TG FM: The Chalice of Souls (09/23/15) [Summer 2015 FM Challenge]

[SlyFoxx]

That was cracking good fun!

[klatremus]

your right, it is a random coin....i can give you a hint

It's in an area with not a lot else around

Hah! Finally found it!! I started going through all the rooms below the city where I hadn't found any loot before. Figured that would be the most likely way to come across it. Man that was a tough one.

I also found the last nugget in mission 2. It wasn't in the water at all, so I had been searching in the wrong place all along. The loot list didn't give anything away there; it was more misleading I'd say.

Then I have what I need to start my ghost runs. Wish me luck...

[fortuni]

Not sure who drew up that lootlist for mission 2, but I'll be re-doing one for my walkthrough when I do one for this mission...I'll make sure it is clearer in its description

Ps Gook Luck

[piesel]

Wonderful set of missions, many thanks for the excellent job.

[quakis]

Excellent missions. Adored the verticality of Mission 1, tons of places to explore and other niches to discover. The statue beckoning you into a trap was fantastic. That thing is relentless - tried jumping over it, only for it to zip right back at me! Had me stumped how to solve it for a little while. Shame a simple switch deactivates it, felt a little underwhelming. Mission 2 was difficult with my 'ghost'-attempting playstyle, but I managed it in the end despite a lot of cursing under my breath at points... Kept me on edge often, going slow was dangerous. Had to do quick carpet jumps and rushing around corners at correct times to get about. Great mini-campaign boasting in atmosphere.

My end statistics: Mission 1 (Two kills were the shadows) and Mission 2

[Dainem]

Just finished it.

The first mission was perfect. Ghosting was great. I tried to ghost the second mission, but it was way too frustrating. Too bright, too many guards, too many loud floors. Even knocking out every guard was difficult and didn´t make much fun.

[nightchild]

I started this some half an hour ago.. i just came here to say wow.

So, WOOOOOW !!!!!!!!

[jiansonz]

Mission 1 - I need help getting out of the sewer system. (I left one of the loot item objectives in the city, because I didn't want the mission to end when I found the entrance to the brothel, because I wanted to have the option of hunting more loot before finishing).

I think I entered the whole place through the double doors just N the entrance to Section 16, but this door is now closed. There are so many switches - please tell me one which of them controls this door. Or tell me of another way to get out, if there is one.

EDIT: Never mind, I found it. It's where the archer overlooking the bridge was standing.

[jiansonz]

Okay, another question about the first mission. I'm confused about the area with tons of traps (crossbow, flames, deadly levers, etc.). I made it to the room with an electrical barrier. Managed to pick a lock (that tried to kill me after completed picking!). Did picking this lock do anything useful? Is there a way to deactivate the electrical barrier?

[Melan]

jiasonz: look for a secret switch near the window.

[jiansonz]

@Melan: Thanks!



Great pair of missions. Stunning visuals, excellent gameplay. Bravo!

[fxdwg]

Finally got around to this one.
Hat's off to the authors of this FM.
Incredibly well-done as well as challenging.
It's been a joy getting back to T1/TGold.
Thank you!

[klatremus]

Mission 1 Ghost report HERE.
Loot list HERE.
Let's play HERE.

Enjoy!

[Garrett]

thank you for this great experience. I really enjoyed playing those missions. Gives me nostalgic thief vibe.

[Brethren]

I'd been saving this one for a rainy day. Man, what amazing architecture and level design - Skacky's towering city buildings, the complex underground sewer/water system, the T4 inspired brothel and holy crap that Keeper area - all just phenomenal. Loved all of it. Also can't get enough of that gritty, dark T1 feel, these missions (especially the first) could be right out of TDP. Great work guys, looking forward to the recently announced campaign even more now (I couldn't help but notice the map that skacky just posted in the campaign thread on the walls in several places here).

The one issue i had was the difficulty on the 2nd mission - the brothel was nearly impossible to navigate for me without knocking out 75% of the population. I usually try to go in making a ghost attempt, and if I need to make a few strategic blackjacks, so be it. No way that was going to happen here, right from the start. Too many tiled floors areas, not nearly enough shadows and/or hiding areas, and way too many patrolling AI. It just became a big candle snuffing fest, and then stacking as many AI as possible in the corner. I dig really exploring every level from top to bottom and in every corner, and that was tough to do here with some major skull cracking.

Minor complaint though, overall it was a fantastic ride - can't wait for the campaign.

[KellyG]

Hi guys

Having so much trouble getting this mission to load up. I'm using stupid Steam *grrrr*. Clicking on FMselect in my thief_gold folder shows that I'm updated to 1.24. The Chalice of Souls is showing in the FM directory. Clicking on play FM shuts FMselect down completely. Trying the alternate, Darkloader, the mission starts, goes through difficulty and equipment selection, then crashes telling me I'm running thief gold 1.22. Help please?

[jiansonz]

I do not remember the details, but I had troubles getting an FM (or FMs in general) to run, or to apply the latest NewDark update. I solved it by copying the whole Thief Gold folder to somewhere Steam doesn't know about, and apply patches and direct Darkloader to it there.

[fortuni]

Have you moved your Thief install from the Steam protected file? If not here's a link from the Technical FAQ's which tells you how to do so http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthrea...installdigital

If that's not your problem post your issues in the Technical FAQ's thread, Voodoo, as well as other clever boffins, keeps a close eye on that thread and is seriously helpful in these matters

[Shadowdancer]

Thank you FireMage, skacky & Squadafroin. The vertical level design is gratifying as usual...the climbing possibilities!
I expected another easter egg on Goldenbaum Castle though.

[Squadarofl]

Me too, I wanted to do more places to visit inside Goldenbaum Castle but it was a real nightmare to carve brush inside without doing something too otherworldly, the fountain-room was already weird enough.

[Shadowdancer]

I can imagine that. If my T1 Dromed would work I'd love to have a look at the brush wireframe of that castle. It's a very nice concept of splitting up that castle into several fractions and having to enter it from different directions. That is quite a memorable building.

[Melan]

My favourite bizarre room in the castle was the one with the non-operational elevator shaft under a canopy, and all the junk around it. Inspired, utter weirdness.

[Squadarofl]

Shadowdancer/Melan -> Thanks! That's exactly We've been trying to achieve! When we're building something, we like to imagine a story that goes with it (and how we can tell it without too much readables !). That way, even if the architecture is boring, they feels more unique, mysterious and memorable

As an example : the storage room full of junk is actually a very old fountain room, the shaft was where the water came through but nobody used it since it flooded the room on the first try

[Shadowdancer]

Intriguing. Any chance you wanna share these untold background stories with the community? A "making of draft" doc-file in a GOODIE-Folder perhaps? Or are you saving ideas for the upcoming campaign?
Anyway, a slightly flooded room in one of the upper stories of a building due to a malfunctioning water pump sounds memorable, too.
Edit: Forgot about the flooded altar room in the hammerite priory

[Squadarofl]

Sorry but I won't . I think it feel more darker and mysterious that way.

But let me correct you on this : the flooded altar is actually built this way, think of this as the hammerite equivalent of misogi (ritual purification under a waterfall )