Count Hans von Hekeldicht on 7/6/2004 at 09:22

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Hmm, I suppose I should add spoiler tags.

[spoiler]It was terrifying for the entire Outer Cradle. The empty cellar... the fire-scorched rooms. The sound of someone walking around upstairs (I thought) intermingled with other stuff. Brilliant. I went and got my friend and made him open the attic door for me, because I couldn't do it.

But the Inner Cradle didn't do it for me. I constantly reassured myself in the Outer that soon it was going to settle down into some nice, even patrol routes because Thief has ways of doing things. As soon as I saw a monster, I told myself, everything would be alright. And it was.

I realise there's not much that can be done about it due to resources, but the way all the patients were the same spoiled it for me. All the character which the room layout, rosters and medical reports set up seemed wasted because they all looked the same, acted the same and could be killed and/or avoided the same. Personally, I would have preferred it if they weren't there altogether.

The Inner Cradle is almost entirely devoid of mind games, which is what surprised me. If you've played the FM Deceptive Perceptions (and you really, really should have considering how small it is). There's King No One's laugh, and there's having to shut yourself in the cage (which is a beautiful touch - it's an intimidating sight early in the mission, although it's a shame there's no logical connection whatsoever) but they're short, simple things which bring more relief than tension.

I was equally surprised with the sparsity of the journey into the past - though its existence didn't surprise me, as I commented to my gf "what this level needs to do now is show me what actually happened, because information is quite scarce". Having played both Undying (not as scary, but with a much richer and more sophisticated present/past thing) and an excellent NWN module I recommend called Excrutio Eternum, which is a related premise about exploring the minds of asylum inmates, I suppose I was expecting "more" somehow.

I really liked the wardens, the presentation "through the eyes of the patient" that they are faceless symbols of oppression that mutter to themselves unintelligibly (given that they don't speak insane speak), but seeing my moss arrow still splattered across the grating in the lobby was a real immersion killer - it started me thinking about which parts of the present and the past actually constituted the asylum's memory, and of course realising that it didn't make that much sense.

I'm probably just channelling from Excrutio Eternum, but the narrative shallowness of the various inmates felt a little disappointing. The girl talks about you "being" them, but clearly you're not. I should also mention that the "friendly ghost helps you out if you fedex for them" premise doesn't do a thing for me, and substantially reduced the feeling of tension (Hey! SHODAN's in my head and helping me out! What can go wrong?), and I felt similarly marred the original RTC.[/spoiler]

Yametha on 7/6/2004 at 12:35

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You probably burnt yourself...

Buho on 7/6/2004 at 15:42

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I thought the cold fireplace was a bug, since it sounds like there's fire in it and you get burnt if you get too close. Or is it a bug?

Arnulf on 7/6/2004 at 19:57

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I, too, have to say this level scared me so that I could not go on. I had to quit the game and turn off my computer for several hours before I had enough courage picked up to dare it again.

This is a first for me. I've played all the other classics: System Shock I + II, Thief I + II, Doom has some shocking effects, Undying too. But I'm not a fan of the shocking horror game genre. Silent Hill & Resident Evil is nothing I consider I'd want to play.

I would never play this level at night. If I'd do that I'd be the [spoiler]inmate #10[/spoiler] in no time.

Like some others wrote here, I did not take my time exploring everything, I was just as glad to get out of there in one piece like everyone else. Actually I managed to get Garrett out of there in one piece. Because I deliberately chose to break the immersion, just to not be scared witless in front of my computer. I talked to myself, told me "it's just a game", made bad jokes (to whom?), etc.

[SPOILER]
Of course the game did an excellent job to lay the foundation for this harrowing thing. The overheard conversation in the Black Alley, the letter you find in the Old Quarter. The wonderfully done cut scene where Inspector Drept tells about the hag...

This is what really got me: when pictures and paintings change in the moment you look away and back again. This sends shivers down my spine.

So I was already a bit freaked out after that cut scene.

But nothing prepared me for the experience that is the Cradle.

The first half where I just carefully explored the Storm cellar (I did not know then what it was). The noises! The noises! I came into the lobby and went up the stairs and heard the knocking... that was the point where I just freaked out and quit the game. That was just too much!

And I haven't even seen one of the residents yet! Which in a sense is much more spooky!
[/SPOILER]

I have to congratulate the designers for that masterpiece. I regret that I have not enough courage to go back for reading all the notes. After I found out how to deal with the [SPOILER]inmates[/SPOILER] I just dropped each and everyone of them and went on finishing the level as quickly as I could to keep my sanity intact.

I also have to congratulate the Thief : DS team for creating such a great game, which gave me enough incentive to tackle the Cradle again. Otherwise I'd just have left the game at that. And I'm glad I did continue and finish the game!

null on 7/6/2004 at 23:39

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Just a quick note ...

It is very fortunate (for the terror-incognita types) that even the first map was devoid of hostile AI. That's almost entirely unmarketable, these days, on a AAA action title.

I love all of you imaginauts that are far more scared by sounds and absence -- you're my people, those who are most like me -- but you're in the extreme minority among 'action' gamers.

While I might do the "very scary walking simulator" as a fan map experiment, the shipping Cradle had to become a genuine stealth experience at some point. And from the looks of things, many people were genuinely freaked out by the puppets, which is excellent considering their initially humble origins.

I deliberately hedged my bets ... some people are far more terrified by absence and suggestion, and some people are scared by presence and the threat of being torn apart.

Just food for thought.