Melchior
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Posts posted by Melchior
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Neat idea for Complex/Difficult mission debreifing screen / end-of-campaign final screen:
- An "Accomplishments" list / display for mapper defined ...
- 'Attained' "Whatevers" ( Awards / Difficult-deeds / Medals / Special-finds / Certificates / ect...)
Each would / could have a textual description, icon or image added to a post-play final-screen (all customizable).
Controlled thru map-script & campaign state flags, so there could be different sets per playthru - or any combination of factors.
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On 11/10/2024 at 5:35 AM, chakkman said:
The problem I always saw with any kind of campaign is the lack of uniformity.
Let's say that someone say that this is THE TDM campaign. I beg to differ...
Why I put a big IN MY HUMBLE OPINION; preface
. TDM being a (mainly) a game engine for playing FMs - cannot ever really have an official campaign. This is fine, many gaming-systems work like this; such as classics like AD&D for example. There COULD be a "In-the-box" included campaign - even a short 3 mission mini-campaign (trying for an 'ideal' or best-examples of what TDM is trying to be...). The FM author may diverge from the 'standard' as artistic intent requires.
The other 'problem' around split FMs, is...Having played the original Voltas - years ago I've forgotten exactly what happened in the previous 2...now to replay so the storyline makes sense again (if it ever did?). A campaign keeps the "progression" fresh - and mabey allows for mission to mission interaction. (Theoretical, but I think TDM can do it
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What a wonderful, fun and visually striking map!
It has a BUNCH of 1st's for TDM:
SpoilerWorking water closets...for instance.
And a neat mechanical parlour target shooting game with working score system and prizes!
I hope there are 7 more Voltas' in the works. IMHO: it IS the TDM campaign.
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The last part of this fragmented review ( 3/3 ); Ol' Zach got itchy itchy fingers - but could not take the heat in the kitchen.
If you thought the previous parts were EASY; play as the thief!
You are trapped in a enclosed space - with MANY wandering (hostile) NPCs, luckily the guards are quite disorganized - even a random walk supplies trouble soon enough, even for the most ghostly shadows...Even quick-save spam won't save you always, keep sets of saves when you really need to back-out of a unwinnable spot. Its truely the nature of this map, by design - and would be worse with smarter, better communicating AIs.
...I've NEVER had to 'bail' on a mission before. A first. Worthy challenge to those veteran taffers who've seen/done/looted much. Rating: Play it, if you DARE.
SpoilerI wonder - it would have been neat to have a 2nd 'thief', say stuck in a crate you could release - and later when they are caught; have the crew/passengers calm down...yes, a very complex script routine to write; just an idea...any kind of distraction to the hornets swarm would have been a boon.
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mechanical fire-alarm:
True - it probably itself needs to be IN-flame to work...
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Onwards, with the deranged Mr.Peabody... part ⅔:
Once you are 'familiar' with the layout of the airship, mission execution is just a matter of planning...Or once you know the tricks - its easy to cause mayhem. Too easy, infact - the real trick isn't to go berzerk and make a bigger mess than even a ruthless pagan warrior can handle.
SpoilerOnce the arms are acquired - you can either visit the engineering bay to pull fuses, or just start clubbing bridge officers wandering around aimlessly...(no need for ME to bloody my hands - gravity does the dirty 'work'
). Seems the lantern search patrol isn't quite able to deal with an actual sabotuer. Surprised there isn't an engineer's mate - or other 'greasehand' to do "joe" jobs like replacing a fuse. Having ONLY 1 ENGINEER IS FATAL TO A SHIPS OPERATIONAL SAFETY! that airship co. is SO going out of buisness!!
Guards don't "check in" - either so after you've tossed a few overboard - life is easy, but short for some. I did find it odd the 'Helmsman' left his post on-duty...oh well.Thoughts on the Airship ("defects") itself:
Spoiler- Lack of Intercom Voice (speaking) Tube system: MAJOR DESIGN FLAW.
- Lack of Fire-Alarm System: CRITICAL DESIGN FLAW.
- No Indicator system on Flight-critical systems: Fault Alarms on Hydrogen-generator, Steam-Turbine(s), and Electrical buss. [Would be visible on engineers post in bridge] MODERATE FLAW.
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Engine bay has no access controls (numeric padlock, or guard-station) MINOR FLAW.
In general most ships have a dedicated "Engine Control" room - usually with monitor equipment and a Engineering-officer plus technicians on standby.
General thoughts one TDM (engine) features that are now needed / apparent:
- Guard patrol end/start loop "check-ins": accomplished however - verbal ack. from a guard captain, or the 'Punch-Clock' system (yeah actual time-sheets, I bet they have metrics to meet in 1760 still)
- Remote 'alert' system; possibly Intercom - to alert non-local NPC's that somethings amiss elsewhere...
- The information Aggregator entity (NPC?); to whom all these bits of status/events go - and who reacts upon them...somehow. [Sending patrols? altering map-state, making other envrionmental changes? ]
- Also; proper support for NO-BOW player starts. Meaning: until you get a bow - any arrows CANNOT BE USED. And - I guess any "Taffer" with a bow visible - even with a fine silk smoking jacket on, would be considered a hostile villian. [Could be implimented as a 'Anti-Bow' object in inventory that is 'removed' when a "bow" is obtained.]
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To be honest... I've only played ⅓ of this FM. Steampunk to the hilt - an Airship (not the only one, but the best so far).
After walking a few miles in Mr.Mortimer's shoes, I think that kind of specialist, has it 'easy'.
Or is the luckiest assasin alive;
SpoilerI was planning on a BRUTE-FORCE search of every cabin expecting a clue-hunt for the wandering spy...found 'er on the 1st stop. Stupid Lucky.
ALSO, WHO KEEPS WEAPONS ON RACKS ANYONE CAN STEAL FROM?!?!
That guard captain needs to be FIRED. Armarments should be in a locked locker or chest at least.If the locations / people / things are randomized (and they appear to be a little); it has the highest replayability of any single FM so far. (and its NOT a huge maze-like map...infact it has ingame floor-plan posters on some walls)
Also, it should be noted; The TENSION-O-METER, works PER-ROOM. (not quite obvious to me until had played a bit more) -Very excellent idea, and works well for this map.
There are some HILARIOUS (limitations) TDM's assets make for such an exotic local as the passenger gondola of an airship. Also the thunder claps seem to cut right thru the (quite thin) walls, seems overly loud [I personally don't like it]. Mis-using Inventor scientists as pilots/technicians must be VERY wage invensive, and broadsword armed guards - mabey they could have a baton or a club instead, seems overkill for unarmed passenger security.
A few AI bugs cause NPC's to spin-in-place when blocked by annother AI... Guards/Crew are very twitchy about nefarious passengers sneaking into forbidden areas; mabey VERY explicit signs / wall-paint or "crew-only" decor features let the player know they are in ; less fancy fittings or plain-metal walls / no decor.
Trying to replicate: > THIS < in TDM and getting anywhere close is an accomplishment. Good Job
My Rating: PLAY IT NOW. (Unless you are already playing Volta 3...) -
On 7/4/2024 at 4:51 PM, wesp5 said:
As has been said, this could be some kind of magic like the fire arrows :)!
As with any advanced High-Technology; its 'magic' to a illiterate primitive / simple-folk.... to everyone else its probably the usual unstable chemical concentrates.
Speaking of which; my new Photostat enthusiast, has slipped annother silver-colloid plate into my collection.
...will have to send 'em a'nother box of the nice imported hootch, and silver dubloons.
This, just confirms my suspicions - this was from an earlier page; a 'sound' trigger alarm. Going to have to invest in silk slipper futures mayhaps?-
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For once, the provenance of acquired Intel is known... this photostat - is a copy of a prominant Guildsman's work-journal ~ so may or may NOT represent reality; but a possiblity?
I got it cheaply too; a box of fire-wine and some silver...was it worth it? What are ...Iron Sentinels... and they "Listen" too? I dislike these new concepts, and the Guild has enough apparatus to secure things as it is!
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A Fantastic feast served up, just a little more RAW than you expected.
Still, while I thought about calling the waiter to send it back - I didn't, and it was still a meal fit for a prince.(Yeah: I played 99% of the Version 1.0, now outdated and Bugtastic...)
Thoughts;
- Links up with the 1st 2 FM parts - while still being self-contained, would be an awsome Mini-FM campaign if there was some small inter-connector maps.
- Fantasic *new* setting! Everything is so clean & amazing archecture to behold...
- Great use of the new lock & bolt assets.
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Somehow, even on V1.0 - everything WORKED. (All objectives so far - completable, and other things too)
Flaws & Defects;
- existing Moore NPC Voices; These don't match the setting _AT ALL_ Big immersion breaker!
- The map has holes like swiss cheese, also zillions of tiny errors on brushes (offsets, mis-aligned, 1 pixel slice gaps) - mabey fixed in later updates...
- I'm going to complain about the lamps still; (Not mappers fault, they have to work with TDM's limited bits) - mabey more "oriental" / "persian" / "morrocan" style?
My Rating:
Play. Now..? Mabey wait? (or not?) YMMV.
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A great addition...
Spoiler(Totally not because T.B.P. had them?)
...while those all seem to fit great for utilitarian/industrial/fortress settings - what about quaint manor homes and/or stone-castles, as well as rustic scenes? (examples included)
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So far ... (and I'm not that far in); it is MOST EXCELLENT. Yes. the textures look very dated, YES Chunky map Polygons, YES original (er updated) Thief engine is creaky....One of the best T1G campaigns in YEARS.
These are Expert-ONLY maps; and they do give the Master Taffers a real test of their skills.
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Even _I_ missed the Punched Tin Lantern(s) ; apparently quite common & inexpensive 'back in the day'...seems a match for TDM.
(Too bad I don't know Blender & texturing tools, and/or DarkRadiant enough to make one of those...TODO?)
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Seems like something that could be replicated with a script - player enters AI sight-line / semi-hostile zone, AI. grumbles...a timer starts; if they linger longer than '20 seconds' A.I. Barks with "OUT NOW, TAFFER!" type yell, and the AI alignment configuration changes to hostile. On player exiting sight-line / zone, A.I grumbles again - "and stay out!" (unless they became hostile - does nothing then).
Changing types from INT to FLOAT would probably break all existing maps, and piles of engine-C code; seems unlikely any Dev would do that.
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Also, everyone forgets about the Pagans/Wildlings; they'd need primitive lights (candles being mass-produced & 'modern') -
17th~18th century Scottish Highland seems like a close technological match...
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Exactly, just need some 'economy' / 'industrial' / 'utilitarian' type (indoor) wall oil lamp. Perhaps different texture options ; shiny/new and worn/corroded (broken glass optional?). Also a zillion 'dead-flame' type lanterns out there too have wall-mount & handles...
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Yes, I left it a little ambiguous as to what I meant; in that Both there is 1 particular model over-used AND that there are more lamp/lantern options available now. (more and some form of Modular-lamp would be neater)
On 11/16/2023 at 6:24 PM, chakkman said:I like the last two of those (bottom right). Especially the second last. Would work nicely in TDM, IMO.
I think that is a 'Naval / Marine' "Den Haan Holland" brand lamp; for yacht use...and apparently STILL-MADE (today). [or its not and its a 'Tung Woo' from the late 19th century, Marine/Ship wall-lamp...its hard to tell them apart]
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There is exactly one - quite overused Wall mounted Oil lamp (in bronze and Rusty bronze oooh). Its an indoor lamp fixture, used outdoors and as its a 'fancy' design - often in areas of lower-economic means too. It just looks 'wrong' in many outdoor places.
While I'd believe there is a Guild / Utility monopoly that mandates all same-age electric lamp fixtures to be exactly the 'same'...Mass-produced metal things can be hammered out by any Half-Ape Tinsmith with Metal-Shears and a Hammer, 3 an hour.
Just look at these random examples;
These are a mixed assortment of 'Whale' Oil , Coal-Oil & Kerosene; Lanterns. They work mostly how you'd expect - except the outdoor models ARE weather-proof, meaning the glass doors need to be open to be affected by water arrows / snuffed-out...
Also this; a Gimbal equipped Oil-lamp, could present quite the challenge as even IF it gets knocked over / tips - it stays burning!
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I may visit, but insight appears when it wants to.
Also; found a neat blog post about Lanterns too: KEROPUNK (blog link)
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This sounds like something that could be scripted into (more) Tutorial missions / maps...
..or perhaps some more 'Advanced' Training maps that show off 'Master' level taffer tricks?
- How to deal with Undead (Holy Water, Mines, Fire-arrows, ect...)
- Sneaky tricks (Trapping guards in locked rooms, mis-uses of heavy crates)
- Spider Hunting 101 (Best sword Stabbin' angles, Use of Arrows on Arachnid weak-points)
- Distracting troublesome Mercs (Noise makers, regular arrows, thrown stuff..throwing even)
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That's basically how Infrared vision WORKS - the candles / lamps / Arc-lamp / Gas-lanterns all emit LOTS of infrared light & heat...them Morlocks are blinded by these unnaturally bright 'light' sources just the same as if you look at the sun... it could make it interesting if the light is strongly DIRECTIONAL , being a projector lantern after all - your rear isn't 'defended' by light-rays.
Actually having a skittish monster that wants to wallop the player YET, is very reluctant to engage from the front seems like a VERY Theif'esq universe thing...having them constantly run back or seek cover.
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Could a special Monster-AI be added (or modified from an existing one); that are Photo-phobic? a 'Morlok' type creature that has great physical strength and aggression - but is totally blinded by even moderately bright light sources (oil lantern / carbide lamp? ect...) and forced to flee ( actually around corners / to dark spots).
Would be far more interesting than watching slow moving zombies lumber towards the player...as usual.
Sure the lantern is a neat prop - but what use is a screwdriver with no screws to turn?
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Burgle the domicile of some forgotten former-lord they said, it'll be easy and lucrative they said...
I should have stopped listening there, but the sound of easy currency is hard to ignore...
A single nights quick-job, no setup, no weeks of planning or acquiring equipment - a cake walk.
SpoilerBut why did I have to forget to carry a vial of anointed water...oh welp.
Mabey you should take a look too - if you dare; no scaredy cats here tho' things...lurk...as always in the dark corners. If you have nothing better to do...enter the home of deLisle.
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Paxton's Crystal Palace; not only because its the zenith of 19th century industrial architecture; but it would push the TDM engine AND map-maker to the limits to even attempt it.
(Perhaps a cut-down section is only seen from inside/outside is more practical?)
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Random Article of the Day...
in Off-Topic
Posted
What TDM Needs: EVEN MOAR LANTERNS!
^ I note, every existing map with a mine hasn't ever had 'dampf' concepts - of any kind; would make a interesting challenge...