A.J on 7/2/2019 at 17:33

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"Best FM" is a bit of a broad term. If you want to start playing FMs, the best missions to start with ones that are easy to get into and retain the "Thiefy" atmosphere of the original games. By doing this, you can also get a taste of the different architectural styles that certain authors use and see what you like best.

I recommend you start with Polygon's Small Thief series (with the entries being Zombie in the Basement and Sinful Opportunities), AsyluM's Hidden Agenda if you're into the mechanist category, skacky's Music of Sibel if you want to check out a good contest mission that is faithful to TDP, Melan's Prowler of the Dark and Heist Society.

For more, definitely check out the FM category list if you want to narrow down the types of mission you prefer: (https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144797&p=2272516&viewfull=1#post2272516)

DirkBogan on 7/2/2019 at 22:50

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THIEF 2
(these are all incredible, but for such a big list I'm putting ones you should play 'first' in bold. Basically everything in my previous post also counts as 'play first bold'.)
CAMPAIGN/MULTI-PART MISSIONS are UNDERLINED

(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20804) A Smuggler's Request/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20871) Art of Thievery by Richard Cull/RiCh
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133658) Among Two Storms by Haplo
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=110275&page=7) Ashen Age by Sliptip
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123968) Dracula/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133145) Bathory/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148389&page=2) Nosferatu by Sensut
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72263) Ominous Bequest/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121515) Broken Triad by Eshaktaar (Ominous Bequest is worth playing, if only because Broken Triad is a sequel to it)
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=140990) Drymian Codex by Yandros, Random Taffer and Tannar (remake of Monastory of St. Fera; perhaps play the original afterwards...)
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17229) Durant by Mazur
(http://thiefmissions.com/m/Gati) Gathering At The Inn/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122490) Mission X by Team CoSaS (Mission X is very un-Thief...)
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56716) L'arsene/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68693) Emilie Victor/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88713) Goblins-Korrigans/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101993) The Den/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138590) The Black Frog/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93314) Happy New Year Mr. Lambert! by Gaëtane (she really is that good)
Greyfeather Gems, Parts 1 & 2 ((https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70739) The Shipment/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99519) Rodamill) by Maria Ström/Morrgan
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90658) Heist Society/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20963) Hidden Agenda by Mark Smith/AsyluM
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122364) Keeper Investigations/(http://thiefmissions.com/m/NightsProfit#m) A Night's Profit by intruder
Darkstone Gems ((https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=139051) The Conflict/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146088) Nobles And Craftsmen/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147686) Unexpected Detour/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149216) Point of Entry) by DarkMax (next part WIP!)
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99719) Saints And Thieves by Spitter
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16509) Saturio Returns Home by Robin G.
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118849) Seven Sisters/(http://thiefmissions.com/m/Tower) The Tower/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69439) Rowena's Curse by Lady Rowena
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145899) A Job Well Done/(http://www.thiefmissions.com/m/UnsungVillain) Unsung Villian by R Soul (Robin Collier) + Xorak & Wille
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=94119) All Torc/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136507) Stone And Glass Houses by R Soul (another case of the original is good, the sequel is phenomenal)
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127401) Wicked Relics by Kfort
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=88735) A Debt Repaid by Ottoj55 (Jason Otto)
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101246) A Dire Venture/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45706) The Royal Garmyth by Hidden In Shadows (Janne Kahkonen)
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114415) A Keeper's Betrayal by The Immortal Thief
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=109310) A Pirate's Downfall/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124172) Memoirs of A Dead God/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141545) Sturmdrang Peak by Nicked
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28825) Benny's Dead by The Gingerbread Man
(http://thiefmissions.com/m/TransitionsInChaos1) Conspiracies In The Dark/(http://thiefmissions.com/m/TheCurse) The Curse by Ramirez's Old Fat Burrick
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82783) Coterie of Smokers/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73279) The Night Falcon/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78160) Curse of The Falcon/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148117) Raven Creek/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146693) Mission 3/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=109393) Mountain Monastery/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122515) Pirates Ahoy!... maybe just play everything by Christine Schneider. The 1st mission of Pirates Ahoy! is perfect.
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145242) Curse of The Skull Goblet by MossEater
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148916) Defamation of Character by Proliffia
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142200) Double or Quits/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102789) A Night In Rocksbourg 1(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121238) -3/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124191) Greenbay by DrK
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36672) Embracing The Enemy by Kung Fu Gecko
(http://thiefmissions.com/search.cgi?search=gem+mine&sort=title#m) The Trickster's Gem Mine (eight part series)/(http://thiefmissions.com/m/washout1-2) Raid On Washout Central by Belboz/Steven Hindley
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123371) Heading Out by Camus
Mystic Gems, Parts 1 and 2 ((https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=109938) Unlucky Soul/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122632) Heart of Bohn)/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121155) Sir William's Keep by Wille
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10732) The Inverted Manse by David "Sledge" Riegel; Paul M. Fox; Steve "Laz" Lazarus; Saturnine, and Paul "Loanstar" Billo
(http://thiefmissions.com/m/show#m) Just For Show by Tumbleweed (William Hollingsworth)
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=77547) Just Take A Look/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66252) Two Fathers by uncadonego
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91616) Lady Lisa's Harbour/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118526) Three Crowns by bbb (I previously recommended A Short Night's Work... seriously, play that first. It's a masterpiece)
Tales From The Cleft ((https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125288) Vandal/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134042) Ladytaker) by Balboa (Doug Brainard) (yet another example of the original is good, the sequel is phenomenal)
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145495) Of Thieves And Rubies by Silencium18 (great example of a short, solid and unpretentious campaign)
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148488) Precarious Business by ObservingEye
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142870) Resonance by HipBreaker/Jeremy Catlin
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70317) Skull of St. Yora by Zaccheus (Richard C. Lafferty)
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142155) The Favour by Beltzer
(http://thiefmissions.com/m/ThirdTimesTheCharm#m) Third Time's The Charm by Anonymous
(http://thiefmissions.com/m/TurnOfTheTide#m) Turn of The Tide/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85905) Moth To A Flame by madwolf
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146932) Watery Grave by Squadafroin
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146541) Iron Heart/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147734) Breathing Corpses by FrenchDecay
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147134) Morbid Curiosity by PukeyBrunster
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135179) The Last Lighthouse Keeper/(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132336) When Still.../(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144830) Kingsbridge by Eternauta
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141460) Zealot's Hollow by Xorak

There are definitely more masterpieces than this, even some by authors listed here... but I haven't played them yet (...or I don't quite consider them masterpieces :()

john9818a on 8/2/2019 at 23:21

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There are countless threads on 'recommended fm's' which can be found by using the search box. :) Honestly the best is a matter of opinion. :) The thing is that there are more than 800 fan missions, and pretty much all of them have something to offer to someone.

If you just started playing fan missions you have a lot of catching up to do. :p :joke: But seriously if you stick to only the best then you will definitely miss out on some really good efforts.

demagogue on 10/2/2021 at 04:53

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Hey Vlad. I remember all the effort we went to working together to get the Chain Project into good enough shape to release. That was 15 years ago!



My style of choosing FMs to play was always to alternate a highly recommended FM and then one at random, often a really small or forgotten one. John is right that some of the most interesting moments can be buried in some really obscure & neglected FMs.

I can also vouch for Gaetane & Rowena's FMs. I play Emilie Victor & Rowena's Curse almost every year. They didn't even get the biggest props in the list above, but those two FMs are so imaginative and the gold standard for me.