How I make The Black Parade more challenging

Garrett731 on 20/11/2025 at 15:23

[CENTER]My thanks to 'voodoo47' of ttlg.com for creating this requested code for me~ :thumb:[/CENTER]
I've been playing The Black Parade (which I absolutely love) in this way for some time now and thought I'd share it with others.

First, edit the 'fm.cfg' file (I used Notepad) in The Black Parade root folder and set 'jump_speed_boost' to 1.0 and 'apply_dbmods' to 1.

Second, copy/paste the following code into a txt. file (I used Notepad):

Quote:

DML1

//load nvscript
#script "NVScript"

//to speed things up, we need to create a custom metaprop
CreateArch "MetaProperty" "TurnOnTheSpeed"
{
}
+ObjProp "TurnOnTheSpeed" "TimeWarp"
{
"" 0.70
}
//remove the TimeWarp prop from all concretes upon beginscript so that the TurnOnTheSpeed meta would take effect once assigned to a concrete
CreateArch "MetaProperty" "KillTimeWarp"
{
}
+ObjProp "KillTimeWarp" "Scripts"
{
"Script 0" NVRemovePropertyTrap
"Script 1" NVMetaTrap
}
+ObjProp "KillTimeWarp" "DesignNote"
{
"" NVRemovePropertyTrapOn="BeginScript"; NVRemovePropertyTrapProp="TimeWarp"; NVRemovePropertyTrapCount=1; NVMetaTrapOn="Sim"; NVMetaTrapMeta="TurnOnTheSpeed"; NVMetaTrapOff="NULL"; NVMetaTrapCount=1;
}
+MetaProp "Creature" "KillTimeWarp"
//set up death field (creatures must be immune to it)
++Receptron "Creature" "ToxicStim"
{
Min 0
Max None

Effect "Abort"
}
//and now to create the metaprop (intensity controls how strong the dose is, period controls how often it is administered in milliseconds, radius how far the field reaches)
CreateArch "MetaProperty" "DeathField"
{
}
+StimSource "DeathField" "ToxicStim"
{
Intensity 1000

Propagator "Radius"
{
Life
{
"Flags" "No Max Firings"
"Period" 100
"Max Firings" 0
"Intensity Slope" 0.00
}

Shape
{
"Radius" 5.00
"Flags" "[None]"
"Dispersion" "Linear"
}
}
}
//and another metaprop to control where the field would be assigned
CreateArch "MetaProperty" "DeathFieldAssign"
{
}
+ObjProp "DeathFieldAssign" "Scripts"
{
"Script 0" NVMetaTrap9
"Script 1" NVRelayTrap9
}
+ObjProp "DeathFieldAssign" "DesignNote"
{
"" NVMetaTrap9On="PhysFellAsleep"; NVMetaTrap9Meta="DeathField"; NVMetaTrap9Off="FieldOff"; NVMetaTrap9Count=1; NVMetaTrap9CountOnly=1; NVRelayTrap9On="Slain"; NVRelayTrap9TDest="[Me]"; NVRelayTrap9TOn="FieldOff"; NVRelayTrap9TOff="FieldOff";
}
+MetaProp "Creature" "DeathFieldAssign"
//and now try to exclude civilians
+ObjProp "bystander" "DesignNote"
{
"" NVMetaTrap9On="NULL";
}
// lets try to handle the knockout situation
+ObjProp "M-KnockedOut" "DesignNote"
{
"" NVRelayTrap9Off="AIModeChange"; NVMetaTrap9On="NULL";
}
//and now try to exclude pre-placed corpses
+ObjProp "M-PosedCorpse" "DesignNote"
{
"" NVMetaTrap9On="NULL";
}
//and now try to exclude horses
+ObjProp "Equine" "DesignNote"
{
"" NVMetaTrap9On="NULL";
}

Then change the txt. file name to gamesys.dml (Windows must be set to show file extensions), and place it in The Black Parade root folder.

So, how does this change the game?

* If Hume enters an enemy's immediate vicinity, he will automatically surrender or collapse in terror, making enemies more threatening and remedying the AI's dependence on stunted attack animations.
* All NPCs are 30% faster and speed hopping is disabled (players can still move diagonally using the up and right/left keys for a slight speed boost), making enemies more threatening, accelerating observational patrol routes, and forcing the player to take advantage of their environment (retreating to areas inaccessible to enemies.) The 30% was decided on after extensive testing, the idea being that alerted pursuers will always gain on Hume (a result of an old leg wound sustained in the mines), adding to the dread and terror of being detected. Adult spiders and tall Hammerites are deadly.

Stealth and taking advantage of the environment are now absolutely essential, and flash/smoke bombs can be life-saving tools.

Additional rules I personally adhere to:

* No kills or knockouts, meaning no Blackjack, Broadhead Arrow, Fire Arrow, Gas Arrow, Gas Mine, Holy Water, Mine, or Sword.
* The player can only quicksave their progress on every successive 500 loot value gained during missions. When you reach at least 500, quicksave; when you reach at least 1000, quicksave; when you reach at least 1500, quicksave, and so on. This enhances tension and forces the player to make more meaningful choices.
* Play on Expert.

I wanted to code these optional rules in too -- no luck. If someone can, let me know! If you still want to Blackjack enemies for fun, you can use the 'Lean Forward' ability to breach the surrender/terror field of passing enemies when standing still, which can be quite thrilling.

NOTE: There're a few weapon-wielding/magic-casting civilians/noblemen who don't emit a surrender/terror field. If you'd like them to, here're some other txt. files you can create and add to The Black Parade root folder:

1. Create a txt. file named miss20.mis.dml and copy/paste the following:

Quote:

DML1

//enable field for the nobleman
+ObjProp 1157 "DesignNote"
{
"" AlertRoutineOnly=true; NVMetaTrap9On="ResetModel";
}

2. Create a txt. file named miss21.mis.dml and copy/paste the following:

Quote:

DML1

//enable field for the skull guy
+ObjProp 1184 "DesignNote"
{
"" NVMetaTrap9On="PhysFellAsleep";
}

3. Create a txt. file named miss24.mis.dml and copy/paste the following:

Quote:

DML1

//enable field for the Valmont guy
+ObjProp 1558 "DesignNote"
{
"" NVMetaTrap9On="PhysFellAsleep";
}

Thanks for reading, and I hope this works for you! Trust me, if you can break into and adopt this new playstyle, you'll never go back -- it's that thrilling. ;)