angry cyclist on 19/1/2009 at 10:47

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Funsters,

We are meant to play thief with a conscience, and it is commonly held that the pinnacle of achievement in the game is to rob like Gandhi, if it is possible for some one like Gandhi to become a thief, and yet still respect non-violent opposition. To contradict these tendencies, I advance that Garrett as a character, is a ruthless mercenary -an O.G - at least for the first two parts of the trilogy. While his motivations may be more complex in the third, I feel it is noteworthy that he now occupies a city with influences drawn from the urban environments of the Grand Theft Auto games, with the temptation of petty street crime. I point to that, and i raise an eyebrow.

If you still want to argue, i urge you to give in to honesty, you stubborn fool, and admit that sometimes it is irresistibly fun to carve up all of the opposition with a sword, and who could refuse the sublime tonic of seeing guards running to a corner to cower in awe of you?

To the purpose of promoting such pleasures, and making them accessible to everyone, I'd like to share some of my close quarters combat techniques, and invite you to do likewise. I prefer to talk about sword fighting without aids such as flash-bombs, as this pits the combatants in swift and close collision, where (wo)man measures (wo)man. You can talk about anything you like.

I have three techniques that i (continue to) live by, and unfortunately, have had to test in the real world:

1. When confronting two assailants, fight them one at a time. Do this by moving yourself such that one opponent will be positioned behind the other, so that you will have the 1st opponent separating you from the 2nd opponent, in a line, like this: :D :mad: :mad: . Practice is needed to be sufficiently flight of foot, and to have the requisite agility of mind.

2. When flanked by two assailants, like so: :mad: :( :mad:, you have already screwed up, you fool. You are taking hits, and your chances of surviving this fight are slim to none. But you must survive (especially when this applies away from a computer game). The instinct of many is to deal a little damage to one opponent, and then a little to the other, and then turn back. This will get you killed. Your only option is to knock out one opponent with a flurry of blows, with whatever techniques are familiar or available to you. If you fail to knock them out, you must force them to retreat and give enough room to resume the movement described in 1.

3. Don't fight three or more opponents head on.

So what are some of your ace techniques? Your finest moments?


*I like to disclaim my responsibility for any damage (virtual or real) that you may incur in following the above advice, and don't get into real fights.

gunsmoke on 19/1/2009 at 14:35

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:eek: Jesus, NICE! :thumb:



Classic! I love it, lol.

Yandros on 19/1/2009 at 15:47

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Heh heh... And might I also suggest (http://www.thief-thecircle.com/download.asp?fid=1266) while we're shamelessly plugging our own missions?

Of course, all of this is unnecessary when playing kill-'em-all mode, if you're good enough to always get a backstab. :ebil:
But anyway, you failed to mention the classic sword-fighting technique known as the circle-strafe.

angry cyclist on 19/1/2009 at 20:01

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Yandros, Slyfoxx, your ultaviolent missions are totally awesome :thumb:. But I was speaking of my stoic tendency in OM'S to face opponents with nothing more than a sword and Garrett's sluggish-at-best footwork, and what improvisational weapons that can be picked up and thrown. In that context, three's quite a handful, though not insurmountable :cool:. In real life however, three opponents will be the end of you.




I don't think computer games can be read the same way that books or movies are. I like to think that the meaning ultimately comes out of the freedom that we could have in games, and to me, the richer the tapestry of choices and emotions, the better. I don't deny however, that the plot and the cutscenes do guide our interpretation of games.

Further, i don't think hitting the quickload button whenever shit and fan meet is a realistic way for Garrett's character to deal with the collision between his occupation and with his moral principles. It would add to the story telling if we played ironman, and let him feel power and then let him realise that it was all about hubris and cruelty, and so let him learn about remorse and compassion. Or whatever, because Garrett is ultimately the sum of your choices, and the interpretation of those. I think there can be many stories of thief.

PS. My favourite moment in the whole trilogy is when you were forced to rob widow moira into destitution. God I felt awful.

marshall banana on 19/1/2009 at 21:36

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I recall reading somewhere that when you swing your sword, turning Garrett in the same direction will yeild a more potent attack.