Introduction

Sam Fisher is, too. Look at all that stuff they need just to sneak around! Nightvision, guns, rocket launchers, budgets, radios, handlers, third-person perspectives...hell, they don't even need to sneak half the time if they don't want to.

Real men don't need all that.
Real men go alone.
Real men don't kill anyone (unless they're sub-humans, who obviously don't count).
Real men only need a sword, sap, and bow (plus the occasional elemental arrow) (and maybe some grenades) (and mines).
Real men rely wholly on stealth.
Real men like Garrett.



Thief: The Dark Project was released by Looking Glass Studios in late 1998 as a massive departure from previous first person perspective games. There are no guns, ammo is severely limited, and the PC, Garrett, isn't effective in straight duels with guards, even on the easiest difficulty and considering the rather terrible combat AI. Instead, players must stick to shadows and surprise guards from behind, which was something of a paradigm shift at the time.

Metal Gear Solid was released only a month before Thief, and between the two games a new sub-genre, stealth games, was born. Thief's legacy includes the Hitman, Assassin's Creed, and Splinter Cell series, as well as two sequels and the promise of a third. Oh, and forced stealth sections which have plagued otherwise straightforward shooters ever since.

Personal thoughts? Thief is full of some beautiful textures, especially in manors and streets, as well as some boring gray and brown fills in tunnels and caves. The human models were considered laughably ugly even at the time, and I have to agree with that assessment. Lighting is played with for obvious reasons and considerable success, but the best aspect of all would have to be the audio. The sound effects for Thief, as well as its use in presenting movement and distance, are pulled off perfectly, and the ambient music could not have been done better. The dialogue is somewhat hamstrung by having few voice actors, but otherwise the writing (and The City itself) positively oozes with character.

One last thing: there's a version of the first game called Thief Gold which adds a few extra things to the levels, plus 3-4 entirely new missions. Sadly, the "Platinum Collection," which was the first two games together, used the original version of Thief, so I won't be showing the extra stuff off.

And for those of you who want to play along at home but aren't sure how, please visit the Through the Looking Glass Legacy Gaming Forum for further details.

Enough talk. Time to start the stealth.

Youtube Playlist



Objectives

Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)

Map

Developer Quotes: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15



Objectives

Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)

Map Page 2



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A note to the cook

A note to the staff

An explanation to how Bafford got the scepter (plus a treasure chest he probably could have used): Page 1 Page 2

Bafford's ledger shows how he gets his money, plus some irregularities: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

A response to accused irregularities, plus a small amount of foreshadowing: Page 1 Page 2



Objectives

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Map Page 2 Page 3

The alleged Tip

The alleged Hot Tip

_{PS fuck zombies}



Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)

The note with Felix's map

I think I screw up the names in the video, so let me make this clear: Felix made a copy of his map and notes and gave them to Cutty, the notes were confiscated by the Hammerites during Cutty's arrest, and the body I found with the notes is Nammon's, who somehow escaped and robbed the evidence box.



Updated objectives

Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)

Cell Block 1

Cell Block 2

Cell Block 3

Cell Block 4

Nammon's Less-than-Great Escape

Hammerite Verse



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Objectives

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Map

The final words of Sutter Page 2

The final words of Adolpho

The final words of Dranko

The final words of Marcus



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The final words of Felix Page 2



Objectives

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Map

Updated Objectives

Finalized Objectives

More detailed map

A message between servants



Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)

Lockpicking instructions Page 2

A note to the commissioner

Of burricks and basements

Speculation on the walled-in quarter

A missive from Lord Bafford

A message about gardening

A disgruntled note to the cooks

A list of Wardens etc. Page 2

A to-do list

Bonus Objective



Objectives

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The map so laughably useless I don't even bother looking at it ever

Applied botany

A message for the Master

The City Tribune



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Constantine's contractor

Rakel's Tome of Magic



Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)



Objectives

Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)

Map

The alleged "Tip"

A Public Works memo

A commendation for emergency masonry efforts: Page 1 Page 2



Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)

Complaints about the Constable



Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)

A plot to steal the Torc Page 2

Somewhat updated Objectives

Keeper correspondence

Keeper correspondence 2

A very special map

The map's legend



Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)



Objectives

Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)

Map

Garrett's special commission

Keeper notes

Evacuation notes



Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)

Country Mouse in the City

Second Keeper notes Page 2

A royal proclamation

A tomb's dire curse

Third Keeper notes Page 2



Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)

Political machinations

Final Keeper notes Page 2 Page 3

Last words of a lost city



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Objectives

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Map Page 2 Page 3 Page 4

Letter of approval Page 2

The Wallbuilder's Prayer

Rules for access Page 2

Hammerite Compendium Vol. 2

Hammerite Compendium Vol. 12

Hammerite Compendium Vol. 36 Page 2

Hammerite Compendium Vol. 53

Hammerite Compendium Vol. 94 Page 2

Hammerite Compendium Vol. 108

Hammerite Compendium Vol. 141



Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)

Hammerite Compendium Vol. 7

Hammerite Compendium Vol. 113

Hammerite Compendium Vol. 199

A note about kitchen relocation

Security details



Objectives

Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)

Map Page 2

Final words

Issues with centralization

Ghost sightings

The Eye likes to watch



Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)

Research notes

A partial confession

Furnace instructions

Blessing a holy symbol

The Prayer of Consecration Page 2



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Renault's research Page 2

Demolition directions



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This next video shows the oft-discussed door blocking trick. It's kind of funny when you think about it; only vanilla Thief lets you speed run this level (at least if you don't want to wrangle boxes) since they fixed the door in Gold, but only Gold lets you speed run Lost City since they removed one talisman from the map.



Youtube (Polsy) Blip (Polsy)



Objectives

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The still hilariously useless map

The Eye on the Compass Page 2



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Constantine's confession Page 2



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Objectives

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Somewhat updated objectives

Hammerite Compendium Vol. 77

The Builder's Tools



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Final objectives

Map (finally) Page 2 Page 3



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Objectives

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"Map"

Defeating the Maw



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Blip (Polsy)

Blip only because Youtube doesn't appreciate my choice of music, even though I think it's highly appropriate. Also note that the video isn't actual failures (hell, I didn't even take damage from this mission), but instead it shows what happens if you try to take on Constantine in a straight-up duel, and also what happens if you let him finish the ritual.

RoeCocoa knows the secret at the center of the Maw of Chaos.