Lovecraftian on 8/9/2007 at 03:16
Icompleted the Cradle the first time the other day and i've been thinking this over.
The Cradle burnt down some 20-30 years before Deadly Shadows, given Drept's age. However one of the patients has a Mechanist Viktrola/Gramophone, and Metal age couldn't have ended that long before the start of Deadly Shadows.
Is this just a continuity error or what?
P.S. Also like the Gramophones in the museum with the nods to Metsl Age. Especially the one with Karras shouting 'REVENGE!' over screams. I was half expecting a MechaKarras to appear and team up with Gamall.
jtr7 on 8/9/2007 at 03:47
It's considered to be a continuity error, yes.:erg:
Beleg Cúthalion on 8/9/2007 at 08:18
Is it only me who has never heared that the Mechanists invented those things...? By the way, I think that viktrolas are a little out of place despite art deco and Mechanists and either that they're more some symbolic detail in The Cradle, but where's the evil canon?
jtr7 on 8/9/2007 at 09:00
Since the Cradle's crafted from as many classic horror elements that Jordan Thomas could fit in, the warped playback of a recording fits the genre, but not the Thief timeline, in my opinion.
All the Thief games have elements that stand out more than others for the wrong reasons, but it's different for everybody, as you know.
------------------------------
IMHO....
Reasons I give the Mechanists credit for Viktrolas, even though it wasn't expressly stated so:
No Viktrolas in TDP/Gold or a wax cylinder or a "speaker" of any kind.
There's that wax cylinder device in T.M. Blackheart's studio. The studio itself is far advanced. Cyd Capezza installed the gear lock. There's no telling how much of T.M.'s stuff came from the Mechanists. Could be a stretch on my part. Really though, aren't we being led to think throughout the game that the Mechanists are creating all this stuff?
In Eavesdropping, Karras speaks to his "friends", possibly including Brother Feagan, after Truart has left. We have no idea how many "friends" he's supposed to be addressing, BUT...Karras seems to expect them to be amazed by, or at least, unfamiliar with the "recording device" (called a "Viktrola" only in DromEd, until TDS came along). Karras isn't the type to speak to people as though they are ignorant of what they actually know about.
It's unknown what supposed device plays the voices of the Builder's Children, but it sounds just like all the wax cylinder devices. The Mechanists are certainly making extensive use of the technology, no matter who supposedly invented it.
In TDS, the Widow Moira says the device is of Mechanist make. Maybe it's an assumption on her part. She finds the idea distasteful, at any rate. Again, aren't we being led to think all Viktrola's are made by Mechanists? I have no reason to believe we've been given purposeful misinformation on this particular element of the Thief Universe.
Beleg Cúthalion on 8/9/2007 at 14:23
Which means in short form: You're not sure at all and it's not necessarily a continuity error. :D
Garriath on 8/9/2007 at 14:43
I could have sworn there was some note in the Cradle mentioning the "mechanist viktrola." That said, it's been I while since I've been back there.
Beleg Cúthalion on 8/9/2007 at 20:01
That's the only thing I've found...for the cradle.
Quote Posted by HHpatientlist.sch
Permission has been granted for her to give dance recitals in the Lobotomy Theater with her viktrola.
Lobotomy Theatre is great...although american.
jtr7 on 8/9/2007 at 20:16
Haha! I knew you were gonna be a smartass about it, Beleg. Your logical approach will disassemble and/or destroy most elements of the game. It takes no imagination or effort to do that. I'd rather play along with the story. What is your cause?
HHdancerfile:
"Case No. 8: V. Elliot
Patient History Entry One: Admitted into hospital by her late husband's family. Apparently they wanted to avoid the scandal of a murder trial, especially since subject is completely unfit for public appearances of any kind. Recommend no glass or mirrors in her cell. - Doctor Sandbridge.
Entry Two: Have decided to allow the monthly dance recitals subject performs for the children in the Lobotomy Theater. She uses that old Mechanist viktrola of hers. However, these recitals should be supervised. DS
Entry Three: Almost lost our Dancer today when she was left alone in the treatment room during one of Doctor Hanscomb's experiments. We should be more careful, especially when the subject is from a wealthy family. DS"
Moira:
SEAviktrolanote:
"Ginny- If something happens to me, if I'm lost at sea or am unable to return for some reason, then make sure Edwina listens to the message I recorded onto that old Mechanist viktrola I put in the master bedroom. It's a sort of talking machine, and all she needs to do is turn it on, and she'll hear my voice - and my farewell to her.
Yours, Capt. Moira
PS: Make sure no one else is in the room listening when she plays it. The farewell is just for her."
WidowViktrola_001000
m05v02a:
"Bryant tells me you've left a message for me on the viktrola. Really, Robert, can't you just tell me yourself? That silly viktrola annoys me--why must we have that ugly Mechanist thing crouching in our bedroom? If your message is really so important then, then you'll tell me yourself at dinner. Yes, dinner, I'll have cook prepare all your favorites."
nicked on 8/9/2007 at 21:06
when did the cradle burn down? I didn't think there was a date on that? I know Drept was there 50-odd years ago when he was a kid, but it could have burned down much more recently?
jtr7 on 8/9/2007 at 22:08
This shows it's been a while, much longer than the time that's supposed to have passed between TMA and TDS:
OQcradle:
"To: Lord Percival Pitwick, landowner
From: C. Brackit and Sons, odd jobs Dear Sir- About your request to enter into a contract to tear down the old Shalebridge Cradle building in Old Quarter - I must respectfully decline, as that building is cursed and worse than haunted, and I wouldn’t step foot near it, and I wouldn’t never send my sons there neither. Don’t you remember that awful fire there way back when? I say it was a demon fire, and so say the few survivors.
Plus, there was poor Wallace Crumb, who I’m sure never made the acquaintance of a fine Lord like yourself, but who was a decent chap. He made a bet to spend a night in that place. Well, that was nine years ago, and I ain’t seen him since. Awful sorry we can’t be of help. But if you got any odd jobs round your house, you can count on Brackit and Sons."
