ironpants

In particular I think mercury arc rectifiers would aesthetically fit right in, with their glass bulbs which contain a glowing rain and pool of mercury: http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/mercarc.html

I agree - particularly that AI need to be way more silent! AI barks are played too frequently and the relatively small selection of them exacerbates the problem. It's extremely jarring when a group of AI are alerted all at once because they just talk over each other in a bizarro cacophony of repetitive AI barks. It just wrecks suspension of disbelief. For the sake of immersion I heartily suggest lowering the chance and frequency of AI barks and restricting simultaneous talking. I think the voice acting is quite good and would be easier to appreciate without barkspam. Less is more, in this case.

Glad to be wrong! Thanks for the debug commands, very interesting to see the mechanics in action. I see now that the control delay, my inexperience and the oddly static AI behavior contributed to my false impression. Probably should have tried the sword bit in the training mission before posting my thoughts, and stuck to the congratulations. I'm looking forward to the update even more now. I never meant to suggest that very late block failure should be random - it wasn't clear enough but I meant for the following sentences to clarify that the "chance" to fail is dependent on insufficient extension, which you already implemented! Thank you for taking the time to explain how it works Ishtvan, I tremendously appreciate it.

Everything in my post is from the perspective of the defender. Currently if I block the moment an attack begins, does it take less time for the blades to meet than if I successfully block at the latest possible moment? I have the opposite impression, am I wrong? Only very late blocks will collapse, because there isn't enough time to extend far enough before the blades meet. I'm showing TDM to all the programmers I know

Thank you Broken Glass Studios! The Dark Mod keeps the true spirit of Thief alive and is clearly a labor of love. Outstanding work! I love the thoughtful improvements to lock picking, mantling, object handling, et al. Years ago, I posted the suggestion of directional sword blocking. At the time, everyone was still busy working on core mechanics and the response was a reasonable 'we can't commit to anything beyond the Thief method'. Imagine my surprise when I first drew my sword and realized what I could do! I firmly believe that the sword is integral as a self defense tool, allowing players to ironman through mistakes rather than quickload. Directional blocking is way more engaging and difficult than simply holding a block button, bravo. I have noticed that sometimes blows will pass through my block, and I'm curious if there is a small chance for this to happen by design? This got me thinking about how the attack / block timing relationship could be improved in a realistic and challenging way: Blocks initiated late relative to a given attack should be less effective, with a chance to fail. This is because effective blocking needs extension (which takes time) to meet the momentum of an attack which has reached full extension; without enough time spent reaching proper extension, a block risks collapse. Blocks initiated early enough relative to a given attack should be able to enter, meet and cancel the attack once full extension is reached. This gives the defender a subtle chance to affect the rhythm of the fight. In Thief the sword can be moved to meet an incoming attack early which gives it a dynamic feel. TDM currently feels clunky; the rhythm is unnaturally mechanical because we have to wait for each attack to fully complete. I keep wanting to enter with my block as in Thief / real life, to take some defensive initiative. AI behavior also contributes to the stiff feeling by invariantly planting themselves directly within striking range. Distance is just as important as timing, and some variation in footwork would complete the AI illusion. Just the Thief style random footwork would be great to see; but there is plenty of room here to vary the challenges AI present through their footwork behavior. I'd love to see them dodge & try remaining at safe distances as well as enter for attacks and aggressively press advantages, etc. Looking forward to the next release!

I've fetched 32 bit versions of every library the dark mod complained about from .deb packages. These are: libIL.so.1 libtiff.so.4 libmng.so.1 liblcms.so.1 However, trying to launch the dark mod fails with the following output and locks up my twm session, forcing me to restart X: DOOM 1.3.1.1304 linux-x86 Jan 16 2007 21:58:02 found interface lo - loopback found interface eth0 - 192.168.1.101/255.255.255.0 ------ Initializing File System ------ Loaded pk4 /usr/local/games/doom3/base/game00.pk4 with checksum 0xf07eb555 Loaded pk4 /usr/local/games/doom3/base/game01.pk4 with checksum 0x51c6981f Loaded pk4 /usr/local/games/doom3/base/game02.pk4 with checksum 0xf3ec6f7 Loaded pk4 /usr/local/games/doom3/base/game03.pk4 with checksum 0x5d4230ea Loaded pk4 /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak000.pk4 with checksum 0x28d208f1 Loaded pk4 /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak001.pk4 with checksum 0x40244be0 Loaded pk4 /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak002.pk4 with checksum 0xc51ecdcd Loaded pk4 /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak003.pk4 with checksum 0xcd79d028 Loaded pk4 /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak004.pk4 with checksum 0x765e4f8b Loaded pk4 /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak005.pk4 with checksum 0x8ffc3621 Loaded pk4 /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak006.pk4 with checksum 0x95b65ab Loaded pk4 /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak007.pk4 with checksum 0x666bdb3c Loaded pk4 /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak008.pk4 with checksum 0x23ae5993 Loaded pk4 /root/.doom3/thiefs_den/darkmod.pk4 with checksum 0xae7f9fe1 Loaded pk4 /root/.doom3/thiefs_den/game01-base.pk4 with checksum 0xd29e6284 Loaded pk4 /root/.doom3/thiefs_den/thiefs_den.pk4 with checksum 0xb87d41de Current search path: /root/.doom3/thiefs_den /root/.doom3/thiefs_den/thiefs_den.pk4 (44 files) /root/.doom3/thiefs_den/game01-base.pk4 (2 files) /root/.doom3/thiefs_den/darkmod.pk4 (2 files) /usr/local/games/doom3/thiefs_den /root/.doom3/base /usr/local/games/doom3/base /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak008.pk4 (3 files) /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak007.pk4 (38 files) /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak006.pk4 (48 files) /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak005.pk4 (63 files) /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak004.pk4 (5137 files) /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak003.pk4 (4676 files) /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak002.pk4 (6120 files) /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak001.pk4 (8972 files) /usr/local/games/doom3/base/pak000.pk4 (2698 files) /usr/local/games/doom3/base/game03.pk4 (2 files) /usr/local/games/doom3/base/game02.pk4 (2 files) /usr/local/games/doom3/base/game01.pk4 (2 files) /usr/local/games/doom3/base/game00.pk4 (2 files) game DLL: 0x0 in pak: 0x0 Addon pk4s: file system initialized. -------------------------------------- ----- Initializing Decls ----- ------------------------------ ------- Initializing renderSystem -------- using ARB renderSystem renderSystem initialized. -------------------------------------- 5166 strings read from strings/english.lang Couldn't open journal files execing editor.cfg execing default.cfg execing DoomConfig.cfg couldn't exec autoexec.cfg 5166 strings read from strings/english.lang ----- Initializing Sound System ------ sound system initialized. -------------------------------------- ----- R_InitOpenGL ----- Setup X display connection dlopen(libGL.so.1) Initializing OpenGL display Using XFree86-VidModeExtension Version 2.2 DGA DirectVideo Mouse (Version 2.0) initialized Free86-VidModeExtension Activated at 1024x768 Using 8/8/8 Color bits, 8 Alpha bits, 24 depth, 8 stencil display. GL_RENDERER: GeForce 7600 GS/PCI/SSE2 GL_EXTENSIONS: GL_ARB_color_buffer_float GL_ARB_depth_texture GL_ARB_draw_buffers GL_ARB_fragment_program GL_ARB_fragment_program_shadow GL_ARB_fragment_shader GL_ARB_half_float_pixel GL_ARB_imaging GL_ARB_multisample GL_ARB_multitexture GL_ARB_occlusion_query GL_ARB_pixel_buffer_object GL_ARB_point_parameters GL_ARB_point_sprite GL_ARB_shadow GL_ARB_shader_objects GL_ARB_shading_language_100 GL_ARB_texture_border_clamp GL_ARB_texture_compression GL_ARB_texture_cube_map GL_ARB_texture_env_add GL_ARB_texture_env_combine GL_ARB_texture_env_dot3 GL_ARB_texture_float GL_ARB_texture_mirrored_repeat GL_ARB_texture_non_power_of_two GL_ARB_texture_rectangle GL_ARB_transpose_matrix GL_ARB_vertex_buffer_object GL_ARB_vertex_program GL_ARB_vertex_shader GL_ARB_window_pos GL_ATI_draw_buffers GL_ATI_texture_float GL_ATI_texture_mirror_once GL_S3_s3tc GL_EXT_texture_env_add GL_EXT_abgr GL_EXT_bgra GL_EXT_blend_color GL_EXT_blend_equation_separate GL_EXT_blend_func_separate GL_EXT_blend_minmax GL_EXT_blend_subtract GL_EXT_compiled_vertex_array GL_EXT_Cg_shader GL_EXT_depth_bounds_test GL_EXT_draw_range_elements GL_EXT_fog_coord GL_EXT_framebuffer_blit GL_EXT_framebuffer_multisample GL_EXT_framebuffer_object GL_EXT_gpu_program_parameters GL_EXT_multi_draw_arrays GL_EXT_packed_depth_stencil GL_EXT_packed_pixels GL_EXT_pixel_buffer_object GL_EXT_point_parameters GL_EXT_rescale_normal GL_EXT_secondary_color GL_EXT_separate_specular_color GL_EXT_shadow_funcs GL_EXT_stencil_two_side GL_EXT_stencil_wrap GL_EXT_texture3D GL_EXT_texture_compression_s3tc GL_EXT_texture_cube_map GL_EXT_texture_edge_clamp GL_EXT_texture_env_combine GL_EXT_texture_env_dot3 GL_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic GL_EXT_texture_lod GL_EXT_texture_lod_bias GL_EXT_texture_mirror_clamp GL_EXT_texture_object GL_EXT_texture_sRGB GL_EXT_timer_query GL_EXT_vertex_array GL_IBM_rasterpos_clip GL_IBM_texture_mirrored_repeat GL_KTX_buffer_region GL_NV_blend_square GL_NV_copy_depth_to_color GL_NV_depth_clamp GL_NV_fence GL_NV_float_buffer GL_NV_fog_distance GL_NV_fragment_program GL_NV_fragment_program_option GL_NV_fragment_program2 GL_NV_framebuffer_multisample_coverage GL_NV_half_float GL_NV_light_max_exponent GL_NV_multisample_filter_hint GL_NV_occlusion_query GL_NV_packed_depth_stencil GL_NV_pixel_data_range GL_NV_point_sprite GL_NV_primitive_restart GL_NV_register_combiners GL_NV_register_combiners2 GL_NV_texgen_reflection GL_NV_texture_compression_vtc GL_NV_texture_env_combine4 GL_NV_texture_expand_normal GL_NV_texture_rectangle GL_NV_texture_shader GL_NV_texture_shader2 GL_NV_texture_shader3 GL_NV_vertex_array_range GL_NV_vertex_array_range2 GL_NV_vertex_program GL_NV_vertex_program1_1 GL_NV_vertex_program2 GL_NV_vertex_program2_option GL_NV_vertex_program3 GL_NVX_conditional_render GL_SGIS_generate_mipmap GL_SGIS_texture_lod GL_SGIX_depth_texture GL_SGIX_shadow GL_SUN_slice_accum ------- Input Initialization ------- XKB extension: compile time 0x1:0x0, runtime 0x1:0x0: OK XKB extension present on server ( 0x1:0x0 ) ------------------------------------ dlopen(libasound.so.2) asoundlib version: 1.0.15 Alsa is available ------ Alsa Sound Initialization ----- opened Alsa PCM device default for playback device buffer size: 5644 frames ( 22576 bytes ) allocated a mix buffer of 16384 bytes -------------------------------------- ...using GL_ARB_multitexture ...using GL_ARB_texture_env_combine ...using GL_ARB_texture_cube_map ...using GL_ARB_texture_env_dot3 ...using GL_ARB_texture_env_add ...using GL_ARB_texture_non_power_of_two ...using GL_ARB_texture_compression ...using GL_EXT_texture_compression_s3tc ...using GL_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic maxTextureAnisotropy: 16.000000 ...using GL_1.4_texture_lod_bias X..GL_EXT_shared_texture_palette not found ...using GL_EXT_texture3D ...using GL_EXT_stencil_wrap ...using GL_NV_register_combiners ...using GL_EXT_stencil_two_side X..GL_ATI_fragment_shader not found X..GL_ATI_text_fragment_shader not found ...using GL_ARB_vertex_buffer_object ...using GL_ARB_vertex_program ...using GL_ARB_fragment_program ...using EXT_depth_bounds_test ---------- R_NV20_Init ---------- --------------------------------- ----------- R200_Init ----------- Not available. ---------- R_ARB2_Init ---------- Available. --------------------------------- ----- R_ReloadARBPrograms ----- glprogs/test.vfp glprogs/test.vfp glprogs/interaction.vfp glprogs/interaction.vfp glprogs/bumpyEnvironment.vfp glprogs/bumpyEnvironment.vfp glprogs/ambientLight.vfp glprogs/ambientLight.vfp glprogs/shadow.vp glprogs/R200_interaction.vp glprogs/nv20_bumpAndLight.vp glprogs/nv20_diffuseColor.vp glprogs/nv20_specularColor.vp glprogs/nv20_diffuseAndSpecularColor.vp glprogs/environment.vfp glprogs/environment.vfp glprogs/arbVP_glasswarp.txt: File not found glprogs/arbFP_glasswarp.txt: File not found ------------------------------- using ARB_vertex_buffer_object memory using ARB2 renderSystem found DLL in pak file: /root/.doom3/thiefs_den/game01-base.pk4/gamex86.so copy gamex86.so to /root/.doom3/thiefs_den/gamex86.so --------- Initializing Game ---------- gamename: baseDOOM-1 gamedate: Jan 16 2008 Initializing event system ...700 event definitions Initializing class hierarchy ...160 classes, 627200 bytes for event callbacks Initializing scripts /proc/cpuinfo CPU frequency: 3207.53 MHz Compiled 'weapon_base::WeaponStolen': 337.3 ms ---------- Compile stats ---------- Memory usage: Strings: 38, 5200 bytes Statements: 24183, 483660 bytes Functions: 1192, 125472 bytes Variables: 81980 bytes Mem used: 1200176 bytes Static data: 2277552 bytes Allocated: 2827572 bytes Thread size: 7068 bytes ...8 aas types game initialized. -------------------------------------- Parsing material files ------------ RCF Server started ----------- TODO: Sys_SetClipboardData --------- Game Map Shutdown ---------- -------------------------------------- ******************** ERROR: Failed to open file: No such file or directory ******************** Sys_Error: Error during initialization Help?

I guess it isn't well known: the distro is Arch Linux. Ahah! I will look for the ia32 version and report back. Thanks Tels, I can't believe I didn't see that!

I'm having 32bit library woes in my 64bit Arch install. The FAQ solution of using getlibs only works in debian based distributions. There is no libdevil1c2 or libdevel1 package in the Arch repository. So I downloaded libdevil1_1.6.7-4_ia64.deb and extracted the contents, then placed libIL.so.1 in /usr/lib/ and hoped - however, the dark mod aborted as usual with this error: dlopen '/root/.doom3/thiefs_den/gamex86.so' failed: libIL.so.1: wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS64 Any ideas? I'm no Linux expert, so any help is appreciated. At this point, I'm thinking either an alternate lib, or hunting down the source and compiling this lib myself?

Excellent work! I'm glad it runs in linux and intend to do so exclusively once my base arch install is set up a bit. From inception to present this is the most focused and highest quality mod I've ever seen. Congratulations to the team - you're creating a masterpiece.

"Finally, he said, easy to use tools for players were growing in importance and in some cases had become as important as the gameplay itself." The move by the games industry to give players more tools, such as the much-anticipated Spore game by Sim City creator Will Wright, was like the trend towards user-generated content seen on the web, said Mr Entis. "It's an exploding area," he said. Ummmm, Quake was released in 1996. I have yet to experience an explosion of user generated content on par with what Quake ushered in, eleven years ago. Of course, I don't play depressingly boring shit like the Sims. My point is, this is not a new phenomena. Note to big company executives: pull your head out of your ass. He gives Crysis as an example of interactivity, which is good but != realism. I never finished Farcry because of the goofy weapon handling. Everything seemed so realistic until I got into a gunfight, which gave me eighties flashbacks. Is it really too much to ask that a game primarily about shooting stuff has satisfying weapon feel and somewhat realistic ballistics? Cartoony glowing bullets lazily meandering back and forth doesn't exactly keep me immersed in an otherwise convincing world.

I applaud the option to drag bodies in addition to shouldering. I weigh 150lbs and am 5"10' - I can easily shoulder people who weigh more than me; the problem is getting very far. I have to go slow, or else my legs begin to give out. While I like the idea of a stamina system, having the player move slowly is a perfectly reasonable substitute. If I needed to mantle, I'd first unload the body up where I'm going, mantle up, then re-shoulder the body. However, carrying them up and down ladders does not seem realistic unless the character is very (firefighter level) strong. Granted, I'm a martial artist - but I imagine darkmod's thief character has a similar build from running and climbing about, using a shortbow, etc.

Portable mirrors are the best option for seeing around corners; scouting orbs are too Thief / Garret specific. I'm glad the team is considering it!

Die By The Sword has a combat system that never gets old, and I heartily support a robust combat system in The Dark Mod - directional blocking, for example, creates a fun challenge when you need to get out of a sticky situation alive (rather than simply holding a 'block' button). I think a successful combat system emphasizes defense and keeping your guard up, which is appropriate for the situations our thief character would use the sword in (last ditch defense / escape tool). Mount & Blade is another excellent example of first person melee combat - http://www.taleworlds.com It has blocking / attacking by mouse movement: hold block / attack while moving the mouse left, right, up or down to either block or ready an attack in that direction (down is thrust). As a practicing swordsman, it feels very natural.

I used the same applet when I played, at 1.5 visual / 2.0 sound. All the modifications helped, but that game is not replayable. OrbWeaver, I agree that the best door system would be Raven Shield's gradual mousewheel method. The variable lean (hold down ctrl, use mouse to lean) is also the best I've used.

Yes, but you won't see a "45lbs" draw weight mark on a bow - it'll be "45#" I wasn't aware that # = lbs was so esoteric; any archer will certainly know what I was talking about.