Playing Thief 1 for the first time—I feel like it has a bit of confused identity - by Taffer69
Taffer69 on 18/4/2025 at 20:43
So far, my experience with it is similar to the experience I had with VampireThe Masquerade: Bloodlines. While most of the game is designed REALLY WELL, the parts that weren't just feel so out of place and drag down the experience.
For example, the non-human enemies. While I like that they're there, a lot of them—especially spiders, don't feel like they were designed with stealth in mind. It's like they were brought in from a completely different game, mechanically speaking. They don't feel like a fun challenge that tests my skills, but rather an annoyance that forces me to play lethally in a franchise that is known for its "stealth by everything without being noticed" gameplay.
I hope someone makes a mod or patch that makes the non-human AI less random. I wouldn't want them removed, just improved for a more cohesive and consistent stealth experience.
<Username> on 20/4/2025 at 07:36
Welcome to TTLG. This confused identity of T1 you describe has been a topic of discussion since the game's release in 1998. If you want a game that is more focused on stealth with human enemies, you might enjoy T2 more. When they developed T2, Looking Glass responded to players' criticisms by increasing the number of human enemies as well as including more missions focused on breaking and entering buildings. T2 in turn lost parts of the otherworldly atmosphere T1 had, and some in the community still prefer T1 due to this.
R Soul on 20/4/2025 at 11:34
I think LGS included the monster enemies becasue they weren't sure how well a complete stealth game would be received. And although the spiders (and a couple of other enemies you may encounter, depending on how far in to the game you are) do seem to encourage combat or sniping, it's still quite feasible to use stealth where those things are present.
Janesmitish on 23/5/2025 at 06:44
FWIW, Thief WAS originally developed as more of an adventure game, Dark Camelot, and a ton of levels and enemy design got kept once they settled on the actual Thief concept. So it actually DOES have kind of a confused, or maybe more of a mixed, identity compared to the other games in the series.
Udo on 7/6/2025 at 16:06
Quote Posted by Taffer69
For example, the non-human enemies. While I like that they're there, a lot of them—especially spiders, don't feel like they were designed with stealth in mind. It's like they were brought in from a completely different game, mechanically speaking. They don't feel like a fun challenge that tests my skills, but rather an annoyance that forces me to play lethally in a franchise that is known for its "stealth by everything without being noticed" gameplay.
?
Not sure what would be the ideal stealth for you. But YMMV.
It is possible to play the game without killing any enemies - see the videos on Youtube from Saleck The Dragon who made the effort to play T1, T2, T3 and T2X this way. Sure, it takes a lot of patience.
But just because there are non-human enemies it doesn´t mean the only option is to go full blasting. Just saying. You also can outrun the enemies.
In earlier years I also thought I had to KO or kill everything in the game. But it doesn´t need to be that way. In levels like Return to the Cathedral you don´t even have enough weapons to kill all enemies(zombies being the problem). But then just walk around.
And sure, the game didn´t start at first with stealth in mind. It was more combat-orientated, therefore the rather sophisticated way of sword-fighting. Originally they planned that it would become a fighting game where the player fights against a tyrannical King Arthur and his knights. But for all this, it worked out pretty well with a total genre change.
