Virtual Rooms Vol.1

[snatcher]

Virtual Rooms Vol.1

You are trapped in a virtual simulation of interconnected rooms, each holding its own challenge.

Do you dare attempt the escape?

 

Volume 1 marks the beginning of a journey. Future volumes of Virtual Rooms will be driven by the community: rooms will be created by different authors. We will set common rules as we go. Stay tuned for the upcoming kickoff of Volume 2!

In the meantime, let know your thoughts about Volume 1 and "Virtual Rooms" as a concept. Feel free to criticize and/or suggest areas of improvement. Share your ideas. This initiative now belongs to all of you, members of this community and fans of The Dark Mod out there.

Have fun 

 

Install instructions:

Virtual Rooms Vol.1 is available in the in-game mission downloader.

Alternatively, go to the "fms" folder, create the folder "vr_vol1" and place inside the pk4 file that you can download here.

 

Room names, as reference:

Spoiler

1. Welcome
2. Passage
3. Outpost
4. Resonance
5. Purgatory
6. Parade
7. Copycat
8. Gallery
9. Heist
10. Joker
11. Missing
12. Trials
13. Guest
14. Checkpoint
15. Colossus

 

Known bugs:

Spoiler

1. The sword in mission five is not supposed to carry over to the next mission(s). I don't consider this a game-breaking bug and it has been left in intentionally. I am not sure if it should be fixed in the source code alone or in the maps as well. - Solved in version 2.
2. Chance of noticing missing items by AI is broken in 2.13. No big deal plus it has apparently been fixed for 2.14.

 

Cheers!

Edited Wednesday at 09:19 PM by snatcher

[snatcher]

Reserved

[datiswous]

Interesting idea, but I would rather choose to start a specific mission instead of doing them in order. I guess that's more difficult to implement though. You could have them all in one map and in the briefing select which challenge to start.

I wonder what you had in mind for the community inclusion. Would other mappers add maps to the campaign list, or would mappers make new missions in the same format?

Edited November 2 by datiswous

[Zerush]

10 hours ago, snatcher said:

Virtual Rooms Vol.1

You are trapped in a virtual simulation of interconnected rooms, each holding its own challenge.

Do you dare attempt the escape?

 

Volume 1 marks the beginning of a journey. Future volumes of Virtual Rooms will be driven by the community: rooms will be created by different authors. We will set common rules as we go. Stay tuned for the upcoming kickoff of Volume 2!

In the meantime, let know your thoughts about Volume 1 and "Virtual Rooms" as a concept. Feel free to criticize and/or suggest areas of improvement. Share your ideas. This initiative now belongs to all of you, members of this community and fans of The Dark Mod out there.

Have fun 

 

Install instructions:

Go to the "fms" folder, create the folder "virtual_rooms_vol1" and place inside the pk4 file that you can download here:

(Virtual Rooms Vol.1 should be available in the in-game mission downloader shortly).

 

Room names, as reference:

  Reveal hidden contents

1. Welcome
2. Passage
3. Outpost
4. Resonance
5. Purgatory
6. Parade
7. Copycat
8. Gallery
9. Heist
10. Joker
11. Missing
12. Trials
13. Guest
14. Checkpoint
15. Colossus

 

Known bugs:

  Reveal hidden contents

1. The sword in mission five is not supposed to carry over to the next mission(s). I don't consider this a game-breaking bug and it has been left in intentionally. I am not sure if it should be fixed in the source code alone or in the maps as well.
2. Chance of noticing missing items by AI is broken in 2.13. No big deal plus it has apparently been fixed for 2.14.

 

Cheers!

Pretty tricky missions, nothing for newbies, but very interesying idea. In some I got killed several times, most times in the last one with the big statue. It's more an tricky stealth platformer than an escape room challenge.

Edited November 2 by Zerush

[snatcher]

36 minutes ago, datiswous said:

Interesting idea, but I would rather choose to start a specific mission instead of doing them in order. I guess that's more difficult to implement though. You could have them all in one map and in the briefing select which challenge to start.

An automatic save is created at the start of a room. Once you reach a room you can re-play it (check your saves). I agree it would be cool to have something more visually appealing, a kind of map where rooms unlock as you progress.

36 minutes ago, datiswous said:

I wonder what you had in mind for the community inclusion. Would other mappers add maps to the campaign list, or would mappers make new missions in the same format?

Mappers create rooms and once we have a good number of maps we stitch them together and release everything in a single package. That's what I had in mind but who knows. I will soon create a dedicated topic and we can discuss everything in there.

[ERH+]

1 hour ago, datiswous said:

Interesting idea, but I would rather choose to start a specific mission instead of doing them in order.

So it don't have a hub area? Sounds like a missed oportunity.

[Heuli]

Everything is OK up to room 4, but something's wrong in room 5 with the ropes. Jumping 20 meters isn't possible. You can only use the rope arrow in the yellow figure. 

Edited November 3 by Heuli

[snatcher]

The rope swing mechanic is finicky and I think this is the reason we don't see it often in missions.

• Press Attack to swing on ropes (check this thread for more details)
• Quick-save often
• Don't despair! Most taffers will spend some good time in the Purgatory 

[Heuli]

Thanks for the quick reply. But it's too hard. I'm on the third rope and can't go any further. The rope isn't swinging properly. I can't get any further. The rope situation isn't good.

[datiswous]

21 hours ago, snatcher said:

I agree it would be cool to have something more visually appealing, a kind of map where rooms unlock as you progress.

I meant all missions in one map file and in the briefing you select the starter position inside the map. every area (challenge) is an enclosed area inside the map file.

[snatcher]

3 hours ago, Heuli said:

Thanks for the quick reply. But it's too hard. I'm on the third rope and can't go any further. The rope isn't swinging properly. I can't get any further. The rope situation isn't good.

It is intentionally difficult but not impossible.

The first swing is the most challenging. There is little room for error but you are close to the floor in case of failure.

From the second rope you should able to reach the platform easily.

The third rope is the shortest. Grab it and go as low as you can on the rope. The jump to the next rope looks impossible but trust me, there is rope to spare for the landing.

Edited November 3 by snatcher

[snatcher]

17 minutes ago, datiswous said:

I meant all missions in one map file and in the briefing you select the starter position inside the map. every area (challenge) is an enclosed area inside the map file.

Ahh I understand. I may someday take the idea to the lab but I will have to re-think how many things are structured, ie: objectives, items that can spawn in one room but should be used only in that room, ambient light and/or music from room to room...

The idea is that each map (room) is completely isolated from others so that authors can do whatever they want without interfering with anything else. Each room can have its own set of scripts, materials, textures, models, music, anything! Sure, a basic set of rules must be respected but mappers will be for the most part free to do whatever they please. Anything and in any form.

[nbohr1more]

This mission has been added to the mission database!

Congrats on the release!

[Heuli]

Thanks again, I've moved on now. I have to deal with Joker now. I think you also have to move the mouse back and forth with the ropes; it wasn't easy. Congrats on the release!

[High John]

Before I could get anywhere on Room 1, I had to turn down the 'AI hearing' setting to 2/4.  That - for me - made things playable but still challenging.  Am currently starting Room 3.

I appreciate the Intro tells me I can go into Settings and adjust difficulty settings.  But I would've preferred the more traditional Easy/Medium/Hard settings to choose from.  I know having 7 Difficulty options to adjust provides flexibility, but it took me a while to work out which I should adjust to make it work for me.

[snatcher]

That's good feedback there, @High John ! Thank you.

I am glad you managed to tailor the experience to meet your specific needs, preferences or desires.

[hightide]

On 11/3/2025 at 6:02 AM, snatcher said:

The rope swing mechanic is finicky and I think this is the reason we don't see it often in missions.

• Press Attack to swing on ropes (check this thread for more details)
• Quick-save often
• Don't despair! Most taffers will spend some good time in the Purgatory 

I'm also stuck here, even after reading the tips in that thread (some of which don't seem to work in the current version of DM); I just can't swing enough to reach the second rope. I may be close to the floor but I still take damage when falling; the real issue is being seen by the zombie as it turns around.

 

As far as AI Awareness, I always have vision at 3/4 and hearing at 1/4 (since my own footsteps seem to be much softer to me than they are in the world). Do different enemy types have scales within that? Like would an old person have less acute senses than a young person?

Edited November 5 by hightide

[snatcher]

You normally have to swing twice before jumping.

Grab the rope, go low on it and orientate. Don't simply press "Attack" but hold it for a moment. Swing once and let the rope pull you back. Push (hold attack) again and if timed right, you should swing a longer distance.

I can pull it off easily most of the times and it feels very natural but I am well trained by now.

I detect a couple of issues with the swing mechanic:

• Sometimes you jump but remain attached to the rope in a weird position. A solution would be to make the rope non-solid or disable the stickiness for a second or two right after pressing jump. I don't think this would impact the normal usage of the rope but we would have to test it.
• If an arrow is selected pressing attack and jumping makes you sometimes knock the arrow. You are focusing on a jump but then this happens and it feels chaotic, unprofessional. A solution would be to disable the bow while hanging on ropes and re-enable it one or two seconds after leaving the rope.

[snatcher]

10 hours ago, hightide said:

Do different enemy types have scales within that? Like would an old person have less acute senses than a young person?

For the most part all AI have the same senses but there are exceptions. In example undead don't see very well by default. Mappers can tweak per-AI senses so you will never know for sure.

[Knüppelaufdierübe]

Just my very personal opinion (and not meant to offend or be disrespectful in any way):

I do not like the adjust-difficulties-in-game-settings-to-your-liking approach. Feels like going to a restaurant, getting a bunch of raw stuff thrown before you (or a full spice rack instead of just, dunno, a salt shaker) and the chef telling you to do whatever you like with it. YOU are the f'in chef - you're supposed to cook (as the kids say (I think)).

Apart from that, it feels like a bunch of training missions designed to induce rage. Need to get my blood pressure meds.

[snatcher]

Thanks for the comments @Knüppelaufdierübe !

12 hours ago, Knüppelaufdierübe said:

I do not like the adjust-difficulties-in-game-settings-to-your-liking approach. [...]

I understand. You can simply see it as one of those mission with "ALL" "THE" "SAME" difficulty options.

12 hours ago, Knüppelaufdierübe said:

Apart from that, it feels like a bunch of training missions designed to induce rage. Need to get my blood pressure meds.

Keep the meds close because your next assignment is to complete your training in under 15 minutes! 

[Heuli]

I've been through all the rooms, and I'm exhausted too. Thanks.

[Knüppelaufdierübe]

Spent another few minutes ("few minutes" haha) with it. While I found the first few missions seriously frustrating, the later ones were more enjoyable, more interesting and - now the weird part - easier. Slightly more complex, yea, but easier still (just easier, not easy, mind you). So, I think difficulty progression could be a bit more balanced, I guess.

I still don't like how you can't get through without raising suspicion (apart from very few missions).

Having said that, I now fully expect somebody to post a video doing just that, with AI senses on max ...

[thebigh]

Yes, I definitely think Vol. 2 needs to be arranged in ascending order of difficulty. I actually had more trouble with the first mission than with Colossus.

[snatcher]

I don't know what the good order should be. Put something challenging at the beginning and players might persist knowing there is still plenty to see. Put something challenging at the end and players may just give up at that point feeling they've had enough.

I guess if there ever are submissions for Vol.2 the rule should be "first come, first served" and then we can see if authors agree to different arrangements for a linear or cohesive experience, if such thing is even possible considering the different sources.

Edited November 7 by snatcher