===================================================== C H E A T I N G W I T H D R O M E D . E X E ===================================================== Contents - 1.0 Foreword .1 Notation - 2.0 Preliminary Procedures .1 Setting up Dromed.exe .2 Safeguarding and Copying Existing Files .3 House keeping - 3.0 Fundamentals of Dromed.exe Operations .1 The On-screen View(s) and Mouse-Ops .2 Commands in 2D .3 Commands/Moving in 3D .4 Other commands (from the main Dromed window) - 4.0 Precautions - 5.0 Adding Objects (i.e., time for some serious ass-forkin') .1 Navigating The Object Hierarchy .2 Placing the Object .3 Sizing, facing, and positioning .4 When you need more than one...increasing stack count .5 Putting Items in Chests (Linking) - 6.0 Last Words: How to Cheat Responsibly ===================================================== <1.0> Foreword: ===================================================== I cheat. A lot. Whenever I can get away with it, I'll go to any lengths to win/finsih first/kill you. If you're like me, then Thief and its even harder sequel Thief ii, is not the game for you. However, there are so many things to steal it just appeals to my kleptomania -- not to mention killing people in the dark -- this game is a stalker's dream and a victim's nightmare. I'm not weird, just eccentric. IMPORTANT NOTE: This guide only serves to brief gamers on how to adjust/add objects in Dromed, not how to build levels. I ain't got that time and I sure as hell can't get any decent voice actin' from where I come from to warrant a fancy schmancy original Thief/Thief ii level. The damn thing's also too complicated and will probably blow up in my face if I screw it beyond normal parameters. Also, much of the game details are netted from the Normal Difficulty. Since finishing Thief/Thief ii on any level of difficulty nets the same result, it is "unprofitable" (and lame) to do any part of these games on a difficulty greater than Normal -- any novice thief should know that. ----------------------------------------------------- <1.1> Notation: ----------------------------------------------------- I have been game raping both Thief Gold and Thief ii maps liberally, so I will use the notation "ii-" before any Thief ii maps as to avoid undue confusion between the games. Just remember that you DON'T rename your Thief ii files (they should look exactly like Thief/Thief Gold files). You, of course, can try that and e-mail me what happens to your computer if you do. ===================================================== <2.0> Preliminaries: ===================================================== For those of you lucky enough to have bought Thief and/or Thief 2 with the level editor (retail ~$20 or less; 15 pesos in Mexico, and $75,000 in Canada), you are indeed holding a tool far more powerful than a mere Gas Arrow. With this program, you can increase and adjust your starting gear to obscene quantities -- making even the expert level on par with . . . normal. But before you get all excited and possibly do something that will kill your game, let's set up our files and folders first. ----------------------------------------------------- <2.1> Setting up Dromed.exe: ----------------------------------------------------- #1: To proceed, you will need Winzip.exe or Pkunzip.exe inorder to extract the necessary files for Dromed to run. Don't have it? Do a web search and find one. #2: Thief Gold's level editor is on the first disc (Installation) and is housed in the directory CD-Drive Letter:\goodies\dromed\dromed.zip. Ditto for Thief ii (Disc One: Installation), except the pathname is CD-Drive Letter:\editor\dromed.zip. You will need to unzip that file to the folder where you have Thief/Thief ii installed (i.e., extract to C:\Program Files\Looking Glass\ThiefG). When you do, Winzip/Pkunzip will ask if you want to overwrite certain files such as Dark.cfg etc.; to insure that Dromed runs perfectly, you should select "Yes to All", however; if you are unsure whether or not you wish to overwrite critical game performance options (such as the IDE83 video bug), you should say "No" to each overwrite. ----------------------------------------------------- <2.2> Safeguarding Old Files: ----------------------------------------------------- **WARNING** If you have downloaded any "patches" or "upgraded maps" from Looking Glass, or some other loser Thief site, BE SURE TO MOVE those files to another directory or to make a back-up on a 350 mB Zip Disk or on a CD. Don't blame me if you mistakenly alter your FAT. #1: Eject Disc One: Installation and insert Disc Two: The Game. Go into the CD-Drive directory of Thief, Thiefg, or Thief2 and Copy/Paste all the files that have a .mis extension into the thief directory on your hard drive. On early versions of Thief Gold, this will overwrite Miss15.mis, but that's okay -- otherwise you will miss out on one of Thief Gold's unqiue missions, as the Dromed tutorial map was accidently misnamed Miss15.mis. I will however, use Thief/Thief Gold's Miss1.mis (a Keepers' Training) for the tutorial, as all training should be kept on Keeper grounds. #2: Remove the Read-Only Property on all the *.mis files in your Thief/Thief2 directory. This will allow you to adjust them if necessary. If you screwed up a map beyond your belief, retrieve them from the Game CD. It should be noted that these missions are the factory missions Looking Glass originally wanted you to play. All the dialogue and crap-chat will be there, as will the objectives, enemies, etc. The point now is to modify them so that even a blind taxi-driver can finish the game. ----------------------------------------------------- <2.3> House-keeping ----------------------------------------------------- *.mis files are big. A dozen of them take up an easy 150+mB. If you are pressed for space, you should delete unecessary files, and uninstall crappy games that take up your disk drive. You can also try just copying one file (I recommend the smallest Thief/Thief Gold file, Miss1.mis) as I will be using that to explain the tutorial. ===================================================== <3.0> Operating Dromed ===================================================== For those of you who've editted Duke Nukem 3D (mostly by putting in an extra pair of strippers), this shouldn't be too much difficulty -- the principle is the same; only the commands (and certain specifics) are different. For those who can't tell a mouse from external speaker, then you shouldn't be playing with this; but if you want, try and stick around, you might learn something. Dromed is basically the program by which the programmers (probably) made the entire damn game. It offers a static but adjustable view by which the user (i.e., you) to move about a specific level of Thief in its entirety in order to change/add/delete details such as enemies, treasure, weapons, items, patrol routes, rooms, objectives, etc. It IS NOT akin to playing the game itself. The enemies do not move, nor does anything else for that matter. There is no sound save for the incessant clicking of your left and right mouse buttons; and you cannot "finish the game" in any respect while using Dromed. If you are still unsure of what the hell is going on, then please read the Dromed.doc that comes with the editor and come back when you have achieved some understanding to what the hell we're doing. We don't need rookies hanging around . . . Now, given the All Mighty's power to smite thy foe and carve something from nothingness, you may now begin to see the possiblity this program offers. Need a 100 gas arrows? Not a prob; just one question? Where d'ya want it? How about right next to you when you start? Can't be invincible? How about a 500 health potion pick-me up? Get the picture? Now let's review the basics of using Dromed before we get into some serious ass-forkin'. ----------------------------------------------------- <3.1> The Views Available ----------------------------------------------------- When you run Dromed from the Start Bar (or via double-click), you will see an unimpressive black screen split into four smaller windows. A grid of white lines should show up in three of the four windows, with the upper left window showing either total black or a single white line. THIS is what the map looks like if nothing is in it -- in simple terms, you're basically in a Black Hole so obviously, you can't see anything from nothing. Okay, enough Nihilist rhetoric, let's get down to business. The little purple dot/sperm cell appearing in three of the windows is the Dromed 3D Camera -- it will serve as the marker for the 3D view and as a marker to some extent, in the other views. Otherwise, you can pretty much ignore it. There are basically two views you should concern yourself about: The 3D view in the upper left window, and the top view (or as we architects say, 'The plan view, Mr Zhang. Show us the plan view.'). These two windows wil be your most often used, as you will basically create onjects in the Plan View, and use the 3D view to determine most of its attributes such as dimension, orientaton, and placement. The other two views are Front and Side, and while not terribly important, they are nevertheless useful when you need to determine where things are on the Y and Z Axes. The pointer you move about resembles a red and white cross and can be used to readjust the window sizes by holding the left mouse button (LMB) over where the window borders intersect and moving the mouse. Adjust the view if you like, but do note you will probably need all four windows to check where your objects are. On the bottom, there should be a small table of values, of which six are extremely important. X, Y, Z, H, P, and B values. X and Y are self-explanatory to first year algebra students: they determine the X and Y coordinates of an object or brush. The Z value is the height while the P value determines pitch -- whether an object is tilted as in leaning against a wall, etc. The B value is the value of bank and the H value determines yaw. You can click the values and manually type in the numbers (then hit enter), but you can also adjust the values by holding the LMB on the appropriate variable and moving your mouse up/down, or side to side. You don't have an object to see the effects yet, but you will soon enough. ----------------------------------------------------- <3.2> Commands in 2D ----------------------------------------------------- Now, move your cursor over to the upper right window (henceforth referred to as the Plan View) and hold your right mouse button (RMB). A small command window should pop up, and as long as your RMB is held, it will remain. You may move the cursor over the commands and notice that your selection will be highlighted in purple; by releasing the RMB, you will confirm that command and it will be immediately executed. In the PLAN, FRONT, and SIDE views, the commands will be the same: show/hide grid; solo/unsolo; synch all/asynch all; teleport camera; zoom in; zoom out; zoom in all; zoom out all; fit to region. A brief explanation: SHOW/HIDE GRID - Shows or hides the white grid lines. On maps that have numerous objects (such as Miss5.mis - Assassins; or ii-Miss7.mis - The Bank) you should hide the grid to make things run more smoothly. This hides the grid for all the single-perspective views unless you use the ASYNCH command. SOLO/UNSOLO - makes the current view the only one you see, enlarging the selected window to fill the whole Dromed window. Selecting UNSOLO will put you back into the quad view. SYNCH/ASYNCH - synchronises all three single perspective views so if you move the purple 3D camera/sperm cell in one window, the other windows will be adjusted accordingly to match the move. I advise you have all your views in SYNCH all the time, as we are only concerned with simply adding items and weapons, not floors, walls, and ceilings. TELEPORT CAMERA - handy little command which allows you to move quickly from one spot to another. Using it though, doesn't garuantee you will end up in open air though. Somethimes, the camera will be in a solid mass, requiring you to move out of the solid to see anything in 3D view. ZOOM IN - Zooms in the current window, also activates the ASYNCH command. ZOOM OUT - zooms out the current window; activates ASYNCH. re-SYNCH to re-establish link. ZOOM IN/OUT ALL - zooms in and out of all three single perspective views and keeps synchronisation. Recommended. ----------------------------------------------------- <3.3> Commands/Moving in 3D ----------------------------------------------------- Now, move your cross cursor to the 3D window (in the upper-left) and again, hold you RMB until a command window shows up. Like the single-perspective views, the 3D view also has its share of commands -- I will only concern you with the ones we need: show/hide grid; solo/unsolo; wireframe; solid world; solid & selection. SHOW/HIDE GRID - same for the other views, hide it if there are too many things to discern. SOLO/UNSOLO - Solo view is useful if you want to explore Thief levels without being chased by guards. You can find all sorts of secrets in Dromed simply by walking around. WIREFRAME - shows the level in wireframe; the box things come in. This is the only mode (in the 3D window) where you can select an object or brush to be manipulated. SOLID WORLD - see the level as you would in the game. Combined with the SOLO command, this allows free exploration of every nook and cranny of Thief. This mode is used primarily to check an object's facing (such as chests), as wireframe doesn't show surface textures. SOLID AND SELECTION - see the solid world, but allows you to see the bounding box of the selected object (in white). This allows you to manipulate the object to a specific degree, or if you just need to see if the object is really embedded into the surrounding wall or floor. The keyboard is used to move the purple 3D camera/spermcell in Dromed, much like it's used to move Garrett the Thief in the City: W/S - move forwards A - turns left D - turns right X - moves backwards Q/E - strafe upwards or downwards Z/C - strafe left or right R/V - angles camera view up or down F - resets camera view parallel to the grid plane ----------------------------------------------------- <3.4> Other Commands ----------------------------------------------------- Under FILE - Open Mission; how else are you gonna see the level? If you copied the *.mis files (and removed the Read-Only Attribute like I told you, woman), then they should show up when you activate this command. Don't do it just yet though. Under FILE - Save Mission (as an *.mis file) allows you to save the changes you made to the mission in question. It is very important, as Dromed doesn't warn you about any unsaved data, like those other wussy programs Microsoft markets. Under VIEW - Toggle Light Maps temporarily removes all shadows and dark areas so you can see what you're changing. It's not a permanent effect, even if you save the mission while you have the darkness arrested; as soon as you run the game again, the proper lighting returns. This is useful in more ways than one. Under OBJECTS - Object Hierarchy. The reason why this game is so easy. Read on, chubbs. On the Dromed screen, FLOOR ME - Sets the Z axis of a selected object to the first available floor below it. Naturally, if the object is inside another mass, this command will make it behave oddly. On the Dromed screen, PROPERTIES - Adjusts the object's physics and other stuff. However, we'll only concern ourselves with the stack count. On the Dromed screen, LINKS - Connects two objects with a predetermined behaviour. For simplicity, we will only be using the Contains link. On the keyboard, DELETE - erases the selected object (the only one in white) ************************************************************ ************* W A R N I N G ************* ************* Read Below ************* ************************************************************ <4.0> Precautions DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, use, press, or hold the LMB in any window unless you have an object already selected and created, otherwise you will instead, create an undefined brush that will require you to relight the level -- unless you know HOW to relight the level (I do not), you will need to delete the offending mission and re-copy it from the game CD (if you want to edit it) or you will not be able to play past that level. You've been warned, simpleton. ************************************************************ ************* W A R N I N G ************* ************* Read Above ************* ************************************************************ ===================================================== <5.0> Adding Objects: A Cheater's Training ===================================================== Now go ahead and load Miss1.mis (A Keeper's Training). This is a fairly small map and the time it takes to load in Dromed should be multiplied by 2-3 for the bigger levels. Carefully, single click with the LMB on any of the red bits on the screen -- just be sure not to hold the LMB and drag it -- otherwise you've just screwed the map and should re-load it by opening the same file again. See how the object name changes as you click on various objects? You'll notice things like "ambstartpoint" or "trolpoint" or "metaldoor" etc. These are the objects that create the world of Thief. Assuming you didn't TELEPORT the Camera, your camera should be where Garrett starts off in the Keeper's Training mission. Now let's have a look around in 3D. Use the RMB and SOLO the upper left window. Now RMB and select SOLID WORLD. Seems familiar? Next, highlight the VIEW command and TOGGLE LIGHT MAPS. Nothing will change **until** you move the camera with the keyboard or unless you TELEPORT. You can practice moving the camera if you want, just remember that there is no gravity and as long as you "see" and don't "touch" (with your mouse) you should not do anything harmful to the map. When you're finished goofing off, go to the next section. ----------------------------------------------------- <5.1> The Object Hierarchy ----------------------------------------------------- Now we are going to add a fire crystal and place it right in front of Garrett so he'll be able to pick it up right from the get go. Why? Dunno, but you can kill the Keeper strolling right above you if you want. RMB, and WIREFRAME the 3D view. Then choose UNSOLO and go back to the quad view. Now pick the OBJECTS command from Dromed's main window and select the OBJECT HIERARCHY command. Chances are that you have a really object selected like "ambwindsound" or something esoteric. Nevermind. Collapse the object tree by pressing the left cursor button on your keyboard. This window behaves somewhat like Windows Explorer, but the marked difference of doing something useful. If you keep collapsing the tree, you should eventually wind up with only four to five objects labelled, "sfx", "fnord", "physical", etc. We are only concerned with the physical. LMB single click the "+" next to physical and you can see that objects have been grouped into thematic categories: "household", "decorative", "weapons", "projectiles", etc. Select the "tulz" category and expand it like you did with the "physical" category. You'll see more subject headings. Select "crystals" then fire crystal. Even though it has a plus next to its name, we are only interested in the "firecrys" itself, so single click the name with the LMB. [NOTE: some objects will have a variant of itself under the parent object; in this case, a "firecrysphys" is a derivative of the normal fire crystal for the flame spirits that drop these suckers on Expert. Sometimes though, the parent object is undefined and will show up as a white wedge. In such a case, you only have to delete the offending object and select a defined object. This does not irreversibly damage your map by altering the room database, so you don't have to reload.] ----------------------------------------------------- <5.2> Placing the Object ----------------------------------------------------- With the fire cystal selected, click the CREATE command on the right side of the OBJECT HIERARCHY window. Now you can create a fire crystal by moving the cross cursor over the Plan View Window and holding the LMB over the desired place where you want the crystal to be. Click and drag a box the size of four to nine grid squares large and release the LMB. A new object (in white) should appear in the vicinity. If you release the LMB too early, or selected the wrong object, you should DELETE the mistake and start from 5.1 again. ----------------------------------------------------- <5.3> Sizing, Facing, Positioning ----------------------------------------------------- Now if you take the time to go into 3D and look around, you may or may not see the newly made crystal. Why? Go back into quad view and check the other single perspective views to be sure that the cystal is at the same height you are. Adjust the fire crystal's Z axis value until you can see it is on the level with the purple spermcell-camera. If you want, you can try to floor the crystal by using the FLOOR ME command. Single click with the LMB on the value for "p". Type in the value "90.0" and hit enter. Notice how the crystal now lies on its side like in real life? Click FLOOR ME again. It should look pretty natural now. You may adjust the H and B values to make it look like it was discarded in a haphazard fashion. ----------------------------------------------------- <5.4> Modifying Stack Count ----------------------------------------------------- You only created one fire crystal; what if you wanted more? Make sure the fire crystal is still selected as your preferred object (it should be white in WIREFRAME), and click the PROPERTIES command near the Floor Me command. You should get a window that allows you to adjust the physics and other parameters of the fire crystal -- try not to. Just select the ADD command from the new window and select the ENGINE option. A secondary window will show next and the correct course of action is to select and click STACK COUNT. A new window should pop up with the number "1". Add a zero to the end and make it "10". Enter. Select FILE from the main Dromed window and SAVE MISSION as a *.mis file; overwrite Miss1.mis and the next time you play the training level, you will have ten fire arrows lying right at the start point. ----------------------------------------------------- <5.5> Making your Own Damn Treasure (Linking) ----------------------------------------------------- Most treasure in Thief/Thief ii htough do not lie on open ground waiting for you to come by -- they wait in treasure chests to be discovered and found. Half the time, it's the discovery of treasure in an overseen hiding spot that gives thieves their delight in theft. So how about putting an object in a chest of some sort? First let's create another crystal (your choice) -- but this time, instead of putting it anywhere near the starting point, create it in a place Garrett cannot go normally in the game; i.e., null space. On the Plan View, use the command ZOOM OUT ALL until you can see the large unfiddled-with black areas of the level map; this is the left-over space that can be utilised for these purposes. Place your crystal in the "Twilight Zone" and leave it in the middle of no where. You will only be concerned with the Plan View for now. Next, go to the OBJECT HIERARCHY and back up the tree until you can find the CONTAINERS category under PHYSICAL. Open the CONTAINER tree and select the object COINBOX to be created (remember to LMB click the 'CREATE' command!). Although there are other types of containers available, this is the only one that seems to be consistent between the two Thief games [Besides several new ornate chests, a new steel foot-chest was added, bumping the old woodedn foot-chest down to a new location.] TELEPORT the camera to where Garrett starts (and where I instructed you to create the fire crystal that gives you ten fire arrows from the step in 5.1). Create the coinbox much as you did before and place it on the floor (in a place where Garrett can get to) using a combination of 3D View and adjusting the X, Y, and Z values. Now notice that there should be an object name somewhere to the left of the XYZHPB value table that should say "Coinbox ###" where the ### should be a one to four digit integer. This is the object identification number for that specific map. If there are more coinboxes or similar objects, they will be numbered accordingly. REGARDLESS of how many other like objects you have, ALWAYS remember the exact number of the two objects you want to Link. If you input an incorrect object number (along with a link that cannot occur with said objects) there is a high probability your game will be irreversibly screwed and Dromed will crash. I recommend that you write down the Coinbox Object ID# (now referred to as the OID#). LMB click the crystal you created (in null space) and write down **its** OID#. Now, LMB click the coin box and with it highlighted, click the command LINKS on the Dromed main screen. A window will pop up with a set of command buttons on the right. Click the ADD command and in the top-most box, select the "CONTAINS" link. Next, input the coinbox OID# in the FROM box and the OID# of your crystal in the TO box. That task done, click OK, then DONE to create your first successful self-made treasure. This process is the same for ALL items that Garrett can carry as inventory, from flashbombs to invisbility potions to treasure. YOu can also do *multiple* objects by creating as many objects as you want to be stuffed in the container. So, you can technically link a Gas Arrow, a Fire Arrow, a Health Potion, and several Invisibility Potions into one container. This of course, assumes that you check your stash after you open it as the game only displays the last item on the list. Also note that a "~" as in "~Contains" means that the link is reversed for the objects in the TO & FROM boxes; don't mix up the "~links" with the "non ~links" otherwise you will get an undefined object in your inventory -- just how can picking up a fire crystal net you a useless coin box? Thus, a valid link would be: Link CONTAINS To Coinbox(1344) From Firearrow(1348) But not: Link ~CONTAINS To Coinbox(1344) From Firearrow(1348) Another valid link would be: Link ~CONTAINS To Firearrow(1348) From Coinbox(1344) Since the Fire Arrow is CONTAINED BY the Coinbox. ===================================================== <6.0> How Not To Look Like You're Cheating Your Ass Off ===================================================== You can now (hopefully) operate Dromed with the flourish of a gamer out for revenge. However, you will find Thief and its sequel regrettably more enjoyable if you DON'T have a standard cache of 500 Gas Arrows, 500 Fire Arrows, and 999 Invisibility Potions waiting for Garrett at the beginning of each mission. My advice is to cheat -- responsibly. You will find that on Thief Gold, the stack count for Moss, Gas, Fire, and Water (normal and Holy H2O) are undefined, meaning if you somehow get a Gas Arrow without having one in your inventory before, you will get an infinite amount of Gas Arrow (they corrected this oversight in the Thief ii Dromed). However, it was for me, better to operate with an increased **but limited** stash of equipment after I played through the mission at least once. Because Thief/Thief Gold is so repetitive game-wise, I recommend a Standard Equipment Cache for each mission to be: 10 Gas Arrows 10 Fire Arrows 2 Health Potions You can also make the arrows infinite with the "null stackcount" quirk, but if you're working with limits then I would increase the arrows by 5 and the potions by 1 per level of difficulty above normal. I did this for almost every level except in Bafford Manor, where I only added a single Rope Arrow in the wellhouse before you have to go down into the water (as I know that place like the back of my hand). The only exception is the Lost City, as the presence of Fire Elementals require the use of Water Arrows. Add another 10-20 Water Arrows for that mission (or expend all the water arrows and you can also get a 'stackless' water arrow projectile if you want). I ususally link all these items into one convenient stash, thus the nickname of "Garrett's Coinbox." Guess that little sucker holds more than you think, eh? For Thief ii, the missions are varied enough to warrant a specialised cache for each one -- and it should be done to suit each player's taste. While I've not personally gone through each mission yet, I do have recommended loads for the following missions (of which #2 is the most fun). Running Interference (Rumford Manour) ------------------------------------- Location: Basso's Hide-away at the start 5 x Invisibility Potions 5 x Gas Arrows 5 x Flares ** Very easy. Mostly a black-jack exercise. The invisibilty comes into play when facing situations with no alternatives. Gas Arrows will over- power anyone who rushes you. The flares can be used to re-light extinguished torches after everyone has been suitably silenced. Shipping & Receiving (The Docks) -------------------------------- Location: By the large cube crate on the left wall near the start 5 x Health Potions 5 x Flares 10 x Gas Arrows 30 x Broadheads 2 x Rope Arrows ** Easiest mission in the whole game due to the fact you can kill lots of people with no/weak retaliation. One or two Gas Arrows should be saved for use on the little spiders in Mynell's Steaks storage bay. There is no need for additional Slow-fall as there are only places that mandate Garrett to jump down and sustain light damage. The Rope Arrows are used to get secret chests in the last warehouse (near the pirate boat), Building-B. Framed! (Shoalsgate Station) ---------------------------- Location: Inside the empty bar, a little forward from the start (but a really neat hiding place) 5 x Gas Arrows 5 x Fire Arrows 20 x Water Arrows 15 x Invisibility Potions 5 x Flares 1 x Camera Grenade ** One of the harder missions as you cannot knockout a certain number of people. Use the Water Arrows liberally as many of the Electronic Eyes can be shut off by Garrett. Use the Invisibility Potions to by-pass heavily guarded areas -- just be sure you have enough potions to get back to safety! The Camera Grenade is an extra Scouting Orb to see the "Dancin' Zombies" Easter Egg behind the left wall when Garrett starts this mission. Ambush (The City) ----------------- Location: Right by Garrett when he starts; crouch on the coin box to hide from the patrolling guard who'll come by shortly 10 x Gas Arrows 20 x Water Arrows 60 x Broadheads 15 x Flares 5 x Health Potions ** Garrett's "BatCave" stash in his secret closet should have enough fire- power to level whole ranks of the City Watch -- assuming you first get him back home alive! The path to Shalesbridge should be easy once you have suitably armed Garrett. There are many places to snipe at guards with Broadheads while remaining completely undetected. The flares will be necessary to relight torches that were extinguished without resorting to a more valued (and noisy) fire arrow. Eavesdropping (Mechanist Seminary/Old Hammer Temple) ----------------------------------------------------- Location: Right next to Garrett at the start 15 x Gas Arrows 5 x Fire Arrows 5 x Water Arrows 5 x Moss Arrows 5 x Flares 1 x Holy Water ** Another easy mission as you can kill some Mechanist guards without alerting too many of their bretheren. Use the black-jack exclusively for those guards Garrett can close in within handstrike and save the Gas Arrows for those who patrol over metal flooring. The Fire and Water Arrows are for the single Machine Soldier patrolling the grounds outside of the seminary. In a pinch, they can be adapted for other situations once Garrett is inside the Seminary. 1st City Bank & Trust (The Bank) -------------------------------- Location: Right on the pillar-column that allows mantling to the roof -- a place where the patrolling guards cannot see Garrett -- a "safe" spot 20 x Gas Arrows 10 x Fire Arrows 40 x Water Arrows 10 x Invisibility Potions 5 x Health Potions 5 x Flares 2 x Slow-Fall Potions 2 x Speed Potions ** An impressive stage, on par with the Downwinders' mission in Thief Gold. Multiple levels with reams of guards, machines, security devices, and dis- agreeable surfaces. Stay hidden and you can snipe and pilfer most of what you need from the shadows. The invisibility potions are to be used sparingly, and the Gas Arrows are to rid yourself of troublesome guards. Note that since Machine Workers are completely BLIND, Garrett can walk up and place Water Arrows in their boilers very easily -- just be sure not to alert the Machine Soldiers who CAN see and will terminate Garrett on sight. Blackmail (Truart Estate) ------------------------- Location: Anywhere inside the servant's quarters Garrett starts off next to; try tp lace it in a really natural hiding spot for "realism" 20 x Gas Arrows 5 x Gas Mines 5 x Health Potions 5 x Invisibility Potions ** The Gas Mines are to disable the groups of Guards who patrol the manour floors and the three guards who race down when a Story Event takes place as Garrett nears the third floor. The best bet is still to silence as many poeple as possible while making an effort to complete the objectives -- alarm or no alarm. Trail Of Blood 1 (The City) --------------------------- Location: Right behind Garrett as he starts off and sees Mosley (180-turn around and peep a little to the left) 999 x Invisibility Potions 10 x Water Arrows 2 x Holy Water ** It's the first part of Assassins made 65,535 times harder than it was -- meet the "Trail of Blood 1, the Courier." Take note as this is one of the few missions where the current loot and equipment carries over to the next. Whatever isn't utilised in this mission is brought over and will benefit Garrett on his next endeavour. The potions should allow knock-outs and back-stabs to a level that's not humanly possible. Just be sure neither Mosley or the Pagan messenger see it done. As for the Holy Water . . . let's just say Garrett may need it in the Graveyard if he wants to do some grave-robbing, hehehe . . . Trail of Blood 2 (The Maw) -------------------------- Location: Right beside the Glow-shroom as Garrett starts off the level 10 x Gas Arrows 30 x Broadheads 5 x Health Potions ** Another fairly easy mission as Garrett can kill non-humans -- i.e., anything in this level. The Gas Arrows are merely an insurance for silent approaches on the Ape-men (who were originally Skaven rip-offs, I'm sure). With the invisibility potions from the previous mission, this level is quite easy compared to the next mission. Life of the Party (Angel-Watch Tower) ------------------------------------- Location #1: By a corner in the Bell Tower, where Garrett starts 10 x Gas Arrows 10 x Invisibility Potions Location #2: Carlysle Castle Armoury 20 x Gas Arrows 40 x Water Arrows 10 x Moss Arrows 100 x Invisibility Potions 5 x Health Potions ** Finally a "challenge." The Carlysle Armoury was too good of a hiding place to pass up -- almost akin to a secret (but it ain't, 'cause the tip was paid for). Merely getting in is a chore unto itself . . . but it CAN be done way before one gets to Angel Watch (within 15-20 minutes of starting the mission on Normal). Coin-box #1 has enough power-ups to get Garrett inside Angel Watch, but it will definitely not have the UMPF! to get him out, nor allow him the luxury of the many sidetrips in the City; precisely why there are enough invisibility potions in coin-box #2 to knock-out/back-stab every crossed-eyed bastard who looks at him wrong. Feel free to Gas Arrow everyone in order to open the Armoury -- once Garrett's in, the gloves come off . . . SEQUENCE: Fetch Sunburst Device from Astronomer's Lab (in attic of an unmarked house very near the Bell Tower). The lab entrance is hidden amongst the rafters; a Rope or Vine Arrow will allow Garrett to access it. The entrance is also boarded up. This is whene using a sword for breaking and entering is most prudent. Look around to see which house -- it has a guard in a blue and yellow surcoat patrolling the insides of it on the Normal Setting. Now continue your looting/burgulary/thieving until just before the Dayport Bank. A HUGE BANNER should be strung across and over the avenue below, as well as connecting the buildings on Garrett's side to the ones on the other side. Cross it with care (long way down . . .) and again use a Rope or Vine Arrow to get into the window to Carlysle's residence, which is just above the green house. When all the loose ends (i.e., guards) are taken care of, the Sunburst Device should be planted beside the armoury door and a Fire Arrow may be used to trigger the detonation. If the Arrow is fired at low strength, it will travel slowly enough to give Garrett a running chance to escape the blast relatively unscathed (remember that Fire and Gas Arrows have no trajectory and is not affected by gravity or air friction). Once fired, gas and fire arrows do not stop until something gets in the way of its flight-path. Got better loadouts/hideaways? Let's hear 'em. Damn this is D&D all over again. ===================================================== Contact: The Dopp Simalcrum@hotmail.com Quabbin, Massachusetts =====================================================