1.08 Impressions

[Midnight]

I've not had a chance to properly test out all the new 1.08 stuff, but I can already say the audio additions are hugely beneficial to the atmosphere. Played a bit of the new St Lucia and also started on graymans mission and I'm loving the rustling and rattling that accompanies the AI as they walk.

[ungoliant]

I'm loving the rustling and rattling that accompanies the AI as they walk.

And as they fall down. Knocking out / Killing AI is much more satisfactory when accompanied by a loud clattering thunk.

[AluminumHaste]

And as they fall down. Knocking out / Killing AI is much more satisfactory when accompanied by a loud clattering thunk.

 

Even more satisfactory when thunk is caused by a large crate on the noggin.

[jaxa]

Can anyone confirm that TDM 1.08 is supposed to or not supposed to restart when a new mission is installed?

[AluminumHaste]

It's always restarted for me when uninstalling/installing a new mission.

[grayman]

Can anyone confirm that TDM 1.08 is supposed to or not supposed to restart when a new mission is installed?

 

It says it's going to restart, and it does.

[ungoliant]

Its a legit question though, I could swear someone (springheel?) made a comment at some point before release that client restarts were removed when installing missions. I was puzzled about this as well when i first booted up 1.08

[Springheel]

Certainly wasn't me. I don't remember hearing that.

[jaxa]

TDMLauncher has been removed, and a new TheDarkMod executable is created. The engine can now reload the assets w/o requiring a restart. A restart is still required for certain video setting changes (like resolution) and switching between Russian and the Western languages. This also fixes issues running Catalyst AI with an AMD GPU.

 

Define "the assets," as I must be misinterpreting it.

[ungoliant]

yep that's the quote i remember. maybe i just misread it

[grayman]

That quote refers to the player changing settings for the game. Some changes require a restart, and others don't.

 

When changing missions, however, a restart is still required.

[TheUnbeholden]

I like it except for the grunts that the player character makes when he mantles... sounds a bit to burly for a thief. Wondering if you could use only non-grunting sounds for that.

[Springheel]

It's the same grunts he uses elsewhere, like when picking up bodies.

[Tels]

It says it's going to restart, and it does.

 

Tho, I'm not sure why we do still restart, technically, it might just be re-loading the assets that should do the trick. Some FMs might change things like the menu etc, but code-wise, FMs don't contain a different DLL (which would require a restart), so just reloading the assets should be enough.

 

 

From the console output I'm not even sure that is what's happening, since reloading the assets likes a lot like a fast restart - re-init the graphics, sound etc.

[lost_soul]

It has to be said. I love the clattering sound now when you take someone out and their sword hits the ground.

[Midnight]

I think the sword clattering has always been there. The thump as they crumple to the ground is new though

Edited October 24, 2012 by Midnight

[Springheel]

As I've mentioned earlier, it has become jarring for me to watch older vids on Youtube where bodies _don't_ make noise when they hit the ground. It's one of those things you barely notice until you've been exposed to the alternative; then you can't go back.

[Oldjim]

This may be subjective but blackjacking seems easier in 1.08 to the extent that when in "In the North" I hit a guard on the shoulder - big clatter sound as I hit the armour - he didn't notice and a second hit knocked him out.

I have also noticed that it is now possible to blackjack from the front providing the guard isn't alerted

Edited October 24, 2012 by Oldjim

[New Horizon]

I have also noticed that it is now possible to blackjack from the front providing the guard isn't alerted

 

Helmeted or non-helmeted?

 

If they're non-helmeted they can be blackjacked from the front or back when not alerted.

 

There is another issue however, sometimes the alerted 'helmeted' guards could be blackjacked from the front as well. It's an issue with the collision system and the way the AI lean forward when searching / alert. Prior to the source code release, we hadn't been able to access that part of the collision system. We can now, but it just hasn't been looked at yet.

 

Just to be clear, there have been no 'direct' changes to the black jacking system in 1.08. The related changes would be how quickly the AI jumped to alert status. Many people were unable to blackjack simply because by the time they were able to sneak up on the AI, the AI would have heard them at the last minute and immediately jumped to alert status.

 

The Blackjack system itself is functioning as it should, but there may still be some room to tweak AI reactions if people are now finding they react too slowly. Hard to find a balance that works for everyone.

 

In my opinion blackjacking should never be so hard that it becomes frustrating.

[Springheel]

I hit a guard on the shoulder - big clatter sound as I hit the armour - he didn't notice

 

He certainly should notice. Maybe you swung again fast enough that he didn't have time to go to full alert? Hard to say.

[RPGista]

Just to be clear, there have been no 'direct' changes to the black jacking system in 1.08. The related changes would be how quickly the AI jumped to alert status. Many people were unable to blackjack simply because by the time they were able to sneak up on the AI, the AI would have heard them at the last minute and immediately jumped to alert status.

 

The Blackjack system itself is functioning as it should, but there may still be some room to tweak AI reactions if people are now finding they react too slowly. Hard to find a balance that works for everyone.

 

Dont really want to start this discussion again, but that is not exactly how it happens in game - when you play the blackjacking practise map it is simple to see that in almost all surface types, go to the the door with a stationary AI inside, and you can literally walk in normal speed all the way from the back of the room right up to the AI and knock him out without they ever turning around. From the top of my head, only a few types of metal and tile surfaces wouldnt allow you to do that (just walk up to them I mean, you can obviously crouch or stealth-walk to blackjack range without problems in pretty much any surface).

 

I havent played the 1.08 version but I trust you guys were able to keep the balance and the challenge, Im interested in seeing people's experience on this.

[New Horizon]

Dont really want to start this discussion again, but that is not exactly how it happens in game - when you play the blackjacking practise map it is simple to see that in almost all surface types, go to the the door with a stationary AI inside, and you can literally walk in normal speed all the way from the back of the room right up to the AI and knock him out without they ever turning around. From the top of my head, only a few types of metal and tile surfaces wouldnt allow you to do that (just walk up to them I mean, you can obviously crouch or stealth-walk to blackjack range without problems in pretty much any surface).

 

I havent played the 1.08 version but I trust you guys were able to keep the balance and the challenge, Im interested in seeing people's experience on this.

 

Certainly...if you're playing that way it should work fine. I believe people were trying the old fashioned "Thief Sprint" where you quickly dart out to knock out the AI. In doing so they alerted the guards and were then unable to blackjack them.

[lost_soul]

My strategy is this: I run by default. If I want to walk, I hold shift. When I want to blackjack an AI, I hold shift to quietly approach them. Even if they're walking too, you walk slightly faster than they do, so you will be able to catch up with them. They almost always say "what?", but they don't turn around. You can't just run up on them unless its carpet, where as in Thief you could usually just run up behind them. I haven't had any trouble blackjacking in 1.08.

Edited October 24, 2012 by lost_soul

[Oldjim]

Just played the Alchemist and knocking out was as difficult as before so perhaps it was a setting in the game or just a false impression.

One thing I did notice is that

getting the special health potion by leaning forward was much easier (there seemed to be a greater margin of error).

 

[SeriousToni]

Certainly...if you're playing that way it should work fine. I believe people were trying the old fashioned "Thief Sprint" where you quickly dart out to knock out the AI. In doing so they alerted the guards and were then unable to blackjack them.

 

I believe you guys just found the perfect balance with 1.08. I mean, the guards aren't instantly fully alerted if they got a glimpse of your silhouette, but they do if you run to them and try to bj them. Really really nice work - I can imagine the hours of testing - haha!