Sotha

Yeah, same here.. Howsabout an international TDM conference in some huge conference center with get together parties, coding, mapping, modeling and texturing lectures and then -of course- the conference dinner where everyone gets plastered.. It is truly a shame we live in a real world.

I have to disagree here and I find the current system just fine. At least, I feel it is easier to find the correct word matching with the mission experience in the 1-5 range. And remember, changing the rating system now would break comparison with all the previous rated missions, without providing much benefit. What I'd prefer is that people would post why they gave the grades they gave. The benefit would be the possibility for the mapper to learn from mistakes and on the other hand learn from the positive sides. Also it would be easy to spot an uncalled poor grade, which was given only because the players computer crashed or something. I've been using a format like the following. Gameplay: <grade> <reason> Appearance: <grade> <reason> Story: <grade> <reason> <Overall summary>

Hey that sounds cool. One improvement suggestion: When the the light gets the fire stim, target a trigger multiple, which delays for a 120-240 seconds and then turns the fire off. Surely the flames will not burn forever? You could make the fire damaging by starting a trigger timer which applies the stim damage to the target every few seconds. Remember to switch off the timer when the flames are doused. This could be used for some kind of puzzleish final confrontation with some uber powerful creature..Or it would be hilarious to sneak up a sleeping zombie and light him up with a candle!

Fantastic idea! When creating stairs or other similar objects, always do it the following way: 1) create first step 2) align textures perfectly for this first step 3) put on texture lock 4) clone the step into multiple steps. This way you do not have to align textures for each and every step. For some reason I often seem to forget this basic rule and create step, clone it and then I have a full staircase of steps to align. I also want to elaborate that doing simple things in another order may save you a lot of trouble and time!

Please note, that I hated the Constantine's mansion in the original thief, so don't get mad at me for the following evaluation.

Yep I agree with the things said. However, I am pretty sure FM campaigns will emerge at some point. Well, at least I'm creating individual missions, which are linked, so maybe when/if I have enough missions, I will cram them into The Adventures of Thomas Porter -type of campaign. Now the plots seem entirely separate but with inserted plot elements and plot interweaving a solid over-the-campaign plot could be generated. The existing missions could be then modified for the campaign so that they fit together more seamlessly. At least that's what I've been thinking, although not too seriously..

Weird. Could it be due to case sensitivity in linux?

Your first map, accessible rooftops.. hm.. Just try NOT to make too ambitious map, it easier and better to start small. It is rather tricky to do accessible rooftops while maintaining the city-around-you illusion. You could add some prop toy buildings to your skybox prefab to create an illusion of distant towers. Check the "skybox tutorial" in the wiki. You'll only need the end part of it and apply the things you learn to your skybox prefab. Thats all I'd like to add to the good comments given by others. I hope this helps! Best of luck. And remember: if in doubt ask for help. We have a really nice and helpful community here!

Female guards with proper armor? Mages? More heads? Variety of undead models, ghouls, vampires? As a mapper I'd like to see a better variety of humans than decorative household creatures. I don't see how a cat would add in terms of gameplay. Dogs are a different matter, but like Tels said, they add a lot of work.

Yep, as I mapper I have to say that I'd like to have those beautiful lamps in my map. I do not understand much of these things: is the model now ready or is there something invisible work still left? It will be interesting to see what you will create next.

Great! Another possible mapper to our ranks! Here is a link to a tutorial which will help you start on the right track: http://wiki.thedarkmod.com/index.php?title=A_-_Z_Beginner_Full_Guide_Start_Here!

I would have loved to see a screenshot from that.. @jaxa: But no ragdoll physics and realistic lightning and other modern goodies. Also, I am not a dromedeer but I've understood that DR is far better. Currently we have a pool of mappers who are honing their skills even as we type. You cannot make a killer mission without proper mapping technique and experience to know what will work and what is fun. I do not think we are very far from getting those serious killer missions out. Maybe the next mapping contest: make a killer mission.

My vote is not turn it off, keep it as it is, but give better instructions to people how to use it, maybe a brief addition of info on the forum rules. There is no harm in the system and it encourages nice behavior. People may get a few negative reps, but life will continue. I wouldn't die of shock if someone gave me negative reputation and most of the reputation changes I see in the threads are positive ones. If there was some negative reputations in this thread, not all of them were totally uncalled for. And finally: the reputation system is definately not such a big issue it should further burden greebo, who carries selflessly most of this mods future on his shoulders. Shame on those who demand greebo to do manual editings to petty things like forum reputation.

Ehehe. (This is the very first time I fully understood Aidas Musing. Yay!) @Springheel: Most excellent work! The stuff looks really good and it is truly a miracle that we have such a talented bunch of people creating things like this for free. Wow! Thief? To me she looks more like a guard, but the light armour hints thiefish nature. Although, if she was a thief she would probably prefer darker clothes. Maybe black/dark gray skin for clothing? Maybe a prop face mask? Guard? She definately needs some better protection if she is a guard and -like others- I'm not a chainmail bikini fan at all. I think I saw a metal cuirass in the DR model catalog, maybe it could be bindToJointed and prefabbed while someone puts the effort to make a proper armor for her? But again: Well done! @HappyCheeze: Hm.. It is supposed to be dark and gritty and fully equality between sexes would sound incompatible with the setting to my ears. But then again, why not? Probably it would be difficult for women to gain such posts, but it certainly would be possible. Typically, women gaining such ranks are probably much more talented/tougher than their male counterparts, so the males have no options but to accept them. Or get stabbed in the dark alley. This would conform with the dark and gritty theme.

What was that all about? Back in the gymnasium I had a course on debating and discussion skills and I have to say that Springs debating skill conforms quite well to the things I remember from the course. I didn't spot any logical fallacies, especially like ad hominem. Actually this has been a nice refresher on the Art for me. If you have a discussion, people usually speak to people the way Spring did. It is basically a tennis game of arguments and counterarguments. Between the sets people check their definations and other things and then the fun continues. Important thing to understand that it is not personal. It is the matters debating, not people. Well, at least in the case if you have the discussion to have new insight to the topic. If the idea is to *win* the discussion, then the situation is a bit different. At any rate, if this is the death blow to the interesting discussion, may I suggest that we try to wrap up some kind of conclusion or summary. Here is, distilled, what kind of impression the discussion has engraved on me. I apologize, it comes as a stream-of-tought and I cannot structure it better: Looks like there will be friction if you take religion into a rational and by-the-textbook discussion. Someone would say sarcastically "surprise", but I say Why? Faith, by definition, eludes rationality? It does not have to be rational. It's more like a lifestyle. Like smoking or having the afternoon tea. Both are not necessarily rational behaviors other that they provide 'fun' for the individual. If religion provides 'fun' then great! However, the downside of this behavior (like smoking has the downside of health problems) is sometimes the inability or reluctance criticize or face criticism in certain areas. For not-so-religious types a word of warning: for some reason religious works cannot be criticized without the criticizer to be seen as 'hostile.' Looked like also Springs debating on the topic was also seen hostile in the end? What could be the reason for this perceived hostility? Faith makes others seem hostile?

Yeah! It was really difficult at first, but then I As for hitman 2.. Played just now 3 missions straight with silent assassin ranks. It's even better than the first one! It has limited amount of saves, but certainly enough. The AI is much more dangerous in 2, because you cannot even go close to them as in H1. You cannot run in their view. And you cannot piano-wire/sedate a moving enemy. Never. They must be stationary so you can surprise them. Difficult, but... Really good stuff!

I spotted in my local game shop that they sell all Hitman games from I to IV in a single inexpensive package called Hitman Ultimate Contract. I decided to give it a go. I've played a bit these games in the past, so I figured out that it is time to play them properly. I've just completed hitman codename 47. Good stuff. I really enjoyed it, even though it was frustratingly difficult at a few spots. No savegames? Whew.. It is iron man all the way. It really makes you play differently when failure means entire map restart.. Completing a mission successfully is truly an accomplishment. The silly thing was that hitman 1 ran super fast on my computer and was totally unplayable. There is no frame rate limits in the game, so I had to set 24X antialiasing and use turbo utility to slow my machine to 10% of its normal performance to have the game run at normal speed. But once I got it to work, it was a blast. Even it is a really old game, it still looked decent (probably because of the excessive antialiasing), and I have to say that the animation quality in particular surprized me. It really is top notch even when compared to modern games. Sure, there were a few utterly nonsense missions, but those were completed fast to focus on the good stuff. If you see the hitman ultimate contract package in stores for a few euros, I really recommend it. Oh well, hitman 2 is next.. *Checks that the piano wire is in tune.*

I find this discussions still interesting here. Even the classical nazi card was played! I just have to comment here that your reputation was lowered by this comment In this particular case I just have to agree that reputation decrease have to occur. However, later on you've done some nice contributions to this discussion which have also given you positive reputation. So, keep on giving reputation increases and decreases, but not for whether you agree with opinions or not. Aggressive, impolite, etc posts deserve negative reputation. Good insight and well written or other 'good' posts deserve positive ones. If in doubt do not change reputation. There has been some discussion about the purpose of this thread. It would seem that the main idea is to enjoy a discussion on religious/logical topics. Also new insight may be gained from here, at least I have. I definately do not recommend stopping the discussion like Mr. Lemony Fresh suggested. The idea is not to make anyone change their beliefs. We are merely discussing about them and attempting to see why others see things the way they see them. If the topic seems too sensitive, try to get a broader perspective.

I don't know how to do guis, unfortunately. But I have to say the idea is a good one. I'd really like to see a chat system, a similar like the one in oblivion. Technically, given the versatility of doom3 gui system, I think it would not be very difficult to make a gui with upper area for character text, middle area for normal 3dview of the character, and lower area for the chat options. The chat would start by frobbing an AI and work much like normal readables, ie. if you walk away the chat goes away. Heck, you could probably set up shady characters selling you items for loot during the mission like in deus ex with this. With a system like this a mapper could have a player-AI conversation without recruiting voice-actors since the actor text could be also done as a readable only. I can only imagine the possiblities of missions where you combine stealth and well chosen words to gain your objectives. If you manage to pull this one off, I'd love to see a tutorial how it is made, I'm fascinated by the entire idea.

Yes I have. The typical problem is that key words "free sound effects" find me a zillion 'free' sound effect repositories which then ask money for the sounds, but provide some sounds for free and I do not find anywhere whether or not I can use the 'free' ones really for free. One site said the sounds are free, but then it said that I need to get a written permission if I use them in games. Therefore I asked if someone happens to know some some reliable sources which are truly free. I'm a bit awkward with these copyright things and I simply want to play it safe, even if it may make me seem a little handicapped. Yeah, it would take 5 seconds to find the sound I need if the copyright things shouldn't be worried.

Alright. Done: http://bugs.angua.at/view.php?id=2333

Yes, that would be the best solution. Okay, I'm on it.

Hey, wait a minute... *Does a quick test* Oh yes, it seems I thought the entire thing incorrectly. It is not the AI who should get the new targets, but the path_corners! If I make a stim-response thingy which does 'Add target' for a path_corner, it will work. So basically I could have set all the path_nodes in the AI's initial route to point to the first node of the new patrol route. When the change occurs, the AI seems to walk about two path_corners on the old route and then proceed to the new route. The change is not immediate. As for 'clear targets' response, it works the same way: I can halt the AI by clearing targets from the path_nodes. The problem with this method is that the AI will never walk again. He stops and you cannot give him new targets or anything. So, the AI-to-new-route has been solved in some capacity, but the solution is not the best possible because the AI will not react to it immediately. This is still much better option than the node teleportation, however. I'd still love to hear what this mysterious 'atdm:target_changetarget' entity does. Maybe the best solution is somewhere hidden in the logic of this entity?

The problem to be solved: I basically have AI's going on patrol routes. Then I have an event which changes the AI patrol routes completely. I want to trigger a change of patrol route for an AI who is already walking on another path. I know the following so far: Giving a new target to the AI with response 'Add target' works. But only if the AI has no target in the beginning. If he is already targetting something, 'add target' does nothing.Giving the AI a new spawnarg 'target' with the response 'set spawnarg' doesn't work at all. (I'm not sure what this response is for, if someone knows please tell me.)There is the response 'Remove targets', which sounds perfect, but it does nothing. Calling such a response on an AI who is walking a path does not stop him.I CAN change the patrol route by teleporting the path_corners to new locations, but this is not a very elaborate solution as I'd need to teleport all the path nodes. Not much flexibility there. What if the new path needs more, less or new path_nodes?I've noticed that there exists a target entity called 'atdm:target_changetarget,' which sounds like it could be of benefit, but I've found absolutely no documentation for it. Any info on that would be great. All attempts to help are greatly appreciated.

@Fidcal: Thanks for the link. After browsing through I found the following candidates (mostly for my own reference, but I understood others may be interested, so I'll put them here to save your time finding them): http://www.freesound...le.php?id=72757 http://www.freesound...le.php?id=25032 http://www.freesound...le.php?id=96973 Not exactly what I'd like, but the license is definately lax enough for my purposes. Does someone else know some other sites? I suppose I have to use these if I don't find anything else. @BC: I checked the lanternbot whistle sound but that wasn't what I'd need. I've not planned any significant scripting. If the alarm occurs, then I'll set few guards some new target path_corners. Player setting the alarm on deserves some slight harrasment.