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[Updated] FM: The Siege Shop (v4.4) by PranQster and lowenz (2020/3/16)


PranQster

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When you trigger that optional objective can't you just teleport the dude in to the area with something on his belt? That way he could not have been knocked out.

 

Also, why is it that a pile of wine bottles on a roof leads the main character to believe that the guy is there? Its pretty non-specific. Maybe a short readable like drunken poetry signed by the guy or something like that placed with the bottles would be less abrupt?

 

 

 

I was just thinking about that. I may place the optional objective as active at map start with an explanation, rather than the mystery bottles trigger...just leave those as random stuff put there by a sneaky guard.

Tested with 2.01: flawless but this (it's not a TDM problem) :D

 

 

 

siegeshop_2014_01_26_13_01_28.jpg

 

 

Hmm... I had rigged some sort of angled solid nodraw to the bottom of the elevator. It was meant to push extra AI out of the way and block them from entering the elevator shaft when the elevator is above them. I'll look at this too.
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System: Mageia Linux Cauldron, aka Mageia 8

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It appears that several things I had built into siegeshop somehow reverted back to some previous version of the map, even though many things I added later are still in place.

That whole system I had rigged to keep AI out from under the elevator platforms is missing entirely.

Edited by PranQster

System: Mageia Linux Cauldron, aka Mageia 8

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I just checked the version I had last packaged into .pk4 on my LinuxMint system... That stuff under the elevators was missing from it too. I must have had a problem with it and removed it. Yes, I think it was affecting AI paths when the elevator was raised and suddenly the first floor was blocked with MC (though it was func_static...still not sure if the AI even noticed it).

System: Mageia Linux Cauldron, aka Mageia 8

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Lovely reworking of the original mission , very enjoyable , thank you. Had a problem getting part of the loot i required but guessed it

must have been in the locked wardrobes in the guards quarters.Only found the stolen key by chance in the foundry area when I spotted it from up high after I climbed the wooden thingy in that area.

Interested that in my version anyway after entering

by the water/ moat way , I made my way up to the higher area where the balloon lands .I found all the guards up there dead , shot by arrows. It wasn't me honest guv. On the same theme , the guard captain was giving me the run around. I alluded him and another guard by using the lift.Imagine then my surprise when the next time I tried to use the lift I found him dead inside! Must have been the other thief!!

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Awesome. Glad you liked it.

Regarding mysterious guard murder. I did a lot to minimize it occurring, but it can still occasionally happen. Sorry if it messes up the stealth score, though it is sometimes funny to witness if you happen to be in the right place at the right time. :)

It is caused by:

guards getting in the way of each other when doing archery practice. Only 3 guards have the archery range in the path network (it used to be 4 during early testing. Those guards also have several other paths to choose from. I even added some benches outside for them to wait on. Also the little wall making the stalls for them to stand in while shooting (trying to force only enough room for 1 guard at a time in each stall). All this and they still manage to shoot each other it seems. I haven't seen it happen in a while and I'm working on this map (yet again) every night. :)

 

System: Mageia Linux Cauldron, aka Mageia 8

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Well. I fucked up by releasing the updated siegeshop too soon. I have been finding problems, items to improve upon, performance fixes, AI changes (the torch is back after finding the real culprit), etc.

Also there are problems due to moving my map file from darkradiant on one system to another. I had deleted the existing .map file first, but I think DR merged in data from an old backup file or other.

I'm missing wall grime patches which I know were in place. Also, some beveled corners magically reappeared though I distinctly remember deleting them. :o

Almost there. Need to fix that grime and find a new light for the balloon. FPS is now in the 60s outside with the balloon light temporarily removed.

All campfire or fireplace flames totally brutalize the performance outside, even when noshadows 1. A few more lights need to change inside to get performance up in the workshop and drawbridge control areas.

Sigh... my next mission gets delayed yet again. :)

System: Mageia Linux Cauldron, aka Mageia 8

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I wouldn't be too self critical of the release, PranQster. Graphical stuff isn't going to ruin anyones day and personally I wouldn't spend too much time on it. I'd just worry about objective mechanics for that additional objective and fixing the bridge allowing AI under it (game breakers). Other than that maybe fix some of the main things that bother you and move on to the next mission.

 

Nothing in life is perfect and striving for such a thing is an impossible goal only fools believe they can attain. :)

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I agree. And I was mainly just doing a few tweaks. But then many issues arose from the merging of older and newer maps. Work I had already done to siegeshop for the v3 release was missing and that needed fixing. But while fixing one thing, I end up doing whatever comes to mind. I am basically done working on this map.

I am actively working on another map already. A large outdoor map with most of the shadows being cast by "natural" lighting. I needed a break from that, so going back to touch-up siegeshop was actually rather fun.

Time to dmap what I worked on last night. If happy, I'll post the final version by this weekend.

Edited by PranQster

System: Mageia Linux Cauldron, aka Mageia 8

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OK here it is: siegeshop

 

Unless something is obviously broken, I'm done with this map.

 

  • I decided to let the guard carry the torch again, so no more sneaking past him in the tunnel. The torch still hurts performance while he is in the outdoor area, but it's nowhere near as bad as before.
  • Third guard removed from balloon area, his RIT network inherited by the torch guard. That third guard was basically useless anyway.
  • Some of the mysterious missing grime decals have been re-created.
  • Guy working on siege rabbit had his troublesome stool taken away and his anims modified (crap, I may have left some playerclip there!)
  • Several lights changes, extinguished, etc. Forge now has glowing coals rather than a burning log, stuff like that.
  • Officer's path changed in the office to allow him to sit and enjoy the nearby gramophone.
  • Various minor other adjustments

 

 

System: Mageia Linux Cauldron, aka Mageia 8

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Just started and the frame rate outside with the guard and torch didn't drop below 30fps - no problem for me

A couple of points

I started by using the balloon and I like the way it can go up and down.

I tried to blackjack one of the archers on the rampart where I was between him and the door but close to the butts. He turned just as I was hitting him and he just stood there. I suspect that this is a default action as he should run away and then turn and fire but I was blocking his path, As I moved a bit sideways he then ran past me towards the door.

Having done that I went back down in the balloon and then entered via the moat. After the tunnel I extinguished the torch at at the left of the bridge right next to the guard. I was surprised that there was no reaction at all.

I liked the new set of objectives (playing on the hardest setting) as the bit about Benny will probably mean I have to pickpocket each guard until I find him. An interesting exercise

 

Re the rope arrows the use of the illuminated mushroom made them just that little bit more obvious - a good decision

Up to now I am finding a distinct improvement - thanks

Edited by Oldjim
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Good to hear. :)

As to "Benny",

I had to change that objective at map start. I was trying to make a joke where the player finds a pile of wine bottles and assumes that "Benny" must be nearby. But obviously the addition of entering the place backward, through the moat, can break that.

 

As to the other items:

I had issues with guards giving a shit about torches all over this map. I even tried the shouldbeon 1 spawnarg, first on the torches, then the light entities themselves, then both. None of them seem to give a rats ass if any light goes out. I must admit that after finding things missing which were in the release version, I have not checked the spawargs on all of the ai. Many of them were set to 'drunk' at one time, and it caused major problems.

 

As far as my performance issues, certain opengl effects in TDM really take a toll on my graphics card. The fireplace/bonfire flames especially, along with the underwater murk gui overlays. If I remove the torch from the AI outside, I get 15-20 fps more while that ai is in the balloon area. I had a similar issue with the fire for the hot air balloon. When entering the river from the workshop area, my framerate goes from 60-70ish to about 13-15fps...just by going underwater. It's what I get for not saving money for an extra couple months before buying a new card. Since then I simply haven't had the opportunity to upgrade. :(

Edited by PranQster

System: Mageia Linux Cauldron, aka Mageia 8

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I just checked various AI,

and aside from defining their heads, voices, and some carrying props, they are using default spawnargs. The exceptions being the rooftop archers, who are told to ignore weapons, else their own arrows put them on alert.

 

I'm gonna leave it be and continue with my pagan mission.

Edited by PranQster

System: Mageia Linux Cauldron, aka Mageia 8

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Because they are not shooting the arrows on their own accord...

 

During testing, after I had created the archery range RIT network, I noticed AI would shoot an arrow or two at the target, then drop their prop wine bottle, and go to the target to inspect. Then they would start searching.

I'm sure this is due to my use of path_anim to make them shoot arrows...they seem not to recognize the arrows as their own after shooting them.

Once I told them to ignore weapons, then they could shoot arrows all night.

 

Edited by PranQster

System: Mageia Linux Cauldron, aka Mageia 8

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My performance issues were also partly due to running in 1920x1200 res. Some games are smooth as glass in that res with high detail, but those fire particles really take a larger toll in TDM.

I had been at 1920x1200 for so long due to issues with my monitors and xorg. My 24" Samsung wasn't giving proper edid info to xorg, so my only widescreen res available was full resolution. The rest were all 4x3 format. Trying to run TDM in my preferred 1440x900, or 1680x1050, would result in TDM being improperly scaled on the screen. Most maps played fine at the higest res, so I kept it there.

Today I set TDM to 1440x900 windowed mode while working in DR. That reminded me to try to troubleshoot my monitor. Which in turn reminded me that I had been given a 23" Viewsonic a while back. I had never hooked it up because I already had the 24" Samsung...figured why bother. Well I decided to bother and am glad I did. I swapped out monitors on the DVI port, live, and instantly got proper edid info and the proper modes available in randr (not even needing a logout)...just had to remind it which monitor was primary and which was 'right of' the primary.

A bit of resolution was sacrificed on the primary screen, but that's no big deal.

Now TDM runs in the fullscreen 16x10 modes which I prefer and the fps drops from the torch are not quite as dramatic. Also, frame rates in my pagan map improved greatly and I have more confidence in adding more detail now.

Edited by PranQster

System: Mageia Linux Cauldron, aka Mageia 8

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Now this is surprising and I am not sure it was intended - playing on 2.01

 

Picking the door to the east of the steam beast the archer inside went on to full alert running towards the open door saying something about that door shouldn't be open

post-8491-0-74981600-1392054300_thumb.jpg

I then tried again from a save game and sneaked in after the servant by stopping the door closing and hid until the archer went out

I followed him out picking the door and when he returned I found that he had locked the door again - rotten thing - so I picked it with the same result

 

Edited by Oldjim
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Just played the beginning to check the note to Pyle and I found a couple of things

Right at the start

the addition of a failed rope arrow was a really nice touch but this is where I had a problem.

I fired the rope arrow but then I was stuck - couldn't move at all and needed to noclip out of it

post-8491-0-28647600-1392134826_thumb.jpg

 

Edited by Oldjim
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I had been at 1920x1200 for so long due to issues with my monitors and xorg. My 24" Samsung wasn't giving proper edid info to xorg, so my only widescreen res available was full resolution. The rest were all 4x3 format.

Not an expert on that, but can't you set all the modi in the xrandr manually, if you know them?

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