Grandmauden on 21/4/2021 at 01:46
Quote Posted by Brodo Swaggins
Mission three though....it's a weird one. Some great atmosphere and Keeper architecture, but it felt sort of tacked-on, like it wasn't part of the original planned story.
Funny you should mention that, because according to the design doc included in the zip file for Calendra's Legacy (check the goodies folder), "Midnight in Murkbell" was originally intended to be the only mission. Then Purah came up with "A Meeting with Basso" as a prelude mission, which might explain why the Old Widow Inn's location doesn't match up between the two missions (the maps overlap if you try to put them together). At some point later on, the team added "A Winter's Eve" as an epilogue mission with hints of a sequel (namely the flying scroll and the plaque in the ancient vault), which sadly never materialized after Purah decided to move on from making Thief FMs.
Bucky Seifert on 21/4/2021 at 09:28
is it controversial to say that the writing in CC is worse than Thief 4? In hindsight the attempts to make it "adult" are juvenile at best, cringy at worst. I'm not against the idea of a more adult Thief but there are FMs that certainly did it far better. Can't think of any but I know they are out there. Also the use of vanilla Garrett dialog along Mercedes' lines always just felt awkward to me, though I know it was because Lonestar went on haitus. I played through the entire CC campaign a couple years ago though and despite what I just said, I did enjoy it and find it endearing. Like it took me back to a place in time. Whether I'd enjoy it as much if I played it for the first time today there is no way to know. Plus time limit issue aside I found Murkbell really fun to explore. Plus, A Meeting with Basso actually has really good atmosphere to it. But yeah a Winters Eve does feel really tacted on.
wycha on 21/4/2021 at 12:47
The more I think about these missions writing, I feel like those tried to be something like Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines - with being over the top edgy, yet self aware and serious, but it ends up like experiencing washed out (
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ffh7cWRrqF4) My Immortal - where it fails with being funny.
Congrats to Purah for using measures that brings so many emotions and confusion after all these years. It is not something many can achieve.
BigGaston on 21/4/2021 at 14:39
Not that this series needs any defending, but I don’t think it was going for a playful VtM: Bloodlines tone (great game, but it came out 2 years after CL btw). Again, the closest reference point is clearly Dungeons and Dragons, which has a more over-the-top fantasy vibe than vanilla Thief, which is why it may throw some people off.
In terms of writing, the Mercedes stuff is hit and miss, but she actually barely shows up in any of these missions (Garrett has about 2 brief conversations with her in all of CL if I remember right). It’s the world building and memorable locations that really stand out, with well-developed subplots and great foreshadowing (the Zjilich amulet, Arkhyn’s tomb, the Larloch society, etc). There’s a reason other classic FMs have been inspired so much by the lore from these missions (like Fidgewick’s Hollow in The Chalice of Souls, or Rose Garden).
wycha on 21/4/2021 at 19:00
I have nothing against the the playability, the places and in general gameplay aspect. It is great, aged well and at times when it comes out, it stretches new ways to create fanmission.
Quote Posted by BigGaston
Not that this series needs any defending, but I don't think it was going for a playful VtM: Bloodlines tone (great game, but it came out 2 years after CL btw). Again, the closest reference point is clearly Dungeons and Dragons, which has a more over-the-top fantasy vibe than vanilla Thief, which is why it may throw some people off.
Yes I am aware that vtmb is younger than cc, but I meant goals with character writing: mixing of serious elements with humor. Sorry, if that wasn't clear in previous post.