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Thread: How does the new Guard detection work in Thief: The Black Parade

  1. #1
    New Member
    Registered: Aug 2024

    How does the new Guard detection work in Thief: The Black Parade

    Amazing FM, but I do have a question about the touted new feature: guards who notice Hume when walking into him, even in a perfect shadow.

    In og Thief 1 and 2, guards will walk into you when in a perfect shadow, or when they're on the lowest level of search. The Black Parade changes this by allowing the guards to "notice" Hume when bumping into him in a perfect shadow. The guard does hit a low-level search after bumping into you, however as long as you stay still they will give up after a few seconds, even walking straight into you again without hitting a higher alert. When this happens, it sort of defeats the purpose of them being able to notice you from touch.

    My first question is: is this how this new feature is meant to work, or is my game glitched?


    Is there a way to make a mod that would make the guards be able to hit a high alert when they bump into player, even when in a full shadow?


    Thanks everyone

  2. #2
    Member
    Registered: Apr 2021
    I assume the change is possible with a dlm file but people would understandably be unwilling to make it since it's a departure from a well crafted experience made by some of the best modders, but perhaps one of the makers creates it

  3. #3
    New Member
    Registered: Aug 2024
    Quote Originally Posted by Kubrick View Post
    I assume the change is possible with a dlm file but people would understandably be unwilling to make it since it's a departure from a well crafted experience made by some of the best modders, but perhaps one of the makers creates it
    Is the guard's behavior in Black Parade the same as I described previously? For example, if they bump into you while in a perfect shadow, they hit a low-level search, but if you stay still, they stop after a while. I ask because, on Reddit, someone says this is not the case for them, and I wonder if I've bugged it.

  4. #4
    Member
    Registered: Jan 2006
    Location: On the tip of your tongue.
    You can still hide if you're in a perfect shadow. It just makes non-perfect shadows more dangerous. Anything further would probably feel unfair, I expect.

  5. #5
    New Member
    Registered: Aug 2024
    Quote Originally Posted by nicked View Post
    You can still hide if you're in a perfect shadow. It just makes non-perfect shadows more dangerous. Anything further would probably feel unfair, I expect.
    I discovered that they do in fact notice Hume in a perfect shadow, well at least they hit a low level alert line. If it happens two more times they begin searching. This is cool to see because this always bugged me out in the og games.

  6. #6
    Member
    Registered: Jun 2015
    Location: Hungary
    Guards do get a 1st level alert even in a normal gameplay (i.e. any random FM) if they bump into Garrett in normal shadows. Note that weapons usually must be sheathed else they discover you. They might not notice you in 2nd level alert. But in 3rd lever alert they will discover Garrett in a very close distance even in complete darkness.

    In TBP the guards are more touchy but don't have supernatural detection skill. Probably they have some sort of script started in response to collision detection to let them react if they bump into Hume or Hume bumps into them.

    There are some FMs (and as far as I understood/remembered, certain NewDark versions of Thief Gold altogether), where guards get super jumpy and can detect you in complete darkness even if unalerted or just slightly alerted when they come close enough. The farthest extreme is probably in The Rustler, where one archer will see you and start shooting you from quite a distance in complete darkness.

  7. #7
    New Member
    Registered: Aug 2024
    I believe even in OM's guards will hit a level 3 alert if they bump into the player character in anything less than a perfect shadow.

  8. #8
    Member
    Registered: Jun 2015
    Location: Hungary
    Yes, they do. Unless you are in a perfect shadow (i.e. the light gem stays the darkest even with a weapon equipped), they'll always detect Garrett. As well as if any weapon is equipped. They might tolerate very little movement, and/or leaning if, but usually they detect Garrett the moment he starts moving around (leaning has no effect as far as I remember) -- I have some faint memories when a guard got stuck in me in a doorway and I tried hard to let him pass

    Also one thing that came into my mind. As far as I remember worker bots by default get alerted if you bump into them. Whatever the guards do in TBP might be based on that behavior.

  9. #9
    Member
    Registered: Jan 2006
    Location: On the tip of your tongue.
    Notices Bumps is a stock property you can apply to any AI, which the workerbots use. All it does is make guards perform a 1st alert if you bump into them. The Black Parade uses a more advanced custom script.

  10. #10
    New Member
    Registered: Aug 2024
    In what ways does the custom script change gameplay in comparison to the stock notice bumps?

  11. #11
    New Member
    Registered: Jan 2021
    Location: Poland
    Wasn't it explained that Hume isn't as skillful as Garrett? So he can get caught more easily, even in a perfect shadow?

  12. #12
    Member
    Registered: Apr 2021
    Quote Originally Posted by dovahkinia View Post
    Wasn't it explained that Hume isn't as skillful as Garrett? So he can get caught more easily, even in a perfect shadow?
    That's irrelevant tho. One of your jobs as a game writer is to bridge gameplay gaps with convenient excuses or lore reasons, and that's fine for the total experience, but needles to bring up when talking gameplay.

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