Engine Features

Torches can be Picked Up

Explanation:

The torches are placed in a holder, and so should be able to be removed. The torches would stay lit in your hand, and provide light, but when you dropped it, there would be some sort of noise, and the flame would go out.

Points to bear in mind:

Allowing the player to pick up torches and relocate them would make the game too easy, so only a few torches should be able to be picked up.

Flares are already part of the repertoir of items, so being able to move torches in unneccessary.

I just got "Blade of Darkness", the coolest thing is the shadows, you pick up a torch and your shadow moves all over. REALLY cool effect. Only some torches should be moveable.

If Garrett can't pick up torches, then why does he use the flares in Thief 2? This will just give the game more versatility. Furthermore, how is Garrett supposed to burn houses & stuff if he can't even pick up a bloody torch?

It's pretty easy to make this manageable. Firstly, the designer can select from different sconces, some of which would allow torches to be removed, some of which would not. Which to use would be entirely a design issue suiting the gameplay for that level. Secondly, a missing torch is extremely suspicious, creating it's own negative feedback, and one that would be set to decay slowly (Thief 3 will feature AIs forgetting about certain events more slowly than others). Thirdly, the player carrying a torch becomes immediately visible, again creating negative feedback. Fourth, Thief 3 will feature the player casting shadows which AI are sensitive to seeing, and if you're holding a torch you will cast a mighty big shadow! Additional penalties such as being unable to draw a weapon (or at least a bow), moving more slowly, could also be implemented.

Flares suck, so it would be nice to have a cooler and more fitting alternative.

A missing torch would not have to be so suspicious. At least if many guards patrol the area - one of them could have taken it. Thief should not be the first thing to suspect.

And I doubt that torch are very heavy, I wouldn't slow the player and I wouldn't disable one-handed weapons.

Date Last Update: 12/6/1981

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