Pitch on 1/6/2005 at 16:13
Hey, Null! Sorry for bothering you, but I've got two questions that keep nagging me:
-About King No one:
"Entry One: Subject arrived via City Watch escort. Perpetrator of the infamous Tallow Man murders. Deemed unfit to stand trial. Wears wax mask to cover extreme facial deformities. Admitted for observation and treatment. – Doctor "
"Entry Three: Tricked nursing staff into taking his medications. Nurse Sorrel dead. Nurse Lovewell remains in sick ward – we were unable to reach her before he disfigured her face. Where did he get the wax?"
Lauryl said that he's wearing a mask to hide his burns. I heard that in the Middle Ages they used to torture prisoners by scorching them with melted tallow candles(Tallow Man?). So did he use the wax to do the same to the nurse? Maybe he did this to people because he wanted them to look like him?
-About viktorola:
"Entry Two: Have decided to allow the monthly dance "recitals" subject performs for the children in the Lobotomy Theater. She uses that old Mechanist viktrola of hers. However, these recitals should be supervised."
How come she had a Mechanist viktrola 50 years before Karras founding the order?
If you could answer these questions I would be grateful. Thanks in advance! :)
millski on 3/6/2005 at 14:56
Quote:
Oringinally posted by null about a year ago 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.
Had to comment on this post from null. I just finished RTC and I didn't even realize that there were no AI in the outer cradle until I read that post. My mind (or memory) must have put something there, because for it to be that truly freaky and scary, something must have been there.
Also, just to reiterate what eveyone else said, RTC is one of the best gaming levels out there, period. WOW. :thumb: Thanks and thanks again
null on 3/6/2005 at 15:19
Quote Posted by Pitch
Hey, Null! Sorry for bothering you, but I've got two questions that keep nagging me:
-About King No one:
"Entry One: Subject arrived via City Watch escort. Perpetrator of the infamous Tallow Man murders. Deemed unfit to stand trial. Wears wax mask to cover extreme facial deformities. Admitted for observation and treatment. – Doctor "
"Entry Three: Tricked nursing staff into taking his medications. Nurse Sorrel dead. Nurse Lovewell remains in sick ward – we were unable to reach her before he disfigured her face. Where did he get the wax?"
Lauryl said that he's wearing a mask to hide his burns. I heard that in the Middle Ages they used to torture prisoners by scorching them with melted tallow candles(Tallow Man?). So did he use the wax to do the same to the nurse? Maybe he did this to people because he wanted them to look like him?
-About viktorola:
"Entry Two: Have decided to allow the monthly dance "recitals" subject performs for the children in the Lobotomy Theater. She uses that old
Mechanist viktrola of hers. However, these recitals should be supervised."
How come she had a Mechanist viktrola 50 years before Karras founding the order?
If you could answer these questions I would be grateful. Thanks in advance! :)
Regarding King No.1 - He was an extremely prolific serial killer in the style of Jack the Ripper... able to essentially become anyone he wanted to be -- at least, at a glance -- through the use of wax-sculpted faces, the forgiving shadows of gaslights, and his infinite personality matrix. He was only brought to justice because he was caught in a freak Inn fire, and the wax on his face and head began to melt off -- taking most of the skin with it.
As for the nurse, he may have merely found her to be narcissistic, and decided to... well 'deface' her.
As for the mechanist Viktrola... I believe that would be a writing continuity error. The word 'mechanist' should be excised from that text file. Tease Terri about it. :)
Pitch on 3/6/2005 at 18:32
Thanks! That's all I wanted to know. :)
And now... let's find Terri. :ebil:
Doc_Brown on 4/6/2005 at 02:09
Quote Posted by null
Regarding King No.1 - He was an extremely prolific serial killer in the style of Jack the Ripper... able to essentially become anyone he wanted to be -- at least, at a glance -- through the use of wax-sculpted faces, the forgiving shadows of gaslights, and his infinite personality matrix. He was only brought to justice because he was caught in a freak Inn fire, and the wax on his face and head began to melt off -- taking most of the skin with it.
Now
that would be an awesome FM. Creeping about, swapping between masks to fool the guards, and then taking specific lives instead of specific items. The artistry of devilry.
:ebil:
Pitch on 4/6/2005 at 11:38
Hmm... That's a cool idea. Anyone? :sly:
Keeper Mallinson on 6/6/2005 at 07:48
So, Killed; you think Lauryl is a taskmaster. I'm guessing you never played Thief1.
*snicker* We have a thing going about brother Murus. We... could have killed that friendly ghost. Lemme tell you about the real Taskmaster ghost of Thief.
[SPOILER]After getting an evil gemstone that trapped you in the building and then alerted all the zombies and Haunts to your presence just for a laugh, you exit into a courtyard and meet... Brother Murus. He welcomes you to the Cathedral and seems to have only a vague understanding that he is dead, that you are not a Hammerite acolyte, and that there are zombies everywhere. He tells you it is difficult to become a Hammerite; but then he says he understands you wish to leave the cathedral and tells you he'll help you. You're like, "Yes!"
He then vaguely mentions that he misplaced his rosary beads and asks you to fetch them. You're like, "...okay. Sure. Tit for tat." You get them in a chest in a building swarming with sworded skeletons. You give them to him and he is grateful. He tells you you are a worthy acolyte. He then says something about a candle he needs promptly and asks you to go fetch it as well. You're like, "....Fine." You have a fun fun time getting that one. Meeting back in the cathedral square, he asks you to get a consecration book from the library. You almost bust your cap, but then realize he must want a proper burial to stop him from wandering the world. You go and do it. The library is a place without enemies, but you don't know that, and having never played Thief, don't know what the game engine is capable of and are sneaking around the whole place half-expecting some ghost to come at you. There's a strange, high-pitched, disembodied voice saying cute things like, "Hear me?" "Please." "Hhhhuuungryyy..." "Need you." "Comehere!" "Please." "Huuunngrryy." You meet in the cemetary and you perform some sort of ritual with all the items. He thanks you vehemently and you sigh with relief.
He then mentions this friend that was killed and whose body is still a mile south on the other side of the map. He asks you to fetch this body and drag it back here, avoiding all the zombies on the way. You do so, imagining ways to kill the already dead. You bury him. Murus tells you about another friend buried in another part of the furthest corner of the Cathedral and asks you to do the same in another prepared plot. Even as he's talking to you, you're ducking the occassional zombie in the graveyard. You do this, after much hardship. This is where the Thief player really starts to hate the undead; not just creeped out, but hates them, as he must weave through all these dead bastards, as you don't have the resources to kill them all. There must be 50.
After you're finished this, he sighs and thanks you, saying he's glad his two best friends now know peace along with him. Murus then asks you to kindly kill all the Hammerites that have turned into zombies, as they are an abomination against his religion. You say something about embalming-him as you leave to do this, and find very sneaky ways to kill every single Haunted Hammerite, as they seem to exist in fast motion and you're a corpse along with them if you try to engage in a face-to-face sword-fight and you're out of explosives and holy water. You try and do this in a way so that any other enemies can't hear you, because you can't clear the entire level, as you only have your sword and zombies will pretend to die for 10 seconds and then leap at you if you try and use something as ridiculous as a pointed stick to kill them.
You return, and he tells you that your tasks are done. You just barely loosen your grip on your sheathed sword, and await your reward. He then tells you that he can't exactly get you out, as he hasn't the power or something, but he sends you to fetch something that can. And that's when you unzip your pants and start pissing on his new grave.[/SPOILER]
And that's what it is to be an old-school Thiefer.
ANYWAYS.... I felt just the same way as many here, Cradle is the new RTC. I found it a great choice to [SPOILER]have no enemies in the South side of the building, as I crept the whole way, waiting for the surprise ambush that never came. For a long time, I thought the knocking was an ambience thing, and tried to put up with it. I kept noticing that it got louder every time I went up a floor, and that meant something. I knew I was going to find something directly related to it once it went into fast motion on the staircase, and prepared my weaponry. But I didn't know my attention was being gotten, I rather thought that there was something that was trying to break through a door or a wall to attack me. Evily creepy. And have I ever mentioned that I have an irrational fear of prepubescent female ghosts? I have no idea why, but The Ring ergo scared me to death and so did Lauryl. [/SPOILER]
I hate zombies. I also hated that these ones were NOT permanently affected by fire arrows, and didn't hesitate to run to you when they got back up. And that's another thing - They Ran!!! That was evil! That was dirty pool! Running zombies is no!
Keeper Mallinson on 6/6/2005 at 08:41
Oh, not to mention the flies at the beginning of the level. If you explore the outside, you attract flies that you can hear but not see, and you can run, but they catch up to you. Cool effect of decay. This is when I knew I was in for hell.
Also, a very creative way to portray ghosts; it was very Dickensonian: shadows of the past and such. As if they were stuck on repeat forever.
And yes, the lights do breathe, though I never thought of it that way. It's the perfect way to think about it. Even when a patient isn't around, the lights slowly, slowly go bright, and soft, and bright, and soft; it's like the house is alive, which it... is.
Primal rule: the only thing alive in a haunted house is... the house itself.
By the way, Null (you were remarkable with this mission), tell us one last thing:
What happened at the end? You seem to have inferred that the Cradle was doomed by the end of the level, that it had some sort of 'downfall'. But at the end of the level I felt a sense of loss, that this evil entity was still alive and making these dead people suffer; that I had escaped, and so had the little girl, but that this supreme evil continued to exist in the city. Was I incorrect? Did the Cradle fade without Lauryl?
Keeper Mallinson on 6/6/2005 at 08:45
As a spoiler:
[SPOILER]you can actually 'kill' everybody at the staff table with 2 flashbombs. That's how I ended it.[/SPOILER]
Fish-face on 6/6/2005 at 18:04
I was determined not to kill the staff in the tower. (Mined a couple of the others, but I was reluctant to do anything too non-clandestine. It somehow seemed... wrong.) I noise-arrowed them, although one killed himself running through one of those ghost-flames. Anyone notice that they were the same as those on the abysmal gale?
BTW, Mallinson, they do stay dead if you fire-arrow them, but I think it can take two...
