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fllood

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Posts posted by fllood

  1. Tonight I check the boost and visuals with a demanding FM like Baddcogs 'Rift' which had been barely possible to play on my system at the temple as for very low fps.

     

    Results for 'The Rift' aren't as well as they are with 'Too Late':

     

    In the street area fps were boosted ~ 10-20%. Water particles seam ok. Sky is ok. Any lights with dynamic brightness which pulse for ambient (like from some lantern and windows) much noticeable do more abruptly. On areas with fps bottle-necks like at the temple fps were not observably increased, but movement got sloppy as NH mentioned and shadows cast from torches looked less fluid.

     

    It seam that the interleave performance add do decrease the lower a fps in a map is. At the same time visual and gameplay issues seam to become more likely. 'Too Late' is a small FM with high fps. That would explain the absence of distinguishable problems in that test. Too bad - the fps bottlenecks is where a boost really would have been awesome on low-end machines.

  2. So your movement wasn't choppy at all?

    Movement was fine. No problems.

    Also no visual issues on skybox, flames, lightgem, etcetera. ...

    my specs: Win XP SP3, AMD 4200+ Dual-Core, 2 GB RAM, Nvdia 8800 GT, driver built 178.28.

    Antialiasing Off, Vsync Off, all other advanced grafic enhancements enabled.

     

    The absence of issues so far may because 'Too Late' is an undemanding map that already had a good average ~40 fps without the interleave set to 5. Tonight I check the boost and visuals with a demanding FM like Baddcogs 'Rift' which had been barely possible to play on my system at the temple as for very low fps.

  3. Briefly tested 'Too Late' on my rather low-mid range PC with lightgem interleave set to 5.

    Extinguished a few torches and some bonfire, did a swim (doubleVision disabled) and a quicktaff through the little mission. I only had the time for a very quick test so far but didn't noticed striking flicker at first glance. With much increased nervous fps display amplitude the map has a much significant fps gain on my machine of about 20-40% (depending on the area). Really Amazing !!

  4. Ahh 2011 started really well playing Lockdown of difficult :) ...

     

    I felt the dense architecture is what really make this FM so well! And the need to do much exploring and a lot of vertical break and enter action. Really a lot of fun. All combined it felt similiar as some well done T1 FM in a very good nostalgic way.

     

    Detailed thoughts:

     

     

    Even with some existing AI shotcomings and bugs I rated Gameplay excellent. For me this FM is immersing, has a very well flow and most important to gameplay: simply was much fun. I'm also very pro to the challenge you gave with the dense patrolled areas. But if you like to force ghosting as an objective please do so only on difficult. Also some hint to find about the area of M.'s hideout would have been good. With this and some more polishing - specially the AI and text issues mentioned in former posts - I would have rated gameplay near perfect.

     

    Appearance had been excellent. The compact and cramped architecture give a atmo that real old medieval European cities do have. Great archivement!. Also I welcome the varity you have used in different areas and rooms. I alsolutly loved the visuals of the small builders crypt. Special Kudus for the idea and realisation of the zombie in the water grave. fantastic!

     

    I rated Story very good for two reasons. While the mission story hook is a promising idea I never really feld being lockdowned. I don't know how this could have been archived - if at all. I expected some feel being stuck in a part of the city where the guards are really alert. that would be to hard for gameplay of course. but anyway I missed some tension really feeling lockdowned and in the urge to fucking leave that place. Also I agree with everything Ishtvan said about the M objective. Said that I do like the plot and grafic storytelling very much. well done GDG.

     

     

    Thanks for that fine Mission everyone involved!

     

    Would love to see part 2 realised GameDevGoro ...

  5. This is a huge update. :)

     

    Thank you for the dedication which result in all these new features and bugfixes. It's a huge step forward and an enormous work TDM folk !!

     

     

    Some findings and questions after updating:

     

    I started with 'Too late' and 'Knighton Manor' for checking all the new goodies which Santa TDM brought us Taffers. I've both re-downloaded them from the new game menu to have the latest versions.

     

    1) IIRC there had been a SFX along with mantling in 1.02? Anyone else not getting that sound or is my memory wrong?

     

    2) In 'Too late' jumping doesn't make any sound any longer. I do not have that issue in 'Knighton Manor'. So this may FM specific.

     

    3) I can confirm the ambient sound bug. Whenever I save the game the ambient sound increase in loudness level and thereafter is not changeable regardless of any action to the slider.

     

    4) I do experience a strange effect like sitting in a "fishglass". That means the textures are only proportional as expected in the middle but look slightly streched and disproportional to the sides of the screen. Anyone else having that effect? That effect is regadless of chosen resolution or any advanced grafic setting.

     

    5) Swimming in water in 'Too Late' with HDR enabled (Bloom off) will drop FPS from a good 50 down to 8-10 regardless of the setup of any of the other advanced grafic options. Please can anyone tell me if that is unusal or the expected performance drop for diving under water?

     

     

    ... don't know if these things are specific to 1.03, the tested FM's or my system.

     

    After seeing these issues I deleted my old installation and did setup a new vanilla one to really ensure having only the latest files. Having same effects.

     

    My Specs: Win XP SP3, AMD X2 4200+, 2 GB RAM, Geforce 8800 GT driver version 178.28, usually playing 1920x1200

     

    Thanks for your help.

  6. I think fragmented player notes are a good idea to help some people Fidcal!

     

    Like some other people I also would like to see them only included on Easy and excluded from Normal and Hard. Even with the arguments you said. And I wouldn't like to have to ignore them in the inventory (immersion!) or to fissle with config files to switch back an forth any settings for that.

     

    ... also please guys be very careful with things like adding an extra hint page at the end of normal readables!

     

    Any solution that do not feel part of the gameworld do break immersion. :(

     

    ... of what is after all an action game. Stopping the action and reading what is often poorly written irrelevant fiction is a distraction at best.

    Really ?? ...even there are of course bad FM's in that aspect overall I disagree. There are lots of Thief FM's that did fascinate and suck me into the story and gameworld via excellent readables :unsure:. I see Thief more like an adventure-stealth game with it's (slow) pace, it's exploration and some challenge of thinking at times in contrast to action-stealth games like for example Splinter Cell ecetera.

    Therefore I like everything that adds to story, atmosphere, tension and thinking. and don't like anything that take away from that (like TDS did).

  7. But what would be good is a separate sack of inventory in which you can effectively drop what you deem to be superfluous without the totally-GoddamnitIgottaGoGetThatBack! -risk that may occur.

    Yes, indeed that would be a very helpful feature.

     

    Instead of sticking to categories what about thinking of an optional setting so that items assigend to hotkeys do not show while mouse-wheeling but only items not assigned to a hotkey. these are usually of the category keys, readables and usable objects, ecetera... Such a broader classification would smallen the item list for inventory cycling considerable as well. and without the laborious need of using a hotkey every time you like to change category first.

  8. But most importantly:

    The main page screenshots should be updated too when we start post more frequent news there. Atm there are more alluring screenies in moddb than on our main page. The main page is The Face and Facade of TDM, not moddb, right?

    That's also my point of view as regards to spark interest with screenies and other info goodies.

    (not speaking about trolls) a forum deepen an experience seeing and sharing people's thoughts (among other things) ... It rarely draw in new people not hooked before.

     

    The question isn't distinct as ocn said: so... not necessarily if you speak about TDM shots for promotion Noisycricket. Also no for released FM's moments. I think these are more easy to find in the belonging FM thread. but of course yeah if it's about off-topic chatter for of any other screenies. :)

  9. Yeah, NIN were progressive when Quake was released, but they´re not considered progressive yet. Like almost every "progressive" band, they work on their style until it gets obsolete. :laugh:

    That's why they called it a day and started a new band: "How to destroy angels". You can legally download the whole album like you did with the latest NIN stuff. It's worth a listen if you're are into the experimental electronic NIN compositions.

     

    Back in eighties/nineties, i was immersed into progressive music, but i considered Skinny Puppy to be most progressive of all electronica.

    They "invented" their EBM at early nineties, long before NIN, only Depeche Mode was there at the time...

    eh eh .... Trickster, what about bands the time before like Throbbing Gristle, Einstürzenden Neubauten, Kraftwerk, Cabaret Voltaire, DAF etc. which had been a huge inspiration to said bands? ...

    But I agree Mode and Skinny had been very innovative in the 80's and much more influential to the recent electronic underground music. And Skinny Puppy's live show is still not for the musically faint of heart. :laugh:

     

    ... but now i am mostly into world music anyways... so my recommendations goes to Hedningarna (swedish electro/folk)

    ... it is a step further the woodsie path of traditional nordish folk, but if you like pagan folk music I recommand to check the tunes of Wardruna.

     

    If your question had been about art rock STiFU you might like to have a listen into Archive. Check

    or
    for a start.

     

    But let me be heretic:

    How do you define "progressive" these days ??

    Is there anything that hasn't been done in music before ? ;)

     

    Nice to see some good taste on this board....

  10. RSS feed (because it was all the rage 3 years ago, a facebook button, a facebook page, a twitter account, a link to dig/redit/slashdot/jumble upon/Ishitwhatever, and so on.

    ... because folks have lots of different preferences how they like to get informed. And even while I think there is too much buzz about mentioned sites and services some of these are quiet helpful keeping you up to date and saving time. I personally would love to see any Dark Mod news pop up in my facebook news as soon as added.

     

    Reality is: People increasingly prefer to get informed and less and less do search for information updates themself. Thus the more popular social media channels TDM do support the better !!

    ... and another good reason to go for a CMS system. for to connect to any social service you may setup for TDM sooner or later all you have to do is adding a few lines to a form like in this example for Textpattern. :)

  11. Thanks for the kind words fllood

    ... well deserved nbohr! :)

     

    Speaking of updates to the website, I'd like to update the screenshot section

    That's cool Springheel!

     

    I think it's not so very much about what get posted but that things get posted. To have regular timestamps on the news page.

     

    We rely a little too much on people visiting the forums.

    That's true. People usually venture to a forum when they get stuck in a mission, search for help or do love a game, project or mission map. But that's all after they have been attracted ... it's not the best place for starting people get interested or general infos. that is the welcome or news page. for it has the most visitor traffic (usually).

     

    A more complex but easy-to-use newssystem for the TDM frontpage would be great. ... it's all manual editing of the frontpage

    Suggestion:

     

    How about incorporating a Blog system into the news site where team and selected contributors have access to post and edit ??

     

    ... that could help to allocate postings and maintenance from the webadmin to many hands like Wiki's do. and making hardcoding dispensable. no web-coding knowledge is needed to feed a blog.

     

    There could be news categories like "TDM development", "Fanmissions" and "Editing

    Tagging is the magic CMS blog systems do offer as well :)

  12. Let me say Thanks for another interesting Q&A's @ moddb nbor1more. And thanks Jesps!

    cool read like the takies with Sotha, Bikderdude and Grayman before!

     

    Wouldn't it be a shame if these spotlights go unnoticed ??

    Afaik really few Thief fans frequent Moddb regularly...

     

    I've read a few posts where some of you people taking ideas how more taffers could be attracted to TDM. User behaviour statistics of web apps (where/when do people exit websites) are very definite that the start page of a site is most critical to get people new to a site hooked or lost. So ... in my case when I returned to Thief lately and headed to the TDM site to see how the work on this ambitious mod did advanced I felt the same ungoliant and Sotha wrote in this topic: Only a few updates over a lengthly period of time did welcome my curiosity. This gave me the first impression of a mod falling asleep... yes, I know. there a lot of missions to tell otherwise. point is: one new to the TDM can't see that right away. To my surprise with all this terrific progressional work all you people put into TDM and missions that first impression is of course totally wrong. (Huge respect' to your work so far folks and really thanks for that!!)

     

    Put simply, I'm positive that updating the TDM front page with frequent features like nbor's fine interviews, more continuous updates of released mission directly on the news page (alongside mission site and 1.03 download service) and any sneak preview what spells the team is casting into upcoming updates will do much impact for getting interest and attraction. More than dozens of posts and arguments on forums, moddb or elsewhere. These won't do much without having a living and breathing news site imo. ...

     

    So how about starting with putting a link on the Dark Mod news page to these interviews ?

  13. Hi there!

     

    long time Taffer (T1/T2 FMs), new to TDM ...

     

    ... started with trying a couple of the smaller missions lately. So far most of them have been nice short looting fun and good to get myself familiar with TDM. However this mission now gave me 'real' Thief atmosphere. It's great to see that dark mod and mappers are able to archive that!!

     

    Things particularly well done in Flakebridge Monastery:

     

     

     

    * the use of undead and a big fat spider! - ok, okay ,-) ... that's just personal preference!

    * size of map and non-linearity

    * dimensions and sizes of rooms and architecture (felt often wrong in TDM missions I've played so far)

    * good use of stakes (always welcome)

    * the use of ambient sounds

    * the absence of non-ambient tunes (non-ambient music seam to be used in TDM more often than in T1/T2 FMs. for me the use of music just distract or even hinder gameplay)

    * the visuals, lightning, set of AIs ... well, everything in the Cathedral

    * many fine graphic details like the light-shadows of the colored window glass on the floor, etc.

    * little things and details about all the Monastery guests

    * the undead in the coffin trying to get free. hey, I expected the coffin to burst open any second ;-) ... nice idea! :)

    * performance!!! ... this mission gave me doubled frames even having double map size in comparison to the missions I've enjoyed so far. so I guess it's about FM optimization rather than the engine or my mediocre PC. great job done with that Jesps!

     

    A few things I didn't favor:

     

    * too many corridors without purpose ...

    * ... which came from a segmented, (in parts) unrealistic and meander floorplan. for example: would the Builders really arrange a Monastery where their members have to walk miles through serpentine corridors to get their supper? ;-)

    * the kitchen/diner wing felt too bleak to me

    * overuse of lockpicking (I do much like the mechanism in TDM. but i'm not in favor having to pick each and every chest. or for multiple-locks on non-special containers and ordinary doors)

    * exploration felt somewhat to safe.

    * I would have liked to see something about the motivation and further plans of the Necromancer (but just being evil dude)

     

    Overall excellent mission!

     

     

     

    ... looking forward to discover more missions with similar feel to it.

     

    Thanks Jesp!

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