Cheats, Mods and Engine Exploits

fortuni on 11/3/2023 at 09:53

There are many ways to give yourself an advantage when playing Thief, from simple tricks you can utilize in game such as engine exploits to outrageous cheats that involve amending your files or installing dml's and mods.

All of the below have already been posted on the forum but there must be more, especially engine exploits which I know of very few, so if you can think of any others lets get them added to this list then we can have them all in one easily searchable thread, Youtube videos demonstrating cheats especially welcome.

Warning: Use these at your own risk, messing with files can have consequences if you make an error, and please do not report bugs if you have utilized a cheat and now find something is wrong with your game.

Note: I have not tested all of these cheats and some may not work on specific FM's especially if the author has amended AI's, weapons or other factors in their FM,
for example the weapons cheats does not work if you request flashbombs in Bad Hangover as the FM uses knockdown grenades instead.

Engine Exploits
These cheats can be utilized in game at any time.

Arrow Cheat
Need a free arrow?

- Draw an arrow
- Quicksave
- Release the arrow and immediately quickload

Congratulations you have a nice floating arrow. If you pull out the bow again you can pick it up and you've successfully created an arrow out of nowhere.
For more detailed instructions see this (https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152127&p=2499075&viewfull=1#post2499075) post

Blackjack Glitch
How to stop your momentum when falling and even move to one side in mid air.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21hu6smoGX4&list=PLxQ41mUGumX3l3nB-34CUvM3WJ3nd0eZz&index=6&t=14s&pp=iAQB) Youtube video by TheAmorphousGamer
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAsF2noa4-0&list=PLJldRJrPy1patG8uS7bwCukYbg-Vk7bM1&index=1&pp=iAQB) Youtube video by Psych0sis

Canon Cheat
Found this on (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAvzkPVzF_U&ab_channel=Tetris2703) video on Youtube, but the video is age restricted, if Youtube asks you to sign in, refresh the video and chances are all you'll need to do confirm your happy to watch an age restricted video.

Crate Stacking
If you drop a crate whilst facing completely downwards and jump before it lands, you'll jump on top of it. Then fetch another crate and repeat. You can stack very high piles if you stay put, free looking is allowed but moving (other than jumping) is not. You can also use other items apart from crates, even items from your inventory, but they need to be of a decent size.

Door Cheat
You can KO enemies by shutting a door on them, best if you leave it ajar a little, and then KO them through the door itself.

Drop Body Cheat
Want to drop down a great height and survive, grab and object usually a body (other largish items can work as well), jump down letting go of the object just before you land.

End Mission
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+End

Fall on AI Cheat
Similar to drop body cheat. If you manage to fall on an AI, you will bounce off from them taking no damage. If done well, you can even perform this without alerting the guard.

Food Cheat
Need to maximize the amount of health you get from food?

Eat food, health bar restored, save. Eat food, no health restored, reload previous save, repeat until all items of food successfully replenishes your health.

Gentle Clipping
You can jump through solid walls whilst crouching with your back against the wall, lean to one side then jump from the crouching position (some players also hold their blackjack). (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t7te5aCUwA) Youtube Video
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6t7te5aCUwA&list=PLxQ41mUGumX3l3nB-34CUvM3WJ3nd0eZz&index=7&t=3s&pp=iAQB) Youtube video

Grab a Ledge Cheat
If jumping from a great height if you grab a ledge, wall, rock face or ladder etc with your fingertips you won't lose any life regardless of the height you jumped from.

Infinite Speed Potion
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152127&p=2499032&viewfull=1#post2499032)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq0el-aDXaI&ab_channel=Psych0sis) Youtube video

Keyholing
How to get through a locked door without a key
(http://www.lytha.com/games/thief/knowledge/Doors/index.html) http://www.lytha.com/games/thief/knowledge/Doors/index.html

Vanishing Door Cheat
Speed players use this a lot but I don't know the mechanics, can anyone help?

Mods Other significant game play changing mods can be found in the (https://www.ttlg.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=174) Thief Mods + Utilities thread
These mods may need to be installed before you start the mission

Auto key selection
Automatically chooses the correct key, big time benefit if you have loads of items in your inventory.
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151456)

Carry Body mod
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145616)

Fairy Lights
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151453)

Lantern mod
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150945)

No Spider Patch
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148791)

Remove Loot Goal Mod
Path for OM - unpack to OSM folder or MODS\Thief2 Fixed (combine both gamesys.dml)
Path for FM - unpack to MODS\T2FMDML
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151881&p=2491084&viewfull=1#post2491084)

Spider Hider
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=148517)

Ultimate Difficulty TG HD mod
The only ultimate difficulty mod that works nowadays is sadly only available for TG HD mod by Gecko.
(https://www.moddb.com/mods/thief-gold-hd-texture-mod/downloads/thief-1-ultimate-difficulty-mod-hd-mod-v12)

X-Raydar
Find loot, keys, readables etc in game with markers showing their locations.
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151474)

Altered Files
Some of the below need to be enacted before you start the mission, other can be done at anytime.

Bunny Hop in T2
Note: You can use a higher figure than 1.4 if you want to have serious fun.
Add to the following line to your cam_ext.cfg file.
jump_speed_boost 1.4

Cash Bonus
What to buy everything at the load out screen but don't have enough money?
Note: Can increase or decrease you cash bonus to whatever you want.
Just add this line to your USER.cfg
cash_bonus 10000

Gamma Setting Cheat
Mission too dark for you, what to brighten everything?
Note: This only works if there is a little bit of light already, you can not brighten pitch black areas or missions, to do that see the final page of Ricebug's walkthrough for (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ddQLz015rzY5mloYf8t5SH6DFKxoE04P/view) Unknown Danger.
In cam.cfg file, change the default from 0.5 to 0.4 should give you more than enough extra lighting.

Hide your Health Bar
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151790)

Alternatively go to your Thief directory, open dark.cfg and edit this line:

hpbar_zoom 60 ; zoom hp bar in
to
hpbar_zoom 0 ; zoom hp bar in

Hide your Light Gem
Change "vismeter_zoom 60" to "vismeter_zoom 0" in dark.cfg.

Hud appear/disappear on command.
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145263&p=2403970&viewfull=1#post2403970)

Key Binding Cheats
Too many items in your inventory, want to get to your keys quickly, add this line to your user.bnd
bind k "inv_select key"

Now select k for your keys and scroll through quickly to find what you want.

For readables you can add this line (where p stands for paper)
bind p "inv_select scroll"

And for loot this line
bind l loot_select

And for the most recently picked up item this line
bind n select_newest_item

You can enable T2 style on-demand zoom controls in T1.
bind somekey zoominsome
bind somekey zoomoutfull

For more specialised scripts codes check out Luthien's (https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=147103) nifty scripts thread

Lock Cheat (T2 only) Need to enact this before start of mission
Want to unlock all doors?
Paste the following line into your USER.cfg file

lockcheat

No Kill Cheat Need to enact this before start of mission
Note: Cheat only works if the objective gets cancelled in your objective screen, if it doesn't then the mission may still fail.
Mission has a 'No Kill' objective and you want to cancel this?
Paste the following line into your USER.cfg file

NoKillGoalCheat

No KO Cheat Need to enact this before start of mission
Note: Cheat only works if the objective gets cancelled in your objective screen, if it doesn't then the mission may still fail.
Mission has a 'No KO' objective and you want to cancel this?
Paste the following line into your USER.cfg file

NoKOGoalCheat

No See Cheat Need to enact this before start of mission
Note: Cheat only works if the objective gets cancelled in your objective screen, if it doesn't then the mission may still fail.
Mission has a 'Do not be Seen' objective and you want to cancel this?
Paste the following line into your USER.cfg file

NoSeeGoalCheat

Remove Hud completely
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145263)

Resize Inventory Icons + Descriptions
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151800)

Remove all Bots
If you want to remove all standard bot types, leaving only those like the cherub and cameras, insert the following into cam_ext.cfg:

Code:

rom_remove_archetypes CombatBot,WorkerBot,SpiderBot

Smaller Health Bar and Light Gem
(https://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150422)

Unstick Player
Got stuck in the terrain? Lost your only rope arrow and need one but can't be bothered to restart the mission?
Unstick player adds an extra command to your keyboard allowing you to climb out of yor predicament (acts like manteling up an invisible staircase)
Choose an unused key such as U or J and paste the following line into your USER.bnd file (replace XXX with the key of your choice)

bind XXX unstick_player

Walk Faster Cheat
Simply rebind the default keybinds to make Run the default "move forward" instead of walk, you can actually get around much faster in a relatively silent mode. Even crouched.

dml's
dml's always need to be installed before you start the mission

Blackjack Cheat
Hate ghosting, want a blackjack?

Option 1
Where NN is your starting point object number which you need to get from Dromed.

Code:

DML1

Create -2430 "BJTest"

+Link NN "BJTest" "Contains"
{
"" Generic Contents
}

Option 2
This dml does not need a starting number, but does require you to have ND_1.27 or higher

Code:

DML1

#script "nvscript"

Create -2430 "BJTest"
{
+ObjProp "DesignNote"
{
"" NVItemGiverOn="Sim"; NVGiveWhat="[Me]"
}
+ObjProp "Scripts"
{
"Script 0" NVItemGiver
}
}

Neutral AI Cheat
Option 1
Need to make a dml where XXX is your starting obj number which you need to look up in Dromed.

Code:

DML1
+ObjProp XXX "AI_Team"
{
"" Neutral
}

Option 2
The file name must be xxx.gam.dml, where xxx.gam is the name of the mission's gam file. If there is no gam file in the mission folder, then the dml file name must be dark.gam.dml.

Code:

DML1

+ObjProp -2099 "AI_Team"
{
"" Neutral
}

Weapons Mod Cheat
Want to have extra fire arrows or Flashbomb (useful if you don't like zombies)
XXX is the weapon you want to get (Flashbomb, Mine, GasMine, FlashMine, water - water arrows, firearr - fire arrows, broadhead, EarthArrow, GasArrow, RopeArrow, etc)
Note: The spelling for firearrows used in the dml is firearr
YYY is the number of this weapon.

Code:

DML1

#script "nvscript"

Create "XXX"
{
+ObjProp "StackCount"
{
"" YYY
}
+ObjProp "DesignNote"
{
"" NVItemGiverOn="Sim"; NVGiveWhat="[Me]"
}
+ObjProp "Scripts"
{
"Script 0" NVItemGiver
}
}

Dahenjo on 11/3/2023 at 19:48

Thanks for another useful compilation!

fortuni's address:

Keeper fortuni
All-in-one Place
The City, Tafferland

Hit Deity on 11/3/2023 at 20:05

What about the one I saw recently where you pull back the bow to shoot any arrow, but don't release it. Now save your game. Go to the menu and reload, and there is now an arrow of the type you were previously going to shoot, just suspended there in the air that you can grab, free of charge!

fortuni on 11/3/2023 at 20:17

Quote Posted by Hit Deity

Neat cheat, just the sort of thing this thread needs however I just tried that (playing Bad Hangover) tried with 3 different arrows, didn't work with me. Can you test this and post how this cheat is done, the instructions above do not appear to work as stated, guess you might have to do one other thing.

Taylor on 11/3/2023 at 20:21

Gentle Clipping works with NewDark/NewMantle fairly well in most cases.

Vanishing door - if we think about the same - is more like a bug than a cheat, if an object's center position falls into a wall, it becomes unrendered thus vanishes; if a wall is too close to the door's center position in its state, it might vanish (and unless it closes back on its own, it stays vanished forever in that playthrough)
EDIT: related to this, you can use this exploit in case of guard bodies with lanterns, if you can position the lantern into a wall, it disappears, eliminating its light as well

The drop body cheat can sometimes work with other items that have a significant enough size, like slow-fall potions, scouting orbs. It's not entirely reliable but often works, and sometimes I use it as a last resort to avoid fall damage if there is no safe way down.

Fall on AI is another exploit similar to the one above. If you manage to fall on an AI - at least in case of human(oid)s -, you will bounce down from them taking no damage. If done well, you can even perform this without alerting the guard.

Newmantle can also used as a cheat in certain vertical situations. If you can position yourself well enough, you might be able to grab an edge and mantle up unscathed even whilst falling from heights that would normally kill Garrett.

Also item piling could be mentioned. I don't know if its considered an exploit or cheat, but if you drop an item whilst facing completely downwards and jump before it lands, you'll jump on top of it. Then fetch another item in your frob range (or alternatively drop an item from you inventory) and repeat.
It works sorta infinitely if you stay put. Freelooking is allowed, moving (other than jumping) is not at all.
Works with most items with a decent size: crates, skulls, bones, certain potions -- though healing potions and other small items are not reliable, because they're so small they often fail the pile, or don't even have any relevant physical body.

fortuni on 11/3/2023 at 20:24

There's a neat cheat Psychosis has made a (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq0el-aDXaI) video of an infinity speed potion that allows Garrett keeps going at speed forever, any ideas how to enact this one?

fortuni on 11/3/2023 at 20:34

Quote Posted by Taylor

Vanishing door if a wall is too close to the door's center position in its state, it might vanish (and unless it closes back on its own, it stays vanished forever in that playthrough)

I don't understand, when is a wall too close to a doors centre position? How to you enact this cheat in game, what do you do place an object in roughly the halfway point of where a door opens? :confused:

Quote Posted by Taylor

Fall on AI If done well, you can even perform this without alerting the guard.

Works on zombies, just done this a few times playing Bad Hangover.

Quote Posted by Taylor

Also item piling could be mentioned. I don't know if its considered an exploit or cheat, but if you drop an item whilst facing completely downwards and jump before it lands, you'll jump on top of it. Then fetch another item in your frob range (or alternatively drop an item from you inventory) and repeat.
It works sorta infinitely if you stay put. Freelooking is allowed, moving (other than jumping) is not at all.

I'll include this under Crate Stacking. I also know you can do this and build a bridge at 45 degrees, Vegetables had an Easter Egg in Tomb of St. Tenor at the top of one of the towers in mission 1, the only way to get there was to build a bridge of 40+ crates from the surrounding mountains, sadly I don't have a screenshot of his endeavours.

Taylor on 11/3/2023 at 20:57

Quote Posted by fortuni

If the wall (let it be a door framing, or any wall the door is cut in) continues for long enough, that it's by the door in its open (or any position), the game might put its object center inside the wall thus unrendering it.

Hope this stupid paint sketch explains it well enough:

(http://www.kepfeltoltes.eu/view.php?filename=307k_p_2023_03_11_2150109.png)

Inline Image:

http://www.kepfeltoltes.eu/images/2023/03/11/307k_p_2023_03_11_2150109.png

Black: walls, blue: door in closed position, red: door in open position.
When the door is open, its right at the wall and the game might render it into the wall.
Lessening the opening degree to 80-85° or something might help, but not always. Also carving a hole into the wall might help avoid this bug.

Quote Posted by fortuni

Works on zombies, just done this a few times playing Bad Hangover.

It should work on any humans (in this case I consider zombies as humans), maybe every AI. Of course FMs that make the AI susceptible to bumping are an exception on the no alert matter.
I don't remember whether I tried and/or succesfully did it on more special things like spiders, robots, or treebeasts. Probably they would work, but these are (especially the latter two) rare enough even in FMs to find a suitable situation to test it.

EDIT:
Also similarily to the cash bonus and lock cheats editing the user.cfg file and adding the lines „NoKillGoalCheat” or „NoKOGoalCheat” or „NoSeeGoalCheat” are supposed to lift these restrictions. At least in the original (old dark game). But unless it's deliberately changed, or ineffective for FMs, it should work still.

Also the good old "Ctrl+Alt+Shift+End" might be worth mentioning :)

fortuni on 11/3/2023 at 21:07

@ Taylor
I understand what you are saying, we come across this occasionally when bug testing missions and we fix those doors, but this is a bug not a cheat is it not? I believe there is a way of cheating that speed players utilize by making doors vanish when they open them in order to save time when they come back through that door. What you are describing is a bug that occasionally occurs but can't be enacted my a player on command. Or can it, if so how?

fortuni on 11/3/2023 at 21:24

Quote Posted by Taylor

Editing the user.cfg file and adding the lines „NoKillGoalCheat” or „NoKOGoalCheat” or „NoSeeGoalCheat” are supposed to lift these restrictions.

Can anyone confirm if these 3 cheats work in Newdark, would prefer to only include cheat that are known to actively work