Things that could be improved

[wesp5]

There's a very nice idea of making an Official Mission/Tutorial in a similar way that is now but much more dynamic. The Training map is very varied and can help guide new players through varied situations. I already got some nice ideas.

 

So are you going to work on that or do you need someone else to do it? I have just recently started a bit of real map editing for Bloodlines and I guess that even modifying a TDM map, if that is possible without recompiling it, is still out of my league. If so, remember to add a way to actually finish the training map! BTW, is anything going to happen about your suggetion to increase the info on the mission list? In case this is considered, I would really like a way to manually add a rating on how good a map was. So I'll know what to replay years later ...

[Springheel]

Nothing significant is going to be changed about the Training map.

 

The suggestion was lifting parts of that map into a new map. Whether that happens, or any other variant, depends on the time and enthusiasm of those doing the work, as always.

[Melan]

I have three (probably not terribly hard) suggestions.

• Creating bottoms for all models in TDM. To explain, there are a lot of objects (like doorframes, machinery, steam pipes or various pieces of furniture) which were made with the idea that the player would never see their underside, so those were left unmodelled (probably to save on work, rendering, or both). However, this assumption only goes so far. There are a lot of situations where these models would be used upturned, or in another unforeseen circumstance. Plus, it would probably be among
  
• Alternate skins for various objects. Chimneys, planks, and some generic items would benefit from more alternate skins, and they could already use some of the basic textures which are already in use by several more objects.
  
• Those godawful bottle objects. We could really use something just a little bit better.
  

Edited March 20, 2014 by Melan

[Springheel]

I agree with the first two, but what's wrong with the bottles? Or are you talking about those transparent ones that glow in the dark?

[Melan]

They have very low resolution skins, and don't even look like proper glass bottles.

[Taquito]

So are you going to work on that or do you need someone else to do it? I have just recently started a bit of real map editing for Bloodlines and I guess that even modifying a TDM map, if that is possible without recompiling it, is still out of my league. If so, remember to add a way to actually finish the training map! BTW, is anything going to happen about your suggetion to increase the info on the mission list? In case this is considered, I would really like a way to manually add a rating on how good a map was. So I'll know what to replay years later ...

 

 

 

 

I would love to but unfortunately I have no idea how to work the map making program. My knowledge only goes as far as making some simple textures. I do have a ton of ideas for new Missions that could be implemented from Latin Folk Tales.

[Springheel]

They have very low resolution skins, and don't even look like proper glass bottles.

 

 

I suppose they could use higher res textures, but they've always looked just like ceramic glass to me:

[Melan]

Hm, probably, but for one, I'd prefer having actual glass bottles in my missions.

 

Someone with modelling skills might also create some fancy glass decorations which flinderise and make a helluva noise when dropped.

[Taquito]

Perhaps Melan means making them a bit more shiny/reflective (The Black bottles):

 

Edited March 22, 2014 by Taquito

[Taquito]

BTW I got a question. Does this game has the capability of supporting Subtitles? Timer?

[demagogue]

The GUI makes it easy to put text on the screen, but to have a proper subtitle system you'd have to rig the text to be triggered by AI barks. I don't know if it'd be so useful. The purpose of the barks isn't the information content, but to cue you to the current AI state, where knowing which AI is speaking & his location is more important (by directionality of the sound). Also, mappers would have to do it for their own conversations anyway, the only ones where the information actually matters. But if a mapper did want to do it, they can easily use the GUI system.

 

For someone actually hard of hearing, a visual cue that an AI may be alerted, like the jagged lines over their head that Dishonored & Thief use would probably be more useful. I don't like that features generally, so wouldn't have it default; but it'd be good to turn-on for accessibility purposes. Someone hard of hearing could weigh in with their own opinion what would be helpful for them though.

[Taquito]

The reason why a asked about the subtitles is because English is not my first language and when I play games I usually turn the subtitles on so I wont miss anything. In this particular game the accent of most of the characters is thick and I would say I understand around 15% of what they initially say. I do get it eventually on my second or third pay through but in the first one I'm usually lost if the mission has conversation in it. So it mostly apply to particular characters rather than the guards themselves.

 

What about timer support?

[RJFerret]

Timers in what capacity? Yes, there are timers provided, plus delays for things various things, and of course those who script could do timers that way too.

[Taquito]

As in being possible to carry a Pocket Watch. Or having a mission to be completed before dawn. Or having clocks in a room to make a sound at a certain time?

[Springheel]

You keep making suggestions for things that already exist. There are many missions that have time-keeping clocks that chime at certain times (and even trigger behaviour).

[Taquito]

Hey sorry Sprinheel I was not trying to be annoying. I just though it would be nice to have a sense of time in the game to as an addition to the atmosphere. So which Missions had it implemented? I would like to try those out.

[demagogue]

IIRC the grandfather clock object keeps time, starting at 12:00 when it's spawned at the FM start time (by default), so when you pass it you can see right off what game time it is. Lots of FMs use this object.

[Melan]

There is also a town clock prefab that does the same thing.

[Springheel]

Heart of Lone Salvation has a guard change at 2 am. In the North has clocks and AI that change shifts and do other things depending on the time. I'm sure there are others.

[Plutonia]

Perhaps Melan means making them a bit more shiny/reflective (The Black bottles):

 

 

Doom3 was notorious in its use of specular in any and all objects. Everything was shiny. I think some objects should be made shinier than they are, most notably loot objects like gems and golden stuff. I'm pretty sure that the engine also supports static cubemaps to create an illusion of reflectivity. Doesn't it? I suppose it would be possible to use real-time reflections too, but I don't think it's necessary to waste processing power for that in such small objects.

[Mr Mike]

Doom3 was notorious in its use of specular in any and all objects. Everything was shiny. I think some objects should be made shinier than they are, most notably loot objects like gems and golden stuff. I'm pretty sure that the engine also supports static cubemaps to create an illusion of reflectivity. Doesn't it? I suppose it would be possible to use real-time reflections too, but I don't think it's necessary to waste processing power for that in such small objects.

 

A lot of items come across as dull non-reflective objects in TDM when logically they'd be quite bright. I always find it jarring when picking a lock and the large metal plate and door handle are twisting away yet I've never noticed light shine on them.

 

Is there a keyword to increase the effect of specular maps?

Edited March 26, 2014 by Mr Mike

[wesp5]

Another improvement suggestion: Quite often I have to crouch on top of chests or drawers to get the items out. Is there a way to make that easier?

[New Horizon]

Another improvement suggestion: Quite often I have to crouch on top of chests or drawers to get the items out. Is there a way to make that easier?

 

Does leaning forward not help in those situations?

[wesp5]

Does leaning forward not help in those situations?

 

Is that possible in TDM? I didn't even know...

[New Horizon]

Yep. Nobody reads the manual. lol

 

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