Fan Mission: The Knighton Manor by Sotha (2010/11/09)

[Ishtvan 17]

I forgot to mention that I also really appreciated the full outdoor perimeter around the building and the different ways to get in.

 

 

I ended up going in the window to the latrine around back, and then the scepter was right near there! I figured it was too good to be true, though, and it was, when I tried to take it and the alarm went off. Ended up reloading a save, because it's more fun to figure out how to disable the alarm.

 

[shadow_ibix 0]

Good mission! Fun to play, fun to try the

inventor's device, the puzzle was great! and the other I finally disabled it with the large metal disc, it perfectly fits inside! (and then I had to get it back to get into the crypt, ohh that's what that clue meant! )

[vorob 3]

Wuuut is wrong with sky here? 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGHLE23jBfA

 

 

[Sotha 1905]

Wuuut is wrong with sky here?

 

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=hGHLE23jBfA

 

 

 

The dark mod does not need the negative publicity caused by dark mod fail youtube videos of this type.

 

It is well known that catalyst AI causes this kind of problem. http://wiki.thedarkmod.com/index.php?title=FAQ#The_sky_is_corrupted

 

Disable catalyst AI in the catalyst control center.

[vorob 3]

The dark mod does not need the negative publicity caused by dark mod fail youtube videos of this type.

 

It is well known that catalyst AI causes this kind of problem. http://modetwo.net/d...ky_is_corrupted

 

Disable catalyst AI in the catalyst control center.

Ye, no prob. Deleted video...

 

 

 

[Sotha 1905]

Ye, no prob. Deleted video...

 

Thanks! I hope the catalyst AI disabilization fixed the issue. Enjoy the mission!

[raymeld 28]

I need

to get into the crypt through (presumably ) the locked metal door in the basement. I have the inventor's manual and crypt key but can't see a clue to what position the levers should be in. Can someone give me a clue as I'd like to explore this area.

Thanks !

[Sotha 1905]

I need

to get into the crypt through (presumably ) the locked metal door in the basement. I have the inventor's manual and crypt key but can't see a clue to what position the levers should be in. Can someone give me a clue as I'd like to explore this area.

Thanks !

 

 

There are small metal rods that stop the gears. You need to have the gears running by getting the metal rods lowered.

 

[raymeld 28]

 

There are small metal rods that stop the gears. You need to have the gears running by getting the metal rods lowered.

 

 

Hmmm , thanks I guessed that but can't find the correct combination.

[Sotha 1905]

Hmmm , thanks I guessed that but can't find the correct combination.

 

 

Trial and error. Pay attention which lever moves which metal rod. They always move the same rods, so all you need to do is flip them until you know which lever moves which rod. Then simply continue until all the rods are down. Pay special attention to levers, which seem to move the same rods. That's the key.

 

[raymeld 28]

 

Trial and error. Pay attention which lever moves which metal rod. They always move the same rods, so all you need to do is flip them until you know which lever moves which rod. Then simply continue until all the rods are down. Pay special attention to levers, which seem to move the same rods. That's the key.

 

 

 

Devious eh ?! Thanks , will do. p.s Finished. Many thanks for a great mission.

Edited December 1, 2010 by raymeld

[Springheel 4350]

I'm going to post before I go back and read through the thread. Just finished this (using a 1.03 build), and really, really enjoyed it! For 8/10ths of the mission I was totally immersed and felt more like a real-life burglar than I think I have in any mission yet. This was almost a burglar-simulation...no real story, no real concern about having to solve a mystery or go places I might not otherwise want to go. I love missions like that!

 

There was only one place near the end where I had to use some suspension of disbelief, and that's when

I triggered the alarm by flipping the switch in the basement (I thought perhaps flipping the switch might turn it OFF, so I could grab the scepter without the alarm...seemed like a reasonable assumption, though I was also prepared for it to set it off.) Unfortunately, the guards seemed to basically ignore the sound. One patrolled right by the door to the alarm room without comment. And while there was an extra guard by the scepter (nice) neither he nor the regular guards seemed overly concerned at all. Perhaps it's really difficult to set that up (I recall some difficulty with St. Lucia) but it would have been nice to at least see the guards go to alert level patrol with their swords out. Not a big deal, but something we should consider--having guards go on full alert when alarms are set off

is a big part of my memories of Thief missions.

 

The

crypt scared me, as I was expecting classic Sotha zombie madness when

I grabbed the last treasure.

 

I loved the beginning cut-scene--great way to start and set the mood. I also loved the group of

party-goers who left. The talking was great (although I started the mission three times and once that sound wasn't playing). Also loved the guards playing cards.

Little touches like that really bring the environment to life, and you nailed it in this mission.

 

Oh, very much enjoyed

discovering the servant. I went and knocked out the guy that did it and dropped him down the same shaft with some crates on top. Maybe if he yells loud enough someone will find him, but then he'll have to answer for the body. Or they won't find him

...either way, my sense of justice was met.

 

Sotha, I heartily (and selfishly) encourage you to keep making missions! I am enjoying your creative style immensely! You can definitely put me in your fan club.

[Sotha 1905]

Sotha, I heartily (and selfishly) encourage you to keep making missions! I am enjoying your creative style immensely! You can definitely put me in your fan club.

 

What a nice review. Thank you, I am really pleased you liked the mission!

 

There was only one place near the end where I had to use some suspension of disbelief, and that's when

I triggered the alarm by flipping the switch in the basement (I thought perhaps flipping the switch might turn it OFF, so I could grab the scepter without the alarm...seemed like a reasonable assumption, though I was also prepared for it to set it off.) Unfortunately, the guards seemed to basically ignore the sound. One patrolled right by the door to the alarm room without comment. And while there was an extra guard by the scepter (nice) neither he nor the regular guards seemed overly concerned at all. Perhaps it's really difficult to set that up (I recall some difficulty with St. Lucia) but it would have been nice to at least see the guards go to alert level patrol with their swords out. Not a big deal, but something we should consider--having guards go on full alert when alarms are set off

is a big part of my memories of Thief missions.

 

Aye! We really need some kind of

 

Alarm speaker. A speaker to which the AI reacts as if the player made noise.

 

 

I loved the beginning cut-scene--great way to start and set the mood.

 

Nice, I'm gonna implement those into my future missions as well.

 

The talking was great (although I started the mission three times and once that sound wasn't playing).

 

Implementing those was a bit tricky. The reason the sound wasn't playing is that maybe some guard saw you just a bit? The talking is terminated if anyone in the mission is alerted over zero level. I had to use this approach because otherwise the talking would have been continuing even if the player kills the AI's or the AI's chase the player.

[lost_soul 127]

Just completed the mission for the third time without killing or KOing any guards. One question though, how come the guards don't seem to care when the alarm goes off? The guy who patrols the front room just walked by like nothing happened.

[AluminumHaste 911]

Can we ban Shadowhide yet? 1/5 for every category, you're such an asshole.

[Sotha 1905]

 

Just completed the mission for the third time without killing or KOing any guards. One question though, how come the guards don't seem to care when the alarm goes off? The guy who patrols the front room just walked by like nothing happened.

 

 

 

 

Technical limitation. At present, we do not have a speaker which the guards can hear and react to.

 

The alarm is a normal sound, which AI do not really hear. What the mappers CAN do at present is to give some idle guards some new targets and that is why some of the guards seem to react to the alarm and some not.

 

Once we get the possibility to have guards to hear speakers, I may update the mission.

 

 

[Briareos H 15]

Very good mission. The visuals need more work to reach the heights of some other FMs, but there is already a sense of place which is excellent along with some very good lighting. You have to continue building missions the same way and maybe work on more finishing touches and complex geometry (that can take a long and boring time, I know...)

 

The story was straight to the point (I loved it) and the gameplay had a T2 feel which I haven't seen in a lot of missions. So much loot to grab, so many little secrets - how exciting : )

Thank you for the great FM Sotha.

[lowenz 493]

Blackjacking Spree in courtyard!

 

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=7DNZeXr0tjI

New video (10 minutes):

Edited January 5, 2011 by lowenz

[LEGION 4]

What means "meritous"? My translator(´s) don´t know it.

[nbohr1more 1884]

What means "meritous"? My translator(´s) don´t know it.

 

 

Deserving Merit (reward, praise, etc).

 

Edit:

 

I thought something looked wrong. There is no real "meritous" it should be "meritorious".

 

I just used the word merit and the suffix "ous" to infer the meaning. I knew the word meritorious but didn't know that meritous was invalid till a second check...

Edited January 12, 2011 by nbohr1more

[LEGION 4]

And from where did you get that? Your mind or a piece of internet resource? Oh, and thanks!

[LEGION 4]

First the quotes,

then the votes.

 

Has any body else found the

way to the attic by flipping this switch?

 

DAMMIT, NO!!!

 

 

Also loved the secret room, I spent I think 15 minute in there just reading stuff and looking at loot and imagining all the things our good Captain has done.

 

Is that room in the aforementioned

attic

?

 

I get the out of date errors with nearly half of the FMs. I dmap if they are for AAS32 or AAS48, etc., but I ignore the message if it is only for RAT paths.

What surprised me was that the map leaked. I think I'll download it again, from the first mirror this time, and try it again. I'll dmap it anyway, but if it leaks, I'll try to fix the leak properly so there is a skybox around instead of the wall like I did yesterday.

Did you tried 'runaas' only instead of a full dmap? I dmapped once a doom3-map after I added ambient light and got I leak too, but with runaas only the map was fine. But I´m a WinXP-user I should add.

 

 

Gameplay: Excellent

 

 

It was most fitting for the start of the Thomas Porter-series!! A simple burglary going bad resulting in the next mission! Because of that fact I didn´t assumed that I was able to 'block' the alarm. That wouldn´t fit with the next mission-briefing, Beleaguered Fence. I too took the window-entrance (after that I heard my inner voice: "Inside at last.") after evading the patrolling guards and found the scepter fast, but decided to search the house first. Good decision I thought after I found the alarm-room. That puzzle with the rods was really cool and I felt like the biggest genius after solving it very fast (~20 seconds) and the solving-sequence was very well made, only the door unlocked too early. But how was I confused as their was no shut-off-button, only Alarm-test? "Oh well, better leave that alone."

The AI-patrol-routes were believable and intense, sadly, I too often saw two (once even three) AI´s blocking each other on doors resulting in one walking into a door, and the others standing behind and waiting for the walking AI to finally pass the door, but that would never happen without my interference.

Except this immersion-breaker it was a blast! After I found the manuals I realized why I could solve the rod-puzzle so fast, that Scrooge only paid for Mark II, and then there was talk of not exposing the gears lest they get not blocked so I was again confused. "Could it be possible to 'shut off' the alarm?" So I tried with the nearby found padlock only (thanks Sotha for putting so much movables in your map!), but it would always fell down and because of my belief that it´s supposed to going wrong, I left it and instead began to clear the area with my black friend. No, I´m white, I meant my blackjack.

The crypt-riddle was also cool, I was there before and as I found the disc I heard myself saying: "I know exactly where to put this..." (you see, even while speaking I use my three little comrades..., can´t help it...) And hell, was I glad that there were no zombies THIS time. Three missions in a row would´ve been too much. (Even the ones in Beleaguered Fence were a bit off.)

I´m so sad that I didn´t found the mentioned secret room, I love such details and it would´ve been nice to see a contrast to the display-cases and what they told of Knighton. Well, next time I have to play on Difficult (and evade/help out blocking AI´s).

I had a great laugh with the "Where is my bottle gone?"-guy! He couldn´t rest, instead would search under his bed and a little table nearby while laying down in bed for half a second. I felt 'urged' to lay him down to sleep again.

 

 

 

Appearance: Excellent

 

 

The beginning was almost stunning with the 'hop over the grass-wall (what´s appropriate name for that?)' and the nice skybox and leaving guests. Sadly I wasn´t able to hear them, I guess I was too far away and stunned after all.

BUT, there were too much bright textures, mainly the grass-wall! The house (that was a nice look) was ok, but around the house there was no 'feel of shadow'. A darker grass-texture and darker ground would´ve fixed that.

Although it was nice to have a clear sky, the banding destroyed an otherwise nice view like in this screenshot: (also note the contrast between ground and grass-wall)

 

The house itself was very nice and fitted Knighton and how glad I was to see so much non-electric-lights for my beloved Water Arrow! But it was not as nice as Beleaguered Fence but still Excellent, the Lighting was responsible for this. And I missed swirling flies in the lavatory-area, god, I even walked over that stinking, slimy ... (since The Order Of The Vine (THIEF™) I always search in that kind of areas, though it´s so disgusting, boah, but someone could´ve lost sth...)

A nice detail was the bread with the note, oh man, I would´ve loved to steal this bread and bite in it, but he must´ve nailed it so hard into the table, I couldn´t get it. (I know, the dagger and the note would´ve stayed in mid-air, isn´t there a fix for this? You could´ve made all frobable, so the player can take out the dagger, the note, and then the bread finally gets frobable, don´t know how to set this up though)

 

 

 

Story: Good

 

 

I shouldn´t even vote this, because I haven´t seen every story-related stuff. Besides Knighton´s secret room I´m also missing that 'side-story' some of you mentioned. I only found the dead body and the hint that the sleeping guard with playing-debts must be responsible, but no hard evidence else so I´m surely missing a diary or sth like that.

Anyway, the story I read fits as it is the first mission of the Thomas Porter Series and Good is still good, so, good job!

 

 

Overall It was great fun and I will have even more when I try to ghost this, hopefully a cure for blocking AI´s will be found JUST IN THIS VERY MOMENT!!!! But also I have to say (although considering that I haven´t found all places) it was too short, shorter than the others. A little town-section where you get to the place would´ve helped but well, you´re the small-mission-master and showed why you deserve that title and I´m glad to hear that in the meantime you´re back at mapping and working on the Thomas Porter Series. Oh, I almost forgot. I very much liked the diary you put in the inventory, that extended the briefing but would´ve fitted better IN the briefing. I´m sure some players didn´t even noticed the diary! No word in the ReadMe of this.

 

Finally, my stats:

[Professor Paul1290 56]

I really enjoyed the layout of the mansion as well as the humorous readables.

 

 

I also liked the puzzle for the door to the alarm mechanism and the secret passages in the basement. However, I did get stuck in the well for a bit because it took me a while to remember I had rope arrows.

 

 

Also:

 

I think I stopped it.

 

[Melan 1782]

Are you sure you really did?

 

By the way, welcome!

[Sotha 1905]

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

 

 

I think I stopped it.

 

 

 

LOL-ROTFL!