bedwine on 13/12/2008 at 02:51
I can put up with ghosting if it is done correctly. What appear to be dark areas in this mission don't hide Garrett. What turns me off in Ghosting is seeing a way to ghost only to find out you can't go that way because of poorly made shadow areas. The TAC missions have an overabundance of ghosting missions for some reason. The majority of them are well made but not fun.
Ottoj55 on 13/12/2008 at 16:14
i also disliked the ghosting, and find metahumor and self reference a bit of an immersion breaker, but the design was overall clean and well built, everything worked. on a design note, the basement wasted a huge amount of space, it could have been a labyrinth of rooms instead of a giant space, and there were no proper shadows (i suspect the lights all had radius 0 which is infinite, and were set to be fairly bright)
Lady Rowena on 13/12/2008 at 20:33
I suspect that the author made it on purpose. The way it's meant to go is a final crazy rush to safety. (in my opinion, of course) That's why the obligation to ghost is no more valid. At least, I played it that way.
Too bad that on the first part I was so apprehensive that I didn't dare to entirely explore the house, so I didn't even know of the existance of the basement.....:sweat: :laff:
Eigenface on 14/12/2008 at 00:18
That was brilliant. I think most of the things you guys see as faults were done that way on purpose for the sake of irony, and any of them that weren't can be easily overlooked for the sheer novelty value of this mission. I started laughing almost as soon as I entered the building. Such a simple heist (just a couple of maids!), such a typical thief setting, such calm, classical music. And despite all this, the first part of the mission was surprisingly difficult and made me nervous for exactly the reasons that make most thief missions so easy: the whole building was well-lit (instead of convenient pockets of shadow everywhere), the AIs simply walked around and looked in the places you needed to be (instead of patrolling right past you as you stand in a corner), and you actually needed to avoid being seen by them (as opposed to easily flashbombing, blackjacking, or killing them if you're spotted, with no real consequence.) Oh, how simple it is to subvert the things with which we long-time thief-players have become complacent, all the little unrealistic details we overlook so that sneaking around unseen in someone else's house seems like no big deal. Most of the time, I'm not into self-aware meta-humor either, but once in a while it's funny - I've played so many 'straight' thief missions, an occasional slap in the face is refreshing.
The second part of the mission was great too. The ridiculous J-pop and the quick flash of a dead body on the floor at the beginning let you know something is 'not quite right', something above and beyond all the other, obviously not right things you run into later. This makes the frantic chase through the maze-ified house all the more surreal and freaky. I admire the FM author's ability to invoke a sense of 'this isn't really happening!', but inside the game. This is a different feeling of 'this isn't really happening!', different than your preexisting knowledge that this isn't really happening because it's a game, a suspension of disbelief inside your suspension of disbelief. The final revelation that it's all going on in Garrett's dead head mirrors the fact that Garrett's entire life is all going on in your own head (and computer). The voice at the end chastising Garrett for indulging in another escape fantasy mirrored the nagging voice in my own head, reminding me I'm indulging in another escape fantasy into Garrett's world even as I try to immerse myself in it. Yes, this author broke the fourth wall, but he/she did it with style.
taffedinthehead on 15/12/2008 at 03:45
Definitely wins the award for best WTF moment in an FM this year!
As a stand-alone mission, of course it's pretty weak. But as a bit of fun rolled into a 13-part contest, I thought it was a nice change of pace. The music was a fantastic selection for the kind of crazy-mad dash you had to make to get out. For all the mood and creepiness of some other really great FMs, this one REALLY had my heart racing, as if I'd been CAUGHT after being so carefull to get upstairs undetected! Making my way to the door and seeing that haunt in front of it freaked me out as well!
People who expect their free games to be consistently above average will not like this level. People who can take a joke will love it! I love it!
Mirko on 15/12/2008 at 11:43
Me too! :thumb:
Vasmarok on 16/12/2008 at 02:17
Well, I played the TAC misssions in alphabetical order, so this was the last one. What a refreshment! Before I started I made a web search to see what the title means. Apparently it's some kind of reference to a manga title, so I was laughing when the music changed. It was very clever that the mission (it's atmosphere) was divided into two (contrasting) styles. One with a soothing casual thiefing style and the other one is a mad dash (I guess a reference to the manga style?) to the exit. The mission is clearly outside the mainstream Thief Universe, but as for artistic implementation (and I don't mean pretty texturing) it is quite good. Pity, that there is no voting category for that.
clearing on 16/12/2008 at 04:00
Nice level. I liked the end of mission :D
Queue on 17/12/2008 at 23:23
This one was...AWESOME!! I loved the real twist at the very end (a perfect example of exactly how a twist should be done). Well done author, whomever you are. :thumb:
fetgalningen on 18/12/2008 at 01:08
Great mission in most aspects, great choice of music!
