Ombrenuit

I honestly thought the leaning backwards idea was a joke (especially with the graphic). Why the hell would you break your neck twisting it 180 degrees as your body acrobatically leaned backwards when you could just turn around? What, am I missing something? Is one just more convenient?

You don't get a voice actor to do their best work by asking them mimic another's. You explain who the character is, what their motivation is, etc. etc., and you allow them to get in character. What comes out is their inspiration and in the long run, will be plenty better.

Firstly, the NPC armor idea took me off guard. I would like to take the time to congratulate you on a fantastic idea. It would really immerse the player to make them cautious of their aim from the shadows. However, if this level of realism is going to be in the game, does that mean if you manage to pull off a headshot with an arrow, the NPC will die automatically? I think this might be appropriate as it is much more difficult to get a headshot when the NPC is coming after you then when you are carefully aiming from the shadows (making it much like Thief in that you could one-hit kill an enemy if they were unaware of your presence). Also, if you were to shoot them in the hand, would they drop their weapon? Their leg they limp? Those examples may be going a bit too far, but I believe the head shot suggestion is applicable.

The more you talk to him, the more the acknowledge his existence and encourage him to continue this conversation which should have ended back six pages ago.

If I remember correctly, this project was inspired by Thief, which traditionally is presented in first person. This project was not inspired by Splinter Cell, and for good reason, they are different experiences. Thief makes you feel as if you are Garrett, you aren't playing a game any longer, but rather, you are a Thief, and you get the rush robbing in turn. One thing I disliked about Thief 3 was that I was constantly reminded that I wasn't Garrett, but rather, I'm watching him. When I climb I get to see his hands fumble on the ledge. The goal of this is to immerse the character with realism, but for the most part, it doesn't immerse me, it does quite the opposite--it distracts me. Traditionalists of the series praised the first person view of the other games because you felt as if you were the character. Looking glass *could* have put in a third person view, but their audience wasn't the one who wanted it; the exception was Theif 3, but that was put into place to support the Xbox and give the game more of a "console" feel. Although that wasn't done by Looking Glass, was it? As for comparing Thief to Metal Gear, please. As far as the only one I've played, Metal Gear Solid, there aren't even shadows. There is no reason to put the effort into a third person view, and for the most part, why are we even discussing this? It's a waste of resources to compensate for the gameplay by adding new animations etc. It's a waste of time. Think from the developers perspective because certainly I don't want them wasting their time with a third person view to appease a new audience in the Dark Mod forums when they could be spending it with features that would please everyone. In short, it's nice that you want to argue about whether or not the feature should be added, but you aren't the ones making the mod. Though you are certainly acting as if you are. If you want to include the feature yourself, you are more then welcome to. I imagine you'll quickly find it is more trouble then it is worth, but of course, you want to make a whole game as well? Oh sure, piece of cake. Happens all the time in fact. Good luck.

I'll say if watching people get ripped apart slowly with powertools is your thing, then go watch Hostel. For most people, it psychologically scars.

Bizarre it was to find myself in the vivid dream I had this morning. I had been sick with a fever the night before and woke up still feeling tired 10 hours later, and with all this sleep, you might wonder why I was still tired? Was I still sick? Well I would say my throat was still sore, but I wasn't necessarily still sick, I could have gone to school, but I took the opportunity to go back to bed and sleep into the mid-morning sunshine. You begin to get that light sleep, waking and back to your dreams again, every so often, hearing someone walking on the stairs and acknowledging it while slipping into the deeper caves of your sub-conscious. They were all mixed and matched into one composite, but what I remember distinctly is it being late at night, at this point, and returning home from my enjoyable time at work (yes, only in a dream), and somehow logging onto The Dark Mod, or it's future incarnation years from now, and of course, it was an online world of sorts, but as a real world, not a game persay. I happened to be, I remember subtly the feeling that I was Zia (I wonder if that is how it's supposed to be spelled? I assume not) in the "House of ill repute", but the mission felt so real, the layout was different. I remember grabbing the bags of gold off the shelves and having to tie the sacks they were in because it kept spilling out, but it was very curious to have to worry where I was going to carry this theft as I grabbed it. However, I remember: the hallway distinctly, the three doors in the dining hall covered in sheets, the door that led to a metal stairwell up into an enourmous sky window, the guard patrols and placement, the look of the mood lighting on the stone, the outside. In short, it just felt so real; I was actually there, a thief, and I don't suppose I can share that exact feeling. For the first time, I just felt compelled to write something down after a dream. I drew a short map of where I explored in the building. I wonder if this should be the first mission I attempt to make? Hmm. Have any of you had any vivid Thief inspired dreams to share?

I hate to say I'm serious, but that would be an interesting destraction technique As for the implementation of new features, I'm a purest in that I feel that these features are too specific to add anything to gameplay as a whole, and not worth the effort. Moreso, most of the suggestions for new features, other then the obvious ones, have been to increase "realism" in the game, which in the end, makes the gameplay difficulty horribly frustrating to the player. In the world of game design, this isn't particularly reasonable nor rational. The "poison room" idea is great...if you wanted to implement it yourself. Honestly, I really hope I never see a "poison gas room" in fan mission after fan mission. It would be a nice surprise the first time, but then it would feel contrived and have the player throw up his/her arms screaming "ANOTHER ONE?" Would it really add all that much to the game?

As they say, it digs a hole you can't get out of.

A while back I started to write a serial involving a thief in a unique setting I had devised, although I didn't really share it with anyone. I got a bit stuck with where I wanted to go with it; although mostly, I was just writing it in hopes of improvement, and wanting to express the setting I had in mind. But I figured you all might enjoy it, perhaps give some criticism too. Here is the link: http://pickpocketeloquence.blogspot.com/ And also, for referance, here is a map. This might not be the last I fiddle with this setting; as Sparhawk knows I've frustratedly tweaked at a MUD codebase in the past with this intention. Although, I have to say that coding without documentation with something obviously above my head is no fun. Although maybe when I hit college hmm...

When the Dark Mod is released, will there be a public server of sorts for sharing textures, models, and the like for use by map makers?

Well I want to play through the plot, but somehow I think my Thief is a bit unequipped for the job, as I have to avoid most dungeons already because I simply can't take trolls, multiple casters, and more then two guys at a time with my bow. I'm hoping to hit a 50 marksman level soon, though. Has anyone tried to level alchemy? Obviously it isn't one of my main skills, but the easiest way to level it is by robbing bakeries, restaurants, and the food of kitchen tables (the food bag for example, by far the most disgusting name for a restaurant I've heard). It takes two foods to make a potion of restore fatigue, so you rob a few shops and you can easily grab 15 levels of alchemy.

Nothing randomly generated but there are a slew that will catch you by surprise. For example, the bloated float tavern quest, which caught my completely off guard (The ship that doubles as an inn in the waterfront district).

I have to say that Thief was the first game that sucked me into a world that I actually felt I was apart of, where I actually thought and felt like I would if I were the character. However, Oblivion is the second game that has made me feel thus far; I've gotten chills fighting enemies and I really do fear for my life at times; I take extra precaution with things when I could be reckless and quick-load to my heart's content. It's just the atmosphere that sucks me in, and I have to say that I did not feel this way when I played Morrowind. I've just begun the Thieves Guild quests; but I'm beginning to regret that I chose Thief as a class rather than assassin. Blades would have been nice.

It simply makes the atmosphere friendly and inviting--I believe that was the intention for the greeting characters.

As my friend aptly wrote when he got the game, "I opened up the package, loaded it up, and when the first screen kicked in, I had an instant orgasm."

The speed potions were useful for exploring the parts of the level that the mapper didn't want you to see. That was a bit of fun, and although I'm sure we don't particularly want people to go where they aren't supposed to, it's like an unwritten rule for players to want to.

Personally, I like the sword combat system from thief. It is simplistic, yet diverse with everything you possibly need.

Demagogue, a mission surrounding intricate stories (as of these text adventures) could be very interesting. I'll be awaiting to see how they develop.

Cyber, what you seem to be making doesn't feel like thief at all, aside from a stealth oriented game. The Dark Mod does have a distinct setting, and it appears that you are trying to use the mechanics to make your own (which would involve modding the dark mod). I can just imagine the first mission now: "I have a simple job planned for this evening: break into a mercedes, steal a fat yuppie's priceless trinkets (and stereo if my fence is in a good mood), and leave quietly. Bafford is out of town and rumor has it that he took his wife and kids with him. The time is right for a bit of burglary... ...the car is always armed with an alarm, and the main street is far too exposed. But Cutty tells me there is a better way in, around the side--more out of the way. Bafford, like most of his kind, probably keep his treasures in the trunk...no point in waiting. It's time to begin.

I planned the Den to be featured, but the mission to include the City streets of course. As for the picturesque quality, I essentially wanted to go for a turkish palace motif. There will be a number of other buildings as well naturally, and in essence, I was greatly inspired to try something of the sort after the "Place of Ill Repute" mission in Thief 2x. I want to capture the quality of late night and a world of decadence and unwavering madness when focusing on the theme of addiction and drug altered moods.

Ok, thats it. I'm ordering Doom 3 as we speak.

I've given it some thought, and now I think I might want to tackle a mission centered around the theme of an oriental-inspired "Opium Den" much like the ones that created a sort of esoteric charm across Britain at the start of the Victorian Era. The story revolving round that of enchantment, addiction, fantasy, dreams, and the like.

One picture a month makes that picture all the more precious than once a week. The more conservative about details one is, the more those details will matter to your fan-base, the more closely they will be inspected and thought over.

I still remember on WoW, I needed 250 stacks of rugged leather to get an epic amulet called Amulet of the Darkmoon. I estimated that it would take me 25+ hours to attain this. I took a day off contemplating what I should do, and I never returned. Two weeks later I canceled my account. I've never felt so hollow.