So most people like FMs that essentially are 3d point and click classic adventures?

Tannar on 12/2/2017 at 23:41

Quote Posted by yxlplig

Of course, of course, comments like this are in no way meant to be dismissive of criticism.

If I ever finish anything with DromEd, I would hope I don't respond to criticism in such a thin-skinned manner as demonstrated by some of the posts in this thread.

Though you clearly meant that first sentence sarcastically, in fact it's true. No one was being dismissive of criticism. I doubt there is a single author here who doesn't appreciate honest criticism of their missions. But nowhere in this thread is there a critique of any single author's mission. The OP said that he didn't complete 95% of missions because he doesn't like to hunt for keys or ways to proceed when he gets stuck. He also said he quits most missions early on. I wrote that in my experience, it is the minority of missions that do this, not the majority. So I ask you, in your own experience did you get stuck in 95% of the missions you've played? I mean stuck to the point that you had to come to the forum for answers? Most of the responses in this thread have seemed to indicate that most people either don't get stuck that much, or don't mind it much of the time. But this thread is discussing what makes missions enjoyable vs. frustrating. It's not about criticism of any author's mission.

The remark of Una's that you quoted was in response to marbleman saying that you can't please everybody, that someone is going to find something negative to say about everything. My point is that no one here is saying that you shouldn't criticize authors or their missions. And no one is saying that you need to have made a mission first in order to do so. Skacky interpreted Una's remark to mean this, but I didn't take it to mean that when I first read it, and Una said that isn't what he meant.

So in principal, I agree with you (as I said in the rest of that post you quoted from), but I think you may be mistaken about what transpired here.

pukey brunster on 13/2/2017 at 00:48

Quote Posted by yxlplig

This is why certain talented authors post more over at RPGCodex in the Thief FM thread.

Only slightly straying off topic, I will agree with you on this point - sometimes I pop into the forums there (only as a lurker) which are always highly entertaining and no-holds-barred opinion. In fact, I recall having read a scathing review of my mission there once, which at first was a bit jarring.. but even then, the guy actually had some good points.

Judith on 13/2/2017 at 09:24

Quote Posted by yxlplig

This is why certain talented authors post more over at RPGCodex in the Thief FM thread.

Yeah, I just saw that. It's a male gossip corner about posts from TTLG and TDM forums, with some of the finest people from here showing their true colors. Really classy. :thumb:

Quote:

Thief has always been about reading something.

Past tense is more that appropriate here. A lot has changed since '98. We know a lot more about designing games and using the medium's potential (and reading books is not unique to games, obviously).

JarlFrank on 13/2/2017 at 10:57

Quote Posted by Judith

Yeah, I just saw that. It's a male gossip corner about posts from TTLG and TDM forums, with some of the finest people from here showing their true colors. Really classy. :thumb:

Hey hey hey, we're not that bad! :p
The only truly questionable character over there is cowking, and we still haven't determined whether he's a troll or not.

Renault on 13/2/2017 at 14:49

Quote Posted by Ricebug

I wish I could remember the name of the FM some taffer did. He was hoping to become a published author, and tried promoting his FM based on the readables. They all made up one long-winded and tedious tale. But, there were some players who thought it was great.

Purah? I believe there excerpts from his novel in a readable in one of the Calendra missions.

There is also Moonbo, who made Requiem for TDM. I believe it's the basis for or somehow associated with his novel, but I can't remember if he included text for it within the mission.

trudnicki on 13/2/2017 at 15:01

Thief the Metal Age and Dark Project are the games for patient people who like to plan their approach. Fm are made for people who like to think and are welcoming new challenge. I got sometimes stuck in fms. I love it. Love the feeling that someone was actually able to challenge my brain my intelligence. After finding solution i often laugh at myself. Recently i laughed at myself after finding how to open secret panel in godbreaker fm. Once again I was suprized by 18 years old game and by the brilliant fm authors. I am 40. And i still play thief. I dont play COD or battlefield as running and shooting is just simply too boring for me. From what i read here and learned from gaming market. Players are becoming less and less demanding. Sometimes i cant not ask myself a question "really you play this piece of crap game?" especially when it comes to mobile game. I really miss my old time when designers focus on story and game play. Now days graphics is nice but thats it. In most cases story is put to the second stage in favor of graphics. Big mistake. Once again i wish to thank every one at former looking glass studios for creating in my opinion perfection. Also to all of You fm authors. Its an honor to play most of your creations keep challenging my head keep me laugh at myself keep me running in circles and what is most important keep me interested in story. This is not the game for people who dont like running back and forth just to realize that you past what you where looking for at least dozen of times.
BTW this game was my motivation to start learning programming and game design. I really hope that in the future i will be able to create game like this with i hope so help from here as i could not imagine making any game like this without help from so creative fm authors.

gnartsch on 13/2/2017 at 20:22

Quote Posted by Brethren

There is also Moonbo, who made Requiem for TDM. I believe it's the basis for or somehow associated with his novel, but I can't remember if he included text for it within the mission.

Actually (https://www.amazon.com/Shadowcursed-ebook/dp/B00BYEW02M) his novel came first. Only once he had finished it, he decided that maybe creating a FM featuring it's main character to accompany it, would be a nice thing to do.
Storytelling in the mission is based on events, rather than featuring any overly lengthy texts.

Ricebug on 13/2/2017 at 21:02

Quote Posted by Brethren

Not Purah. He had more sense than that. And I've never played a TDM mission, so it can't be that one. He was a relatively unknown author. I can't remember. I wish I would've made notes along the way when I wrote those walkthroughs. Which mission had the most keys. Which one covered the most real estate. Trivial stuff. You'd be surprised at what some authors have hidden inside the Dromed world.

Melan on 13/2/2017 at 21:19

By the way, Purah has recently released a full-length AD&D supplement called (http://www.lulu.com/shop/anthony-huso/the-night-wolf-inn/paperback/product-22909186.html) The Night Wolf Inn. It is an adventure location you can slot into your own games, with a lot of interesting personalities, adventure opportunities and things going on. It is completely his style and design approach - baroque, gloomy, filled with eccentric characters and customised magic, sometimes heavy on the purple prose - and seems to be just as fun and complex as his Thief missions. :D

Random_Taffer on 13/2/2017 at 22:41

I remember Drysil stuffed a chapter of his writing into Nostalgia without asking me. I never noticed it either. That was annoying.