Mr M
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Posts
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Posts posted by Mr M
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....... or a wall to jump on and run along, or over, or a tree to climb- to another area, or climb vines to another area, rooftops or any other high area to move from...
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Only because we live in the age of casual no attention span gaming. I always enjoyed games that make you put in a little extra effort. An in-game note system like TDP/TMA is about as modern a system as is necessary. I never used the "notes" section in the back of game manuals, as I like to leave their condition pristine and unmarked, fooling myself that my games might be collectible over time
as said,
X2 !
- Liked and used the T2 ingame note taking - seems reasonable thing a thief would do in a big house or exploring town / terrain
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Ok, I think we need to step back a little bit. TDM melee and combat has been working ok ever since I started playing the mod, and I dont remember hearing any complaints. In fact, all criticism is directed at how hard it is/can be. A thread about it, in discussion at the time, receiced mostly praise, including mine. An issue was spotted and the dev team decided to solve it by increasing ai's overall health, this is understandable but would mean obvious gameplay changes, for all players (this, it seems, is a design choice and not really debatable). What was argued then is that, if possible, an option could exist that would let players decide by themselves the damage levels in the game, aside from any other characteristics - players would be able to choose how brutal/fast combat is. Though I respect people's take on this issue, I dont know how this became about questioning the slider system itself.
I like going back to the basics, especially when they worked, as in the original games.. ... Easy, Normal, Difficult....
As someone said, increase AI strength, # AI's, damage taken etc as the levels increase.
my 2 cents..
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For the lone arrow to be used again and again... can it be "set to" break after hitting the target eg., feather portion of the arrow broken off, rest remains in the body. Can pick up the arrow again, but is unusable......
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There always seems to be some balance between realism and not realism in TDM, although I've often wondered the challenge of the game if all the constraints are based on reality... but that discussion has happened before in quite a few places....
So to the original discussion about arrows being too accurate ( for me, I am impressed how well I can shoot a head shot from an incredible distance... pixel accuracy it was called here). OK, so I wanted to dip into the real world of archery and see relative accuracy of archers. Very difficult to find, but this may be of interest...
https://sites.google...y-is-Not-Normal
in summary it says... ( from ~2,000 arrow shots)
Summary:
Analysis of archery shot patterns is consistent with a two dimensional error model where the archer's shots have normally distributed errors in both the horizontal and the vertical. These errors are independent of each other and follow a typical Gaussian pattern centered on the target center. The combination of the errors results in a shot pattern in the shape of a doughnut where maximum shot density occurs away from the target center leaving a hole in the shot density at the target center. The size and depth of the hole is related to the standard deviation of shots in the horizontal and vertical dimensions.
So this tells me, even for good archers, they tend to scatter around the bulls-eye, as I would have expected, TDM is kinda outside this reality ...as my shots are always perfect...well 97% of the time - no doughnut hole for me! It would be good to have some deviation of arrow accuracy as the distance increases..... guess this would be a mathematical model. -yes, more work, I know...
m
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Regarding the combat difficulty slider: As I said I never noticed it before neither I did with the lockpick difficulty slider before someone has told me (or someone else and I was just reading it, dunno).
Wow,
I've been playing for a while, and never knew this - I thought it was tied to the difficulty level......
I have to look for it
The existence of these things, such as body shouldering should somehow be more evident. It's been a while but maybe body shouldering is exhibited in the training mission, but maybe difficulty level settings, lock pick settings should also be introduced there..?
I also like the idea of the bow settling before getting off a shot...
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The player does not need to, or should not, know the amount of loot in a mission beforehand, because the loot amount should be a surprise at the end. "Did I get it all? No, that much I missed! Gotta play this again sometime..."
I really like this approach!
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Springheel, thanks so much for doing this work! I- will be appreciated and used for many years!
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Great work! thanks for doing this! His face looks a little clean, is are there smudges, dirt, soot etc that can be applied? I know scars were mentioned at one point in time, but for me a model improvement could be their faces do not look so freshly washed.
Nevertheless, again great work.... all of this will really add to the look of the game!
m
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As a loyal Thief fan, - simply, for me, if TDM did not evoke the right "Thiefy" atmosphere, feelings, mood,....... I would not be playing TDM FM's -
and I am, and greatly enjoying them! They are fantastic, and still will get better... amazing!
The mood, atmosphere etc is not solely up to the engine, but more-so, up to the mapper
m
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Thanks for doing this Komag! So greatly appreciated!
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I agree with mostly what you said Baddcog, but some complaints about this may decrease if the lock-picking sound was much quieter
For me, if the guards could hear it, I would just pause the picking until they passed.. If I have to stop every now and then to look up and down the hall for any guards coming, that is fine and good.
If guards are stationed by the door, then I have to figure another way in, or figure how to move them to a different area ( most likely by a diversion).
As you said, locking picking in lighted area... that situation gives a great suspense-tense situation which makes for a good theiveing game. If you can do that - and most can, & sometimes you get caught -( but that is a thief's life) - you can easily manage the lockpicking if the guards can hear the sounds.
I really wonder if in the very beginning of the thief games, guards could hear lock-picking sounds would people be complaining about it?
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Hm, perhaps doing something like marking a climbable pipe with vines would be a sensible way to have some pipes climbable in a mission?
That is a good idea Xarg
Or as I said before, have all pipes climbable, but put an some simple obstruction up the, and around the pipe if they are not meant to be climbed
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There could be many different types of foliage that could be applied to walls.
Only one kind ....say leafy vines (plants show thick vines as the stalk) are employed into the map, only they would be climbable.
Ivy you can't climb but wild grape vines you can where I live.
As for pipes in my opinion, they should all be climbable, and if not wanted by the mapper, the mapper can put some obstruction a distance up to block a climb. When I was younger my friends and I were able to climb to the roof of my junior high school using a pipe - guess quite a few did that as over time the school put an obstruction ( metal disc) around the pipe, so it was not passable - now I know how squirrels feel
As for chains, as someone said earlier, the thinner ones you can't climb, the thicker ones you can.
Do I have to test each pipe that I pass to see if I can climb? Even tho' from the ground I may not be able to see anything up there, worthwhile, I know in some previous games ( DM T2), you can get a nice surprise if you do! If there was an obstruction to the climb ( again seen in previous games) , I would not try it.
If I walk by plants on the wall, am I always to try to climb them every single time in a game?
On the other hand, if I am passing by walls have ivy or whatever on it I would not even try to climb it, until if I was lucky came across a vine-growing plant, something that would support my weight
My opinion.
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I like the idea of the variability of "guard difficulty" based on playing on easy vs difficult, tho I am sure it would not happen. For me, over the years I've played thief, - I don't think I am that good, but I find the missions here - which are greatly, greatly appreciated - are pretty easy for the most part. Only few are challenging with respect to getting past guards. I like the challenge of creating clever ways or maneuvers to get past them - so that is why I opt for more realistic AI's.
As was said a few people think things are hard enough, ok, I understand everyone is different. But you do get better the more you play as with anything else. Everyone will get better who plays these missions and I think would be able to handle more real life responses. I always don't expect to live through the games I play, being surprised by a guard on the blind side of a door you opened (he comes to investigate) is just part of a thief's life. It may be old school, but that line should not be dismissive of my thoughts, though I did not feel it was - completely. I am just trying to provide input to a game ( mod) which I love, and part of my thanks to all of the creator's efforts' is to make these written contributions.
Again if it is felt by most the game would get too hard, ok, and people would stop playing I understand. Diff levels of AI difficulty would be great
but am sure it would be a long way off - understandably -
Now that my company has unblocked the darkmod site as beign forbidden, I am free again!
For this, I think you have to imagine yourself in the position: and remember, being a hired guard, and allowing a thief to get through, well.... if you were VERY lucky, you would lose your job without any pay, more likely, as in the old days, your wife and kids would likely not ever see you again, not in one piece anyway.
If I was a guard in a hallway, standing or walking, very likely I would absolutely know where near guards should be and when, patrolling or not. If I was standing guard, guarding a hall, and I saw a door open, partly or not, or even close without me seeing anyone go into it, I would be walking over with hand on sword at the least checking it out - why? if a thief got by me, parts of me would compliment the rest of the food served to the masters' dog .
If I was guarding a room, and I could see a crate or light or spoon moving, of course I would have my hand on my sword ( likely sword would be out, - what's the harm in that 'xcept being ready?!) and go over to check what this abnormal, unexpected activity out, and as no one identified himself would be in high alert ( be neat if the guard could yell something like "Benard (Benny's oldest brother) is that you?!" and with no response THEN would draw his sword). My life would depend on it.
So for my 2cents, if a door opens and no one comes out in 2 - 3 seconds, have the guard check it out as Tels said.
if a door closes and no one was entering, have the guard check it out.
Freaky, floating moving objects: guards go on alert because objects shouldn't do that - so would be visual.
Hearing a door close around a corner, out of sight, check it out, as 1) I know where all my buddy guards should be and no one should be at at that door - 2) if it was the master, he would be happy seeing me check out the sound.....
Being a theif, and ear against the door checking for any sounds, hearing walking I wait. If I don't hear anything I open it a crack and I see a guard - he looks and comes over to check the door/room out, I hide in the room, wait until he enters, distract him with an object and slip by him - I've done this before, I'am a good theif. If I open the door and the view angle does not let me see a guard standing on the hinge side of the door, I think it is clear and creep out - i find I am immediately spied ( that's the risk of being a thief), I have a run on my hands and I go to escape plans that I always have in my head - just in case if this happens.
I like the AI to be act as they would be in real life ( as long as the game can handle it), with their life resting in how well they do their duty, cause a good thief will still outwit them.
Again I think the AI should be acting as you would with your responsiblity to your postion, and with a little fear of your life.
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I think at first it would be kinda neat, but then after a while would be like using the same "set" over and over again like in the long ago Lone Ranger show. Still could be done if it was sooo huge not all of the good hiding places could be found for a loong time....., but I like the chance to explore new towns, cities etc that I have never seen before..........
Good idea though
m
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Yep, he's definitely thinking of Thief.
When I've played St Lucia, I had to turn off one of the cores, otherwise it would hang, the solution was given to me through a google search.
It did work.
Well, with my new computer I now have, maybe this wont be the case ........
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Hi, been away for just a little while then saw the release!
THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!! ........................................... ad infinitum ( hmmm.. "sizes" drop down is not working or wlde it would have been a BIG thanks!)
I have not loaded it yet, but was wondering if it is necessary to still "turn off" cores from a multi-core processor.
Hopefully, there will be no turning off, as this would make the game run even better? - Is this correct
Thanks
M
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Never really understood what Bloom is for, - what is its' purpose? Thanks!!
M
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oDDity was attacked by the evil of the dawn of the return of the attack of the son of the evil, mutant, zombified, living dead zombies.
I just hate it when that happens!
Hey, thanks for letting us outsiders ( see how many reads on this post?) get a small taste of your thoughts about the inner workings and interactions between everyone & especailly how each feels about the work load. I was guessing everyone was working pretty well together, otherwise, it would(may) have fallen apart a long time ago, or gone very very slowly if there were power games being played - or something similar. Glad it is not interfering with peoples lives ( well, too much anyway) and jJude makes out as he gets free therapy sessions from contributing.
When I talked to a few people about the work you have all been doing, they also mentioned with work like that, there must be stress; so I thought I'd ask. Not only can you guys be very derservably proud of what you created& started, but also you should feel good in that you built good relationships - instead of creating bad ones through this effort!
Thanks again guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just wanted to give you encouragement, though it doesent sound like you need it too much!
Matt
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Well, I hated the game, hated it, ....................absolutely hated it!!!!!
- cause now I'm addicted to the "dark mod engine" and find it hard to go back to /playthe regular theif engine!! - Thanks a lot!!!
I've been telling so many people abut this game, and they are dying to play it now.
What great work everyone is doing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As said before, this is how thief was meant to be! The St Lucia game was very well designed and seemed to purposely include a lot of activities which showed off the engines' capablilites. I have revisited the game so many times, just enjoying the feel and look of it all. I cant wait till more games are made.
Only suggestions I would have it sometimes the water splash was way too bright, but it was cool to see a ripple or two! Great!!!!!!!!
Also I noticed there were no lockpicks(ing) in the game, is it because it was not developed yet?
Wondered why there were no rope/vine arrows; thought for sure there would have been some. Would have been cool to see some baddies with arrows too, to see how well they did with them, but then again, hammerites never use arrows correct?
Yea, for me, it took a little while to get use to the blackjacking distance, I could not understand why some guys were not going down.
I love the mantling visual effect, where there is a slight rocking motion hauling oneself up neat effect!
I noticed the guard who was guarding the statue, would some strange footwork to turn his direction ( heard it too) that didnt seem too smooth - looked kinda funny.
But all and all, THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE FOR ALL OF YOUR TIME AND EFFORT !
Matt
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This nicely illustrates how "horror" is different for different people. I would personally find flaming skeletons throwing fireballs to be quite cheesy in a stealth game.
Yea, for me the most horrific time was a fan mission ( wow it's been years!) where you were after another theif, who was trained as you, and you could at best barely able to see the guy. Being in a large darkened building with him, with him readily able to lay you out at any time gave me panic attacks. At times, I was too paranoid to even move. Excellent game ( I think maybe it was all black& white?) Ambience, music, timing of events, set up situations....that is what give the constant quiet horror....... everyone is diff
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Not that anyone is wrong at all, this is at least a forum where we can at least discuss this idea, - even if there is no intended implementation. - I appreciate other points of view, and points to where my thoughts may not be practical; or where someone my supplement my thoughts, or change them.
Digital, you got me there!... maybe I could argue the guards have thicker noggins or whatever, but you would argue, Gar would just hit a bit harder. So reality is kept after all!
M
AI Entering Combat State
in The Dark Mod
Posted
Grayman,
Although coding is alien to me, at the least I can do is to thank you greatly, for the work you are doing!!!!. Frankly I don't think you guys get enough appreciation. Many of us sit back because of lack of knowledge in these areas, .... but it is very much appreciated!!
Thanks for ALL of your hard work!
Goes the same to the others! Without all of you, this great gaming would go nowhere very fast.