Thief Gold or Thief 2

[Unkillable Cat]

Stuff about T3 Minimalist Project

I tried the Sneaky Upgrade for the first time lately, and I agree with you 100%: The Sneaky Upgrade adds a lot of cool stuff, but the Minimalist Project should be avoided.

In addition to what you said, the Assassin difficulty level requires that you kill x amount of people per mission.

But the worst thing the Minimalist Project did was cut down the default walking speed. Completely screwed up many things the game, like pacing and tempo.

 

[Darth Slaughter]

1 - The files to bring back the difficult back to normal are:

Screens.sch
UI.sch

These above change the written names of difficulties in the pre-load/debriefing screen

Take the original ones found in "..\Thief - Deadly Shadows\CONTENT\T3\Books\English\String_Tags" and put it in "..\Thief - Deadly Shadows\Installed Mods\Minimalist Project\Content\T3\Books\English\String_Tags" and overwrite the ones there.

T3gamesys.t3u

Just got done with T2 and tried doing what to recommend in your post going into T3 with the mod, but I'm not seeing an Installed Mods folder. Is it one you made yourself when installing the mod or should it be created by default when installing it?

Did you use Sneaky Upgrade? I had it installed already... so I can't remember the processe of installing it. I guess it was the default name the mod created...

EDIT: In the options of the installer, Additional Tasks section, there's a check-box (unchecked by default) called: "Customize the paths for savegames, fan missions or mods. (!)" I checked that, and kept the ones made by default, which were the ones in my post.

 

[Darth Slaughter]

Stuff about T3 Minimalist Project

I tried the Sneaky Upgrade for the first time lately, and I agree with you 100%: The Sneaky Upgrade adds a lot of cool stuff, but the Minimalist Project should be avoided.

In addition to what you said, the Assassin difficulty level requires that you kill x amount of people per mission.

But the worst thing the Minimalist Project did was cut down the default walking speed. Completely screwed up many things the game, like pacing and tempo.

It's too slow? they tried too match the originals, but crouching is very slow. Luckily, it can also be edited... I'll look into that...

 

[Beastro]

1 - The files to bring back the difficult back to normal are:

Screens.sch
UI.sch

These above change the written names of difficulties in the pre-load/debriefing screen

Take the original ones found in "..\Thief - Deadly Shadows\CONTENT\T3\Books\English\String_Tags" and put it in "..\Thief - Deadly Shadows\Installed Mods\Minimalist Project\Content\T3\Books\English\String_Tags" and overwrite the ones there.

T3gamesys.t3u

Just got done with T2 and tried doing what to recommend in your post going into T3 with the mod, but I'm not seeing an Installed Mods folder. Is it one you made yourself when installing the mod or should it be created by default when installing it?

Did you use Sneaky Upgrade? I had it installed already... so I can't remember the processe of installing it. I guess it was the default name the mod created...

I DLed Minimalist off of ModDB.

I'll Dl that and see if it makes the folder, thanks!.

 

[Darth Slaughter]

1 - The files to bring back the difficult back to normal are:

Screens.sch
UI.sch

These above change the written names of difficulties in the pre-load/debriefing screen

Take the original ones found in "..\Thief - Deadly Shadows\CONTENT\T3\Books\English\String_Tags" and put it in "..\Thief - Deadly Shadows\Installed Mods\Minimalist Project\Content\T3\Books\English\String_Tags" and overwrite the ones there.

T3gamesys.t3u

Just got done with T2 and tried doing what to recommend in your post going into T3 with the mod, but I'm not seeing an Installed Mods folder. Is it one you made yourself when installing the mod or should it be created by default when installing it?

Did you use Sneaky Upgrade? I had it installed already... so I can't remember the processe of installing it. I guess it was the default name the mod created...

I DLed Minimalist off of ModDB.

I'll Dl that and see if it makes the folder, thanks!.

No no... Sneaky upgrade makes it's own folder structure inside thief 3 folder. If you install just the minimalist mod, it overwrites the original files. I can't remember if it creates a back up, but it creates it's own folder. In this case, you have to find all those files I mention by yourself and replace them with the original ones. It also works, as it was how I played back them when we had no sneaky upgrade. I have edited my previous answer in which I show how my sneaky upgrade folders were defined.

 

[Beastro]

No no... Sneaky upgrade makes it's own folder structure inside thief 3 folder. If you install just the mod, it overwrites the original files. I can't remember if it creates a back up, but it creates it's own folder. In this case, you have to find all those files I mention by yourself and replace them with the original ones. It also works, as it was how I played back them when we had no sneaky upgrade.

Installed it just now. It didn't create its own folder for me.

I'll fiddle with uninstalling it and manually assigning it to one to see if it'll work tomorrow.

 

[Darth Slaughter]

No no... Sneaky upgrade makes it's own folder structure inside thief 3 folder. If you install just the mod, it overwrites the original files. I can't remember if it creates a back up, but it creates it's own folder. In this case, you have to find all those files I mention by yourself and replace them with the original ones. It also works, as it was how I played back them when we had no sneaky upgrade.

Installed it just now. It didn't create its own folder for me.

I'll fiddle with uninstalling it and manually assigning it to one to see if it'll work tomorrow.

I guess the default folders are installed inside "c:\users\..." something, if it's not in the game folder. I hate things in the "users" folder so maybe I changed that...

From the read me:

The configuration options are:
• The location of the game. Should be identified automatically
• Select the GUI language for FMSel: The language for the fan mission selector defaults to the game's locale, if a translation is available
• Which mods should be installed (Full Edition only): By default all mods are installed but only Thief 3 Gold, Garrett Animation Tweaks and Briefing Videos are enabled.
• Set the game root to the chosen path: If your chosen path and the game's registry value disagree, the installer can update the registry. The ION_ROOT registry value is now ignored by the patched game, so this only becomes important if you uninstall the Sneaky Upgrade
• Customize the paths for savegames, fan missions or mods: This enables a subsequent page where the paths below can be changed. Note that when a path is changed, any contents in the old location will not be copied or moved, except for the options files (Options.ini and SneakyOptions.ini).
◦ Path to savegames, screenshots and options: This will change the game’s SaveGamePath registry value
◦ Fan mission archive files location: The path to downloaded FM .zip or .7z files. Note that if no current path is set up for FMSel, then a default path in the user’s Documents folder will be set up. It can be changed from FMSel later
◦ Fan mission installation path: The default path is chosen to make the installer easy to use. If you want your FMs installed to a specific location, change it here
◦ Mod installation path (Full Edition only): As for the FMs, a custom path for the mods can be specified
• Additional desktop icons: A new icon for the game is always installed. The installer provides options for matching icons for easy access to the FM selector and tweak tool. A community-provided high resolution icon with a transparent background is used. There is also an option to have desktop icons for the main readme files

Unkillable Cat

There's a tweak guide showing how you can alter the speed of walking manually editing the options.ini in the saves folder. But the sneaky upgrade's Sneaky tweaker has an option called "Classic Speed" in both Tweaks and Minimalist subsections, which you can disable and go back to default running.

I can't remember the original speed, since I always used the MP setting.

 

[Beastro]

I guess the default folders are installed inside "c:\users\..." something, if it's not in the game folder. I hate things in the "users" folder so maybe I changed that...

Found it.

It was put in Program Data of all places.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Unkillable Cat

There's a tweak guide showing how you can alter the speed of walking manually editing the options.ini in the saves folder. But the sneaky upgrade's Sneaky tweaker has an option called "Classic Speed" in both Tweaks and Minimalist subsections, which you can disable and go back to default running.

I can't remember the original speed, since I always used the MP setting.

I know. I messed around with it and got nowhere. Maybe I did something wrong, maybe the mod was just hellbent on making me walk bloody everywhere, dunno for sure.

But it did matter when it came to the pushable objects, because the time it took for me to register that I was supposed to keep pushing at the object for it to finally move was vastly increased.

 

[Darth Slaughter]

Unkillable Cat

There's a tweak guide showing how you can alter the speed of walking manually editing the options.ini in the saves folder. But the sneaky upgrade's Sneaky tweaker has an option called "Classic Speed" in both Tweaks and Minimalist subsections, which you can disable and go back to default running.

I can't remember the original speed, since I always used the MP setting.

I know. I messed around with it and got nowhere. Maybe I did something wrong, maybe the mod was just hellbent on making me walk bloody everywhere, dunno for sure.

But it did matter when it came to the pushable objects, because the time it took for me to register that I was supposed to keep pushing at the object for it to finally move was vastly increased.

Couldn't you press shift to run?

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Yeah, running at least was a consistent speed (I think) but combined with all the other features of the Sneaky Upgrade (guards constantly going "A fly just farted, there's a thief in the building!") it really killed any enjoyment I could have from the game.

Speaking of enjoyment-deriving activities...I'm playing Thiaf these days. Turns out the problem I was having wasn't the CPU underperforming, but the power supply. After upgrading the PSU (by far the cheapest upgrade option BTW) I'm not getting any crashes...but my will to live and urge to kill are rapdily shifting towards their negative extremes while playing Thiaf...and I haven't even reached the brothel mission yet.

I will explain all this in greater detail at a later date.

 

[Darth Roxor]

Speaking of enjoyment-deriving activities...I'm playing Thiaf these days.

you poor men why would you do this to yourself

 

[octavius]

Speaking of enjoyment-deriving activities...I'm playing Thiaf these days.

Thief (2014) - This game wouldn't be worth your money even if it shipped with booze and hookers.

I guess you're not interested in booze and hookers?

 

[Unkillable Cat]

I'm interested in updating my sig.

 

[tormund]

Speaking of enjoyment-deriving activities...I'm playing Thiaf these days. Turns out the problem I was having wasn't the CPU underperforming, but the power supply. After upgrading the PSU (by far the cheapest upgrade option BTW) I'm not getting any crashes...but my will to live and urge to kill are rapdily shifting towards their negative extremes while playing Thiaf...and I haven't even reached the brothel mission yet.

I will explain all this in greater detail at a later date.

You poor taffer. Wait till you get to the mission after the Brothel one, unless you quit the game forever before that. That was the one that broke me.

BTW, brothel mission contains some hilarious tastelessness, compared to how similar missions were handled in T2X and Dishonored.

Spoiler

At one point you have to collect some symbols, but they happen to be hidden in rooms where clients are having badly animated sex. And you get to experience their shoddy audio design with constantly looping dialogue too. I remember one guy repeating something like "pinch meee, pinch meee hardeeeeer" again and again and AGAIN.

It's the kind of thing that makes you imagine Thiaf devs as a bunch of edgy teens that just finished their marathon rewatch of several GoT seasons...

 

[skacky]

The worst thing about that brothel mission is that it had so much potential. Keeper ruins buried under a re-purposed Keeper compound with current occupants being more or less clueless about its origin and secrets, this was really interesting and one of the very rare instances of actual good world building in this game. Too bad the mission itself is really laughable, in rather poor taste and even has the gall to have a point of no return in Xiao-Xiao's office. Squadafroin and I really liked the concept though so we kind of transposed it to Thief Gold with our Chalice of Souls mission (with FireMage providing the underground section).

 

[Unkillable Cat]

After some consideration, I see that I'm forced to restart Thiaf from scratch in order to change the difficulty. There are several reasons, but the biggest one is that the enemy AI seems to be bugged.

I chose a custom difficulty level where I'm not allowed to knock out anyone, and Focus is turned off. The lack of Focus does not bother me in the slightest, but it does leave me wondering why I can still collect Poppies and why the Queen of Beggars is still considered a thing by the game. But yeah, enemy AI bugged. What happens is this: AI has a routine that it executes, like walking up and down a street or patrolling a walkway. If said AI is interrupted from its routine by becoming suspicious or alerted, it has a 50% chance afterwards of forgetting what its routine was, and just stands absolutely still, doing nothing...until interrupted again. Saving and then reloading the save seems to be a fix, but in a game where I can't take down AI this becomes a problem really quick, as the AI tend to become stuck in places where they absolutely screw me over.

And since Thiaf has shown itself to be indignant towards me almost from the start, I see no reason to try to restrain myself by self-imposed challenges. So the gloves come off, and uppity guards are gonna die. I'm not gonna pick Easy difficulty though.

 

[tormund]

You must sacrifice yourself for us, and provide us with official Codex review. Original Thiefs are adored around here, so it fair that we get a proper takedown of TEEF.

We shall sing the songs of your bravery and sacrifice to our grandchildren.

 

[Darth Slaughter]

You must sacrifice yourself for us, and provide us with official Codex review. Original Thiefs are adored around here, so it fair that we get a proper takedown of TEEF.

We shall sing the songs of your bravery and sacrifice to our grandchildren.

I was one that share the sentiment of Unkillable Cat's signature... Some time ago he almost gave in and almost bought the game and I was the one who reminded him of his signature. At that time, I had some urges to do the same, but that signature was a reminder of how far we should stay away from this game.

So came this last steam sale and there was a thief bundle... which included all previous games and thiaf... and it was really cheap.

I guess thiaf with Thief 1/2/3 is a better deal than booze and hookers... Anyway, I didn't have those on steam so I gave in. Luckily, so did our thief expert...

 

[Unkillable Cat]

I'll just put this out there to RPG Codex Staff ( JarlFrank calls it) : Do you want an "official" RPG Codex review for Thiaf, or is it beyond the scope of the site's intended purpose?

If not I'll still cough up something that could be called a review. We have garnered a respectable Thief audience here, after all.

 

[Baron Dupek]

I don't care if Thiaf is RPG or not - I would love to read literate codexers writing about decline in longer forms. Every time.
Also because there are rarely any reviews every year...

 

[skacky]

I wrote a very extensive review of Thi4f before but in French. I could perhaps translate it someday.

 

[Darth Roxor]

Do you want an "official" RPG Codex review for Thiaf

 

[JarlFrank]

I'll just put this out there to RPG Codex Staff ( JarlFrank calls it) : Do you want an "official" RPG Codex review for Thiaf, or is it beyond the scope of the site's intended purpose?

If not I'll still cough up something that could be called a review. We have garnered a respectable Thief audience here, after all.

I reviewed Dishonored once. So yeah why not. I'll just bugger the rest of the staff until they post it as official content

 

[Beastro]

Getting into Thief 3 and fuck it feels stiff as hell. I really hate how ridged Garrett is and the lack of weight to his movements when attacking. Really feeling it being a step down going directly from the previous Thiefs.

Did Darth Slaughter's tweeks, but have no idea if they've done anything. The first mission felt very easy despite increasing the difficulty and the UI isn't changing to the Minimalist one, nor is the loot sound effect, though all the others are working.

It's still immensely atmospheric, I'll give it that. I also really like how you have to manually loot chests once opened, it doesn't just get shoved into your inventory when you do.

Edit: Fuck, I keep running into a jumping bug. I'll get stuck in the falling animation and have to quick save and reload to fix it. Wouldn't be so bad if it didn't happen so often.