TriangleTooth on 21/10/2018 at 12:11
Something I've always wondered about when playing these games is how much time passes within one game. There are a lot of threads about the overall timeline of the series but beyond a vague suggestion here and there it isn't too clear.
In my opinion, Thief 1 takes place between late summer and winter, mostly in Autumn. I base this on the following observations:
The vegetation up to the cathedral mission is green.
In Baffords, they mention the river being low due to drought, which seems more likely in hotter months.
During THC we see brown leaf litter. This could be due to the decay of the area, but it is then consistent with later missions such as Undercover.
Finally, the final cutscene has snow and heavily implies winter.
I think this also implies sizeable timeskips between missions, possibly about a week or so on average.
For TMA I'm confident based on the heat mention in Life of the Party that it takes place at least partly in Summer but I'm not sure about the rest exactly.
Anyone got any other ideas?
Elentari on 21/10/2018 at 15:03
I enjoy sorting out timelines for stories. I think my own 'world creation' bent tends to like having things fit in a semi-organized fashion.
I would generally agree with you on the timeline, though I would not say it actually goes so far as to be into winter. Mid-summer- late autumn for the most part. It CAN snow - and snow quite heavily in mid-autumn. Probably moreso than it does in actual winter. IE, the snows in a somewhat warmer temperature tend to be bigger flakes that can add up FAST. Whereas the colder-temperature snows tend to be smaller flakes. (in general, of course) Example: this autumn we have already had a snowfall that added up to two feet in less than two days. Falling in big fat, heavy flakes, it added up quickly. THe trick is. . .as soon as the bank of clouds pass and the sun comes out, that snow disappears nearly as quickly as it arrived, for all the amount of it. :) The snow falling in that last cutscene could very well be an early snow. It's falling thick and heavy enough. --The kink to that particular theory, however, is that the City is a coastal place and it might change the snows again. (I've never been on the coast in the autumn/winter, so I'm not sure how much it differs from here!)
All in all, yes. A couple of months across the storyline itself. I don't think the time 'between' missions is even. I mean, some it seems like a couple weeks could have gone by, and others it seems it might have been mere days. Though I might have to play through again to get more of a sense. If I can figure out how to install things again. (Oh the joys of reformatting. heh)
Aemanyl on 21/10/2018 at 15:08
Thank you very much for this thread, I was actually going to write something similar today! An interesting synchronicity.
I agree with your observations, although I don't think that the developers consciously thought about implementing seasonal differentiation into the game.
Below is my list of T1/Gold levels and an approximate date when they start. Some factors I take into consideration are: travelling distance, sleep, acquiring equipment and information before the mission, game events, vegetation etc. I analyze the first missions in depth, the rest is just the date.
A Keeper's Training. April or May. The birds are singing, the sky is blue and the vegetation in the courtyard is green.
Lord Bafford's Manor. We don't know how much time has passed between Garrett's departure from the Keepers and the Bafford's job. I would argue that Garrett has already had his first major burglaries and he is well-known in the criminal underworld of The City. In my opinion, the Bafford mission takes place in summer, two or three years after Garrett left the Keepers. My bet: August 15, late evening.
Cragscleft Prison. I assume that Garrett wanted to meet Cutty shortly after he had acquired Bafford's sceptre (August 15/16). However, his fence is arrested by the Hammerites and imprisoned in Cragscleft. Garrett has to get some sleep (August 16) and prepare himself for the trip to the mining complex (a few days). Cragscleft is located in the mountains, so travelling there takes some time. My bet: August 25, early afternoon.
Down in the Bonehoard. Garrett's return to The City is slowed down because of Basso (I'm sure that his buddy is malnourished and weakened). Garrett arrives in the City on August 28, gets some sleep, buys necessary equipment and the mission starts perhaps on August 29 (the rent is due!). The catacombs are located on the outskirts of the City.
Assasins. My bet: September 3.
Thieves' Guild. My bet: September 11.
The Sword. My Bet: September 27.
The Haunted Cathedral. My Bet: October 3.
The Mage Towers. My Bet: October 7.
Lost City. My Bet: October 11.
Song of the Caverns. My Bet: October 14.
Undercover. My Bet: October 24.
Return to the Cathedral. My Bet: October 26.
Escape. My Bet: October 27.
Strange Bedfellows. My Bet: October 27/28.
Into the Maw of Chaos. My Bet: October 31.
Outro: November.
skacky on 21/10/2018 at 15:36
Why speculate when The Dark Project explicitly tells the player when some of it takes place?
M2LEDGE.STRQuote:
3/24/34
2,342 Cash pits: Sunnyfair
734 Interest payments: Sunnyfair
(461) Ramirez: Sunnyfair
(153) Girls' shopping trip: Sunnyfair
1,491 Cash pits and dealer take: Dreckboun
320 Interest payments: Dreckboun
(272) Ramirez: Dreckboun
2,785 Cash pits, liquor net: Fendon
1,852 Interest payments: Fendon
(696) Ramirez: Fendon
7,942
4/3/34
2,490 Cash pits: Sunnyfair
801 Interest payments: Sunnyfair
(494) Ramirez: Sunnyfair
982 Cash pits and dealer take: Dreckboun
245 Interest payments: Dreckboun
(184) Ramirez: Dreckboun
(150) Ramirez: debtor assist
2,632 Cash pits, liquor net: Fendon
1,532 Interest payments: Fendon
(625) Ramirez: Fendon
7,230
4/10/34
2,254 Cash pits: Sunnyfair
743 Interest payments: Sunnyfair
(450) Ramirez: Sunnyfair
(200) Token: Sunnyfair guard
754 Cash pits and dealer take: Dreckboun
180 Interest payments: Dreckboun
(140) Ramirez: Dreckboun
(150) Token: Dreckboun guard
2,368 Cash pits, liquor net: Fendon
1,158 Interest payments: Fendon
(529) Ramirez: Fendon
(200) Token: Fendon guard
5,788
What the hell is going on with Dreckboun? Even if Ginny's
grafting, he damn well ought to be more subtle than this!
If it's not turned around in another week, toss it up to
Ramirez as breach.
Quote:
3/34
100 Bribe to Servant Gilpen
1,000 Gerwitz contract
124 Tools
500 Bonus Downwinder Verrilli
864 Lord Brosius job
1,500 Monthly payment to Sheriff
172 Rat poison
2,185 Bar tab for guild party
600 Steinkrauss Contract
400 Bonus for Downwinder Rafael to offer Hammerites a bribe
84 Rafael's funeral
Quote:
4/33
768 Entertainment Exp.
236 Info from Viktoria
494 Cleaning
982 Air Freshener
245 Surveillance
385 Bribe to Deputy Meffan
100 Info from Court Jester Teichholtz
150 Bribe to Capt. Pearsall
625 Deliveries from Lesser Hrabota
1,300 Kickback for Constable Mahk
320 Downwinder Solus contract
Quote:
5/34
137 Lady Lamer job
123 Duke Leonard job
100 Bribe to Lord Church
300 Kickback to Magistrate Gilby
89 Lord Meuse job
112 Surveillance
167 Lord Randall job
So we know for sure that one month has elapsed between Bafford's and Thieves' Guild, and that Bafford's takes place in April.
Concerning Thief 2, we know some of it takes place during the summer. Garrett also says that the streets are pretty hot during the Life of the Party briefing.
M12B11.STRQuote:
Duma, here are the things to pack for my visit:
--pack enough general clothing luggage for a three-week stay
--don't forget the red suit with the yellow frills and brown ruffles (need for the Summer Solstice Soiree)
--arrange shipment of wine to summerhouse
--pack 1 crate of that new Illyrian tea I like and enough scones too!
--pack a blank collector's journal and several quills to record all the new items to be acquired
--pack my favorite jeweled hairbrush and mirror set so I may look my best
Thanks
--Bram Gervaisius
Quote:
Duma,
Everything is going exceedingly well. I just met the most lovely, young filly at the
Summer Solstice Soiree. Bafford introduced me to her and I'm quite impressed. Her
father will take some getting around but the girl is ravishing and has a voice like a
nightingale. Lady Veloden, though she says I may call her by her given name of Carina,
was warbling wonderfully. I haven't even thought much of my art collection the last
week I've been out here. More later, but make sure to clean up my rooms; it looks
like I will be entertaining both publicly and privately during the reception.
--Lord Gervaisius
TriangleTooth on 21/10/2018 at 17:53
Seems like Thief takes place in the year '34, so the Thieves' Guild ledgers also cover the previous year.
We could assume based on the promotional material for TMA that it's 1 year after Thief 1 - not sure if that means the next year, '35, or actually '36 if we're closer to the end of '34 at the end of T: DP.
If Bafford's is April and Thieves Guild is May that would make some sense. Though the vegetation in Undercover, coupled with the final cutscene (that can't be too long after the game finishes, a while since Garrett gets his eye but not too long as the Keepers wouldn't wait months to get in touch) imply the latter part of the game is at least Autumn.
Maybe I'm overthinking the vegetation, or THC has dead leaves because it's an undead-infested place and all the plant life is dead too.
user3 on 21/10/2018 at 18:12
Mission 13:'Casing the Joint' is taking place shortly after June 21(summer solstice) if your shooting for approximate dates. We never know for sure how much time passed since an entry in a book or note, we can only guess.
downwinder on 21/10/2018 at 21:50
to know all just go to the keepers and read the glyphs its all there,ohh sorry since thief 3 they all went blank :P
user3 on 22/10/2018 at 03:32
Blank is good, white space to write your own story, yes.
