Thief: The Dark Project

3D Game Comparison - Game vs. game. No hype; just facts.™

Engine

• shadows: pre-rendered, static; buldings/objects
• texture: 8-bit depth
  • filtering: bi-/trilinear
  • mapping: bump, mip, procedural (blood puddles)
• transparency: fire, gas, glass, ice, smoke, steam, water, water arrow quivers

effects

• particle effects: gas, lava (shooting), smoke, sparks, splash, spray, steam, swarms (insects), water (drops, falling, fountains)
• smoke: fire, lava
• sparks: fire, streetlights
• steam: some pipes
• water: current, drops, falling, fountains
• wind: pulsating plants?
  • other: blood puddles, fire, gas (Burrick poison); see particle effects, physics, and sound

lighting

• dynamic
• white
• vertex & lightmap
• fire, fire arrows, fire elementals

physics

• gravity: characters
• air density, bouyancy, friction, inertia, momentum, weight
• characters and some objects can block doors from opening/closing fully and/or can be pushed by doors (small objects only)
• collision detection: 2D
• deployed rope arrows settle into place
• floating barrels, crates, & rubble
• most arrows arc when shot
• objects: stackable, fall down (but don't usually angle correctly), fly through air, impact, move other objects slightly (depending on size)
• weight-sensitive columns & floor tiles

Character

player character

• thief
• stamina: holding bow
• light gem
• actions: block, climb, crouch (+ run/walk), drink, eat, jump, pick lock/pocket, lean (sideways, forward), open/close, pick up/drop/throw object/body, ready/sheath weapon, run, swim, swing blackjack/sword, walk
• footsteps: carpet, dirt, gravel, metal rock/stone, tile, water, wood
• view: 1st-person
  • pan: dynamic, keyboard/mouse
  • zoom: bow (after ~10 seconds)

NPCs

• bug beasts, burricks (dog-lizards), fire (elementals, shadows--Thief Gold), frogs, ghosts, humans, mosquitoes, spiders, zombies

AI

• awareness degrees
• light-sensitive
• patrols
• sound-reactive
• call for backup & sound alarms
• Thief Gold: zombies don't rebound instantly after severe damage

Environment

• # levels: 12 missions + training level
• locations: canals, city, prison
• level editor: DromEd
• linear level progression
• puzzles: breaking and entering, evade detection (sneak), find/steal items, follow/trail people, kidnapping, pick pockets, plant evidence
• traps/hazards: arrows (shooting), blades (horizontally/vertically swinging), falling, fire, pressure-sensitive floors, mines (explosions), getting burnt/cut/hit/shot

interaction

• break: crates (wood), doors (wood), glass (window panes), ice, tapestries
• climb: ladders, wall (mantle)/rope
• drop: anything pickupable (-loot)
• explode: barrels
• pick up: ammo, barrels (small), basketball, bedroll, bodies, crates, glass (broken), hammers (large)
  • "junk": bottles (green glass, grey)
  • dishes: bowls, cups, pans, plates, pots
  • goblets, masks, medallion, trays, vases
  • plants (potted), weapons, see inventory (- compass)
• open/close: chests, coffin lid, doors, manhole covers
• pull: levers/switches
• push: barrels, buttons, crates, rocks (boulders), sandbags
• ride: lifts
• throw: anything pickupable (-loot, papyrus/parchments/scrolls)
• other:
  • bloodstains (+ washawayable)
  • explode red barrels (with fire arrows)
  • extinguish fire
  • hit gong
  • pick locks
  • fire elementals: relight torches?, fire arrows grow?, hitting shrinks?
  • knock human enemies unconcious by landing on their heads?

Inventory

• store and use
• map: 2D, vague position

objects

• ammo (arrows: broadhead, fire, gas, moss, noise, rope, water), compass, flash bombs
• flasks/potions: breath, health, holy water, speed
• food: apples, bread, carrots, cheese, deer legs
• lockpicks, keys, papyrus/parchments/scrolls
• loot: coins (gold, silver), goblets, gold/gem vases, tiaras
• weapons: blackjack, bow, hammers, mines (explosive, gas)

Other

• arrows stick in dirt/grass/wood surfaces/objects; retrievable
• manual targeting
• sound: Thief Gold: body drop and different food eating sounds