WHAT CAN BE LEARNED FROM THIEF?:
Its difficult to summarize a game without having played it. Much of the experience requires direct play, but here I am, trying to explain to you what I’m taking, and why its essential.
Thief has a method of displaying information without it necessarily being a part of a HUD or through text on screen. The tutorial is completely audio based, barring some keypad prompts, and sets the concept pretty easily. The sound is crisp, and its clarity aids players when manoeuvring throughout the levels, be it in a rich noble’s mansion, a prison carved inside a mountain, or deep into forlorn, forgotten and undead infested catacombs.
When playing a stealth game, information is crucial. Going in blind often means dying and retrying, which is fine, but much of the enjoyment of stealth is to see your own plan and actions go on flawlessly, with yourself as sole audience. Thus, you want to minimise as little rogue elements as possible to be the rogue of your dreams.
Thief demonstrates this through important audio cues (the whole sound stuff we spoke of) and establishing a preset of factors that allows players to anticipate and plan ahead. Frankly, that’s just good game design. You don’t fail at the game because of the game’s fault (no matter how much we often like to pin it on lag, or bad AI), in Thief you fail because of your own actions. It doesn’t cheat you.
SO, the first part of a stealth game is information, namely sound. Sound needs to be heard properly, or visualized adeptly on screen to anticipate enemy movements or things ahead. We use sound every day without realising, but often end up noticing its departure.
The second part, is gameplay. Or more so game options. Often times the stereotypical thief is close to the stereotypical secret agent (both work surreptitiously towards their goals). Having a whole bunch of gadgets and tools that can be used to further one’s mission, or job, is a key feature in archetypal stealth games, short of magic.
I plan on using a formula somewhat similar to Thief, by having multiple kinds of objects that will allow the player to swiftly pilfer their way through the level.
- Water arrows (for torches & fireplaces).
- Grappling hooks (climb to high places).
- Smoke arrows (cloud other people’s vision).
- Blackjack or garrote cords (knock people out).
- Camouflage cloaks (to hide in dim lit areas).
- Invisibility potions (its in the name).
- Scent emitters (for dogs or to gain attraction of guards).
- More, and more, and more.
Barring this, the rest of Thief is incredible level design, and a feeling of complete exploration. There are no waypoint markers, the only map Garrett has is one that’s roughly drawn from what explanations and information he’s acquired.
But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. The idea first of all is to get a clear view of the game. The other idea is to not replicate Thief, or any stealth games. The idea is to give my own twist on the genre, and think laterally.
Thanks for reading.