Putting the 'role' back in role-playing games since 2002.
Donate to Codex
Good Old Games
  • Welcome to rpgcodex.net, a site dedicated to discussing computer based role-playing games in a free and open fashion. We're less strict than other forums, but please refer to the rules.

    "This message is awaiting moderator approval": All new users must pass through our moderation queue before they will be able to post normally. Until your account has "passed" your posts will only be visible to yourself (and moderators) until they are approved. Give us a week to get around to approving / deleting / ignoring your mundane opinion on crap before hassling us about it. Once you have passed the moderation period (think of it as a test), you will be able to post normally, just like all the other retards.

Thief fan missions and campaigns

Astral Rag

Arcane
Joined
Feb 1, 2012
Messages
7,771
SlV39EJ.jpg

It's beautiful.
 
Joined
Apr 19, 2008
Messages
3,059
Location
Brazil
Divinity: Original Sin
Well, I enjoyed the previous old prototypes more... This new map feels just meh. That perfect circle of urban areas that has an arbitrary layout of buildings that doesn't mix well with the scale of the maps itself. This map only purpose is to locate each mission geographically, and probably this is the most accurate attempt. It's strange that in the first iterations, the map scale was smaller, but I see they had to make a big map to fit all the levels without them stumble together.
 

Dev_Anj

Learned
Joined
Jan 14, 2015
Messages
468
Location
Auldale, near the great river
Well, I enjoyed the previous old prototypes more... This new map feels just meh. That perfect circle of urban areas that has an arbitrary layout of buildings that doesn't mix well with the scale of the maps itself.

Eh, I think this map is coloured and drawn better than the prototypes, even if the city blocks are indeed arbitrary (Soulforge Cathedral extends past two main roads?). Then again, I thought that the representation of urban blocks in the original game's map was arbitrary, so it doesn't really bother me.
 
Joined
Apr 19, 2008
Messages
3,059
Location
Brazil
Divinity: Original Sin

that above shows they were going on the right path...

They should've translated the actual game maps to fit the style of the whole map. Look the "ambush" map: you can't really define what's roads, what's buildings, and you can guess what are streams, that do not appear in the big map. In the end, it looks like a map of a city with icons showing where is the main parts, like this on from Blackwell series:


Look how irregular the roads are here:


You can see they tried to adapt this talisman map to the whole city map in that prototype example.

In the end, the map looks like something that they just gave up and copy-pasted some images and released it. The roads are to straigh, looks like a totally planned city. And the sudden change from urban to countryside is weird. shouldn't it be irregular and have somekind of wall?
 
Last edited:

Dev_Anj

Learned
Joined
Jan 14, 2015
Messages
468
Location
Auldale, near the great river
Look how irregular the roads are here:

Sure, the roads are more curved and are more like what you would expect from the City. But otherwise, the city blocks are still arbitrary. As for your suggestion, it would be nice but it would make the original mission locations not fit as well as they do here.

If you want that kind of map though, you can ask Robert Altbauer to redraw it with your specifications: http://www.fantasy-map.net/ . And hey, having the same map in different styles never hurt anyone!
 
Joined
Apr 19, 2008
Messages
3,059
Location
Brazil
Divinity: Original Sin
Sure, the roads are more curved and are more like what you would expect from the City. But otherwise, the city blocks are still arbitrary. As for your suggestion, it would be nice but it would make the original mission locations not fit as well as they do here.

If you want that kind of map though, you can ask Robert Altbauer to redraw it with your specifications: http://www.fantasy-map.net/ . And hey, having the same map in different styles never hurt anyone!

The roads being arbitrary is not the problem. It will aways be arbitrary since there's a lot of space between the city individual maps. Another thing I notice is that the main roads in the final map are following the pattern of the roads in the thief 3 city map. What's is among them that bother's me. You can't see alleys, rivers (that are present in the thief 3 map), streets are lo wide, etc...

And actually, if one day I have time for this, I'd actually draw one myself...

Darth Slaughter: That's much better. More organic, more compressed, less regular. Take a look at this 1746 map of London to see where the LGS devs were coming from.

(Although I reckon the round shape of the new map is meant to suggest that the city goes on and on beyond the parts we are seeing.)

Nice map that first one, very thief like.

The round shape of the final map sugests me just that: that the city is a perfect circle.
 

skacky

3D Realms
Developer
Joined
Mar 5, 2013
Messages
2,506
Location
The City
Just for comparison, here is the map I use for my fan missions (non-canon stuff obviously, there are some major differences).

 

skacky

3D Realms
Developer
Joined
Mar 5, 2013
Messages
2,506
Location
The City
Yeah I drew it. It's 9 sheets of paper I scanned and assembled later. It was a real pain in the ass since my scanner is quite shit. :lol:
 

Unkillable Cat

LEST WE FORGET
Patron
Joined
May 13, 2009
Messages
27,207
Codex 2014 Make the Codex Great Again! Grab the Codex by the pussy
Brofists for cool-looking, self-made, HAND-DRAWN map.

On a few points, it makes sense, especially concerning the Old Quarter. I haven't spotted anything that counters pre-existing lore or other maps, but this looks nice.

The only point I'd suggest for improvement is to point out that the city is expanding eastwards across the river as the map is being made. This creates room for new areas that don't fit on the current map, especially when concerning Mechanists.
 
Joined
Apr 19, 2008
Messages
3,059
Location
Brazil
Divinity: Original Sin
And to think that that map over there was paid... :decline:

Skacky's map is hand drawn, it has water courses. walls, streets, and the sugestion Unkillable Cat made only points that the map is merely incomplete, sice skacky didn't drew anything beyond the walls, but of course it would have more roads, more buildings, etc...

The only thing I can't actually see in those maps is the actual levels, like the buildings that represent the bank, the opera house, lord bafford's mansion, the ambush map, etc... but maybe I didn't look enough for them, and I'd love to hear from you, skacky, to point where they're located.

In any case, that's the quality I expected from the mapping the city project, and they should pay you to draw the map instead, though I believe you went on making that map in sections...

Congrats.
 

skacky

3D Realms
Developer
Joined
Mar 5, 2013
Messages
2,506
Location
The City
Yeah the City expands beyond the walls. Not pictured: boroughs, farms and fields.
Some of these buildings are there. For example you can find Bafford's manor, Ramirez' mansion, the opera house and the Hammer temple to name a few. Note that this map discards much of Thief 2 and Thief DS. For example Auldale is not on the eastern bank of the river, in my map it is instead a quarter within Hightowne where the seats of power are located (Baronial Palace, etc). The only significant thing I kept from DS is the Cradle that I've put next to the Old Quarter on an island.
 

JarlFrank

I like Thief THIS much
Patron
Joined
Jan 4, 2007
Messages
33,136
Location
KA.DINGIR.RA.KI
Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
Yeah the City expands beyond the walls. Not pictured: boroughs, farms and fields.
Some of these buildings are there. For example you can find Bafford's manor, Ramirez' mansion, the opera house and the Hammer temple to name a few. Note that this map discards much of Thief 2 and Thief DS. For example Auldale is not on the eastern bank of the river, in my map it is instead a quarter within Hightowne where the seats of power are located (Baronial Palace, etc). The only significant thing I kept from DS is the Cradle that I've put next to the Old Quarter on an island.

Which parts of Thief 2 does it include, if I may ask?
 

skacky

3D Realms
Developer
Joined
Mar 5, 2013
Messages
2,506
Location
The City
JarlFrank The First City Bank & Trust (the shape is not exactly the same but it's there), Rumford Manor and that's actually pretty much it. I don't exactly remember but I think the Rampone warehouses are also on the map. Imagine this as a map from the T1 era, when Angelwatch and co. didn't exist yet. Actually, another thing I kept from DS is Moira's manor on the island to the south.

Karwelas a good chunk of it is pure fanfic though.
 
Last edited:

Karwelas

Dwarf Taffer
Patron
Joined
May 12, 2014
Messages
1,064
Location
"Mostly Harmless" planet
Codex Year of the Donut I helped put crap in Monomyth
To be honest, even if it is fanfic, it is good fanfic so far. We builed our own Thief universe with FM's and now it is pure as fuck... most of times. Crazy nobles? Check Ghosts? Check One sane, sarcastic master of thievery? Wait... I don't see any... where is my fucking gold?!

:lol:
 

Dev_Anj

Learned
Joined
Jan 14, 2015
Messages
468
Location
Auldale, near the great river
Just for comparison, here is the map I use for my fan missions (non-canon stuff obviously, there are some major differences).


Wow, that is so much better than the current map with its arbitrary city circle. Now all we need is for the original mission maps to be placed in it and possibly be made easier to spot. Also maybe colouring it if it's not too hard.
 
Joined
Apr 19, 2008
Messages
3,059
Location
Brazil
Divinity: Original Sin
Wow, that is so much better than the current map with its arbitrary city circle. Now all we need is for the original mission maps to be placed in it and possibly be made easier to spot. Also maybe colouring it if it's not too hard.

Also, I'd add that's a labor of love, and maps made by that fantasy map guy are great, but his thief map made by commission feels like he never played thief or didn't care, only follow directiuons and made a map.

When I said I'd do it for myself, I'd do in skacky's style, but actually try to follow the canon plus FM maps I actually like. I actually like drawing but I'm very lazy. Now that i see skacky's map I feel inspired to do a version but also a sense of relief since i don't actually need to do it.
 

CroGamer1234

Literate
Joined
Jul 10, 2015
Messages
11
Well, I just played through the first Komag contest missions, so I thought I could share my opinions here:

"Airship" - A fun little mission. You're on a plane, and have to steal a navigator's globe. To my knowledge, this is the first FM set on a plane. Worth checking out, especially if you liked The Flying Age. 7/10

"Dreamslide" - The theme of this mission is that you're on a water-slide. That's it. Nothing else to do than ride the water-slide over and over again. When you're done, frob the ring in the bottom of a pool to finish the mission. To tell you the truth, I don't really see the point in this mission. 3.5/10

"Five Minute Thieves Guild" - Suprisingly enough, a Thief 1 mission. Nothing special. Your goal is to get to the sewer and steal a Crayman's Liver (WTF??). Pretty bland. 5/10

"Osawald's Patisserie" - You've have to steal a recipe from the bakery. The bakery itself is kinda nice, but the basement bellow it is too big and overpopulated. There's also too much marble in the bakery, making ghosting attempts near impossible. 5/10

"The Turtle on it's Back" - The setting is unique, with you trying to escape a sinking submarine, but that's about it. Every thing else was just kinda 'meh' to me. 6/10

"Warehouse 51" - Now this is a unique mission. You're trying to rob a warehouse, when you stumble across something strange... It's pretty fun and interesting. There's also an X-Files reference, which is definitely a plus. 7/10

And finally, the winner: "Escape from Blackstone Crypt". This mission is pretty interesting. You'll be escaping from crypts, robbing Hammerites, catching thives, and all that in a 64*64*64 grid. It's definately the best mission of the pack. 7.5/10
 

JarlFrank

I like Thief THIS much
Patron
Joined
Jan 4, 2007
Messages
33,136
Location
KA.DINGIR.RA.KI
Steve gets a Kidney but I don't even get a tag.
Just finished Christine's mission "Mountain Monastery". Typical Christine mission, both in the good ways and in the bad ways. The monastery has way too much marble in it, there are some submerged underground caves to swim through (didn't like these much), and the crypt at the end it a bit simplistically designed - then again, her crypts have never been very complex. The monastery itself is fun to explore, but my favourite part was the beginning, a few houses at the edge of the city before you go through a stretch of wilderness to the monastery. For some reason, I really love the atmosphere in Christine's cities, they have some kind of small town charme. Overall, I rated it 7/10.
 

As an Amazon Associate, rpgcodex.net earns from qualifying purchases.
Back
Top Bottom