0
Thief II: The Metal Age (v1.18)
FAQ v1.3 by Taffer (taffer@sprint.ca)
May 30, 2000
"It is not a question about what the Law is, but rather what it is not. The Law
is neither noble, nor an end in itself. It is not for the weak-minded or the
squeamish. The Law is simply a means for those who control it, namely me, to
acquire that which I want. One with your wealth and connections, who is prepared
to sacrifice to have a troubling problem resolved, need only describe to me in
detail the favor you are requesting."
-- Gorman Truart, correspondence
"The Master Builder came unto us. He built for us a new house, and the house was
like His house. And he gifted us with knowledge, and we learned to use Boiler
and Gear. That unto us would come His Paradise, and there would be no pain."
-- from Mechanist Rote Texts for Novices
"Twice moons face darks us showed
Twice thems jackals singsie
Thrice Him harvest failsy blights
Thrice we weeps and chillsing..."
-- Unattributed, Ink on Parchment
"Our focus shifted to those who presented two faces: one manifest yet false, the
other hidden yet true. To interfere directly would bring ruin, still, the glyph
warnings were absolute."
-- Keepers Annals
"He poured his children's eyes from glass and from steel wrought their hands
that none could escape his judgement."
-- The New Scripture of the Master Builder
Table of Contents
=================
Section 1: The Latest From Taffer
1.1: Personal Notes Regarding The Next Release
1.2: The Demise of Looking Glass Studios
Section 2: Updates Since Last Release
Section 3: Opening Notes Regarding This FAQ
3.1: Patches Available
3.2: Reading This FAQ
3.3: Best Times
3.4: Mission Objectives
3.4.1: Changing Objectives
3.4.2: Bonus Objectives
3.5: Recommended Purchases
3.6: The Walkthroughs
3.7: Headers
3.8: Just What The Heck Is A Taffer Anyway?
3.8.1: The True Meaning Of "Taffer"
3.9: Contacting the Author
3.9.1: Contact Through Email
3.9.2: Contact Through ICQ
3.9.2.1: Unauthorized Adding On ICQ
3.9.3: Thief FAQ Mailing Lists
3.9.3.1: Bounced Emails
3.10: Other FAQs By The Author
Section 4: Game Notes
4.1: Patrols
4.2: Bloodstains and Bodies
4.3: Doors
4.4: Hard Surfaces
4.5: Water
4.6: Food
4.7: Gas Lamps
4.8: Compass
4.9: Jumping and Mantling
4.10: Leaning
4.11: Zooming
4.12: Enemies
4.12.1: Human Guards
4.12.2: Non-Combatants
4.13: Arsenal
4.13.1: Sword
4.13.2: Blackjack
4.13.3: Broadhead Arrows
4.13.4: Water Arrows
4.13.5: Fire Arrows
4.13.6: Moss Arrows
4.13.7: Gas Arrows
4.13.8: Rope Arrows
4.13.9: Noisemaker Arrows
4.13.10: Flash Bombs
4.13.11: Flares
4.13.12: Explosive Mines
4.13.13: Gas Mines
4.13.14: Potions
4.14: Cheats
Section 5: Running Interference (Mission 1)
5.1: Introduction
5.2: Objectives: Normal
5.3: Objectives: Hard
5.4: Objectives: Expert
5.5: Simplified Objectives
5.6: Before The Mission
5.7: Notes Regarding This Mission
5.8: Walkthrough
Section 6: Input From Other Thieves
Section 7: Thief II Sites On The Internet
Section 8: Version History
Section 1: The Latest From Taffer
=================================
I've got a lot to say this time, so please bear with me. Let's start with the
worst first. I am afraid I bring you very sad news with this release.
The "Thief" series of games was brought to us by a wonderful company known as
Looking Glass Studios. They also produced the fantastic "System Shock" games,
and others as well. As some of you may have heard by now, Looking Glass Studios
has gone out of business.
This is very unfortunate for everyone...not just those of us who have enjoyed
and even loved their games, but for those in the company itself. They gave us
great games and many many happy hours playing those games. I have heard that
they were working simultaneously on both Thief II Gold and Thief III before they
decided to close down. There is more information below in section 1.2.
Well, leave it to me to screw up majorly. The last release of this FAQ was done
under the erroneous impression that I had successfully patched the game. I had
not. The patch file only went so far, then encountered errors and stopped. So
the first mission's walkthrough was, for all intents and purposes, done while
using the UNPATCHED mission. Fortunately, there is very little difference in the
actual walkthrough between the two versions, just mostly notes to be changed.
However, the patched version is MUCH more aesthetically pleasing. If you haven't
patched the game, I highly recommend doing so.
After several people have asked about this, I think I'm going to start a web
page of my own for the Thief II FAQ. What I plan is to have the FAQ set up
basically the same way it is here, except the table of contents and other points
will be links to the appropriate sections. I also intend to include some
screenshots as well. The internet provider I am getting at the beginning of July
gives me 25 megs of space, so that should be enough to at least get started.
Perhaps I can get some more free space from Geocities, Xoom, or some of the
others.
That being said, I have NO idea how to make a webpage. So, I'm putting the call
out. Any web page designers out there that feel like donating their time to
helping me get this up and running?
In the last month or so of working on the Thief Gold FAQ, my computer had taken
to crashing when I played the game while working on the walkthrough and, on
three seperate occasions, spontaneously rebooting! Fortunately, there's been no
rebooting this time. However, my computer still crashes while I try to work on
the FAQ. It seems that it works fine up until I copy something to paste
elsewhere, then some time after that it crashes. I'll need to look into this.
On June 30th, I am getting a cable connection to the Internet, so the email
address I am currently using will not be functioning anymore. I don't have a new
one to give out yet, as some taffer has used my email name on the server I'm
joining. :( While I may not be able to use "taffer", I will try to use something
similar...like taffer_one, or taffer!, or something like that.
As always, feedback is greatly appreciated, both positive and negative. And
please let me know if there's some way you think I can improve this FAQ. I am
always open to your suggestions, comments, criticisms, etc....after all, this is
for you!
1.1: Personal Notes Regarding The Next Release
==============================================
My plans to polish up the Thief Gold FAQ are going slowly, so I am working on
both FAQs concurrently. Although I must admit, this one is getting a bit more
attention that the one for Thief Gold. The next release will have the
walkthrough for mission two, as well as a few more items added to the Arsenal
section. Also, since all of the television shows that I watch (The Practice,
Ally McBeal, and Star Trek: Voyager) have all had their season finales, I have
nothing to distract me from continuing working on these FAQs! (Except I seem to
have somehow become addicted to "The Sims" and "Pharaoh", and I really should do
some more work on my chain mail armour...and then of course, there is the
move....)
1.2: The Demise of Looking Glass Studios
========================================
As I mentioned above, Looking Glass Studios has closed down. After the initial
shock of it, the first obvious question is "Why?". Here is the text from a few
emails people have sent me. Thanks go out to everyone who's helped supply me
with information on what happened. (Please note: The opinions and views
expressed below are not mine...I am simply quoting relevant material from emails
I was sent.)
"Game Spin: What Went Wrong at Looking Glass
By Mark Asher
May 26, 2000, 04:00 PM
Why should a dog, a rat, a flea, Daikatana, and Panty Raider have life, and thou
have none? The news of longtime game development studio Looking Glass closing
seemed a theme worthy of Shakespearean tragedy and comedy. The tragedy is that
we're losing one of the most innovative game development companies on the PC
scene. Games such as Thief, Ultima Underworld, and Terra Nova elevated the
studio to the loftiest status among the hard-core gaming crowd. The comedy
elements were served up by the timing of the announcement; Looking Glass closed
within a day of the release of both John Romero's slapstick game Daikatana and
Simon and Schuster Interactive's epic paean to adolescent male angst, Panty
Raider. It could signify a sea change in the industry--out with the old and in
with the schlock--but it's probably just coincidence.
So what happened to Looking Glass? Short answer: they ran out of money and were
in debt. A lot of angry fists are being pointed at Eidos and Ion Storm. Eidos
was Looking Glass's last hope. Eidos was seriously considering buying the
developer, but then Eidos itself began to experience financial difficulties as
some of its games underperformed and Ion Storm failed to deliver Daikatana or
anything else. So Eidos backed out, and Looking Glass, which was starved for
cash and quickly running out of short-term capital, decided to fold.
The problem is that Looking Glass got itself into the position of needing
someone to bail it out. Sure, Ion Storm seems like the proverbial rabbit hole
that Eidos keeps trying to fill with money; it's understandable that gamers are
playing "what if" scenarios over and over in their minds, wondering if Eidos
would have had the cash if it hadn't squandered it on Ion Storm. We'll probably
never know.
Looking Glass had an interesting business philosophy. The company was a bit on
the large side for a development house, with about 50 employees. That means
there was constant pressure to make payroll. The reason Looking Glass was this
size is that its business plan was predicated on the company developing several
games at once to guard against the disastrous effects of having a single game
bomb. The idea was that at least one game would be a hit and generate the needed
revenue. Indeed, Looking Glass was working on four titles: Thief II Gold, Thief
III, Jane's Attack Squadron, and a modern-day stealth game code-named Deep
Cover. Looking Glass also got some of the highest royalties in the industry, due
to its excellent reputation.
Where this plan went a bit south is in the very nature of what it means to be an
independent developer. Independent developers tend to live hand to mouth on the
whim of the publisher. Publishers pay advances against royalties, and that's
what a development company often survives on. In the case of Looking Glass, they
knowingly underbid on some games just to get a contract in hand, and, rather
than adjust their development plan to compensate for underbidding, they went
ahead and just made the game they wanted to make. The result is that they
incurred debt because the advances weren't enough to cover costs. Then, if your
short-term revenue stream dries up, you've got problems, which is what happened
to Looking Glass.
Irrational Games was working on Deep Cover for Looking Glass, but Irrational
pulled out to work on a PS2 game instead. This gave Deep Cover's publisher,
Microsoft, an opening to get out of the contract, and MS did so. The result was
that Looking Glass was left with no short-term revenue. Where was the Thief
money? Although Thief did very well for Looking Glass, most of the profit was
used to pay down debt.
So, Eidos was Looking Glass's last hope, and when Eidos had to bag the deal due
to its own problems, that was it. Maybe Romero and company sucked up money that
could have saved Looking Glass, but you can also blame the consoles. Irrational
Games made a decision that the PS2 market was more lucrative than the PC market.
And, of course, if Looking Glass had managed to not get into debt, the Thief
Gold royalties might have tided it over until the Thief II royalties began to
kick in. Blame everyone. Blame no one. Blame the state of the games industry. I
don't know--it's just depressing. Looking Glass deserved better, and there were
employees there who had put their whole adulthood into making the company what
it was--one of the best and most innovative game companies out there."
"Looking Glass Closes Doors
By Jason Ocampo
May 25, 2000, 04:00 PM
Wednesday afternoon, the employees of Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Looking
Glass Studios were told that the company was closing down due to financial
difficulties. On Thursday, employees were given the day to pack up, and then the
doors were closed for good on one of the most renowned development houses in the
gaming industry.
The closure affects between 80 to 100 employees who were working on projects
such as Thief III and a World War II-based combat flight simulator. The
ramifications, though, will ripple through the industry and fan base alike.
Looking Glass had a reputation for delivering some of the most revolutionary
games ever made. For instance, the company developed the revolutionary Ultima
Underworld for Origin, beating id Software's Doom for the first game to feature
a seamless 3D-like environment.
Other landmark Looking Glass titles include the genre-shattering System Shock
(its sequel, which was codeveloped by Looking Glass, was named Gamecenter's 1999
PC Game of the Year), and Terra Nova, considered a precursor to Sierra On-Line's
Tribes. There's also the Flight Unlimited series, which delivered a visually
superior experience to the dominant Microsoft Flight Simulator, as well as the
critically adored Thief games.
According to Emil Pagliarulo, former lead designer of Thief II Gold, Looking
Glass was in dire financial straits approximately three years ago, but managed
to pull itself back from the brink. But it didn't help that what should have
been the company's financial triumph, System Shock 2, did dismally at retail.
System Shock 2, which was published by Electronic Arts, was released to critical
acclaim, but didn't generate momentum with the mainstream audience. Looking
Glass then looked for help from publisher Eidos Interactive, but a partnership
deal fell through due to Eidos's financial difficulties.
Still, Pagliarulo isn't too worried about his future, as he explained that
Looking Glass employees are already getting offers from other software houses.
"Nobody is really worried," Pagliarulo said, "But we're all stunned that we're
not going to be working at Looking Glass."
Looking Glass designer Randy Smith wrote in an open letter to fans, "I'm going
to deeply miss Looking Glass and my brilliant, fun coworkers. I don't think the
industry will ever be quite the same." "
Well, there's the "why"...I don't know how much of this is fact and how much is
supposition, but that is what I was told. The next question I asked is "What
now?". Well, there's the possibility of a small ray of hope.
"Through The Looking Glass", the friends of taffers everywhere, has a petition
online to try to get one of Looking Glass Studios' nearly-finished projects
finished. "Jane's Attack Squadron" has had about 2-and-a-half years work put
into it and is nearly finished. My theory is this...if enough people sign,
perhaps they will get to be able to finish it. And if they can finish it, then
who knows what else may be possible. Other projects that got shelved may be able
to be finished. I realize its a very small chance, but I believe in miracles.
I signed the petition earlier today (May 29th). When I went back to get the
address to include in this section, the count had already gone up by over 700
signatures.
To sign the petition, go to: http://www.ttlg.com/jas/default.asp
Section 2: Updates Since Last Release
=====================================
1.2 -- Updated the first missions walkthrough to coincide with the
patched version of the game.
1.3 -- Updated information on Flares (section 4.13.11); fixed a lot of
spelling errors; added Section 1.2: The Demise of Looking Glass
Studios; updated "cheats" section (4.14).
For a complete version history, see Section 8.
Section 3: Opening Notes Regarding This FAQ
===========================================
This is my second FAQ/Walkthrough. All input is appreciated, especially
regarding what you liked, and how I can improve it. Please send comments,
suggestions, etc., to taffer@sprint.ca
This FAQ does not cover the entire game at the moment. It only covers the first
mission, "Running Interference". Other missions will be added every now and
then, at irregular intervals.
This game is the sequel to both Thief: The Dark Project, and Thief: The Dark
Project Gold (hereafter referred to as Thief Gold...this is an "enhanced"
version of the first game). Despite this, most of the FAQ will assume you have
NOT played either of the previous games. I will, however, point out items of
interest for those who HAVE played one or both of them. (For example, in the
first mission, you are helping Basso...whom you rescued from prison in the
previous games.)
This FAQ/Walkthrough is based on the PC version of the game. Does another
version exist? I don't know.
3.1: Patches Available
======================
There are a couple of patches available for this wonderful game. Not all of them
are necessary however.
There is a large (30+ megs) patch called "thf2v118" which patches your Thief II
game to v1.18, the version which this FAQ is based on.
There is a much smaller (3 meg) patch for the Thief II mission editor DromED,
which you WILL need if you want to make your own missions and have patched the
game to v1.18. This file is called "dromed118".
Finally, since the game patch to v1.18 makes a LOT of changes throughout many of
the missions, you can download the v1.18 versions of these missions for DromED,
either seperately or all together in one big file. All together, the fifteen
files total about 50 megs when compressed together.
The first patch (the game patch) is available from the Eidos website. I will
have to do some exploring online to find the location of the other two.
3.2: Reading This FAQ
=====================
I have had a few people email me saying that they had trouble reading the Thief
Gold FAQ through certain programs (such as Internet Explorer). They say they
can't read it through their standard viewing programs, as the lines run off the
screen. This has so far only come from people who are on my mailing list.
When I type up the FAQ, I use the WordPad program which came with Windows 98. I
have the View/Options set to "Wrap to ruler". Then I type merrily away, without
having to worry about hitting the "Enter" key. Unfortunately, when the document
is later viewed in certain other programs, it prints the entire line of text
until the end, sometimes continuing off the screen (as described above).
If you are having this problem viewing the FAQ, then I suggest you do one of two
things:
1) Use WordPad to view it, with the View/Options set to "Wrap to
ruler",
2) Go to www.gamefaqs.com and download the FAQ from there.
Apparently (and I don't know how), when the webmaster puts the FAQ up on his
site, this problem of lines not wrapping disappears.
I'm afraid that's all I can suggest at this time.
3.3: Best Times
===============
For those missions that have been completed, I have also included my best time
for completing that mission. This is for various reasons, but mostly to do with
ego. :) Note that my best time for a mission does NOT necessarily reflect this
walkthrough. For example, I may take a more risky path, or I may run on metal
grating...or I may not bother hiding bodies, closing doors, cleaning up
bloodstains, etc.. Each mission was finished, however, with both the maximum
possible loot and all secrets found, unless otherwise noted.
For those who may be interested, I've collected all my best times here:
Mission 1: Running Interference -- 6 minutes, 50 seconds
Mission 2: Shipping... And Receiving -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 3: Framed -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 4: Ambush! -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 5: Eavesdropping -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 6: First City Bank And Trust -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 7: Blackmail -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 8: Trace The Courier -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 9: Blood Trail -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 10: Life Of The Party -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 11: Precious Cargo -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 12: Kidnap -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 13: Casing The Joint -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 14: Masks -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 15: Sabotage At Soul Forge -- (Haven't played it yet)
3.4: Mission Objectives
=======================
Although each mission walkthrough shows the objectives for Normal, Hard, and
Expert levels, the walkthrough itself covers ONLY the Expert level.
The Simplified Objectives contain the mission objectives as viewed from within
the mission. They are less verbose, and more to the point than the wordy
objectives given before the mission begins. Although the only ones shown are
from the Expert level, you should be able to pick out which ones apply to your
game if you are playing on Normal or Hard instead.
3.4.1: Changing Objectives
==========================
During some missions which you will undertake, your mission objectives will
deviate from those which you started with as you progress through the mission.
This can be due to changing situations, the gaining of further information,
receiving new instructions, and perhaps other reasons as well. You are informed
in the game when your mission objectives change, and the mission's walkthrough
also reflects this. When your objectives change, the walkthrough will give you a
list of your new objectives.
Note that when your objectives list is displayed inside a mission's walkthrough,
it will also indicate which ones you have completed so far. If your list differs
from the one given within, it means that you have not followed the walkthrough
as it is laid out. For example, if you need 1500 in treasure to complete a
mission objective, and the walkthrough says you have done so but your mission
objectives do not, then you have not picked up all the treasures indicated up to
that point.
3.4.2: Bonus Objectives
=======================
Some missions also have Bonus Objectives. These are mission objectives that you
don't find out about until AFTER you've completed them. Your very first mission,
"Running Interference", has one of these.
When you receive a Bonus Objective, if you have Goal Notification turned on, you
will be informed just as if you had completed a normal objective. If you look at
your objectives however, you will see one has been added, and that it is already
checked. Just as with changing objectives, whenever you receive a bonus
objective the walkthrough will give you a list of what your current objectives
are, including the new, Bonus Objective.
Note: You don't find out about the bonus objectives until AFTER you've found
them. That being the case, each mission walkthrough documents the bonus
objectives which I have FOUND. I will do my best to find them all, but I can't
guarantee there are no more than the ones shown. If anyone finds others I miss,
please let me know.
3.5: Recommended Purchases
==========================
At the end of each "Before The Mission" section, I've listed the equipment that
I personally use and/or recommend to complete that mission. In most cases, these
purchases will NOT eat up all of your funds. Use whatever you have left over as
you see fit.
Note that my recommended purchases are not always what is NECESSARY to complete
the mission. In some cases, it will make the mission easier for you, in others
it may simply be that there is NOTHING to buy to help you, but what I've
recommended is (in my opinion) the best you can do.
3.6: The Walkthroughs
=====================
This FAQ is geared towards having you complete each mission with the maximum
amount of treasure possible, on top of completing all of your quests. Each
mission is done at the EXPERT level, and all statistics are given for that
difficulty setting (ie: what you find, where, how much, etc.). I have not tried
playing these missions on the lower difficulty levels.
Each mission walkthrough is presented in the following manner:
1) it allows you to find all the treasure that is available;
2) it points you to all the secrets you can find;
3) it attempts to give you the most expedient path through the mission,
with a minimal amount of backtracking, thus giving you a better
finishing time;
4) it attempts to present the SAFEST method of doing things.
A few words regarding numbers three and four:
The most expedient path means the fastest way through the mission while still
keeping the other three goals in mind. Most missions have several "sidetrek"
areas, where there is nothing for you to do or to acquire. However, a lot of
these areas are just plain interesting...the designers have put a lot of time,
effort, and planning into some of these, and it would be a shame for you to miss
it all. So I suggest that when you are using the walkthrough, if you come across
a "sidetrek" area, save your game, and go and investigate it. A lot of times, it
is well worth it.
[A good example of these sidetreks: In Mission 3 of Thief Gold, "Down in the
Bonehoard", there are several places where you can find members of a lost
expedition and read their journals. But since you need to go out of your way to
get to them, they are not mentioned in that FAQ.]
The SAFEST method of doing something is not always the fastest way. There are
some areas where there is a more risky way of doing something, but doing so is
faster. Sometimes it's not just a matter of risk, but of timing as well, since a
lot of the guards patrol. So if you've been wondering why you can't beat my best
times no matter HOW closely you follow the walkthroughs...well, that's your
answer. (See Section 3.3: Best Times, for more details.)
3.7: Headers
============
The mission headers were a late addition to the Thief Gold FAQ. They were
included when a few people wrote in to say that they had trouble finding a
specific area of a mission that they were looking for when they needed help in a
single area. Since their inclusion, no one has written in with this problem.
The beginning of each mission's walkthrough will have a list of "headers". These
are distributed throughout each walkthrough, in an effort to make it easier for
people to find a certain section that they are looking for.
Note that these headers are NOT always entirely accurate. A section may change
before the header does, or one section may contain a brief "side trip" into
another section. The walkthrough may move you through a bit of a new section
before changing the header.
An example of this is in the first mission (Running Interference). There is a
brief sidestrip from the basement kitchen up into the entry hall, and then
you're brought right back down into the kitchen again.
I hope you all like the headers and find them useful! Enjoy! :)
3.8: Just What The Heck Is A Taffer Anyway?
===========================================
This is a question that many Thief fans have asked countless times. I received a
few emails regarding this, and here is what I've derived from them:
There is a Mother Goose nursery rhyme that contains the line(s), "Taffy was a
Welshman, Taffy was a thief". "Taffy" is a slang name for a Welshman.
At least one other person has suggested to me that "Taffer" is a dilution of
"Trickster", much like in modern English "Darn" is a dilution of "Damn", and
"Heck" is a dilution of "Hell".
Someone wrote in to suggest that "Taffer" was merely a censoring word, that
could be replaced with any appropriate expletive. (Or perhaps more likely, a
sort of "medieval cuss-word", as he put it.)
I've been informed that in Suffolk, England, there is a verb, "to taff", which
means "to spit". So a Taffer would be a Spitter.
Apparently there is some point in the game (which I have either missed or not
yet gotten to), where a Hammerite makes reference to the fact that "Taffer" and
"Trickster" are synonymous.
If anyone can clarify, expand, or suggest another meaning, please contact me! I
seem to recall having once seen a definition online (on a message board
somewhere) that made much more sense.
3.8.1: The True Meaning Of "Taffer"
===================================
Lastly, someone sent me an email with the following information:
"I got this one from PC Accelerator. They interviewed Steve Pearsall,
project designer of Thief. The question, "What is a Taffer and where did it come
from?" The Answer, "One of our level designers, Laura Baldwin, made it up.
Taffer was meant to be a slang word that meant a common criminal, but has
evolved into meaning any sort of low life." So basically it is a fictitious
word. Hey, maybe it will become real if we use it enough."
So there you have it. I'll bet the people over at Looking Glass Studios have
been having a nice chuckle watching everyone go crazy and coming up with these
(admittedly inventive) possible meanings/origins of a word they made up! :)
Be sure you all use this word everyday! I want to see it in the next edition of
Webster's Dictionary! :)
3.9: Contacting the Author
==========================
You can contact me either through email, or through ICQ.
3.9.1 Contact Through Email
===========================
My email address is: taffer@sprint.ca
Please note...I am going to be getting a cable connection for the Internet. When
I do, the above email address will cease to exist. This is PLANNED to occur on
June 30th. I will try to let you know what the new email address will be before
then.
I do read all your emails (except for a few...see the next paragraph for
details), and I try to reply to every one of them. Sometimes I am unable to
reply, simply due to the great number I receive, time constraints, and any
number of other reasons. However, any questions sent to me that are already
answered in this FAQ will be ignored.
NOTE: DO NOT SEND ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING MISSIONS NOT COVERED IN THIS FAQ!!!
There is a very simply reason why I ignore these emails. I don't read them.
These missions are not included in the FAQ yet because I have not PLAYED them
yet. And a lot of the emails I used to get like this would say things like "How
do I do X on Mission Y? I've done A, B, C and D, and found that J and K are
hidden here, but X is still eluding me!" Congratulations, you've just ruined
some surprises for me on that mission. Because of this, I now delete a message
as soon as I see it is heading in that direction.
I hate having something ruined for me...I like playing the game and finding
things out for myself. So do not waste your time or mine by sending in questions
for missions not yet covered...they will not even be read.
3.9.2 Contact Through ICQ
=========================
If you want to contact me through ICQ (all single ladies welcome! ), my ICQ
number is: 19232955. My handle is "Taffer".
Note that the same rules for email apply to ICQ as well. Also, if you have a
lengthy amount of information to send me, I would appreciate it if you would do
so using email.
Please Note: I do not use the "Chat" mode on ICQ. I only use the messaging
feature. My ICQ settings are currently set up to automatically decline any chat
requests.
3.9.2.1: Unauthorized Adding On ICQ
===================================
This refers to people who add me to their contact list using some sort of a hack
or crack program, without receiving my authorization first.
WARNING! Do not, I repeat, DO NOT add me to your contact list WITHOUT receiving
my authorization first! Several people appear to think it's a real laugh to do
this. Well, the first time someone did that to me, they erased my hard drive. So
consider this your first and only warning: Do NOT add me in this
manner...request authorization like everyone else. ANYONE who adds me without
requesting my authorization will IMMEDIATELY get placed on my ignore list. I
will not even bother reading any messages that person may have sent. (This may
seem harsh...but if you had had YOUR hard drive erased, I'm sure you would
understand completely.)
3.9.3: Thief II FAQ Mailing Lists
=================================
There are TWO mailing lists for those who wish to be notified of updates: a
"Zipped" list, and a "Notify" list.
Anyone who wishes to be put on a mailing list will have to tell me which one
they wish to be on. One list of people will receive a zipped email attachment of
the FAQ (the "Zipped" list). The other list of people (the "Notify" list) will
only be receiving an email stating that the FAQ has been sent up to
www.gamefaqs.com (and ONLY to www.gamefaqs.com ...anyone else posting the FAQ
does not necessarily have the most up to date version, but I always send the
latest release to the address given above!). Anyone requesting to be put on a
mailing list without stating which one will default to the "Notify" list.
Please note that this does not mean that the FAQ has been POSTED there
yet...only that I have sent it up to BE posted. There may sometimes be a delay
in the posting.
Emails will be sent out AS THE FAQ IS UPDATED AND RELEASED.
Anyone who is on a mailing list that would like to be switched over to the other
list will have to send me an email stating so. Likewise, if you want to be
removed from either mailing list, you'll need to send me an email stating so.
Anyone who is on the "Zipped" list for this FAQ automatically receives, at no
extra cost, the Thief II Companion Guide that I am attempting to create.
Anyone who was put on one of my mailing lists for my Thief Gold FAQ has
automatically been put on a similar mailing list (either "Zipped" or "Notify")
for this FAQ, unless they requested otherwise.
PLEASE NOTE: Since I now have more than one mailing list (Thief Gold and Thief
II), if you wish to be removed, please tell me WHICH mailing list you wish to be
removed from when you make your request. Simply saying "Take me off your mailing
list" will result in me asking myself "Which one does (s)he mean?", and the
result will be nothing being done. Even simply putting the game's title in the
subject heading is sufficient.
I have no intention, now or ever, of distributing these email addresses to
anyone, nor will they be used by me for advertising or "spamming". It is simply
to get the FAQ out to those who are waiting for it.
3.9.3.1: Bounced Emails
=======================
Once when I sent out a FAQ to those on the mailing list, one of the emails
bounced back. Apparently, someone changed their email address and didn't inform
me. This is not good. I have a slow internet connection, and every email that
bounces back I have to download with the attachment. If more than one person
does it, well, that would be a long wait. Fortunately, it was only one person.
What's my point? Oh yes...from this point on, anyone who's email account bounces
back to me will be removed from the mailing list. Seems fair, since they aren't
getting the attachment anyway.
3.10: Other FAQs By The Author
==============================
This is my second FAQ. I have two others at present, one of which is being
written concurrently with this one.
The Thief Gold FAQ, which is now nearly complete, and covers all the missions in
the game. Thief Gold is the precursor to Thief II, and I highly recommend it to
anyone who hasn't played it yet.
The other FAQ I am working on is a Companion Guide to this one, which will
contain (should I keep it up) the text of every document, scroll, parchment,
plaque, letter, report, announcement and palimpsest that I have been able to
find in the game. It is not necessary for either playing Thief II or for using
this FAQ, it is simply included as a "bonus supplement".
All of these documents, including this one, can be found at www.gamefaqs.com
Section 4: Game Notes
=====================
4.1: Patrols
============
Some areas have guards (of one sort or another) moving around in them, and
sometimes moving from one area to another. This makes it difficult to say for
sure when a certain task you may be told to perform should be done, as it is
unlikely that you will arrive at the area at the exact same time during the
mission that I did. In these areas, it's a good idea to save your game. (This
will be noted at the proper areas.)
4.2: Bloodstains and Bodies
===========================
Leaving bodies out in the open where they can be seen, or not cleaning up
telltale bloodstains (by shooting a Water Arrow at them) is inviting discovery.
While there are certain points in the game where just leaving your victims where
they fall may be all right (and, in some cases, unavoidable), for the most part,
you should tidy up after yourself. After telling you to take out someone, this
FAQ is going to assume that you have the prudence to hide your handiwork.
Any bloodstains you leave behind that you don't clean up yourself seem to
disappear over time. I guess they "soak" into the carpet, stone, ground, etc..
A note of macabre interest, regarding the various corpses of people you will
find and/or create. If you pick them up, then drop them again, their heads will
be at unnatural angles (probably indicating that their necks are broken), or
sometimes their heads just disappear!
4.3: Doors
==========
This FAQ also assumes that you will know enough to try to open doors before
walking through them, and to close them behind you. (An open door can also be a
telltale sign to patrols that something is amiss...namely, you.)
Note that in this walkthrough, most of the time when I refer to a door, there is
an actual, physical door. If there is not, the opening is generally referred to
as a doorway, opening, or an archway.
4.4: Hard Surfaces
==================
Hard surfaces include any sort of surface that makes a very loud or noticeable
noise when you're walking on it. Things like tile, metal, and even wood can fall
into this category. While Moss Arrows will allow you to walk over the covered
area silently, you never really have enough of them to go wantonly shooting them
everywhere you want to walk.
SNEAKING is the key. You have three movements available to you...walking,
running, and sneaking. The sneak key defaults to the SHIFT key, and makes you
move slower, though quieter. In some areas, I have noted that when you move
normally in the shadows, you are slightly more visible, but sneaking seems to
keep you hidden.
There is another way to sneak...CROUCH SNEAKING. This is walking when you are
CROUCHED, either with the sneak key pressed or not. You make less noise
(although it is sometimes still very audible). You can minimize this even
further, however, by using a "stop-and-go" method. Move forward a SHORT
distance, and stop. You will probably have made no noise whatsoever. Now, move
forward another short distance, and stop. Keep this up until you get to quieter
ground, and you should be able to get through just about any terrain silently.
4.5: Water
==========
Water is loud when you splash around in it. This occurs when you try to swim
quickly, or jump into the water. Try not to do it too often. Swim slowly (using
your WALK key). Also note that, while you can swim carrying someone on your
shoulder, on the missions where you are told not to kill anyone, you cannot dump
bodies in the water to "hide" them. They drown, and that counts as you killing
them. (If they follow you into the water and drown however, that does not count
against you...that's just idiots trying to swim while wearing armour.)
An important note regarding your weapons and water: if the water is deep enough,
even if you are simply wading (ie: walking, not swimming), you will still be
unable to use most of your weapons.
When the water is deep enough, you can dive underwater. This is useful for
finding underwater passages, searching the bottom of a lake for treasures, and
possibly even for hiding from enemies. You do have a limited supply of air
however (represented by a "bubble bar" in the lower right of the screen), and
when that runs out, you'll start to take damage. You'll take three hit points of
damage, get a small reprieve (you get a few bubbles added to your bubble bar),
and then take another three hits. This will continue until you surface, take a
Breath Potion, or die.
On a final note: Whatever you do, do NOT try to swim in lava. It's not water.
You'll die. Instantly.
4.6: Food
=========
Throughout the various missions, you will come across a variety of different
sorts of food. While in the previous games this was basically just to make the
game more realistic and to provide some atmosphere, food plays a bigger role in
Thief II.
Occasionally when you eat something, it will restore a single point of health to
you. This seems to be a random occurence, but I have seen it happen while eating
a slice of cheese. So if you're running low on health, start collecting food
items. You may be lucky enough to restore enough health points to finish the
mission (or find a Healing Potion!).
4.7: Gas Lamps
==============
When you find a light source in the game, it is most likely to be either a torch
or a gas lamp. While torches are pretty straightforward, gas lamps are a little
more tricky.
Gas lamps can be extinguished with a Water Arrow, just like a torch can.
However, once it is out, you may notice sometimes that they "highlight" just
like items you can take or use. If you try to "use" a gas lamp while it's
highlighted, you can turn them on again, and it will operate just as if you had
never doused it. Unfortunately, you cannot turn them OFF as easily...you must
douse it just like you would a torch.
When you stand close to a gas lamp, you will hear a slight hissing noise. This
is, I presume, the gas used to fuel the lamp. It can be quite distracting if
you're trying to listen to or for something in particular. Until I figured out
what this noise was, I thought the game had been made to include snakes! (I hate
snakes.)
4.8: Compass
============
You have a compass in your inventory. Most of the time in this FAQ, I will
attempt to give you instructions without needing to resort to referring to the
compass. For example, I will say something like "On your left, as you face the
idol," or "Turn so the door is to your back." From time to time, however, it may
be necessary for me to refer to compass directions.
Your compass is in the shape of an eight-pointed star. The larger points
indicate the major compass directions (North, East, South, and West), whereas
the smaller points refer to the in-between directions (Northeast, Southeast,
Southwest, Northwest). One of the larger points is red in colour. This point is
your reference point. It will always be pointing towards the north. The
direction which you are currently facing will be indicated by the point which is
directed in (more or less) the direction you're facing. So if I tell you to face
east, look at your compass, and orient it so that the red arrow is pointing
(more or less) towards the left side of the screen.
An interesting note regarding your compass...if you spin around while it is open
in your inventory, you can watch the star spin with you. However, if you change
your vertical facing (ie: looking up and down), the star will also rotate on
that axis with you!
4.9: Jumping and Mantling
=========================
For those who remember Garrett's "continuous jumping" trick from the previous
games, it appears to have been removed from Thief II. Either that, or I'm
incredibly inept at the procedure. I prefer to think the former. :)
Mantling is pulling yourself up onto a ledge of some sort, be it a railing,
fireplace mantle, or just a block of stone. To mantle, you press up against the
object you wish to climb, and jump. You will grab the object in question, pull
yourself up, and stand up on top of it.
It is important to note that some objects are just a touch too high to mantle up
onto in this manner. In these cases, you have to do a running jump/mantle
manouevre. Basically, you step back from the object, then run towards it and
jump before you reach it. Do not release the jump button, and when Garrett
strikes the object, he will grab onto it and mantle up.
4.10: Leaning
=============
Leaning is a very important part of your pilfering profession. Leaning around a
corner will allow you, for example, to look into a brightly lit room while still
remaining unseen. In some cases, it will allow you to knock out a patrolling
guard when he walks by, when you can't move up behind him because of the hard
floor surface.
There are three types of leanings you can do. There is the left lean, the right
lean, and the forward lean. The forward lean can be very useful for picking
pockets or knocking out guards when there's an obstruction in the way, such as a
small wall. Also, leaning forward will allow you to knock out a guard who is
approaching you in the dark before he gets close enough to notice you.
4.11: Zooming
=============
In the game, you play Garrett, a master thief who has a mechanical eye. And
that's not a clever play on words, or a cute name for a device. He literally has
a mechanical eye in place of a real one. (To find out how this happened, play
the previous game.)
One of the benefits of this device is that you have a sort of "telescopic view"
that you can access. You use your Zoom In and Zoom Out keys (defaults are ] and
[, respectively) to increase or decrease your view's range. You can increase
your view to the same sort you get when you are pulling back on an arrow (if you
have Bow Zoom turned on). That is your maximum. Your MINIMUM view is the one you
default to. You cannot "Zoom Back" to a smaller view than this.
The benefits of this Zoom mode is that, unlike the Bow Zoom, you can hold your
Zoom In view indefinitely. The Bow Zoom only lasts as long as the strength in
your arm does. Once you let loose your grip on the bowstring, your view returns
to normal.
4.12: Enemies
=============
"Enemies" is a general term used to describe anyone or anything you might
encounter during the game that would make your pilfering expeditions more
dangerous, either by attacking you or by raising the alarm and alerting others
to your presence. Not all "enemies" can attack you, but all are against your
best interests.
You face off against a number of different types of enemies. Here is some basic
information on the ones I've encountered so far. Note that the names I've given
to some of them are NOT necessarily official. They are just what I've called
them when I've had no official name to give them.
4.12.1: Human Guards
====================
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
This includes your standard Guards (Swordsmen and Archers), and Hammerites.
Unlike the previous game, Thief II includes females as well as males among the
ranks of guardsmen (guardspersons?).
These guys fall easily to your Blackjack attacks, so long as they aren't
expecting it. If they are looking around searching for you, you can sometimes
manage to club them, but it doesn't always work. In these circumstances, your
best bet is to lean forward to knock them out. They don't seem to see you as
well then. Also, light plays an important role. The more of you that can be seen
(ie: check your light-indicator!), the harder it is to successfully put the
guards to sleep.
Most of the time, these guys are armed with some sort of hand-to-hand weapon (a
sword or hammer). Occasionally, one will have a bow instead (and don't think
that they can only fire Broadheads at you!). The guys in red, however, are
Priests and spell casters.
Occasionally, a guard will have a key, purse, or other item on their person that
you can either lift off (ie: pick their pocket), or grab after you've knocked
them out. I prefer the pickpocket method. (Note: There are entries in the game
manual that seem to indicate a person can have more than one item to
pickpocket!)
NOTE: One time, I knocked out a guard, and because another was coming, picked up
the body and ran BEFORE getting the purse off him. After dropping the body,
however, the purse was gone. :( This, however, was while playing the original
Thief game. In Thief II, I have picked up bodies, then dropped them and been
able to get the item from their belt.
I need to experiment more with this to see if this still occurs in Thief II.
However, one suggested method of avoiding this is to knock out the victim, and
pick his pocket AS HE'S FALLING. This apparently works, and you still get the
credit for picking the pocket.
4.12.2: Non-Combatants
======================
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
This category includes anyone that doesn't fight against you in the game:
Servants, Civilians, Prisoners, etc. They are weak, falling easily to just about
any attack.
In most cases with other human opponents, once they are alert to you, they are
difficult to blackjack. This is not necessarily true of the Non-Combatants. In
most cases, they can be running right towards you, screaming for help, with you
in bright light, and you can knock them senseless. Some, however, will still not
fall, although they are rare.
4.13: Arsenal
=============
While your chosen lifestyle usually involves you hiding from foes rather than
fighting, it is sometimes necessary to make use of some of your weapons...and
some have more uses than the obvious.
Note that you are more easily seen if you have a weapon drawn than if you are
empty-handed (except for the Blackjack). Also, having a weapon out (except the
Blackjack) can slow you down. So if you are in a hurry, put your weapons away!
A word about your bow. Whenever you nock an arrow and pull back, after a short
wait your vision will "zoom in" and you'll be able to see much farther much
clearer. This can be handy if you ever need to see great distances. Nock an
arrow, pull back, and when you've seen all you wish to see, disarm the bow. The
default disarm key is the tilde (~). (For more on Zooming, see section 4.10.)
4.13.1: Sword
=============
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
Your basic hack-n-slash weapon. Your Sword does either a left cut, a right cut,
or an overhead smashing blow. To get the smashing blow, you need to hold your
attack button without releasing it for a short time. While it takes longer to
deliver, it does more damage than the simple cuts. Also, if your enemy is not
expecting an attack (ie: he doesn't know you're there), the Sword delivers more
damage than standard (usually killing with one blow).
According to the manual, there are two types of cuts. Tapping your attack button
will do a quick cut with your Sword. If you hold your attack button slightly
longer, you apparently do a more powerful sideswipe.
Your Sword is also good for cutting down banners, tapestries, or other types of
wall-hangings that may hide secret areas behind them.
If you are trying to hide in the shadows, having your Sword drawn will make you
easier to spot. However, if you put your weapon in the Block position, it seems
to lessen your visibility somewhat.
4.13.2: Blackjack
=================
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
There's not much about the Blackjack that isn't obvious. It's got a short reach,
so you have to be pretty close to use it effectively. Interestingly enough, when
you knock out your victims, if you examine their faces, their eyes are wide
open. Curious that....
While most other weapons make you more visible, having this one at the ready
does not affect your visibility.
Two things worth noting about this weapon. First, it IS possible to kill someone
with it. If they know you're there and are attacking you, a few solid clouts
with this does send them to the Builder. Also, sometimes Non-Combatants (ie:
Servants, Prisoners, etc.) are so weak that a single blow from this weapon kills
them, even if you were just going for a knock-out.
Another interesting thing. If you knock someone out while you are in the middle
of a jump, when you look at your stats screen later, you will have an additional
entry for the number of knockouts "while airborne". :)
Sometimes there is a problem with knocking out a person, and picking up the body
BEFORE getting any goodies (like a purse or key) off of their belt. When you
drop the body and look, the item sometimes disappears. One method of avoiding
this (assuming you are in a hurry for some reason) is to knock your victim out
and then pick his pocket before he hits the ground. You will get the item and,
apparently, the credit for picking his pocket as well.
NOTE: According to the manual (bottom of page 21), you have to hit a creature on
the head in order to induce sleep. This is, in fact, not true. You can prepare
your blackjack to strike, then crouch, move behind your opponent, and release,
knocking him out despite the fact that you just whacked his or her ass (although
I prefer to think you are whacking them in the kidneys, stunning them.)
4.13.3: Broadhead Arrows
========================
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
Their use as a weapon is obvious. These weapons, like your Sword, do much more
damage to your enemies when they are not expecting your attack (usually killing
them with one shot).
You may think these weapons are useless on missions where you can't kill anyone,
but that's not entirely true. They are great "distractions". Fire one off
against a nearby wall, and you attract the attention of nearby enemies. And if
you're hiding in shadows, they (usually) look around for you instead of raising
the alarm. Lead your enemies into an ambush, and blackjack them. :)
Note that if you fire your Broadhead Arrows into soft surfaces, you can
sometimes retrieve them! (I'm afraid your target's body does not count as a soft
surface.)
Sometimes you can collect Broadheads that were shot at you and missed, if they
land in soft surfaces. I have been told that Garrett cannot carry more than 90
Broadhead Arrows, but I have not verified this. (This limitation was for Thief
Gold...I am assuming that it carried over to Thief II.)
4.13.4: Water Arrows
====================
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
Very useful for putting out unwanted light sources, and also for cleaning up any
bloodstains you leave behind. Light sources include torches, gas lamps, and
Flares (see section 4.12.11, below).
As an interesting side note, Water Arrows are ignored by your enemies when fired
at them. I've fired a Water Arrow right in the face of a guard, and he didn't
even flinch! Although the noise does seem to attract them, at least the first
time.
NOTE: When extinguishing a light source, it is not necessary to hit it dead-
on...or in some cases, even to hit it! A close hit will still put it out. I am
assuming this is some sort of "splash damage".
4.13.5: Fire Arrows
===================
First Appearance: Unknown
These little beauties are devastating. Some guards which normally take several
Broadhead Arrows to bring down will sometimes fall with a single Fire Arrow.
They are also useful for relighting torches, should you decide you need a little
more light in your life. (Perhaps they also relight Gas Lamps?)
If your Fire Arrow detonates too close to you, you will take some damage, so be
careful!
If you are hiding in the shadows, arming a Fire Arrow will brighten your area a
bit, making you more noticeable.
A word about trajectory: When you fire most arrows, you need to take gravity
into account. That is, once the arrow leaves your bow, it starts to fall, losing
altitude. You need to aim high if you're aiming at a target that's a long way
off. This is NOT true with the Fire Arrows. It's like a mini-rocket. Aim, fire,
and it keeps going IN A STRAIGHT LINE, until it strikes something. Keep this in
mind when using them.
It is interesting to note that, while a Fire Arrow will continue on in a
straight line until it hits something, how far back you pull the bowstring will
determine how fast it flies. Try it out for yourself...it's like watching its
flight in slow motion. (Just for fun, if you fire your Fire Arrow slowly enough,
you CAN run after it, past it, then turn around and watch it hit you! I assume
the same can be said for Gas Arrows.)
4.13.6: Moss Arrows
===================
First Appearance: Mission Two (Shipping... and Receiving)
You fire a Moss Arrow at some loud sound-generating ground (tile, grating,etc.),
and it gets covered with moss. When you walk on it, you no longer make any noise
at all. So far, that's the only use I've found for them.
Firing Moss Arrows at items, people, or even the walls or ceiling, will cause
the initial clump of moss to fall to the ground at that point, and then the
remaining moss will shoot out.
It is important to note that the moss from one of these arrows covers an entire
square area, even though some patches may look "bare" in this area. These bare
patches are still considered "mossed", and you can walk silently on them.
4.13.7: Gas Arrows
==================
First Appearance: Unknown
These are very nice to have on those levels where you can't kill anyone. It
allows you to knock out someone (or sometimes a few someones) at a distance. If
you use one of these in a crowd, there is a radius effect which knocks out the
primary target as well as those in the immediate vicinity.
While you won't be knocked unconscious if your Gas Arrow "detonates" too close
to you, you will take some damage from the shattering glass.
Trajectory with Gas Arrows is the same as with Fire Arrows: they keep going in a
straight line, never falling, until they hit something.
In a pinch, Gas Arrows can be used to put out unwanted fires. (Possibly Gas
Lamps as well?)
Like Fire Arrows, if you only pull back on your bowstring briefly, the arrow
will travel much more slowly. (And I assume that you can chase it and hit
yourself with it, like the Fire Arrows.)
4.13.8: Rope Arrows
===================
First Appearance: Unknown
Very handy items, if you happen to have no way into or out of an area, and there
is a wooden (or similarly "soft") surface neraby. Fire one of these, and you
have instant access.
A word of caution: While these arrows are very useful to you in many situations,
it should be pointed out that there is a maximum length to the rope. You could
shoot a Rope Arrow at a ceiling very high up, and watch with dismay as the rope
tumbles down to stop several feet higher than your highest jump.
Note that these arrows are re-usable. Once you've finished with the rope,
retrieve the Arrow whenever possible.
A useful manouevre for any Thief is what I call a "jump-n-snatch" manouevre.
Basically, when you are ready to abandon your rope, position yourself in some
way to that your Rope Arrow is highlighted, then jump off the rope AT THE SAME
TIME THAT YOU GRAB THE ARROW! This retrieves your Rope Arrow for re-use later,
and accomplishes your goal of getting to where you wanted to go. (In some cases,
it is enough to just hang on the rope and grab the arrow, allow yourself to
fall.)
WARNING! Do not face a wall, standing directly against it, then look straight up
and fire one of these into a secure material! Yes, it will stick, but the rope
will be too close to the wall, and you will be unable to use it!
4.13.9: Noisemaker Arrows
=========================
First Appearance: Unknown
An arrow that makes a noise as it flies. When it strikes a surface, it emits a
"cricket" sound for a short while. In most cases, I've found this completely
useless, although I have made successful use of it in a Thief Gold mission. I'm
sure there are other instances that I am just not seeing where these devices
would prove useful.
These weapons are also retrieveable, like the Rope Arrows.
4.13.10: Flash Bombs
====================
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
A Flash Bomb is a device which will blind anyone nearby who sees the "flash"
when it strikes a hard surface (like the floor or a wall). If you use one of
these one someone who is chasing you, the blindness caused by it will make that
person vulnerable to your Blackjack again. At least, until the blindess wears
off.
A word of caution: When the Flash Bomb goes off, you also suffer the blinding
effects! You will be just as blinded (for a short time) by the flash as your
enemies, unless you look away. The farther away you look (ie: the more "away"
you turn your gaze), the less the effects will be. However, even if you look
directly at it when it goes off, you seem to be blinded for a shorter period of
time then the others. Probably because you were expecting it and they weren't.
4.13.11: Flares
===============
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
The Flare is a device with a misleading name. This type of Flare does not behave
in the manner of a traditional flare. More appropriately, this device is a Glow-
Stick.
Activating a Flare will light up the area immediately surrounding you. The
light's radius is very small, and it has a greenish tinge to it. While you are
holding the Flare, you will be unable to manipulate or pick up objects. The
light lasts for about fifteen seconds, and then the Flare disappears in a puff
of smoke (literally).
A Flare does not need to be held onto in order to keep the light active. You can
drop it on the floor if you want or need to (to pick up an object, for example),
and retrieve it again. Or you can throw it ahead of you into a dark area to get
an idea of what you'll be walking into. The only exception to this rule is when
you're underwater. You can use the Flare successfully underwater, but as soon as
it leaves your hands, its light goes out and it disappears.
A Flare is a once-only item. Once you use it, you cannot shut it off to preserve
the light, nor can you prematurely douse it (see below). It will "burn" for its
full duration, then wink out. And once it is out, you cannot re-light it.
Remember, the Flare is a LIGHT SOURCE! That means that if you are holding it,
you are more brightly illuminated than if you weren't holding it. Don't light
one of these when someone's looking for you!
If you throw a glowing Flare into water, it will wink out (and the item itself
will disappear). If you find a Flare to be an annoyance to you, you can even
douse it with a Water Arrow.
Note: One time, I was able to keep a Flare going INDEFINITELY, by throwing it
before it went out, then picking it up before it went out, then throwing it
again, etc. I kept the Flare burning for at least two minutes this way. I cannot
at this time remember if it eventually burned out or if I just gave up on it.
4.13.12: Explosive Mines
========================
First Appearance: Unknown
These Mines are small, and sometimes hard to see when they are lying around
waiting to be picked up (or set off).
A note about setting Mines: Don't use the right mouse button like you do to (for
example) throw a Flash Bomb. Instead, use your "Drop" key (the default drop key
is the letter "R"). It will fall at your feet. Otherwise, if you use the right
mouse button, you tend to "throw" it a distance from yourself, and it bounces
and slides around for a short time before finally stopping and arming itself.
A word of caution: Once you've set a Mine, you CAN trigger it yourself. BE
CAREFUL!
According to the manual, you can use your lockpicks on a set Mine to disarm it.
The manual did NOT say if this renders the Mine useless, or if you can pick it
up yourself and use it once it's been deactivated. (The manual only said
"Mines", it did not specifically name "Explosive Mines".)
Another interesting point about Mines. If there is one set, you can trigger them
without going near. I've fired Broadhead Arrows at them and had them go off,
although you have to actually HIT the Mine...the motion of the arrow flying by
is not sufficient to alert the Mine's motion detectors. Note that the Mine has
to be SET...one that's just lying there without being set will not be triggered
in this manner. Also, another Mine exploding nearby can set off a Mine...they
can be knocked back, and you can start a chain reaction this way!
One final note regarding Explosive Mines: if one goes off near an unlit torch,
it can ignite the torch. (Possibly Gas Lamps as well?)
4.13.13: Gas Mines
==================
First Appearance: Unknown
A Gas Mine is like a Gas Arrow, as far as effect is concened. When trod upon,
they release the same knockout gas as the Gas Arrow, putting the victim to
sleep. Also like the Gas Arrow, it has an area effect, so if several persons are
nearby when it goes off, more than one will likely fall asleep.
Since it is still a Mine, it share a few characteristics with the Explosive
Mine. They are set the same way, and you can set them off yourself if you move
too close to it once it is primed. Also, you can set it off from a distance with
a Broadhead Arrow, just like the Explosive Mine, and deactivate them with your
lockpicks. Finally, they do make a rather audible noise when they go off, so
anyone nearby has a chance to hear it.
4.13.14: Potions
================
First Appearance: Healing Potion - Mission One (Running Interference); Breath
Potion - Unknown; Speed Potion - Mission One (Running Interference); Slowfall
Potion - Mission Two (Shipping... and Receiving); Invisibility Potion - Mission
Two (Shipping... and Receiving)
There are five types of potions you can get in the game: Healing, Breath, Speed,
Slowfall, and Invisibility.
Healing Potion: Exactly what it sounds like. When you quaff this potion, you
will start to regain health points. It heals you a total of four health points
(or up to your maximum, whichever is the lower value). It is not an immediate
effect (it doesn't take too long, it just doesn't happen immediately)...you will
regain these points slowly, one by one.
Breath Potion: This is extremely useful when you have a long underwater journey
to take. If you're supply of air is running low, drink this potion down
(actually it's just a bottle of air, but why quibble?) and you'll have a
replenished air supply. No matter how low your air supply is when you take this,
it is always restored to the maximum, so I suggest you wait until your current
supply is nearly depleted before using this, to gain the maximum benefits.
Speed Potion: Another rather obvious one. You swallow this potion, and you are
granted a temporary burst of speed. You can run faster and, as a result, jump
farther. It doesn't last very long (approximately eight seconds), so be sure you
really want to use it before you do. I am not sure if your combat skills are
enhanced by this potion or not. Anyone?
Slowfall Potion:
Invisibility Potion:
4.14: Cheats
============
What? You want to CHEAT?? You want to deprive yourself of the experience of
playing and winning this game on your own??? WHY?!?!?!
The following cheats are known. Note that I have not personally verified all
them. Some of them actually make the game harder, not easier. :)
To skip the current mission and move on to the next one, press CTRL-ALT-SHIFT-
END. (I have verified this one.)
For extra money, add the line "cash_bonus x" to your dark.cfg file, where x is
an integer. That value will be added to your loot total for loadout purposes
(the before-mission screen where you buy equipment is the loadout screen).
Open your user.cfg file with a text editor, and add the following lines for the
appropriate effects:
NoKillGoalCheat - Allows killing on any difficulty level
LockCheat - Makes almost all doors and chests openable without the
need of either key or lockpick
FailOnSee - Fails the mission if you are spotted by any AI
FailOnKO - Fails the mission if you knock out any AI
FailOnKill - Fails the mission if you kill any AI
(I don't know if "any AI" includes those "face monitors" or not.)
This last one isn't really a cheat...more of a "fix". With the loot problem in
mission one (see Section 5.7: "Notes Regarding This Mission"), you can get
around it. Install the game, and play the first mission without patching it.
Then, when you reach the victory screen, save your game before starting the next
mission. Then patch the game, load that saved game in, and you'll be able to
play mission two with all the loot from mission one, instead of being 20 short.
Section 5: Running Interference (Mission 1)
===========================================
My best time on Expert: 6 minutes, 50 seconds
Maximum Possible Treasure: 1285 or 1265 (See the "Notes Regarding This Mission,
below.)
Total Number of Secrets: 3
Regarding my best time: Although the final time shown at the end of the mission
was 6 minutes, 50 seconds, I actually made it out of the manor in 5 minutes, 55
seconds. The remainder of the time I was waiting for Basso and Jenivere to exit.
5.1: Introduction
=================
"Reliance upon others is weakness for the strong, but strength for the weak.
Wisdom and balance lie in knowing your own nature over time."
-- Chronicle of the Metal Age
I've always equated "feelings" with "getting caught"...they both get in the way
of my money. Unfortunately not everyone is as committed to their work as I am.
An old associate of mine...Basso, the Boxman...wants to marry Lady Rumford's
chambermaid, Jenivere...and live happily ever after. Guess prison life spoiled
his taste for thievery.
Too bad for Basso that Lady Rumford has other plans...marriage would void
Jenivere's indentured service contract, so Rumford is keeping her confined in
the estate with the rest of her "worldly possessions".
Basso has asked for my assistance on getting her out...since infiltration is my
specialty. I make it a policy never to take a job so sentimental, but the
Rumford manner could be a lucrative opportunity for a man like me. It would also
mean that Basso would owe me a favour...And in this line of work, you can never
have too many of those.
I'll sneak in after dark, and clear a path for Basso, so he can rescue his
"damsel in distress". Along the way I'll pick up a few "souveniers" for the
local pawn shops. That should make all this aggravation worthwhile. Otherwise,
I'll make Basso wish he was still rotting in Cragscleft. Huh! This proves
it...going legit is more trouble than it's worth....
5.2: Objectives: Normal
=======================
1. Once you're ready for Basso to go, give the signal using the
birdcall he gave you. You have to be close enough for him to hear
it!
2. Help Basso and Jenivere get out of the mansion together. You'll need
to scout ahead to make sure Basso's route is safe.
3. Jenivere would be aghast if anybody died because of this. Don't kill
anyone.
5.3: Objectives: Hard
=====================
1. Once you're ready for Basso to go, give the signal using the
birdcall he gave you. You have to be close enough for him to hear
it!
2. Help Basso and Jenivere get out of the mansion together. You'll need
to scout ahead to make sure Basso's route is safe.
3. Luckily, Basso didn't say anything about not taking Lady Rumford's
stuff. Get 300 in loot.
4. Jenivere would be aghast if anybody died because of this. Don't kill
anyone.
5.4: Objectives: Expert
=======================
1. Once you're ready for Basso to go, give the signal using the
birdcall he gave you. You have to be close enough for him to hear
it!
2. Help Basso and Jenivere get out of the mansion together. You'll need
to scout ahead to make sure Basso's route is safe.
3. Luckily, Basso didn't say anything about not taking Lady Rumford's
stuff. Get 600 in loot, including 200 in gems.
4. Jenivere would be aghast if anybody died because of this. Don't kill
anyone.
5. Still, nothing stops you from teaching these guards a lesson and
getting in a little practice. Score at least 8 knockouts.
5.5: Simplified Objectives
==========================
1. Once you're ready for Basso to go, give the signal using the
birdcall he gave you. You have to be close enough for him to hear
it!
2. Get Basso and Jenivere out of the mansion together with you.
3. Get 600 loot, including 200 in gems.
4. Don't kill anyone.
5. Score at least 8 knockouts.
5.6: Before The Mission
=======================
What You'll Encounter: Human Guards (Swordsmen and Archers).
Starting Funds: 0
Starting Gear:
1 Sword
1 Blackjack
15 Water Arrows
1 Birdcall
There is no purchases screen for this mission. You leap right from mission
objectives into the mission itself.
Recommended Purchases: None. Total Cost: 0
5.7: Notes Regarding This Mission
=================================
This mission starts off with a very nicely done tie-in with the previous game.
If you recall, you decided to rescue Basso the Boxman from Cragscleft Prison
because he had a female relative you were interested in. Now you're helping him
with his true love. What wonderful irony! :)
This is a wonderfully done introductory mission. Not too hard, not too easy, and
it introduces the player to many of the basics of how to play, and what to
expect.
Despite what the manual says, you do not start with any Broadhead Arrows, nor do
you have the opportunity to purchase anything before this mission starts.
However, you are given an ample supply of Water Arrows, and you'll find a few
more items of interest within the mission.
You will be introduced to many aspects of the game in this mission, including
(but not limited to) hiding, sneaking, blackjacking guards, "cause and effect"
aspects (for example, using a lever to open a hidden compartment), picking
pockets, and using keys, among others. Most importantly perhaps, you will learn
that, if you want to be a master thief, you must search EVERYWHERE for items of
wealth. That even means searching places you don't think of! (I know that sounds
cryptic, but you'll see what I mean when you play the game.) Some of the loot is
hidden quite insidiously.
A final word regarding the loot...there is one area where you find three "coins"
(I've heard them referred to as Lucky Coins, and I'll call them that in the
walkthrough below). There is a problem with these coins. In the unpatched
version of the game, there is no problem, but after you apply the patch, one of
these coins is "stuck", and you can't get it. You will have to be satisfied with
getting two of the three coins. The coins are only worth 20 loot each, so
there's no significant loss if you can't get it.
When you finish the mission, your stats screen will show that you have a certain
number of pickpockets "out of 10". I have only found nine of these ten. If
anyone knows where number ten is, please let me know.
Regarding Basso's route: Basso's route is shown on your map, marked in red. The
walkthrough does NOT have you follow Basso when he goes to rescue Jenivere.
However, if you have a saved game near the point where you call him, you can
follow him if you wish, for the fun of it. He seems to switch from run mode to
walk mode for no apparent reason. When he finally picks the lock on Jenivere's
door, you can manage to move yourself into the room before it locks on you
again. Inside, you'll find a red key on the table, which unlocks the door to
this room. Now, WHY didn't she use it herself? :)
Note that, sometimes, you can find yourself waiting outside for Basso and
Jenivere, and they just don't seem to be coming. I don't know why, but
occasionally, they get "stuck". I went to check on him on one occasion, and he
was standing outside her door, with it wide open, and she was just standing
inside. There was nothing to do but reload the game.
A word regarding the courtyard guards. When you start the mission, if you hang
around and look through the gates, you will see the two stationary soldiers
guarding the main doors. However, the patrolling guard is nowhere to be seen.
Curiously, he doesn't appear in the courtyard until after Garrett makes his
comment about the butler being out for the night. (He says this shortly after
entering the manor.)
Finally, remember that you are REQUIRED to knock out a minimum of eight
individuals before you can successfully complete this mission. Despite the fact
that sneaking is usually preferred over force, don't hesitate to use your
Blackjack! The walkthrough will attempt to "count" the knockouts with you, only
counting those it points out. If you knock out more people than instructed, your
count will be higher. Once the eighth knockout has been achieved, no further
count will be kept.
Fun Thing To Try: It is possible to get up to the highest point of the roof of
the manor. It takes a long time and a lot of patience, but it's possible. Your
reward? You'll find a hole in the roof that acts as a chimney for all the
fireplaces you find within, which you can fall into and die. Neat, hmmmm? :)
Also, one time while I was up there, I was able to throw a crate down onto a
guard below. It bounced off his head (at a rather impressive height, I might
add), and crashed into the ground. The funny part is that the guard didn't
notice anything out of the ordinary until the crate hit the ground! :)
5.8: Walkthrough
================
A. Gaining Entry
B. The Basement, Initial Section
C. The Kitchen Area
D. The Basement, Final Section
E. Ground Floor, West Wing
F. The Courtyard
G. Ground Floor, East Wing
H. Leaving The Manor
********************
* A. Gaining Entry *
********************
As soon as the mission starts, someone approaches you. Don't panic, it's just
Basso. He'll tell you that he's unlocked the door to the butler's quarters for
you, and say something about that being "the only good way in". He'll then go
and lock himself in a nearby building to await your signal.
Move forward, and follow the wall of the manor on your left until you come to a
corner. Turn left immediately, and there before you is a ramp leading down. Move
to the bottom of the ramp, turn left, and move through the door ahead of you.
Okay, you're in. Directly ahead of you in the corner to your right is a table
with some loose change on it...two stacks of stacks of copper coins (5, 5,
Treasure Count: 5, 10) and two stacks of silver coins (12, 12, Treasure Count:
22, 34).
Once you've grabbed the treasure, turn around until you find another exit (aside
from the one you used) from this room, then take it.
In the wall ahead of you in this room are two exits, one to your left, one to
your right. Move towards the left. On a ledge just to the right of the door is a
key, which will unlock both of these doors. Grab the key, and unlock the door
ahead of you. Move through it into darkness.
************************************
* B. The Basement, Initial Section *
************************************
SAVE YOUR GAME! This is where things start to get interesting. Turn left, and
move forward. Keep angling yourself towards the wall to your left, so the when
you find the door there it will highlight. Once you've found it, move through
it.
Ignore this first room, and move forward through the opening ahead into the next
room. Upon entry, immediately turn right. Open the chest to get yourself another
stack of coppers (5, Treasure Count: 39). Then turn right and leave this room
the way you entered. Continue forward and go through the door ahead, back in to
the dark hall.
[Note: The room with the chest mentioned above also contains a slice of cheese,
if you're collecting food items as well.]
Turn left, and move forward. Do NOT leave the safety of the shadows just yet
though. When you're at just about the edge of the shadows, turn right, then lean
out left. Aha! A burning torch! There's also a sort of window that two nearby
guards can see out of. So take out your Water Arrows and, while still leaning
left, douse that torch. You'll hear the two guards having a conversation about
the situation. Ignore them.
Now that the way is clear, move down that hall that you've just darkened. When
you come across a door in the wall to your left, move through it.
Aha, some sort of a barracks, perhaps? There are three chests for you to open in
this room. Two of them are at the foot of bunks, the third is by an opening
leading into the guardroom with the two guards.
Move around the room, collecting the treasures from the chests. Each one
contains some more copper coins (5, 5, 5, Treasure Count: 44, 49, 54). Don't
worry about being seen, these two guards never seem to turn to look this way.
Once you have everything, turn around, until you find the burning gas lamp near
a corner. There's a door in that corner for you to go through. Do so.
Directly ahead is a workbench. On top of it you'll find a single Flash Bomb and
five Flares. Also, beneath the workbench, on the opposite side from the door you
used, is a lever. Flip this lever (it's Secret #1), and the nearby display board
will rise up, revealing a secret panel behind it, containing another Flare,
another Flash Bomb, a Healing Potion, and a purse (50, Treasure Count: 104).
[NOTE: There is one guard in the courtyard who is VERY difficult to knock out
without some help. Try to save one of your Flash Bombs for him. He will be
pointed out to you at the appropriate time.]
Once you've taken everything you want, turn so you can see the rest of the room.
There is a doorway in the wall opposite the workbench. Go through it.
SAVE YOUR GAME! Just a precaution really, this next part isn't so tricky. In
this room, directly across from you is a door. Move through it. In the hall,
turn right.
I hope that guard didn't scare you too much. Don't worry, he doesn't seem to
EVER change his facing. Sneak up behind him, and lift the purse from his belt
(25, Treasure Count: 129). Then knock him out (knockout #1).
Move forward into the next room. Now, stick close to the wall on your right, and
move forward. There is a door up ahead, in the wall you're following. Try to
angle yourself so it highlights when you find it. Once you've found it, turn to
face it.
***********************
* C. The Kitchen Area *
***********************
SAVE YOUR GAME! This next part is not as easy as the last time. Open the door,
but don't proceed into the room yet. There's a servant walking around in there.
He doesn't seem to have a set "patrol route", he just wanders aimlessly around,
sometimes into nearby rooms. Watch him, and when you think you've either got a
good shot at getting behind him, or of getting in unseen and hiding, do so.
(There are shadows to hide in on either side of the room.) When the opportunity
presents itself, move right behind him, and knock him out (knockout #2). He's
carrying a purse also, which you can try to pickpocket before clouting him (16,
Treasure Count: 145).
Since you are most likely turned around now, as the servant is almost never
knocked out in the same place twice, I'm going to ask you to return to the door
that you entered this room by. Turn so your back is to it.
Now, ahead of you there are four tables, two farther into the room, and two
nearby. On the nearby table to the left, at the far end, is a bag resting on the
table. Grab it (45, Treasure Count: 190).
Now turn right, so that the door you entered by is to your right. Ahead, you
should be able to make out an exit leading into another room. Move forward
through the kitchen and go through that doorway.
You're now in the wine cellar, and directly ahead of you is a wine rack. Move
over to the wine rack. Note that while you're in this room, you may hear the
sounds of a guard moving around. Don't worry, he's not in this room.
Now, there are three bottles of fine wine in this wine rack, and you'll want to
take all three. The wine rack has alternating rows of four and three slots (not
counting any half slots). Starting from the top row, the three slots you want
are Row 2 Slot 1, Row 5 Slot 4, and Row 6 Slot 1. Get all three wine bottles
(20, 20, 20, Treasure Count: 210, 230, 250).
Once that's done, either crouch, or look down at the very bottom row of half-
slots. There are three half-slots in total on the bottom. Look into the
rightmost slot, and you'll find a Speed Potion. (This is Secret #2.) Once you've
got that, you're finished in here. Turn right around and move forward, and exit
this room the way you came in.
[Note: In the far corner (to your right, as you face the winerack), there is
some sort of protrusion in the ceiling. I have no idea what it is. Anyone?]
Once you have exited, turn to your right. Move forward and turn right again.
Ahead of you is a tunnel, with a table with some plates on it near you. Follow
this tunnel to the end. There, you'll see a doorway of sorts leading into a
cubbyhole, with a lever just this side.
SAVE YOUR GAME! Again, more of a precaution than anything else. Move into the
cubbyhole, then turn right around. Look at the lever so it is highlighted, then
use it. You'll soon start moving upwards...you're in a mechanical dumb-waiter!
While you're moving upwards, turn right around and crouch.
Once you've stopped, you'll be looking into a dining room of sorts. There's a
table directly in front of you with some treasures for your taking: two golden
goblets (25, 25, Treasure Count: 275, 300) and two gold plates (50, 50, Treasure
Count: 350, 400). Also, there is a guard patrolling in this room, and he has a
key you need. Wait for him to come by, and pick his pocket. Then operate the
lever in the pane to your left. You'll start moving downwards again. Turn right
around and stand upright again. (If you accidentally alert the guard to your
presence, just reload your game and try again.)
Once the dumb-waiter stops, move forward through the exit ahead. Continue
forward down this tunnel. Once you've re-entered the kitchen area, continue
forward until you have passed by the fireplace. Immediately past it, turn right.
Ahead are some stairs going up. Climb them, then turn left. Some more stairs
going up.
Climb up these stairs, but don't go all the way up. Climb until you're standing
on the fourth or fifth step from the bottom. Then turn right around, so you're
facing back down the stairs. Side-step to the left so you're right against the
wall (be sure you don't accidentally move onto another step!).
Ahead of you is a small shelf. Lean forward, and you'll find two "lucky coins"
sets (20, 20, Treasure Count: 420, 440). It's quite dark, so you probably won't
see them until they are highlighted, ready to be grabbed. Once you have both
sets, back up until you are standing on the sixth step (either one or two steps,
depending on whether you got the coins from the fourth or fifth step). Then turn
right, jump forward, and mantle up into the room above.
[Note: These lucky coins are the ones referred to in the "Notes Regarding This
Mission" above. If you are playing the unpatched version of the game, then there
are three sets, not just two. Grab all three, and from this point on, your
Treasure Count will be 20 higher than what the FAQ says.]
SAVE YOUR GAME! Although unlikely, you can get caught here. Turn right. There is
a fireplace ahead...you are standing to one side of it. Move forward so that you
pass in front of it (manouevreing around all the items which impede your
progress), and keep going until you've passed by both it and the vase beyond it.
Then turn left, move forward until you are pressed against the wall. Turn left,
move forward against the fireplace, and mantle up onto the ledge.
Now centre your view, and turn just slightly to the right. A pair of rings
should highlight. Grab them. This is the bonus objective for this mission. If
you look at your mission objectives, they will now read this way:
1. Once you're ready for Basso to go, give the signal using the
birdcall he gave you. You have to be close enough for him to hear
it!
2. Get Basso and Jenivere out of the mansion together with you.
3. What would a wedding be without rings? Get two for Basso and
Jenivere. (BONUS OBJECTIVE!) (Checked.)
4. Get 600 loot, including 200 in gems.
5. Don't kill anyone.
6. Score at least 8 knockouts.
Unfortunately, these rings do not add anything to your loot total. Most likely
because you are giving them to the happy couple, and not fencing them.
Okay, you've got the rings. Now, back up until you fall off the mantle, then
turn left. Move forward past the vase, then turn right. Move forward past the
fireplace again, and past the second vase ahead. Just beyond it to the right you
should see a hole in the floor. This is the stairs you took up. Move over to the
hole and allow yourself to fall down onto the staircase again.
Turn so you are looking down the stairs, and move forward. Turn left, and move
down the smaller flight. You are now back in the kitchen. Turn right slightly,
so you're looking ahead between the two closest pillars. Aha! A door! Move
forward and go through the door.
Direcly ahead of you is a door in the wall. Ahead to your right there is a torch
merrily lighting up the room. Use a Water Arrow to douse the torch, then head
for the door.
**********************************
* D. The Basement, Final Section *
**********************************
SAVE YOUR GAME! There's a patroling guard beyond this door. Open the door, but
stay in this room. Wait and watch. When the guard comes by, he will quickly
change direction and start leaving again. That's when you spring into
action...run up behind him and knock him out (knockout #3).
[Note: Try not to make too much noise in this area. There is a nearby stationary
guard you have not taken out...there's no need to, as Basso doesn't pass by his
line of sight.]
You're now in a hallway of sorts. Look around for another closed door. When you
find it, go through it. Move forward through this hallway, ignoring all the
doors, until you find a doorway to your right. Move through it. Directly ahead
are three chests. Within each you will find some copper coins (5, 5, 5, Treasure
Count: 445, 450, 455).
Turn around and leave the room the way you came in. Turn left. Directly ahead is
the door you used to enter this area. (It may be open or closed, depending on
how you left it.) Move forward and go through it, then turn right. Ahead of you
is a doorway. Move through it into the hall beyond.
Turn right and move forward. You will find a metal door on your right, which is
locked. This is where Jenivere is being held, and you can't get in. (If you
highlight the door, Garrett will say something regarding this. However, it's not
necessary to try to get in.)
Bypass this door. You'll soon come to a wooden door, also on the right. Ignore
it as well. Just past this door the hallway turns right. Follow it a short
distance, then stop and turn left. There should be a metal door somewhere in
front of you. Use a Flare if you can't see it. Once you've found it, move
through it.
You're in a storage room of sorts. Move forward into the room, and near the back
turn left. You'll see a series of stacked crates. Start clearing them out until
you have an opening you can move through (a single stack is sufficient). Move
through this opening into the small area beyond.
On the floor here are various items, including a gold nugget (100, Treasure
Count: 555) and a loaf of bread. Also, at the back to the right is a tiny
alcove. On the floor there you'll find a silver nugget (50, Treasure Count:
605). (You will most likely have to crouch to get this treasure.)
Once you've got your treasures, turn and move back through the opening you
created in the crates. Turn right, and move forward until you find the door you
used to come in here, and move through it again.
Back in the hall, turn left. Again, use your Flare to light the area if you need
it. A short distance from the door you just used is another one, again in the
wall to the left. Once you've found it, go through it.
You're in another servant's quarters, much like the butler's quarters you
originally entered the manor through. Directly across from you is another door.
Go through it. Once you're in the next room, turn right and move down to the
end. On the table in front of you is another purse for you to grab (50, Treasure
Count: 655). Once you've pilfered it, turn around and move back down to the
other side of the room. Turn left and move through the door you entered this
room by.
As soon as you're in the next room, turn left and move forward to the other
side. Then turn right. There's another door directly ahead of you. Move forward
and go through it.
The area's pretty dark, but don't use a Flare here. Turn right, and move
cautiously up the stairs.
******************************
* E. Ground Floor, West Wing *
******************************
SAVE YOUR GAME! You've made it out of the basement, and cleared Basso's path for
him. However, you're not finished yet! Move forward cautiously, keeping in the
shadows. There's a guard who patrols the next hallway, and you would really
rather not get his attention!
When you reach the end of the hall, wait for the guard. While you're waiting,
take note of the door in the wall to your right. When the guard comes by, pick
his pocket for his purse (40, Treasure Count: 695), then introduce him to your
Blackjack (knockout #4).
SAVE YOUR GAME! There's still another guard in this section of the manor. Turn
to that door you noted while waiting for the guard. Make sure you're still
hidden by shadows before you open it. Once you're safely hidden, take out that
gold key you lifted from the guard while you were in the dumb waiter, and unlock
the door.
If you don't see the guard, then wait for him. He's probably upstairs. He'll
come down the stairs, move towards the door you're looking through, then turn
around to go back up. When he turns, move in and knock him out (knockout #5).
Get the key from his belt also, if you wish.
Now that he's sleeping peacefully, move to the other side of the room (opposite
the door you entered by), then turn right. Here's the staircase he descended.
Climb the stairs to the next level. At the top, turn right, and move forward
until you hit the wall. Then turn left, and move through the door ahead.
Turn right. Ahead of you, you should see a potted plant on a table. Move over to
it, then look down at the corner the table is sitting in. On one of the walls
beneath the table you'll find a lever (crouching may help you find it). Operate
it to find Secret #3. You'll hear a sliding noise of something opening nearby.
Turn around until you find the bed in this room, then move over to it. Position
yourself near the head, facing it, then look up at the wall above it. The secret
panel you opened is there, and within lies a jewelled tiara (175, Treasure
Count: 870). Once you have it in your lootbag, turn right around and move
forward and slightly to the right. Once you've found the door you entered this
room by, use it to again exit the room.
[Note: There's a desk in the room with the secret you just found, upon which
sits another golden key. Take it if you wish. It's not necessary, however.]
Turn right, and move forward until you hit the wall. Turn left, and move down
the stairs into the room below. At the bottom, turn left. Across the room is the
door you originally entered this room by (open or closed, depending on how you
left it). Move across the room and go through the door.
Continue forward, moving down the hallway here. Ignore the first two doors on
your left, and then go through the third into the music room.
This room is illuminated by a single gas lamp. (There is a second one to the
right of it, which is currently turned off.) Just to the right of the lit lamp
is a table. Move through the room towards that table. When you reach it, you'll
find it holds two stacks of copper coins (5, 5, Treasure Count: 875, 880). Take
them, then turn right. You're now facing a stage of sorts. On the stage you can
make out a harp. To the right of it (as you face the stage) is a table, upon
which sits a silver flute. Go over to the table and grab it (50, Treasure Count:
930).
There's nothing else in here for you, so turn and find the door you used to come
in here, and leave through it. In the hall, turn left. Ahead is an archway. Move
forward and go through it. You'll find yourself in the large entry hall, where
you found the rings. Turn right and move forward. When you find a pair of double
doors, turn to face them, then position yourself so you are hidden in the
shadows.
********************
* F. The Courtyard *
********************
SAVE YOUR GAME! This next part can be quite dangerous. Pull out one of those
gold keys you've been collecting, and unlock the doors ahead. Unfortunately, you
cannot keep one closed while the other is open. Across the courtyard, opposite
your position, are two gates (the area where you started this mission). In the
courtyard are three guards, all of them archers. Two are stationary, one is on
patrol. Wait here until you can see the one on patrol, and wait for him to pass
by. Once he does, it's time to go to work.
Move through the doors carefully (crouching really helps here), and turn left.
Move forward around the door, and behind the guard. Pick his pocket if you wish,
then knock him out (knockout #6). Then turn so you have the courtyard to your
left, and move forward past the double doors. When you're behind the second
guard, pick his pocket if you like as well, then knock him out too (knockout
#7).
That's two. The third one is the patroller. This is the guard you've been saving
your Flash Bomb for. Turn so you're facing the courtyard, and see if you can
spot him. By now he's probably made it at least halfway around the courtyard
again. Once you've found him, ready your Flash Bomb and move forward off the
porch you're on, rush up to him, and throw your Flash Bomb at him (remember to
look away!). Once he's disoriented, knock him out (knockout #8). This guard has
two "pockets" to pick...there is the key on his belt, and he's got three
Broadhead Arrows in his quiver that you can make your own.
Now that the area is clear of guards, turn and find the gates mentioned above.
Move over to them, unlock them, and move through them. Once you're through, whip
out your birdcall and use it to tell Basso the way is clear for him to rescue
his lady fair. (You may have to move closer to get him to hear it. Keep trying
until you've moved close enough for him to hear.)
While Basso's doing that, turn and move back into the courtyard. Make your way
to the centre, and you'll find the remains of someone's picnic. Not only can you
get a slice of cheese, but there's also a golden goblet (25, Treasure Count:
955) and a gold plate (50, Treasure Count: 1005). Take what you like.
SAVE YOUR GAME! A precaution again. Once you have what you want from the picnic
sight, continue forward towards the porch. Mantle up onto it, and move through
the doors (open or closed, depending on how you left them.) Once you're back
indoors, turn right.
******************************
* G. Ground Floor, East Wing *
******************************
This is where it gets a bit tricky. Ahead of you, you should be able to make out
a doorway. You'll want to go through there. However, there is a guard who
patrols that hall. Unfortuntely, I've found that he doesn't always do it
properly. It appears that sometimes, he needs a trigger before he'll begin his
patrol. That trigger appears to be you moving a distance down that hall.
Watch the opening for a while, and if the guard doesn't make an appearance (he
does come a short distance into this room), then he's waiting for you to trigger
him. If he does come however, then wait for him to turn around, then move in
behind him and send him off to dreamland.
[Note: If this guard HAS been triggered, his patrol route includes going up some
stairs and into at least one room before coming back down.]
Move forward to the opening, and go through it. Move down the hall. At the
corner ahead, continue following the hall, but stay over to the right side. When
you turn the corner, you may see a guard ahead on patrol in another hall. You
should be able to ignore him at this point. Move forward into the shadows. (If
you knocked out the "trigger guard" mentioned above, skip the next paragraph.)
If you haven't found the "trigger guard" mentioned above, wait for him here.
When he comes down the hall, lean forward and knock him out. (If you don't lean
forward, you will likely just annoy him.)
Now move down the hall near to where you saw the other guard patroling. Wait for
him, and knock him out when he turns his back to you.
SAVE YOUR GAME! That's the last guard you need to worry about. Now turn until
you find a doorway (no door, just a doorway), then move through it into a semi-
large room. To the left are several entrances (made by columns) into a darker
room. Move into that room.
Stand with your back to the opening you just came through. Ahead is a wall with
two doors in it. Go through the leftmost door. Directly ahead of you, on the
table beside the bed, is a gold-gilded vase (50, Treasure Count: 1055). Once you
have it, turn right around and leave the way you came in. Turn left, and move
over to the second door in this room. Go through it.
This room is a little trickier. From the doorway, move into the room and jump
onto the bed. Look at the light brightening this room, and then look up. There's
a ledge just above it. Turn to the right, watching the ledge. Shortly, another
gilded vase will highlight. Grab it (50, Treasure Count: 1105).
Now get off the bed, turn around, and leave the way you came in. In the dark
room, continue forward through one of the openings into the better-lit room.
Turn right, and move forward until you hit the wall, then turn left. Climb the
stairs to the top.
Turn left, and move forward. There's a door in the wall to your right. When you
find it, go through it. Move forward and through the doorway ahead on your
right.
In this room, turn left. On the table beside the bed is a ring (40, Treasure
Count: 1145). Once you have it, turn left and leave the room the way you came
in.
Across the room from you there is a table in the far right corner. Move over to
it, and on top of it you'll find a jewelled necklace (120, Treasure Count:
1265).
************************
* H. Leaving The Manor *
************************
Well, that's everything. Once you have that necklace, turn around so you're
facing the opposite corner of the room and move forward. Go through the exit
there (either closed or open, depending on how you left it), turn left, and move
forward. When you hit the wall, turn right, and move down the stairs to the
bottom.
Turn right, move forward across the room, and exit through the doorway ahead.
Immediately after you leave the room, turn right. Move down the hall, and down
the stairs. At the bottom, turn right. Pull out the iron key you found in
butler's room at the beginning of the mission, and unlock this door.
[Note: At this point, if you have been fast enough, you could possible meet
Basso and Jenivere as they escape too.]
Move into the room beyond the door. There's a doorway in the wall opposite you.
Move through that doorway, then turn left. There's an exit ahead of you (either
open or closed, again, depending on how you left it.) Move through that exit.
That's as far as you have to go. However, if you were fast enough, it's possible
that you beat Basso and Jenivere to the exit. If that's the case, you'll now
have to wait for them to come out of the manor. Once they do, all your
objectives will have been completed.
Congratulations! You've helped your friend Basso marry the woman of his dreams!
Section 6: Input From Other Thieves
===================================
This is the spot where I will be acknowledging the input from others(sort of a
"Contributors" section).
Each person's information is incorporated directly into the FAQ, in the relevant
position. That person is then credited here, and a brief note on what they
contributed will be listed.
If you send me any information that you feel might be included in this FAQ,
please include the following information with your tidbit of knowledge:
1) If you want to be credited or not,
2) What name you would like me to use to credit you,
3) If it's okay to include your email address in the credit.
Due to the great number of emails I receive with suggestions/help/etc., I
instituted a new policy regarding this: any email that contains something which
could be incorporated into the FAQ which does NOT have the above information
will be assumed to have answered "No" to question #1. (Due to this new policy,
the FIRST person I receive an email from with new information will receive the
credit...this is in cases of more than one person sending me the same
information.)
NOTE: Any information that a person provided to me for the Thief Gold FAQ that
is relevant to this FAQ has been carried over. I've done my best to keep their
credit here. If I've mistakenly missed giving you the proper credit, please let
me know and I'll do my best to correct the error.
Psonyk (psonyk@vl.videotron.ca)
- Provided information on Mines
Bastage (nitticjs@aol.com)
- Improved information on blackjacking humans
Prodigy^ (prod@get2net.dk)
- Revealed you can outrun your Fire Arrows
- Provided further information regarding Moss Arrows
Downsider (Downsider@downsidenet.co.uk)
- "chain reaction" with Explosive Mines
Kronir (kronir@yahoo.com)
- provided "user.cfg" cheats
Section 7: Thief II Sites On The Internet
=========================================
The following sites are what I have found on the Internet for Thief II: The
Metal Age. If your site is included here and you want it removed, simply contact
me via email stating your wish to have the site removed, and WHICH site it is
you are referring to. If you would like your Thief II site mentioned here,
please email me (at taffer@sprint.ca) with the pertinent information.
NOTE: This information is in dire need of updating. I have not had the time to
search the net for sites, so if anyone out there can send me any addresses they
have, it would be greatly appreciated.
Looking Glass Studios' Home Page: One of the companies to bring us this amazing
piece of software. (Note: They have asked me to make it clear that they do NOT
do tech support for Thief...that is being handled by EIDOS. Unfortunately, EIDOS
has not gotten back to me about putting their web address in my FAQ, nor about
my problem with the game.)
http://www.lglass.com/
Thief-DarkProject.com: This is THE place to go for anything Thief related. News,
desktop themes, wallpaper, fanworks, and more!
http://www.thief-darkproject.com/
Lytha's Web Site - Thief Collection and more: I was thoroughly pleased when I
discovered this gem of a site...it has everything an aspiring taffer could hope
for! The Loot Lists section alone is a gift from The Builder himself! (Covers
both Thief Gold and Thief II, Thief II sections still under construction.)
http://www.lytha.com
Section 8: Version History
==========================
NOTE: All references in the version history to specific section numbers are
referring to sections numbers AT THAT TIME! In many cases, these section numbers
have changed with subsequent releases.
1.0 -- First release of this FAQ. Included only the first mission
(Running Interference).
1.2 -- Updated the first missions walkthrough to coincide with the
patched version of the game.
1.3 -- Updated information on Flares (section 4.13.11); fixed a lot of
spelling errors; added Section 1.2: The Demise of Looking Glass
Studios; updated "cheats" section (4.14).
FAQ v1.3 by Taffer (taffer@sprint.ca)
May 30, 2000
"It is not a question about what the Law is, but rather what it is not. The Law
is neither noble, nor an end in itself. It is not for the weak-minded or the
squeamish. The Law is simply a means for those who control it, namely me, to
acquire that which I want. One with your wealth and connections, who is prepared
to sacrifice to have a troubling problem resolved, need only describe to me in
detail the favor you are requesting."
-- Gorman Truart, correspondence
"The Master Builder came unto us. He built for us a new house, and the house was
like His house. And he gifted us with knowledge, and we learned to use Boiler
and Gear. That unto us would come His Paradise, and there would be no pain."
-- from Mechanist Rote Texts for Novices
"Twice moons face darks us showed
Twice thems jackals singsie
Thrice Him harvest failsy blights
Thrice we weeps and chillsing..."
-- Unattributed, Ink on Parchment
"Our focus shifted to those who presented two faces: one manifest yet false, the
other hidden yet true. To interfere directly would bring ruin, still, the glyph
warnings were absolute."
-- Keepers Annals
"He poured his children's eyes from glass and from steel wrought their hands
that none could escape his judgement."
-- The New Scripture of the Master Builder
Table of Contents
=================
Section 1: The Latest From Taffer
1.1: Personal Notes Regarding The Next Release
1.2: The Demise of Looking Glass Studios
Section 2: Updates Since Last Release
Section 3: Opening Notes Regarding This FAQ
3.1: Patches Available
3.2: Reading This FAQ
3.3: Best Times
3.4: Mission Objectives
3.4.1: Changing Objectives
3.4.2: Bonus Objectives
3.5: Recommended Purchases
3.6: The Walkthroughs
3.7: Headers
3.8: Just What The Heck Is A Taffer Anyway?
3.8.1: The True Meaning Of "Taffer"
3.9: Contacting the Author
3.9.1: Contact Through Email
3.9.2: Contact Through ICQ
3.9.2.1: Unauthorized Adding On ICQ
3.9.3: Thief FAQ Mailing Lists
3.9.3.1: Bounced Emails
3.10: Other FAQs By The Author
Section 4: Game Notes
4.1: Patrols
4.2: Bloodstains and Bodies
4.3: Doors
4.4: Hard Surfaces
4.5: Water
4.6: Food
4.7: Gas Lamps
4.8: Compass
4.9: Jumping and Mantling
4.10: Leaning
4.11: Zooming
4.12: Enemies
4.12.1: Human Guards
4.12.2: Non-Combatants
4.13: Arsenal
4.13.1: Sword
4.13.2: Blackjack
4.13.3: Broadhead Arrows
4.13.4: Water Arrows
4.13.5: Fire Arrows
4.13.6: Moss Arrows
4.13.7: Gas Arrows
4.13.8: Rope Arrows
4.13.9: Noisemaker Arrows
4.13.10: Flash Bombs
4.13.11: Flares
4.13.12: Explosive Mines
4.13.13: Gas Mines
4.13.14: Potions
4.14: Cheats
Section 5: Running Interference (Mission 1)
5.1: Introduction
5.2: Objectives: Normal
5.3: Objectives: Hard
5.4: Objectives: Expert
5.5: Simplified Objectives
5.6: Before The Mission
5.7: Notes Regarding This Mission
5.8: Walkthrough
Section 6: Input From Other Thieves
Section 7: Thief II Sites On The Internet
Section 8: Version History
Section 1: The Latest From Taffer
=================================
I've got a lot to say this time, so please bear with me. Let's start with the
worst first. I am afraid I bring you very sad news with this release.
The "Thief" series of games was brought to us by a wonderful company known as
Looking Glass Studios. They also produced the fantastic "System Shock" games,
and others as well. As some of you may have heard by now, Looking Glass Studios
has gone out of business.
This is very unfortunate for everyone...not just those of us who have enjoyed
and even loved their games, but for those in the company itself. They gave us
great games and many many happy hours playing those games. I have heard that
they were working simultaneously on both Thief II Gold and Thief III before they
decided to close down. There is more information below in section 1.2.
Well, leave it to me to screw up majorly. The last release of this FAQ was done
under the erroneous impression that I had successfully patched the game. I had
not. The patch file only went so far, then encountered errors and stopped. So
the first mission's walkthrough was, for all intents and purposes, done while
using the UNPATCHED mission. Fortunately, there is very little difference in the
actual walkthrough between the two versions, just mostly notes to be changed.
However, the patched version is MUCH more aesthetically pleasing. If you haven't
patched the game, I highly recommend doing so.
After several people have asked about this, I think I'm going to start a web
page of my own for the Thief II FAQ. What I plan is to have the FAQ set up
basically the same way it is here, except the table of contents and other points
will be links to the appropriate sections. I also intend to include some
screenshots as well. The internet provider I am getting at the beginning of July
gives me 25 megs of space, so that should be enough to at least get started.
Perhaps I can get some more free space from Geocities, Xoom, or some of the
others.
That being said, I have NO idea how to make a webpage. So, I'm putting the call
out. Any web page designers out there that feel like donating their time to
helping me get this up and running?
In the last month or so of working on the Thief Gold FAQ, my computer had taken
to crashing when I played the game while working on the walkthrough and, on
three seperate occasions, spontaneously rebooting! Fortunately, there's been no
rebooting this time. However, my computer still crashes while I try to work on
the FAQ. It seems that it works fine up until I copy something to paste
elsewhere, then some time after that it crashes. I'll need to look into this.
On June 30th, I am getting a cable connection to the Internet, so the email
address I am currently using will not be functioning anymore. I don't have a new
one to give out yet, as some taffer has used my email name on the server I'm
joining. :( While I may not be able to use "taffer", I will try to use something
similar...like taffer_one, or taffer!, or something like that.
As always, feedback is greatly appreciated, both positive and negative. And
please let me know if there's some way you think I can improve this FAQ. I am
always open to your suggestions, comments, criticisms, etc....after all, this is
for you!
1.1: Personal Notes Regarding The Next Release
==============================================
My plans to polish up the Thief Gold FAQ are going slowly, so I am working on
both FAQs concurrently. Although I must admit, this one is getting a bit more
attention that the one for Thief Gold. The next release will have the
walkthrough for mission two, as well as a few more items added to the Arsenal
section. Also, since all of the television shows that I watch (The Practice,
Ally McBeal, and Star Trek: Voyager) have all had their season finales, I have
nothing to distract me from continuing working on these FAQs! (Except I seem to
have somehow become addicted to "The Sims" and "Pharaoh", and I really should do
some more work on my chain mail armour...and then of course, there is the
move....)
1.2: The Demise of Looking Glass Studios
========================================
As I mentioned above, Looking Glass Studios has closed down. After the initial
shock of it, the first obvious question is "Why?". Here is the text from a few
emails people have sent me. Thanks go out to everyone who's helped supply me
with information on what happened. (Please note: The opinions and views
expressed below are not mine...I am simply quoting relevant material from emails
I was sent.)
"Game Spin: What Went Wrong at Looking Glass
By Mark Asher
May 26, 2000, 04:00 PM
Why should a dog, a rat, a flea, Daikatana, and Panty Raider have life, and thou
have none? The news of longtime game development studio Looking Glass closing
seemed a theme worthy of Shakespearean tragedy and comedy. The tragedy is that
we're losing one of the most innovative game development companies on the PC
scene. Games such as Thief, Ultima Underworld, and Terra Nova elevated the
studio to the loftiest status among the hard-core gaming crowd. The comedy
elements were served up by the timing of the announcement; Looking Glass closed
within a day of the release of both John Romero's slapstick game Daikatana and
Simon and Schuster Interactive's epic paean to adolescent male angst, Panty
Raider. It could signify a sea change in the industry--out with the old and in
with the schlock--but it's probably just coincidence.
So what happened to Looking Glass? Short answer: they ran out of money and were
in debt. A lot of angry fists are being pointed at Eidos and Ion Storm. Eidos
was Looking Glass's last hope. Eidos was seriously considering buying the
developer, but then Eidos itself began to experience financial difficulties as
some of its games underperformed and Ion Storm failed to deliver Daikatana or
anything else. So Eidos backed out, and Looking Glass, which was starved for
cash and quickly running out of short-term capital, decided to fold.
The problem is that Looking Glass got itself into the position of needing
someone to bail it out. Sure, Ion Storm seems like the proverbial rabbit hole
that Eidos keeps trying to fill with money; it's understandable that gamers are
playing "what if" scenarios over and over in their minds, wondering if Eidos
would have had the cash if it hadn't squandered it on Ion Storm. We'll probably
never know.
Looking Glass had an interesting business philosophy. The company was a bit on
the large side for a development house, with about 50 employees. That means
there was constant pressure to make payroll. The reason Looking Glass was this
size is that its business plan was predicated on the company developing several
games at once to guard against the disastrous effects of having a single game
bomb. The idea was that at least one game would be a hit and generate the needed
revenue. Indeed, Looking Glass was working on four titles: Thief II Gold, Thief
III, Jane's Attack Squadron, and a modern-day stealth game code-named Deep
Cover. Looking Glass also got some of the highest royalties in the industry, due
to its excellent reputation.
Where this plan went a bit south is in the very nature of what it means to be an
independent developer. Independent developers tend to live hand to mouth on the
whim of the publisher. Publishers pay advances against royalties, and that's
what a development company often survives on. In the case of Looking Glass, they
knowingly underbid on some games just to get a contract in hand, and, rather
than adjust their development plan to compensate for underbidding, they went
ahead and just made the game they wanted to make. The result is that they
incurred debt because the advances weren't enough to cover costs. Then, if your
short-term revenue stream dries up, you've got problems, which is what happened
to Looking Glass.
Irrational Games was working on Deep Cover for Looking Glass, but Irrational
pulled out to work on a PS2 game instead. This gave Deep Cover's publisher,
Microsoft, an opening to get out of the contract, and MS did so. The result was
that Looking Glass was left with no short-term revenue. Where was the Thief
money? Although Thief did very well for Looking Glass, most of the profit was
used to pay down debt.
So, Eidos was Looking Glass's last hope, and when Eidos had to bag the deal due
to its own problems, that was it. Maybe Romero and company sucked up money that
could have saved Looking Glass, but you can also blame the consoles. Irrational
Games made a decision that the PS2 market was more lucrative than the PC market.
And, of course, if Looking Glass had managed to not get into debt, the Thief
Gold royalties might have tided it over until the Thief II royalties began to
kick in. Blame everyone. Blame no one. Blame the state of the games industry. I
don't know--it's just depressing. Looking Glass deserved better, and there were
employees there who had put their whole adulthood into making the company what
it was--one of the best and most innovative game companies out there."
"Looking Glass Closes Doors
By Jason Ocampo
May 25, 2000, 04:00 PM
Wednesday afternoon, the employees of Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Looking
Glass Studios were told that the company was closing down due to financial
difficulties. On Thursday, employees were given the day to pack up, and then the
doors were closed for good on one of the most renowned development houses in the
gaming industry.
The closure affects between 80 to 100 employees who were working on projects
such as Thief III and a World War II-based combat flight simulator. The
ramifications, though, will ripple through the industry and fan base alike.
Looking Glass had a reputation for delivering some of the most revolutionary
games ever made. For instance, the company developed the revolutionary Ultima
Underworld for Origin, beating id Software's Doom for the first game to feature
a seamless 3D-like environment.
Other landmark Looking Glass titles include the genre-shattering System Shock
(its sequel, which was codeveloped by Looking Glass, was named Gamecenter's 1999
PC Game of the Year), and Terra Nova, considered a precursor to Sierra On-Line's
Tribes. There's also the Flight Unlimited series, which delivered a visually
superior experience to the dominant Microsoft Flight Simulator, as well as the
critically adored Thief games.
According to Emil Pagliarulo, former lead designer of Thief II Gold, Looking
Glass was in dire financial straits approximately three years ago, but managed
to pull itself back from the brink. But it didn't help that what should have
been the company's financial triumph, System Shock 2, did dismally at retail.
System Shock 2, which was published by Electronic Arts, was released to critical
acclaim, but didn't generate momentum with the mainstream audience. Looking
Glass then looked for help from publisher Eidos Interactive, but a partnership
deal fell through due to Eidos's financial difficulties.
Still, Pagliarulo isn't too worried about his future, as he explained that
Looking Glass employees are already getting offers from other software houses.
"Nobody is really worried," Pagliarulo said, "But we're all stunned that we're
not going to be working at Looking Glass."
Looking Glass designer Randy Smith wrote in an open letter to fans, "I'm going
to deeply miss Looking Glass and my brilliant, fun coworkers. I don't think the
industry will ever be quite the same." "
Well, there's the "why"...I don't know how much of this is fact and how much is
supposition, but that is what I was told. The next question I asked is "What
now?". Well, there's the possibility of a small ray of hope.
"Through The Looking Glass", the friends of taffers everywhere, has a petition
online to try to get one of Looking Glass Studios' nearly-finished projects
finished. "Jane's Attack Squadron" has had about 2-and-a-half years work put
into it and is nearly finished. My theory is this...if enough people sign,
perhaps they will get to be able to finish it. And if they can finish it, then
who knows what else may be possible. Other projects that got shelved may be able
to be finished. I realize its a very small chance, but I believe in miracles.
I signed the petition earlier today (May 29th). When I went back to get the
address to include in this section, the count had already gone up by over 700
signatures.
To sign the petition, go to: http://www.ttlg.com/jas/default.asp
Section 2: Updates Since Last Release
=====================================
1.2 -- Updated the first missions walkthrough to coincide with the
patched version of the game.
1.3 -- Updated information on Flares (section 4.13.11); fixed a lot of
spelling errors; added Section 1.2: The Demise of Looking Glass
Studios; updated "cheats" section (4.14).
For a complete version history, see Section 8.
Section 3: Opening Notes Regarding This FAQ
===========================================
This is my second FAQ/Walkthrough. All input is appreciated, especially
regarding what you liked, and how I can improve it. Please send comments,
suggestions, etc., to taffer@sprint.ca
This FAQ does not cover the entire game at the moment. It only covers the first
mission, "Running Interference". Other missions will be added every now and
then, at irregular intervals.
This game is the sequel to both Thief: The Dark Project, and Thief: The Dark
Project Gold (hereafter referred to as Thief Gold...this is an "enhanced"
version of the first game). Despite this, most of the FAQ will assume you have
NOT played either of the previous games. I will, however, point out items of
interest for those who HAVE played one or both of them. (For example, in the
first mission, you are helping Basso...whom you rescued from prison in the
previous games.)
This FAQ/Walkthrough is based on the PC version of the game. Does another
version exist? I don't know.
3.1: Patches Available
======================
There are a couple of patches available for this wonderful game. Not all of them
are necessary however.
There is a large (30+ megs) patch called "thf2v118" which patches your Thief II
game to v1.18, the version which this FAQ is based on.
There is a much smaller (3 meg) patch for the Thief II mission editor DromED,
which you WILL need if you want to make your own missions and have patched the
game to v1.18. This file is called "dromed118".
Finally, since the game patch to v1.18 makes a LOT of changes throughout many of
the missions, you can download the v1.18 versions of these missions for DromED,
either seperately or all together in one big file. All together, the fifteen
files total about 50 megs when compressed together.
The first patch (the game patch) is available from the Eidos website. I will
have to do some exploring online to find the location of the other two.
3.2: Reading This FAQ
=====================
I have had a few people email me saying that they had trouble reading the Thief
Gold FAQ through certain programs (such as Internet Explorer). They say they
can't read it through their standard viewing programs, as the lines run off the
screen. This has so far only come from people who are on my mailing list.
When I type up the FAQ, I use the WordPad program which came with Windows 98. I
have the View/Options set to "Wrap to ruler". Then I type merrily away, without
having to worry about hitting the "Enter" key. Unfortunately, when the document
is later viewed in certain other programs, it prints the entire line of text
until the end, sometimes continuing off the screen (as described above).
If you are having this problem viewing the FAQ, then I suggest you do one of two
things:
1) Use WordPad to view it, with the View/Options set to "Wrap to
ruler",
2) Go to www.gamefaqs.com and download the FAQ from there.
Apparently (and I don't know how), when the webmaster puts the FAQ up on his
site, this problem of lines not wrapping disappears.
I'm afraid that's all I can suggest at this time.
3.3: Best Times
===============
For those missions that have been completed, I have also included my best time
for completing that mission. This is for various reasons, but mostly to do with
ego. :) Note that my best time for a mission does NOT necessarily reflect this
walkthrough. For example, I may take a more risky path, or I may run on metal
grating...or I may not bother hiding bodies, closing doors, cleaning up
bloodstains, etc.. Each mission was finished, however, with both the maximum
possible loot and all secrets found, unless otherwise noted.
For those who may be interested, I've collected all my best times here:
Mission 1: Running Interference -- 6 minutes, 50 seconds
Mission 2: Shipping... And Receiving -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 3: Framed -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 4: Ambush! -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 5: Eavesdropping -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 6: First City Bank And Trust -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 7: Blackmail -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 8: Trace The Courier -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 9: Blood Trail -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 10: Life Of The Party -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 11: Precious Cargo -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 12: Kidnap -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 13: Casing The Joint -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 14: Masks -- (Haven't played it yet)
Mission 15: Sabotage At Soul Forge -- (Haven't played it yet)
3.4: Mission Objectives
=======================
Although each mission walkthrough shows the objectives for Normal, Hard, and
Expert levels, the walkthrough itself covers ONLY the Expert level.
The Simplified Objectives contain the mission objectives as viewed from within
the mission. They are less verbose, and more to the point than the wordy
objectives given before the mission begins. Although the only ones shown are
from the Expert level, you should be able to pick out which ones apply to your
game if you are playing on Normal or Hard instead.
3.4.1: Changing Objectives
==========================
During some missions which you will undertake, your mission objectives will
deviate from those which you started with as you progress through the mission.
This can be due to changing situations, the gaining of further information,
receiving new instructions, and perhaps other reasons as well. You are informed
in the game when your mission objectives change, and the mission's walkthrough
also reflects this. When your objectives change, the walkthrough will give you a
list of your new objectives.
Note that when your objectives list is displayed inside a mission's walkthrough,
it will also indicate which ones you have completed so far. If your list differs
from the one given within, it means that you have not followed the walkthrough
as it is laid out. For example, if you need 1500 in treasure to complete a
mission objective, and the walkthrough says you have done so but your mission
objectives do not, then you have not picked up all the treasures indicated up to
that point.
3.4.2: Bonus Objectives
=======================
Some missions also have Bonus Objectives. These are mission objectives that you
don't find out about until AFTER you've completed them. Your very first mission,
"Running Interference", has one of these.
When you receive a Bonus Objective, if you have Goal Notification turned on, you
will be informed just as if you had completed a normal objective. If you look at
your objectives however, you will see one has been added, and that it is already
checked. Just as with changing objectives, whenever you receive a bonus
objective the walkthrough will give you a list of what your current objectives
are, including the new, Bonus Objective.
Note: You don't find out about the bonus objectives until AFTER you've found
them. That being the case, each mission walkthrough documents the bonus
objectives which I have FOUND. I will do my best to find them all, but I can't
guarantee there are no more than the ones shown. If anyone finds others I miss,
please let me know.
3.5: Recommended Purchases
==========================
At the end of each "Before The Mission" section, I've listed the equipment that
I personally use and/or recommend to complete that mission. In most cases, these
purchases will NOT eat up all of your funds. Use whatever you have left over as
you see fit.
Note that my recommended purchases are not always what is NECESSARY to complete
the mission. In some cases, it will make the mission easier for you, in others
it may simply be that there is NOTHING to buy to help you, but what I've
recommended is (in my opinion) the best you can do.
3.6: The Walkthroughs
=====================
This FAQ is geared towards having you complete each mission with the maximum
amount of treasure possible, on top of completing all of your quests. Each
mission is done at the EXPERT level, and all statistics are given for that
difficulty setting (ie: what you find, where, how much, etc.). I have not tried
playing these missions on the lower difficulty levels.
Each mission walkthrough is presented in the following manner:
1) it allows you to find all the treasure that is available;
2) it points you to all the secrets you can find;
3) it attempts to give you the most expedient path through the mission,
with a minimal amount of backtracking, thus giving you a better
finishing time;
4) it attempts to present the SAFEST method of doing things.
A few words regarding numbers three and four:
The most expedient path means the fastest way through the mission while still
keeping the other three goals in mind. Most missions have several "sidetrek"
areas, where there is nothing for you to do or to acquire. However, a lot of
these areas are just plain interesting...the designers have put a lot of time,
effort, and planning into some of these, and it would be a shame for you to miss
it all. So I suggest that when you are using the walkthrough, if you come across
a "sidetrek" area, save your game, and go and investigate it. A lot of times, it
is well worth it.
[A good example of these sidetreks: In Mission 3 of Thief Gold, "Down in the
Bonehoard", there are several places where you can find members of a lost
expedition and read their journals. But since you need to go out of your way to
get to them, they are not mentioned in that FAQ.]
The SAFEST method of doing something is not always the fastest way. There are
some areas where there is a more risky way of doing something, but doing so is
faster. Sometimes it's not just a matter of risk, but of timing as well, since a
lot of the guards patrol. So if you've been wondering why you can't beat my best
times no matter HOW closely you follow the walkthroughs...well, that's your
answer. (See Section 3.3: Best Times, for more details.)
3.7: Headers
============
The mission headers were a late addition to the Thief Gold FAQ. They were
included when a few people wrote in to say that they had trouble finding a
specific area of a mission that they were looking for when they needed help in a
single area. Since their inclusion, no one has written in with this problem.
The beginning of each mission's walkthrough will have a list of "headers". These
are distributed throughout each walkthrough, in an effort to make it easier for
people to find a certain section that they are looking for.
Note that these headers are NOT always entirely accurate. A section may change
before the header does, or one section may contain a brief "side trip" into
another section. The walkthrough may move you through a bit of a new section
before changing the header.
An example of this is in the first mission (Running Interference). There is a
brief sidestrip from the basement kitchen up into the entry hall, and then
you're brought right back down into the kitchen again.
I hope you all like the headers and find them useful! Enjoy! :)
3.8: Just What The Heck Is A Taffer Anyway?
===========================================
This is a question that many Thief fans have asked countless times. I received a
few emails regarding this, and here is what I've derived from them:
There is a Mother Goose nursery rhyme that contains the line(s), "Taffy was a
Welshman, Taffy was a thief". "Taffy" is a slang name for a Welshman.
At least one other person has suggested to me that "Taffer" is a dilution of
"Trickster", much like in modern English "Darn" is a dilution of "Damn", and
"Heck" is a dilution of "Hell".
Someone wrote in to suggest that "Taffer" was merely a censoring word, that
could be replaced with any appropriate expletive. (Or perhaps more likely, a
sort of "medieval cuss-word", as he put it.)
I've been informed that in Suffolk, England, there is a verb, "to taff", which
means "to spit". So a Taffer would be a Spitter.
Apparently there is some point in the game (which I have either missed or not
yet gotten to), where a Hammerite makes reference to the fact that "Taffer" and
"Trickster" are synonymous.
If anyone can clarify, expand, or suggest another meaning, please contact me! I
seem to recall having once seen a definition online (on a message board
somewhere) that made much more sense.
3.8.1: The True Meaning Of "Taffer"
===================================
Lastly, someone sent me an email with the following information:
"I got this one from PC Accelerator. They interviewed Steve Pearsall,
project designer of Thief. The question, "What is a Taffer and where did it come
from?" The Answer, "One of our level designers, Laura Baldwin, made it up.
Taffer was meant to be a slang word that meant a common criminal, but has
evolved into meaning any sort of low life." So basically it is a fictitious
word. Hey, maybe it will become real if we use it enough."
So there you have it. I'll bet the people over at Looking Glass Studios have
been having a nice chuckle watching everyone go crazy and coming up with these
(admittedly inventive) possible meanings/origins of a word they made up! :)
Be sure you all use this word everyday! I want to see it in the next edition of
Webster's Dictionary! :)
3.9: Contacting the Author
==========================
You can contact me either through email, or through ICQ.
3.9.1 Contact Through Email
===========================
My email address is: taffer@sprint.ca
Please note...I am going to be getting a cable connection for the Internet. When
I do, the above email address will cease to exist. This is PLANNED to occur on
June 30th. I will try to let you know what the new email address will be before
then.
I do read all your emails (except for a few...see the next paragraph for
details), and I try to reply to every one of them. Sometimes I am unable to
reply, simply due to the great number I receive, time constraints, and any
number of other reasons. However, any questions sent to me that are already
answered in this FAQ will be ignored.
NOTE: DO NOT SEND ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING MISSIONS NOT COVERED IN THIS FAQ!!!
There is a very simply reason why I ignore these emails. I don't read them.
These missions are not included in the FAQ yet because I have not PLAYED them
yet. And a lot of the emails I used to get like this would say things like "How
do I do X on Mission Y? I've done A, B, C and D, and found that J and K are
hidden here, but X is still eluding me!" Congratulations, you've just ruined
some surprises for me on that mission. Because of this, I now delete a message
as soon as I see it is heading in that direction.
I hate having something ruined for me...I like playing the game and finding
things out for myself. So do not waste your time or mine by sending in questions
for missions not yet covered...they will not even be read.
3.9.2 Contact Through ICQ
=========================
If you want to contact me through ICQ (all single ladies welcome! ), my ICQ
number is: 19232955. My handle is "Taffer".
Note that the same rules for email apply to ICQ as well. Also, if you have a
lengthy amount of information to send me, I would appreciate it if you would do
so using email.
Please Note: I do not use the "Chat" mode on ICQ. I only use the messaging
feature. My ICQ settings are currently set up to automatically decline any chat
requests.
3.9.2.1: Unauthorized Adding On ICQ
===================================
This refers to people who add me to their contact list using some sort of a hack
or crack program, without receiving my authorization first.
WARNING! Do not, I repeat, DO NOT add me to your contact list WITHOUT receiving
my authorization first! Several people appear to think it's a real laugh to do
this. Well, the first time someone did that to me, they erased my hard drive. So
consider this your first and only warning: Do NOT add me in this
manner...request authorization like everyone else. ANYONE who adds me without
requesting my authorization will IMMEDIATELY get placed on my ignore list. I
will not even bother reading any messages that person may have sent. (This may
seem harsh...but if you had had YOUR hard drive erased, I'm sure you would
understand completely.)
3.9.3: Thief II FAQ Mailing Lists
=================================
There are TWO mailing lists for those who wish to be notified of updates: a
"Zipped" list, and a "Notify" list.
Anyone who wishes to be put on a mailing list will have to tell me which one
they wish to be on. One list of people will receive a zipped email attachment of
the FAQ (the "Zipped" list). The other list of people (the "Notify" list) will
only be receiving an email stating that the FAQ has been sent up to
www.gamefaqs.com (and ONLY to www.gamefaqs.com ...anyone else posting the FAQ
does not necessarily have the most up to date version, but I always send the
latest release to the address given above!). Anyone requesting to be put on a
mailing list without stating which one will default to the "Notify" list.
Please note that this does not mean that the FAQ has been POSTED there
yet...only that I have sent it up to BE posted. There may sometimes be a delay
in the posting.
Emails will be sent out AS THE FAQ IS UPDATED AND RELEASED.
Anyone who is on a mailing list that would like to be switched over to the other
list will have to send me an email stating so. Likewise, if you want to be
removed from either mailing list, you'll need to send me an email stating so.
Anyone who is on the "Zipped" list for this FAQ automatically receives, at no
extra cost, the Thief II Companion Guide that I am attempting to create.
Anyone who was put on one of my mailing lists for my Thief Gold FAQ has
automatically been put on a similar mailing list (either "Zipped" or "Notify")
for this FAQ, unless they requested otherwise.
PLEASE NOTE: Since I now have more than one mailing list (Thief Gold and Thief
II), if you wish to be removed, please tell me WHICH mailing list you wish to be
removed from when you make your request. Simply saying "Take me off your mailing
list" will result in me asking myself "Which one does (s)he mean?", and the
result will be nothing being done. Even simply putting the game's title in the
subject heading is sufficient.
I have no intention, now or ever, of distributing these email addresses to
anyone, nor will they be used by me for advertising or "spamming". It is simply
to get the FAQ out to those who are waiting for it.
3.9.3.1: Bounced Emails
=======================
Once when I sent out a FAQ to those on the mailing list, one of the emails
bounced back. Apparently, someone changed their email address and didn't inform
me. This is not good. I have a slow internet connection, and every email that
bounces back I have to download with the attachment. If more than one person
does it, well, that would be a long wait. Fortunately, it was only one person.
What's my point? Oh yes...from this point on, anyone who's email account bounces
back to me will be removed from the mailing list. Seems fair, since they aren't
getting the attachment anyway.
3.10: Other FAQs By The Author
==============================
This is my second FAQ. I have two others at present, one of which is being
written concurrently with this one.
The Thief Gold FAQ, which is now nearly complete, and covers all the missions in
the game. Thief Gold is the precursor to Thief II, and I highly recommend it to
anyone who hasn't played it yet.
The other FAQ I am working on is a Companion Guide to this one, which will
contain (should I keep it up) the text of every document, scroll, parchment,
plaque, letter, report, announcement and palimpsest that I have been able to
find in the game. It is not necessary for either playing Thief II or for using
this FAQ, it is simply included as a "bonus supplement".
All of these documents, including this one, can be found at www.gamefaqs.com
Section 4: Game Notes
=====================
4.1: Patrols
============
Some areas have guards (of one sort or another) moving around in them, and
sometimes moving from one area to another. This makes it difficult to say for
sure when a certain task you may be told to perform should be done, as it is
unlikely that you will arrive at the area at the exact same time during the
mission that I did. In these areas, it's a good idea to save your game. (This
will be noted at the proper areas.)
4.2: Bloodstains and Bodies
===========================
Leaving bodies out in the open where they can be seen, or not cleaning up
telltale bloodstains (by shooting a Water Arrow at them) is inviting discovery.
While there are certain points in the game where just leaving your victims where
they fall may be all right (and, in some cases, unavoidable), for the most part,
you should tidy up after yourself. After telling you to take out someone, this
FAQ is going to assume that you have the prudence to hide your handiwork.
Any bloodstains you leave behind that you don't clean up yourself seem to
disappear over time. I guess they "soak" into the carpet, stone, ground, etc..
A note of macabre interest, regarding the various corpses of people you will
find and/or create. If you pick them up, then drop them again, their heads will
be at unnatural angles (probably indicating that their necks are broken), or
sometimes their heads just disappear!
4.3: Doors
==========
This FAQ also assumes that you will know enough to try to open doors before
walking through them, and to close them behind you. (An open door can also be a
telltale sign to patrols that something is amiss...namely, you.)
Note that in this walkthrough, most of the time when I refer to a door, there is
an actual, physical door. If there is not, the opening is generally referred to
as a doorway, opening, or an archway.
4.4: Hard Surfaces
==================
Hard surfaces include any sort of surface that makes a very loud or noticeable
noise when you're walking on it. Things like tile, metal, and even wood can fall
into this category. While Moss Arrows will allow you to walk over the covered
area silently, you never really have enough of them to go wantonly shooting them
everywhere you want to walk.
SNEAKING is the key. You have three movements available to you...walking,
running, and sneaking. The sneak key defaults to the SHIFT key, and makes you
move slower, though quieter. In some areas, I have noted that when you move
normally in the shadows, you are slightly more visible, but sneaking seems to
keep you hidden.
There is another way to sneak...CROUCH SNEAKING. This is walking when you are
CROUCHED, either with the sneak key pressed or not. You make less noise
(although it is sometimes still very audible). You can minimize this even
further, however, by using a "stop-and-go" method. Move forward a SHORT
distance, and stop. You will probably have made no noise whatsoever. Now, move
forward another short distance, and stop. Keep this up until you get to quieter
ground, and you should be able to get through just about any terrain silently.
4.5: Water
==========
Water is loud when you splash around in it. This occurs when you try to swim
quickly, or jump into the water. Try not to do it too often. Swim slowly (using
your WALK key). Also note that, while you can swim carrying someone on your
shoulder, on the missions where you are told not to kill anyone, you cannot dump
bodies in the water to "hide" them. They drown, and that counts as you killing
them. (If they follow you into the water and drown however, that does not count
against you...that's just idiots trying to swim while wearing armour.)
An important note regarding your weapons and water: if the water is deep enough,
even if you are simply wading (ie: walking, not swimming), you will still be
unable to use most of your weapons.
When the water is deep enough, you can dive underwater. This is useful for
finding underwater passages, searching the bottom of a lake for treasures, and
possibly even for hiding from enemies. You do have a limited supply of air
however (represented by a "bubble bar" in the lower right of the screen), and
when that runs out, you'll start to take damage. You'll take three hit points of
damage, get a small reprieve (you get a few bubbles added to your bubble bar),
and then take another three hits. This will continue until you surface, take a
Breath Potion, or die.
On a final note: Whatever you do, do NOT try to swim in lava. It's not water.
You'll die. Instantly.
4.6: Food
=========
Throughout the various missions, you will come across a variety of different
sorts of food. While in the previous games this was basically just to make the
game more realistic and to provide some atmosphere, food plays a bigger role in
Thief II.
Occasionally when you eat something, it will restore a single point of health to
you. This seems to be a random occurence, but I have seen it happen while eating
a slice of cheese. So if you're running low on health, start collecting food
items. You may be lucky enough to restore enough health points to finish the
mission (or find a Healing Potion!).
4.7: Gas Lamps
==============
When you find a light source in the game, it is most likely to be either a torch
or a gas lamp. While torches are pretty straightforward, gas lamps are a little
more tricky.
Gas lamps can be extinguished with a Water Arrow, just like a torch can.
However, once it is out, you may notice sometimes that they "highlight" just
like items you can take or use. If you try to "use" a gas lamp while it's
highlighted, you can turn them on again, and it will operate just as if you had
never doused it. Unfortunately, you cannot turn them OFF as easily...you must
douse it just like you would a torch.
When you stand close to a gas lamp, you will hear a slight hissing noise. This
is, I presume, the gas used to fuel the lamp. It can be quite distracting if
you're trying to listen to or for something in particular. Until I figured out
what this noise was, I thought the game had been made to include snakes! (I hate
snakes.)
4.8: Compass
============
You have a compass in your inventory. Most of the time in this FAQ, I will
attempt to give you instructions without needing to resort to referring to the
compass. For example, I will say something like "On your left, as you face the
idol," or "Turn so the door is to your back." From time to time, however, it may
be necessary for me to refer to compass directions.
Your compass is in the shape of an eight-pointed star. The larger points
indicate the major compass directions (North, East, South, and West), whereas
the smaller points refer to the in-between directions (Northeast, Southeast,
Southwest, Northwest). One of the larger points is red in colour. This point is
your reference point. It will always be pointing towards the north. The
direction which you are currently facing will be indicated by the point which is
directed in (more or less) the direction you're facing. So if I tell you to face
east, look at your compass, and orient it so that the red arrow is pointing
(more or less) towards the left side of the screen.
An interesting note regarding your compass...if you spin around while it is open
in your inventory, you can watch the star spin with you. However, if you change
your vertical facing (ie: looking up and down), the star will also rotate on
that axis with you!
4.9: Jumping and Mantling
=========================
For those who remember Garrett's "continuous jumping" trick from the previous
games, it appears to have been removed from Thief II. Either that, or I'm
incredibly inept at the procedure. I prefer to think the former. :)
Mantling is pulling yourself up onto a ledge of some sort, be it a railing,
fireplace mantle, or just a block of stone. To mantle, you press up against the
object you wish to climb, and jump. You will grab the object in question, pull
yourself up, and stand up on top of it.
It is important to note that some objects are just a touch too high to mantle up
onto in this manner. In these cases, you have to do a running jump/mantle
manouevre. Basically, you step back from the object, then run towards it and
jump before you reach it. Do not release the jump button, and when Garrett
strikes the object, he will grab onto it and mantle up.
4.10: Leaning
=============
Leaning is a very important part of your pilfering profession. Leaning around a
corner will allow you, for example, to look into a brightly lit room while still
remaining unseen. In some cases, it will allow you to knock out a patrolling
guard when he walks by, when you can't move up behind him because of the hard
floor surface.
There are three types of leanings you can do. There is the left lean, the right
lean, and the forward lean. The forward lean can be very useful for picking
pockets or knocking out guards when there's an obstruction in the way, such as a
small wall. Also, leaning forward will allow you to knock out a guard who is
approaching you in the dark before he gets close enough to notice you.
4.11: Zooming
=============
In the game, you play Garrett, a master thief who has a mechanical eye. And
that's not a clever play on words, or a cute name for a device. He literally has
a mechanical eye in place of a real one. (To find out how this happened, play
the previous game.)
One of the benefits of this device is that you have a sort of "telescopic view"
that you can access. You use your Zoom In and Zoom Out keys (defaults are ] and
[, respectively) to increase or decrease your view's range. You can increase
your view to the same sort you get when you are pulling back on an arrow (if you
have Bow Zoom turned on). That is your maximum. Your MINIMUM view is the one you
default to. You cannot "Zoom Back" to a smaller view than this.
The benefits of this Zoom mode is that, unlike the Bow Zoom, you can hold your
Zoom In view indefinitely. The Bow Zoom only lasts as long as the strength in
your arm does. Once you let loose your grip on the bowstring, your view returns
to normal.
4.12: Enemies
=============
"Enemies" is a general term used to describe anyone or anything you might
encounter during the game that would make your pilfering expeditions more
dangerous, either by attacking you or by raising the alarm and alerting others
to your presence. Not all "enemies" can attack you, but all are against your
best interests.
You face off against a number of different types of enemies. Here is some basic
information on the ones I've encountered so far. Note that the names I've given
to some of them are NOT necessarily official. They are just what I've called
them when I've had no official name to give them.
4.12.1: Human Guards
====================
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
This includes your standard Guards (Swordsmen and Archers), and Hammerites.
Unlike the previous game, Thief II includes females as well as males among the
ranks of guardsmen (guardspersons?).
These guys fall easily to your Blackjack attacks, so long as they aren't
expecting it. If they are looking around searching for you, you can sometimes
manage to club them, but it doesn't always work. In these circumstances, your
best bet is to lean forward to knock them out. They don't seem to see you as
well then. Also, light plays an important role. The more of you that can be seen
(ie: check your light-indicator!), the harder it is to successfully put the
guards to sleep.
Most of the time, these guys are armed with some sort of hand-to-hand weapon (a
sword or hammer). Occasionally, one will have a bow instead (and don't think
that they can only fire Broadheads at you!). The guys in red, however, are
Priests and spell casters.
Occasionally, a guard will have a key, purse, or other item on their person that
you can either lift off (ie: pick their pocket), or grab after you've knocked
them out. I prefer the pickpocket method. (Note: There are entries in the game
manual that seem to indicate a person can have more than one item to
pickpocket!)
NOTE: One time, I knocked out a guard, and because another was coming, picked up
the body and ran BEFORE getting the purse off him. After dropping the body,
however, the purse was gone. :( This, however, was while playing the original
Thief game. In Thief II, I have picked up bodies, then dropped them and been
able to get the item from their belt.
I need to experiment more with this to see if this still occurs in Thief II.
However, one suggested method of avoiding this is to knock out the victim, and
pick his pocket AS HE'S FALLING. This apparently works, and you still get the
credit for picking the pocket.
4.12.2: Non-Combatants
======================
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
This category includes anyone that doesn't fight against you in the game:
Servants, Civilians, Prisoners, etc. They are weak, falling easily to just about
any attack.
In most cases with other human opponents, once they are alert to you, they are
difficult to blackjack. This is not necessarily true of the Non-Combatants. In
most cases, they can be running right towards you, screaming for help, with you
in bright light, and you can knock them senseless. Some, however, will still not
fall, although they are rare.
4.13: Arsenal
=============
While your chosen lifestyle usually involves you hiding from foes rather than
fighting, it is sometimes necessary to make use of some of your weapons...and
some have more uses than the obvious.
Note that you are more easily seen if you have a weapon drawn than if you are
empty-handed (except for the Blackjack). Also, having a weapon out (except the
Blackjack) can slow you down. So if you are in a hurry, put your weapons away!
A word about your bow. Whenever you nock an arrow and pull back, after a short
wait your vision will "zoom in" and you'll be able to see much farther much
clearer. This can be handy if you ever need to see great distances. Nock an
arrow, pull back, and when you've seen all you wish to see, disarm the bow. The
default disarm key is the tilde (~). (For more on Zooming, see section 4.10.)
4.13.1: Sword
=============
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
Your basic hack-n-slash weapon. Your Sword does either a left cut, a right cut,
or an overhead smashing blow. To get the smashing blow, you need to hold your
attack button without releasing it for a short time. While it takes longer to
deliver, it does more damage than the simple cuts. Also, if your enemy is not
expecting an attack (ie: he doesn't know you're there), the Sword delivers more
damage than standard (usually killing with one blow).
According to the manual, there are two types of cuts. Tapping your attack button
will do a quick cut with your Sword. If you hold your attack button slightly
longer, you apparently do a more powerful sideswipe.
Your Sword is also good for cutting down banners, tapestries, or other types of
wall-hangings that may hide secret areas behind them.
If you are trying to hide in the shadows, having your Sword drawn will make you
easier to spot. However, if you put your weapon in the Block position, it seems
to lessen your visibility somewhat.
4.13.2: Blackjack
=================
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
There's not much about the Blackjack that isn't obvious. It's got a short reach,
so you have to be pretty close to use it effectively. Interestingly enough, when
you knock out your victims, if you examine their faces, their eyes are wide
open. Curious that....
While most other weapons make you more visible, having this one at the ready
does not affect your visibility.
Two things worth noting about this weapon. First, it IS possible to kill someone
with it. If they know you're there and are attacking you, a few solid clouts
with this does send them to the Builder. Also, sometimes Non-Combatants (ie:
Servants, Prisoners, etc.) are so weak that a single blow from this weapon kills
them, even if you were just going for a knock-out.
Another interesting thing. If you knock someone out while you are in the middle
of a jump, when you look at your stats screen later, you will have an additional
entry for the number of knockouts "while airborne". :)
Sometimes there is a problem with knocking out a person, and picking up the body
BEFORE getting any goodies (like a purse or key) off of their belt. When you
drop the body and look, the item sometimes disappears. One method of avoiding
this (assuming you are in a hurry for some reason) is to knock your victim out
and then pick his pocket before he hits the ground. You will get the item and,
apparently, the credit for picking his pocket as well.
NOTE: According to the manual (bottom of page 21), you have to hit a creature on
the head in order to induce sleep. This is, in fact, not true. You can prepare
your blackjack to strike, then crouch, move behind your opponent, and release,
knocking him out despite the fact that you just whacked his or her ass (although
I prefer to think you are whacking them in the kidneys, stunning them.)
4.13.3: Broadhead Arrows
========================
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
Their use as a weapon is obvious. These weapons, like your Sword, do much more
damage to your enemies when they are not expecting your attack (usually killing
them with one shot).
You may think these weapons are useless on missions where you can't kill anyone,
but that's not entirely true. They are great "distractions". Fire one off
against a nearby wall, and you attract the attention of nearby enemies. And if
you're hiding in shadows, they (usually) look around for you instead of raising
the alarm. Lead your enemies into an ambush, and blackjack them. :)
Note that if you fire your Broadhead Arrows into soft surfaces, you can
sometimes retrieve them! (I'm afraid your target's body does not count as a soft
surface.)
Sometimes you can collect Broadheads that were shot at you and missed, if they
land in soft surfaces. I have been told that Garrett cannot carry more than 90
Broadhead Arrows, but I have not verified this. (This limitation was for Thief
Gold...I am assuming that it carried over to Thief II.)
4.13.4: Water Arrows
====================
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
Very useful for putting out unwanted light sources, and also for cleaning up any
bloodstains you leave behind. Light sources include torches, gas lamps, and
Flares (see section 4.12.11, below).
As an interesting side note, Water Arrows are ignored by your enemies when fired
at them. I've fired a Water Arrow right in the face of a guard, and he didn't
even flinch! Although the noise does seem to attract them, at least the first
time.
NOTE: When extinguishing a light source, it is not necessary to hit it dead-
on...or in some cases, even to hit it! A close hit will still put it out. I am
assuming this is some sort of "splash damage".
4.13.5: Fire Arrows
===================
First Appearance: Unknown
These little beauties are devastating. Some guards which normally take several
Broadhead Arrows to bring down will sometimes fall with a single Fire Arrow.
They are also useful for relighting torches, should you decide you need a little
more light in your life. (Perhaps they also relight Gas Lamps?)
If your Fire Arrow detonates too close to you, you will take some damage, so be
careful!
If you are hiding in the shadows, arming a Fire Arrow will brighten your area a
bit, making you more noticeable.
A word about trajectory: When you fire most arrows, you need to take gravity
into account. That is, once the arrow leaves your bow, it starts to fall, losing
altitude. You need to aim high if you're aiming at a target that's a long way
off. This is NOT true with the Fire Arrows. It's like a mini-rocket. Aim, fire,
and it keeps going IN A STRAIGHT LINE, until it strikes something. Keep this in
mind when using them.
It is interesting to note that, while a Fire Arrow will continue on in a
straight line until it hits something, how far back you pull the bowstring will
determine how fast it flies. Try it out for yourself...it's like watching its
flight in slow motion. (Just for fun, if you fire your Fire Arrow slowly enough,
you CAN run after it, past it, then turn around and watch it hit you! I assume
the same can be said for Gas Arrows.)
4.13.6: Moss Arrows
===================
First Appearance: Mission Two (Shipping... and Receiving)
You fire a Moss Arrow at some loud sound-generating ground (tile, grating,etc.),
and it gets covered with moss. When you walk on it, you no longer make any noise
at all. So far, that's the only use I've found for them.
Firing Moss Arrows at items, people, or even the walls or ceiling, will cause
the initial clump of moss to fall to the ground at that point, and then the
remaining moss will shoot out.
It is important to note that the moss from one of these arrows covers an entire
square area, even though some patches may look "bare" in this area. These bare
patches are still considered "mossed", and you can walk silently on them.
4.13.7: Gas Arrows
==================
First Appearance: Unknown
These are very nice to have on those levels where you can't kill anyone. It
allows you to knock out someone (or sometimes a few someones) at a distance. If
you use one of these in a crowd, there is a radius effect which knocks out the
primary target as well as those in the immediate vicinity.
While you won't be knocked unconscious if your Gas Arrow "detonates" too close
to you, you will take some damage from the shattering glass.
Trajectory with Gas Arrows is the same as with Fire Arrows: they keep going in a
straight line, never falling, until they hit something.
In a pinch, Gas Arrows can be used to put out unwanted fires. (Possibly Gas
Lamps as well?)
Like Fire Arrows, if you only pull back on your bowstring briefly, the arrow
will travel much more slowly. (And I assume that you can chase it and hit
yourself with it, like the Fire Arrows.)
4.13.8: Rope Arrows
===================
First Appearance: Unknown
Very handy items, if you happen to have no way into or out of an area, and there
is a wooden (or similarly "soft") surface neraby. Fire one of these, and you
have instant access.
A word of caution: While these arrows are very useful to you in many situations,
it should be pointed out that there is a maximum length to the rope. You could
shoot a Rope Arrow at a ceiling very high up, and watch with dismay as the rope
tumbles down to stop several feet higher than your highest jump.
Note that these arrows are re-usable. Once you've finished with the rope,
retrieve the Arrow whenever possible.
A useful manouevre for any Thief is what I call a "jump-n-snatch" manouevre.
Basically, when you are ready to abandon your rope, position yourself in some
way to that your Rope Arrow is highlighted, then jump off the rope AT THE SAME
TIME THAT YOU GRAB THE ARROW! This retrieves your Rope Arrow for re-use later,
and accomplishes your goal of getting to where you wanted to go. (In some cases,
it is enough to just hang on the rope and grab the arrow, allow yourself to
fall.)
WARNING! Do not face a wall, standing directly against it, then look straight up
and fire one of these into a secure material! Yes, it will stick, but the rope
will be too close to the wall, and you will be unable to use it!
4.13.9: Noisemaker Arrows
=========================
First Appearance: Unknown
An arrow that makes a noise as it flies. When it strikes a surface, it emits a
"cricket" sound for a short while. In most cases, I've found this completely
useless, although I have made successful use of it in a Thief Gold mission. I'm
sure there are other instances that I am just not seeing where these devices
would prove useful.
These weapons are also retrieveable, like the Rope Arrows.
4.13.10: Flash Bombs
====================
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
A Flash Bomb is a device which will blind anyone nearby who sees the "flash"
when it strikes a hard surface (like the floor or a wall). If you use one of
these one someone who is chasing you, the blindness caused by it will make that
person vulnerable to your Blackjack again. At least, until the blindess wears
off.
A word of caution: When the Flash Bomb goes off, you also suffer the blinding
effects! You will be just as blinded (for a short time) by the flash as your
enemies, unless you look away. The farther away you look (ie: the more "away"
you turn your gaze), the less the effects will be. However, even if you look
directly at it when it goes off, you seem to be blinded for a shorter period of
time then the others. Probably because you were expecting it and they weren't.
4.13.11: Flares
===============
First Appearance: Mission One (Running Interference)
The Flare is a device with a misleading name. This type of Flare does not behave
in the manner of a traditional flare. More appropriately, this device is a Glow-
Stick.
Activating a Flare will light up the area immediately surrounding you. The
light's radius is very small, and it has a greenish tinge to it. While you are
holding the Flare, you will be unable to manipulate or pick up objects. The
light lasts for about fifteen seconds, and then the Flare disappears in a puff
of smoke (literally).
A Flare does not need to be held onto in order to keep the light active. You can
drop it on the floor if you want or need to (to pick up an object, for example),
and retrieve it again. Or you can throw it ahead of you into a dark area to get
an idea of what you'll be walking into. The only exception to this rule is when
you're underwater. You can use the Flare successfully underwater, but as soon as
it leaves your hands, its light goes out and it disappears.
A Flare is a once-only item. Once you use it, you cannot shut it off to preserve
the light, nor can you prematurely douse it (see below). It will "burn" for its
full duration, then wink out. And once it is out, you cannot re-light it.
Remember, the Flare is a LIGHT SOURCE! That means that if you are holding it,
you are more brightly illuminated than if you weren't holding it. Don't light
one of these when someone's looking for you!
If you throw a glowing Flare into water, it will wink out (and the item itself
will disappear). If you find a Flare to be an annoyance to you, you can even
douse it with a Water Arrow.
Note: One time, I was able to keep a Flare going INDEFINITELY, by throwing it
before it went out, then picking it up before it went out, then throwing it
again, etc. I kept the Flare burning for at least two minutes this way. I cannot
at this time remember if it eventually burned out or if I just gave up on it.
4.13.12: Explosive Mines
========================
First Appearance: Unknown
These Mines are small, and sometimes hard to see when they are lying around
waiting to be picked up (or set off).
A note about setting Mines: Don't use the right mouse button like you do to (for
example) throw a Flash Bomb. Instead, use your "Drop" key (the default drop key
is the letter "R"). It will fall at your feet. Otherwise, if you use the right
mouse button, you tend to "throw" it a distance from yourself, and it bounces
and slides around for a short time before finally stopping and arming itself.
A word of caution: Once you've set a Mine, you CAN trigger it yourself. BE
CAREFUL!
According to the manual, you can use your lockpicks on a set Mine to disarm it.
The manual did NOT say if this renders the Mine useless, or if you can pick it
up yourself and use it once it's been deactivated. (The manual only said
"Mines", it did not specifically name "Explosive Mines".)
Another interesting point about Mines. If there is one set, you can trigger them
without going near. I've fired Broadhead Arrows at them and had them go off,
although you have to actually HIT the Mine...the motion of the arrow flying by
is not sufficient to alert the Mine's motion detectors. Note that the Mine has
to be SET...one that's just lying there without being set will not be triggered
in this manner. Also, another Mine exploding nearby can set off a Mine...they
can be knocked back, and you can start a chain reaction this way!
One final note regarding Explosive Mines: if one goes off near an unlit torch,
it can ignite the torch. (Possibly Gas Lamps as well?)
4.13.13: Gas Mines
==================
First Appearance: Unknown
A Gas Mine is like a Gas Arrow, as far as effect is concened. When trod upon,
they release the same knockout gas as the Gas Arrow, putting the victim to
sleep. Also like the Gas Arrow, it has an area effect, so if several persons are
nearby when it goes off, more than one will likely fall asleep.
Since it is still a Mine, it share a few characteristics with the Explosive
Mine. They are set the same way, and you can set them off yourself if you move
too close to it once it is primed. Also, you can set it off from a distance with
a Broadhead Arrow, just like the Explosive Mine, and deactivate them with your
lockpicks. Finally, they do make a rather audible noise when they go off, so
anyone nearby has a chance to hear it.
4.13.14: Potions
================
First Appearance: Healing Potion - Mission One (Running Interference); Breath
Potion - Unknown; Speed Potion - Mission One (Running Interference); Slowfall
Potion - Mission Two (Shipping... and Receiving); Invisibility Potion - Mission
Two (Shipping... and Receiving)
There are five types of potions you can get in the game: Healing, Breath, Speed,
Slowfall, and Invisibility.
Healing Potion: Exactly what it sounds like. When you quaff this potion, you
will start to regain health points. It heals you a total of four health points
(or up to your maximum, whichever is the lower value). It is not an immediate
effect (it doesn't take too long, it just doesn't happen immediately)...you will
regain these points slowly, one by one.
Breath Potion: This is extremely useful when you have a long underwater journey
to take. If you're supply of air is running low, drink this potion down
(actually it's just a bottle of air, but why quibble?) and you'll have a
replenished air supply. No matter how low your air supply is when you take this,
it is always restored to the maximum, so I suggest you wait until your current
supply is nearly depleted before using this, to gain the maximum benefits.
Speed Potion: Another rather obvious one. You swallow this potion, and you are
granted a temporary burst of speed. You can run faster and, as a result, jump
farther. It doesn't last very long (approximately eight seconds), so be sure you
really want to use it before you do. I am not sure if your combat skills are
enhanced by this potion or not. Anyone?
Slowfall Potion:
Invisibility Potion:
4.14: Cheats
============
What? You want to CHEAT?? You want to deprive yourself of the experience of
playing and winning this game on your own??? WHY?!?!?!
The following cheats are known. Note that I have not personally verified all
them. Some of them actually make the game harder, not easier. :)
To skip the current mission and move on to the next one, press CTRL-ALT-SHIFT-
END. (I have verified this one.)
For extra money, add the line "cash_bonus x" to your dark.cfg file, where x is
an integer. That value will be added to your loot total for loadout purposes
(the before-mission screen where you buy equipment is the loadout screen).
Open your user.cfg file with a text editor, and add the following lines for the
appropriate effects:
NoKillGoalCheat - Allows killing on any difficulty level
LockCheat - Makes almost all doors and chests openable without the
need of either key or lockpick
FailOnSee - Fails the mission if you are spotted by any AI
FailOnKO - Fails the mission if you knock out any AI
FailOnKill - Fails the mission if you kill any AI
(I don't know if "any AI" includes those "face monitors" or not.)
This last one isn't really a cheat...more of a "fix". With the loot problem in
mission one (see Section 5.7: "Notes Regarding This Mission"), you can get
around it. Install the game, and play the first mission without patching it.
Then, when you reach the victory screen, save your game before starting the next
mission. Then patch the game, load that saved game in, and you'll be able to
play mission two with all the loot from mission one, instead of being 20 short.
Section 5: Running Interference (Mission 1)
===========================================
My best time on Expert: 6 minutes, 50 seconds
Maximum Possible Treasure: 1285 or 1265 (See the "Notes Regarding This Mission,
below.)
Total Number of Secrets: 3
Regarding my best time: Although the final time shown at the end of the mission
was 6 minutes, 50 seconds, I actually made it out of the manor in 5 minutes, 55
seconds. The remainder of the time I was waiting for Basso and Jenivere to exit.
5.1: Introduction
=================
"Reliance upon others is weakness for the strong, but strength for the weak.
Wisdom and balance lie in knowing your own nature over time."
-- Chronicle of the Metal Age
I've always equated "feelings" with "getting caught"...they both get in the way
of my money. Unfortunately not everyone is as committed to their work as I am.
An old associate of mine...Basso, the Boxman...wants to marry Lady Rumford's
chambermaid, Jenivere...and live happily ever after. Guess prison life spoiled
his taste for thievery.
Too bad for Basso that Lady Rumford has other plans...marriage would void
Jenivere's indentured service contract, so Rumford is keeping her confined in
the estate with the rest of her "worldly possessions".
Basso has asked for my assistance on getting her out...since infiltration is my
specialty. I make it a policy never to take a job so sentimental, but the
Rumford manner could be a lucrative opportunity for a man like me. It would also
mean that Basso would owe me a favour...And in this line of work, you can never
have too many of those.
I'll sneak in after dark, and clear a path for Basso, so he can rescue his
"damsel in distress". Along the way I'll pick up a few "souveniers" for the
local pawn shops. That should make all this aggravation worthwhile. Otherwise,
I'll make Basso wish he was still rotting in Cragscleft. Huh! This proves
it...going legit is more trouble than it's worth....
5.2: Objectives: Normal
=======================
1. Once you're ready for Basso to go, give the signal using the
birdcall he gave you. You have to be close enough for him to hear
it!
2. Help Basso and Jenivere get out of the mansion together. You'll need
to scout ahead to make sure Basso's route is safe.
3. Jenivere would be aghast if anybody died because of this. Don't kill
anyone.
5.3: Objectives: Hard
=====================
1. Once you're ready for Basso to go, give the signal using the
birdcall he gave you. You have to be close enough for him to hear
it!
2. Help Basso and Jenivere get out of the mansion together. You'll need
to scout ahead to make sure Basso's route is safe.
3. Luckily, Basso didn't say anything about not taking Lady Rumford's
stuff. Get 300 in loot.
4. Jenivere would be aghast if anybody died because of this. Don't kill
anyone.
5.4: Objectives: Expert
=======================
1. Once you're ready for Basso to go, give the signal using the
birdcall he gave you. You have to be close enough for him to hear
it!
2. Help Basso and Jenivere get out of the mansion together. You'll need
to scout ahead to make sure Basso's route is safe.
3. Luckily, Basso didn't say anything about not taking Lady Rumford's
stuff. Get 600 in loot, including 200 in gems.
4. Jenivere would be aghast if anybody died because of this. Don't kill
anyone.
5. Still, nothing stops you from teaching these guards a lesson and
getting in a little practice. Score at least 8 knockouts.
5.5: Simplified Objectives
==========================
1. Once you're ready for Basso to go, give the signal using the
birdcall he gave you. You have to be close enough for him to hear
it!
2. Get Basso and Jenivere out of the mansion together with you.
3. Get 600 loot, including 200 in gems.
4. Don't kill anyone.
5. Score at least 8 knockouts.
5.6: Before The Mission
=======================
What You'll Encounter: Human Guards (Swordsmen and Archers).
Starting Funds: 0
Starting Gear:
1 Sword
1 Blackjack
15 Water Arrows
1 Birdcall
There is no purchases screen for this mission. You leap right from mission
objectives into the mission itself.
Recommended Purchases: None. Total Cost: 0
5.7: Notes Regarding This Mission
=================================
This mission starts off with a very nicely done tie-in with the previous game.
If you recall, you decided to rescue Basso the Boxman from Cragscleft Prison
because he had a female relative you were interested in. Now you're helping him
with his true love. What wonderful irony! :)
This is a wonderfully done introductory mission. Not too hard, not too easy, and
it introduces the player to many of the basics of how to play, and what to
expect.
Despite what the manual says, you do not start with any Broadhead Arrows, nor do
you have the opportunity to purchase anything before this mission starts.
However, you are given an ample supply of Water Arrows, and you'll find a few
more items of interest within the mission.
You will be introduced to many aspects of the game in this mission, including
(but not limited to) hiding, sneaking, blackjacking guards, "cause and effect"
aspects (for example, using a lever to open a hidden compartment), picking
pockets, and using keys, among others. Most importantly perhaps, you will learn
that, if you want to be a master thief, you must search EVERYWHERE for items of
wealth. That even means searching places you don't think of! (I know that sounds
cryptic, but you'll see what I mean when you play the game.) Some of the loot is
hidden quite insidiously.
A final word regarding the loot...there is one area where you find three "coins"
(I've heard them referred to as Lucky Coins, and I'll call them that in the
walkthrough below). There is a problem with these coins. In the unpatched
version of the game, there is no problem, but after you apply the patch, one of
these coins is "stuck", and you can't get it. You will have to be satisfied with
getting two of the three coins. The coins are only worth 20 loot each, so
there's no significant loss if you can't get it.
When you finish the mission, your stats screen will show that you have a certain
number of pickpockets "out of 10". I have only found nine of these ten. If
anyone knows where number ten is, please let me know.
Regarding Basso's route: Basso's route is shown on your map, marked in red. The
walkthrough does NOT have you follow Basso when he goes to rescue Jenivere.
However, if you have a saved game near the point where you call him, you can
follow him if you wish, for the fun of it. He seems to switch from run mode to
walk mode for no apparent reason. When he finally picks the lock on Jenivere's
door, you can manage to move yourself into the room before it locks on you
again. Inside, you'll find a red key on the table, which unlocks the door to
this room. Now, WHY didn't she use it herself? :)
Note that, sometimes, you can find yourself waiting outside for Basso and
Jenivere, and they just don't seem to be coming. I don't know why, but
occasionally, they get "stuck". I went to check on him on one occasion, and he
was standing outside her door, with it wide open, and she was just standing
inside. There was nothing to do but reload the game.
A word regarding the courtyard guards. When you start the mission, if you hang
around and look through the gates, you will see the two stationary soldiers
guarding the main doors. However, the patrolling guard is nowhere to be seen.
Curiously, he doesn't appear in the courtyard until after Garrett makes his
comment about the butler being out for the night. (He says this shortly after
entering the manor.)
Finally, remember that you are REQUIRED to knock out a minimum of eight
individuals before you can successfully complete this mission. Despite the fact
that sneaking is usually preferred over force, don't hesitate to use your
Blackjack! The walkthrough will attempt to "count" the knockouts with you, only
counting those it points out. If you knock out more people than instructed, your
count will be higher. Once the eighth knockout has been achieved, no further
count will be kept.
Fun Thing To Try: It is possible to get up to the highest point of the roof of
the manor. It takes a long time and a lot of patience, but it's possible. Your
reward? You'll find a hole in the roof that acts as a chimney for all the
fireplaces you find within, which you can fall into and die. Neat, hmmmm? :)
Also, one time while I was up there, I was able to throw a crate down onto a
guard below. It bounced off his head (at a rather impressive height, I might
add), and crashed into the ground. The funny part is that the guard didn't
notice anything out of the ordinary until the crate hit the ground! :)
5.8: Walkthrough
================
A. Gaining Entry
B. The Basement, Initial Section
C. The Kitchen Area
D. The Basement, Final Section
E. Ground Floor, West Wing
F. The Courtyard
G. Ground Floor, East Wing
H. Leaving The Manor
********************
* A. Gaining Entry *
********************
As soon as the mission starts, someone approaches you. Don't panic, it's just
Basso. He'll tell you that he's unlocked the door to the butler's quarters for
you, and say something about that being "the only good way in". He'll then go
and lock himself in a nearby building to await your signal.
Move forward, and follow the wall of the manor on your left until you come to a
corner. Turn left immediately, and there before you is a ramp leading down. Move
to the bottom of the ramp, turn left, and move through the door ahead of you.
Okay, you're in. Directly ahead of you in the corner to your right is a table
with some loose change on it...two stacks of stacks of copper coins (5, 5,
Treasure Count: 5, 10) and two stacks of silver coins (12, 12, Treasure Count:
22, 34).
Once you've grabbed the treasure, turn around until you find another exit (aside
from the one you used) from this room, then take it.
In the wall ahead of you in this room are two exits, one to your left, one to
your right. Move towards the left. On a ledge just to the right of the door is a
key, which will unlock both of these doors. Grab the key, and unlock the door
ahead of you. Move through it into darkness.
************************************
* B. The Basement, Initial Section *
************************************
SAVE YOUR GAME! This is where things start to get interesting. Turn left, and
move forward. Keep angling yourself towards the wall to your left, so the when
you find the door there it will highlight. Once you've found it, move through
it.
Ignore this first room, and move forward through the opening ahead into the next
room. Upon entry, immediately turn right. Open the chest to get yourself another
stack of coppers (5, Treasure Count: 39). Then turn right and leave this room
the way you entered. Continue forward and go through the door ahead, back in to
the dark hall.
[Note: The room with the chest mentioned above also contains a slice of cheese,
if you're collecting food items as well.]
Turn left, and move forward. Do NOT leave the safety of the shadows just yet
though. When you're at just about the edge of the shadows, turn right, then lean
out left. Aha! A burning torch! There's also a sort of window that two nearby
guards can see out of. So take out your Water Arrows and, while still leaning
left, douse that torch. You'll hear the two guards having a conversation about
the situation. Ignore them.
Now that the way is clear, move down that hall that you've just darkened. When
you come across a door in the wall to your left, move through it.
Aha, some sort of a barracks, perhaps? There are three chests for you to open in
this room. Two of them are at the foot of bunks, the third is by an opening
leading into the guardroom with the two guards.
Move around the room, collecting the treasures from the chests. Each one
contains some more copper coins (5, 5, 5, Treasure Count: 44, 49, 54). Don't
worry about being seen, these two guards never seem to turn to look this way.
Once you have everything, turn around, until you find the burning gas lamp near
a corner. There's a door in that corner for you to go through. Do so.
Directly ahead is a workbench. On top of it you'll find a single Flash Bomb and
five Flares. Also, beneath the workbench, on the opposite side from the door you
used, is a lever. Flip this lever (it's Secret #1), and the nearby display board
will rise up, revealing a secret panel behind it, containing another Flare,
another Flash Bomb, a Healing Potion, and a purse (50, Treasure Count: 104).
[NOTE: There is one guard in the courtyard who is VERY difficult to knock out
without some help. Try to save one of your Flash Bombs for him. He will be
pointed out to you at the appropriate time.]
Once you've taken everything you want, turn so you can see the rest of the room.
There is a doorway in the wall opposite the workbench. Go through it.
SAVE YOUR GAME! Just a precaution really, this next part isn't so tricky. In
this room, directly across from you is a door. Move through it. In the hall,
turn right.
I hope that guard didn't scare you too much. Don't worry, he doesn't seem to
EVER change his facing. Sneak up behind him, and lift the purse from his belt
(25, Treasure Count: 129). Then knock him out (knockout #1).
Move forward into the next room. Now, stick close to the wall on your right, and
move forward. There is a door up ahead, in the wall you're following. Try to
angle yourself so it highlights when you find it. Once you've found it, turn to
face it.
***********************
* C. The Kitchen Area *
***********************
SAVE YOUR GAME! This next part is not as easy as the last time. Open the door,
but don't proceed into the room yet. There's a servant walking around in there.
He doesn't seem to have a set "patrol route", he just wanders aimlessly around,
sometimes into nearby rooms. Watch him, and when you think you've either got a
good shot at getting behind him, or of getting in unseen and hiding, do so.
(There are shadows to hide in on either side of the room.) When the opportunity
presents itself, move right behind him, and knock him out (knockout #2). He's
carrying a purse also, which you can try to pickpocket before clouting him (16,
Treasure Count: 145).
Since you are most likely turned around now, as the servant is almost never
knocked out in the same place twice, I'm going to ask you to return to the door
that you entered this room by. Turn so your back is to it.
Now, ahead of you there are four tables, two farther into the room, and two
nearby. On the nearby table to the left, at the far end, is a bag resting on the
table. Grab it (45, Treasure Count: 190).
Now turn right, so that the door you entered by is to your right. Ahead, you
should be able to make out an exit leading into another room. Move forward
through the kitchen and go through that doorway.
You're now in the wine cellar, and directly ahead of you is a wine rack. Move
over to the wine rack. Note that while you're in this room, you may hear the
sounds of a guard moving around. Don't worry, he's not in this room.
Now, there are three bottles of fine wine in this wine rack, and you'll want to
take all three. The wine rack has alternating rows of four and three slots (not
counting any half slots). Starting from the top row, the three slots you want
are Row 2 Slot 1, Row 5 Slot 4, and Row 6 Slot 1. Get all three wine bottles
(20, 20, 20, Treasure Count: 210, 230, 250).
Once that's done, either crouch, or look down at the very bottom row of half-
slots. There are three half-slots in total on the bottom. Look into the
rightmost slot, and you'll find a Speed Potion. (This is Secret #2.) Once you've
got that, you're finished in here. Turn right around and move forward, and exit
this room the way you came in.
[Note: In the far corner (to your right, as you face the winerack), there is
some sort of protrusion in the ceiling. I have no idea what it is. Anyone?]
Once you have exited, turn to your right. Move forward and turn right again.
Ahead of you is a tunnel, with a table with some plates on it near you. Follow
this tunnel to the end. There, you'll see a doorway of sorts leading into a
cubbyhole, with a lever just this side.
SAVE YOUR GAME! Again, more of a precaution than anything else. Move into the
cubbyhole, then turn right around. Look at the lever so it is highlighted, then
use it. You'll soon start moving upwards...you're in a mechanical dumb-waiter!
While you're moving upwards, turn right around and crouch.
Once you've stopped, you'll be looking into a dining room of sorts. There's a
table directly in front of you with some treasures for your taking: two golden
goblets (25, 25, Treasure Count: 275, 300) and two gold plates (50, 50, Treasure
Count: 350, 400). Also, there is a guard patrolling in this room, and he has a
key you need. Wait for him to come by, and pick his pocket. Then operate the
lever in the pane to your left. You'll start moving downwards again. Turn right
around and stand upright again. (If you accidentally alert the guard to your
presence, just reload your game and try again.)
Once the dumb-waiter stops, move forward through the exit ahead. Continue
forward down this tunnel. Once you've re-entered the kitchen area, continue
forward until you have passed by the fireplace. Immediately past it, turn right.
Ahead are some stairs going up. Climb them, then turn left. Some more stairs
going up.
Climb up these stairs, but don't go all the way up. Climb until you're standing
on the fourth or fifth step from the bottom. Then turn right around, so you're
facing back down the stairs. Side-step to the left so you're right against the
wall (be sure you don't accidentally move onto another step!).
Ahead of you is a small shelf. Lean forward, and you'll find two "lucky coins"
sets (20, 20, Treasure Count: 420, 440). It's quite dark, so you probably won't
see them until they are highlighted, ready to be grabbed. Once you have both
sets, back up until you are standing on the sixth step (either one or two steps,
depending on whether you got the coins from the fourth or fifth step). Then turn
right, jump forward, and mantle up into the room above.
[Note: These lucky coins are the ones referred to in the "Notes Regarding This
Mission" above. If you are playing the unpatched version of the game, then there
are three sets, not just two. Grab all three, and from this point on, your
Treasure Count will be 20 higher than what the FAQ says.]
SAVE YOUR GAME! Although unlikely, you can get caught here. Turn right. There is
a fireplace ahead...you are standing to one side of it. Move forward so that you
pass in front of it (manouevreing around all the items which impede your
progress), and keep going until you've passed by both it and the vase beyond it.
Then turn left, move forward until you are pressed against the wall. Turn left,
move forward against the fireplace, and mantle up onto the ledge.
Now centre your view, and turn just slightly to the right. A pair of rings
should highlight. Grab them. This is the bonus objective for this mission. If
you look at your mission objectives, they will now read this way:
1. Once you're ready for Basso to go, give the signal using the
birdcall he gave you. You have to be close enough for him to hear
it!
2. Get Basso and Jenivere out of the mansion together with you.
3. What would a wedding be without rings? Get two for Basso and
Jenivere. (BONUS OBJECTIVE!) (Checked.)
4. Get 600 loot, including 200 in gems.
5. Don't kill anyone.
6. Score at least 8 knockouts.
Unfortunately, these rings do not add anything to your loot total. Most likely
because you are giving them to the happy couple, and not fencing them.
Okay, you've got the rings. Now, back up until you fall off the mantle, then
turn left. Move forward past the vase, then turn right. Move forward past the
fireplace again, and past the second vase ahead. Just beyond it to the right you
should see a hole in the floor. This is the stairs you took up. Move over to the
hole and allow yourself to fall down onto the staircase again.
Turn so you are looking down the stairs, and move forward. Turn left, and move
down the smaller flight. You are now back in the kitchen. Turn right slightly,
so you're looking ahead between the two closest pillars. Aha! A door! Move
forward and go through the door.
Direcly ahead of you is a door in the wall. Ahead to your right there is a torch
merrily lighting up the room. Use a Water Arrow to douse the torch, then head
for the door.
**********************************
* D. The Basement, Final Section *
**********************************
SAVE YOUR GAME! There's a patroling guard beyond this door. Open the door, but
stay in this room. Wait and watch. When the guard comes by, he will quickly
change direction and start leaving again. That's when you spring into
action...run up behind him and knock him out (knockout #3).
[Note: Try not to make too much noise in this area. There is a nearby stationary
guard you have not taken out...there's no need to, as Basso doesn't pass by his
line of sight.]
You're now in a hallway of sorts. Look around for another closed door. When you
find it, go through it. Move forward through this hallway, ignoring all the
doors, until you find a doorway to your right. Move through it. Directly ahead
are three chests. Within each you will find some copper coins (5, 5, 5, Treasure
Count: 445, 450, 455).
Turn around and leave the room the way you came in. Turn left. Directly ahead is
the door you used to enter this area. (It may be open or closed, depending on
how you left it.) Move forward and go through it, then turn right. Ahead of you
is a doorway. Move through it into the hall beyond.
Turn right and move forward. You will find a metal door on your right, which is
locked. This is where Jenivere is being held, and you can't get in. (If you
highlight the door, Garrett will say something regarding this. However, it's not
necessary to try to get in.)
Bypass this door. You'll soon come to a wooden door, also on the right. Ignore
it as well. Just past this door the hallway turns right. Follow it a short
distance, then stop and turn left. There should be a metal door somewhere in
front of you. Use a Flare if you can't see it. Once you've found it, move
through it.
You're in a storage room of sorts. Move forward into the room, and near the back
turn left. You'll see a series of stacked crates. Start clearing them out until
you have an opening you can move through (a single stack is sufficient). Move
through this opening into the small area beyond.
On the floor here are various items, including a gold nugget (100, Treasure
Count: 555) and a loaf of bread. Also, at the back to the right is a tiny
alcove. On the floor there you'll find a silver nugget (50, Treasure Count:
605). (You will most likely have to crouch to get this treasure.)
Once you've got your treasures, turn and move back through the opening you
created in the crates. Turn right, and move forward until you find the door you
used to come in here, and move through it again.
Back in the hall, turn left. Again, use your Flare to light the area if you need
it. A short distance from the door you just used is another one, again in the
wall to the left. Once you've found it, go through it.
You're in another servant's quarters, much like the butler's quarters you
originally entered the manor through. Directly across from you is another door.
Go through it. Once you're in the next room, turn right and move down to the
end. On the table in front of you is another purse for you to grab (50, Treasure
Count: 655). Once you've pilfered it, turn around and move back down to the
other side of the room. Turn left and move through the door you entered this
room by.
As soon as you're in the next room, turn left and move forward to the other
side. Then turn right. There's another door directly ahead of you. Move forward
and go through it.
The area's pretty dark, but don't use a Flare here. Turn right, and move
cautiously up the stairs.
******************************
* E. Ground Floor, West Wing *
******************************
SAVE YOUR GAME! You've made it out of the basement, and cleared Basso's path for
him. However, you're not finished yet! Move forward cautiously, keeping in the
shadows. There's a guard who patrols the next hallway, and you would really
rather not get his attention!
When you reach the end of the hall, wait for the guard. While you're waiting,
take note of the door in the wall to your right. When the guard comes by, pick
his pocket for his purse (40, Treasure Count: 695), then introduce him to your
Blackjack (knockout #4).
SAVE YOUR GAME! There's still another guard in this section of the manor. Turn
to that door you noted while waiting for the guard. Make sure you're still
hidden by shadows before you open it. Once you're safely hidden, take out that
gold key you lifted from the guard while you were in the dumb waiter, and unlock
the door.
If you don't see the guard, then wait for him. He's probably upstairs. He'll
come down the stairs, move towards the door you're looking through, then turn
around to go back up. When he turns, move in and knock him out (knockout #5).
Get the key from his belt also, if you wish.
Now that he's sleeping peacefully, move to the other side of the room (opposite
the door you entered by), then turn right. Here's the staircase he descended.
Climb the stairs to the next level. At the top, turn right, and move forward
until you hit the wall. Then turn left, and move through the door ahead.
Turn right. Ahead of you, you should see a potted plant on a table. Move over to
it, then look down at the corner the table is sitting in. On one of the walls
beneath the table you'll find a lever (crouching may help you find it). Operate
it to find Secret #3. You'll hear a sliding noise of something opening nearby.
Turn around until you find the bed in this room, then move over to it. Position
yourself near the head, facing it, then look up at the wall above it. The secret
panel you opened is there, and within lies a jewelled tiara (175, Treasure
Count: 870). Once you have it in your lootbag, turn right around and move
forward and slightly to the right. Once you've found the door you entered this
room by, use it to again exit the room.
[Note: There's a desk in the room with the secret you just found, upon which
sits another golden key. Take it if you wish. It's not necessary, however.]
Turn right, and move forward until you hit the wall. Turn left, and move down
the stairs into the room below. At the bottom, turn left. Across the room is the
door you originally entered this room by (open or closed, depending on how you
left it). Move across the room and go through the door.
Continue forward, moving down the hallway here. Ignore the first two doors on
your left, and then go through the third into the music room.
This room is illuminated by a single gas lamp. (There is a second one to the
right of it, which is currently turned off.) Just to the right of the lit lamp
is a table. Move through the room towards that table. When you reach it, you'll
find it holds two stacks of copper coins (5, 5, Treasure Count: 875, 880). Take
them, then turn right. You're now facing a stage of sorts. On the stage you can
make out a harp. To the right of it (as you face the stage) is a table, upon
which sits a silver flute. Go over to the table and grab it (50, Treasure Count:
930).
There's nothing else in here for you, so turn and find the door you used to come
in here, and leave through it. In the hall, turn left. Ahead is an archway. Move
forward and go through it. You'll find yourself in the large entry hall, where
you found the rings. Turn right and move forward. When you find a pair of double
doors, turn to face them, then position yourself so you are hidden in the
shadows.
********************
* F. The Courtyard *
********************
SAVE YOUR GAME! This next part can be quite dangerous. Pull out one of those
gold keys you've been collecting, and unlock the doors ahead. Unfortunately, you
cannot keep one closed while the other is open. Across the courtyard, opposite
your position, are two gates (the area where you started this mission). In the
courtyard are three guards, all of them archers. Two are stationary, one is on
patrol. Wait here until you can see the one on patrol, and wait for him to pass
by. Once he does, it's time to go to work.
Move through the doors carefully (crouching really helps here), and turn left.
Move forward around the door, and behind the guard. Pick his pocket if you wish,
then knock him out (knockout #6). Then turn so you have the courtyard to your
left, and move forward past the double doors. When you're behind the second
guard, pick his pocket if you like as well, then knock him out too (knockout
#7).
That's two. The third one is the patroller. This is the guard you've been saving
your Flash Bomb for. Turn so you're facing the courtyard, and see if you can
spot him. By now he's probably made it at least halfway around the courtyard
again. Once you've found him, ready your Flash Bomb and move forward off the
porch you're on, rush up to him, and throw your Flash Bomb at him (remember to
look away!). Once he's disoriented, knock him out (knockout #8). This guard has
two "pockets" to pick...there is the key on his belt, and he's got three
Broadhead Arrows in his quiver that you can make your own.
Now that the area is clear of guards, turn and find the gates mentioned above.
Move over to them, unlock them, and move through them. Once you're through, whip
out your birdcall and use it to tell Basso the way is clear for him to rescue
his lady fair. (You may have to move closer to get him to hear it. Keep trying
until you've moved close enough for him to hear.)
While Basso's doing that, turn and move back into the courtyard. Make your way
to the centre, and you'll find the remains of someone's picnic. Not only can you
get a slice of cheese, but there's also a golden goblet (25, Treasure Count:
955) and a gold plate (50, Treasure Count: 1005). Take what you like.
SAVE YOUR GAME! A precaution again. Once you have what you want from the picnic
sight, continue forward towards the porch. Mantle up onto it, and move through
the doors (open or closed, depending on how you left them.) Once you're back
indoors, turn right.
******************************
* G. Ground Floor, East Wing *
******************************
This is where it gets a bit tricky. Ahead of you, you should be able to make out
a doorway. You'll want to go through there. However, there is a guard who
patrols that hall. Unfortuntely, I've found that he doesn't always do it
properly. It appears that sometimes, he needs a trigger before he'll begin his
patrol. That trigger appears to be you moving a distance down that hall.
Watch the opening for a while, and if the guard doesn't make an appearance (he
does come a short distance into this room), then he's waiting for you to trigger
him. If he does come however, then wait for him to turn around, then move in
behind him and send him off to dreamland.
[Note: If this guard HAS been triggered, his patrol route includes going up some
stairs and into at least one room before coming back down.]
Move forward to the opening, and go through it. Move down the hall. At the
corner ahead, continue following the hall, but stay over to the right side. When
you turn the corner, you may see a guard ahead on patrol in another hall. You
should be able to ignore him at this point. Move forward into the shadows. (If
you knocked out the "trigger guard" mentioned above, skip the next paragraph.)
If you haven't found the "trigger guard" mentioned above, wait for him here.
When he comes down the hall, lean forward and knock him out. (If you don't lean
forward, you will likely just annoy him.)
Now move down the hall near to where you saw the other guard patroling. Wait for
him, and knock him out when he turns his back to you.
SAVE YOUR GAME! That's the last guard you need to worry about. Now turn until
you find a doorway (no door, just a doorway), then move through it into a semi-
large room. To the left are several entrances (made by columns) into a darker
room. Move into that room.
Stand with your back to the opening you just came through. Ahead is a wall with
two doors in it. Go through the leftmost door. Directly ahead of you, on the
table beside the bed, is a gold-gilded vase (50, Treasure Count: 1055). Once you
have it, turn right around and leave the way you came in. Turn left, and move
over to the second door in this room. Go through it.
This room is a little trickier. From the doorway, move into the room and jump
onto the bed. Look at the light brightening this room, and then look up. There's
a ledge just above it. Turn to the right, watching the ledge. Shortly, another
gilded vase will highlight. Grab it (50, Treasure Count: 1105).
Now get off the bed, turn around, and leave the way you came in. In the dark
room, continue forward through one of the openings into the better-lit room.
Turn right, and move forward until you hit the wall, then turn left. Climb the
stairs to the top.
Turn left, and move forward. There's a door in the wall to your right. When you
find it, go through it. Move forward and through the doorway ahead on your
right.
In this room, turn left. On the table beside the bed is a ring (40, Treasure
Count: 1145). Once you have it, turn left and leave the room the way you came
in.
Across the room from you there is a table in the far right corner. Move over to
it, and on top of it you'll find a jewelled necklace (120, Treasure Count:
1265).
************************
* H. Leaving The Manor *
************************
Well, that's everything. Once you have that necklace, turn around so you're
facing the opposite corner of the room and move forward. Go through the exit
there (either closed or open, depending on how you left it), turn left, and move
forward. When you hit the wall, turn right, and move down the stairs to the
bottom.
Turn right, move forward across the room, and exit through the doorway ahead.
Immediately after you leave the room, turn right. Move down the hall, and down
the stairs. At the bottom, turn right. Pull out the iron key you found in
butler's room at the beginning of the mission, and unlock this door.
[Note: At this point, if you have been fast enough, you could possible meet
Basso and Jenivere as they escape too.]
Move into the room beyond the door. There's a doorway in the wall opposite you.
Move through that doorway, then turn left. There's an exit ahead of you (either
open or closed, again, depending on how you left it.) Move through that exit.
That's as far as you have to go. However, if you were fast enough, it's possible
that you beat Basso and Jenivere to the exit. If that's the case, you'll now
have to wait for them to come out of the manor. Once they do, all your
objectives will have been completed.
Congratulations! You've helped your friend Basso marry the woman of his dreams!
Section 6: Input From Other Thieves
===================================
This is the spot where I will be acknowledging the input from others(sort of a
"Contributors" section).
Each person's information is incorporated directly into the FAQ, in the relevant
position. That person is then credited here, and a brief note on what they
contributed will be listed.
If you send me any information that you feel might be included in this FAQ,
please include the following information with your tidbit of knowledge:
1) If you want to be credited or not,
2) What name you would like me to use to credit you,
3) If it's okay to include your email address in the credit.
Due to the great number of emails I receive with suggestions/help/etc., I
instituted a new policy regarding this: any email that contains something which
could be incorporated into the FAQ which does NOT have the above information
will be assumed to have answered "No" to question #1. (Due to this new policy,
the FIRST person I receive an email from with new information will receive the
credit...this is in cases of more than one person sending me the same
information.)
NOTE: Any information that a person provided to me for the Thief Gold FAQ that
is relevant to this FAQ has been carried over. I've done my best to keep their
credit here. If I've mistakenly missed giving you the proper credit, please let
me know and I'll do my best to correct the error.
Psonyk (psonyk@vl.videotron.ca)
- Provided information on Mines
Bastage (nitticjs@aol.com)
- Improved information on blackjacking humans
Prodigy^ (prod@get2net.dk)
- Revealed you can outrun your Fire Arrows
- Provided further information regarding Moss Arrows
Downsider (Downsider@downsidenet.co.uk)
- "chain reaction" with Explosive Mines
Kronir (kronir@yahoo.com)
- provided "user.cfg" cheats
Section 7: Thief II Sites On The Internet
=========================================
The following sites are what I have found on the Internet for Thief II: The
Metal Age. If your site is included here and you want it removed, simply contact
me via email stating your wish to have the site removed, and WHICH site it is
you are referring to. If you would like your Thief II site mentioned here,
please email me (at taffer@sprint.ca) with the pertinent information.
NOTE: This information is in dire need of updating. I have not had the time to
search the net for sites, so if anyone out there can send me any addresses they
have, it would be greatly appreciated.
Looking Glass Studios' Home Page: One of the companies to bring us this amazing
piece of software. (Note: They have asked me to make it clear that they do NOT
do tech support for Thief...that is being handled by EIDOS. Unfortunately, EIDOS
has not gotten back to me about putting their web address in my FAQ, nor about
my problem with the game.)
http://www.lglass.com/
Thief-DarkProject.com: This is THE place to go for anything Thief related. News,
desktop themes, wallpaper, fanworks, and more!
http://www.thief-darkproject.com/
Lytha's Web Site - Thief Collection and more: I was thoroughly pleased when I
discovered this gem of a site...it has everything an aspiring taffer could hope
for! The Loot Lists section alone is a gift from The Builder himself! (Covers
both Thief Gold and Thief II, Thief II sections still under construction.)
http://www.lytha.com
Section 8: Version History
==========================
NOTE: All references in the version history to specific section numbers are
referring to sections numbers AT THAT TIME! In many cases, these section numbers
have changed with subsequent releases.
1.0 -- First release of this FAQ. Included only the first mission
(Running Interference).
1.2 -- Updated the first missions walkthrough to coincide with the
patched version of the game.
1.3 -- Updated information on Flares (section 4.13.11); fixed a lot of
spelling errors; added Section 1.2: The Demise of Looking Glass
Studios; updated "cheats" section (4.14).