Hidden Hands: Initiation (27/12/2018)

[JackFarmer]

Hidden Hands: Initiation

 

 

 

Download via the ingame downloader. Latest update is version 3 (released 16/02/2021)

 

 

Explore Blackstone Island to become a full-fledged member of the “Hidden Hands”!

 

General:

 

TDM version: 2.06

EFX: yes

Play time: ca. 5 – 7 hours (depending on play style and difficulty settings)

Type: island with several sections (manor, sewers, cabin, bank, graveyard, church and crypts)

Enemies: guards, thieves, spiders, mages and extra-natural entities

 

 

Known problems:

 

1. The noblewoman sitting in the pavilion can sometimes not be knocked out without failing the mission in general; decent thieves should leave her alone anyway. (version 1 and version 2)

 

2. If combination locks do not work when using correct codes, then please go to Settings - Gameplay - and change the option "Open doors on unlock" to the value "yes". (version 1)

 

 

Gameplay differences (apart from changes in the objectives list):

 

Easy: Less enemies, less lights, many light switches

Medium: More enemies, alternative AI routes, more lights, some light switches

Hard: Even more enemies, alternative AI routes, even more lights, less light switches

 

 

Development:

 

Build time: November 2017 – November 2018

Beta testing: November/December 2018

 

 

Beta testers:

 

Boiler’s_hiss (aka “The Architect’s Darling”)

s.urfer (aka “The Punisher”)

Cambridge Spy

Abusimplea

 

 

Performance checks:

 

Duzenko

 

 

Contributors:

 

- ERH+ arranged/created the setup for the puzzle in Adrian's Crypt - I don't understand what he did exactly (alchemy?), but it works as it should.

- Destined provided a custom skin for an interior module and wrote a new definition for the spider bots, enabling those beasts to move through tunnels.

- Joebarnin provided a fix to make the combination locks work.

- Amadeus revised and edited all in-game readables, maps, and signs. He created the final mission title "Hidden Hands: Initiation" as well as gave some special items heroic names, such as "Axe of Fury" or "Orb of Will".

- Grayman fixed the frobbing problems with the hidden wall safe and combination lock.

 

 

Pilfered items:

 

- Floating boat setup and thief's message box re-created from maps originally developed by Bikerdude.

- Patch section with rocks and vegetation surrounding the graveyard originally developed and arranged by Sotha for one of his missions.

- Frobbox booster re-created from a map originally developed by Grayman.

 

 

Special thanks to:

 

- Springheel, Sotha, and Fidcal for the tutorials. Great work from all of you!

- Destined, Grayman, ERH+, and Springheel for patiently answering my questions via PM.

- Boiler’s_hiss for the hint how to change the church roof section

- nbohr1more for moral support during a critical phase of the map development

- Duzenko for improvement tips

- all others not mentioned here who answered my questions in the Newbie thread or via PM.

 

All new ambient music and sound effects written, performed and mixed by Jack Farmer.

"S.urfer's Lament" (.ogg filename: "easyexit") featuring MC Deickler on the drums.

 

 

 

More pictures:

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 17, 2021 by JackFarmer

[id3839315]

for another Christmas present. Congrats on the release.

Edited December 27, 2018 by id3839315

[nbohr1more]

Added to mission database.

[DeTeEff]

Downloading this after a LONG abscense from the mod besides from some sporadic mapping...!

[Bienie]

Oh my, I had no idea that this was such a magnum opus! I will look forward to playing this in the coming days. Looks great by the screenshots!

[GUFF]

Am I missing something about the wall safe?

 

 

The code causes an unlock sound and doesn't raise the painting, and I've searched all of the master bedroom for a small switch--which if it exists has no hinting--and come up empty.

 

[JackFarmer]

Hello GUFF,

 

 

 

 

The correct code as per the letter from the guard's room is 5 - 9 - 3. I just tried again and it works fine.

 

Are you using 2.06 or Beta 2.07?

 

 

 

[GUFF]

I am using 2.06.

 

Edit: I also tried 2.07 beta and the same issue is present. Tried on Easy and Hard difficulties, same problem.

 

 

I input the code, unlocking sound, nothing happens. Change the code, locking sound. Re-confirm code, same problem. The painting just never lifts and nothing occurs.

 

Edited December 28, 2018 by GUFF

[Amadeus]

Woohoo! Congrats on the release:) looking forward to playing this

[JackFarmer]

Hello GUFF,

 

 

 

 

I am really very sorry, but I cannot re-produce the problem. I tried once again on all difficulty levels, and I also started entering the numbers in random orders, but it works as it should (it also worked for my beta testers).

 

 

I will ask for help and get back to you.

 

Sorry for the inconveniences! :(

 

 

 

Edited December 28, 2018 by JackFarmer

[grayman]

Congratulations!

[GUFF]

Hello GUFF,

 

 

 

 

I am really very sorry, but I cannot re-produce the problem. I tried once again on all difficulty levels, and I also started entering the numbers in random orders, but it works as it should (it also worked for my beta testers).

 

bedroom.jpg

 

I will ask for help and get back to you.

 

Sorry for the inconveniences! :(

 

 

 

 

 

Don't know if this helps, but I played the other parts of the mission and it's also an issue with the other combo locks...

In the bank's vaults. They also will not open upon entering the proper combination.

.

Edited December 28, 2018 by GUFF

[JackFarmer]

Hello GUFF,

 

 

 

 

I retested the safes in the banks as well, then tested the safe in the manor and it worked. I then agree with you, there must be a connection.

 

This is so strange as this problem seems only to occur on your computer. Hm...

 

I will ask a TDM team member for help.

 

 

 

 

Regards,

 

JF

[Destined]

Congrats on tbe release! I will play it in the new year, when I get home again. Looking forward to it

[Kerry000]

Hi Jack,

 

I have the same problem as GUFF. Neither the coded safes in the bank nor the one in the manor will open for me. Entered the correct code(s), unlocking sound happens, but access is denied. Can't get into any of them.

 

I was able to "noclip" into the bank safes, but that doesn't work in the manor (can't frob the chalice). Can't finish the mission.

 

Playing on v2.06, Win x64

Edited December 29, 2018 by Kerry000

[JackFarmer]

Hello Kerry000,

 

I have just PMed team members for help. I will get back to you asap.

[Springheel]

For the people experiencing problems, can you post what your "open doors by unlocking" setting is in the Gameplay menu?

[GUFF]

For the people experiencing problems, can you post what your "open doors by unlocking" setting is in the Gameplay menu?

It was off. And this is the issue, actually. I loaded up my game, turned it on and the automatically opening combo locks work now.

[Mechs Delight]

I cannot start this mission at all; it just freezes and crashes to the desktop after the objective screen.

[Bienie]

Hi Jack,

 

I have the same problem as GUFF. Neither the coded safes in the bank nor the one in the manor will open for me. Entered the correct code(s), unlocking sound happens, but access is denied. Can't get into any of them.

 

I was able to "noclip" into the bank safes, but that doesn't work in the manor (can't frob the chalice). Can't finish the mission.

 

Playing on v2.06, Win x64

 

Could it be that

in the manor, the safe doesn't need only the code to open, that only lowers the painting, you also need the "dark key" to unlock the safe itself. The code boxes in the bank vault seem to do nothing for me, I was able to just unlock them with their respective keys. *shrug*

. If that doesn't work I would try Springheel's suggestion.

[grayman]

The code says that if the menus open on unlock is yes and the door is marked open on unlock, then the door will open after unlocking.

 

If either setting is no then the door wont open.

 

The number wheel script needs to provide a path around this problem, so that players can use either yes or no in the menu

[peispud]

Excellent :-)

[Shadow]

Ooooo looking forward to trying this mission. Thanks for the release ahead of time!

[GUFF]

Ok, was able to finish. A few hundred loot from max. Pretty good. It's like several small missions pieced together with a lot of largely empty space between them. A few patrols could have been more interesting there. In general the play area was probably too big, and that includes most of the indoors stuff.

[Kerry000]

@JackFarmer

@Springheel

 

Setting "open doors on unlock" to ON allowed the safes to open when the correct codes were entered. Thank you for the workaround. I prefer to keep that setting off during normal gameplay, but it did allow me to finish this mission.

 

Thank you for the help