Cradle of fear

[Gez]

Archived from groups: alt.games.thief-dark-project (More info?)

Just finished this level. Wow!

No sense of accomplishment, or achievement, I'm just glad to get out of
there!
This is/will be T3 defining level (although there's not much "thievery"
going on).
The devs got the atmosphere spot on. I was a nervous wreck towards the end
of the lockpicking,
low on ammo and fingernails. Yes, it's a bit "knowing" in it's scariness,
and yes, it sometimes
felt like a different game, but I can't believe anyone would just "yawn"
their way through it.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.thief-dark-project (More info?)

some spoiling below

"Gez" <gez.hartland@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:cc8r2g$6t$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> Just finished this level. Wow!
>
> No sense of accomplishment, or achievement, I'm just glad to get out of
> there!
> This is/will be T3 defining level (although there's not much "thievery"
> going on).
> The devs got the atmosphere spot on. I was a nervous wreck towards the end
> of the lockpicking,
> low on ammo and fingernails. Yes, it's a bit "knowing" in it's scariness,
> and yes, it sometimes
> felt like a different game, but I can't believe anyone would just "yawn"
> their way through it.
>
>


The first time through I would have to agree with you. But when I played it
a second time I noticed that the first half of the level is virtually empty
when it comes to things that can see/harm you. The reason it is so scary
(and it was the first time for me ) is that you don't know what is around
the corner that leads to the twenty-third creepy, drippy, dark, shadowy
hallway. But when you realize that it is all noises until you meet the girl
in the attic then you can get quite bored. (this happened when I was trying
to show someone the level. after a minute I was like, "Well it was WAY
scarier before!" while my friend rolled her eyes and sighed)

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.thief-dark-project (More info?)

In message <cc8r2g$6t$1@titan.btinternet.com>, Gez
<gez.hartland@btinternet.com> writes
>Just finished this level. Wow!
>
>No sense of accomplishment, or achievement, I'm just glad to get out of
>there!
>This is/will be T3 defining level (although there's not much "thievery"
>going on).
>The devs got the atmosphere spot on. I was a nervous wreck towards the end
>of the lockpicking,
>low on ammo and fingernails. Yes, it's a bit "knowing" in it's scariness,
>and yes, it sometimes
>felt like a different game, but I can't believe anyone would just "yawn"
>their way through it.

I've always said I play Thief for the immersion, but that one came
closer to drowning.

I was about to leave at the end when it turned out that I had one
objective that I'd missed (up in nursery tower) That just about did it
for me. I *ran* back and blasted two of the 'attendants' that got in my
way. I'd had enough.

It's odd -- the next big mission is the Museum. I though it was going
to be a T3 version of T2's Bank, but despite the scenery the Bank still
wins.
--
Terry Pratchett

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.thief-dark-project (More info?)

"Andrew E. Wiggin" <noone@home.com> wrote in message
news:CV%Fc.17374$ef4.1609@news.easynews.com...
> some spoiling below
>
> "Gez" <gez.hartland@btinternet.com> wrote in message
> news:cc8r2g$6t$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> > Just finished this level. Wow!
> >
> > No sense of accomplishment, or achievement, I'm just glad to get out of
> > there!
> > This is/will be T3 defining level (although there's not much "thievery"
> > going on).
> > The devs got the atmosphere spot on. I was a nervous wreck towards the
end
> > of the lockpicking,
> > low on ammo and fingernails. Yes, it's a bit "knowing" in it's
scariness,
> > and yes, it sometimes
> > felt like a different game, but I can't believe anyone would just "yawn"
> > their way through it.
> >
> >
>
>
> The first time through I would have to agree with you. But when I played
it
> a second time I noticed that the first half of the level is virtually
empty
> when it comes to things that can see/harm you. The reason it is so scary
> (and it was the first time for me ) is that you don't know what is
around
> the corner that leads to the twenty-third creepy, drippy, dark, shadowy
> hallway. But when you realize that it is all noises until you meet the
girl
> in the attic then you can get quite bored. (this happened when I was
trying
> to show someone the level. after a minute I was like, "Well it was WAY
> scarier before!" while my friend rolled her eyes and sighed)
>
>

It is the noises. I've got 5.1 speakers, so normally I can pinpoint where a
sound is coming from pretty accurately. This is the reason the first part
totally freaked me out. There was this loud knocking that seemed to come
from behind me, so I tried to find cover to see/hear where it was coming
from. but I couldn't figure out where it came from! It was everywhere! when
I walked/ran it seemed to come from behind, then when I turned around -
nothing! But wait - behind me again! No matter which way I turned it always
seemed to be behind me. I just ran and found relief in the presence of the
electro-maniacs. At least I could see them! LOL Took me a while to make any
progress though, as I had to get back to the source of the sound that
freaked me out before anything could happen...

I agree though, second time around, knowing what everything is/was and
where.... not at all the same thing. That's what I meant when I said I
envied Terry for being on the verge of experiencing it the first time
It's an experience you never get the same value from again after that first
time!

You should have let your friend play the cradle in a dark room with 5.1
speakers by her/himself first ;-)

 

[Tony]

Archived from groups: alt.games.thief-dark-project (More info?)

On Sun, 4 Jul 2004 23:55:51 +0100, Terry Pratchett
<tpratchett@unseen.demon.co.uk> wrote:

>In message <cc8r2g$6t$1@titan.btinternet.com>, Gez
><gez.hartland@btinternet.com> writes
>>Just finished this level. Wow!
>>
>>No sense of accomplishment, or achievement, I'm just glad to get out of
>>there!
>>This is/will be T3 defining level (although there's not much "thievery"
>>going on).
>>The devs got the atmosphere spot on. I was a nervous wreck towards the end
>>of the lockpicking,
>>low on ammo and fingernails. Yes, it's a bit "knowing" in it's scariness,
>>and yes, it sometimes
>>felt like a different game, but I can't believe anyone would just "yawn"
>>their way through it.
>
>I've always said I play Thief for the immersion, but that one came
>closer to drowning.
>
>I was about to leave at the end when it turned out that I had one
>objective that I'd missed (up in nursery tower) That just about did it
>for me. I *ran* back and blasted two of the 'attendants' that got in my
>way. I'd had enough.
>
>It's odd -- the next big mission is the Museum. I though it was going
>to be a T3 version of T2's Bank, but despite the scenery the Bank still
>wins.

Spoiler space
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Ya,.. I was actually kind of dissapointed with the Museum. All the
stuff about it's great electric security measures and it's only some
electric fences?

(Also was the fact that you can look down the tunnel (in previous
mission), but can't get into it because of some invisible wall.. A
rockslide that's later opened with a keeper glypth or something would
have saved me lots of frustration.

-T-

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.thief-dark-project (More info?)

In message <CV%Fc.17374$ef4.1609@news.easynews.com>, Andrew E. Wiggin
<noone@home.com> writes
>some spoiling below
>
>










































>The first time through I would have to agree with you. But when I played it
>a second time I noticed that the first half of the level is virtually empty
>when it comes to things that can see/harm you. The reason it is so scary
>(and it was the first time for me ) is that you don't know what is around
>the corner that leads to the twenty-third creepy, drippy, dark, shadowy
>hallway. But when you realize that it is all noises until you meet the girl
>in the attic then you can get quite bored. (this happened when I was trying
>to show someone the level. after a minute I was like, "Well it was WAY
>scarier before!" while my friend rolled her eyes and sighed)

Right. It owed a lot to build-up -- although that attic door was pretty
impressive. Next time through it'll be a hunt, or a straightforward
sneaking exercise. *Not knowing* was the 'attraction'.
--
Terry Pratchett

 

[Gez]

Archived from groups: alt.games.thief-dark-project (More info?)

I don't doubt that repeat plays of "Cradle" will diminish it's impact, but
the first
time through, when you're engrossed in the game, it's bloody scary. If there
had been
a beastie in isolation tower, I'd have invalidated the warranty on my
underpants.