Which semi-short mission can you suggest?

[Fiver]

I plan on playing TDM with some friends over Christmas and want to pre-select some suitable short to semi-short missions for newbie players. A medium mission is okay if it is very easy.

For reference, I can mention that I enjoyed the following missions:

• A New Job (I enjoyed the city-maze aspects with the climbing and the objectives in the tavern) I'd call this mission medium length.
• Tears of St Lucia (I enjoyed the atmosphere in the church and the multiple entry-points, but there was a little too much reading for the playing sessions I plan) I'd call this mission medium length.
• The Bakery Job (I enjoyed the sense of a simple job and that it was a fast play-through) I'd call this mission short.
• Closedmouthed Shadows (I enjoyed that it was a fast play-through) I'd call this mission short.
• Requiem (It is very well made in almost all aspects, but it is far too long for the playing sessions I plan) I'd call this mission very long.
• The Builder's Influence (I enjoyed the multiple entry-points, but there was a little too much reading for the playing sessions I plan) I'd call this mission medium length.

(None of my comments above are intended as critique of any mission, just that some aspect of that mission may not be suitable for the playing sessions I plan. The "too much reading" in The Builder's Influence was something I did not mind when I played that missions by myself, especially considering that it was well written and contributed to the atmosphere and explained some of the back-story.)

It is perfectly fine to suggest a series, just as long as each mission in the series is short or semi-short.

Thanks in advance for helping me with this.

[STRUNK]

A Good Neighbor springs to mind

[Amadeus]

I'm also gonna suggest the April Fools FMs: Moongate Ruckus, Moving Day 2, Sneak and Souffle and Eye on the Prize

[Zerush]

Sir Taffsalots Sword

Cleaning up the nighbourhood

A Good Nighbour

Moongate Ruckus

Moving Day 2

House of Theo

[thebigh]

Among my favourite short missions are

* The Thieves

* The Parcel

* Mother Rose

* Crown of Penitence

 

Also, Briarwood Manor is the size you're looking for but the difficulty is a step higher. Pandora's Box likewise can get a bit tricky, but it is a heap of fun.

[datiswous]

In A Time of Need 2: Breaking out the Fence

Sneak and Destroy (medium)

Edited December 2, 2024 by datiswous

[Baal]

"Too Late" by Nielsen74.

Small and simple, but I remember liking it very much when I played it a long time ago.

[Zerush]

I like short missons , good for an ~30 m break.

Spring cleaning

Bakery job

The missions from the April fool challange

Excellent for training also Swing

[Fiver]

Thank you all for this! I appreciate it.

One issue we've run into is difficulty knocking out NPCs. Builders without helmets standing still have been difficult to knock out from behind, despite the hand with the blackjack being raised before hitting. This has been a source of frustration. Any thoughts?

Also, is there a setting in the console to decrease the factor of injury by a factor of 2 or 4? (I'd prefer not to resort to notarget or god, because it removes all stakes. And spawning potions is too much of an "obvious" cheat.) FYI: By "newbie players", I don't mean "new to TDM". They're new to computer gaming... (But they seem to really like TDM.)

[wesp5]

For newbie player I might recommend my own Unofficial Patch which makes some things easier. For example it removes the IMHO very illogical complete knock-out immunity guards get once they are alerted. It might be this what causes you problems to knock them out!

[SeriousToni]

Although it was already mentioned I still want to take the opportunity to "advertise" on my mission Sneak & Destroy which is possible to solve in about 30 to 45 minutes. It serves basic thief needs without long exploration or too many NPCs. On easy difficulty it is really beginner friendly but not too easy to play it carelessly.

However I am not entirely impartial as I created this FM and updated it in 2022 again.

[Zerush]

15 hours ago, Fiver said:

Thank you all for this! I appreciate it.

One issue we've run into is difficulty knocking out NPCs. Builders without helmets standing still have been difficult to knock out from behind, despite the hand with the blackjack being raised before hitting. This has been a source of frustration. Any thoughts?

Also, is there a setting in the console to decrease the factor of injury by a factor of 2 or 4? (I'd prefer not to resort to notarget or god, because it removes all stakes. And spawning potions is too much of an "obvious" cheat.) FYI: By "newbie players", I don't mean "new to TDM". They're new to computer gaming... (But they seem to really like TDM.)

Not difficult to knock an not alerted guard (without helmets even if they alerted), only difficult to do so with officials and heavy armed ones (there is better not to try it or use an gasarrow). 

Way more difficults with undeth and holy water, the need often 3 or more shots to bring them down. This should be somewhat easier.

[Fiver]

The thing with knocking out guards is that when hitting them on the head, it gives off a "clonk"-sound as if they wore a helmet, even when they don't. I thought it might be because I hit the shaft of the hammer on their back, but I'd say I was hitting them right on the head. Maybe wesp5's theory is correct.

Thank you all for your suggestions! I plan on checking in here a few more times before Christmas so any new suggestions of short and easy missions (that are also well crafted with fun puzzles) will be appreciated.

[snatcher]

On 12/2/2024 at 7:29 PM, Fiver said:

[...] Builders without helmets [...]

 

30 minutes ago, Fiver said:

[...] hitting them on the head, it gives off a "clonk"-sound [...]

I call it the "Pauldron Hit".

Check the "Classic Blackjack" Mod for the ultimate black-jack experience.

[snatcher]

On 12/2/2024 at 7:29 PM, Fiver said:

Also, is there a setting in the console to decrease the factor of injury by a factor of 2 or 4? (I'd prefer not to resort to notarget or god, because it removes all stakes. And spawning potions is too much of an "obvious" cheat.) [...]

The simplest approach is to increase the initial health but then the health bar looks ugly on screen

EDIT:

Sorry, I just checked and it isn't that the health bar looks ugly but the health + max health combo is not properly computed. I discovered this when developing the "Penumbra" Mod.

Edited December 3, 2024 by snatcher
Wrong info

[Fiver]

On 12/3/2024 at 9:03 PM, snatcher said:

I call it the "Pauldron Hit".

It has a name?! OK, so... Hmm... It ,might be an aiming thing after all. I'll consider that. Thank you!

Does anyone have more suggestions for short missions? 30-90 minutes for inexperienced players, pretty looking and good ambient sound, city maze with some climbing (e.g. A New Job) and parkour is nice (but not a requirement), light on reading (but some is OK especially if not too long and it drives the story forward with clues), preferably not undead (maybe one is OK), voice acting like some inner monologue or in the intro cutscene or when eavesdropping is a nice touch.

 

[boissiere]

A topical one for the season which I don't think has been mentioned is "The Night of Reluctant Benefaction".

[demagogue]

Another seasonal must-play is Snowed Inn.

I'd recommend it as a great bite-sized FM even aside from the snow.