Will you buy Thiaf if there is no Garrett?

pwyll on 25/5/2009 at 21:01

I also think that Thief DS is more immersive than Thief 2. When I played it I even dreamed it several times and caught myself unwittingly avoiding the light parts of the streets in the real life. :) Better graphics and dynamic shadows do the trick. ;)

Queue on 25/5/2009 at 22:22

I absolutely loved DS, but I did play it first and had nothing to compare it to. So, I wonder if I still would have liked it as much if I had of played 1&2 beforehand. Hard to say.

Petike the Taffer on 26/5/2009 at 00:18

Well, I'd like to at least have a hint of Garrett, if nothing else.

Keeping him in the role of the ageing protagonist, with the girl acting as a supporting character, would probably be the best. The girl could become a very gripping, relatable and deep character, but she needs very good characterization. The same goes for her relationship with her would-be stepfather. It must not be idillic and should only gradually evolve during the course of the game into something more open, filled with growing respect and trust between the two. Garrett certainly experienced something similar while growing up in Artemus' custody.

jay pettitt on 26/5/2009 at 12:44

I guess the thing, for me at least, is that by the end of T3 Garrett was no longer a thief. I've no interest in playing a thief game where Garrett the Super Keeper goes on missions to right wrongs and save the city from new, ever more villainous threats. That's not Thief either and I'd rather risk a new protagonist. But I'd rather rather reprise Garrett in the role of the world's greatest thief.

Quote Posted by The Magpie

Thus, I'm a big fan of the reductio ad absurdum debating technique. And of a little bluntness for effect.

It'd help then, if you showed the argument to be inherently absurd. I see no reason to think that the Thief franchise should continue indefinitely, nor can I see a reason why Garrett can't successfully return for further adventures, despite the potential danger of over exploiting a good character.

Garrett is a significant ingredient in Thief's success. Perhaps it wouldn't be impossible, but neither is it obvious that Thief would survive as a successful franchise without him. Good characters are rare commodities in video games ~ I don't think it's at all safe to assume he can be easily replaced.

Quote Posted by Ostriig

I don't really understand the obsession with the former games' protagonist...
...That you'd prefer to see Garret make a return, that it would greatly contribute to your experience, that you'd be very disappointed if he wasn't in, that I can totally get. But as the poll itself stands, some of you are saying that you wouldn't buy Thief 4, even if it hypothetically played just like your favourite Thief game (mechanics, goals, level structuring, etc.), simply because there's no Garret. It seems... extreme.

It does, but unfortunately that is what the poll asks. The poll is, well I'm not sure, I don't know whether the intention was to try and influence Eidos with the threat of a boycott or a genuine enquiry tarnished with a bit of over enthusiasm. Still, I don't think it's entirely out of order for people to suggest that they probably wouldn't expect to be interested in the game without Garrett.

chagnampra on 26/5/2009 at 20:12

Of course!

First of all, I'd be too curious NOT to.
Second, there is nothing out there as good as doing what Thief games do.
Third, Garrett's character needs to reflect some degree of growth or development. If it doesn't with each subsequent game, he's in danger of becoming stale.
Fourth (perhaps controversially), as cool as Garrett is, I don't think the Thief world inevitably dies without him.

Having said all of that, Stephen Russell's voice is so cool!
For the sake of the feelings I had when I first played TDP, I'd prefer not to kill him off - I wouldn't like to cut too many links with the original games.

I'd still buy the game though, whatever...

:thumb:

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6ueVMwkNFY) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6ueVMwkNFY

Yandros on 26/5/2009 at 20:34

Just something to consider...

Even if the main character of ThiAf is not Garrett, he might still be voiced by Stephen Russell. Remember, he also did Karras, and Benny, and one of the Hammerites... so his talent is as diverse as it is immense.

Reliance on 27/5/2009 at 01:42

Quote Posted by Kin

You must vote "no" if you want him back.:cheeky:

I just want a working engine that is easy to work with. The modding fanatics can recreate Garrett the way the community sees him.

Dia on 27/5/2009 at 01:57

For some odd reason, chagnampra's post reminded me of the end of TDS. I recall that at the end of TDS Garrett sounded more weary and worn than usual; considering what he'd been through in the last 10 years it was to be expected (imho). ;) But I can't help seeing that little sly smile of his at the very end of TDS ......... I found it intriguing to say the least. Growth? As I said, his character has been through hell and back in the last ten years (Constantine, Karras, Gamall), and at the end of TDS I had the feeling his character had matured considerably. I also had the feeling that we hadn't seen the last of Garrett the Master Thief. It was that damned sly smile!!! :cheeky:

Sorry; just a bit OT, but I somehow find it hard to imagine EM creating another Thief game without Garrett as the Master Thief.

OhGod; I'm in denial again, aren't I.......:sweat:

Platinumoxicity on 27/5/2009 at 08:42

It goes like this:
If EM is unable to get Stephen Russell, there's no reason to have Garrett.
If EM is able to get Stephen Russell, there's no reason to have the girl.

Dia on 27/5/2009 at 12:22

Agreed Platinum.

Here are a couple of quotes from the interview with Stéphane D'Astous that I found hopeful:

Quote:

Onto the most important question of the day, then. Is Garrett going to make an appearance?

(Laughs) Good try, Tim! Again, story, setting, characters, features - I have to be as cold as possible to all of those nice, juicy questions, and I can't answer them.

Alright, then. Are you thinking of getting all the original voice actors back?

Something that is extremely clear in the forums and in the comments from the fans is to re-use the voice of Garrett, and this is obviously something that we'll consider very seriously.

Another quote that both bothered/worried me and sparked a little hope at the same time:

Quote:

Speaking of the team that you've got, do you have any of the old Looking Glass Studios staff on board?

Well, no, but we've done our homework. (that's reassuring) We went through this a couple of years ago when we launched the Deus Ex 3 project, so we're pretty much in constant contact with a couple of people. These people are mainly based in Texas and they have their own lives and their own projects, and for now we've built our team with veterans that have worked on numerous triple-A titles. We have people that have worked on the Rainbow Six series, on Prince of Persia, on the Splinter Cell games (cause for concern or worry???) – the list is very long and we'll soon release the pedigree of the team, and you'll notice that these guys have a lot of credentials. In terms of Looking Glass and Ion Storm, we're trying to be as close as possible to some of the original developers, but nothing's confirmed. (another reassuring statement; for me at least)

This is one of those times when I wish I could fast-forward to a year from now just to see what EM was doing with T4. I've got a feeling my emotions/hopes regarding T4 will be going up and down like a cow havin' a calf for the next year or so. :weird: