the cutting room mirror

Early Screenshots

This article has a talk page!
view on tcrf.net

This is a sub-page of Prerelease:Heroes of Might and Magic III: The Restoration of Erathia.

To do:
Compare screenshots with those from vanilla RoE

Early Screenshots#

Interface#

First version of main menu
First version of main menu
An old Campaign Select Menu.
An old Campaign Select Menu.
An old Campaign Menu.
An old Campaign Menu.
An old Scenario Select menu.
An old Scenario Select menu.
Early Kingdom Overview interface.
Early Kingdom Overview interface.
Early build, HoMM2 placeholder monsters, primary skills, luck and morale miniatures, MM6 Heroes placeholders, unknown town placeholders.
Early build, HoMM2 placeholder monsters, primary skills, luck and morale miniatures, MM6 Heroes placeholders, unknown town placeholders.
Less spells in Mage's Guild on levels 1-3 - were these numbers primarily dependent on a town type?
Less spells in Mage's Guild on levels 1-3 - were these numbers primarily dependent on a town type?
An old interface and buttons of a Marketplace.
An old interface and buttons of a Marketplace.

Map Editor#

Release

Preview

"Vial of Life" scenario, preliminary called "Blood Donor".

Release

Preview

Non-existent map for testing purposes. No "help" button in a heroes editing window. "Wizard" class could be chosen even when hero picked on a map is of another class?

Adventure Map#

The earliest known screenshot of HoMM3 adventure map. Heroes are placeholders from Might and Magic VI. Unused versions of Windmill, Statue of Fortune, Redwood Observatory and Obelisk. Unknown employment of a tent and gazebo.
The earliest known screenshot of HoMM3 adventure map. Heroes are placeholders from Might and Magic VI. Unused versions of Windmill, Statue of Fortune, Redwood Observatory and Obelisk. Unknown employment of a tent and gazebo.
Creatures with black outlines, blue Crystals, an old Windmill, HoMM2 Campfire placeholder, MM6 Hero placeholder.
Creatures with black outlines, blue Crystals, an old Windmill, HoMM2 Campfire placeholder, MM6 Hero placeholder.
The same map as above plus old versions of Redwood Observatory, Gnoll's Hut, School of Magic;Archangel without black outline.
The same map as above plus old versions of Redwood Observatory, Gnoll's Hut, School of Magic;Archangel without black outline.
HoMM3_prerelease_adventure10big.png
HoMM3_prerel_screen3.jpg
HoMM3_Prerelease_Adv4.png
Early "Light Blue" player colour on info bar.
Early "Light Blue" player colour on info bar.
In the final release player doesn't meet Xanthor, just an unknown traveler. Xanthor is a Roland's advisor in MM8. Screen from Barbarian Breakout scenario.
In the final release player doesn't meet Xanthor, just an unknown traveler. Xanthor is a Roland's advisor in MM8. Screen from Barbarian Breakout scenario.
Barbarian Breakout scenario.
Barbarian Breakout scenario.
First level of Neutral campaign - Borderlands.
First level of Neutral campaign - Borderlands.
Declaration scenario.
Declaration scenario.
Poorly designed level up window.
Poorly designed level up window.
All War Machines have a black background.
All War Machines have a black background.

Release

Preview

Release

Preview

Release

Preview

Two screenshots from "Middletown" scenario. Different players' colors, villages instead of towns, darker interface.

Release

Preview

Early version of "Mandate of Heaven" scenario.

Release

Preview

"Serpents Treasure" scenario. Shown player is unavailable under normal circumstances.

|

Release

Preview

Oh boy, Galdwyn has bad luck! A bit changed "Test" map, see above.

Battlefield#

Early variants of all of the creatures. Placeholder hero from MM6. The oldest version of interface and buttons.
Early variants of all of the creatures. Placeholder hero from MM6. The oldest version of interface and buttons.
Unused Elf model in upper left corner.
Unused Elf model in upper left corner.
Flying skull seen on this screenshot is a scrapped creature - Banshee.
Flying skull seen on this screenshot is a scrapped creature - Banshee.
Ugly early models. Some strange obstacles inside castle walls?
Ugly early models. Some strange obstacles inside castle walls?
Female Overlord Hero is another prove, that every hero class was planned to have both male and female versions. Next version of interface and buttons.
Female Overlord Hero is another prove, that every hero class was planned to have both male and female versions. Next version of interface and buttons.
HoMM3_prerel_Battle8.png
HoMM3_prerel_Battle7.jpg
HoMM3_prerel_Battle9.jpg
Deleted swamp obstacles.
Deleted swamp obstacles.
HoMM3_prerel_Battle92.jpg
HoMM3_prerel_Battle94.png
HoMM3_prerel_Battle95.png
Mirror portrait of Ignatius
Mirror portrait of Ignatius
HoMM3_prerel_LavaBattle.png
Mummy as a 2 level creature in Necropolis (Mummy was introduced in HoMM3: AB, while this screenshot was taken during RoE development).
Mummy as a 2 level creature in Necropolis (Mummy was introduced in HoMM3: AB, while this screenshot was taken during RoE development).

Hero Screen#

Magazine Joystick No 96, page 78 September 1998. Very early screen, artifacts, secondary and primary skills are HoMM2 placeholders
Magazine Joystick No 96, page 78 September 1998. Very early screen, artifacts, secondary and primary skills are HoMM2 placeholders
HoMM3_prerel_HeroScreen2.jpg
HoMM3_prerel_HeroScreen6.png
HoMM3_Prerel_BronScreen.jpg
HoMM3_Prerel_HeroScreen2.jpg
HoMM3_prerel_MeetScreen.jpg
Shot from trailer for comparison with previous image
Shot from trailer for comparison with previous image
HoMM3_prerel_HeroScreen.jpg
Artifacts by April Lee. I think I worked on almost all the items and artifacts, to some degree. These are some, placed in a mock-up interface, which I believe I designed, modeled and textured. Many of the other Items were passed from artist to artist, a practice that became prevalent for this game. I also worked on Adventure Objects and Combat Obstacles.
Artifacts by April Lee. I think I worked on almost all the items and artifacts, to some degree. These are some, placed in a mock-up interface, which I believe I designed, modeled and textured. Many of the other Items were passed from artist to artist, a practice that became prevalent for this game. I also worked on Adventure Objects and Combat Obstacles.

Castles#

Dungeon#

Release

Alternative

Rampart#

Version with Pegasus in a cage

No Dragons, broken buildings order

Release

Necropolis#

Release

Alternative

====Fortress<ref name= "HendersonTowns>http://web.archive.org/web/20030211212652/http://complementarycolor.com/lh_game_art_architecture.htm

====

Early Build

Different Lizardmen and Hydras dwellings

Release
Shot from PC Gamer October 1998.
Shot from PC Gamer October 1998.
HoMM3_prerel_Castle1.jpg
Mandate of Heaven map
Mandate of Heaven map
HoMM3_Prerel_cASTLEstats.jpg
HoMM3_prerel_Dungeon2.jpg
Gnolls on a black background.
Gnolls on a black background.
HoMM3_prerel_Fortress1.jpg
HoMM3_prerel_fortress2.jpg
HoMM3_Prerel_FortressBuild.jpg
An old Cerberus and Lich model
An old Cerberus and Lich model
HoMM3_prerel_Inferno2.jpg
Black player
Black player
HoMM3_prerel_Inferno5.jpg
HoMM3_prerel_Inferno3.jpg
HoMM3_prerel_Inferno1.jpg
Dark blue player
Dark blue player
HoMM3_prerel_Rampart3.jpg
HoMM3_Prerel_RampartStats.jpg
Dwarves as tier 1 creatures
Dwarves as tier 1 creatures
HoMM3_prerel_Tower1.png
HoMM3_Prerel_TowerStats.jpg
HoMM3_Prerel_StrongholdStats.jpg
Yog's starting army was consisted of Cyclops(!), imagine what would the game look like if all of the creatures specialists would have their favorite pets...
Yog's starting army was consisted of Cyclops(!), imagine what would the game look like if all of the creatures specialists would have their favorite pets...
HoMM3_Prerel_NecroStats.jpg