the time Thief takes place...

intruder on 25/6/2008 at 20:19

I was wondering quite a long time if anything is know about the time in Thief, the year in which Garrett lives.

Yesterday I started to play through Thief 1 again and right at the beginning at Bafford's I found his journal with some sort of timestamps in it I think.

It is the "M2LEDGE.str" file, it says something like this (german version):

Quote:

24.3.34

2,342 Einnahmen Arena: Sunnyfair
734 Zinseinnahmen: Sunnyfair
(461) Ramirez: Sunnyfair
(153) Einkaufstag der M„dchen: Sunnyfair
1,491 Einnahmen Arena und Provision: Dreckboun
320 Zinseinnahmen: Dreckboun
(272) Ramirez: Dreckboun
2,785 Einnahmen Arena, Spirituosen netto: Fendon
1,852 Zinseinnahmen: Fendon
(696) Ramirez: Fendon
7,942

As far as I can remember this was the only time a specific date was given in Thief or am I wrong? So if "24.3.34" is a date, what could it be?
In germany it would be 24th march in the year 34 but if it is written down in american style it would imply that there are 24 months in a year in the Thief world. Are there other sources for a specific "time" in Thief?

Sxerks on 25/6/2008 at 22:23

Quote:

3/24/34
2,342 Cash pits: Sunnyfair
734 Interest payments: Sunnyfair
(461) Ramirez: Sunnyfair
(153) Girls' shopping trip: Sunnyfair
1,491 Cash pits and dealer take: Dreckboun
320 Interest payments: Dreckboun
(272) Ramirez: Dreckboun
2,785 Cash pits, liquor net: Fendon
1,852 Interest payments: Fendon
(696) Ramirez: Fendon
7,942 "
4/3/34
2,490 Cash pits: Sunnyfair
801 Interest payments: Sunnyfair
(494) Ramirez: Sunnyfair
982 Cash pits and dealer take: Dreckboun
245 Interest payments: Dreckboun
(184) Ramirez: Dreckboun
(150) Ramirez: debtor assist
2,632 Cash pits, liquor net: Fendon
1,532 Interest payments: Fendon
(625) Ramirez: Fendon
7,230 "
4/10/34
2,254 Cash pits: Sunnyfair
743 Interest payments: Sunnyfair
(450) Ramirez: Sunnyfair
(200) Token: Sunnyfair guard
754 Cash pits and dealer take: Dreckboun
180 Interest payments: Dreckboun
(140) Ramirez: Dreckboun
(150) Token: Dreckboun guard
2,368 Cash pits, liquor net: Fendon
1,158 Interest payments: Fendon
(529) Ramirez: Fendon
(200) Token: Fendon guard
5,788

What the hell is going on with Dreckboun? Even if Ginny's
grafting, he damn well ought to be more subtle than this!
If it's not turned around in another week, toss it up to
Ramirez as breach.

The english version, month/day/year. The year could also be 1034.
There is also that "orloj" clock used in T2, a single moon and seasons, and a basis of Dark Camelot that really make Thief an alternate Universe Earth.

SubJeff on 26/6/2008 at 00:13

English dates are day month year. Putting month first is the stupid US version. Seems that the Germans have it right.

Looks like it's some year ending in 34. Interesting, but still gives us no real clues. They could indeed have 24 months. More even. If other years are mentioned in other games we could construct a timeline though.

The Magpie on 26/6/2008 at 01:21

Something I don't think was mentioned the last times this was discussed:

There is no doubt that here the middle number is the day of the month if the ledge is updated weekly. But do you see that, given that the update happens on the same weekday, the third month (which might or might not be called March) has only 28 days?

Also, given that the sums of money represent the gold coin currency, what does it tell us about the economy of The City? What about buying power and living expenses? I mean, the wildly varying equipment prices between all Thief versions are hard to consolidate, but at least the loot keeps a somewhat steady value. Doesn't it?

--
Larris

Sxerks on 26/6/2008 at 02:45

M15accpay - Thieves' Guild

The 4/33 might be a typo meant to be 4/34.

So it does set up a time scale between those 2 missions.

Quote:

3/34

100 Bribe to Servant Gilpen

1,000 Gerwitz contract

124 Tools

500 Bonus Downwinder Verrilli

864 Lord Brosius job

1,500 Monthly payment to Sheriff

320 Supplies

172 Rat poison

2,185 Bar tab for guild party

600 Steinkrauss Contract

400 Bonus for Downwinder Rafael to offer Hammerites a bribe

84 Rafael's funeral

4/33

768 Entertainment Exp.

236 Info from Viktoria

494 Cleaning

982 Air Freshener

245 Surveillance

385 Bribe to Deputy Meffan

100 Info from Court Jester Teichholtz

150 Bribe to Capt. Pearsall

362 Lady Caughlin job

1,300 Kickback for Constable Mahk

625 Deliveries from Lesser Hrabota

320 Downwinder Solus contract

5/34

137 Lady Lamer job

123 Duke Leonard job

100 Bribe to Lord Church

300 Kickback to Magistrate Gilby

89 Lord Meuse job

112 Surveillance

167 Lord Randall job

Auecs on 26/6/2008 at 07:23

Quote Posted by intruder

I was wondering quite a long time if anything is know about the time in Thief, the year in which Garrett lives.

At about 4:38 p.m. last Thursday....

paldepind on 26/6/2008 at 14:13

Quote Posted by intruder

I was wondering quite a long time if anything is know about the time in Thief, the year in which Garrett lives.

Is you want I can give him a call an ask?

intruder on 26/6/2008 at 15:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by paldepind
Is you want I can give him a call an ask?

:weird: :confused:

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Magpie
Something I don't think was mentioned the last times this was discussed [...]

Ah sorry, I used the search function and was looking for threads with the keywords "time" and "date" in their title but now it seems I that missed them.

Could you post the thread titles or links to them, please?

The Magpie on 26/6/2008 at 15:38

Quote Posted by intruder

Sure. Don't worry. It's a long time ago, and I was only able to find one thread, myself, from this incarnation of the TTLG forum... but since the thread died and was resurrected, it contains two of the times the topic was discussed.

It's probably not all that helpful to you, though:

(http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13663) ThiefGen > What year and what countrie?

Heh. Found that there was a (http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=203271#post203271) post of my own in there, too.

--
L.

intruder on 26/6/2008 at 15:59

Thanks a lot Magpie! So it remains a mystery where and when Garrett is sneaking around...

It doesn't fit to 100% into this thread but what is the real name of "The City"?