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

[Unkillable Cat]

About the difficulty level... Multidirectional has a good point. For someone who's new to Thief, jumping right into Expert may be setting the bar a bit too high, to the point that I recommend them starting out on Normal. I also point out to them that all the fun stuff is on Expert difficulty, but they should get familiar with the game first before having a go at it. Even if it means restarting halfway through Constatine's mansion.

 

[Gord]

Well, there are a few other things, like less hp (although that doesn't matter much as you shouldn't be fighting anyway) and not being allowed to kill humans, which makes for some more difficult sneaking portions. Not sure if it also affects awareness of the enemies, though.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

Needing more loot is pretty much standard for Expert level, but there's also "Don't kill anyone", which puts a whole new twist on playing the game. Sometime extra objectives creep in as well, like recovering a special item.

There's also a fourth difficulty level, but since that's user-defined, it's kinda hard to keep track of it in-game; ghosting. Ghosting involves, but is not limited to:

# Playing on Expert.
# Not destroying anything.
# Not being detected or spotted by anyone (or anything, if you're feeling extra ghosty).
# Not incapacitating anyone, whether it be by sword, blackjack, gas arrows or whatever.
# Leaving everything as it was. That means not picking up anything needlessly, closing doors and windows behind you, locking doors you previously unlocked (if possible), etc.

In short, to get the job done without anyone ever having noticed you were there, and leaving no trace of you having been there.

Of course, some missions simply cannot be ghosted, which leaves some puritans constantly pissed, and there's one mission in Thef 2 that makes ghosting mandatory.

 

[Wirdschowerdn]

There's no higher difficulty per se, only more goals to accomplish in a map.

 

[Multidirectional]

Well, there are a few other things, like less hp (although that doesn't matter much as you shouldn't be fighting anyway) and not being allowed to kill humans

Which makes it the same way I played through it on Normal. I just wasn't forced to stay in levels for longer than I wanted to. Killing is out of question in Thief.

 

[Gragt]

Finding some of the special loot on Expert, like the Serpentine Torque, can be a lot harder because it's often hidden. Then again you'll notice the area and think: "Whoa, I went past that before!"

 

[Excommunicator]

Play on normal for the first time. It flows a lot better. None of that "I can't move on from here until I have every damn coin"

Do a minimal amount of exploration the first time and then do an expert run where you look into every corner. That will extend the game more. It's too short as it is.

 

[Trash]

There's no higher difficulty per se, only more goals to accomplish in a map.

Plus subtle changes in the maps themself such as more guards, different patrol routes and so on.

 

[catfood]

The problem with (the first part) it that there are a bit too many "adventure" missions with ghosts and critters compared to standard real "theify" loot the manor missions. Fuck them.

Uh, no, that's not the problem. That's the best thing about it: that it has the perfect balance between the mundane and the supernatural. Some missions are all mundane and some are all supernatural, while some others like "Cragscleft Prison" and "The Sword" briliantly combine the two. That's what gives it such a good flow. Contrast this to Thief 2 where you get sick of the same boring guards and retarded robots talking with a lisp mission after mission after mission. Fuck that shit. Give me variety!

 

[Infinitron]

It's finally here! TafferPatcher 2.05 http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=131106

DDFix is history.

 

[Infinitron]

Instructions for running the T2X expansion with the new patch here: http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...ies-fan-patch-guide.74267/page-3#post-2351083

 

[dextermorgan]

Looks like I'm finally about to pop that Thief 1/2 cherry. Envy me.

 

[TalesfromtheCrypt]

I have been keeping this thread on my watch list for the last seven years or more, meaning to check it out. Talk about procrastination.

What's the status of these enhanced patches? Have they been rendered obsolete by new developments?

Shock 2 has its "official" enhanced version published by Nightdive, so I guess I dont need to bother with any fan patches.

What about Thief 1/2?
Where can I find a up to date instruction in how to best play these games in 2019?

 

[Infinitron]

I have been keeping this thread on my watch list for the last seven years or more, meaning to check it out. Talk about procrastination.

What's the status of these enhanced patches? Have they been rendered obsolete by new developments?

Shock 2 has its "official" enhanced version published by Nightdive, so I guess I dont need to bother with any fan patches.

What about Thief 1/2?
Where can I find a up to date instruction in how to best play these games in 2019?

These patches have continued to be updated, and have been incorporated into Nightdive's SS2 release on Steam and GOG (but not Square Enix's Thief 1/2 releases). voodoo47 has been keeping these two threads up to date about this:
https://rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/system-shock-2-mod-guide.79965/
https://rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?threads/thief-series-fan-patch-guide.74267/

 

[TalesfromtheCrypt]

Thanks Infinitron, I guess I can finally unwatch this thread then