Hidden Hands: Initiation (27/12/2018)

[JackFarmer]

No, your post is not too long. On the contrary, I am very happy with your detailed analysis of the good an bad things as I spent a year creating the mission. This will help me in the future.

 

And you are right with your criticism; there are lots of things that could be improved. Actually, you pointed out most of the problems I identified myself:

 

Thank you very much for this and I hope you will like the upcoming mission as well.

 

JF

[JBERT]

Hello,

 

I'm in bank and I'm looking for vault I and II keys. I looked for them in every room without success. Where are these keys hidden ?

 

Regards,

 

JB

[JackFarmer]

Hello JBERT,

 

 

 

These keys can be found in the first floor of the cabin and the manor.

If you collect enought alternative loot on all difficultty levels, you do not need them in the first place.

 

 

 

[JBERT]

Hello JBERT,

 

 

 

These keys can be found in the first floor of the cabin and the manor.

If you collect enought alternative loot on all difficultty levels, you do not need them in the first place.

 

 

 

Hello Jack,

 

I don't understand...

 

 

I have checked all rooms in manor and I haven't find this key (I have found vault III key). And which cabin are you talking about?

 

 

[LordRutherford]

Hi JBERT,

 

I believe Jack was mistaken,

 

 

As you have found,

The Vault III key is in the Mansion.

Vault I key is in the Cabin.

 

The Vault II is in the bank (!) I had the same problem!!!

I feel better about missing it now.

For a hint, read my previous comment.

cavador_8s walkthrough tells you what to do if stuck.

 

 

To be absolutely clear,

 

 

Its hanging on the wall/noticeboard in the left viewing/control room (second left as you enter the bank). Its hard to spot since its grey on grey.

 

 

[JBERT]

Thanks, I've found it.

 

Regards,

 

JB

[JackFarmer]

Hi JBERT,

 

I believe Jack was mistaken,

 

 

Yeah, I misread it. Thank you for the clarification.

[SuaveSteve]

https://my.mixtape.moe/eqzioj.m4v

 

I think the one on the right is winning.

[grayman]

I think the one on the right is winning.

 

That wasn't included in my testing, so it's good to see it works.

[Zap]

Well this was quite a mission! I didn't expect something so expansive when I downloaded newly released missions.

 

The multi-area structure of the map was quite enjoyable, it's essentially like 5 missions in one - finding keys in one area that you need in another was also quite interesting.

 

I'll echo some of the critique regarding scale: The bank and the mansion especially felt like they were too large - I don't mean in the number of rooms or things inside them but in that the buildings were so big that there was so much empty space left. With the mansions five meter wide corridors evading a patrolling guard is trivial and you don't even need to step off the carpet onto the marbled DangerFloor for it. Some rooms could also feel rather empty and unfurnished as a result, and it sure didn't help travel times.

 

I liked the pagan cemetary a lot, the final area looked really cool and the above-ground area actually made sense to be large, though there wasn't much to do up top. I liked the greek/roman building style you associated with the pagans, usually we associate more wood and nature with them.

 

The cabin I liked too, it was much smaller and with lights in nasty places.

 

In the bank basement there was a door to the right of the elevator that was much narrower than other doors. I had trouble fitting through there, but when I finally did, I found nothing in the room :-(

I too had to rely on the walkthrough to find the vault key in the bank.

 

The music was a nice touch (though I found out quicksaving stops playback). Also very much appreciate the quick way back from the end of the crypt. I like to think I'm good at navigating, but the maze got me lost pretty quick.

 

I'm a bit torn on lighting in this map. I think the insides areas of the mansion in particular were too dark - rooms like the kitchen on the ground floor had somebody working in them in effectively total darkness. The two ceiling lamps there were only lit up a somewhat small-ish circle in the middle of their rooms which was easily avoided due to the size of the rooms. Maybe more ambient light?

You also used colored light to great effect - seeing the pagan statue from a distance like that was pretty impressive, for instance. If anything, I'd say the color was too strong in many cases - pure red, yellow or blue specks of color. Is it possible to create tinted light? Often there was a light source in a totally dark spot with a speck of color on an opposing wall.

 

In the end I never found that necklace at the bottom of the water basin under the pavilion or the staff bathroom stash that we read about. Were they just old notes and people had already collected these?

 

Don't let all my nitpicking about the minor things give you the wrong impression, I enjoyed playing through this map quite a lot. Thanks for making it!

[JackFarmer]

https://my.mixtape.moe/eqzioj.m4v

 

I think the one on the right is winning.

 

Hi Steve,

 

You've made my day. :)

 

On the other hand, I am pretty sure they are all on the same team. Hm...maybe I should check again.

 

BTW, watching this just provided me with a new idea of how to use these guys in my third mission.

[JackFarmer]

I'll echo some of the critique regarding scale: The bank and the mansion especially felt like they were too large - I don't mean in the number of rooms or things inside them but in that the buildings were so big that there was so much empty space left. With the mansions five meter wide corridors evading a patrolling guard is trivial and you don't even need to step off the carpet onto the marbled DangerFloor for it. Some rooms could also feel rather empty and unfurnished as a result, and it sure didn't help travel times.

 

The music was a nice touch (though I found out quicksaving stops playback). Also very much appreciate the quick way back from the end of the crypt. I like to think I'm good at navigating, but the maze got me lost pretty quick.

 

I'm a bit torn on lighting in this map. I think the insides areas of the mansion in particular were too dark - rooms like the kitchen on the ground floor had somebody working in them in effectively total darkness. The two ceiling lamps there were only lit up a somewhat small-ish circle in the middle of their rooms which was easily avoided due to the size of the rooms. Maybe more ambient light?

You also used colored light to great effect - seeing the pagan statue from a distance like that was pretty impressive, for instance. If anything, I'd say the color was too strong in many cases - pure red, yellow or blue specks of color. Is it possible to create tinted light? Often there was a light source in a totally dark spot with a speck of color on an opposing wall.

 

In the end I never found that necklace at the bottom of the water basin under the pavilion or the staff bathroom stash that we read about. Were they just old notes and people had already collected these?

 

Don't let all my nitpicking about the minor things give you the wrong impression, I enjoyed playing through this map quite a lot. Thanks for making it!

 

Hello Zap,

 

You mean the door to the right from the elevator? It is a standard size used in the entire building, hm...

 

I am afraid I have no solution for the interruption of the music when quicksaving (found this out after the release).

 

Did you try the highest difficulty level? The mansion is quite well lit then.

 

The necklace is definitely in the pool! :)

 

 

 

 

Search the front area to the left of the stairs.

 

 

 

 

Thank you for comments and have a nice day!

 

JF

Edited February 21, 2019 by JackFarmer

[Zap]

 

Hello Zap,

 

You mean the door to the right from the elevator? It is a standard size used in the entire building, hm...

 

I am afraid I have no solution for the interruption of the music when quicksaving (found this out after the release).

 

Did you try the highest difficulty level? The mansion is quite well lit then.

 

The necklace is definitely in the pool! :)

 

 

 

 

Search the front area to the left of the stairs.

 

 

 

 

Thank you for comments and have a nice day!

 

JF

 

I think the door was to the right coming out of the elevator - it definitely seemed narrower than the others.

 

I thought there might be more light on the highest difficulty, nice to have these sorts of changes between the difficulties as well. I ended up playing on medium since I wasn't particularly enjoying the ghosting requirement.

 

Thanks again for making the map!

[grayman]

 

On the other hand, I am pretty sure they are all on the same team. Hm...maybe I should check again.

 

 

 

When AI on the same team accidentally hurt each other, they'll start fighting the one that hurt them.

[JackFarmer]

 

When AI on the same team accidentally hurt each other, they'll start fighting the one that hurt them.

 

Hello grayman,

 

Very good, spares me to re-open the map again. Loading the map takes a long time, as you know.

 

 

 

 

I think the door was to the right coming out of the elevator - it definitely seemed narrower than the others.

 

I thought there might be more light on the highest difficulty, nice to have these sorts of changes between the difficulties as well. I ended up playing on medium since I wasn't particularly enjoying the ghosting requirement.

 

Thanks again for making the map!

 

Hello Zap,

 

Ah, yes, now I understand. It is the barred door in the basement. You are right; this particular door is actually smaller, but we did not receive problems during beta. I have checked again, and it works fine for me, hm... Sorry, I am afraid I cannot help you on this problem.

Edited March 1, 2019 by JackFarmer

[acolyte6]

This was an awesome mission too. Took almost 5 hours, but so worth it! Didn't have to cheat/forum at all. However one thing that eluded me was key number 4 in the vault. Never found it, but the game ended anyway.

[Gerberox]

Very long mission with about medium difficulty if someone interested. Ghosting is possible on highest level. We get huge amount of arrows and other tools but I used only a few water arrows and 2 fire arrows - the latters only for fun. And a single rope arrow but I recovered it.

The story and the outer terrain of the isle aren't convincing, but the missions are enjoyable, and the mission locations are fine.

I saw some people complained about the size of the mansion. I think there is at least a mission with a proper castle. I had a bug, the door of the mansion didn't open. I wasted a lot of time to find the entrance until I remembered to exit from the game and start it again and it solved the problem.

Thanks for the mission, it was fun.

Edited April 29, 2019 by Gerberox

[JackFarmer]

Very long mission with about medium difficulty if someone interested. Ghosting is possible on highest level. We get huge amount of arrows and other tools but I used only a few water arrows and 2 fire arrows - the latters only for fun. And a single rope arrow but I recovered it.

The story and the outer terrain of the isle aren't convincing, but the missions are enjoyable, and the mission locations are fine.

I saw some people complained about the size of the mansion. I think there is at least a mission with a proper castle. I had a bug, the door of the mansion didn't open. I wasted a lot of time to find the entrance until I remembered to exit from the game and start it again and it solved the problem.

Thanks for the mission, it was fun.

 

You've ghosted it on the highest difficulty level without using at least one water arrow? Good man/woman!

 

(Could not do that myself! )

 

I hope that "Hidden Hands: Vitalic Fever" will be more challenging for you! :)

 

Jack

[Gerberox]

 

You've ghosted it on the highest difficulty level without using at least one water arrow? Good man/woman!

 

(Could not do that myself! )

 

I hope that "Hidden Hands: Vitalic Fever" will be more challenging for you! :)

 

Jack

"I used only a few water arrows"

 

A new mission is coming? Great!

[NeonsStyle]

Congratulations on your release Will get into this later tonight.

[exe]

Good mission, quite different from the others. I too felt that some of the places were too spacious (manor especially) but generally this was very enjoyable mission. It was hard, but not too hard on hardest difficulty. I actually didn't use almost any equipment, since I was afraid I would run out of something.  I played this mission in about 1 month time span (took 4 hours in total), so I had some issues remembering all the details and tips. Needed to use walk through in two occasions,

 

Spoiler

one of the keys in bank and the case with 3 stone things that you were supposed to rotate around to get the door open. Was there some clue how those should be placed? I either didn't find it or forgot it totally.

I got stuck several times but can't remember the places, sorry. I use quick save often, so for me it wasn't a problem.

I'm waiting for the next mission anxiously!

[JackFarmer]

5 hours ago, exe said:

 

 

  Hide contents

one of the keys in bank and the case with 3 stone things that you were supposed to rotate around to get the door open. Was there some clue how those should be placed? I either didn't find it or forgot it totally.

 

Yes, there was a clue. The adjacent maze included three shrines showing symbols and items.

The subsequent mission "Hidden Hands: Vitalic Fever" is already available via the ingame downloader.

 

[MirceaKitsune]

Hey. I'm giving this FM a try, but haven't been able to finish it in a few days. Could anyone offer some help?

Spoiler

I found everything but the Master Chain. Where is that located, and how do I get there?

 

[JackFarmer]

On 12/24/2019 at 2:59 AM, MirceaKitsune said:

Hey. I'm giving this FM a try, but haven't been able to finish it in a few days. Could anyone offer some help?

  Hide contents

I found everything but the Master Chain. Where is that located, and how do I get there?

 

I am afraid you will not like this:

The cabin has a basement with a spider. The Master Chain is somewhere there...

[duzenko]

This mission is regretfully under-optimised

E.g. this window lacks a visportal