Aerothorn on 10/2/2009 at 02:33
Hey - long story short, a friend and I are doing an independent study on narrative and video games, composed of two units and eight sub-units. One of the sub-units is titled "Doing the Twist."
Decription: Every medium contains narratives with "twists." In passive mediums, the twist may evoke an emotional response in the consumer and keep their attention, but the consumer cannot REACT to the twist. In interactive media, a twist or new revelation can change the player's actions.
This unit was inspired by the IF game "Spider and Web," but I was also reminded that Thief featured levels where the briefing information was wrong, and I figured that this worked well (in that it's a twist that alters gameplay). Unfortunately, I doubt we'll have time to play through the whole game in the time allotted (which is okay, since I've played it before.) What are the levels in which there is a serious discrepancy between the information in the briefing and how the level plays out?
Thanks for any help you can provide!
jtr7 on 10/2/2009 at 02:47
I can't think of anything major or blatant, but the first thing I think of is T2's Trace the Courier. Quite a few first-time players follow Lt. Mosley until the mission fails, until they learn to follow the letter she's carrying instead, even though the objectives state to trace the message. This can occur if someone doesn't review the objectives immediately and thoroughly and just goes by the strong impression made by the briefing video.
Thief has a great deal of players, myself included, who thought some aspect didn't make sense when the truth was, the impression was wrong though the information was in fact given. It's more full of unintentional misdirection.
Should be more examples forthcoming.
crunchy on 10/2/2009 at 04:32
The first one I can think of is Assassins. In the briefing you are informed about breaking into a hammerite temple but that changes as soon as the misson begins.
Then there is Song of Caverns where the briefing informs you about searching for the talisman in the caverns but you soon learn it is gone and end up ransacking the opera house instead.
jtr7 on 10/2/2009 at 05:18
But would those be considered discrepancies? I still can't think of any discrepancies, the connotation being error. There are those little plot twists, yes, like Ramien in TDS. Those are much easier to think of. I'm curious to know what example led to reminding Aerothorn about Thief.
Xenith on 10/2/2009 at 23:18
I don't remember much of T1 or Gold since I haven't played it in a long time, but what about that mission in which Garret goes back to the Hammerite compound and instead of getting a welcome from them they're all dead. Is that "Assassins"? I really can't remember, but I know it's part of Thief 1 or Gold... :erg:
Aerothorn on 11/2/2009 at 03:30
By discrepancy I meant intentional misdirection - sorry for the poor wording. Assassins was exactly what I was thinking of, for instance. Thanks!
jtr7 on 11/2/2009 at 04:45
Crunchy had Assassins correct. The briefing tells you:
[INDENT]"Now that you've got the finest in lockpicks, you can go after more challenging - and lucrative - targets. How about the local Hammer Temple?
Get at least 1,000 loot."[/INDENT]
Then Farkus is killed in a botched attempt to assassinate you, and the objectives change:
[INDENT]"Evidently these assassins think they have killed you. As long as they continue to think that, they should lead you right back to whoever sent them."[/INDENT]
In Strange Bedfellows, Garrett goes to ask the Hammerites to help him foil the Trickster, and almost immediately discovers he's too late, and the Trickster has already laid siege to the Hammer Temple.
Briefing and beginning goals:
[INDENT]The Trickster is real after all. I don't think anyone but those crazy Hammers really believed in the old gods.
Those crazy Hammers. You know, it wouldn't hurt to have a few dozen heavily-armed fanatics on MY side just about now. If I drop by their temple and explain things, maybe they'll be so distracted by the Trickster's return that they'll forget to hold a grudge. And even if they don't...I know how to get out of Cragscleft prison already...[/INDENT]
[INDENT]"The Hammerites have been preaching about the Trickster for years. Maybe they have some advice on how to deal with him for real. But with all the trouble you've been to them lately, you'll have to sneak in past their guards to talk to someone in charge."
"Sneak in to find the Hammer High Priest, and warn him about the Trickster."[/INDENT]
Then:
[INDENT]"I have a baaad feeling about this..."
"What happened here? And where are all the Hammerites?!"[/INDENT]
[INDENT]"Looks like there's been trouble for more than just you. Before the Hammers can help you, you'll have to find them."[/INDENT]
In Cragscleft, Cutty dies before you can break him out to get your money for the Bafford job, forcing a change of plans.
In The Haunted Cathedral you discover you cannot get to The Eye, and have to go on three (TDP) or five (Thief Gold) more missions to get to it.
As was also mentioned, in Song of the Caverns, you find your informant, Giry, has died before he could guide you through the caverns, and then you also find the Water Talisman has been taken from its resting place into the Opera House.
In Return to the Cathedral when you finally can get The Eye, you become trapped inside and have to find another way out, then you have to help Brother Murus and friends.
In Blackmail, you find the sheriff assassinated before you can blackmail him, and have to escape the estate.
In Precious Cargo, you find you cannot kidnap Cavador and return with him to your rowboat.
TDS is a bit harder to summarize.
You find you cannot fence the Bloodline Opal to Heartless Perry, and have to deal with Lady Elizabeth and her thugs.
I mentioned the briefing objective to go see the Old Quarter fence, Ramien, only to find him murdered.
Garrett goes to the Shalebridge Cradle to learn about the Hag and gets trapped in the past, then has to do a set of tasks to return to his time, and help Lauryl find peace.
Garrett expects a race with Gamall at the Wieldstrom Museum to get the artifacts, but she's off killing Artemus and stealing his skin, so she's never seen at the museum.
Aerothorn on 11/2/2009 at 21:17
That was very helpful. Thanks much!
pavlovscat on 11/2/2009 at 23:50
This has been a presentation by Encyclopedia JTR! ;):thumb:
jtr7 on 14/2/2009 at 03:32
:o :laff:
I forgot about the Blue Heron Inn:
The briefing suggests Lord Julian is in his room at the Inn, and the velvet bag never leaves his sight. Lord Julian's not in his room, so the velvet bag isn't there, meaning you have to go overhear his meeting with Morris the Cook.
