Graphics
You can adjust all the Graphical settings in HoMM3 HD Launcher:
Resolution (source size)
HoMM3 HD allows changing game resolution to any from 800x600 up to 4000x4000.
You can choose the resolution in the HD launcher (HD_Launcher.exe). When the original game resolution is changed, the visible map area on the gaming screen and during View World/Earth/Air vision is bigger. Main menu, cinematics (including victory/defeat cinematics), loading screen, records screen, original campaigns menus are shown in the original scale within the original resolution borders. The other screens (city, combat, kingdom overview, thieves' guild, etc.) are shown in separate windows without any changes.
Extended UI features are fully available when vertical resolution is 664 or higher.
Please, choose the resolution carefully as choosing the highest resolution available may result in uncomfortable gameplay setting: interface elements will become too small. 32-bit True (stretchable) GDI colour mode (set by default) allows stretching the image from a certain resolution to your screen resolution. The feature uses special filters which creates a better quality image with better performance. The resolution set by default is set on purpose: e.g. for a 1920x1080 screen - 1180x664. This makes the gameplay comfortable, with bigger game elements at full extended UI functionality.
Graphics Modes
original (16-bit) - original color mode with no changes.
16-bit (auto switch) - HoMM3 HD automatically changes desktop color mode to 16-bit when you launch the game, and switches it back at closing (incl. abnormal) which allows you to play in window mode without switching screen color mode manually.
32-bit GDI - HoMM3 runs in 32-bit color mode using GDI (component of Windows) conversion from 16-bit to 32-bit (that decreases graphics perfomance on very slow computers). So you can play in window without switching screen color mode.
32-bit (stretchable) - HoMM3 runs in 32-bit color mode, using fast MMX conversion from 16-bit to 32-bit. Also 32-bit (stretchable) mode allows to resize game window and allows to play full screen with any non-standard resolutions. To resize game screen HoMM3 HD uses one of selected filters: bilinear, bilinear sharper, bilinear sharper x2, bilinear sharper x3. Without stretching, 32-bit (stretchable) mode works faster than 32-bit GDI; however, if the window is stretched, 32-bit (stretcahble) works slower than 32-bit GDI.
32-bit True - HoMM3 runs in 32-bit color mode directly without any conversions. 32-bit True is the fastest 32-bit color mode, as fast as original 16-bit.
32-bit True (stretchable) GDI – Recommended - The game runs in 32-bit mode directly with no conversions from 16-bit into 32-bit. As in 32-bit (stretchable), you can change the game screen by changing window size, and play in full-screen mode with any non-standard resolution with different scale filtres. The image is also GDI (Windows component) adapted. Combination of all the best components from all the above mentioned modes makes 32-bit True (stretchable) GDI the most stable and comfortable to play.
Scale Filters
(description under construction...)
System Cursors
HoMM3 HD uses standard Windows tools to render cursors (optionally) that increases graphics perfomance and makes moving the cursor smoother.
In Windows XP system cursors are limited to 32x32 size, that is why in this OS cursors are slightly different to the originals (some original cursors may reach 44x44 size) but artefact-cursors are shown in standard size.
In Windows Vista or higher versions all the cursors are shown in original scale (bigger than 32x32) including artefact-cursors. Also, in these OS in 32-bit True (stretchable) GDI system cursors are scaled with the whole image, applying high quality filter (xBRZv1.4+Bicubic+Sharpen) regardless of which graphical scale filter is chosen in settings.
System cursors in Windows XP
- are not scaled in stretchable modes
- some of them (see the image) are different to the original ones
- artefact-cursors are drawn by standard tools
System cursors in Windows Vista or higher without scaling
- identic to the original ones
- all the cursors, including artefact- and spell-casting cursors are System Cursors
System Cursor for Windows Vista or higher with scaling (game resolution 1180x664, screen resolution 1920x1080)
- spell-casting cursors are drawn by the standart tools
