Thief, the dark project
Thief, the dark project
The player takes the role of Garrett, a master thief plying his trade in a medieval style metropolis known only as The City. Garrett possesses great thieving and stealth skills, including an almost preternatural ability to hide in shadows. These skills come partly from his growing up as a street urchin and from his later education with the secret society known as The Keepers. The game follows Garrett as he clashes with the powerful and embarks on a journey into The City's strange history, stirring up more than he bargained for.
Using Looking Glass' proprietary Dark engine, Thief was radically different from other first person perspective games in its design. The gameplay centres on the need to remain undetected by enemies as much as possible and the avoidance of open combat. The game achieved this through the use of highly detailed lighting, sound and AI systems that were exceptional in their day. Enemies and NPCs are able to see and hear the player and exhibit a wide variety of reactions and behaviours when they detect anything unusual; from seeking out the sound to attacking or running for help. To avoid detection the player must stay out of sight by sticking to the shadows or creating darkness by putting out lights. Players must also avoid making too much noise by moving carefully and keeping in mind what sort of surface they are walking on. Other notable features include large, complex levels with many interactive objects and a detailed physics simulation. Garrett is also very maneuverable (another unusual feature for its time); in addition to the usual running and jumping he is able to lean around corners, climb ropes and mantle over and on top of most surfaces within reach.
