Fan Mission: The Lieutenant 3: Foreign Affairs by Frost_Salamander

[MirceaKitsune]

Finally getting to this one now; I suspect I'm still less than halfway through despite being at it for days.

This is by far one of the most unique and interesting missions! I suspect the first moor themed one too, I only remember another Arab themed FM years ago where you had to ride a mine cart but it wasn't as urban and stylized as this. It's absolutely something else, TDM but doesn't feel like the TDM we know, it really is like taking a trip to a foreign island

The map is pretty huge, so much so that I'm having to check for places with noclip / notarget and reload once I understand the layout. Only found a handful of small issues, will share if of interest.

Spoiler

My favorite moment so far is definitely the pool that takes you to moor jail: Had fun letting the two owners sleep there instead, then rescuing the thief who didn't... have his head stuck in a cabinet. Even more fun to watch him disappear into the ether after unlocking the door for me; I know there will probably be a reward for helping him and am curious when and how I'll encounter him again.

Will likely still be looking for the main objective in the next couple of days; There's quite a few doors I can't find my way through especially in the ministry of defense complex. Wonder if there's any generic hints for getting around the place.

 

[MirceaKitsune]

Finally finished it! Beautiful yet difficult FM, both in terms of navigating and finding objectives. Took me precisely a week, had to noclip and look for hints to get many things done.

Spoiler

Got 4817/6071 loot, 4 bottles. Not bad, was expecting even less for something of this complexity.

I have one big curiosity though...

Spoiler

Was this guy supposed to die, like scripted to when finishing the main objective? Because he was alive before I went into the ministry of defense, then I found him like this just after I stole what I needed then exited and went through his home. At first I thought agents were sent to kill him, now I suspect he glitched off the stairs. As you can see his eyes are open so he's dead not knocked out, and I couldn't have done it since there's a no kill objective that would end the run.

 

[Mezla]

@Frost_Salamander, to say I'm enchanted, bedazzled, and totally lost in Mesayd is an enormous understatement. DIJJINS ARE QUEUEING TO WORK FOR YOU, I'M SURE!  (you prolly got some of them already at your service, coz that mission is so good!). Within the first few minutes, I shazzamed the music, downloaded, changed my phone ring, forgot to save, came back to the game, and got lost in between windows/balconies - all while making happy taffing noises when finding another piece of shiny stuff. The story, the narratives, the interiors, the colours - perfect! I've always got a special place in my heart for Moors and here we are...YAAAAS! I'm already a few hours in and can't get enough. Yep, I'm sticking my nose everywhere!  THANK YOU! 
 

Spoiler

...if only that pesky red book I am supposed to tug be more visible.  I'm stuck in this room forever. Even used the poor imam body to block the door, but even that didn't make it work. Clicked all of the red books on the top shelf as per note and still can't deactivate the trap. Help, please

[Frost_Salamander]

On 10/16/2024 at 4:16 AM, MirceaKitsune said:

Finally finished it! Beautiful yet difficult FM, both in terms of navigating and finding objectives. Took me precisely a week, had to noclip and look for hints to get many things done.

  Reveal hidden contents

Got 4817/6071 loot, 4 bottles. Not bad, was expecting even less for something of this complexity.

I have one big curiosity though...

  Hide contents

Was this guy supposed to die, like scripted to when finishing the main objective? Because he was alive before I went into the ministry of defense, then I found him like this just after I stole what I needed then exited and went through his home. At first I thought agents were sent to kill him, now I suspect he glitched off the stairs. As you can see his eyes are open so he's dead not knocked out, and I couldn't have done it since there's a no kill objective that would end the run.

 

Hi -

Spoiler

That is Zayd I believe, in the Grenville's house.  No, he's not supposed to die.  I guess it's a glitch?  As you say if you killed him the no-kill objective would have failed.

 

[Frost_Salamander]

On 10/23/2024 at 12:13 AM, Mezla said:

  Hide contents

...if only that pesky red book I am supposed to tug be more visible.  I'm stuck in this room forever. Even used the poor imam body to block the door, but even that didn't make it work. Clicked all of the red books on the top shelf as per note and still can't deactivate the trap. Help, please

Do you still need help?  If so:

Spoiler

The book is on the shelves to the right, 3rd shelf from the top.  However it only becomes frobable after you read the note in Salim's garbage bin.  It's still hard for people to find I think, so I may make it easier in an update.  In Boy Lag's playthrough on YouTube he really struggled with it.  

 

[Mezla]

@Frost_Salamander, thank you so much for help. I'm afraid, I have to ask for more:

Spoiler

for the life of me I can't find the way to the part of Ministry of Defence where the sword is. I see the window I can open from the very top floor of Ministry but can't go there unless I start flying/noclipping  (*screenshot 1*)

I also noticed there is a ceiling window in one of the closed offices but again - I was able to check it only by noclipping. (*screenshot 2*)

All doors seem to be opening from the inside. Help, please, this is the last area of the map I can't find access into. 

 

 

 

Edited October 28, 2024 by Mezla
wanted to put pictures into spolier

[Frost_Salamander]

4 hours ago, Mezla said:

@Frost_Salamander, thank you so much for help. I'm afraid, I have to ask for more:

  Hide contents

for the life of me I can't find the way to the part of Ministry of Defence where the sword is. I see the window I can open from the very top floor of Ministry but can't go there unless I start flying/noclipping  (*screenshot 1*)

I also noticed there is a ceiling window in one of the closed offices but again - I was able to check it only by noclipping. (*screenshot 2*)

All doors seem to be opening from the inside. Help, please, this is the last area of the map I can't find access into. 

 

 

 

Spoiler

In screenshot 1, you can open and climb up into that window by standing on the light beneath it. That will also lead eventually to the area in screenshot 2

 

[Mezla]

I must have been really tired to not take that way  Thank you!

[Frost_Salamander]

 I've released an update for this, details here: https://github.com/FrostSalamander/lt3/releases/tag/4.0

The main change is to the reflective water material, as it was causing a performance issue in 2.13.  This new version includes a new material from @nbohr1more which looks the same but doesn't cause performance issues.

The release also includes a couple of bug fixes and gameplay improvements.  It should be in the mission database soon, but here are download links in case anyone wants them:

Proton: https://drive.proton.me/urls/FTE3WRST48#yvnLUZBtBpDD

Github: https://github.com/FrostSalamander/lt3/releases/download/4.0/faffairs.pk4

[nbohr1more]

The mission database has been updated! Thanks again!

[MirceaKitsune]

Sounds like a good opportunity to replay this sometime. I can confirm performance was very slow in the starting area, particularly when looking toward the buildings from the peer when you can see a lot at once: I thought this is because it's very open and visportals can't hide much, didn't think about the water shader. Reflective water using the mirror setting creates an extra render which has a huge performance impact, it looks beautiful but sadly a less accurate cubemap may be the better choice at times with current capabilities.

[Frost_Salamander]

10 hours ago, MirceaKitsune said:

I can confirm performance was very slow in the starting area, particularly when looking toward the buildings from the peer when you can see a lot at once: I thought this is because it's very open and visportals can't hide much, didn't think about the water shader

Just checking - do you mean slow in 2.13, or 2.12.  In 2.12 it should have been good with a half-way decent system.  Mine is a 3 year old mid-range PC and it didn't go below about 95 FPS in that section.  With shadow maps I was getting around 160 FPS. Also no beta testers mentioned anything, so I wouldn't say it was 'very slow', unless you mean in 2.13 which it was.

[chakkman]

I had no performance issues while testing the mission. If there had been any, someone would have noticed.

There must be something on @MirceaKitsune's end.

[MirceaKitsune]

6 hours ago, Frost_Salamander said:

Just checking - do you mean slow in 2.13, or 2.12.  In 2.12 it should have been good with a half-way decent system.  Mine is a 3 year old mid-range PC and it didn't go below about 95 FPS in that section.  With shadow maps I was getting around 160 FPS. Also no beta testers mentioned anything, so I wouldn't say it was 'very slow', unless you mean in 2.13 which it was.

I always use the latest dev snapshot from the installer now. Thus I couldn't compare it with the release, only noticed the starting area was very slow. I presume it's an issue with newer TDM versions in that case, or the fact I use Linux and the amdgpu driver? Others reported it first though so I wasn't the only one who saw it, only popped to mind now that others mentioned it.

[Thiefette]

This was an enjoyable, if somewhat challenging mission (in a good way). Really made me put my thinking cap on and find the out of the way (sometimes) ways to get where I wanted to go.

Spoiler

I had some difficulty at the beginning (after the ship). I had taken out the torch bearer, climbed the mast, went up the stairs and there I was stuck. Could not get around anyone not even with a moss arrow on the floor. It was then I realized that the guards were alerted lol. They were doing their regular patrol but had their swords out. My bad. Reloaded back to the ship and was much more careful going forward. Had no problem after that. I loved all the searching for ways in as it helped find all the bottles on my own.  Your shadow placement was spot on so had to use very few water arrows. The pool was quite a surprise and tricky spot. Unfortunately, the other prisoner sacrificed himself so I could get away. 
Have to say thank you for not including the spider in the "Don't kill anyone" objective as that would have been a mission ender for me.

Thank you for all your hard work, and as always, look forward to more missions from you.

[Knüppelaufdierübe]

Is there a way to get into the monitor room without suspicion? I don't think there is any other way in than through the vent above it. I don't have a moss arrow (not sure I ever had or found any) and dropping a document on the desk below (supposed landing area) doesn't help as I would always land on the backrest of the chair right next to said desk.

[Frost_Salamander]

2 hours ago, Knüppelaufdierübe said:

Is there a way to get into the monitor room without suspicion? I don't think there is any other way in than through the vent above it. I don't have a moss arrow (not sure I ever had or found any) and dropping a document on the desk below (supposed landing area) doesn't help as I would always land on the backrest of the chair right next to said desk.

You definitely start with moss arrows.  Quantity is 4/3/2 easy/medium/hard. You can find more in the...

Spoiler

Mage's shop.

That is the only way into the security room, yes.