From out of nowhere, new enhanced versions(!) of Thief 2 and System Shock 2

[Infinitron]

I'm planning to do a reinstall of this gem with the patch, ss2tool and the weapon model and texture mods. What holds me back is that I just know this will take ages to get to run. Noone made a good guide yet on how to set up ss2 with ss2tool and mod manager and mods?

A vanilla playthrough with just the patch is also looking better and better as for this you simply install ss2 and then the patch.

EDIT: Am doing a replay of Thief 1 with the patched ddfix. Runs like a dream. Better yet, the game is as solid as ever.

It's too simple to need a guide. Install SS2, install SS2Tool, install Mod Manager. Use Mod Manager to install mods. Play game.

The only tricky part is that some mods need to be installed in a specific order or they'll conflict with each other in a bad way.

The SS2Tool is there so you do not have much to do. It even includes the official patch if my memory is correct. After that you just need to grab SHTUP and Rebirth (if they aren't in the ss2tool yet, it's been a while since I checked the changelog) and you're good to go. All you can do after that is check if there are no updated models here and there but that's optional.

SS2Tool includes no mods, but it does include all patches.

 

[Trash]

It's too simple to need a guide. Install SS2, install SS2Tool, install Mod Manager. Use Mod Manager to install mods. Play game.

Meh, last time I checked it seemed quite a bit more convulted than that. Oh well, time to quit being lazy I guess.

Trash I just jumped straight in with the patch + sstool, doesn't really need mods IMO unless you just want something different.

Yeah, I know. Those weapon models and textures really do look great tho.

http://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=691.0

http://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=22.0

Rebirth

That's the 'improved' models one, right? Not sure if entire new character models wouldn't be a bit too much. Not to mention that the midwife screens I saw looks, well, wrong somehow. I'd at least like it too keep that ss2 vibe.

 

[Infinitron]

Meh, last time I checked it seemed quite a bit more convulted than that. Oh well, time to quit being lazy I guess.

It really isn't.

And oh look SS2Tool just got updated to version 4.2.

http://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=4141.0

 

[Gragt]

I'm also a fan of the ADaOB mod. Gives a bit of more a challenge at higher difficulties.

SS2Tool includes no mods, but it does include all patches.

Ah, I thought so. Thanks for clearing it up.

 

[Jaesun]

Install SS2, install SS2Tool, install Mod Manager. Use Mod Manager to install mods. Play game.

Just for clarification, you do NOT need to install SS2. Just the SHOCK directory. Read the SS2 Tool read me.

 

[Gragt]

Hmmm … Do I finally play Thief 2 and try to finish it or I first go through Thief Gold another time with the vague hope of starting Thief 2 after it, and being burned out? Goatfuck, I know it's gonna be the same again.

 

[Jaesun]

Or you could play some fan missions?

 

[Gragt]

Well I did play some, but I feel I should finish Thief 2 before going there. And there is also Thief 3.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

Well I did play some, but I really want to finish Thief 2 before going there.

Fix'd for less heresy.

 

[Infinitron]

SS2Tool 4.3 http://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=4141.0

This version includes some kind of "DeutschPatch" for the German version, for all you krauts

 

[Infinitron]

SS2Tool 4.4 http://www.systemshock.org/index.php?topic=4141.0

o_O

 

[Castanova]

Finally got around to installing this for System Shock 2 and... oh hell yes. I just wanted to check it out for a minute but then I ended up starting a new character and playing for an hour. What a great fucking game. Now I have to do a full playthrough.

I can't remember with the difficulty levels, though -- is Normal too easy? Or is it still fun? Or should I just go Hard?

 

[Infinitron]

Finally got around to installing this for System Shock 2 and... oh hell yes. I just wanted to check it out for a minute but then I ended up starting a new character and playing for an hour. What a great fucking game. Now I have to do a full playthrough.

I can't remember with the difficulty levels, though -- is Normal too easy? Or is it still fun? Or should I just go Hard?

This game was released in 1999 - the difficulty levels mean exactly what they say.

 

[sea]

Impossible really is fucking hard. You die very fast, have less HP and MP, and have to deal with caps on the number of upgrades you can get. Play on normal, the game is plenty difficult the first time through that way.

 

[Castanova]

Impossible really is fucking hard. You die very fast, have less HP and MP, and have to deal with caps on the number of upgrades you can get. Play on normal, the game is plenty difficult the first time through that way.

Well, I played/beat the game something like 10 years ago. But I guess I'll just consider this a "first time" again since I don't really remember the specifics.

I can tell you, though, that moment when you get into the first level and the two zombie dudes come at you and you realize you have an open, dangerous space to scavenge and explore... what game has nailed that since then?

 

[tuluse]

So I don't want to make a LP out of this but I thought I would share some experiences with Thief: The Dark Project.

First off, this game is amazing, and frankly has hardly aged at all. Remember it's my first play through, so no nostalgia goggles here. Yeah the graphics look dated, but I hardly even notice (with the exception of some character models where the polygon count is clearly hurting). On the downside, I think the decline has addled my brain, that combined with my much limited time I have currently to play games has slowed my progress on the game. I'm only on level 2 right now.

Holy shit the zombies were probably the best done zombies I've seen in a game. You're just slowly creeping along because that's what the game trained you to do in the first level, and you see a dead body with some flies around it. No worries you think as you step over it, and holy shit you take damage from the flies biting you. Ok, lessen learned you think, moving along, don't step through clouds of insects, got it. So you come up to the next area with another dead body. No flies this time, I'll just slowly walk over--did I just hear a groan?--just going over here, and oh god it's up and attacking me. Ok, pull out sword and take care of this. Got it down. Safe now. Oh fuck oh fuck, he's getting back up.

So yeah, actual horror done with game mechanics without feeling cheap. Look forward to the rest of the game.

 

[catfood]

So I don't want to make a LP out of this but I thought I would share some experiences with Thief: The Dark Project.

First off, this game is amazing, and frankly has hardly aged at all. Remember it's my first play through, so no nostalgia goggles here. Yeah the graphics look dated, but I hardly even notice (with the exception of some character models where the polygon count is clearly hurting). On the downside, I think the decline has addled my brain, that combined with my much limited time I have currently to play games has slowed my progress on the game. I'm only on level 2 right now.

Holy shit the zombies were probably the best done zombies I've seen in a game. You're just slowly creeping along because that's what the game trained you to do in the first level, and you see a dead body with some flies around it. No worries you think as you step over it, and holy shit you take damage from the flies biting you. Ok, lessen learned you think, moving along, don't step through clouds of insects, got it. So you come up to the next area with another dead body. No flies this time, I'll just slowly walk over--did I just hear a groan?--just going over here, and oh god it's up and attacking me. Ok, pull out sword and take care of this. Got it down. Safe now. Oh fuck oh fuck, he's getting back up.

So yeah, actual horror done with game mechanics without feeling cheap. Look forward to the rest of the game.

Hope you're playing on Expert.

 

[Multidirectional]

Hope you're playing on Expert.

Stop bothering people with your difficulty obsessions. I'd understand if it was some newfag game that you have to play on hardest to get any kind of challenge, but it isn't. First time I started on Hard ant then eventually lowered to Normal in "Assassins" mission. And guess what? I had fun. And now I have more replayabillity left for my other run, which is slowly happening now (slowly because of other distractions, not the game itself). I'd say the most important thing is to not get burned out during first run, then you are set for a more in depth playthrough... Because, seriously, eventually you will want to come back to this game.

 

[potatojohn]

There's really no point in playing the Thiefs on anything but expert. All you do by lowering the difficulty is getting less out of the game.

 

[Multidirectional]

There's really no point in playing the Thiefs on anything but expert. All you do by lowering the difficulty is getting less out of the game.

What if you are not someone who wants to explore every single corner during first run? I'm fine with just grabbing what I can find without being forced to look for more loot. Levels took long enough to explore on Normal as it was I felt.

 

[catfood]

Hope you're playing on Expert.

Stop bothering people with your difficulty obsessions. I'd understand if it was some newfag game that you have to play on hardest to get any kind of challenge, but it isn't. First time I started on Hard ant then eventually lowered to Normal in "Assassins" mission. And guess what? I had fun. And now I have more replayabillity left for my other run, which is slowly happening now (slowly because of other distractions, not the game itself). I'd say the most important thing is to not get burned out during first run, then you are set for a more in depth playthrough... Because, seriously, eventually you will want to come back to this game.

Expert is the way to go when playing Thief, and no other difficulty level. You get the best that you can out of the game this way. And with the buttload of custom missions availabe out there, game life is a non-issue.

 

[Icewater]

Holy shit the zombies were probably the best done zombies I've seen in a game. You're just slowly creeping along because that's what the game trained you to do in the first level, and you see a dead body with some flies around it. No worries you think as you step over it, and holy shit you take damage from the flies biting you. Ok, lessen learned you think, moving along, don't step through clouds of insects, got it. So you come up to the next area with another dead body. No flies this time, I'll just slowly walk over--did I just hear a groan?--just going over here, and oh god it's up and attacking me. Ok, pull out sword and take care of this. Got it down. Safe now. Oh fuck oh fuck, he's getting back up.

So yeah, actual horror done with game mechanics without feeling cheap. Look forward to the rest of the game.

You haven't even met a Haunt yet, prepare to shit bricks. Their mad cackling, man, it still haunts me to this day.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

Thief is really the only game where having a better soundcard is more important than having a better video card.

 

[Gord]

Expert is the best difficulty to play it, true, but for a first-time player there's nothing wrong with playing on normal and then switching to expert for another walkthrough.
Replayability is a bit better that way.

However, Expert isn't insanely difficult. It's more of a challenge, sure, but in a good way.

 

[potatojohn]

What if you are not someone who wants to explore every single corner during first run?

So you leave a level half unfinished and then... play another level? Why? Why not play the levels completely and have the game last twice as long?