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Thief seriesWhat's so great about Thief Gold?(31 posts)(31 posts)
(31 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted December 04, 2013
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KiNgBrAdLeY7: This game is the grandfather of stealth games in PC. Also, its qualities are legendary, in visuals (essentially for its era, of course), its sound system which is unique, complicated, and as of yet unparalleled, the atmosphere and feel, the approach and gameplay... What is there not praised already? This is one of a kind, a first person looter! Also, rich characters, nice cutscenes, dark atmosphere, nice gadgets, secret loot, hidden objectives or extra ones in expert difficulty... And i could talk all day, but it would tire and is pointless.

Even the writer and designer of Half Life said he adores the original thief. Listen to the man.

Quote: "Marc Laidlaw, writer and designer on Half-Life, said that "Thief is the single most terrifying, immersive, and rewarding game I have played and the one single-player game I continue to replay. [...] There are countless books I wish I had written; Thief is one of the few games I wish I had worked on."

Link: [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thief:_The_Dark_Project]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thief:_The_Dark_Project[/url]
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Batman55: Yes I have read the Wikipedia entry and many user reviews of Thief, figuring that I probably missed out on something in a big way.

About 3 levels in, I have to say I'm starting to see what the fuss is all about. For me the atmosphere really stands out, the ambient music/sound is a big part of this, but the rustic/old-school visuals also contribute nicely.

I have to say I'm not a very patient gamer though and prefer to run whenever I can and therefore get caught a lot, and so I reload frequently. I would say this is my only real problem right now, but everything else is shaping up great.

I have played stealth games before, my first one was probably Hitman: Blood Money and I really enjoyed it at the time, I mean the game was over the top and full of clantily clad women, but I don't count that against it. :P To this day I still think H:BM is a good game. But Thief got there first.
Thief is beyond other stealth games. Years ahead. Garrett is not a killer. You should have the "ghost" levels approach. Pay attention to patrol routes, avoid enemies entirely. Exception is the supernatural creatures, but those have specialized equipment which kills them almost instantly. Also, you can kill an enemy instantly, if it is not an undead, and your arrow hits its head, or you strike from its back, and creature has not detected you yet.

In expert, you are not even allowed to kill. That is why thief is superior to other stealth games. Anyone can kill; few can pass by unnoticed, or progress without resorting to killing. Assassin and Hitman are good, but not pure-blood stealth games. If i had played them first before thief, i wouldn't be able to progress easily in thief myself too!

Still, there are items like flashbombs, which allow you for quick escape, even after you mess things up big time...
Post edited December 04, 2013 by KiNgBrAdLeY7
Posted December 08, 2013
Just wanted to thank those who encouraged me to continue with Thief Gold.

Just finished the Constantine mansion level (get the sword) and the game is really turning out fantastic. I can't think of too many games that have an atmosphere as thick and foreboding as this one, and the sound (with EAX on) is second to none. Even the cutscenes are splendid. Everything just adds up to a cohesive whole. Now I can definitely see why this has the reputation it does.

I only wish there were more ways to immobilize the guards other than using the blackjack. That does get a bit repetitive.

Other than that, fabulous!
Posted December 08, 2013
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Batman55: Just wanted to thank those who encouraged me to continue with Thief Gold.

Just finished the Constantine mansion level (get the sword) and the game is really turning out fantastic. I can't think of too many games that have an atmosphere as thick and foreboding as this one, and the sound (with EAX on) is second to none. Even the cutscenes are splendid. Everything just adds up to a cohesive whole. Now I can definitely see why this has the reputation it does.

I only wish there were more ways to immobilize the guards other than using the blackjack. That does get a bit repetitive.

Other than that, fabulous!
There are gas arrows, but those tend to be a bit rare. You also could try nailing unalert guards in the head with arrows, but I'm guessing you are doing a non-lethal approach.
Posted December 08, 2013
they can also be distracted by sounds (noisemaker arrows, broadheads, items).
Posted December 08, 2013
I'm glad you're starting to enjoy this game. I found it very difficult the first time through because of how big the maps are and also because you don't get very many hints. I did love it though. I actually just fired it up to play through it again. Coming from someone that plays a ton of stealth games, I still think this series has yet to be beat.

The graphics thing isn't too much of an issue. When you come from playing newer games to the older gems you have the initial pixel shock but it passes quickly a few missions in.
Posted December 10, 2013
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dkclemons1: I'm glad you're starting to enjoy this game. I found it very difficult the first time through because of how big the maps are and also because you don't get very many hints. I did love it though. I actually just fired it up to play through it again. Coming from someone that plays a ton of stealth games, I still think this series has yet to be beat.
It actually is quite difficult because of the lack of hints and the huge levels, with a very flimsy map system, barely helpful. Although when I'm getting lost I find the compass is actually pretty useful.

The game was generally getting better as it went along.. until I hit "The Mage Towers." Probably the biggest map in the game, a good thing usually right? Not if you have to backtrack 100 times. Eh, Fire, Air, Water, Earth how many times has that been done? Meh. The creativity of other levels is just missing in this one, the design was bland and predictable IMHO. Too many guards to bop on the head... I suppose "Hitman" learned from this oversight and made dealing with enemies a lot more interesting.

So this is a "game low" so far... it's not a terrible level, just bland and overlong. I would actually take the Thieves Guild mission over this one. Anyone have any comments?
Posted December 10, 2013
Yeah, Mage Towers is the weakest level.
Posted December 10, 2013
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Batman55: the sound (with EAX on) is second to none
The genius of Eric Brosius! He also did the excellent sound work for System Shock 2. AFAIK, he works at Harmonix now and I do hope he has earned the billions of dollars there that he deserved for his work on the Thief series and Shock 2.

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Batman55: So this is a "game low" so far... it's not a terrible level, just bland and overlong. I would actually take the Thieves Guild mission over this one. Anyone have any comments?
I didn't mind the Mage Towers, I thought it was a fun level. But overall I'd have to say that I prefer the vanilla version of Thief (which will hopefully be added as a bonus some day soon), as the three new levels tend to break the flow of the game. I don't think they're bad levels, they just don't blend that well with the rest of the game. Take Thieves' Guild for instance, which most players find insanely frustrating and that's pretty early on in the game. Story-wise, it's not just pointless filler, it derails the story just at the moment it starts to get going.
Posted December 10, 2013
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dkclemons1: I'm glad you're starting to enjoy this game. I found it very difficult the first time through because of how big the maps are and also because you don't get very many hints. I did love it though. I actually just fired it up to play through it again. Coming from someone that plays a ton of stealth games, I still think this series has yet to be beat.
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Batman55: It actually is quite difficult because of the lack of hints and the huge levels, with a very flimsy map system, barely helpful. Although when I'm getting lost I find the compass is actually pretty useful.

The game was generally getting better as it went along.. until I hit "The Mage Towers." Probably the biggest map in the game, a good thing usually right? Not if you have to backtrack 100 times. Eh, Fire, Air, Water, Earth how many times has that been done? Meh. The creativity of other levels is just missing in this one, the design was bland and predictable IMHO. Too many guards to bop on the head... I suppose "Hitman" learned from this oversight and made dealing with enemies a lot more interesting.

So this is a "game low" so far... it's not a terrible level, just bland and overlong. I would actually take the Thieves Guild mission over this one. Anyone have any comments?
I usually don't knock out too many guards when I'm playing. Only the ones that are in especially annoying locations. Hitman is about killing, but Thief is about thieving. Ghosting is the funnest part of the game anyway. Leaving all the guards standing is an awesome feeling.

The map thing bothers me too, and I didn't like the Mages Tower much either.
Posted December 10, 2013
I would think "ghosting" would take even longer than the blackjack method.. In any case, does the game reward you for leaving all the guards standing? I would need some extra motivation to actually do it :-D

Which are the three levels added to Thief Gold? (I know the Thieves Guild is one of them)
Posted December 11, 2013
The Thieves Guild, Mages Tower and the Opera House (which is quite good, actually). Ghosting isn't awarded with anything by the game, it is more of a "self-imposed" challenge, once you find the game too easy and want to get more fun out of it.
Post edited December 11, 2013 by szablev
Posted December 11, 2013
There are also some new areas added to some of the old levels too. Like the giant room with giant furniture and items inside of The Sword mission.
Posted December 11, 2013
You also get the 'blooper reel'.

The Fire Shadow is another TG-only feature.
Posted December 11, 2013
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Batman55: I can't think of too many games that have an atmosphere as thick and foreboding as this one, and the sound (with EAX on) is second to none. Even the cutscenes are splendid. Everything just adds up to a cohesive whole. Now I can definitely see why this has the reputation it does.
I'm glad you like it and I'm not surprised you came around. FP games in general are not my thing, but I really had a blast with Thief. I remember the game seemed to get better and better with every level (Mage Towers and a couple of others accepted, but those are just bumps in the road), and I never knew what was coming next.
Posted December 11, 2013
Speaking of surprises, I had one in the Lost City level (Fire Talisman). I was in a building and for the first time, outside the window, I saw this floating ball of fire. I didn't know anything about it, for all I knew it could have been a simple roving trap, something to avoid when I left the building. Then, bam!, the "ball of fire" started shooting beams at me, all of them exploding with a loud clap upon contact, and I was a goner. I reloaded the quick save and this time I did not see the "great ball." It found me first--the damn thing took the steps! And then it just floated in the air without doing anything, no attacking, nothing! Like it was studying me. Hilarious. It's moments like these that make Thief great.

I encountered many more through the mission and shot most with water arrows. Most were hostile but a few left me alone, not sure what made the difference there.
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Thief seriesWhat's so great about Thief Gold?(31 posts)(31 posts)
(31 posts)