Mods

    Warning: if you are trying to play multiplayer over local network (not sure about online but I imagine it be same) you will need same mods installed. This isn't ALWAYS the case but if you have problems trying to connect that will be why..... This is the case with the treants mod below.

    Heores 5 is a great game, and it has very good modding capabilities. Of course, there are a lots of quirks, but mods have already become available to make your game experience better.
   
Q. First of all, in case you wonder: what is a mod?
   
A. Basically, it is a modification to the game, that can have various objectives, like fixing missing or incorrect texts, changing some visual appearances, modifying the balance of the game or adding new functionalities. Learn more about the basics in the "FAQ & How to..." Below.
   
Q. How do I install a mod?
   
A. If the mod is well done, all you have to do is copy the .pak file in your Heroes 5 data/ folder. Again, read more about it in the "FAQ & How to..." Below.
Note that when you download .pak files, the exstention sometimes change to .zip (as they are simalar) so just rename them if needed.

Unlock Campaigns

    The 6 campaigns have to be played in order, because they tell a story. So you'll start by Haven, then Inferno... Etc

    However, some might want to skip one, or lost their profile and don't want to start again from the beginning. This mod unlocks all campaigns, meaning you can start whichever you want. It does not unlock scenrios inside campaigns, though, so you'll still have to do these in order.

» Mod type: unlock feature.

» H5 version targeted: 1.1 version (all languages).

» Risk: None at all.

» Author: sfidanza.

» Mod version: 1.0

» Download: Unlock_Campaigns.zip (5.67kb)

Treants

    Due to copyright infringement issues, Ubi and nival changed the Treant look between the beta phase and the retail version. As many just couldn't stand the relooking, here's a mod that brings back the old treants from the beta, large and massive as we like them. This is only a visual mod, no stats are changed.

» Mod type: visual and sound only. No stats changes.

» H5 version targeted: 1.0 version (all languages).

» Risk: Any game saved with the mod, and loaded without the mod may crash the game.

» Comment: We're working on the crash problem. In the meantime, just put the mod back to finish your map.
Also note that the adventure map models are still the turboboosted retail treants when loading a game saved without the mod. We're working on that too.

» Author: ManiaCCC and sfidanza.

» Mod version: 1.0

» Download: Treants.zip (4.71Mb)

How do I install a mod?

» Step 1 - Download the file: An easy one. They're available Above. The download should be a .pak file.

» Step 2 - Place it in your data/ folder: In your Heroes 5 installation directory, you will find a data/ folder, already containing three .pak files (data.pak, sound.pak and texts.pak). Do NOT touch these files, or you will have to reinstall the game. Simply place the .pak of the mod in that folder.

How do I uninstall a mod?

Just delete the corresponding .pak file from your data/ folder. Again, do not delete Heroes V original data (data.pak, sound.pak and texts.pak).

I read somewhere else that I had to extract those files and change them.

There are some complex issues with modding, and the easiest way for the modder is to ask you that dangerous and very user-unfriendly procedure. We really discourage you to do so, and instead encourage modders to package their mods as .pak, which make for an easy and safe install/uninstall, as described above.

What is a .pak file?

Nothing more that a renamed .zip file, that any good archiver could open. If you're not sure of what you're doing, we strongly recommend you not to change anything in .pak files, especially the game ones.

If you do know what you're doing, however, and (are willing to) develop some great mod, just tell us about it and we may host it here. Use the Modding thread to discuss it with the Heroes Community.
You can submit your mod at that address: submit@heroesofmightandmagic6.com  

Is modding risky? Could it crash my game?

As any unofficial modification to any software, modding your game can have unexpected effects. We test every mod we offer here, and clearly state the risks for each of them. If you experience anything strange and undocumented, please report it. Game crashes included.

Can I play online with a mod?

To enter an online game, all players must have the same game. That means they should have exactly the same mods. This restriction is obviously intended to keep it fair, as mods can change the internal mechanics of the game.

Seriously, what is a mod?

As I already gave the basic answer above, I guess you want me to elaborate on Heroes 5 mods. Well, many (not all) aspects of the game are controlled through XML files located in the data.pak file, and having an .xdb extension. All the texts and sounds in the game are also located in the texts.pak and sound.pak respectively. These can be unzipped on your hard disk (outside of your H5 install dir to avoid conflicts) and browsed through. When files are added to the data/ folder, respecting the correct naming, path and syntax, Heroes 5 most of the time uses this new data in place of its original one. And that's a mod. I'm afraid I won't say more here, to keep it short, but feel free to join the Modding discussion in the forums.