SS2 FM The Minstrel (by The Pixie)

[673fce738ecdfvoodoo47]

I did hammer a fair bit on RttUNN (as you are probably aware), and while not in such a state of disrepair as the Minstrel, there was a decent amount of stuff that I think the testers should never have allowed to live in the public release (the broken ecologies would be a good example). should be all fixed now.

polishing the visuals is what will be happening in the future (mostly relighting into 32bit and making sure the texture work plays nicely with SHTUP-ND).

[673fce738ee9eicemann]

There was one particular mission that I'm forgetting the name of right now, that was part of the 1 hour missions. Was quite large-ish and had a good amount of content. That one could use some sprucing. Was the only one with an air duct bit, from memory.

That said without me remembering the name of it, I guess it's a bit pointless mentioning it. But that is the first one that springs to mind for me.

Hell most of the 1 hour entries could use some sprucing.

[673fce738ef9cvoodoo47]

hmm - do we have them here somewhere? checked the FM subforum but I don't think I see anything that would fit that description.

[673fce738f11ficemann]

Their all inside the SS2 Old Maps Archive. They should probably be in a different topic + attachment, since if you compare them to the other maps in the zip, they are FAR more along in terms of content.

I may have missed a map or two back when they were all being released, but the zip contains the following from that contest:

* Averoes Speedmap - Averoes
* Brokensp - Kent Larson
* Fac2 - Averoes
* Facility - Unknown Author
* Hour 1 - Doc4
* Hour 2 - Doc4
* Hour ESC - Act Smiley
* One Hour - Unknown Author

I'd love to get my hands on the 1 room a day challenge map. Used to have it but have since lost it. That one had rooms by many of the best mappers from that period of time.

[673fce738f28cZylonBane]

Update attached. Detailed list of changes and pending issues included in attachment. Summary of stuff:
- Updated light positions and brightnesses
- Some minor room brush fixes
- Updated stellar map textures
- Model for monster drawing
- Updated gamesys
[minstrel update.7z expired]

[673fce738f390voodoo47]

added the fixed cubdoor, fixed the positioning on egg 2045 and its goos, added Ga to the chem storeroom, kicked the fix for light 721 out of the dml, repacked as 1.03beta8 and attached to the first post.

bridge turret still unfixed, but it's not a critical thing, so whatever for now.

[673fce738f4dbZylonBane]

Well this is embarrassing.  I thought I'd saved the mission after updating all the vent fan positions and hierarchy op'ing them to spin, but apparently I didn't. That's what I get for DromEd'ing after midnight.

[673fce738f5davoodoo47]

also note to self - add an invisible step to the player cryotube that would make exiting it less annoying.

[673fce738f6c3ZylonBane]

It's pretty small in there to be adding a step. I don't think anyone would mind if you just started the player standing in front of it.

[673fce738f7a9voodoo47]

yeah, but I sort of like the effect of  the steam partially covering the player's face while he takes his first breath (oxygen meter filling). we'll see.

[673fce738f884ZylonBane]

Maybe raise the bottom of the tube so the player is high enough to just walk over the lip?

[673fce738f97cvoodoo47]

that could work.

[673fce738fcd7chuckles n chestnuts]

Ok, so I'am playing this FM as I said I would in my post.  But I noticed that the issue with the hybrids opening the door is happening to me so I can't progress to B deck.  I have the 1.02 version patched with the 1.03 beta patch. 

All audio logs as well as voices are working.  The FM itself so far is gracefully constructed and the way the audio logs were created practically look professional I must say.  But I've been reading some of the comments on this and I am confounded as to something that has seemingly so much effort put into it but yet has such a simple flaw that seems to halt my progression.  So if someone can chime in and direct me to how I can get the door to open without having to go into dromED myself and just remove the door just to play it would be greatly appreciated.

I want to progress in this FM really bad!  So any quick advice for workaround or fix without having to dabble in dromED would be appreciated!

[673fce738fe16voodoo47]

the hybrid spawning is semi random, so sometimes, you need to wait a couple of minutes until they open the secdoor - but they will eventually, I made sure. there is also an alternate way of getting into the secure area, it involves a bit of climbing and jumping, if you are a more acrobatic type. that means anyone will find a way in as long as he looks around hard enough (and the non-sec area is not that large).

[673fce738ff6fZylonBane]

By the way, I discovered that if you kill a hybrid  near one of those locked doors, its corpse will keep unlocking the door. "Beepboop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . beepboop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . beepboop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . beepboop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .".

It would be good to remove whatever door-unlocking magic is on them when they die.

[673fce7390057voodoo47]

it's done via stims I believe, it should be doable by a bit of nvscripting, I think.

[673fce739018achuckles n chestnuts]

Aaah ok thank you ZylonBane and voodoo, I appreciate the feedback on this  , so its basically either waiting, obtaining, or find access in a high place (which I presume is a vent or something similar), I'll continue where I left off later on today then.

[673fce73904d3chuckles n chestnuts]

By the way, I discovered that if you kill a hybrid  near one of those locked doors, its corpse will keep unlocking the door. "Beepboop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . beepboop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . beepboop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . beepboop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .".

It would be good to remove whatever door-unlocking magic is on them when they die.

lol Zylon, beepboop...........beepboop.............beepboop 

[673fce73905dcchuckles n chestnuts]

Anyways, thanks both of you for your imput; I do appreciate it! 

[673fce73906dbicemann]

In my recent playthrough I did a similar tactic. Just kept hanging around nearby the doors, killing hybrids who spawned in other nearby areas. Eventually 1 came through (after 2 minutes) and I rushed through.

[673fce73907ccvoodoo47]

1.03beta9 attached to the first post - map reprocessed to fix random issues, and added a small step to the player's cryotube so he'd be able to exit it smoothly. starting a new game is required.

[673fce7390a75chuckles n chestnuts]

So, I finished the mission, and everything worked fine after I updated the patch to 1.03beata9 as well as downloaded Olfred’s fixed objects package.  And I must say this FM is nothing short of impressive!

Below is my  breakdown of what I thought of the FM in its entirety:

Pros/positive comments:
The FM looked like it was (and only the ones who made it truly know…) done by professionals for sure. The way the underbelly of the ship was created and the way some of the custom objects were created and used were quite impressive, the spider in the tube foreshadowing near future events was creepy!

Awesome story line told through the audio logs and wall information consoles. 

Although linear, there is a lot of open-ended areas to explore (I still need to playthrough it a second time).

The ending felt sastifying and the rescue part and the way it was implemented was unexpected and impressive! 

The way the monsters traversed the ship felt real (especially the hybrids going in and out of the Engine areas).

The augmented reality portion was really cool!   



Cons/minor ‘questions’ (very few I must say):

What where the tesla bit grip, different looking auto tool, and plasma wrenches for? (I am presuming they were for fixing the nacelles if you let them go past 60 MPa but not sure)

Some areas were slightly too tight to squeeze in at times but were otherwise accessible.

Final synopsis:
I liked the FM a lot and I will most likely play it again in the near future once I get around to it and get the urge to go again at it.  Overall I give this FM a 9.5/10 great job!   Attached are some pictures I took; one is the creepy spider I mentioned and the other is of the teddy bear because, well, teddy bear .






[awh.jpg expired]
[spookyspider.jpg expired]

[673fce7390b6avoodoo47]

the strange tools are just decorative. it's possible that some function was planned, but we'll never know.

[673fce7390c75chuckles n chestnuts]

Oh I see, interesting, yeah, that might be it.  Because there were other custom items that were not able to be picked up.  But nonetheless it added an interesting touch.  I also noticed there were alot more switches on pipes that seemed to be unused, again I think my second playthrough might reveal more if there is more too be revealed.