Blastfrog on 23/3/2014 at 05:38
I'll preface this by saying that I like Thief 1 more than 2, for atmospheric and thematic reasons, even if 1 had more linear level design and was generally less polished. I also actually liked the monsters, as well as levels like Bonehoard. I liked the gameplay they offered, it gave quite a variety. TMA feels empty to me, I feel that the more occult elements were a big part of the atmosphere and theme. And while it refined the "normal" part of the gameplay, I felt there was too little variety outside of that.
Now, 2 was inevitably going to focus more on the steampunk elements, given that they planned everything out from the beginning, and that even if they wanted to go a different direction, the ending of TDP traps them. And yes, the occult stuff disappearing ties in thematically with machine taking over, but if fans hadn't complained of it in TDP, or if LGS didn't hear those complaints, what could TMA have been like? Would we see more missions like Bonehoard, still fight burricks and zombies, or would this have been axed regardless?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't unpatched T2 have the occasional zombie?
Corsair on 23/3/2014 at 07:44
Trace the Courier cemetery had a few zombies and Life of the Party had two that would spawn after reading a book in a tower. I think that's it. I can't remember if the dead body on the ship in Shipping... and Receiving was a zombie or not.
And to answer the thread title's question, I think we would've gotten Thief Gold 2.0. Thankfully that isn't the case.
Cigam on 24/3/2014 at 12:50
There are several zombies and haunts in patched T2, although always in avoidable locations. Although there was no zombie on Shipping and Receiving's boat.
Not sure if there would be in the unpatched version but I doubt it, as surely it would have said in the patch notes. The patch notes did, for instance, specify that some spiders had been replaced with rats, in Framed, IIRC.
Can't really think of how they could have incorporated a dedicated monster level in T2. Unless if it was just a standalone quest near the start of the game, before the main story got underway. They could of course have left some burricks and elementals in the Lost City.
ClashWho on 24/3/2014 at 13:40
Quote Posted by Cigam
They could of course have left some burricks and elementals in the Lost City.
Weren't the flame elementals still present in the Lost City in Thief II? Or was that just Dark Project?
Jah on 24/3/2014 at 13:44
TDP/TG only. No fire elementals in T2.
ClashWho on 24/3/2014 at 13:49
Huh. Anyway, I agree with the OP. I prefer Dark Project to Metal Age, although it's by the narrowest of margins since they're my top two most favorite games of all time. I love the fantastical elements of Dark Project, from the zombies to the haunts to the bugbeasts.
Mr.Math on 25/3/2014 at 20:45
I remember there were zombies/haunts/ghosts/monsters in most missions in TMA, but mostly in secrets or avoidable places.
-There were giant spiders in Shipping ... and Receiving
-There were those two dancing zombies in Framed :)
-Haunts in the underground tombs in Eavesdropping, plus those voices in the graveyard were really creepy.
-Blackmail was full of it. But everything in secret places. There was zombie woman in dungeon under the manor. Under the chapel was underground secret with haunt and in the secret passage to the manor was family graveyard, where if you put body of sheriff, his ghost family would appear.
-There were several zombies in the graveyard of Trace the Courier.
-Trail of Blood is actually dedicated monster level of Thief 2, full of ghosts and creepy trickster monsters.
-In Life of the Party is the tower, where you can summon 2 zombies.
-In Precious Cargo is underwater secret with shipwreck and undead pirate lord.
-Casing the Joint has that nice little story in haunted library.
I liked both games equally. Too many monsters and undead in TDP had probably opposite effect, where with TMA, less was probably more. TMA had better ambience, which compensate a bit the horror elements.
Renault on 25/3/2014 at 20:55
There was also a (harmless) haunt in the dungeon area of Shoalsgate Station in Framed.
And the Waking The Dead mission for Thief 2 Gold which would have been focused around the undead and Necromancers.
ClashWho on 26/3/2014 at 11:22
Quote Posted by Mr.Math
-In Precious Cargo is underwater secret with shipwreck and undead pirate lord.
Probably my favorite secret of all the games.
Cigam on 26/3/2014 at 22:35
Quote Posted by Mr.Math
-There were giant spiders in Shipping ... and Receiving
-There were those two dancing zombies in Framed :)
-Blackmail was full of it. But everything in secret places. There was zombie woman in dungeon under the manor. Under the chapel was underground secret with haunt and in the secret passage to the manor was family graveyard, where if you put body of sheriff, his ghost family would appear.
There were apparently spiders in the unpatched version of Framed.
Are you being serious with the others? Dancing zombies? Ghost woman? Ghost family?
