Thief: creating a narrative with level design and mechanics
Recently, I was able to give a talk on the Thief: The Dark Project at the Game Developers Conference at the game review contest, where I won first place. In essence, I fully explained to the audience the nuances and elements of the narrative, which made the most important project, Looking Glass, such a perfect example of using the game environment in narration (environmental storytelling).
In this article I will talk in detail about the ways that Thief manages to engage in gameplay with the help of level design and mechanics.
The Thief: The Dark Project game in the entourage of a steampunk city, called simply “The City” (The City), allows the player to get used to the role of Garrett, a cunning and experienced thief. Having proved his skill by stealing priceless artifacts and avoiding an attempted murder committed by the leader of the underworld, Garrett is faced with a proposal to kidnap a mysterious artifact known as the Eye. Collecting the talismans needed to enter the enchanted cathedral storing this mysterious relic, Garrett is embroiled in a conflict between the two main warring clans - the technocratic Order of the Hammer and the pagan nature worshipers.
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Thief , one of the first games that profess the “immersion simulator” philosophy, uses its background and entourage to create a subtle but effective dialogue between the player and the environment. Such a dialogue is carried out due to the fact that the player has the opportunity to study the history on his own initiative, and with the help of detailed level design, emphasizing the feeling of vulnerability. All this creates a tangible narrative that complements the mechanics of the game.
Thief creates a mood for each of the sixteen levels through scenario inserts combining Garrett’s explanations of the situation, mysterious quotes and maps of the respective places acting as important elements for building peace. Maps of vacant areas, such as the Old Quarter (Old Quarter) and the Lost City (Lost City), are made roughly and in the style of sketches, which is explained by their abandonment. Maps of busy areas, such as the Hammer Temple, contain important points.
Regardless of the details of these cards are only general recommendations. Before escaping, the player chooses his own path, exploring the mission zone, bypassing suspicious entry points blocked by hostile NPCs and / or environmental hazards, and searching important areas in search of prey and interesting objects. This strategy reinforces the feeling of deep immersion, while the game does not resort to unnecessary dialogue about the dangers and the legend of each level.
In addition, contextual placement of interactive objects helps to reveal the character and the story through the environment. It allows the player to independently explore the location of production and information. For example, in the Ramirez manor a player goes through many rooms that can be explored. Using common sense and their own thoughts about the level scheme, the player can understand that in places like the basement, it will be difficult to find a lot of gold. But in one of his rooms, Garrett may stumble upon the owner of the estate, who counts his loot. This can be learned in advance by overhearing the conversation of two servants. Another good example is the Thieves 'Guild (Thieves' Guild): important objects are arranged according to the narrative. For example, a priceless vase is in a safe, hidden behind a flag hanging on a wall. This underscores the paranoia and enmity of the two commanders of the gangster leaders. In addition to a non-interactive insert at the beginning, telling about this conflict, all the information necessary to get a vase can be obtained by listening to NPC conversations and collecting scattered across the level of the note.
Such a symbiosis of improvised research and narration through the environment means that a player’s success depends on his desire and ability to reveal the background of the level and the whole City. By allowing players to independently discover the world, the game gives them the feeling of gaining knowledge that they should not have. All this is possible due to the fact that the necessary elements of the game are synchronized with the reality of the scene, reinforcing the impressions of the City and the details of the environment. At the same time, there is no need for unnecessary additions, such as quest markers or dynamic mini-maps.
The city, in particular, greatly benefits from the imperceptible process of building peace and surroundings, expanding the player’s perception of the world, and at the same time not “feeding him with a spoon”. Despite its linearity, Thief gives the player the impression of a rich and detailed universe, extending far beyond the levels. For example, a player may overhear a conversation between two guards near the Befforford manor, arguing about bear fights. One of the guards insists that this is an interesting sight, because bears have thorns, provoking them. The second, older, remembers that before the bears did not need any extra equipment. [This dialogue in English can be read here .]
Such a mixture of fragments that make up the scene, for example, notes on how to make dinner and ledgers of illegal payments, as well as information related to the gameplay (a hint telling some guards' inexperience that allows Garrett to use their flaws) means that Thief maintains a good balance between narration through gameplay and surroundings. The legend of the world not only broadens the player’s outlook, but also gives him useful information about interesting places or objects. This motivates him to explore every nook and cranny of the game.
The level structure also emphasizes the sense of danger and anxiety that the player subconsciously feels due to the feedback in the dialogue between the player and the environment. For example, water serves as the boundary between safe and dangerous spaces in a game. In places like the Cragscleft Prison and the Opera House, Garrett needs to sail. This emphasizes that the player enters a region of great danger. This design technique, introducing the motives of the looming threat, becomes especially noticeable in the second act, from the moment the sword of Constantine is stolen until the Eye is received in the enchanted cathedral. In the latter case, Garrett uses the talismans found in the Opera, the Tower of the Mages, the Lost City and the Temple of the Hammer. The natural and supernatural threats of these levels represent a contrast with the technological dangers of the City that were encountered at the early levels.
The same can be said about the differences in the structure of rich and poor areas, emphasizing the idea that power and technology should be feared. The variety of surface materials Garrett can tread on - from wet dirt to stone slabs - allows the player to feel more confident about the player in poor areas (city streets, ruins) and to worry in rich or well-protected zones (prisons, manors). Their noisy surfaces and narrow corridors force the player to develop new strategies for avoiding physically and numerically superior enemies. Torches that can be extinguished with a water arrow in impoverished areas, and lamps that cannot be turned off, emphasize changes in levels in terms of environment.
This, in turn, opens up opportunities for plot twists that emphasize the frightening nature of the missions and the core of the game - the secrecy that determines the gameplay and emotional intensity of Thief . For example, the Eye, which closes the door of the enchanted cathedral behind Garrett after receiving the artifact, reduces the gap in the player’s knowledge and character. The feeling of vulnerability, arising from the lack of player information about what is waiting for the thief, can also affect the information that the player and Garrett have before they get to the level.
Sounds also inform the player about the situation. For example, when he reaches the top of the chapel in the Cragskleft Prison, in the background there are chants of Hammer worshipers (Hammerites), which emphasizes the sanctity of the structure and its level of security. The rebellious theme gives the player to know that he has penetrated the well-guarded Thieves Guild, and the repetitive melody instills a sense of relief when he enters a room with a sword in Constantine's manor. The same can be said about abandoned and rural areas, such as the Lost City, Cemetery and the Old Quarter, in which the atmospheric supernatural elements of the game appear. Wherever the player is, the sense of danger in populated and destroyed areas reinforces the motive of nature withering and technology development. Using sounds to transmit shifts of types of hazards, Thief makes the player understand that technological evil or natural enemies can hide around every corner.
Thief gives the player the freedom to move, making him agile, but also encourages secrecy, making him physically weak. Such mechanics affect the narrative from the point of view of both the player and the environment. As the incarnation of Garrett, the player feels a sense of vulnerability and threat in a hostile world filled with enemies far outnumbering him. From the point of view of the environment, such emotional involvement supports the theme of confronting nature and technology. The uncertainty of the development of the script due to the advantages of enemies and weaknesses Garrett emphasizes the importance of gathering information. This reinforces the player’s sense of involvement, while maintaining the plot's tension.
The most powerful feature of Thief is the use of subtle warnings to highlight the most important parts of the descriptions. A good example is quotations in scenario inserts. Many of them simply create an entourage, for example quotes of hammerites and guardians, setting forth the principles of their faith. Others, such as those related to Gentiles and the Trickster, serve as hints about historical events that will bear terrifying rewards in the future. Such warnings justify themselves at the main turning point of the plot: the betrayal of Garrett by Victoria and Constantine after receiving the Eyes. This event leads to the third and most intense act of Thief , in which pagans try to open a portal to the Maw of Chaos Womb, hoping to return the City to nature. Such a development is hinted at by a surprisingly large number of plants in the estate of Constantine. Given that the city is separated from nature, an attentive player may find this strange. In addition, some documents, such as a letter that can be found in the vault of the head of the criminal clan, give clues about places and characters that may be useful in the future. Flawless integration into the game of such tips encourages curiosity, tangibly immersing the player in the story.
Thief does not live up to expectations when it does not sufficiently develop the theme of the supernatural, for example, ghosts and undead in sparsely populated missions that do not involve thefts. Despite the fact that they effectively emit the overwhelming atmosphere of the game, from the point of view of mechanics, such missions are not convincing. Their relatively predictable artificial intelligence reduces the risk of being caught or killed, discourages research, and interferes with the player’s emotional involvement. This deficiency can be eliminated by improving the balance of behavior of supernatural beings, so that they are more in line with the threats posed by living opponents. Or you can completely remove them from history.
Of all the places visited by Garrett, the manor of Constantine stands out the most. The correct presentation of the story through the environment and the design level affect the feelings of the player more than any other part of the game.
When a player begins a mission called “The Sword”, he believes that he is well versed in the tactics needed to penetrate protected buildings, and he shares Garrett’s confidence in the success of the mission. However, the level map brings confusion to the initially optimistic attitude of the player. Although the front of the estate is well-marked, the back half is left empty. This reflects the fact that it was built recently, and that Garrett has to rely on his observations and rumors to create an approximate scheme.
When a player enters the estate, confusion builds up. The back of the estate consists of tunnels filled with vegetation, the rooms are made spiral, they are bent and turned upside down. They have magical traps, complemented by mysterious sounds of the environment. When a player gets to the sword, he discovers that the customer of the theft is Konstantin himself, who now appears as a manipulative and potentially dangerous character.
The lack of dialogue describing the strangeness of the castle and its mysterious inhabitant allowed the designers to cause a special emotional impact, important for the story: numbness. This scene was a vivid example of how Thief seeks to independently disclose a player’s story through research. What is important, the game does not hold the player "by the hand".
Use the explanations carefully to familiarize yourself with the elements of the structure of the world: in order to force the player to look for details that broaden the player’s mind and knowledge of the gameplay, Thief carefully mixes introductory information with the elements of the scene that describe the places and characters of the game. For example, the design of the estate of Constantine subtly hints the player about the possible dramatic consequences, making his studies more impressive in the process of their implementation.
Select the tone of each level and create it in such a way as to convey the development of the plot: in addition to the objects and characters conveying information about the gameplay and narrative, designers should choose the theme and mood of each mission to report the difficulty of the level and prepare the player for it. For example, you can use water and sound as spatial barriers, place different sources of light, corridors and surfaces of different materials at levels to reinforce the fear of power and technology.
Let the players feel that they are touching information that they should not have known: designers should leave hints in prehistory, breaking the legend and familiarizing themselves with the world into fragments (for example, documents and conversations in the Thieves' Guild), spread across different levels. The player’s involvement is enhanced by encouraging research.
Use mechanics to tell the story and transfer the dialogue between the player and the environment: Garrett's weaknesses and vulnerabilities play an important role in maintaining a sense of tension, supported by the use of non-lethal weapons and the restrictions on killing an NPC. Thief creates the desired emotional effect, emphasizing dexterity, reinforcing its synergy of narrative and mechanic.
Thanks to the skillful integration of the mechanics and design levels Thief creates a surprisingly deep and gloomy gameplay. His intense narrative, transmitted through the environment, and the tangible sense of player involvement creates space for the player to explore the world, and fully justifies the name of the game.
In this article I will talk in detail about the ways that Thief manages to engage in gameplay with the help of level design and mechanics.
Introduction
The Thief: The Dark Project game in the entourage of a steampunk city, called simply “The City” (The City), allows the player to get used to the role of Garrett, a cunning and experienced thief. Having proved his skill by stealing priceless artifacts and avoiding an attempted murder committed by the leader of the underworld, Garrett is faced with a proposal to kidnap a mysterious artifact known as the Eye. Collecting the talismans needed to enter the enchanted cathedral storing this mysterious relic, Garrett is embroiled in a conflict between the two main warring clans - the technocratic Order of the Hammer and the pagan nature worshipers.
')
Analysis
Thief , one of the first games that profess the “immersion simulator” philosophy, uses its background and entourage to create a subtle but effective dialogue between the player and the environment. Such a dialogue is carried out due to the fact that the player has the opportunity to study the history on his own initiative, and with the help of detailed level design, emphasizing the feeling of vulnerability. All this creates a tangible narrative that complements the mechanics of the game.
Thief creates a mood for each of the sixteen levels through scenario inserts combining Garrett’s explanations of the situation, mysterious quotes and maps of the respective places acting as important elements for building peace. Maps of vacant areas, such as the Old Quarter (Old Quarter) and the Lost City (Lost City), are made roughly and in the style of sketches, which is explained by their abandonment. Maps of busy areas, such as the Hammer Temple, contain important points.
Regardless of the details of these cards are only general recommendations. Before escaping, the player chooses his own path, exploring the mission zone, bypassing suspicious entry points blocked by hostile NPCs and / or environmental hazards, and searching important areas in search of prey and interesting objects. This strategy reinforces the feeling of deep immersion, while the game does not resort to unnecessary dialogue about the dangers and the legend of each level.
In addition, contextual placement of interactive objects helps to reveal the character and the story through the environment. It allows the player to independently explore the location of production and information. For example, in the Ramirez manor a player goes through many rooms that can be explored. Using common sense and their own thoughts about the level scheme, the player can understand that in places like the basement, it will be difficult to find a lot of gold. But in one of his rooms, Garrett may stumble upon the owner of the estate, who counts his loot. This can be learned in advance by overhearing the conversation of two servants. Another good example is the Thieves 'Guild (Thieves' Guild): important objects are arranged according to the narrative. For example, a priceless vase is in a safe, hidden behind a flag hanging on a wall. This underscores the paranoia and enmity of the two commanders of the gangster leaders. In addition to a non-interactive insert at the beginning, telling about this conflict, all the information necessary to get a vase can be obtained by listening to NPC conversations and collecting scattered across the level of the note.
Such a symbiosis of improvised research and narration through the environment means that a player’s success depends on his desire and ability to reveal the background of the level and the whole City. By allowing players to independently discover the world, the game gives them the feeling of gaining knowledge that they should not have. All this is possible due to the fact that the necessary elements of the game are synchronized with the reality of the scene, reinforcing the impressions of the City and the details of the environment. At the same time, there is no need for unnecessary additions, such as quest markers or dynamic mini-maps.
The city, in particular, greatly benefits from the imperceptible process of building peace and surroundings, expanding the player’s perception of the world, and at the same time not “feeding him with a spoon”. Despite its linearity, Thief gives the player the impression of a rich and detailed universe, extending far beyond the levels. For example, a player may overhear a conversation between two guards near the Befforford manor, arguing about bear fights. One of the guards insists that this is an interesting sight, because bears have thorns, provoking them. The second, older, remembers that before the bears did not need any extra equipment. [This dialogue in English can be read here .]
Such a mixture of fragments that make up the scene, for example, notes on how to make dinner and ledgers of illegal payments, as well as information related to the gameplay (a hint telling some guards' inexperience that allows Garrett to use their flaws) means that Thief maintains a good balance between narration through gameplay and surroundings. The legend of the world not only broadens the player’s outlook, but also gives him useful information about interesting places or objects. This motivates him to explore every nook and cranny of the game.
The level structure also emphasizes the sense of danger and anxiety that the player subconsciously feels due to the feedback in the dialogue between the player and the environment. For example, water serves as the boundary between safe and dangerous spaces in a game. In places like the Cragscleft Prison and the Opera House, Garrett needs to sail. This emphasizes that the player enters a region of great danger. This design technique, introducing the motives of the looming threat, becomes especially noticeable in the second act, from the moment the sword of Constantine is stolen until the Eye is received in the enchanted cathedral. In the latter case, Garrett uses the talismans found in the Opera, the Tower of the Mages, the Lost City and the Temple of the Hammer. The natural and supernatural threats of these levels represent a contrast with the technological dangers of the City that were encountered at the early levels.
The same can be said about the differences in the structure of rich and poor areas, emphasizing the idea that power and technology should be feared. The variety of surface materials Garrett can tread on - from wet dirt to stone slabs - allows the player to feel more confident about the player in poor areas (city streets, ruins) and to worry in rich or well-protected zones (prisons, manors). Their noisy surfaces and narrow corridors force the player to develop new strategies for avoiding physically and numerically superior enemies. Torches that can be extinguished with a water arrow in impoverished areas, and lamps that cannot be turned off, emphasize changes in levels in terms of environment.
This, in turn, opens up opportunities for plot twists that emphasize the frightening nature of the missions and the core of the game - the secrecy that determines the gameplay and emotional intensity of Thief . For example, the Eye, which closes the door of the enchanted cathedral behind Garrett after receiving the artifact, reduces the gap in the player’s knowledge and character. The feeling of vulnerability, arising from the lack of player information about what is waiting for the thief, can also affect the information that the player and Garrett have before they get to the level.
Sounds also inform the player about the situation. For example, when he reaches the top of the chapel in the Cragskleft Prison, in the background there are chants of Hammer worshipers (Hammerites), which emphasizes the sanctity of the structure and its level of security. The rebellious theme gives the player to know that he has penetrated the well-guarded Thieves Guild, and the repetitive melody instills a sense of relief when he enters a room with a sword in Constantine's manor. The same can be said about abandoned and rural areas, such as the Lost City, Cemetery and the Old Quarter, in which the atmospheric supernatural elements of the game appear. Wherever the player is, the sense of danger in populated and destroyed areas reinforces the motive of nature withering and technology development. Using sounds to transmit shifts of types of hazards, Thief makes the player understand that technological evil or natural enemies can hide around every corner.
Thief gives the player the freedom to move, making him agile, but also encourages secrecy, making him physically weak. Such mechanics affect the narrative from the point of view of both the player and the environment. As the incarnation of Garrett, the player feels a sense of vulnerability and threat in a hostile world filled with enemies far outnumbering him. From the point of view of the environment, such emotional involvement supports the theme of confronting nature and technology. The uncertainty of the development of the script due to the advantages of enemies and weaknesses Garrett emphasizes the importance of gathering information. This reinforces the player’s sense of involvement, while maintaining the plot's tension.
Strongest element
The most powerful feature of Thief is the use of subtle warnings to highlight the most important parts of the descriptions. A good example is quotations in scenario inserts. Many of them simply create an entourage, for example quotes of hammerites and guardians, setting forth the principles of their faith. Others, such as those related to Gentiles and the Trickster, serve as hints about historical events that will bear terrifying rewards in the future. Such warnings justify themselves at the main turning point of the plot: the betrayal of Garrett by Victoria and Constantine after receiving the Eyes. This event leads to the third and most intense act of Thief , in which pagans try to open a portal to the Maw of Chaos Womb, hoping to return the City to nature. Such a development is hinted at by a surprisingly large number of plants in the estate of Constantine. Given that the city is separated from nature, an attentive player may find this strange. In addition, some documents, such as a letter that can be found in the vault of the head of the criminal clan, give clues about places and characters that may be useful in the future. Flawless integration into the game of such tips encourages curiosity, tangibly immersing the player in the story.
Weak sides
Thief does not live up to expectations when it does not sufficiently develop the theme of the supernatural, for example, ghosts and undead in sparsely populated missions that do not involve thefts. Despite the fact that they effectively emit the overwhelming atmosphere of the game, from the point of view of mechanics, such missions are not convincing. Their relatively predictable artificial intelligence reduces the risk of being caught or killed, discourages research, and interferes with the player’s emotional involvement. This deficiency can be eliminated by improving the balance of behavior of supernatural beings, so that they are more in line with the threats posed by living opponents. Or you can completely remove them from history.
Important places
Of all the places visited by Garrett, the manor of Constantine stands out the most. The correct presentation of the story through the environment and the design level affect the feelings of the player more than any other part of the game.
When a player begins a mission called “The Sword”, he believes that he is well versed in the tactics needed to penetrate protected buildings, and he shares Garrett’s confidence in the success of the mission. However, the level map brings confusion to the initially optimistic attitude of the player. Although the front of the estate is well-marked, the back half is left empty. This reflects the fact that it was built recently, and that Garrett has to rely on his observations and rumors to create an approximate scheme.
When a player enters the estate, confusion builds up. The back of the estate consists of tunnels filled with vegetation, the rooms are made spiral, they are bent and turned upside down. They have magical traps, complemented by mysterious sounds of the environment. When a player gets to the sword, he discovers that the customer of the theft is Konstantin himself, who now appears as a manipulative and potentially dangerous character.
The lack of dialogue describing the strangeness of the castle and its mysterious inhabitant allowed the designers to cause a special emotional impact, important for the story: numbness. This scene was a vivid example of how Thief seeks to independently disclose a player’s story through research. What is important, the game does not hold the player "by the hand".
Lessons
Use the explanations carefully to familiarize yourself with the elements of the structure of the world: in order to force the player to look for details that broaden the player’s mind and knowledge of the gameplay, Thief carefully mixes introductory information with the elements of the scene that describe the places and characters of the game. For example, the design of the estate of Constantine subtly hints the player about the possible dramatic consequences, making his studies more impressive in the process of their implementation.
Select the tone of each level and create it in such a way as to convey the development of the plot: in addition to the objects and characters conveying information about the gameplay and narrative, designers should choose the theme and mood of each mission to report the difficulty of the level and prepare the player for it. For example, you can use water and sound as spatial barriers, place different sources of light, corridors and surfaces of different materials at levels to reinforce the fear of power and technology.
Let the players feel that they are touching information that they should not have known: designers should leave hints in prehistory, breaking the legend and familiarizing themselves with the world into fragments (for example, documents and conversations in the Thieves' Guild), spread across different levels. The player’s involvement is enhanced by encouraging research.
Use mechanics to tell the story and transfer the dialogue between the player and the environment: Garrett's weaknesses and vulnerabilities play an important role in maintaining a sense of tension, supported by the use of non-lethal weapons and the restrictions on killing an NPC. Thief creates the desired emotional effect, emphasizing dexterity, reinforcing its synergy of narrative and mechanic.
Total
Thanks to the skillful integration of the mechanics and design levels Thief creates a surprisingly deep and gloomy gameplay. His intense narrative, transmitted through the environment, and the tangible sense of player involvement creates space for the player to explore the world, and fully justifies the name of the game.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/323680/
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