Betrayal by Fieldmedic (2010/08/17) Summer FM Vertical Contest Entry

[DeTeEff]

Three weeks since Fredham set me up on that bankjob. He said it would be an easy job, said he had an inside contact. Little did I know that they would betray me and make me take the fall. I can not say I am innocent, I tried to get into a sealed off place full of gold and here I am, locked in a small cell in a gold mine. The punishment fits the crime I guess... The story takes its beginning when the lord of earth desided to drive his fist down on this place. I can't describe it. There was just a hideous crack and the whole mountain started to shake as if the rock king decided to roll over. Three bright flashes and smouldering green smoke seeped through the air. I believe the whole mine complex have fallen asunder. Luckily my cell is still intact and I am still alive and breathing...Haven't seen the guard for a while. Maybe he succumbed to the earthquake...I hear a noise. Maybe it's the guard coming to serve me my daily crusts...But...What is this!

 

DESCRIPTION

 

This is my first map and it is a quite unique map, architecturally speaking and it is not meant to be realistic in all manners. It has certan unreal elements to it and some strange nooks.

 

BUILD TIME

 

8 weeks

 

KNOWN ISSUES/GOOD TO KNOW

 

x As you start as a captive you have no equipment from the start,

which means some ghosting.

 

x All clear windows are breakable

 

x FPS-drops at certain spots.

 

x Sometimes ambient sounds from two different locations

play simultaneously after reloding.

 

CREDITS

 

Henrik Swenson who's made some ambient music. Custom sounds taken from a custom sound CD, no particular name of the company.

 

THANKS TO

 

Fidcal - Has answered my many questions along the way.

Bikerdude - Betatesting and assistance on visportaling.

Also thanks to my other betatesters; Sotha, Chiron and Baddcog

 

DOWNLOAD

 

http://www.mediafire...nvdtk2dlr22sj9t

 

Enjoy!

 

/Fieldmedic

 

 

EDIT!

 

A new version is uploaded! The old version hasn't got any written version number, but this is Betrayal ver 1.1 (Unofficial undertitel: The Good Edition) (see the notes)

 

Changes:

 

 

1. More visportals added.

2. Lots of stuff turned into func_static.

3. Outside area heavily constricted and lots of outside stuff removed. (You win, Bikerdude )

4. Lockpicks more visualized, storyvize (They now got their own objective.)

5. Skyportal jutting into walls of mines, fixed.

 

 

Edited September 1, 2010 by Fieldmedic

[Goldchocobo]

Woo first to download!

Thank goodness there is a flood of new FM's... i've played/beat every one so far

[Melan]

Woo first to download!

Thank goodness there is a flood of new FM's... i've played/beat every one so far

And clearing already has a preview up on his site. I swear that man has supernatural abilities to detect Thief stuff.

[Fidcal]

Congrats on completion FieldMedic.

 

Another mirror at:

 

http://www.fidcal.com/darkuser/missions/betrayal.pk4

 

I can't see this at ttlg. You should start a sister thread over there so more can play. If you don't have an account I, or someone else, can post for you.

[DeTeEff]

Thanks

 

I believe I have a username there since last summer when I struggled with that miserable editor T3ED WITHOUT ropearrows OR swimmable water

 

Tread created at Through The Looking Glass!

 

Oh, I'm off on a cruise today for a couple of days. I'm only capable of receiving the "You have a new message" and stuff on my cellphone. And there is REALLY cumbersome to use the forum on the cell phone. So I'll have to try to relax on the cruise when everybody tries out the map...You just want to be there to feel the fray

[nbohr1more]

Brutal start Fieldmedic

 

I did mention liking "Trapped!" so this is similar... but man is it Brutal

 

 

Thanks again.

[DeTeEff]

Haha glad you enjoyed it!

[nbohr1more]

Wikified BTW...

[LEGION]

Only two days until the contest is closed, right? So, do we all have to finish & vote until 12.AM Thursday or what? (I´m using the Forums GMT+1, so I have one hour more time, right?)

 

Oh, and thanks for adding a mirror so fast.

[Baddcog]

No, the close date is for submissions, unless you requested and were granted an extension.

 

I suppose voting will go for a few weeks?

 

----------

Looking foward to playing the final version. A fun mission and some very cool visuals.

[Dragofer]

I like the description, it makes me want to play it. Too bad I'm restricted to vastly inferior hardware for as long as I have time

 

A fun mission and some very cool visuals.

 

Ah well, I suppose I can sift through it for inspiration though

[Melan]

This was a surprisingly long mission for a contest. Scaling enormous heights was incorporated well, and the horror element also worked (although for me, the mission wasn't as frightening as some parts of The Rift). The loot objective was not entirely problem-free because (mild, non-specific spoilers)

 

- after triggering other objectives, the mission ended as soon as I found the last piece of lood required for completion;

- silverware, which are typically worthless, were counted as valuable.

 

On the other hand, the feeling of getting higher and higher and yet higher gives an exhilarating feeling of progress and accomplishment, making this a good vertical mission even if, in quantity, most of the gameplay took place on horizontal "planes".

[Carnage]

Very nice mission, I really enjoyed it. I loved the part where the story totally changed. Didn't get stuck anywhere or what so ever, it was challenging at some points but not too difficult. Looking forward to your next mission

[Goldchocobo]

I'm still playing through this one, but had a couple of positive notes.

 

The awesome use of scale and heighth really makes this one a clear winner... I never would have thought that this was a contest mission with a limited width/length plane. Sure the beginning was a tad cliche (pickpocket the walking guard), but the mission progressed so efficiently. Loved it. Also, after having finally left the mines, and saw the huge building above me, with the swinging signpost and green fire, really struck me as awesome. It wasn't architecturally complex or anything, just really impressive to think I have to get up there! A nice change of pace from the mines - something I try to incorporate in my own missions.

 

[Tels]

Mirror: http://bloodgate.com/fms/betrayal.pk4

 

Can't wait to check it out!

[Sotha]

Fieldmedic, you really pulled this one off.

 

 

I got a crude gem map for betatesting and you really swiped out all the imperfections and dirts, resulting in a delightful map. Of all the contest entries, I'd say that this is my personal favourite so far.

 

Gameplay: Excellent. All the annoyances removed, the mission flowed forward nicely. You did some wonders to the exterior climbing part, which worked very well. You also used the objective system cleverly for hints, although I'd prefer leaving the objective system for objectives and placing the hints 'ingame.' The mission was rather easy, but who cares if it's so much fun! The only downside was that the windows were oddly difficult to hit with the sword.

 

In the tunnels I had fun moments: I got the chest near the rails open and the revenant saw me that instant. I ran like hell to the elevator shaft and hid there. The revenant came and started searching for me but did the amateur mistake of walking past me towards the mint door. After a few seconds of risk evaluation, I sneaked past the revenant back to the chest and enjoyed looting it slowly while giggling at the git who was searching in the corridor.

 

I also laughed at myself when I followed the hint at the tower base. Moved the wooden block and got crushed to death by the collapsing piece of wood.

 

Appearance: Good. At first when I started playing this, I thought that OMG he made it too light now after we betatesters complained about the darkness. Then I realised I forgot my gamma value to the values I used while betatesting, turned the gamma back to normal and presto! Just perfect lighting! I loved the appearance of the wooden staircase to the soon-to-be-blackmailed-priest. It looked so real and it gave a lot of atmosphere.

 

You also seemed to do wonders to the exterior. No frame lag. I had to even jump down to my death from the upmost part of the tower just to see that the lower parts weren't simply left out. Nope, they were still there.

 

Story: Good. There is not much to say. The story was good. The location felt living and real.

 

 

So all in all: pretty impressive work, especially considering this was your first map. I'm interested to see your future works.

 

Jättebra! Enjoy the cruise, you've definately deserved it!

[Tels]

The mission is really good and scary. However, it is ruined by technical issues (where I am not sure if some of them are mission specific, but at least quite a few are TDM specific):

 

* I got a "AAS32 out of date" message (which seems to be common under Linux), so I dmapped it again. That seemed to help the AI not running in some circles anymore. Seems tobe solved, so:

 

* Got this console error really spamming the console 10 times pers second:

 

huge translation for clip model 0 on entity 85 'henry'

 

Don't know what is with that, but after quite some minutes it ended with:

 

Damage dealt: 6
Damage dealt: 3753661

 

Uhoh... Was that me?

 

Anyway, in the lower areas I got very choppy framerates, and in the upper areas, too, it is about 3..5 FPS. Since my computer is really fast, I am not sure what to make out of this?

 

* the ambient music is very loud, and the ambient slider does not affect it at all. It got me so nervewracked I had to put my headphones down

 

And last but not least:

 

* I also got infected by the "weapons bug", where you no longer can attack with your weapon, or throw stuff (it just drops to the floor).

 

So I had to abort the mission

[Baddcog]

I'm stuck at the second floor.

 

I think I have everything except the Priest's Desk. Can't unlock anything.

 

I have

 

the diary from first floor and have opened all the bedrooms, dining room, etc.. Tried rope arrowing up a few spots but no luck.

 

[Igor bes Thiefer]

Baddcog, here's a hint :

Those long priest's robes are easy to wrap around unsuspecting little objetcs

, and here's a full spoiler:

Its in the closet (or cupboard) hidden between those textured little colorful things, in the same priests room.

 

 

 

[LEGION]

@Tels:

My goodness, there must be something wrong with your install or sth! I found the ambient music barely hearable! Do you have the sound-slider maybe not at full? Because as I played with decreased sound-slider (overall-sound I mean) I had too loud ambients too. I don´t play on Linux, though.

I had no frame-lags either, only at the top but it was still 30 frames I guess...

 

about the mission:

By the builder, tis was not expected!!! Really, as I read your introduction here, Fieldmedic, I thought: "Oh no, what does that mean. Doesn´t he know that I don´t like unrealistic missions?" And as I started I felt certified. But as I got to the

tower

the mission began and it was one of the best missions I played so far! Take this: I spent 5:16:32 hours in there!! Can you believe it? And I enjoyed every minute (even the beginning area)!! For completion: I found

2558 out of 2959

loot.

 

 

Gameplay: Excellent

 

 

The beginning area was some kind out of place, but explained later but I think the story would´ve been nice even without the Undead-part, but as I read the story at the end I felt more comfortable with this.

But the real fun began with the tower. Nothing special though, but it was all well balanced, not too easy and not too hard. The variety of the patrol-routes was really nice and had me to stay on my toes! The AI that goes for a little nap from time to time was really cool, too! Like Sotha mentioned, the hints through the objective screen was a really nice idea and I have no problems with it because for me the objective-screen is just the player-characters mind. Also it was great to have so much objectives at all.

Some additional notes-screen for the TDM would be nice, where you can write things down too, btw.

Ghosting was really fun and I had some close moments. Like this one: At the end in the centered tower I wanted to hide before a guard on a stool and what did the guard do? Sure, I sat down on the stool. Luckily I could evade his butt without being noticed! I got only stuck once, but that was my fault because I completely forgot that I already had the key for the centered tower! I ran even down to the zombies section to search for a missing key that I already had. Just very close before I wanted to quit and look here I had the glorious idea to try all keys I have on that door. Stupid, stupid,stupid. Me, not you!

There was really nothing wrong with your mission, especially if it was your first one! I can only imagine what gem you will form next time...

 

 

 

Appearance: Good

 

The mines seemed to miss some details but the tower was done nice(considering the earthquake), interiour was very well too and I very liked to have everything movable/frobable. Ambient lighting was good too except the top area were you get to the center tower, there the ambient was too bright. (I always judge by the pitch black shadows pointed out by the LightGem and the actual brightness visable) Only the highpriest´s room seemed to little for him.

Or was that his working room where his diary was found? Because on the first floor of that building was a locked door that I couldn´t open! Tried all keys. From the outside it seemed connected (doorway with window) to the Lighthouse, but from inside there I only saw the elevator...

 

 

 

Story & Text: Excellent

By the story I felt very well entertained. I was happy to have so much to read. Thanks for that!

 

 

Overall it was a damn good solid mission that shows very well how much the quality of TDM-missions has increased since the last contest!!

 

A little bug-report, though:

 

-In the room were a key is hidden in the closet, the floor seemed to be 'unsolid', because as I alerted the sleeping AI with my Lantern before the closet he ran to me and sank into the ground up to his hat. The stool in that room before the desk sank into the floor too as I frobbed it. Also every stool seemed to be stuck under the tables.

 

[jdude]

I loved it. The only problems I had were technical ones. I think this is in my top 5 favorites. I don't know why or how but from the start to the end I was engrossed in it. I loved how almost everything was movable, especially the brushes and I loved how every place was unique, there was no stamping of one place to make another. I was interested and had fun from start to finish and it had a difficulty curve that was very near perfect. I don't like when your expected to find really obscure little things or when your on a path so easy it's like running from A to B so I think this map got it just right. The unique objects you've made also spice up the game, as soon as I got the first nugget at the start I thought 'ohhh nice!' The music was superb. Sometimes mappers just pick one song that drones on forever it seems which sucks if your stuck in that spot because you get sick of the 30 second loop quite fast. This map doesn't do that imo and it added to the atmosphere rather than doing the opposite. The lighting, minus the technical fps aspects was good and so was all the AI placement except for 1 guy who I will mention under technical problems. Very nice map The way you rate it sucks though because fun and FPS are under the same category, I would have given 5 for fun and 2 for fps but I cant

 

Some technical problems I had were:

 

- Some parts need better AI walls

- Our zombie with the dragging foot got stuck and started doing a disc jockey interpretation.

- There's an over-use of shadow casting lights which drag down the FPS, I'd say 20 fps on average with 10-6 on the bad parts like with the 3 torch guards.

- The use of moving lights also dragged down the fps

- I got to a couple places I shouldn't have (walked on invisible roof reached using ropes at top floor end of game @ bell in bell tower and at the window right of bell tower on other building near stair crossing)

- Priest started sleeping in mid air, no idea why

- Once I got out the hatch using the key there was no way back in.

- Zombie got stuck in the doorway when you move the board causing the floor to collapse. I ended up using all my rope arrows and broadhead arrows to kill him which was interesting but I'm not sure if that's what you intended. He couldn't move through the doorway which was near the dead builder.

- A lot of doors open an inch on first go then you have to close and reopen them.

- Sometimes I'd hit an AI right in the face using my sword and it would make a metal sound, I don't think this is the mapper fault though.

 

 

 

 

Some parts I'm not sure were supposed to work as they did were:

 

 

The key under the blankets I accidentally picked it up trying to pick up a blanket so it worked out fine but it makes me think did you mean to have it like that or was that an accident on my part that worked out well. I can't imagine the player seeing it if all the blankets had been moved.

The key in the dresser drawer to the light house I accidentally picked up trying to close the drawer as well.

Both worked out good for me but makes me think what if they hadn't.

Never found the blackjack but didn't need it, my sword sufficed

 

 

 

While playing it I was thinking the ambient was a bit bright but it didn't occur to me until just now to just adjust the brightness in my own game...

[STiFU]

Fieldmedic, I am truly impressed that your first mission was so good. Did you have any other prior experience in mapping besides your tries in T3ED? The mission was very long and because of its diversity, it never got boring. This was also the first time, that I actually had to search a little bit to achieve the expert loot objective, which is good!! And I am still missing the key to one chest... :-) The gameplay was great as well. There was a lot of climbing and mantling of course and also classic thief elements. The overall visual level of quality was good, although it varied in some areas. However, you managed to convey a very good atmosphere by your visuals in all areas.

 

As far as the technical analysis goes, I had some lower fps on the upper parts, but all playable. Also no issues with ambient volume etc.

 

My opinion: You're facing a really close battle against "The Glenham Tower". At least these two missions are my favorites in the contest.

 

 

Ghosting was really fun and I had some close moments. Like this one: At the end in the centered tower I wanted to hide before a guard on a stool and what did the guard do? Sure, I sat down on the stool. Luckily I could evade his butt without being noticed!

 

The exact same thing happened to me, only that he saw me, but I managed to make a run. Laughed my ass off!!

 

 

 

Or was that his working room where his diary was found? Because on the first floor of that building was a locked door that I couldn´t open! Tried all keys. From the outside it seemed connected (doorway with window) to the Lighthouse, but from inside there I only saw the elevator...

 

 

You mean the doorway is connected to the chapel instead of the lighthouse, right? You can get in by ropearrow and braking the window.

 

[Mr Lemony Fresh]

OOOOOhh ... NO (whacks hand away from download button) GOTTA STUDY DAMN IT, GO DO YOUR HOMEWORK

[lowenz]

Awesome mission! Really catching!

Only a question:

 

How can I open this door in High Priest house? -> http://j.imagehost.org/0924/1_94.jpg

 

[lowenz]

 

You mean the doorway is connected to the chapel instead of the lighthouse, right? You can get in by ropearrow and braking the window.

 

Thanks!