What about the atmosphere? Did they get the "Thief" ambience right ? - by Poetic thief
Poetic thief on 5/2/2014 at 03:14
The thing that struck my young mind the most when I first played a demo of Thief 2 was the rich palpable atmosphere that sucked me in and transported me to another world. I don't want to sound dramatic, but it was definitely one of the top feelings in my life (it almost felt like a drug high which it is, if you think of dopamine/endorphins). Anyway, I haven't seen enough game play videos to determine if they at least got this part right. What do guys think?
Starker on 5/2/2014 at 04:18
Nothing I've seen from the videos has really impressed me so far. It seems to lack any kind of subtlety. Everything's grimdark and edgy, there's modern swearing complete with F-bombs, the escape sequences just make me cringe, and you lurch forward each time you pick up something.
It really seems quite a departure from an immersive sim -- there's all kinds of metagamey stuff like upgrades and collecting special loot that you put up for display in your hideout. How pretentious can you get? Unfortunately, the series really seems to have gone downhill with this one.
Poetic thief on 5/2/2014 at 04:48
Quote Posted by Starker
Nothing I've seen from the videos has really impressed me so far. It seems to lack any kind of subtlety. Everything's grimdark and edgy, there's modern swearing complete with F-bombs, the escape sequences just make me cringe, and you lurch forward each time you pick up something.
It really seems quite a departure from an immersive sim -- there's all kinds of metagamey stuff like upgrades and collecting special loot that you put up for display in your hideout. How pretentious can you get? Unfortunately, the series really seems to have gone downhill with this one.
I noticed a bit of that too from the trailers I've seen. Loot has an obvious glint over them (probably can be turned off but still). I just hope there are no in-game pop-up notifications when you collect special loot. "You have found a rare amulet! +200 points !"
Beleg Cúthalion on 5/2/2014 at 07:02
The atmosphere was something I really liked about TDS, I could just hide somewhere in the corners of Rutherford Castle and watch the NPCs walk through the dimly-lit hallways and there was something to it. IIRC I felt something like that when playing the Stonemarket demo of T4 almost half a year ago. So unless you manage to paint it all black before even playing the game, I guess there is some sort of atmosphere and probably not too far away from the one of the old games.
Summer on 5/2/2014 at 13:49
Quote Posted by Beleg Cúthalion
The atmosphere was something I really liked about TDS, I could just hide somewhere in the corners of Rutherford Castle and watch the NPCs walk through the dimly-lit hallways and there was something to it. IIRC I felt something like that when playing the Stonemarket demo of T4 almost half a year ago. So unless you manage to paint it all black before even playing the game, I guess there is some sort of atmosphere and probably not too far away from the one of the old games.
The feel of a game is hard to pin down. What I found lacking in the video trailers and info packets so far is the lack of imagination when it comes to world-building. In TDP and T2, the Hammerites, the Pagans, the Mechanists, etc. had a distinct sense about them, the way they contrasted each other, opposed one another, and yet helped in creating a believable world space. These groups were integral in the world-building, affecting society, history, everything.
Now... there's the rich and the poor--plus some cloak-and-dagger figures doing some kind of weird ceremony. In any case, it all just seems to lack creativity and the wow factor.
The original Thief mythos is so strong and captivating. I mean, it still draws all of us to the games, after all this time. That's saying something. I seriously wonder if this new game can create that kind of following!
Queue on 5/2/2014 at 14:36
Quote Posted by Starker
Nothing I've seen from the videos has really impressed me so far. It seems to lack any kind of subtlety. Everything's grimdark and edgy, there's modern swearing complete with F-bombs, the escape sequences just make me cringe, and you lurch forward each time you pick up something.
It really seems quite a departure from an immersive sim -- there's all kinds of metagamey stuff like upgrades and collecting special loot that you put up for display in your hideout. How pretentious can you get? Unfortunately, the series really seems to have gone downhill with this one.
I've gotta agree with that. It's like watching 'Pacific Rim'...sure it's fun, but if you really think about it, it is quite possibly the worst film ever made because of lazy storytelling, piss poor acting, laughable plot devices, action-movie cliches, out of place scenery and gadgets, the in-general need to be over-the-top on everything, and the use of ridiculous visual devices (they built giant, nuclear powered robots that can only be run by neurally connecting two pilots but the clock on the wall still uses flip-flaps for turning numbers) to add atmosphere. And still, the movie got a 71% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Much like 'Pacific Rim', it's safe to say that Thief will be probably be the product of a generation of designers that doesn't understand or utilize subtlety (because that's just the industry standard, now) designed for a generation that's incapable of comprehending subtlety (because they have never been exposed to it).
All in all, for a modern game it looks fun. But, I'm not deluding myself into thinking it will be great, or even done well. It will be slop for the masses, because that's what the masses expect.
SubJeff on 5/2/2014 at 21:25
Errr. Pacific Rim is ridiiiiiculous. On purpose! I love you Queue but you've not only missed the point, I think you parked at the bowling alley instead of the rifle range.
As to the ambience? Nope. They really haven't got it right as far as I can see. Part of that is the fact that it's a lot more modern than Thief 1 and 2, but it's also just the art style and the lighting (which there is too much of) that isn't right.
It'll be its own thing. There is no way they could recapture the magic of the originals.
Queue on 6/2/2014 at 16:21
Quote Posted by NuEffect
Errr. Pacific Rim is ridiiiiiculous. On purpose! I love you Queue but you've not only missed the point, I think you parked at the bowling alley instead of the rifle range.
Well....shit.
FatSpy on 6/2/2014 at 16:28
The one thing that really really really made the thief atmosphere epic was the haunting music that seemed to fit every environment it was made for. Especially the bonehoard with the music the horn made before you got it.
Another big contributor was the fact you could go anywhere which felt more like you where actually in an environment not a predetermined set of hallways.
Also the complex story and lore in every corner which made the world feel like the huge mystical world you where actually in rather than just limited to the city.
Renault on 6/2/2014 at 16:38
Yeah, I just can't picture any AAA game coming out these days with levels remotely resembling something like The Bonehoard. Or The Haunted Cathedral. Or even Trail of Blood or Life of the Party.