Fan Mission: Yuletide Boon by Bikerdude (2026-01-11)

[Bikerdude]

Yuletide Boon

The idea behind this mission was to again show, what can be built in a small amount of time and with help from other community members. It also showcases the new church modules that I don't think have been used all that much in previous FMs. Enjoy

Notes:

- TDM 2.13 or later is REQUIRED to play this mission.
- Build time roughly 50hrs.
- I have created serveral new custom models and prefabs for mappers to use, based off the church models.

Download Link:

- (v1.2) - https://mega.nz/file/qV1UQKqK#B9cdy3iB_Z7q8j2nQOEc9KISw8cPSYLIowP-1yokRbI

Credits:

Special thanks:

- Springheel for creating the church modules.
- Jack 'mozart' farmer for the briefing video and menu music.
- datiswous - subtitles.
- Goldwell - voice acting and briefing additions. 
- Dragofer - pagan statue from http://www.cadnav.com/3d-models/model-40413.html
- Misc - Melted candlewax texture from - www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-of-wax-of-a-melted-candle-17959695
- Amadeus - scripting

beta testers:

-Jackfarmer, datiswous, CambridgeSpy, DavyJones, Mat99, Amadeus.
 

 

Edited February 27 by Bikerdude

[Amadeus]

Congrats on the release!!!! Nice work on The speedbuild

[werner]

Hi Bikerdude,

I just downloaded it, but the briefing video doesn't appear (just black screen), but I can hear the sound and see the subtitles.

My version is 2.13 *109 46

[Bikerdude]

Ah yep. I compressed the briefing video file with handbrake and I didn’t spot it had changed the format of the file name.

I have reuploaded, please try now.

Edited January 11 by Bikerdude

[nbohr1more]

The mission has been added to the mission database!

Congrats on the release!

[chumbucket91]

Completed in 18:46, 913/1004 loot.

Short, simple, nice work! I was particularly impressed by the architecture/brushwork in the crypt and cave areas. Lots of pretty angles and light rays filtering through windows and cave stalagcgtgctmites. Good use of the smoky particle effects, and a delicate touch on the ambient sounds made this a wonderful little bite-sized dark mod experience.

Most of my criticisms/complaints can be boiled down to "well, its a speedbuild chumbucket, what were you expecting lol". It felt odd to spawn directly in the middle of a church, greeted by a hostile priest - a tiny outdoor section to at least break in through a window or something could have been nice. The one brown brick texture for all the church walls got a little dull. I also feel like there could have been a bit more buildup or tension heading into

Spoiler

the main objective's cave area (and maybe guard the mask with an elemental or creepy pagan monster thing)

 

I ran into a couple tiny tech/polish issues - I was able to open the offetory box in the church from the opposite side of the wall, and I found a rat friend permanently stuck in some broken barrel geometry. I've attached screenshots of both of those issues with position data enabled.
  

I think this is a 6.5 out of 10 for me in the scope of all the thief/dark mod missions I've played, and a nice 8 to 8.5 as a speedbuild mission. 

[Heuli]

Congrats on the release!
Great, I'm looking forward to playing your new mission!

Thanks Bikerdude!

[Cambridge Spy]

Here's my playthrough video of this mission:

 

 

[chakkman]

11 hours ago, chumbucket91 said:

I ran into a couple tiny tech/polish issues - I was able to open the offetory box in the church from the opposite side of the wall

Same here.

Also, there is some issue with the (holy) water well in the catacombs. Mantle onto it, and then jump, and you're on an invisible surface. Same when you drop from the middle level down onto it. The surface is then a bit higher though.

There also is an issue with the speaker's desk in the chapel. See the screenshot:

Looks like two elements from the front are leaking through.

Apart from that, nice little mission. A bit too small for my liking, but, it's a speedbuild, so. 

Spoiler

I really liked the looks of those caves, they looked really nice. Nice and fitting ambient music there as well.

I kind of expected something to happen after I fetched the mask, but, I was glad that nothing happened.

 

[Bikerdude]

11 hours ago, chumbucket91 said:

-  a tiny outdoor section to at least break in through a window or something could have been nice. The one brown brick texture for all the church walls got a little dull. I also feel like there could have been a bit more buildup or tension heading into
- I ran into a couple tiny tech/polish issues - I was able to open the offetory box in the church from the opposite side of the wall,
-I found a rat friend permanently stuck in some broken barrel geometry. I've attached screenshots of both of those issues with position data enabled.

- created.
- the usual frob_block method isn't working here unfortunately.
- fixed.

Edited January 12 by Bikerdude

[Bikerdude]

5 minutes ago, chakkman said:

- Also, there is some issue with the (holy) water well in the catacombs. Mantle onto it, and then jump, and you're on an invisible surface. Same when you drop from the middle level down onto it. The surface is then a bit higher though.
- There also is an issue with the speaker's desk in the chapel. See the screenshot: Looks like two elements from the front are leaking through.

- fixed.
- fixed.
 

[Heuli]

Wow, that was tough, typical bikerdude. 

[irisx]

Nice little mission with tight spacing, impressive visuals and a good showcase of new assets. Managed to loot everything after painstakingly looking at every corner, but in all the search was rewarding enough for such a small mission.

Spoiler

1. I noticed a couple of untextured surfaces on a column capital in the crypt:

2. There was also some z-fighting on one of the stair steps.

3. Some of the railings seem to have an invisible clip, you cannot jump or throw things over them.

4. And playing the first version I've also experienced floating above the holy water :-)

 

[chakkman]

Speaking of new assets, I love those statues. Somehow reminded me of the Nazgul from LOTR.

[Tarhiel]

New mission from Bikerdude?
Congratulation on the release, looking forward to play

[thebigh]

Congrats on the release! I enjoyed playing this one. Not too hard, not too huge and sprawling, some nicely hidden loot pieces. Good start to 2026.

[kin]

Congratulations on the release. It took me about 10 min to finish including the intro. Taking in to account how fast it was made, very impressive. 

completely irrelevant: Something I noticed for the first time in dark mod. While watching the pot boiling In the kitchen, found that the vertical azimuth sound localization of dark mod is amazing. I can tell with eyes closed exactly where this pot is on the up/down axis while moving the mouse around. 

[Zerush]

Very nice little mission for in between, straight forward gameplay and also a easy mission for new gamers. Congrats.

[Bikerdude]

8 hours ago, kin said:

completely irrelevant: Something I noticed for the first time in dark mod. While watching the pot boiling In the kitchen, found that the vertical azimuth sound localization of dark mod is amazing. I can tell with eyes closed exactly where this pot is on the up/down axis while moving the mouse around. 

For sounds like this, all you need to do is make sure they are mono. Then what you described will happen every time

[Bikerdude]

Afternoon

So I have fixed all the remaining issue (that I was able to) that were reported and added some new bits as per some suggestions, enjoy.

see the OP.

Edited January 13 by Bikerdude

[datiswous]

8 hours ago, kin said:

that the vertical azimuth sound localization of dark mod is amazing.

Is this also related to efx?

[Bikerdude]

On 1/13/2026 at 2:42 PM, datiswous said:

Is this also related to efx?

I don’t believe so, EFX in the simplest terms is echo and reverb. What kin is refering to is positional audio via HRTF thats built into the engine.

Edited February 27 by Bikerdude

[nbohr1more]

6 hours ago, Bikerdude said:

Afternoon

So I have fixed all the remaining issue (that I was able to) that were reported and added some new bits as per some suggestions, enjoy.

see the OP.

Hmm. The water surface effect in the cave seems to be broken in the new version?

[High John]

I liked the challenge of how to get from the church basement into the caves.

Initially there doesn't seem a way forward, but there was a logic of where the entrance was likely to be.

Spoiler

The 'flat area' halfway down the stairs - but not connected to the stairs - seemed pointless at first glance.

Because in a well-designed mission there is a point to everything(!)

Edited January 13 by High John

[Bikerdude]

1 hour ago, nbohr1more said:

Hmm. The water surface effect in the cave seems to be broken in the new version?

Looks fine to me -