Camera Obscura

[Mr Retarded]

Slowly dragging a giant camera around over a map doesn't sound fun. It sounds tedious.

[Maximius]

Yes, that's the kind of mission structure I was considering. But rather than having a time limit on your actions you'd simply have to find a way of getting the two together. For instance you'd find a readable saying 'When thou want to meet, leave a rose upon my desk' or something, and then of course you'd have to do the same on the other side before the first person has become bored of waiting and left.

 

I'm still not a fan of the idea of having to drag a big clunky camera around, however. I want the player to be like a paparazzi, grabbing whatever shots are available in the heat of the moment rather than having to set everything up beforehand.

I definitely see where you are going, and it would be a different kind of gameplay to be sure, but I have some questions about a small portable picture taking device. The clunky camera is just a way to "realistically" bring a camera into the storyline given the time and setting, I personally would rather have the Thief have to plot and plan to move this rather bulky thing about than give him some magical I-phone that can take pictures. I love woo and magic but it has to be subtly blended in, if its as common as cellphone technology than it may as well be a cellphone as far as I think. For my tastes, the latter would break the immersion too much. And I think there would be some great tension building moments available to the mappers with the big camera, one long hallway with a regular patrol schedule could become a knuckle gripping nightmare when dragging a camera down it. And, again to my tastes, it would simply feel more real to make it difficult and a bitch to set up this job. A lot of care would have to be taken to make sure the whole mission didn't feel clunky but in select doses I think it could add to the fun a bit.

 

Slowly dragging a giant camera around over a map doesn't sound fun. It sounds tedious.

 

But thats not what I've planned, the camera would only come into play in two places in the map series, the first when you have to steal it out of the workshop and the second when you have to move it into position. Yes, it would be a pain when you have to move it, but thats the point, its a tough mission. But you only have to move it for approximately 25% of the total map and even within that space you need only actually move the camera for a few minutes worth of gametime at a time. So maybe the time limits need to be dropped.

 

Say I've busted into the castle to set it up. I don't have to necessarily run and do it right away, I can stash the camera halfway to my goal, go explore and steal on the first floor, move camera to a new position on 2nd floor, steal/explore, then take it to the 3rd floor and get it into position. I definitely do not envision the Thief slowly dragging it around the entire mission, not at all.

[Capela]

How about an accomplice? instead of you dragging the camera, your mission consists to clean up the path for im to take the picture and then, certify that he or she leave the building in safe. Just a tought. And a good mission to work the A.I.