smithpd on 16/1/2003 at 05:05

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As described above, playing Expert I found only one square lockpick, and it worked nothing. There are many frobbable doors that can't be opened and I think contain nothing of value. It's frustrating, but essentially a result of no beta testing. I did not find a blackjack either. There are many places to run and jump in the water if you are discovered. I think the triangular lockpick and the blackjack are not there in Expert and are not necessary. I finished the mission without them and got all the loot.

It is possible to get into all the rooms using ghosting (very sneaky) techniques. It is a challenge in some cases, that's for sure.[SPOILER]Sorry, I don't remember where I found the house key. There are secret switches in a couple of places that lead to lower areas. There is one door in the main house that leads to the main basement. It requires the house key to open it.[/SPOILER]

Sir Lance on 1/5/2005 at 12:18

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[SPOILER]I have the same problem as Melissa - can't find the house key to get into the basement - help!!![/SPOILER]

Ymochel on 2/8/2006 at 09:17

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I suppose it is a bit pointless because most questions were asked 3-4 years in the past but in case anybody needs the answer:

On the highest difficulty levels I decided to minimize the number of typical Thief tools. The gun only has one shot IIRC (I actually have no way of checking this right now). I brought in the gun as an attempt at Warren Spectors "6 bullets" idea. He said in some interviews years ago that he envisioned a game in which you wake up with a gun with 6 bullets and that this is the only weapon and the only ammo you will have for the whole game. You can either choose to use them up quickly or save them for situations in which a firearm is essential (which in theory should be never but that is up for the player to judge).

Of course, I diverged from this path because my series was supposed to be about this normal Average Joe private eye who suddenly discovers the dark arts. The first spell was found in this mission. Subsequent missions would have contained the other ones. Because at each stage the player would be forced to make a choice between three different types of magic, the player's experience should become relatively unique as every person chooses different spells and uses them in different ways.

So this is why the gun can be used only once on the highest difficulty and why the lockpicks aren't in the office. I believe the lockpicks could be found in [SPOILER]that little backwater by that factory with the rats (it has a secret underground passage into Monroe's garden).[/SPOILER] I am not sure though.
In any case all frobbable doors should open somehow (that applies to the relatively bug tested version - the beta version I released a year earlier has lots of frobbable doors which lead nowhere).

Anyways, this whole project was very ambitious which was probably not the wisest choice for a first release. I really wanted to make this series though because I think I had a very cool plot and setting. I would like to say that I can make this a reality someday but it doesn't seem likely. Oh well, maybe I will write it as a book someday :p

There is a secret on the top floor of the office building you start in but it is freakishly hard to get to (and this only works on the lowest difficulty IIRC - I probably should've changed this). [SPOILER]If you follow Miss Parker through the city (she walks for ages) she eventually ends up in Tyldie's Basement Bar. She goes to the bathroom and teleports away. On lowest (or highest?) difficulty she leaves behind a severed monster head which can be used as the key to the top floor apartment. Of course, it is easier to just go in there via DromEd especially because this whole process only works well in theory - normally Parker gets disturbed by someone following her and the whole thing breaks down.
In there you will find Lord British from Ultima fiction as a zombie and all the different spells.
[/SPOILER]

downwinder on 4/2/2013 at 21:08

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how do i kill final guy with only one bullet and only spell that seems to do anything is green one=frogs


playing on expert


also i am not able to steal crown off his head when he is not noticing?

i dont seem to have a sword or blackjack either and no arrows