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The Frob Helper doesn't work in this mission. I suggest an update of tdm_player_thief.def to the latest version.

I have never been truly satisfied with the Whistle: it was either too much or too little. The latest version (v4) is so far the best (imho) although I still disagree with some things. Are you up to date or are you keeping a previous version for some reason?

The script might not be too far off what I was thinking anyways, because one of the reasons I wanted to be able to do it in DR is because you could then have a test script like 'Check for missing EFX on info_location entities'. So maybe we can just have a script called 'generate EFX file' or something like @datiswous is suggesting. The problem is that if feels a bit like a halfway house instead of a proper implementation. Also I think we all could probably agree the EFX file will never go away in case people want to do more than just presets, so we would have to support both the info_location method and the file method. Just thinking out loud here, and good discussion

I just noticed that the sounds of hitting something with the blackjack or the sword seem not to be audible to NPCs. On the other hand hitting something with an arrow does, as fas as I know. Is this intended to avoid punishing the player for e. g. a missed hit during knock out or is this an oversight that should be fixed?

This should definitely be possible. The python scripting API has functions to loop through entities and read their spawnargs, and then you could use standard python file functions to write the EFX file. It would be cool to have a proper EFX editor in DR, but writing a script would be a lot less work. @Frost_Salamander if you decide to write a script like this I'd be happy to help you out if you get stuck. You can check out count_loot.py for a minimal example of looping through entities.

Maybe it's possible to make a script that extracts all the info_locations from the map file and creates an efx file from that in the correct format (run again to update). Then you can simply fill it in. Possibly you could also edit in DR the efx-data as a fake spawnarg for that info_location entity and make the script write that to the efx file. This might also be possible via a script/plugin inside DR.

If you wanna put together a prototype implementation, we could provide assistance. I think it mostly just requires adding EFX parser parts to the entity def parser. The big wrinkle is what to do if a mission has both EFX and Entity Def args?

A new "trick" to cover up a security camera using moss arrow and broadhead arrow : This is a huge leap forward from previous old tricks : - using rope arrow and pickable book bug: - the other random bug: But carrying all of these things throughout the mission will weigh down your time....

I made a small update including the fixed fonts by Geep and also brought Snatcher's Whistle back, because a) I noticed that hitting something with blackjack or sword has not the same effect and b) the name now doesn't look bad anymore because of the font fix .

Walking in the footsteps of previous explorers... So far, so close!

@stgatilov @nbohr1more I'm wondering if it would be possible to get this implemented for 2.13? I'm really not loving the EFX files - it's way too easy to miss/forget locations and just a general PITA. I am even considering offering to help implement - any reluctance on my part is purely down to lack of confidence. But with some hand-holding I could possibly accomplish something that isn't a total disaster. Maybe an alternative is to have a feature that allows DR to manage the EFX preset in the EFX file? Basically what I'd like is to be able to manage everything related to a location entity in the one place, preferably in DR. Not sure if that's ever been considered? @greebo?

Certainly I intend the Stone 24 end product to be included in 2.13. As for the Interim(s), I'm posting them as "hit by a bus" insurance. It also gives anyone interested a chance to kick their tires in testing FMs. Or include them in 2.13 betas. Or in your Unofficial Patch. Enjoy.

Thanks for the replies, particularly the reference to the embarrassingly-obvious "Music & SFX" subforum just below this one. I just like the music: I don't have any illusions about creating a fan mission. I messed with Dromed way back in the day, and I remember what a black hole of time and sanity it was.

Originally it was actually from a mansion mission I had in Shadows of Northdale, but it ended up getting cut. I really dug the architecture of the courtyard so I just added in the kitchen area for voila, April fools 5 min jam done haha. Thank you mate! Maybe next year i'll make a mission twice as long! 4 minutes instead of 2

I've actually thought of this exact thing as well! It would be both easier to manage and equally interesting as a mechanic. Very easy concept to implement too: Just add a stim that temporarily changes the light's sound shader for a few seconds before reverting back to normal one, give lights an s_shader_wet spawnarg and include a low volume flickering noise... it should make guards a little suspicious but less than the noise arrow in this case. Just remembered this was in fact a plan for my flash arrow, a custom weapon I've been asking to get included in vanilla but so far it's been forgotten. I believe the last version only blinds guards using the flash bomb effect, but one of the goals was to have lights temporarily turn off or flicker before coming back on after a few seconds, though this would require a custom script at best.

So path_follow_actor actually DOES work if you want it to follow the player. You just need to target the player entity dynamically in game. It doesn't work if you target the player_start entity. I can't remember if that's what people were doing (or even if that's what I was doing), but that won't work because the player_start entity and the player entity aren't the same thing. You can use a atdm:target_changetarget entity to do this, or a script: $path_follow_actor_1.addTarget($player1); Both can just be triggered by another path node, a atdm:target_callscriptfunction, whatever. Also you need to add the player target to the path_follow_actor node BEFORE the AI gets to it. If the target gets added after the AI reaches that node, it won't work. Video where the AI hits a node that triggers a atdm:target_changetarget entity: https://drive.proton.me/urls/A3DJW5EYFM#0WgYnCVOU6nv test map attached as well. EDIT: I have no idea why just manually setting 'target' 'player1' on the path_follow_actor node in DR doesn't work. I'll try to look into this. UPDATE: It appears the the player1 entity simply isn't there during initialization when the path_follow_actor's targets are evaluated. As a result, the 'actor' is null and the node does nothing. I didn't mention it before, but when I used the script method I just stuck in the map script's main function like so, and this works too: void main() { sys.waitFrame(); $path_follow_actor_1.addTarget($player1); } UPDATE 2: Wiki updated: https://wiki.thedarkmod.com/index.php?title=Path_Nodes#path_follow_actor path.map

Will this be included into the core game and if not, may I use it in my Unofficial Patch until it is?

Stone 24pt Font Upgrade, May 9 2024 Interim Release This first release just clears away some of the low-hanging fruit, while buffing the new datBounds program. In summary - stray mark next to W removed poor spacing of J and AE improved 6 characters got accents added. The download is made up of: .dat and 2 .dds files, for distribution/game inclusion .ref [with changes annotated] and .xcf [master source GIMP project, including datBounds layers] 2024 May 9 Stone 24 Interim font update.zip The changes were also doubled-checked using the testSubtitlesANSI FM. As this work continues, with an interim release approximately monthly, characters to be fixed will be chosen seemingly "at random", but actually due to layout considerations... you don't want to know. They'll all be done eventually. Details of Improvements:

Release of datBounds v 1.0 My new tool to visualize the font metrics in a .dat file is now available. For more, see https://wiki.thedarkmod.com/index.php?title=DatBounds I've been using this and testing it as I begin the long process of extending the Stone 24pt character set.

For free ambience tracks it's as Freky said: you look around on the internet for tracks with the appropriate license to be included in your FM. Fortunately, you likely don't even need to bother doing this as a beginner as there's an entire "Music & SFX" section of the forums full of good ambient tracks for you to use if the stock tracks do not meet your fancy. You might also be interested in Orbweaver's "Dark Ambients", which come with a sndshd file already written for you.

By searching at several music sites on ambient music (looking at the license) Or by creating them ourselfs, https://wiki.thedarkmod.com/index.php?title=Composing_Ambient_Tracks_and_Music_Tracks

So where do you disgustingly clever/creative people find all of the great, very Thief-esque ambient tracks I hear in so many of these missions?

Hey maybe you can add the alternative combined lockpick to core? So mappers might more often include it. Mission is great.

Please make the mission complete sound the default for TDM! It was short but I liked it.