The Dark One

I think it all extracted right. Technically it's the not the prefab folder itself, but everything that was in the folder is there. But the files are all in the darkmod folder.

Did this, still no luck. :/ I guess I misunderstood something somewhere. Maybe I need to reset DR? But I'm not sure what that means.

I (finally) got around to watching the video, and I already have an issue. :/ It seems that the extracted files aren't in DR (and as far as I'm aware I put them in the right place).

More Airship Ballet! I know I need to do Quinn Co., but it will be delayed. The Smiling Cutpurse places our hero in the titular inn, something that he would normally dismiss as a waste of time, but there’s more to this inn: They’ve agreed to store a disguised bank vault, and our hero is targeting it, and whatever else he can find in the inn. This is the first mission I’ve done in a while that’s a straight-up heist mission, and it does it well. The inn has a simple enough layout, with a fair bit of variety to the rooms and guests and alternate route or two if you’re willing to look. The little bit of backstory you find out are probably my favorite part of the mission, but I think the notes ended up reversed, so go to the “last” and then go back. I should also note that I think there are two ways to complete this mission, which I found to be a nice touch. This mission falls on the “easy” side of things: There’s no loot goal so in theory once you find the vault you’re done. It’s also pretty easy to blackjack most everyone in the inn, giving you free reign. Yet, I don’t think that’s bad per se, nothing wrong with a well-done easy mission, and this is very well-done, barring an odd sound glitch at the vault and one wimp who died when I hit him with my blackjack on my first playthrough. All in all, a fun, solid mission. Recommended.

I expected something different from this mission based on the description, honestly. Thief's Remorse continues the recent trend of atypical missions. This time, our blameless hero is in need of some money for the winter, and slips into a tomb to steal a crown. Things go wrong, and he must now find some quick repentance for his old sins by returning similarly stolen objects while not getting killed in the process. It’s hard to give details about this mission, since it’s both short and relies pretty heavily on the feeling of not knowing what’s coming next. I will say it does the horror well, making you feel like you’re being tossed around by something much more powerful than you, giving a good feeling of helplessness through the first part of the mission. It’s a short experience, similar to Exhumed, and quite fun. I do think it leans a little on the easy side once you get your bearings, but I’m willing to forgive it. It should be noted that there are multiple endings to be found, but apparently one didn’t work right for me. My first playthrough made it impossible to get a needed key to move on in the mission, but as far as I can tell I was the only one to experience it. All in all, a fun little mission that’s better experienced. Recommended.

Note: This mission was done by Airship Ballet and kyrrma. Exhumed places our noble hero in the role of an agent for the Church sent to the freezing edge of the world to reclaim an artifact from a long abandoned chapel, and cleanse the evil that infests it. Like the previous two missions I’ve looked at, this is more of a horror mission that a normal Dark Mod mission. The environment is appropriately desolate, and the chapel is confined and creepy, with the only gripe I have being the mismatched gate leading out. The mission does a good job with horror, slowly building it up from minor scares to a burst of bloody horror. This gradual ascension is well down, and other authors should take note of it. I do have a bone or two to pick with events (such as why putting a skull in a fountain opens a secret passage), but the whole experience is so well-done that I’ll give it a pass. The mission is well-paced, not trying to drag out the tension any longer than it has too. Also, booby traps, more of those please, I enjoy them more than I should. All in all, this is a very good and creepy mission. Recommended.

Slower than I'd like, because I'm not sure if I want a (small) city area or just plopping you in a mansion's front yard. I do have an objective in mind (vandalizing a stained glass window), but I'm not sure how feasible that is.

Huh. Interesting, will have to edit that when I put it on TTLG. I'm not sure how I thought that was the case. ---------------- For the record, this isn’t a pure sequel to One Step Too Far, but it is set in the same universe. Down by the Riverside feels like a much improved version of it’s predecessor, keeping most of the strengths while excising the weaknesses. This time, Not-Garrett stows away on a pirate ship to make off with some of the loot from an upcoming raid on an isolated and deserted mansion. However, most of the loot is long gone, but some odd footsteps lead our hero into an isolated room where….spoilers happen. The mission is a solid one all around, greatly improving on it’s predecessor. The atmosphere of isolation and horror is well-handled, even though a few places show pity on you and have people running around. These times are brief however, and the general isolation continues. The graphics are good, with the best being the elegant but run-down mansion that the mission begins in. The horror is, as said, quite well done, with the final sequence leaving me on edge. The story is also well done, with the player at least having an understanding of what happened, if not why or how in all cases. Difficulty-wise, it’s a bit fairer than it’s predecessor, but more difficult, if that makes sense. On the one hand, you don’t have to worry about creeping through too small spaces, but there are plenty of guards everywhere. Special mention goes to the location before the finale, which requires you to creep through a ship’s hold with metal floors and guards choking you every which way. It’s one of the few areas in The Dark Mod that I’ve actually felt like using a moss arrow. Admittedly, it’s easier on lower difficulties, from what I understand. Thankfully, the loot goals are optional, considering how well--hidden some of it is. It’s worth noting that the mission has been updated since its first release, tweaking a few glitches and getting rid of those dang electrocuting lamps that used to be there. The creator also was kind enough to better highlight some loot in the church, but I wish he had done the same for a stash of loot in the previous part of the mission, which in my opinion was far harder to find. All in all, this is a worthy successor to One Step Too Far, and is Recommended.

One Step Too Far (by Dragofer, as is the next mission reviewed) is certainly interesting. This time, Not-Garrett is a thief on the run, resulting in him taking a position on a ship bound the find the fabled Northwest Passage….or so the captain claims. The large blocks of ice indicate that the ship might have gone off-course, forcing our hero to investigate. This is an atypical mission here, with more of an overt horror element filling everything. The ship is crammed and isolation and claustrophobia fills the ship. The second part of the mission has a really good moment of tension, though the means of escape is slightly wonky. This atmosphere is the best part about the mission, and insures that you’ll be unsettled for the majority of your playtime. This same claustrophobia, however, also results in a fair amount of irritation in places. The small size seems to fluster the AI, and weird behaviors tend to crop up as a result. I crawled right in front of the chef without him noticing me, for example. The first-mate’s room is an absolute pain to to get into, requiring split-second timing and melding yourself into the wall, along with dealing with a captain who keeps wandering in and out. The whole room needed like another foot or so on it. It’s also worth noting that the ending, after all the buildup, the mission just suddenly ends at a moment of high suspense. Still, this is a very well-done mission. Atypical, but very good, with excellent ambient horror.. Unlike some of the previous missions I’ve looked at,, the loot goals are optional, ensuring that the player doesn’t get stuck at the end, and giving those who like crawling around and searching a little bonus. One of these days I’ll figure out why I can only do short reviews for missions I like a lot, but for now, I’ll have to say this is Recommended.

These reviews are coming so fast! But I’m getting ahead on my played/reviewed ratio, so it’s a necessity. House in Blackbog Hollow (or just Blackbog Hollow according to the title card), is stumpy’s best mission, really. This time, Not-Garratt sets out to swipe some ancient treasure, only to find that someone else has beaten him to it and left an convenient note stating that they’ve fled into a nearby house. Entry is swift, and leads Not-Garrett into a dining room. Where he witnesses a man get killed by a jack-o-lantern. It’s that kind of mission. The main goal is to escape the house, which requires you to track all over it, searching for more murder pumpkins. It’s oddly difficult, as while the house is small and easy to navigate, there are spiders lurking around, and I swear stumpy made them tougher than your garden variety spider. Sword combat is suicide, and you don’t have enough arrows to kill them all. It adds to the challenge though, I’ll admit. Loot-wise it’s easy enough, since most of the loot is in the open, even if the goals are high. However, it commits the same sin as Illusionist's Tower, in that you can reach the end of the mission without enough loot, and unlike the previous you can’t just start over again, so savescummers will have issues. The mission does a pretty good job with it’s horror. It’s not “get me my brown pants” level, but considering how the mission presents itself as a cheesy B-horror at worst, there are some mild chilling moments, such as the note in the office on the second floor. It’s well-done, along with the somewhat surreal humor. The way you end up resolving the mess is worth a chuckle, though I have to admit the final sequence is a bit obtuse, as you don’t really have to follow instructions, from what I could tell. The fact that AI got stuck on my second playthrough probably didn’t help however. All in all, a fun Halloween mission. There are a few flaws, but on the whole I think it’s definitely worth a look. Recommended. Next up, Dragofer!

I know that House in Blackbog Hollow was next in release order, but I have my reasons. For example: It's better than this one. Dead Drunk is a rather short, atypical mission. Not-Garrett gets drunk and wakes up in a crypt, dumped there by his friends who are much better at sneaking than he is, considering how they were able to get him into the depths of a skeleton filled crypt without alerting said skeletons. Now, you have to escape. The main problem with this mission is that it’s deeply repetitive. Sure the crypt looks creepy, but after like ten minutes of the same environment it goes from “Woooooo~” to “Oooooooooh (get me out of here)” There’s a break in the pattern at one point, and it’s certainly fits stumpy’s sense of humor, and perhaps the complaint doesn’t matter with such a short mission, but it does wear a bit. A more serious issue is the fact that if you miss a key near the beginning, you can’t complete the level, which to me feels irritating. The is a visual clue to the key, but it still feels too missable. The loot goal is fair, with the loot being easy to find. All in all, this is a little bit disappointing. I expected a tad more from stumpy, who I’d marked as uneven but creative. This is a decent time water, but not much more than that.

Sure, why not? I'm barely anywhere on the A to Z thing, and I guess the extra motivation couldn't hurt.

Still on stumpy, and will be for two more reviews after this one. Illusionist's Tower has been described by some as a “gimmick” mission, and while I can see their point I found it pretty fun on the whole. The plot is simple: Not-Garrett is angling to break into an old tower designed by a wizard. There have been the usual round of disappearances of others who have went in, but it’ll be fine. Right? The mission almost reminds me of the Submachine series of room escape games, with multiple shifting locations that don’t seem to have much to do with each other. There’s very little in the way of stealth in this mission, barring avoiding some spiders. The difficulty varies, on the whole it’s pretty smooth sailing, barring one or two bits. One such bit is an annoying puzzle that I still don’t fully understand, even after doing it twice. I more or less did it through trial and error. The loot also has an issue, in that it’s possible to move on to the second part of the mission and not have enough loot to finish. You can go back through the level, but most won’t be willing to do that. It’s also fair to note that one area, an upside-down hallway, drags a tad too long. And yet, I enjoyed the thing. I like missions that at least try something different, even if they falter doing it and I find myself not enjoying the end product. In fairness, the mission is a bit random until about halfway through, and I can see how that would irritate people. But I enjoyed the experience, dark humor and mild horror and all. Recommended, but with a dose of your milage may vary.

It's less that they slow me down and more than I have no idea how to take them. Otherwise, I'd start doing it/would have done it before now. --------------------------- Let’s get this started, shall we? Lord Dufford’s (by stumpy) was meant as a test mission, and it shows. The plot is slightly different than your average Dark Mod fair: Not-Garrett is a dashing rogue who is hired to discover the fate of Lord Dufford. There’s an official story of course (which our protagonist must also find for no good reason), but the real story is much more interesting… The mission plops you off in a cityscape, and it’s here that you’ll look up and see the red line in the sky. That’s meant to be there. This is the first of many interesting, if strange, design choices. Another odd design choice is that you’ll encounter doors that you can’t pick, you have the pick the actual lock instead, which caused me a fair bit of frustration on a first playthrough. As mentioned, this was meant as a test mission, so there’s a fair bit of….empty space. Quite a lot, actually. It almost reaches the point of unintentional horror, because there are a few guards still wandering about the place, and they have a tendency to spring on you when you get comfortable (I wonder how this mission would play without any background music?). It creates a fair bit of atmosphere, but like I said, it feels unintentional. Difficulty-wise, it’s up there. The loot is often grouped together in chunks, and they tend to off the beaten path. The rather confusing layout of the manor itself doesn’t help with finding them, even on a second playthrough I still found myself getting lost. The main objective ends up being a clue hunt through the manor, which is a new idea and one stumpy does with skill, unless you don’t know what a “stoop” is, anyway. One objective requires you to track down the official story of what happened to Lord Dufford, and requires you to find a very well-hidden notebook that you’re given no reason to believe exists. It ends up falling on the tedious side of the scale at times. And yet, I found myself enjoying it. It’s certainly different, and there’s an undercurrent of dark humor underlying the whole thing, like the creator has his tongue in cheek. The backstory is honestly semi-interesting as well, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the creator has tried his hand at coming up with a fantasy setting for a novel or tabletop RPG. The tedious bits annoy, but unlike Deceptive Shadows, it’s less of a constant battle. Recommended, but have patience.

I would, but I'm honestly not sure how.

Also, quick question before we move on here: How are the reviews so far? Am I being detailed enough, am I putting in too much detail, etc? Anything, by all means. (Also what the heck is up with the font all of a sudden.)

Alright then. Sneak and Destroy (by SeriousToni) was made as part of a contest for first-timers (which you guys should totally do again *end soapbox moment*), and is a pretty accomplished effort. The story is told in cutscene: Not-Garratt is tipped off by a mysterious woman that an assassin is after him and is staying in a nearby inn. Not-Garratt sets off to take care of the problem and make some fast cash on the way...once he figures out which inn the assassin is staying in. Difficulty-wise, it’s not bad. The highest difficulty restricts your knock-outs and fails you if you’re seen, but getting around the guards is mostly simple. There’s one outside the second inn that can be a pain to get around (especially when leaving) and the second inn is a bit cramped, but nothing that can’t be overcome. The loot goal is a tad high, but carefully searching will help, there wasn’t anything hidden in like some bizarre location. You also have a plentiful supply of water arrows, which helps. That being said, the guards here are the types of guards to notice when loot is missing, which is sort of a rarity in the missions I’ve played. There’s not much to say graphics-wise, other than that the creator does a good job in keeping the inns looking distinct. The main draw of this mission is the assassination. I admit, I like missions like these, and I’m not totally sure why. The set-up isn’t exactly Hitman level complex, but there is a bit of strategy involved in tracking down your target. It’s simple, but satisfying. That being said I would have liked a slightly more satisfying ending. All in all, this is a solid mission, especially when you consider that it was the author’s first. Recommended. Like I said in my last review, were at a milestone: This is, for now, the last of the single-author missions, creators who have only done one mission. Now, we can move on to the creators who have done multiple missions. Next up: stumpy.

Ahhh, alright. I was a little confused, both because it didn't seem like the sort of book that a priest would have, and because it seemed like an odd author tract. I didn't mention it in the review because I couldn't think of how to word it/fit it in.

Getting close to a milestone! In Remembrance of Him (by RPGista) is one of those experimental missions that tries to do something different within the confines of the ordinary mission. Some succeed, some fail, and this kinda….flops. The plot is simple: Not-Garrett is having some sweet quiet time with his lover when she kills the mood by bringing up her previous fiance. Not-Garrett ends up deciding to break into the man’s crypt and get the engagement ring back. This is all much more touching than I’m making it sound. The mission starts with you in an alley, an invisible wall behind you. If you’re like me, you'll want to explore, jump around, see what lurks. Before long, a guard comes around. He does not care about the invisible wall, he just runs in to kill you. This is the first taste you get of the odd design choices. In fairness, this is an atypical mission that tries to offer you more choice. There’s no loot goal, and the only restriction you have is not killing innocents. If you want to stealth your way through, you can. If you want to slaughter the resident gang, you can. If you want to play the stoic thief, only focused on the ring and not caring about the loot scattered around, you can. You do have choices, but choice that’s constantly made for you is banging your shin. You cannot see a dang thing in this level. There about two, three segments in near pitch darkness, making what should be, for example, a good bit of parkour into an exercise in tedium. An endgame bit becomes nothing more than you fumbling in the dark if you put out all the candles. This could all be fixed with a lantern, but for some reason you don’t have one, which is why I’m going off on this so much, the fix is so simple. It bugs me, because this is a good mission. It feels like you’re crawling around the backways of the city, the storytelling is good, and there’s even a nice shot of horror at the end, but the little things trip it up. Recommended, but with knowledge of the flaws. Also, what was with that book in the priest’s office?

Right as I finally get my review for version 1 up. How cruel.

Hm, I’m nowhere near done with my backlog. Volta and the Stone (by Kingsal) starts by changing your screen in The Dark Mod proper to some neat purple tower, so you know you’re getting effort here. A decently-voiced cutscene fills you in on the plot: Not-Garrett has been recruited to steal a valuable stone from the Volta estate, and surprise surprise, it’s at the top of a stupidly huge tower. Most of the mission is spent trying to make your way into the tower, so it’s not really a verticle mission, however. Difficulty-wise, it’s not overly hard. The guard placement is light, and the patrols are wide enough so that even that odd thief that doesn’t whack everyone and their mother over the head can slip through. The loot goal is also pretty reasonable, at the very least you shouldn’t have any trouble hitting it if you’re paying attention. The only part that I feel might trip people up is one of the switches. You’re told where it is, but there’s still a bit of pixel hunting to find it. To be honest though, it’s a very mild complaint. There’s also a rather annoyingly placed guard at the tower entrance who more or less have to run and pray around. Where this mission shines is in the layout. It *looks* different than most missions, with more of a red hue to everything. Even the guards have custom outfits, the whole thing almost makes me think of a house of cards. The mission is very non-linear, there are quite a few different ways through the mansion, if you’re willing to look up every now and then. Some people have compared this to canon missions, so I’ll take that as a good sign. The only real tripping point is the ending, which has a little puzzle elements and some good views, but still feels a tad bit anti-climactic, considering some of the foreshadowing throughout the mission. Oh well, this is supposed to be part 1 of a series, I’ve gathered, so we’ll see what the future holds. All in all, solid, creative mission. Recommended.

Now, back on target. The King of Diamonds (by Spooks) is the first city mission I’ve reviewed in a while, and it’s a good one. Not-Garratt is contacted by an acquaintance, King, who wants Not-Garratt to do something for him. After tracking down King’s accomplice, Not-Garrett learns that King made of with a valuable diamond...but was ratted out and is currently laying low, and he wants Not-Garrett to break into his former residence and get King’s stuff back. Graphics-wise, this mission is quite...purple. And blue. Very different from what one expects out of a city, and for that I’m glad. The city is more of a mix of back alleys and side streets, giving it a cramped, claustrophobic feel. However, it also has the result of making the mission a tad confusing to navigate, at least at first. You get two maps, and while they look nice, to be honest I didn’t find them much help. Difficulty-wise, it feels like the inverse of Sons of Barltona: The city itself is simple to navigate; there are very few guards on the streets, but the estate itself jacks the difficulty up. In Expert, at least, you can’t even knock anyone unconscious, the torches are dutifully relit, and there’s a fair bit of ducking around people who wander into every nook and crany. And getting out is a pain as well. Where this mission really shines are the side quests and stories you can find in your scrounging. The mission is similar to Lords and Legacy, in that there are a lot of mini-stories going on, though here they do tend to dovetail a bit more. It’s not pure horror, but there are a few creepy moments in the mission, which I’m loath to spoil. It’s quite good, and the atmosphere is well done, with understated sound (or lack thereof) to hammer in the creepiness. Although I do question how you can have neighbors who are separated by like solid blocks of house. Like I said, there are side quests aplenty here, ranging from simply dealing with a wannabe backstabber to a long and involved quest to take out a captain via….interesting means. It’s a very involved thing, and it’s easy to miss on a step or two if you don’t know what you’re doing. Still, it’s definitely one of the more creative objectives I’ve seen in The Dark Mod. Only gripe is that he died out of view of everyone when I played, so no mass panic. All in all, a good, creepy mission, with a fair amount to do. Recommended.

I finally beat this mission gah. The Rift (by Baddcog) was a mission made for a vertical contest mission, which the creator decided to take in a different direction, which I approve of. Not-Garratt is laying low in a hillside mining town and decides to make a few extra gold bits by stealing the jeweled scepter of a local lord. He barely takes two steps before an earthquake opens a huge rift, which demands exploring. This is a more undead focused mission, with exploration of ruins and tomb raiding. I think this is the first time I’ve reviewed one of these, or at least the first to have it as the major focus. I’m not sure if I like this type of mission; I admit that I prefer to creep around in an elegant mansion or vast city, exploring, finding secrets, and indulging my inner voyeur. But maybe I just haven’t played the right kind yet. Graphics-wise, it certainly pulls off making the rift seem vast and you feel very small, at least for to first half of the mission, after which it gets a tad more claustrophobic. It’s not pretty, but impressive enough, and it’s nice enough to make it clear where you’re supposed to go. Difficulty-wise, it’s actually pretty hard, or at least more difficult than expected. You don’t have a lot of equipment, and if you aren’t familiar with The Dark Mod’s combat system you’ll find yourself ducking around quite a lot. There are also a few places where I felt it was nigh-impossible to drop down without taking damage. One would think you could just use rope arrows, but this mission is oddly skimpy on them. It’s even possible to find yourself stranded at the end of the mission with no real place to go, due to the lack of rope arrows. Also, you have to personally make your way back up, and again, poor use of rope arrows can leave you stuck. Even the opening is a pain, you have three guards right out your window, and only perfect timing will get you to street level without getting seen. I admit, I’m biased: I took waaaay too long to beat this mission, and I’m still a tad bitter. But being fair, this is a solid mission, just not part of a subset I like, and with a few kinks to be ironed out here and there. Recommended. P.S. If anyone knows how to get into the church, do say.

Since he just released a new mission, he gets dibs. Full Moon Fever (by Spoonman) is another Victorian burglary simulator...with a twist. A certain lord has been doing renovation on his mansion, and rumors are spreading that he’s found incredible treasure. Rumored, because he isn’t talking, due to suddenly vanishing, leaving his house more or less abandoned besides the guards. A thief sent in to case the joint has confirmed that the family will be arriving soon to take possession, meaning that Not-Garratt has to make his move. The first thing about this mission that strikes is how big it is. Maybe I’m just easily impressed, but this is a very last mission, with a mansion that feels like a mansion. There’s lots to explore, and guards lurk around every corner. You’re granted maps of the place, you’ll need them. I won’t say it’s a *hard* mission, certainly it would take time to make your way through it, but once you get a handle on the layout, I think it goes smoothly. “Methodical” is the best word I can think of. It’s a tense half hour or so, but once you get a few people knocked out and get your bearings, it becomes much more satisfying. Loot-wise, it’s pretty simple. The highest loot goal is high, but there’s plenty to be found. I admit, when I first played the mission, I fell short, but my second playthrough got me plenty, so make of that what you will. Like I said, this mission has a tweeeeeest, and it’s well-done. I don’t want to give away the nature of it, but rest assured, when you realize what a literally bloody mess you’ve walked into, much panicked uttering and desperate running towards your goal will ensue (for me, anyway.) I don’t want to say anymore, it’s best saved. My main gripe with this mission is that it feels a tad too long. Needless to say, there’s terror and horror beneath the house, but maneuvering through it feels like a little bit too much mission. I know that this is probably just a personal thing, but considering how much there is to this mission in the first place, the final sequence feels slightly anticlimactic. I also have to question the story itself, but since there are spoilers involved, I’ll just say that I’m not totally sure how the lord’s actions were actually supposed to help. That bedroom won’t stay closed forever, after all. All in all, a very solid and creepy mission, and I’m honestly a little disappointed that I’m having a hard time wording why I liked it so much.. Recommended, and I hope that I can get to The Ravine within the next twenty years.

I'm not sure if this is the right thread (and if it isn't I apologize) but which version of this do I download? x64 or 32-bit? I'm assuming there's a difference here, I just don't know what it is.