This is nuts. I need to go make dinner, or go to the store while this thing loads now. Can't talk to gog about it. Too many FAQs that don't address the issue, then try to contact them and they want downloaded files to help. Gog has become a pain.

Long, unskippable intro in HoMM 3 is some kind of annoying bug. Some users apply Windows registry tweaks to fix the issue, but in my case it didn't work. The only real solution was installing HoMM 3 HD Mod.

You know, term bug mean there is issue in app itself. Usually mean. Which is not - not an issue in game. You have issues with your system - UAC and VirtualStore. Ofc registry fix wont work. It will work only if normally worked skipping in game.

Game use HKLM in registry. That mean without admin rights game get access to HKCU VirtualStore section only. And only if you - or someone for you - didn't broke your OS turning off UAC and VirtualStore (VirtualStore can be turned off only by REGEDIT itself).

3rd party security app (or trash fake security apps, dozens exist for decades) can overwrite VirtualStore/UAC or in other words ignore them and still apply limitations to use even VirtualStore - directory. I dont know if some app can prevent another app to use REGISTRY VirtualStore (there is VirtualStore-directory and VirtualStore-registry, Windows and Defender/MSE treat them as same thing).


Oh yeah. Another one, whifh is somehow often happen here: are you at Windows at all? On Linux with Wine it is NEED some tweaks for games using HKLM.

I was talking about this fix:
https://www.gog.com/forum/heroes_of_might_and_magic_series/homm3_cannot_skip_intro/post8

It doesn't work for everybody though.