Introduction Might & Magic® IX wasn't finished when it went gold a month before its release in March of 2002. The release date -- the last business day of 3DO's fiscal year -- could not be pushed back any further. Work on the game continued and a patch to version 1.2 was available when the game hit the shelves. Still, lead designer Tim Lang says that the game needed about two more months of work -- and that would have been another two months of 12+ hour days by some of the most experienced RPG designers in the industry. In the end, the over-riding consideration was that 3DO could not afford to put any more resources into the game. Two thirds of the development team members were invited to resign or accept re-assignment to 3DO's home office. There would be no more work on further MM9 patches -- nor on a proposed MM10. However, while it's true that the dev team didn't have time to finish the game as they wanted to, they left the game open for future development as much as possible. This means that knowledgeable fans can fix many of the deficiencies of the game -- from annoying glitches to game-killing bugs. The most widely known of these efforts is kingkongcobra's 'Unofficial Patch' which corrected several errors in the NPC dialog system. The folks at MM-Worlds had a much larger task addressing extensive errors that crept in when the dialog was translated into German. These and other efforts have spared countless fans from hours of frustration and helped them enjoy MM9. TELP will be releasing at least two series of patches. Our 1.3 series is designed for compatibility and is intended for people who are playing version 1.2 and want to prevent many potential bugs. Our 1.4 series is primarily intended for people who want to play (or re-play!) MM9 more in keeping with the game the designers wanted to make. Use the links at the left to learn more. About the Patch What is TELP's 1.3 Patch for MM9? TELP's 1.3 patch is an unofficial, fan-supported update to 3DO's Might & Magic® IX. It was written and released so that gamers can enjoy MM9 without concern or pre-researching for various bugs. All changes to the game are compatible with existing savegames so that you will not need to start the game from the beginning in order to benefit from this patch. What changes will be made by TELP's 1.3 Patch? This patch corrects many, but not all, of MM9's known bugs. Most importantly, it will prevent all of the game-killing bugs -- ie, those that would force you to revert to a previous savegame -- with the possible exception of one. Occasionally players have found themselves unable to re-enter Frosgard City for part of the game. This bug is difficult to test for, so TELP can only state that it might have been fixed. We won't know for sure that it hasn't until someone reports it happening after applying this patch. Please let us know. Although all changes are compatible, about one third of the bug fixes will be expressed only if an affected area has not been entered before installing the patch. Most of these are minor, but two of bugs addressed this way are game-killers. Please feel free to ask for help if you get trapped inside of Kluso's House or can't complete the Tomb of a Thousand Terrors. Most highly annoying bugs also have been addressed, as have many of only mild annoyance. In cases where Spells and Items could not be made to behave as described, the in-game descriptions have been changed. Wherever observed, errors in grammar, syntax, spelling, clarity and continuity have been corrected. A list of specific fixes will not be given here in order to protect you from unwanted spoilers. A complete list can be read by clicking on the 'Details (Spoilers)' link to the left. The following are the types of game resources that were corrected: Dialog Autonotes Quest Notes Scripting Data (active and passive) Object Properties Graphics The bug with the Divine Intervention spell is hard-coded in the game engine and can not be corrected without access to the source code. Compensations for its abuse have not been made in this patch but will likely be made in our 1.4 line of patches. Some features that were introduced for debugging the game during development but were inadvertantly left in have been removed. In addition to these corrections, two game screens were annotated to make plain that this patch is being used. You will notice that a '1.3' designation has been placed on the main menu. Also, a small marking on your final score screen will document that you have been using TELP's 1.3 patch. Acknowledgements and Appreciation Although most of the work on this patch was done by one person, there were many others who helped out with effort, information and insights. They are: New World Computing's MM9 Development Team Although our primary contact has been though Tim Lang, Walter Johnson and Karl Drown, if they couldn't answer a question for us they would check with other team members. Everyone on the devlopment team wishes they'd been given the time to finish the game properly. This patch is dedicated to them. Klaravoyia Klar has been incredibly helpful in so many ways. For her information on game bugs, for testing this patch and providing applicable savegames, for her consistantly sound insights into all aspects of this and other M&M RPGs, for testing this patch's changes, and for her gracious presence on the M&M forums we are humbly in her debt. Visit her MM9 website at http://www.keytech.com/~klar/MM9/. kingkongcobra (aka kkc) This game would have been even more unplayable if not for both the early release of his collection of dialog fixes known as 'the unofficial patch' and his helpful advice in various MM9 forums. Thank you. Rustavius A thoughtful presence on our MM9 message board even before the game was released, Rustavius recognized that this game would have been quite good if the developers had been given more time. He has investigated and devised corrections to some complex relationships in the game mechanics and done so in spite of real-life difficulties. Thank you, my friend. MM-World The version of the game that was 'localized' for the German market was horribly translated. Our friends at MM-World have worked hard to make their version of MM9 playable, and TELP salutes them for their remarkable efforts. Their website can be found at http://mm-world.gamesurf.tiscali.de/mm9/. Ice3 A strong advocate of MM9 and the entire M&M series, Ice3 has offered his help in adapting this patch to the game's French version. With this kind of support worldwide, Might & Magic will never die. Visiter son site Internet sur MM9: http://www.portailsmm.com/mm9/index.html TELP and the regulars at our MM9 Tavern Our Tavern community is an example for everyone of what this world needs to be -- tolerant, respectful, helpful and joyous. You are the reason why making this patch was worth the effort. Hope to see you there. TELP's 1.3 patch for MM9 1.2 is free. This patch is being distributed as freeware. It may be freely used, copied and distributed as long as it is not sold and all original files are included. After installation, look for 'TELP13 License.txt' in the folder that contains 'mm9.exe', your main MM9 executable. The actual patching program was produced using Hanmen® PatchWise Free version 3. It is a very competant and easy-to-use patching utility and is, quite amazingly, free even for commercial use. We recommend it highly. Their website is http://www.patchwise.com. Although we are not encouraging you to do so, some people have expressed a desire to make monetary contributions to aid TELP's work in support of Might and Magic fans worldwide. If you would like to make a donation, please visit: http://telp.org/mm9/donations.html Contacting TELP For feedback, questions, comments, or help with localized language versions: E-mail: telphelp@yahoo.com Forum: http://telp.org/mm9/tavern/mm9tavern.html Details All of the changes introduced by TELP's 1.3 can be run with existing savegames. However, not all changes will be expressed if the involved game area has already been entered before applying the patch. Here is a list of the changes that will be made immediately in all games. The first eight entries are similar to the eight fixes made by kingkongcobra's 'Unofficial Patch'. DIALOG • Makes it harder to miss Yrsa's errand. (See scripting changes, also.) • Does not derail the dragon quest if the missing relic is found first. • Clarifies the new priest's dialog. • Hanndl's Spear quest is available to everyone. • Won't offer obsolete dialog after new priest has been charged. • Heal Nutty quest will be removed reliably from the log after completion. • Bathhouse quest will be removed reliably from the log after completion. • Corrects quest log entry after placing Capstone. (See scripting changes, also.) • Clarifies the log entries for several quest sequences. • Correct reward will be given for clearing the Bathhouse. • Clerks will give correct directions. • Gatemaster NPC's service is correctly described. • Bankers acknowledge Orbs appropriately. (See scripting changes, also.) • Corrects Snorri's recognition of completed quests. • Corrects names for two teachers in Guberland City. SCRIPTING • Removes leftover testing code for Mine quest and Crusader promotion. • Corrects playing of narration for Guberland City play. • Prevents Frosgard banker from taking Orbs required elsewhere. • Prevents bankers from offering Orb placement after Orb has been placed. • Repositions Ice Lobber in Frosgard cave ceiling. (Fail-safe; see world changes, also.) • General Ivsar will be removed from prison after being rescued. • General Ivsar will be in view and his dialog unavoidable after rescue. • Moves Sven a little further south and keeps him standing. (See world changes, also.) • AI characters will follow player through doors more reliably. • Makes Yanmir's captives' calls for help more apparent. • Enables some of Yanmir's captives to escape. • Gives appropriate reward for killing Yanmir by force (which should be impossible). • Keeps trap in Yanmir's Fortress activated after re-entering if all beams broken. • Makes getting the Training Hall reward reliable. (Quest 'bling' on new loads only) • Various monsters that need to break free will do so reliably even upon area re-entry. • Doors intended to re-lock after passage will do so. • Ensures player has essential dialog with the Thronheim City messenger. • Game will not proceed to Treaty Signing cutscene while in TB mode. • Ensures player has essential dialog with Yrsa at the treaty signing. • Ensures Yrsa's errand is given (Fail-safe). • Prevents Capstone from disappearing if it is not picked up in Guberland. • Prevents Writ from disappearing if it is not picked up. • Solved pentagram puzzle will behave properly after re-entry. • Ensures player has essential dialog with the Frosgard City messenger. • Prevents jarls from returning until Krohn gives the final quest. • Game will not proceed to Ebora's Thjorgard Mine cutscene while in TB mode. • Game will not proceed to Ebora's Bathhouse cutscene while in TB mode. • Ebora's leaving the Bathhouse will be correctly noted. • Player will be told to exit turn-based mode for 1000 Terrors' puzzle doors. • Protects accessing 1000 Terrors' final switch through the wall. • Game will not freeze if Njam's taunt scene is triggered in TB mode. • Final cutscene in 1000 Terrors won't be lost if game crashes. DATA • Corrects recovery time for several spells and their scrolls. • Corrects chance of success for Enchant Item spell and scroll. • Equalizes the values of the three enchantments which give an extra attack. • Directs the Training Hall to respawn/refill in 30 days. (See world changes, also.) • Corrects Item and Spell descriptions. • Adjusts NPC recovery time and attack values. GRAPHICS • North is labeled on rotated maps. • Hidden tunnel is not shown on Connecting Tunnels map. The following bug fixes will only take effect upon entering an area for the first time. SCRIPTING • Thjorgard ship captain will not fall into the water. • Arienh A'Klindor & Sowelu Axeldotir will not reappear while hired. • Keeps Yanmir immune to physical damage. • Removes perception lighting for broken beams after re-entering. • Correctly links teleporter doors in Yanmir's Fortress. • Removes perception lighting from broken wall of the Training Hall. • Desert Terror in Thronheim City won't stall at the broken wall on slower systems. • Perception lighting removed from door by pentagram puzzle if bolt broken. • Door by pentagram puzzle will remain unlocked if bolt broken. • Prevents access to last sequence in 1000 Terrors without final quest. WORLDS • Corrects chest trap difficulty in several areas. • Corrects chest treasure level in a few areas. • Permits several chests to refill when their area respawns. • Prevents other chests from refilling when their area respawns. • Moves Ice Lobber stuck in the ceiling of Frosgard's ice cave. • Allows two particular guards in Kluso's House to be removed upon death. • Moves Sven a bit further away from the Town Portal in Thjorgard City. • Moves Thjorgard City's Town Portal arrival point a little further south. • Enables Thronheim City's Town Portal. • Adjusts Thronheim City's compass to agree with the city's orientation on the regional map. • Allows the Training Hall to minisave. • Evokes script to properly link double teleporter room doors in Yanmir's Fortress. • Keeps teleporter room doors in Yanmir's Fortress open longer. • Removes the perception light from the door by the pentagram in Verhoffin's Ruins. • Torture chamber doors in Verhoffin's Ruins will stay locked until pentagram puzzle is solved. If an area has already been entered, you can force a change to take effect by leaving the area, saving your game, exiting to at least the main menu, and deleting the related files in your game's 'minisaves' folder. This will cause the entire level to reset, so you'll have to fight any monsters again. User's Guide to TELP's 1.3 Patch for MM9 Please Note This guide will refer to your 'MM9 folder'. This is the location of the file 'mm9.exe', the game's executable file. Its default location is 'C:Program Files3DOMight and Magic IX', but you might have chosen a different location upon installation. All sub-folders mentioned are contained within your MM9 folder. Please also note that this information is included in our distribution ZIP file and will (upon installation) be placed in your MM9 folder as 'TELP13 User Guide.txt' for later reference. Requirements You must be running 1) the English language version of 3DO's Might & Magic® IX, and 2) it must be patched to version 1.2. Preparation If you have not already installed the official 1.2 patch for MM9, you can download it from 3DO's Might & Magic IX Update page. It is also being hosted by TELP in our FTP section (click here, by Klaravoyia on her MM9 Patch page and by MM-World in their Download section. If you have already installed kingkongcobra's 'Unofficial Patch' or MM-World's 'Unofficial English Patch v.2.0' you will need to restore your original version 1.2 resource files. If you saved these files as suggested then you can simply re-copy them to the 'data' sub-folder of your MM9 folder. If you did not save these files, you will need to re-install MM9 from your original CDs and re-run the official 1.2 patch. Doing this should not affect the contents of your 'Save' or 'Minisaves' sub-folders, but you might want to make a backup copy of those if you want to be especially cautious. Installation The patch can be installed in two ways. You can always extract TELP13.exe from our distribution ZIP file and run it, but since most ZIP utility programs let you run programs directly from their shell you can probably just open the ZIP file and run it from there. The location of the setup file doesn't matter as long as it has enough disk space to run. The setup program will ask you for the location of your MM9 folder. It will offer to make backup copies of the files to be updated before proceeding. You will want these original files to make it easy to restore your game to version 1.2. You might need to do this to run future TELP updates for MM9. The backed up files will require 276M of storage space. If you don't have enough free space on the drive that holds your MM9 installation, you should backup these files manually to another drive. The updated files are: ART.REZ DATA.REZ LOCALART.REZ RUDE.REZ SRIPTS.REZ WORLD.REZ If you do not backup these files, you will still be able to re-install the game from your original CDs. Next, this program will update your files, which might take about two minutes on slower systems. A report of the updater's success will be saved as 'PatchWise.log' in your MM9 folder. Finally, you will be given a chance to read our ReadMe file (choose 'About The Patch' from the menu at the left) if you haven't done so already. Removal To remove TELP's 1.3 patch you will need to move the files stored in the 'PatchWise.bakdata' sub-folder to the 'data' sub-folder. You can delete the 'PatchWise.bakdata' sub-folder when you are finished. Feedback For feedback, questions, comments, or help with localized language versions: E-mail: telphelp@yahoo.com Forum: http://telp.org/mm9/tavern/mm9tavern.html © 2003 The Erathian Liberation Party

Might and Magic 9 v1.03 Patch (318.97KB)