Maybe I was too harsh on Deadly Shadows

[Maguwave]

I recently bought a gamepad from radioshack for my pc. I was going through my game collection when I saw Thief: Deadly Shadows which I had condemed before and thought I should give it a try with the gamepad. Long story short the game was night and day, it played so much better with a gamepad than with a mouse/keybord. Moving Garrett arround with the analog sticks is so much smother and more presice, just going from slow creeping to sprinting just by nuging the stick forward is helped alot with the body awareness. The controlls were such an improvment that I overlooked alot of the problems I had with the game (bad controlls, smaller levels and all other problems that old fans hated). This may sound like heresy but I LOVE Deadly Shadows now and to me its a worthy sequle to Thief 2. It just goes to show that some games play better with a controller. I highly reccomend trying Thief 3 out with a gamepad.

[zcapp96]

I agree, I myself play with joypad and mouse and find DS to be really enjoyable!

[Yaphy]

So it is not bad controls. It's a bad port. Good on ya! It really is a great game.

[dda]

I loved T3 and I played with keyboard/mouse with out any issues. Hooray!

[DJ Riff]

I play all Thief games with left analog stick for moving and mouse for turning or targeting.

[Platinumoxicity]

I think it's a misconception that so many people think Deadly Shadows is a horrible game. It's not a horrible game, just not as good as the other two. Nobody really complained about it before people started speculating on Thief 4, because then was the time to bring up all the flaws, not only in TDS, but in the rest of the series too. Because fans want the sequel to be as good as it can be. It just happens that TDS does have the most flaws, and fans want to wash away that disappointment by not letting the series end in its weakest instalment.

My biggest complaint has always been not what TDS added that was bad, but what it took away. From large open levels, to smooth PC-centered immersive controls.

[Kyle Hyde]

Originally Posted by Platinumoxicity

Nobody really complained about it before people started speculating on Thief 4, ...

I'm sorry but that is not true.

I was lucky enough to play Thief 3 without much information beforehand.
I just didn't play any games for three years after Thief 2 (I had to study a lot and moved several times) and didn't follow any gaming news.

I loved the game - the only (but very big) flaw for me were the missing mission briefing cutscenes.

Afterwards I played through the old ones and I wanted more so I started to join some forums to discuss the series and to get knowledge of the best fan-missions for DromEd.


The discussions about Thief 3 were so ridicolous.
Plenty of threads full of hatred against the climbing gloves (seemed like dozens of pages long). Or the non swimming Garrett. Or the clubbing behaviour. So the same things that come up now.

All the (how Contrarian would put it) "true" fans gathered and were affirming themselves that Thief Deadly Shadows is the worst piece of software they have ever encountered.
And it all started already before release.

Many of them didn't even try the game because they wanted to boycott Ion Storm.


All of my friends liked the game and so did I.
With mouse and keyboard.No problem at all.
We just were quiet about it. Complaining people are always louder than the rest. I think that is normal.


As I said - missing cutscenes, and (for us german speaking fans) missing german voices are a pity.
And I guess (for me in hindsight) the loading screens within a level are unfortunate. They disrupt the action and I don't want to see that again.
But while I was playing back then I didn't really care much.

It is still a masterpiece like the first two ones. If Thief 4 turns out to be equally as good as Deadly Shadows I will be very satisfied.

[george12123]

I agree T3 was a good game as viewed as a game but compared to the other Thief games it doesn't stand up as well.
The positives of T3:
Good Plot
Good Graphics
Decent Physics engine
Nice Controls
Flasks

The Negatives:
The KO-ing is a bit funny.
No rope/vine arrows (For those of you who think rope arrows were not needed, try to remember how many times you used one in T1/2)
No sword and the fighting system (Fighting was a game style (used by people who couldn't stealth well) and it worked (most of the time) but if you get cornered by a hammerite (and it does happen sometimes) then a dagger won't do much against a WARHAMMER.)
No swimming. (I liked using the sewers to get around in T2 it was fun)


Most of the negatives are game mechanics and when some of the most important game mechanics are not done well then it gives the game some negative brownie points in my book.

[Jace_Auditore]

Deadly Shadows is my second favourite Thief game.
I enjoyed it a millon times more than T1.

[DJ Riff]

Originally Posted by george12123

but if you get cornered by a hammerite (and it does happen sometimes) then a dagger won't do much against a WARHAMMER.)

Just crouch (the enemy will miss 50% on equal ground and 100% if you're standing one step lower), spam the attack button and heal yourself. It takes about 5-6 healing potions to slaughter openly the whole St.Edgar's on Expert. The dagger is seriously overpowered in TDS. In T1-T2 you need at least to circle strafe or backpedal in time, in TDS you don't even have to move when fighting.

[Hungry Hungry Lilac]

I finally got around playing Deadly Shadows as well (yeah I've owned a copy since 2007 or something I suck I know), and I liked it a lot. It wasn't as mind-blowingly awesome as the previous titles but I enjoyed it and I didn't really have a problem with most of the things I've seen people complain about.

Yeah, you can see the technical limitations of the engine but I wasn't too distracted by them. And I only wished for a rope arrow a few times when playing. I really liked the story and the improved AI, but I wasn't too crazy about the graphics and the visuals could get a bit samy and the controls didn't always agree with me. But all in all I liked it.

[DrunkenGuard]

Hi everyone.

Yeah I played thief 1 and 2 to death and then When T.D.S. came out I was thrilled and couldn't wait to see how it played.

I actually loved it and just wished it had taken me a lot longer to complete.

I can understand all the debate about climbing gloves etc.. but I loved the game and the dark atmosphere of the town.

My worry for Thief 4 is that they will not keep to the lore of the series so far and do something stupid like do away with things essential to the beautiful world of thief. Like no Hammers ...or no Pagans. Can you imagine!? (Shivers)

At least it seems we have Garrett as the protagonist.

[TheInfiltrator]

I loved Deadly Shadows. Still love it. It's a departure from the first two games, but really hit on a lot of excellent features, one being something as simple as the dagger. I loved the wall climbing and the open city. The mission format was great, but this added a lot more depth to the game. Played on PC, originally had it for xbox, but I'm such a sucker for nostalgia that I had to get it on PC instead.

[Jace_Auditore]

Originally Posted by TheInfiltrator

I loved Deadly Shadows. Still love it. It's a departure from the first two games, but really hit on a lot of excellent features, one being something as simple as the dagger. I loved the wall climbing and the open city. The mission format was great, but this added a lot more depth to the game. Played on PC, originally had it for xbox, but I'm such a sucker for nostalgia that I had to get it on PC instead.

Im also one from the minority that liked the climbing gloves.I really liked the concept,even if the execution wasnt the best.I´m hoping for something similar in T4.For some reason I always think that thieves are suppossed to be agile and good at climbing.

[Moreth]

I have to agree with Kyle H on this. When I first played TDS I did so without the benefit of folks that Contrarian would refer to as true gamers (HAHAHAHA sorry bro had to do it) I instantly noticed alot of differences but I saw that I truly enjoyed the game. There are many things I'd gladly change in most games. (The fatal flaw of MMOs is that they will not let me steal from other players -- scru that) However the one single complaint about TDS I will go along with is that the levels should have been much larger given the tech they had to work with. Yes the squat fighting was funny, but honestly to my mind, if you have a dagger and are wearing leather and you're fighting a guy wrapped in steel with a broadsword and LOTS of friends, I would say your tactics need work (read - You're doing it wrong). And while the blue tint to the world bothered me at first, soon I didn't notice it and it became a wonderfully immersive game for me. It just proves the point - never read forums before you play.

-m-