution to WARCRAFT II.
Features better off listed in: https: //forum.war2.ru/index.php/topic,6127.0.html

- 3 new warcraft 2 tilesets that attempt to get as close as I could to the warcraft 1 tilesets looking. Forest v3, Dungeon v1 and Swamp v1.
Dungeon tileset is NOT intended to be used for custom maps that you play around but needs a bit better explanation on how to use alongside your map editor... I may make a video on the future explaining more about this tileset. If you DON'T want to wait for a tutorial and you're smarter than casual PC user, you can take a look into this video demostration I did to build Human04 map from the mod, to use the tileset on it's most recent versions:
https: //youtu.be/MWjw-KOIVpI

- Several other audio/visual enhancements that come out from DAIFE/Insane edition (other of my war2 public mods that can be found in the first link above).

- If you have any feedback to deliver, I would appreciate that is given better off in either my twitch or youtube channels:
https: //twitch.tv/dannyldd OR https: //www.youtube.com/channel/UCfcxs8KSkOiehS9GK9rSAKg

I usually test those mods around since a couple of years already there.

If you like my content please follow & support my little channels and if possible donate to my little paypal address to keep on motivated doing new generation mods for Warcraft II. Paypal help is well appreciated in: https: //www.paypal.me/dannyldd

[Vendar]

add up several features that I like from Warcraft 1,2 and 3

What features exactly? It's just re-sprited version of standard War2, isn't it?

Imo most unique feature of War1 were roads. "Feature" of War3 were leveling up heroes with special abilities and items... but honestly I don't like War3 gameplay and it's one of the worst RTS game I have ever played so I don't want to see that feature in War2

[dannyldd]

add up several features that I like from Warcraft 1,2 and 3

What features exactly? It's just re-sprited version of standard War2, isn't it?

Imo most unique feature of War1 were roads. "Feature" of War3 were leveling up heroes with special abilities and items... but honestly I don't like War3 gameplay and it's one of the worst RTS game I have ever played so I don't want to see that feature in War2

either music, sprites, audio sounds, tilesets. It's a mix of all.

Some of the music themes that can be found in the mod install.exe are for example some fan-remixes from warcraft 1 music. Some music from Warcraft 3. Some rock metal music from warcraft 2 music.

Sound effect files included the human sound files from warcraft 1, the ones from 2 and some units like wolf raider - knight - peasant - peon from warcraft 3.

Tilesets from warcraft 1 this mod already have available: Forest, dungeon & swamp. All redone from scratch by either upscaling, fitting into warcraft 2 tileset sheets or redrawing several stuff in the process. Proper portrait icons as well.

Some of the warcraft 1 buildings / units upscaled but not all of them are possible since I still need stuff like mage towers or churchs that need Castle tech, which warcraft 1 didn't have.

Other stuff from my other mods like DAIFE or Insane edition, which could be new generation plugins for game alerts like: not enough gold, upgrades completed, kills counter, saveLoadFix plugin to fix single player usage of these features.

I can't remember more at the moment but it's a mix between the stuff i have been adding up since the start up to this point.
This mod is NOT  intended to be a 100% replication of Warcraft 1 because there's still more complicated stuff to adapt like roads, which in my opinion are terrible as feature since Warcraft 2 because it would be a nightmare with game mechanics that are not that rough to use like in Warcraft 1. Also, computer is not prepared to build this way just like warcraft 1.

I just replace starting roads with Dirt (or Mud, depending on tileset) for each map.

EDIT: I haven't stated any moment that would like to add warcraft 3 game mechanics like heroes leveling up or they can resurrect after some minutes. I don't like that gameplay system either. It's way too focus on the heroes rather than your armies and the "commander" being the actual "hero" of the game. Still, sounds and maybe visual stuff like sprites are something cool I want to see around here.

[Vendar]

Thanks for detailed answer.

To be honest I like Warcraft 2 design the most in this series. Changing music, sprites, sounds or tilesets to War3 are changes for the worse for me. For example knight and peasant sounds much better in War2 than in War3. Redone tilesets from War1 are cool 

Other stuff from my other mods like DAIFE or Insane edition, which could be new generation plugins for game alerts like: not enough gold, upgrades completed, kills counter, saveLoadFix plugin to fix single player usage of these features.

That's very nice. Visual changes are not necessary for me, but improvements like these are awesome 

roads, which in my opinion are terrible as feature since Warcraft 2 because it would be a nightmare with game mechanics that are not that rough to use like in Warcraft 1. Also, computer is not prepared to build this way just like warcraft 1.

Comparing Warcraft 1 and 2 I think the first game has only these differences (besides of sprites quality, controlls etc.):

• roads - but you said you don't like it so it doesn't matter
• attack speed - shooters had very similar attack speed to melee units and that made them much more powerful in War1 than in War2
• hitting chances - don't know the exact percentage but there was a chance in War1 to miss a hit
• powerful catapults - if I remember correctly catapults were more powerful in War1 than in War2
• walls
• summoning creatures - and that was my top 1 in category "the worst Warcraft 1 feature" In campaign, after getting summoning elementals/deamons spells, player is just sitting in base, spams 20 mages and summon free overpowered creatures and use only these to kill the opponent.

To be honest I don't see anything from that list that could improve War2 gameplay.

EDIT: I haven't stated any moment that would like to add warcraft 3 game mechanics like heroes leveling up or they can resurrect after some minutes. I don't like that gameplay system either. It's way too focus on the heroes rather than your armies and the "commander" being the actual "hero" of the game. Still, sounds and maybe visual stuff like sprites are something cool I want to see around here.

Same here. In War3 you don't even have armies anymore... just 3 heroes and few units. Campaigns and story in War3 were awesome but gameplay is the worst of the worst.
Blizzard started their RTS games with basic Warcraft 1. Year later it was improved into Warcraft 2. Two years later it was improved into Starcraft 1.
Then, they wanted to make War3 before WoW, but they didn't want to make another RTS similar to Starcraft so they made this abomination with RPG elements.

[Vendar]

I know it's your mod, I can play it if I want to but I'm not able to change anything... but! let me share with you with some ideas, maybe you will like it, maybe not.

Story

How about mix of First and Second War (without Beyond of the Dark Portal)?
Instead of recreating every mission, 1 to 1 from War1 campaigns, maybe try to make new campaings from scratch. Based on the old ones.

I'm thinking about 4 campaings, 10 missions in every campaign, in this particular order:
1. Human campaign
First fights with orcs, king Llane, lord Lothar and archmage Khadgar are the main heroes. In the last mission they are killing possesed Medivh.
2. Orc campaign
Blackhand assault on the Llane's kingdom. Him, Gul'dan and Garona are the main heroes. Somewhere in the middle there could be a mission of sending Garona to human base. In the last mission there is a huge siege of Stormwind and Garona kills king Llane.
3. Horde campaign
Lord Lothar and archmage Khadgar escaped from the massacre and Alliance was formed. From that point Crossbowmans are replaced with Elven Archers and from this campaign flying and naval units are available.
Orcs also were looking for allies. Trolls, ogres and dragons are joined the Horde. At the beginning of this campaign Blackhand is killed in a duel by Orgrim Doomhammer. Orgrim, Gul'dan, Cho'gall and Zuljin are the main heroes.
4. Alliance campaign
Lothar, Khadgar and Uther are main heroes. In the last mission Horde is defeated.


Units

The biggest problem Warcraft 2 always have was unbalanced races with only one tech tree. Units and stats are the same in both races and also orcs are stronger because of Bloodlust spell. Maybe units from War1 could be used to change that and modify a little the tech tree.

First of all Death and Decay/Blizzard spells should be removed or heavy nerfed cause with these spells catapults and archers are not useful.

For Humans Clerics could replace Paladins. Same three spells, Healing with autocasting (in some other mod it's already implemented) and no attack ability. Clerics could be train with basic, Town Hall tech.
Keep tech could provide Horse Archers. These could be a nice counter for Grunts and Ogres cause Horse Archers could move faster than them.

For Orcs Wolf Raiders could be added from basic, Great Hall tech. Raiders could be upgraded with bonus to speed (just like in War1) and then this unit would be the fastest in the game so ir the result: Raiders will be able to catch Horse Archers. I can share with you sprites for Wolf Raiders I had for my mod.
Stronghold tech could provide War2 flying Deamons from Temple of the Damned. Temple should also be avalaible from Stronghold, but not Death Knights; DKs should be avaiable from Fortress.
Dragons could be buffed a little with maybe increased costs.
Ogres could be slowed down to Grunts speed, their hp could be increased but damage lowered.

As a replacement for DoD/Blizzard spells I would suggest:

• Summoning a Warden for Mage (creature that cannot move but can attack with range 3)
• Dark Ritual for Death Knight (works like Polymorph but instead of changing unit to a critter it change it to a demonic warrior with stats on Grunts level. Can be casted only on owned unit that has less than 50% hp. Useful when orcs are after a battle and many units are heavily damaged; these units can get "a second life" with that spell)

[dannyldd]

I know it's your mod, I can play it if I want to but I'm not able to change anything... but! let me share with you with some ideas, maybe you will like it, maybe not.

Story

How about mix of First and Second War (without Beyond of the Dark Portal)?
Instead of recreating every mission, 1 to 1 from War1 campaigns, maybe try to make new campaings from scratch. Based on the old ones.

I'm thinking about 4 campaings, 10 missions in every campaign, in this particular order:
1. Human campaign
First fights with orcs, king Llane, lord Lothar and archmage Khadgar are the main heroes. In the last mission they are killing possesed Medivh.
2. Orc campaign
Blackhand assault on the Llane's kingdom. Him, Gul'dan and Garona are the main heroes. Somewhere in the middle there could be a mission of sending Garona to human base. In the last mission there is a huge siege of Stormwind and Garona kills king Llane.
3. Horde campaign
Lord Lothar and archmage Khadgar escaped from the massacre and Alliance was formed. From that point Crossbowmans are replaced with Elven Archers and from this campaign flying and naval units are available.
Orcs also were looking for allies. Trolls, ogres and dragons are joined the Horde. At the beginning of this campaign Blackhand is killed in a duel by Orgrim Doomhammer. Orgrim, Gul'dan, Cho'gall and Zuljin are the main heroes.
4. Alliance campaign
Lothar, Khadgar and Uther are main heroes. In the last mission Horde is defeated.


Units

The biggest problem Warcraft 2 always have was unbalanced races with only one tech tree. Units and stats are the same in both races and also orcs are stronger because of Bloodlust spell. Maybe units from War1 could be used to change that and modify a little the tech tree.

First of all Death and Decay/Blizzard spells should be removed or heavy nerfed cause with these spells catapults and archers are not useful.

For Humans Clerics could replace Paladins. Same three spells, Healing with autocasting (in some other mod it's already implemented) and no attack ability. Clerics could be train with basic, Town Hall tech.
Keep tech could provide Horse Archers. These could be a nice counter for Grunts and Ogres cause Horse Archers could move faster than them.

For Orcs Wolf Raiders could be added from basic, Great Hall tech. Raiders could be upgraded with bonus to speed (just like in War1) and then this unit would be the fastest in the game so ir the result: Raiders will be able to catch Horse Archers. I can share with you sprites for Wolf Raiders I had for my mod.
Stronghold tech could provide War2 flying Deamons from Temple of the Damned. Temple should also be avalaible from Stronghold, but not Death Knights; DKs should be avaiable from Fortress.
Dragons could be buffed a little with maybe increased costs.
Ogres could be slowed down to Grunts speed, their hp could be increased but damage lowered.

As a replacement for DoD/Blizzard spells I would suggest:

• Summoning a Warden for Mage (creature that cannot move but can attack with range 3)
• Dark Ritual for Death Knight (works like Polymorph but instead of changing unit to a critter it change it to a demonic warrior with stats on Grunts level. Can be casted only on owned unit that has less than 50% hp. Useful when orcs are after a battle and many units are heavily damaged; these units can get "a second life" with that spell)

I have saved up your suggestions bud. Your help and ideas are welcome, no doubt.  The purpose of this mod is add up fun features i find between all 3 warcraft games.
As you stated above, you didn't like some changes but that's precisely why my mods have a variety of changes for all type of tastes. Some like this stuff, some people like other.

I was planning at some point making my own storyline, including Warcraft 1 & 2 plot with one whole campaign for orcs and other for humans, because as far as I know the Warcraft  2 campaigns have some missions that are not part of the official storyline but instead, some alternative plot.

Thanks to Ed gorod, now its possible to make an unlimited amount of missions per campaign-mod. I haven't managed to dig good enough through the code to make this ever possible, but and so then I could mix up the 12 warcraft 1 human missions + 14 from tides of darkness in war2.

Be that as it may, you can follow up any of the mod progress in gamebanana for any future updates on them. First War Returns mod is already in alpha demo phase. You can play out for yourself the first human1-5 missions. There can be seen already the 3 warcraft 1 tilesets. Dungeon tileset was particularly long to complete, it had several stuff that needed to be fit into warcraft 2 tileset sheets.

Your follow & support for my twitch or youtube channels is key to motivate me even more to release more possible war2 content around.

[dannyldd]

thanks to Ed, now it may be possible to add up to 12 new spells into the game. If you checked out one of my last youtube videos, then it may be possible now to summon water elemental, spider/scorpions, daemons.

Stats can definetely be tweaked up, including attack speed, movement speed and damage. Same as mana cost.

If you checked out human4 from first war returns mod, then now its possible that enemy ogres can use Runes spell.

Besides of now being capable to tweak other stuff like mana cost then it may help out greatly to make a whole new game balance...

Don't worry, if you follow up my mods then you may see that I have planned to make a whole game balance that, I understand many conservative people from this forum or war2 community may disagree with, but at least I would like to expose and make it possible through one or more of these mods... It's based on the experience from this  and what feels way more fair enough to balance both races. It's definetely not intended to make now humans super overpowered and give stuff like healing with 1 mana / 1 hp or Polymorph with 40 mana.

Stay tuned !

[Vendar]

I have saved up your suggestions bud. Your help and ideas are welcome, no doubt.

That's nice to hear that my ideas are noticed, thanks
Wanted to share that with you but it's your mod so do whatever you want to do with it. I will try to find some time today to play your demo

I was planning at some point making my own storyline, including Warcraft 1 & 2 plot with one whole campaign for orcs and other for humans, because as far as I know the Warcraft  2 campaigns have some missions that are not part of the official storyline but instead, some alternative plot.

I like it more than my idea with mixed campaings of both Warcrafts
Alternative plot sounds very interesting.

[Vendar]

Played it for about 30 mins... and I have very mixed feelings.

Don't know why you have changed right-click workers action on forests to "move" instead of "harvest lumber". Probably you wanted to restore Warcraft 1 archaic controls, from times when developers didn't figured out yet how to do it better... but on the other hand, right-click on gold mine works as "mining gold" so here we have a Warcraft 2 behaviour? Can't get what was the point of that downgrade chopping forests dude.

Same with the buildings sprites - why did you downgraded Farms and Barracks with Warcraft 1 sprites? These sprites are few times smaller than Warcraft 2 sprites and simply stretching won't help.

Ended up after first mission cause objectives doesn't work. First mission ended after I have built 4 Farms and 1 Barracks and second one is an instant lose. Probably my game is using original mission objectives and not yours. I didn't found War2Dat.mpq in your mod files so maybe that's the reason.

Anyway... sorry for what I say, but I don't like this mod
If I would want to use icon/shortcut to send workers to cut trees and watch Warcraft 1 original sprites I could just play Warcraft 1 and have it all already implemented: tilesets, sprites, archaic controlls, limited selection to 4, roads, overpowered creatures to summon etc.

[Mistral]

ye lol trees very cursed
VERY
restore back 

[Vendar]

ye lol trees very cursed
VERY
restore back 

So I'm salty cause I didn't enjoy it? Ok, I will keep in mind to tell lies on this forum

For sure you have played it and finished all the missions. I would have finished it, but just like I said before: it's not working since second mission. At the beginning of that mission player is losing instantly.

Also, it's Danny's life, he can spend it whatever he wants. If that makes him happy, he should continue this project no matter what other people are thinking, including me or you.

[dannyldd]

Played it for about 30 mins... and I have very mixed feelings.

Don't know why you have changed right-click workers action on forests to "move" instead of "harvest lumber". Probably you wanted to restore Warcraft 1 archaic controls, from times when developers didn't figured out yet how to do it better... but on the other hand, right-click on gold mine works as "mining gold" so here we have a Warcraft 2 behaviour? Can't get what was the point of that downgrade chopping forests dude.

Same with the buildings sprites - why did you downgraded Farms and Barracks with Warcraft 1 sprites? These sprites are few times smaller than Warcraft 2 sprites and simply stretching won't help.

Ended up after first mission cause objectives doesn't work. First mission ended after I have built 4 Farms and 1 Barracks and second one is an instant lose. Probably my game is using original mission objectives and not yours. I didn't found War2Dat.mpq in your mod files so maybe that's the reason.

Anyway... sorry for what I say, but I don't like this mod
If I would want to use icon/shortcut to send workers to cut trees and watch Warcraft 1 original sprites I could just play Warcraft 1 and have it all already implemented: tilesets, sprites, archaic controlls, limited selection to 4, roads, overpowered creatures to summon etc.

hehe, I appreciate your honesty bud, more than you think... Did you place the Plugins into Plugins folder ? Are you playing through Combat Edition ? I have specifically stated into the mod thread that you MUST play the mod in Combat edition. GoG version doesn't allow at all this level of modding. If you did it properly, I will check out what is going on, but I'm sure that I set into the package the plugins needed to make new triggers to work properly. In human2, if you get insta-death is because you're not making functional the new objectives being set up that ARE ALSO STATED INTO THE WAR ROOM BRIEFINGS.

This is a very common mistake, trying to play these mods with GoG version because Ed gorod's plugin and triggers are still a very unknown subject to people for modding this game.

Move instead of harvest was just a reminder of the archaic war1 mechanic I wanted to bring back to life. It's not such a pain in the ass in my opinion but a way to give one more time an actual usage to "Harvest" button, which I never ever saw from anybody using. It has its proper usage in Warcraft 1, though.

Clicking on mines to get gold, I think is the same from Warcraft 1. If you move peon into mine, it should get into it. I dont remember properly, but it's an actual thing I can't mod through the code or map editor.

[dannyldd]

ye lol trees very cursed
VERY
restore back 

so Ed, dont u want to see one more time the Warcraft 1 rusty mechanics ? At least one more time.

[Mistral]

ye lol trees very cursed
VERY
restore back 

So I'm salty cause I didn't enjoy it? Ok, I will keep in mind to tell lies on this forum

WHAT ?
WTF? why u even thinked i writed this to u?
this was for danny
lol or

[Mistral]

Warcraft 1 rusty mechanics ?

sorry its TOO rusty
like really