Comrads, I need help with Disciples II: Dark Prophecy

[dead47]

In the steam store says: "Disciples II: Gallean's Return is a compilation edition that includes the base game, Disciples II: Dark Prophecy".
So can I launch Disciples II: Dark Prophecy if I have Disciples II: Gallean's Return?
And if I can, how?

[Arch Geneforger]

Gallean's Return includes the Dark Prophecy campaigns, but they are not seperate executables, you run everything via Gallean's Return.

To play the Dark Prophecy campaigns you select them in the campaign screen

[QWEEDDY2]

Its a base game. Disciples II: Gallean's Return is like kinda rewriten expanded variat pre-build two major DLC addon expansions.
Like Heroes 3 Complete and Warcraft 2 Bnet Edition.

War2 expansion was most true one. Heroes 3 first come as standalone which should mean entirely new game (as for Dis2 Rise of the Elves too). But later rewriten expanded as Complete (where two intro of three excluded and new main menu created with probably some changes to mhsic and else content - so entirely differ game).

Disciples 2 expansion situation seems at first close to Heroes 3 but its actually not. Disciples 2 Gallean's Return initially made as one expanded-updated variant of Disciples 2 and then split to not real stand-alone editions. Combined they become one game.
And include base game. Unlike Heroes 3 Armageddon and Death expansions.

Stand-alone expandions here remain technically AddOns based on base game and incorporated into main game exe directly (as DLC sub-menu in game menu). More like modern DLCs. And sometimes today there is "stand-alone DLC" thats actually install whole game. With Steam and EGS it is possible to make game are one but DLC content and base game to split by differ store subscriptions.

So Disciples 2 Gallean is like Steam's Counter-Strike which bean installed along with full Steam's Half-Life and based on hl.exe.

Disciples 2 and Disciples 2: Gallean's Return is almost synonyms just differ version 1.x and latest is 2.02. It is the same discipl2.exe file. Launched you get Dark Prophy adn to get to expansion you should pick DLCs menu (campaign start menu).
Plus additional scenarios released separately in 2002-3 by devs most important one is singleplayer only Impire.sg.

There is a lot of MAJOR differences in balance (fever but there is important for Succubus and morf mechanic), Dark Elf Lyf in Empire campaign, FOG-UnFOG script (disabled broken in D2GR/+D2ROTE Dark Prophecy campaigns). Initially Disciples 2 base game with patches 1.41 sold separately in few stores starting from initial digital release at TryMedia. Then Strategy First oan website at first (before switching to steam keys). GamersGate are last one sold it. Amazon. Maybe Stardock Impulse have it too (along Gold edition?). Maybe some else long dead stores (DirectDrive GameFly dozens).

Some of them been even DRM-free - Amazon and GamersGate ones for sure.

There is initial 2005 Gold Re-edition in Europe released on 8 discs instead of 4 and this edition did have Disciples 2 1.41 on first 2 discs separated from D2Gallean Gold and D2ROTE Gold.

But more modern stores never get Disciples 2 base game. If you really interested in it i suggest find CloneCD release of Disciples 2 1.0 North America release and apply hotfix+1.1 patch.

But if you not so into hardcore fan to lurk earliest game versions you are ok with just Disciples 2: Gallean's Return 2.02. First it is just Disciples 2 2.02 than as bonus it have DLCs AddOns build in.
And another one. Initially digital releases was corrctly patched to 2.02 and 3.01. Modern ones are not.

[dead47]

Thank comrads. Now I realize. Dammit, I feel stupid, ahahah

[QWEEDDY2]

Another one. In 2003 it was correct digital releases: patched and maps placed. Now (since 2005) half of Disciples 2 maps incorrectly stored in ROTE Export folder only.
And ROTE folder did not include maps from Disciples 2 Gallean's Return (compilation of additional maps from 2002-3 later become part of D2GR 2.02).

Use nevendaar 3dn ru (or dot com) website Disciples 2 Info section for full maps list by version/release date. Russian website.
Or go to NetD sklabs ru which store archive copy of English original list.

There is like about 16 maps need to be copied from ROTE to D2GR and another about 16 ROTE. D2GR<->D2ROTE.

Also Disciples 2 .ldr files in same Export folder can be copied to ROTE.

Only Jutta.ldr file from ROTE did work in Disciples 2 (D2GR). Some else can be fopied5but require re-save (re-export) using Disciples 2 GR Export menu.
Look to saved heroes that did not higher than Level 3 and have no new artifacts (Empire Pegasus Knoght 3 level hero Clovis or whatever).

[QWEEDDY2]

I put here somewhere a links to:
- 3+3 DRM-free exe's files patched to 2.02 and 3.01 from GOG unlike Valve's custom build exe with VPK limitations, steamclient DRM and 2.0/3.0.

- collection of English manuals, where only one are missed in Steam (d2gold_manual pdf)

- collection of russian manuals in pdf by Akella who did seems good translate it and file by file: how much pdf in original = same count in russian.

(Additional manuals from D2GR and D2ROTE can spoil the plot of basic Disciples 2 aka Dark Phropecy which some of them have warnings to)