Serious Garrett storylines. - by 5tephe
5tephe on 27/5/2009 at 12:11
Alright, so we are all wondering, "Will Garret be the main character?"
So let's consider it seriously:
What storyline could EIDOS Montreal possibly offer up, with Garret as the main character?
I think it's agreed that when T3 (which I will admit to never having played) came out, the developers were pretty sure they were sealing off a storyline. Garret seems to have become some sort of 'Uber-Keeper' by the end, and there appears to have been a 'Girl-possible-apprentice' involved there to.
It's a common thing: Book/Movie/Title #3, is, in traditional Western storytelling, a good place to finish.
So: Have they painted themselves into a corner? Or rather - has EIDOS Montreal been painted into a corner, where they can no longer use Garret as a main character, realistically?
So let's hear some left of field thinking here, folks: What COULD the EM people offer us, that keeps Garret, but doesn't feel like an unrealistic and tired re-hashing of old tropes?
5tephe on 27/5/2009 at 12:25
Forgive me for starting off my own thread - I'm trying to keep my personal thoughts just that, and let everyone have their own say.
For my money - Garret CAN be re-used. But something else is going to have to change.
Perhaps the time - do we get a Star Wars like prequel series?
Perhaps the setting - Garret outside of The City?
I don't mind either idea: I can easily see the world expanding to show us the other realm that The City seems to have occasional border skirmishes with. And I liked what T2X introduced, with the Far Off Merchant city, and Zaya coming from another culture.
And hell - when Garret first ran away from the Keepers, he CAN'T have been bad-ass enough to be able to avoid detection. And he wouldn't think he was! Perhaps he travelled the world, as a journeyman thief, learning to adapt his training to the lowly pursuit of Thievery?
I can see a young Garrett, in some far off wind and sand swept metropolis, all built of ornate onion domes and cupolas, with wide verandahs that shelter deep shadows, where roses clime up to Courtesan's windows as easily as he does....
He would get into a lot of trouble, and much of it would be of his own making. But still, what better way to become the jaded and world wise man that we know?
And I can imagine him in the midst of some internecine tribal conflict, shaking his head and muttering to himself "Why do I always end up being the guy who has to save the day? I swear, Garret: never again, O.K? Leave the heroics to someone else!" before wading in to rescue the maiden.
His adventures there would form part of his psyche, and lead him to be the man we love, who DOESN'T try to stop the Trickster himself, but tries to hand that job off to the Hammers.
Well, that's my offering.
What can you come up with that could realistically give Garret another run?
Fenris on 27/5/2009 at 12:28
That's a good question. I don't have any ideas right at the moment, but I don't think that TDS necessarily has to be the end. I admit, it could be difficult to think of some grand 'help there's a god/monster/baddie who wants to destroy the City, and you're our only hope!!' plot without getting the feeling that you're just rehashing the previous games.
But does it really have to be such a grand plot? I for one wouldn't mind to see a more down to earth plot. They can be very intricate and satisfying without involving the next big monster.
FriendlyStranger on 27/5/2009 at 12:38
Well some of us already had a little talk about possible storylines - I personally don't see it the "TDS HAS to be the end" way. I mean Garrett isn't dead, story can continue.
I personally would like to see the Builder appear this time, alongside with the hammerites. Maybe this time the start the hunt for heretics and criminals big time - a broad offensive in the poorer districts, Garrett has to flee...
Nontheless I like the idea of an "Inquel" set either between T1/2 or T2/3. We could experience the rise and secession of the mechanists from the hammerite order or something completely different.
Platinumoxicity on 27/5/2009 at 12:48
I think that now that there are no more prophecies and the future is not pre-written, Garrett really takes the role of the "true keeper" as he is for the first time able to influence the future. He doesn't know how and to what end, but there could be a good and a bad end in contrast to the good endings that the other games had written in advance in the prophecies. This time the keepers wouldn't have any insights about the impending disasters. Garrett would have to figure them out himself in the course of his normal robberies, getting clues from the former keepers, hammerites, pagan agents- both human and beasts, corrupt police, politicians, criminal organisations and secret cults.
Oh, and I forgot to mention the little girl. That was intentional.
And then...
Quote Posted by FriendlyStranger
I personally would like to see the Builder appear this time, alongside with the hammerites. Maybe this time the start the hunt for heretics and criminals big time - a broad offensive in the poorer districts, Garrett has to flee...
The Builder and Trickster are satirical representations of modern- and ancient religions. The Builder is basically Allah, a fictional deity, with his fundamentalist followers, but who's existence is widely believed false and ridiculous by the masses. The Trickster (Constantine) was basically an Egyptian pharaoh, a mortal being whose followers were made to believe that he was a god.
Tail on 27/5/2009 at 13:53
There's nothing to suggest events will suddenly stop happening in The City, only that The Keepers can no longer foresee them. And with Garrett seemingly accepting his role, he won't need to be compelled by The Keepers to get involved (although, it's somewhat of a departure from the Garrett we love).
In Deadly Shadows, we see the Pagans training for war and they've taken over parts of The City. Perhaps somebody is instigating an invasion, a coup by some of the nobles, perhaps. Garrett hasn't dealt directly with The Baron before and he's somewhat of a mystery. Some political intrigue and trickery could be an interesting direction to go.
There are things about The Keepers too. They've lost the glyphs, but the people themselves haven't vanished. Maybe they have an interest in the girl too (was it really a girl?) as they did with Garrett. They still have exceptional skills and talents, where would they go, what would they do... I'd have to put more thought into that one.
FriendlyStranger on 27/5/2009 at 13:55
It's nowhere said in the games, that the Builder is only fictional. Just because some do not believe, it has not to mean he could not be real - how many people are atheists in our world? That's not a clue about wheter god exists or not. Last judgement could be tomorrow, regardless if you belief it or not - who knows.
And regardless of that I just said I would like him to appear.
BTW where do you get these "information" about the Builder standing for Allah. I think that's a piece of vast and bizarre speculation and not really part of Thief.
Platinumoxicity on 27/5/2009 at 14:04
Quote Posted by FriendlyStranger
It's nowhere said in the games, that the Builder is only fictional. Just because some do not believe, it has not to mean he could not be real - how many people are atheists in our world? That's not a clue about wheter god exists or not. Last judgement could be tomorrow, regardless if you belief it or not - who knows.
And regardless of that I just said I would like him to appear.
BTW where do you get these "information" about the Builder standing for Allah. I think that's a piece of vast and bizarre speculation and not really part of Thief.
It seems that way since most people in the City seem to call the Hammerites "crazy fanatics". Since I haven't heard of any "normal" religion that the commoners practice, it would seem that they don't.
I don't know. Maybe I have a biased opinion since I live in a country (Or a group of countries, Scandinavia) where 85% are atheists.
Then again, the appearance of the builder would be an event that would have no bearing to Garrett and it would distract us from the storyline. I don't see how that happening could be a part of the story.
Tail on 27/5/2009 at 14:17
I'd assumed The Builder was commonly worshipped and that was generally the religion of the masses. Fanatics can co-exist with a more casual belief, afterall. It would have also helped the mechanists rise with the general belief in The Builder among the nobles.
Speculation, of course.
Platinumoxicity on 27/5/2009 at 14:22
Quote Posted by Tail
I'd assumed The Builder was commonly worshipped and that was generally the religion of the masses. Fanatics can co-exist with a more casual belief, afterall. It would have also helped the mechanists rise with the general belief in The Builder among the nobles.
Speculation, of course.
Good point. :thumb:
