16 November 2024
From: Warcraft 3 Map-Making Community
To: Blizzard Entertainment / Warcraft 3 RTS Team
Open Letter to Blizzard: Addressing the Current State of Reforged Map-Making
Dear Blizzard,
As a community, we are deeply thankful for the release of Warcraft 3: Reforged 2.0. This update brings much-needed improvements to multiplayer, visuals, and gameplay, while showcasing Blizzard’s effort to address past concerns and breathe new life into the beloved franchise.
With the release of Reforged 2.0, significant visual changes were introduced, replacing most ground textures and certain environmental models (primarily trees and rocks) with a more stylized aesthetic. This new style draws inspiration from the original Warcraft 3 or World of Warcraft, diverging noticeably from the visuals of Reforged 1.X.
While many of us appreciate the appeal of a stylized approach, these changes present several challenges:
- Visual Inconsistency: The new Reforged 2.0 graphics starkly contrast with the previous 1.X visuals. Heroes, units, and numerous doodads now appear noticeably different, disrupting the coherence of projects relying on custom 1.X models. This is especially problematic for large-scale custom projects like Chronicles of the Second War, Re-Reforged, and Lord of the Clans HD.
- Asset Uncertainty: Updating our projects to restore lost assets is theoretically possible, but the risk of further asset replacements remains. If this trend continues, we may be compelled to recreate all 1.X assets from scratch to preserve our original vision, inevitably resulting in a style that diverges even further from Reforged 2.0.
- Lack of Custom Asset Support: Transitioning fully to the new Reforged style is another option, but the community currently lacks the custom assets necessary to make this feasible. Moreover, without clear guidance or reference models for units and buildings in the updated style, it’s challenging to align custom work with Blizzard’s vision. Even if Blizzard eventually replaces all units, buildings, and doodads with the new style, adapting community projects will require considerable time and effort.
Questions and Concerns
The uncertainty surrounding the visual direction of Reforged has left many mapmakers unsure of how to proceed. Key questions include:
- What is the intended future direction of the artstyle?
- Which artstyle should we focus on if we want stability but also modern looks?
- Will the original Reforged 1.X graphics return in some capacity? (i.e. useable in the map editor)
- Could a custom mode be introduced to allow players to toggle between old and new Reforged graphics?
We urge Blizzard to clarify whether the visual updates are final or if further changes are planned. This transparency would provide much-needed direction for mapmakers as we adapt to these updates.
We hope you will consider the concerns of the custom mapping community, as our projects thrive on the foundation of Reforged. Clear communication about the game’s visual roadmap would go a long way in supporting us.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned Map Creators
- OutsiderXE (Lore & Legends: Lord of the Clans, Day of the Dragon, The Last Guardian)
- Shadi (Chronicles of the Second War)
- Luca Pasqualini aka InsaneMonster (Re-Reforged)
- Fugrim (3D Modeller)
- Tamplier (Yevhen Ivaniushchenko - Chronicles of the Second War)
- Ardenaso (3D Modeller and Reviewer)
- Mr.Goblin aka Vincent Turcot (Chronicles of the Second War, Hiveworkshop 2D Moderator)
- Dark Mefisto (Re-Reforged)
- Yevhen Snizhko (Randomizer)
- mr ogre man (3D-Modeller for Re-Reforged, Hiveworkshop model reviewer and moderator)
- Valiyantt (Terrain Designer)
23 Likes
As an amateur terrain designer, I greatly appreciate the multiplayer improvements introduced to enhance the PVP community’s experience. However, I also hope the Warcraft III: Reforged Dev Team will focus on supporting and empowering the modding community, which has played a pivotal role in maintaining the game’s relevance from its vanilla days to the present.
The modding community has poured its creativity into crafting content that has been enjoyed by thousands, if not millions, of players worldwide. Through our efforts, we bring stories to life—stories inspired by the past, grounded in the present, or born entirely from imaginative worlds of different story creators or content relevant both to the very first Warcraft game or to the current stories of WoW up to the War Within. By enhancing the tools and resources available to modders, the dev team can help us continue to enrich the game’s legacy and its community.
3 Likes
I am with you guys. Do no let the ppl who only plays melee, shat on your work.
You are for many players the reason why they play wc3. Like my case. I hate online melee matches but i play a lot of custom campaigns since i was a kid.
I always loved the work you did with reforged graphics and i really think that the ppl who wants their complete removal, are in lack of a better word, fools, that dosent understand that different artstyles serve different purposes, and that both can coexist w/o issue.
I love you all, and your work, and i hope your doubts and questions are resolved and aswered swiftly
5 Likes
I hope Blizzard takes the above letter seriously, I came here after also seeing Eugene’s video from LoreCraft Designs, video named “Warcraft Reforged 2.0 Graphical Inconsistency”
6 Likes
Warcraft III: Reforged 2.0 Unit modules become transparent
The current situation is the Reforged WE map in the two version sections 1.30.0~1.36.4 and 1.19~1.29c and the Ui module of the old map in the old TFT version WE editor (Hero/Building/Unit/Beast/Special Effects /Sound effects) In almost most maps on Warcraft III (Classic HD/Reforged) 2.0, there is a problem that the internal parameters of the map cannot be read…
Because there is an error between the 2.0 new WE editor of Warcraft III (Classic HD/Reforged) 2.0 and the game, the read map parameter settings (modules and move special effects and sound effects of heroes/units/buildings) cannot be read and fail , causing them to become “transparent” or become other “incorrect other modules”…
And they can’t be selected and clicked to use.
It is also because of this that the modules and move special effects and sound effects of heroes/units/buildings that should be displayed when playing most old maps will be “invisible”…
Then the invisible unit that “should be invisible” to detect the AMH map hacker appeared and was visible…
Many of our “custom maps” that were originally playable before the Warcraft III (Classic HD/Reforged) 2.0 update are now unplayable because almost all unit modules have become transparent or mutated…
Please Blizzard give us back a Warcraft III Reforged 1.36.4 that can play normally or a Warcraft IIIReforged 2.0 that can play old maps.
Please~
Otherwise, Warcraft III Reforged 2.0 will lose tens of thousands of loyal old map players.
3 Likes
It is insane that their is not more support for map makers in Reforge. Even the ablity to hyperlink folk’s pateron so I can tip map makers without having to go to discord.
2 Likes
I don’t play WC3R often, but when I do it’s for the custom maps made by these wonderful developers. Custom WC3 Campaigns and non-ladder multiplayer games were my bread and butter growing up. Please support the single players as well as the multi-players.
Thank you Blizz.
4 Likes
Blizzard made all these changes thinking only in the multiplayer experience. Notice that during the announces at warcraft direct they didn’t even mentioned a single fact about reforged campaigns. Hopefully they revert the changes, is not hard to leave both options up in the editor as well.
Chronicles of the second war and warcraft re-reforged campaigns are the best custom i’v seem released for WC 3 Reforged and whoever says reforged graphics are bad is because didn’t tried those campaigns.
We need more communication from the warcraft 3 team / blizzard (RTS). Just an example, it’s 5 days now that they released WC 1 and 2 Remaster and game is still not available in Brazil for some misterious reason and not a single word from blizzard.
6 Likes
as much as i like that mapmakers get good patchupdates, the custom game list got destroyed by this patch, you cant see who is host before you join a lobby, you dont see if a lobby is full or not, the search function for mapnames instead of lobbynames got disabled, you cant even see the full games list, if you join and leavy it, it permanently dissapears from the custom games list, when you try to join a lobby and dl the map, you CANT stop the download without leave wc3 completly
the nice maps you all make wont get played if the custom game list tab is broken as hell sadly
1 Like
I have tried a few campaigns (just intros and first steps to get a look at), but have not encountered any noticeable issues besides custom UI stuff and inconsistencies with pre-Reforged campaigns. But it is hard to assess textures without reference.
That is, except for Chronicles of the Second War, it got utterly destroyed by the patch, you can clearly see the terrain differences and custom models have mostly no textures.
I have heard in a YouTube video, Portraits where switched and some models got hidden or transparent. What exactly does this mean, what are the concrete issues?
I would like to know, to take a deeper look if especially older custom campaigns are broken.
I have installed the following campaigns:
- Chronicles of the Second War (LoreCraft)
- Re-Reforged: Exodus, Humans, Undead (Insane Monster)
- Lord of the Clans, Day of the Dragon, Last Guardian (OutsiderXE)
- BfA: War of Thorns, Blood and Fire (Med. MapGuy, Updated 2024)
- The New Order: Ironforge Alliance (Murlor, Updated 2024)
- Troll Campaign (frostwhisper, Updated 2024)
- Dwarf Campaign (Tommi Gustafsson, Updated 2024)
- Legacy of Lordaeron (Warseeker, Updated 2022)
- Tides of War (Forsaken, Pre-Reforged)
- Curse of the Foraken, Legacy of the Blood Elves (tomoraider, Pre-Reforged)
Has anyone else encountered issues or experienced inconsistencies?
Btw: Does anyone know any other good semi-canon campaigns?
3 Likes
BtW: Dear Modders, please make sure to back up the pre 2.0 version of your campaign, you may never know if Blizzard reverses some changes.
3 Likes
Still struggling with the art styles, to be honest. even the cliffs are a bit of a stretch
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I saw the “Warcraft Reforged 2.0 Graphical Inconsistency” video and I support its maker, new patches shouldn’t destroy previously done work, and if both old & new stuff are good, a toggle should be given to be able to do both.
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Mind elaborating on why you thanked them for “bringing much needed visual updates”? They’ve made the new art noticeably worse and decided to shoehorn it into the game anyway. You are part of the problem along with whoever else was calling the old graphics bad so blizzard felt like they can invest easy time to put cheap, plain, and rubbery Fortnite textures into it and call it a job well done so they could get a paycheck at their office. In case it wasn’t obvious for you, know this - the current employees in blizzard are NOT capable of updating the graphics to a level that lemon sky studios designed it at (who are able to improve it further but they were on a contract for a fixed schedule). Your praise is a step back for the artistic side of the game and may as well be called Reforged 0.5 “the way back” patch
I prefer to think they are just on other projects.
1 Like