mungomango on 1/6/2022 at 13:00
zappenduster - read the actual note you have about what to do with Traven. You'll find the info in the details. Really, most of the time you're stuck, you have to think what would a sneaky designer do here? Once you're into the mindset things become a lot easier... Try every shutter, door etc.. lots of stuff hidden in plain sight. It's well worth a revisit I promise you.
serg_kundel on 15/6/2022 at 12:04
Finished that masterpiece! 9.5/10
Actually twice.
First time I played original version.
I finished it with ~4800 loot and 9 secrets.
Later I take a look into original thread and found all other secrets. But even with all that, I missed smth like 700 of loot.
I was very interested how to accomplish the bonus objective and was forced to cheat it.
Below is the steps, how I get that bonus. SPOILERS!:
Probably as everyone in the main mission thread, I started with the searching more deeply the warehouse area - I thought that drill outside was the clue. And it was wrong direction. Tried to look in other areas - also no luck. Then I decided to cheat.
First of all, I read everything in Books folder. I found required text. After reading it, I know where to search and I searched THAT room (all signs in the mission marks important places) - but once again no luck. Eventually, without experience, I start looking for item in DromEd. Later I found the place (by using some query). And now I see, why nobodies found it. Here is the hint: there is one object that looks like the others, but actually is pushable. I'm glad that you reworked this in Director's cut.
When I finished the mission, I thought to write some small review in the thread and was surprised to find out about Director's cut. Here we go again...
Director's Cut edition.
With all my knowledge, I beat this version for 3 hours and 7 minutes.
Loot: 7571 from 8309
Secrets: 22 from 24. I have suspicion I missed these secrets in the warehouse basement and Monckton apartment. Maybe hint?
Overall, it's original mission plus new areas to explore, which is always good.
I'm really glad you reworked 1st bonus objective, now it's sticks to the thief logic. And you add additional clues too.
I was able to get the 2nd bonus objective, but I don't like how it's implemented. I suggest alternative way (which I actually did in the mission) SPOILERS: I put and locked all 5 persons in the cell, in the police department. This make sense, when you already completed 1st bonus.
Summary:
This is really gorgeous mission, with very good visual and architectural design. All these objects, textures and details - fits their places. All these are really good balanced and, with perfect ambientes, creates a good atmosphere.
I really liked all these tricky ways, how to get to the different areas. All these requires tricky acrobatic, which could be not good for the casual taffers. In most of the missions (open missions) I like to search for out of bounds ways, by standard means (without using crates or object stacking). Just to see, maybe there are some easter eggs. In this mission I haven't found such ways (good testing).
Almost all loot is located in natural and possible (in real situation) places. This is definitely a big plus to the design.
Some secrets are really hard to find and this is good - it's secret or what.
Whole mission is a combination of streets, bank, church, puzzle, with some chunks of other types. All this is well balanced and interesting to explore, no boring time. I really liked new area in mausoleum.
1st puzzle in the crypt was mechanically changed. I played 1st version so I used the same mechanic, which was not working. Actually, I took some hint how to correctly do it. Not the best solution, especially for casual players to do that acrobatic but in general it's ok. The 2nd and 3rd puzzles are ok, I beat them without issues.
This mission is really good example how the best thief missions should look like. It will be really interesting to play any new mission from you. Please.
THANK YOU RippedPhreak!
That was really a good distraction from the war in my country (Ukraine).
Now back to the real life.
Kubrick on 17/6/2022 at 21:33
It seems I played the original but don't remember it outright. More for me! I'll be playing it later tonight
Kubrick on 23/6/2022 at 03:18
Okay I'm currently playing this FM, which is amazing. I vaguely remember the original and I haven't seen the bank again so far. It's a really good FM. I have just solved the crypt puzzle with the help of this thread. I absolutely agree with Swiz:
Quote Posted by Swiz
This is... mmm. This is a great mission, but a bad puzzle.
Apparently some people objected to me spoiling part of the answer too soon after release, but one man's spoiler is another man's prompt bug report, because I really did think I'd broken this.
The answer is to spell a word that letter-by-letter, with order important. Fair enough.
But... If you'd played the previous version and gone "Oh, yeah, I remember what the rubble (which is still present in this version) was for" you're at a disadvantage because you don't have to weigh them all down, but walk over them in order. And Thief is flaky about this, it's too easy to not actually trigger a plate, or trigger it twice, which breaks it and you have to restart.
But the real objection I have if that the hints are misleading. "No need to spell out clever plans"... but the answer is spelling something out. And then if you do everything correctly there's a plaque in a small room that says "No, that was all for nothing, best kill yourself", which makes me think at best I need to reload, at worst I've locked myself out of a bonus objective completely. But that is the room I actually need to be in to continue and start solving the puzzle!So I'm just going to break it down for the people from the future that may be stuck.
What the puzzle is (minimal spoilers, clarification):
You do have to spell a word. A very simple word. The hint about the key being in the statue's hands is actually a double hint.How I solved it (procedure):
You're missing a letter. Shoot a rope arrow to the wooden beams, from outside the view range of the haunts (did it from the entryway), otherwise they'll kill you. Once you're on the wood beams, remember the hint about the key being in the statues' hands. After you solve that one...Procedure part 2:
... That is, after you press the buttons behind the statues, go up the magic fire or whatever that is at the center of the room through the wood beams, to that red attic space. Up there you'll see two new letters. Now you have all that's neccesary to spell the key word. Remember the hint again.The outright spoiler:
Spell "fire" to open the door following the procedure above. Start with the "F" from the attic, go down, and step on the rest of the letters.If for some reason the author doesn't want the spoiler I'll remove it, although I don't know why they wouldn't.
Gonna keep playing this amazing mission now! Will post again later.
RippedPhreak on 23/6/2022 at 18:07
I think it was spoiled earlier in the thread so no big deal. You can also just kill the haunts to proceed, although you'd probably have to buy the flash bombs at the start to do it.
Glad to hear you're enjoying it.
Severian_Silk on 5/8/2022 at 12:59
Amazing FM. Beautiful architecture, awesome level design and a great use of ambient sounds, both old and new. The readables were a joy and the story definitely kept me interested. I really liked how one of the principal characters was called von Goethe ;) .
RippedPhreak on 5/8/2022 at 15:57
I just thought it sounded good. No reference to any poetry really.
Alma Elma on 30/8/2022 at 19:27
Started to play this and got to the crypt puzzles and ya...that was a really rough puzzle. I think if there are going to be hints it should have maybe made more of a hint to climb upward.
I ended up looking around the area for a long while trying to see if I was missing something in the church. Is it just me or is that puzzle not great? :sweat:
Samantha1 on 30/8/2022 at 19:44
Quote:
I ended up looking around the area for a long while trying to see if I was missing something in the church. Is it just me or is that puzzle not great?
I do like puzzles like that. The only issue with it I think is that the previous version of this FM had the rubble so replaying the newer version with a very similar puzzle you think "ah, I need the rubble again!"..
RippedPhreak on 30/8/2022 at 20:49
But you don't need the rubble. ;)
Anyway, yes it seems a lot of people had trouble with that puzzle. I guess I outsmarted myself.