Questions for fan mission designers.

Swedenborg on 4/11/2014 at 22:11

Quote Posted by Brethren

I agree with nickie that it's preferable to use FMSel, but I know for a fact that Tfix and The Enhancement Pack work fine with Darkloader.

I believe you, but it's just not working for me. The title comes up but as soon as I load the mission it's "Running Interference" that keeps coming up. The game is installed, and I do see DarkLoader doing everything it is supposed to, but it just won't run the fan mission.

I'm going to hold off on playing fan missions until I can see what's wrong and why it isn't working on my side.

I'll look into this FMSel and see if it fixes my problem. If you want to add any other suggestions in the meantime, or what I may be doing wrong, please let me know.

[EDIT]

I created an "archive" and "FMs" folder inside of my Thief directory. I removed the semicolon from "fm" so the loader executes. It's asking me for some sort of archive path and I directed it to the archive directory. However, it's looking for "any file" in an empty directory. I tried redirecting it to the "FMs" folder and selected one zipped fan mission I had there, but it wouldn't do anything with it.

So at the moment, FMSel is a little beyond me. I'm not sure what do to next.

[EDIT]

Why would DarkLoader install the mission, place it's name as the mission to be selected only to load the "Running Interference" briefing and mission?

Xorak on 4/11/2014 at 22:53

These are a couple of pedantic questions, but do you have Darkloader pointing towards the correct folder where you keep all the fan missions? Do you leave the fan missions zipped up? When you say "the title comes up" what title are you referring to? Darkloader or Thief 2? You should've already selected the fan mission you want before you see the Thief title.

Edit: you don't need the 'archive' directory you created for FMsel. It should do everything else on its own. You don't have to redirect it to anything.

Renault on 4/11/2014 at 23:08

Quote Posted by Swedenborg

I created an "archive" and "FMs" folder inside of my Thief directory. I removed the semicolon from "fm" so the loader executes. It's asking me for some sort of archive path and I directed it to the archive directory. However, it's looking for "any file" in an empty directory.

Try putting a mission, any mission, into the "archive" directory so it isn't empty. You shouldn't be loading missions from the "FMs" directory, or have any zipped missions there. That's where FMSel extracts missions. Don't put anything else there.

Cardia on 5/11/2014 at 00:11

Quote Posted by Swedenborg

Thank you for that wonderful link and list. :)

f you´re using a Enhanced patch then i suggest you to use fmselector, that way you´ll b able to see the new t2 textures edited or replace in some missions.

Garretloader and darkloader won´t load the new textures if you use any EP patch.

Cardia on 5/11/2014 at 00:17

Quote Posted by jaxa

Sounds like it should work. Try launching the original game with Darkloader.

(http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106781)

My picks are the T2 missions Seven Shades of Mercury, Ominous Bequest Gold + Broken Triad, Pirates Ahoy!, King's Story, Thief - The Flying Age, Rose Cottage, Circle of Shadow and Stone (CoSaS) Gathering at the Inn + Mission X, Dracula Reloaded, Lord Alan's Basement + Fortress + Factory, Incubus + Chuffy Train. That should eliminate a few days of your life.

Also check out T2X. I'm not sure if it requires more effort to install, but probably not.

Good suggestion for those who are experienced players, most of those missions can be long and very hard due to its puzzles , Swedenborg should begin playing easier missions or either by alphabet/date or category order.

Swedenborg if you want to start to play any of these suggestions above then i recomend you to begin with Dracula and Bathory sequel by Sensut, they offer a more accessible gameplay (easygoing) without making you get stuck often and run to walk-troughs.

And welcome to our thief community :D

Derspegn on 5/11/2014 at 00:37

Quote Posted by Swedenborg

Why would DarkLoader install the mission, place it's name as the mission to be selected only to load the "Running Interference" briefing and mission?

Sometimes Darkloader does not succesfully cleanup after a previous level. I had the same problem but found better results with FMSel. Thief 2 versions v1.19 and above include it. Go to cam_mod.ini in your Thief 2 directory, right-click and select edit. In the "FM options" section go to where it says "; always start the FM Selector (if one is present)". Leave the first semicolon in place, but remove the one below it and save the file. Now when you start the game, the FMSel program will appear.

The installation order that I used for Thief 2: Thief 2 v1.18, Tafferpatcher (v1.21), HD Mod, Sound Update, T2 v1.22.

Beyond this, just make sure that your mission .zip files are in their own directory as others have pointed out.

Tannar on 5/11/2014 at 03:29

Quote Posted by Swedenborg

I created an "archive" and "FMs" folder inside of my Thief directory.

I don't know if there is anything wrong with having an "archive" folder there but definitely do not create an "FMs" folder there. FM Sel creates a folder in your Thief directory called "FMs" and if you also create one then FM Sel won't know where to look.

Personally, I have my fan mission folders outside of my Thief folder. So on the drive where I have Thief installed, my folders look something like this:

Thief
Thief2
T1 FMs
TG FMs
T2 FMs

You can just put them all in the same "archive" or "FMs" folder outside of your Thief folder, of course. I just find it easier to find what I am looking for if I separate them like this.

Quote Posted by Swedenborg

I removed the semicolon from "fm" so the loader executes. It's asking me for some sort of archive path and I directed it to the archive directory. However, it's looking for "any file" in an empty directory. I tried redirecting it to the "FMs" folder and selected one zipped fan mission I had there, but it wouldn't do anything with it.

Again, get rid of any "FMs" folder you created in your Thief folder. Then, as Brethren suggested, put one or more fms into whatever archive folder you choose to use. Then point FM Sel to it.

Swedenborg on 5/11/2014 at 05:34

Quote Posted by Brethren

It works now, thanks to everyone who has helped me. I took the .zip file from the FMs directory and placed it into the archive, then FMSel was able to find the .zip and act accordingly.

I was under the wrong impression of how FMSel operates. I didn't know that the contents would spill into the FMs directory, but now I understand the process and everything is working perfectly.

You guys are wonderful! Thank you.

jaxa on 5/11/2014 at 07:09

I think I'll play <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajlEgJxmCW0">The Drymian Codex</a>. Discovered it because of <a href="http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144623&p=2268767&viewfull=1#post2268767">YouTube playlist</a>.

Ricebug on 5/11/2014 at 17:14

Here's a couple of screenies of how my setup is to help you get a perspective:

Darkloader Setup Screen

Inline Image:

http://www.bogadocious.com/temp/DL1.gif

Windows Explorer tree showing directory locations

Inline Image:

http://www.bogadocious.com/temp/DL2.gif

All FMs are in their own folder. T1/G FMs in the Thief Gold FMs folder, T2 FMs in the Thief 2 FMs folder.

Note the FMs sub-folder in the Thief 2 directory. There's nothing in it except a couple of maintenance files used by FMSel. Don't touch this folder. FMSel will extract your FMs there.

Hope this helps. I've also had all my FMs (T1 & T2) in the same folder with no problems, but later separated them.