[Fan Mission: Quinn Co. Part 1 - La Banque Bienveillante (Remake) by Airship Ballet]

I remember playing the original missions years ago, so going into this I expected only a bit of visual polish and gameplay fixes. What I got instead is a brilliant little mission that might be small compared to the many gargantuan sized missions released recently, but it more than makes up for it in its visual and audio qualities. The high level of polish and attention to detail really sell this mission to me.

Visually it's a real treat, I love what you did with the lights and shadows, and the corridors and rooms feel lived in and with many personal touches to show the establishment is on its last legs. Listening to the storm in the background was pretty relaxing as well and I couldn't get enough of the lightning as it booms and lights up the room. Top notch atmosphere.

I'm also a big fan of various little side jobs the player can do aside from the mail goal, so that's a big plus too.

Thank you for the FM and good luck with the campaign!

[Fan Mission: Noble Affairs by Goldwell 2022/02/22 [TDM 2.10 Required]]

Goldwell is known for quality content and this mission is no exception. I always find his maps to be visually stunning and polished, with plenty of little detail and visual storytelling. By that I mean there is something to find in every corner and it's not necessarily loot; little things and touches that tell stories of their own, not related to the overall plot but fleshing out the map and its inhabitants nevertheless. The background story about the fake jewels and the two guys plotting each other's demise was great.

Starting with one hell of an intro sequence and playing a lady thief this time around, we set off to rob a noble. Goldwell being Goldwell, the mission offers much more content than the main goal, with secrets to discover, side missions to complete, and shops to plunder. Observant players who like to collect everything that can be stolen will have their work cut out for them.

I was impressed by the custom voice acting and the effort that likely went into creating the first female thief protagonist in TDM. I don't necessarily have a preference over what sort of thief I play, as it rarely makes any difference from gameplay perspective, but it always rubs me the right way when the protagonist is fleshed out. My only criticism - if you can call it that - is that some gasps of the protag are a tad too loud, which I noticed when swimming around in the first area.

[A House Call by thebigh (Mar 10 2022)]

I'd rank this as your best mission yet. A large mansion to explore, some secrets to find, pretty solid stealth, and the story is particularly enjoyable because our thief has a family member to save and isn't motivated purely by greed. Props for that. Am I right to assume the protagonist of this mission is the retired thief whose apartment we rob in Down and Out on Newford Road? If so - nice way of interconnecting your missions, I really like that.

The difficulty was about right - enough guards to fill the mansion and make the place look tightly guarded. Being able to turn off the generator and plunge half the map into darkness was a great addition, plus the moonlight shining on the floor in the main hall looked gorgeous. This sort of interactivity is always appreciated.

Spoiler

Once I learned Cordling's secret, it got me thinking. When it comes to incredibly rich and influential people, I don't have much trust in the justice system. For a powerful snake like Dr.Cordling it'd be all too easy to call in a favor with some of the nobles, get the best lawyer in Bridgeport, bribe the court, call the evidence fake, etc. I think I'd have liked to be given a choice between delivering the doctor to justice and hoping for the best or killing him on the spot.

 

[Written in Stone [2022/01/28]]

Another great addition to TDM. The names behind this one kinda gave away it was going to be a treat.

As far as level design goes, this one's up there among some of my personal favorites. The snowy city ambience followed up by decaying underground libraries and crumbling halls was right up my alley. The first half is a tried and tested recipe for success - you can almost feel the cold as you explore the rather sizable portion of the city and break into various shops and apartments to take anything you fancy. It looks good, plays good, with plenty of verticality and some new mechanics thrown in. Speaking of which, I think the spectacles in particular really spice up what would have been a great mission even without them. 

The second half of the map is no less impressive and shows just how good the authors are at crafting interiors. For people like me who adore exploring forgotten places it is a true feast to the eyes. Pretty creepy too. You really nailed the 'ancient, crumbling' look. After knocking out and exterminating the inhabitants, I took my time to explore the whole place and adore the grand libraries.

Spoiler

The liches showing various states of decomposition was a really nice touch, great attention to detail right there. I also really enjoyed using the spectacles to look for secrets and pickpocketing the swallowed key.

 

[Looking for a Fan Mission [SPOILERS]]

Sir Talbot's Collateral?

[Down and Out on Newford Road by thebigh (Jan 26 2022), Christmas Connections contest entry]

I'm afraid I'm also having the overly sensitive guard issue. I tried setting "inaudible" and "invisible" in the console, which made the guards blind and deaf to my presence. They still go aggro and come running with weapons drawn when the window is removed.

[Fan Mission: Iris by WellingtonCrab [TDM 2.10 Required] (2022/02/13)]

I had some catching up to do but figured I'd give this one a try, thinking it would be a small, short map. An appetizer before going through larger missions. I start the mission, leave the apartment, and immediately know this one is going to be special. 7 hours later, the mission completion screen greets me and I feel a bit sad the ride is over. This FM is that good.

I'm a huge sucker for tight alleyways and verticality so I was instantly hooked. The district is huge, with many paths to take, places to rob, and even more secrets to discover. It's really well made and feels like a real place. Speaking of which, informing the player where he is and whether the place is hostile or not when entering a new area was a neat addition. It really helped a ton and prevented me from getting hopelessly lost. Going about the streets without the need to hide was a pleasant change of pace and gave me a chance to admire the architecture.

The ambiance and lighting further highlight the creativity that went into this. To me it seems like a passion project, there is so much care and attention to detail! Colour me surprised. Going into this and seeing it was the author's first mission, I expected an okay mission, not a masterpiece that instantly made it among my top 5 all time favourite TDM missions. Another surprise was the performance. Dunno what sort of magic you did but it runs great in all areas. 

Spoiler

Got a bit over 13k loot and I think I may have found all the mementos. The sky turned red and there was no rest for me anymore. I did what had to be done. What a way to end the mission.

A huge thank you to @Wellingtoncrab and all others involved in the map's creation, you have made a piece of art.

[Fan Mission : Hazard Pay by Kingsal 01/27/22]

This was great. Really tense and atmospheric, with neat visuals and expertly crafted environments to stealth through. I'm usually not the biggest fan of zombie missions but this one easily made it among my favorite maps of all time. The ability to sneakily snipe the undead from afar really helped and also provided a sweet change of playstyle from most fan missions. Nice to finally put the bow and arrows to good use!

Although a save-scummer, I played it on hard for the extra challenge that comes with limited saves. Imo you made it work. This forced me out of my comfort zone and made me use the resources at my disposal, thus giving me a very different experience from my usual runs. It had this survival horror feel not often present in TDM. Coupled with many secrets and hidden loot to discover, this mission is a unique gem for me.

 

Spoiler

Loved the option to kill Gordiff and take the code by force without failing the mission. Nice attention to detail!

 

[Fan Mission: Blackgrove Manor by ddaazzaa (2021/03/14)]

Amazing little mission thick with atmosphere, thank you. Loved the visuals, sound design, layout. Pretty good scares, too. The chapel one got me good.

 

Spoiler

The corpse legit creeped me out when I returned to the main hall and found it missing, then it turned out to be a normal zombie. I was kinda hoping for it to remain dead and 'teleport' around the house as you complete various objectives. Just to add to the feeling of something evil stalking you and having you know it follows your every step. 

 

[Weird Shit goin' down in Haiti]

Oh, another 'Kurshok had a thought' thread.

Let me ask you this: why did you pick this forum of all places as your favourite site to talk politics? This is a gaming forum about a niche genre. What does Haiti's president have to do with anything related to Thief/TDM/gaming?!

Why don't you find a political forum and discuss these things there? Why don't you discuss it in the comments of some news articles where you'd likely find many people willing to talk about it? Nobody here cares.