#1 Warcraft 3 Reforged Modding Community

Archian · Jan 8, 2025

Footman16 presents an upcoming campaign: The Path to Valour

"Set during the Third War concurrent with the events of Reign of Chaos and after, this campaign will tell the story of the Kingdom of Stromgarde. An ancient kingdom built from the descendants of Arathor itself, this powerful nation has found its strength waning over the years as Trolls, Ogres and Alteraci traitors in the form of the Syndicate appear to disrupt and defeat the Human Kingdom. However, in Lordaeron rumours of a plague of Undeath and the arrival of the Burning Legion will present yet another challenge for the faltering nation to stand against. But they do not stand alone..."

Expected release mid-2025

Features:

An expanded Human tech-tree to represent the martial history of Stromgarde
Variable Difficulty: Story, Normal and Hard
Expanded and re-skinned tech-trees for Kul Tiras, Ironforge Dwarves, Trolls & Ogres and the Undead Scourge
Fight against the Undead equivalent of the Infernal and Doomguard: the Wight and Flesh Golem.
Ten full fledged chapters with some unique gameplay elements and objectives as well as 3 interludes and a playable epilogue set during the Battle for Azeroth era
Consistent with the lore within the bounds of what has already been established but with room for interpretation for those who wish to disregard certain aspects of WoW lore.
New heroes for both the player and your enemies to fight against with unique abilities
Fully voice-acted with a mix of AI and non-AI voice acting.
Custom music and UIs for Stromgarde and Kul Tiras
Will tell the events of what stopped the Undead Scourge from travelling further south and conquering all of the Eastern Kingdoms.
Many references to characters from wider Warcraft lore and familiar locations re-created in some missions.

@Kasrkin has been a huge source of feedback and help with testing of the campaign and as such has been kind enough to record a playthrough of the third mission of the campaign, what is essentially the end of Act 1 and based on the WoW battleground Arathi Basin.

Archian · Dec 25, 2024

As the year winds down, we want to take a moment to celebrate this incredible community. From breathtaking creations to insightful discussions, your passion and talent have made the Hive Workshop a thriving hub of creativity and collaboration.

This holiday season, we wish you all joy, inspiration, and plenty of time to dive into your projects (or simply enjoy some well-deserved rest). Whether you're crafting epic maps, designing intricate models, or just here to connect with fellow enthusiasts, know that your contributions make this space special.

We’re also thrilled to share that exciting new things are on the horizon for the Hive Workshop! Stay tuned as we prepare to roll out fresh updates, new features, and opportunities to fuel your passion and take your creations to the next level in the coming year.

Thank you for being part of the Hive family. Here's to a bright and creative new year ahead!

Warm wishes,

The Hive Workshop

Archian · Dec 18, 2024

Blizzard Accidentally Releases Debug Symbols, Maps, and Exclusive Content in Warcraft 3 Update

In a surprising turn of events, Blizzard Entertainment has made headlines again, following the release of version 2.0.1 for their classic game, Warcraft 3. While fans were already dissecting the changes introduced in the update, today’s follow-up has generated even more buzz—and not for the reasons Blizzard intended.

As part of their recent activity surrounding the update, Blizzard inadvertently released an archive containing sensitive and previously unreleased content. Among the files were debug symbols, which make reverse engineering the game significantly easier for developers and modders alike. Debug symbols are a critical part of software development, containing detailed metadata that allows for the deconstruction of a program's internal workings—something typically guarded closely by companies to prevent unauthorized modifications or security breaches.

The archive also included several maps, some of which feature original SD+ models that had never been seen before. These models, notable for their historical significance and high fidelity, are not the AI-upscaled variants Blizzard has offered in recent years but are instead true original assets. This discovery has excited the Warcraft 3 modding community, which has long sought authentic and unaltered content from the game’s earlier days.

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Additionally, the release contained a surprising number of small executable utility programs. The purpose of these utilities is still being explored by users, but they appear to serve a variety of niche development and debugging functions.

Blizzard has yet to comment publicly on the incident, and it remains unclear whether the release was a simple oversight or a more complex error in their update process. However, the company has acted swiftly to address the issue. In a follow-up update, Blizzard has removed the leaked content from distribution. Despite this, Pandora's box has already been opened, as the files have been widely shared among the community.

While the release may have been accidental, it has reignited interest in Warcraft 3, demonstrating the enduring passion of its community. However, Blizzard will likely need to address the implications of the leaked debug symbols and the potential for misuse in the coming days.

Stay tuned as the story develops.

Blizzard said:

We’ve released Warcraft III: Reforged version 2.0.1
Build: 22474
December 17, 2024

These updates aim to improve the overall gameplay experience by addressing various bugs and enhancing features.

Changes

Matchmaking: Prioritizes ideal ping over MMR. The matchmaker’s priority will be ping, then MMR, and then after a long wait, it will try to match with anyone.
- Developers’ notes: We will continue to monitor this and make changes as necessary.
Ranked Play: Players will now lose more XP when they lose.
Custom Hotkey Screen: Updated to allow customization of item slots and F keys.
Classic HD Icons: Resized from 512x512 to 256x256, with bespoke borders and various updates.
TFT Theme: Updated to include snow on the frames.
Versus Setup Screen: Rank now shows against all races (previously only showed rank against its own race).
Old Terrain: Moved to the Addon Sub folder with an option to use old Reforged Terrain.
Chat System: Added an option to hide game system messages in chat. Lobby chat will now clear after exiting.
New Skins: Added three new skins (Jaina, Ghostly Antonidas, Ghostly Keeper of the Grove).
VFX Addon: Reinforced Defenses and Spiked Barricades moved to Building Addon.
Match History: Added date played.
Reforged Camera: Now has the same FOV (field of view) values as Classic.

Bugfixes

Fixed a crash with custom game invites.
Fixed an issue where players could not joint a private game by name.
Fixed an issue where players could not select units in certain areas when they had their HUD scaled down.
Fixed an issue where unit formation would occasionally turn on when set to off.
Fixed a crash that was occurring for Windows 7.
Fixed a crash that was occurring with integrated graphic cards.
Fixed a crash when a game with more than 11 players would end.
Fixed an issue where certain custom game maps units would not appear.
Fixed an issue where the Kel’Thuzard Skin would have an incorrect portrait…
Fixed an issue where whispers would show incorrect portraits.
Fixed an issue where total score was missing from the score screen.
Fixed an issue where mouse highlights in the score screen did not highlight the tabs completely.
Fixed an issue where -graphicsapi Direct3D12 was not working.
Fixed an issue where adding a computer to custom games was hidden behind the UI.
Fixed an issue where right clicking on the custom game menu would pull up the right menu in the wrong position.
Fixed an issue where Bladestorm missing VFX when using a Blademaster skin.
Fixed an issue where Bat Rider in Classic HD would still use its Reforged animation during Unstable Concoction.
Fixed an issue where reveal would be using Reforged VFX even with Classic HD enabled.
Fixed an issue with various Classic SFX not playing the correct Classic SFX.
Fixed an issue with claws of attack being the wrong number in Chinese and Korean.
Fixed an issue where chat would disappear if you tabbed to a whisper chat.
Fixed an issue where Classic Sound checkbox would not be greyed out when in Classic Mode.
Fixed an issue where Classic Undead HUD side bars would not disappear if scaled down.
Fixed an issue where Camera Zoom Slider was showing inaccurate distances.
Fixed an issue where Subgroup Order Modifier option was displaying inaccurate tooltip.
Fixed an issue where game timer would continue even when the match was paused.
Fixed an issue where the gold border in Reforged mode was misaligned.
Fixed an issue where players would not see themselves in chat channels.
Fixed an issue where players levels would not display in chat channels.
Fixed the crash on resizing of a map in the editor because of an invalid mouse terrain intersection.
Fixed an issue with custom map frame defs.
Fixed an issue with UI scaling in custom maps.
Fixed an issue with Dalaran Ruins and Ruins having incorrect diffuse layers.

Archian · Nov 21, 2024

Blizzard said:

Nov 14, 4:51 AM
Tonight at 7:50 p.m. PST, we applied hotfixes to address the following issues:

Fixed an issue preventing some players from being able to login.
Fixed an issue that prevented some players from accessing the option menu.
Fixed an issue with the version of the game for Mac users.

Nov 18, 10:33 PM
A few minutes ago at 1:30 p.m. PST, we applied the following hotfixes to Warcraft III: Reforged–

Fixed an issue preventing some Mac players from logging in.
Fixed a server database issue that prevented game results from registering.
Improved server performance to address some players experiencing an unresponsive UI.

Nov 20, 1:49 AM
The following hotfixes went live today at 4:45 p.m. PST–

Fixed an issue where typing long messages would break the custom game lobby.
Added map preview functionality when a player mouses over the map list in the Versus setup screen.
Added Game Host in the custom game lobby list.
Added sound effects to the switches in the Reforged menu.
Added filter for Warcraft 2 music. Players can now choose between All, Orcs, or Human.
Fixed an issue with various hero portraits not appearing correctly.
Fixed an issue where Classic HD buildings were using Reforged Fire.
Fixed an issue where Icecrown Snow rocks were not appearing.
Added an option to use Classic Cursor in Reforged mode.
Added an option to use Classic Sound Effects in Reforged mode.
Add Old Reforged Terrain under TerrainArtOld in the file directory for mapmakers.
Fixed an issue where Claws of Attack +5 incorrectly said +4.
Added the option to toggle camera snap for idle worker.

Archian · Nov 19, 2024

"When something is broken, you fix it. When something is wrong, you make it right. And if things aren’t good enough, you make them better," - Brad Chan (Warcraft RTS team senior manager)

The recently released Patch 2.0 for Warcraft III: Reforged aimed to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Warcraft franchise. However, it has reignited longstanding criticisms, particularly around false advertising, inconsistency in artistic direction, and its detrimental impact on custom map creation.

False Advertising and Expectations

Warcraft III: Reforged was heavily criticized upon launch for failing to deliver the features promised during its marketing. Patch 2.0, rather than correcting these issues, highlighted them further. Patch 2.0 introduced HD versions of classic assets, but the quality of these upgrades leaves much to be desired. While the patch added "HD" versions of classic assets and customization options between Reforged and "Classic HD," players noted that the visual updates lack actual HD graphics, cohesion, with elements appearing mismatched or poorly integrated. The use of poorly AI-assisted upscaling for assets has been a major point of contention, as it reflects a lack of effort to produce handcrafted updates that match the quality expected in modern remasters. "Classic HD" rely on poorly AI-assisted upscaling rather than artistically curated redesigns, creating a disjointed aesthetic that fails to deliver the promised quality as seen in the gameplay stills (seen in the banner above) - now renamed to "concepts".

Artistic and Graphical Inconsistencies

The patch attempted to address graphical issues by tweaking lighting and terrain. However, these changes exacerbated existing problems. Reforged terrain textures now often clash with the original artistic vision. The newly added tileset textures lack polish, with noticeable seams and inconsistent designs that disrupt immersion. Moreover, the patch removed bloom effects and altered lighting settings, which has ruined visual balance in many custom maps, leaving them either too dark or awkwardly overlit. These graphical inconsistencies further detract from the overall experience.

Impact on Custom Maps

The custom map community, historically one of Warcraft III's strongest assets, has faced significant challenges with this update. Changes in the world editor and how the game handles assets have broken compatibility with many existing custom maps. Several modders reported that some new doodads and terrain textures are not seamless and feel incompatible with the Reforged graphics, breaking the consistency that map creators strive for. In addition, lighting adjustments in the patch have disrupted many custom maps’ visual integrity. Some environments now look either unnaturally bright or lack sufficient contrast, making them visually unappealing. These issues, combined with compatibility-breaking updates, highlight Blizzard’s failure to prioritize one of the community's most vital aspects.

Community Reaction

Fans and modders have expressed disappointment, feeling the patch did little to address core issues or honor Warcraft III’s legacy. What was meant to honor Warcraft III’s legacy has instead underscored Blizzard’s neglect of its core audience. For a game that once set the standard for RTS excellence, this latest patch has left many players questioning Blizzard’s commitment to its iconic franchise.

In conclusion, Patch 2.0 has compounded Reforged's struggles rather than providing the redemption it sorely needed. While there are minor improvements, the patch serves as a reminder of the missed opportunities and mismanagement that have plagued this remaster from the start. The mishandling of custom map support, graphical inconsistencies, and continued reliance on AI over artistry have further alienated an already disillusioned player base. This patch has left players longing for the golden days of Blizzard's attention to detail and community care.

Archian

Footman16 presents an upcoming campaign: The Path to Valour

Features:

Archian

Archian

Blizzard Accidentally Releases Debug Symbols, Maps, and Exclusive Content in Warcraft 3 Update

Changes

Bugfixes

Archian

Archian

False Advertising and Expectations

Artistic and Graphical Inconsistencies

Impact on Custom Maps

Community Reaction

Affiliates

Streams

Popular resources

Popular maps

Heroes online

Archian

Footman16 presents an upcoming campaign: The Path to Valour​

Features:​

Archian

Archian

Blizzard Accidentally Releases Debug Symbols, Maps, and Exclusive Content in Warcraft 3 Update​

Changes​

Bugfixes​

Archian

Archian

False Advertising and Expectations​

Artistic and Graphical Inconsistencies​

Impact on Custom Maps​

Community Reaction​

Affiliates

Streams

Popular resources

Popular maps

Heroes online

Footman16 presents an upcoming campaign: The Path to Valour

Features:

Blizzard Accidentally Releases Debug Symbols, Maps, and Exclusive Content in Warcraft 3 Update

Changes

Bugfixes

False Advertising and Expectations

Artistic and Graphical Inconsistencies

Impact on Custom Maps

Community Reaction