Tommyph1208 on 4/11/2018 at 20:42
Hi guys, thought I´d go ahead and try something controversial... So why not a discussion about Thief as a game for mobile platforms...? Heck, why not push it, what about Free To Play (ok ok, stretching it here, but gotta keep an open mind).
I know the idea is lost on a lot of you, it might even piss you off, but hey bear with me here, and if you feel like it, try putting your prejudices aside and pitch in... Who knows, maybe we´ll have some fun, som interesting discussions, or cool ideas.
Now, first of all, I in no way, shape or form, believe the game Thief as we know it, fits mobile gaming... A good Thief game (the way we know it) requires large open levels, complex controls, long sessions of deeply immersed gameplay... Not what I associate with common mobile gaming. So I for one am going to scratch that idea and instead suggest something completely different, e.g. a game in the "Hidden object" genre.
Now, for those un-initiated, the Hidden Object genre covers a range f games basically revolving around finding hidden objects in static, or close to static scenes or "pictures"... Various meta elements can be put on top of this, but the basics remain the same... Now why would that work in the Thief universe?
Well, a big part of Thief is finding and stealing various objects in dark unknown locations, the game series features plenty of lore to pick from for creating scenes or "levels". Moreover, the hidden object genre has often featured a narrative element being driven forward in-between levels, serving to build and maintain momentum and retention in the game. Could the cool dark atmosphere that we have come to find and love in the thief game be boiled down to single static (or almost static) frames with some cool ambient sound and music and narrative cut scenes inbetween? Could such an experience actually be enjoyable?
Tommyph1208 on 5/11/2018 at 12:02
Wow, thats a completely different take...interesting
Bucky Seifert on 7/11/2018 at 08:40
What I would do is make it a sort of pseudo turn based game. Here's what I mean.
It's overhead, right, and you tap to a location you want to go to. The thing is, when you aren't moving, the game time freezes. You can pass time by holding a finger down to wait. This gives you the player ample time to plan things out. The environment would be very interactable, too, with objects that can be "frobbed' to varying effects. I'd also have open level design, allowing for emergent play.
As much as we'd all like to have a first person Thief game on mobile, it would be hard to do without feeling clunky. This approach, I feel, has potential.
henke on 7/11/2018 at 12:26
Buccura, not sure you've seen this, but Terry Cavanagh (of VVVVVV and Super Hexagon fame) made a free game that plays a lot like that!
(
https://terrycavanagh.itch.io/tiny-heist) Tiny Heist
It's PC tho, not mobile.
Tommyph1208 on 7/11/2018 at 20:41
Quote Posted by Buccura
What I would do is make it a sort of pseudo turn based game. Here's what I mean.
It's overhead, right, and you tap to a location you want to go to. The thing is, when you aren't moving, the game time freezes. You can pass time by holding a finger down to wait. This gives you the player ample time to plan things out. The environment would be very interactable, too, with objects that can be "frobbed' to varying effects. I'd also have open level design, allowing for emergent play.
As much as we'd all like to have a first person Thief game on mobile, it would be hard to do without feeling clunky. This approach, I feel, has potential.
This is a really cool idea, the Time mechanic you describe reminds me of the First Person Shooter SUPERHOT:
(
https://store.steampowered.com/app/322500/SUPERHOT/) https://store.steampowered.com/app/322500/SUPERHOT/
Now there is obvously two points to the concept of the "make it work on mobile" statement, one is in terms of mechaanics, controls and simple hardware limitations... I believe you are right, this could work.
The other is from a monetization perspective, much harder to discern.
