RUNE Mod: Thieves Guild

[JackFarmer]

This looks really cool, amazing work in my opinion:

https://www.moddb.com/mods/thieves-guild

I'm surprised that it flew completely under the radar. I hadn't heard about it until today - just by coincidence I saw it on the TTLG Discord.

From the footage available I would say, a Thief game similar to Deadly Shadows created with the original Unreal Engine.

Apparently, the base game is available on GOG, however, I cannot find it there. Plus, according to ProtonDB not fully functional on Linux systems.

EDIT: Here is a game play trailer from 8+ years ago (the development of the game  took quite some time), there seem to be RPG elements as well:
 

Edit 2:

This seems to be a project our forum member @Jetrellis heavily involved in.

Congratulations on the release! You have been working 10+ years on this? Truly a superhuman effort!

Edited January 7 by JackFarmer

[datiswous]

3 hours ago, JackFarmer said:

Apparently, the base game is available on GOG, however, I cannot find it there. Plus, according to ProtonDB not fully functional on Linux systems.

Here it is:

https://www.gog.com/en/game/rune_classic

Still available on Steam as well:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/210950/Rune_Classic/

 

https://steamcommunity.com/app/210950/discussions/0/5226999188062107143/

So if you're on Linux, it's probably better to get it on Steam

although the GOG version is currently (7-1-26) on sale

 

See also info here:

https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Rune

If that info is correct, the GOG version is older than the Steam version.

Edited January 7 by datiswous

[datiswous]

Aperantly there's also an official Linux vesion:

https://archive.org/details/Rune_Halls_of_Valhalla_Linux

See also info here: https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/192ptzi/rune_which_version_to_play_in_2024/

Edited January 7 by datiswous

[JackFarmer]

23 minutes ago, datiswous said:

Here it is:

https://www.gog.com/en/game/rune_classic

Still available on Steam as well:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/210950/Rune_Classic/

 

https://steamcommunity.com/app/210950/discussions/0/5226999188062107143/

So if you're on Linux, it's probably better to get it on Steam

although the GOG version is currently (7-1-26) on sale

 

See also info here:

https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Rune

If that info is correct, the GOG version is older than the Steam version.

Yeah, I tried both GOG and Steam, but it says, it is not available in my country (Steam) or does not show up at all (GOG). On Steam:

[JackFarmer]

2 minutes ago, datiswous said:

Aperantly there's also an official Linux vesion:

https://archive.org/details/Rune_Halls_of_Valhalla_Linux

The old Linux build seems outdated and it is recommended to run the Windows version with wine or whatever.

[datiswous]

35 minutes ago, JackFarmer said:

or does not show up at all (GOG).

Have you tried through a vpn?

It's strange it's available in The Netherlands, but not Germany

 

Edit: 

It might have to do with this: https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/gettingstarted/contentsurvey/germany?l=english

Edited January 7 by datiswous

[datiswous]

I think games should show up in Steam when you bought them already. So you can use a vpn only to download the game. Proton vpn is free

Edited January 7 by datiswous

[Jetrell]

I hope you get Rune to work on your machine so you will be able to play the Thieves Guild mod. In truth I've been working on this project for over 15 years, which is crazy I know.

Thieves Guild is a single-player Rune mod, loosely inspired by Thief: The Dark Project. It's a campaign driven story of about 20 missions. We tried to combine the action game style of Rune with the stealth game-play of Thief.

Thanks for the shout-out - I appreciate it. I didn't post anything about the mod here because I wasn't sure if it was appropriate.

 

[JackFarmer]

53 minutes ago, Jetrell said:

I hope you get Rune to work on your machine so you will be able to play the Thieves Guild mod. In truth I've been working on this project for over 15 years, which is crazy I know.

Thieves Guild is a single-player Rune mod, loosely inspired by Thief: The Dark Project. It's a campaign driven story of about 20 missions. We tried to combine the action game style of Rune with the stealth game-play of Thief.

Thanks for the shout-out - I appreciate it. I didn't post anything about the mod here because I wasn't sure if it was appropriate.

It makes me really sad to read that you thought it wasn't appropriate to post about your work here. If we cannot discuss this incredible achievement from the Thief-like universe we love so much on a TDM forum, then I wonder by the Builder what else we're supposed to talk about here. 

15 years? You alone (I hope not)? Could you be so kind and elaborate a little on your project? Is the game to be played with a game pad or with keyboard/mouse ?

I really like the typical dark atmosphere, especially "The Dark Side Edition Trailer" provides for that. 

 

[Jetrell]

2 hours ago, JackFarmer said:

It makes me really sad to read that you thought it wasn't appropriate to post about your work here. If we cannot discuss this incredible achievement from the Thief-like universe we love so much on a TDM forum, then I wonder by the Builder what else we're supposed to talk about here. 

I was cautious because I didn't want it to be perceived that I was using The Dark Mod Forums to promote my mod but I get your point - we're all in this together.

2 hours ago, JackFarmer said:

15 years? You alone (I hope not)?

Over the years we've had a few different team members, but for the past few months it's mostly been just me and one other person.

2 hours ago, JackFarmer said:

Could you be so kind and elaborate a little on your project?

The Thieves Guild project started a long time ago, when Rune was still popular. We liked Thief and we also liked Rune so we combined the two games together. We incorporated all of the cloak & dagger elements from Thief but we also wanted our thief to be able to fight like a Viking. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely a thief/stealth game.

Through the 20 or so missions, we tell a story about a thief working for the local thieves' guild, operating within a dark and corrupt city. Under the cover of night, you are assigned a series of dangerous missions - success is rewarded with valuable items, increased wealth, and greater prestige from within the guild. To survive, you must move silently through shadowed alleyways, scale heavily guarded buildings, bypass deadly traps, and pick stubborn locks - all while avoiding detection by the city watch and roaming night patrols. One misstep can mean capture, failure, or worse. In this city, survival belongs to those who remain unseen.

2 hours ago, JackFarmer said:

Is the game to be played with a game pad or with keyboard/mouse ?

Thieves Guild was designed to be played on a computer using a keyboard and mouse. Rune uses the Unreal Engine 1.

2 hours ago, JackFarmer said:

I really like the typical dark atmosphere, especially "The Dark Side Edition Trailer" provides for that. 

I'm glad you liked what you saw in "The Dark Side Edition Trailer". This video is a walk-through of The Training Mission.

 

[michael_a]

How to launch it? Thieves Guild Mod shortcut after installation on GOG's Rune Gold can't run TG.run file. And as I understand Rune Classic is not advised to use with this mod. 

[Jetrell]

5 hours ago, michael_a said:

How to launch it? Thieves Guild Mod shortcut after installation on GOG's Rune Gold can't run TG.run file. And as I understand Rune Classic is not advised to use with this mod. 

Interesting... I'm thinking you are having problems with the installation/.exe file. I suggest downloading the other version of the mod that I uploaded, the Thieves Guild zip file. Just unzip and put all of the files in the corresponding Rune folders. Then to start the mod, simply open up the TG.run file or you can use the "console" and type in "Open TG". The TG.run file will open up the Thieves Guild game menu.

Thieves Guild zip file download

 

[michael_a]

Tried to run after unzipping. "Failed to enter D:\Games\Rune Gold\Maps\TG/run: Can't find Class in file 'Class Engine.ServerOptions' History: UGameEngine::InitEngine"

Command "Open TG" in game's console doesn't do anything. 

Edited January 8 by michael_a

[Jetrell]

9 hours ago, michael_a said:

Tried to run after unzipping. "Failed to enter D:\Games\Rune Gold\Maps\TG/run: Can't find Class in file 'Class Engine.ServerOptions' History: UGameEngine::InitEngine"

Command "Open TG" in game's console doesn't do anything. 

Check your PM

 

[SeriousToni]

Impressive ! I remember playing Rune in LAN on the school computers while listening to Fintroll. Awesome times...

I hope I can get Rune here in Germany somehow to try this out. Especially the AI does leave me curious. I remember it not being very smart. So I guess you had a lot of work to make it fit into a stealth game (back from hack and slash only). Or is it still the original AI and the Player just has to avoid it? (like, it doesn't recognise a body or missing torchlight) 

[Jetrell]

6 hours ago, SeriousToni said:

So I guess you had a lot of work to make it fit into a stealth game (back from hack and slash only). Or is it still the original AI and the Player just has to avoid it? (like, it doesn't recognise a body or missing torchlight) 

Yes, we added an extensive amount of new code to the AIs. They now recognize open and closed doors, lights on or off, react to dead or unconscious bodies etc...

[freyk]

Nice mod to see. maybe you can use some code from thieveryUT (a ut99 mod).  I got some styx vibes from it. 

Edited January 12 by freyk

[Jetrell]

We considered adding multiplayer features but ultimately decided against it, as Thievery UT had already nailed that. Instead, we focused our efforts on delivering a story-driven single-player campaign.

[freyk]

I never played thievery ut multiplayer, i loved the other things. Things you can use in your mod.

[SeriousToni]

16 hours ago, freyk said:

I never played thievery ut multiplayer, i loved the other things. Things you can use in your mod.

I tried once, it was a lot of fun but it lacks a steady player base. What do you mean by other things ? 

[freyk]

Unreal tournament (99) mod "Thievery UT" and "Thieves Guild" mod for Rune (2000)
are using  the same Unreal 1 engine.  Things can be re-used, after some changes.
The other things he can use in his mod, that i loved in TUT: the missions with guard-bots, the environment, the guards behavior, sound and music.

I know this because, in my spare time in the early days, i edited maps for both games.
For example, i converted Unreal1 map illhaven to Thievery UT. 
(And i chnaged unreal 1 - intro map to an thievery tutorial map.)
I can remember that i did this also for Rune with the same Illhaven map.  And also converted the deus ex 1 new-york map to Duke nukem forever restoration project. (In short: Export the mission to t3d, import the T3D and re-texture)

Edited January 14 by freyk

[datiswous]

On 1/14/2026 at 9:23 AM, freyk said:

Unreal tournament (99) mod "Thievery UT" and "Thieves Guild" mod for Rune (2000)
are using  the same Unreal 1 engine.

Isn't Unreal tournament (using) a newer improved engine? I always thought that.

[datiswous]

This install script for Lutris installs the Gog version of Rune Classic quite easy on Linux:

https://lutris.net/games/rune-classic/

There seems to be a minor audio glitch.

Although I read this mod for whatever reason is not compatible with Rune Classic.. 

Edited January 16 by datiswous

[datiswous]

On 1/8/2026 at 6:55 AM, Jetrell said:

Interesting... I'm thinking you are having problems with the installation/.exe file. I suggest downloading the other version of the mod that I uploaded, the Thieves Guild zip file. Just unzip and put all of the files in the corresponding Rune folders.

So this mod is not compatible with Rune Classic, it is not compatible with Rune Gold version 1.07 which comes with GOG's Rune Classic as an extra. It requires an unofficial 1.08 patch that is not compatible with GOG's Gold edition. At least that's what I gather. So I don't know what else can be tried to make it work.

[SeriousToni]

2 hours ago, datiswous said:

So this mod is not compatible with Rune Classic, it is not compatible with Rune Gold version 1.07 which comes with GOG's Rune Classic as an extra. It requires an unofficial 1.08 patch that is not compatible with GOG's Gold edition. At least that's what I gather. So I don't know what else can be tried to make it work.

Yes I went through this the exact way you mentioned by trial and error (and because I was too stupid to understand the readme lol). I gave up ultimately and maybe will try at the weekend if there's time.