jtr7 on 18/3/2013 at 08:34
Watch what?
Robert4222 on 18/3/2013 at 08:41
Quote Posted by jtr7
Watch what?
The God damn light gem in his left hand
jtr7 on 18/3/2013 at 08:49
What light gem? That's clearly not a device for determining how visible he is, but it sure as hell looks like it would get him caught for all the light it's throwing out. It's also blocking a lot of the screen, so again, clearly it's not for showing the player how hidden they are. All the Glyphs say it's something unrelated to a little ol' HUD item. If that thing replaces the light gem HUD, that's very unwieldy and disruptive compared to something you just glance at or notice just outside your fovea at any time, and no need to bring it out of inventory to look at more often than a watch or compass.
Captain Spandex on 18/3/2013 at 10:38
Quote Posted by jtr7
Watch what?
My mind read that in Princess Leia's voice.
SubJeff on 18/3/2013 at 12:11
That's some magic rune trinket isn't it?
Tomi on 18/3/2013 at 18:21
Not trying to be controversial here or anything, but is a light gem really even necessary? It's quite handy of course, but also kills some of the excitement when you know for sure that you're safe in the shadows. It's also another non-essential UI element so it breaks the immersion a little bit.
I've been playing the first S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game quite a lot for the last few days, and that's what changed my opinion about the light gem. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. may not be the best example of a stealth game, but I think that with a little tweaking (of the enemy AI, mostly) it could be. What do you need a light gem for when you can see that you're in the shadows? The walls around you are dark, the floor below you is dark, the weapon in your hands is covered by the shadows - it's fairly safe to assume that you're pretty well hidden in the darkness. Of course it's not that easy to say when it's not totally dark, but that's the exciting bit...
Obviously the lighting in the game will have to work flawlessly, otherwise this would be just annoying, but they should be able to pull it off, so I don't think there's any need for a "visibility indicator" like the light gem (or anything similar).
SubJeff on 18/3/2013 at 18:47
I see what you're saying and it makes sense for another game, but I think that Garrett's special skills make a light gem or equivalent essential.
june gloom on 18/3/2013 at 18:51
There's many different ways to show off visibility levels, as I've said before. A percentage, for example. I can understand using a light gem for consistency since the last three games used it, but it's definitely little more than an iconic part of the UI and has no real connection to the lore.
Goldmoon Dawn on 18/3/2013 at 23:08
Quote Posted by dethtoll
I can understand using a light gem for consistency since the last three games used it, but it's definitely little more than an iconic part of the UI and has no real connection to the lore.
Interesting theory, but...
What if the lore of Thief itself, had everything to do with the lore of the games it came from? Hmmmm, mister? If that were true, then you could almost say that the Light Gem owes more connection to its predecessors, than to its own version of the lore! Besides, the Light Gem brings the game that much more alive! You have this beautiful hypnotic Gem that is alive in this world. Granted, it was a stripped down world, which made the Gem stand out even more. But to take that central element and pluck it right out of the game is disastrous. When the game first came out, the Light Gem was one of the unique and powerful things about the damn game! Its a legacy! Why make a game that tries to emulate games of its time and slap the Thief name on? Why not stay true to the games roots and be different than the rest. Show you are better by doing something that the others are not?!
