Version 1.2 (released November 11, 2000) has brightened up the underwater dark spots -- so if you are playing with Version 1.1 (released September 16, 2000), then you can replace this mission in Darkloader and see much better underwater. This change has been tested with version 1.1 save files -- so you don't have to start over.
Most of the notes below pertain to older versions -- but not all.
WHY IS IT SO DARK?
The short answer is that there are no lights in certain areas. The Enterprise is a dark place. That was the plan. However, I did not realize how some graphics cards would have trouble with this. Most people do fine -- so it is not true that everyone will find it too dark... just those who have cards that can not be adjusted (or those few taffers who have not yet been enlightened on how to make this adjustment).
HOW DO YOU ADJUST GAMMA (SCREEN BRIGHTNESS)?
In Thief 1, type the "+" key to brighten, and type the "-" to dim. If nothing happens, either your graphics card does not support this or possibly you have remapped your keys -- which means finding out which is the right key for this.
THE BOARDWALK AND LOWER ENTRANCE AREA.
Leaving the old village, Garrett must walk across a boardwalk up to the mountain. If you can't see it your doomed. But so far nobody has complained about that. At the end of the boardwalk, Garrett ascends stairs. Don't bother exploring in the dark away from cliff face -- there is nothing there, and you'll just fall off if you can't see. Instead walk between the boulders and wall until you find a pickable door.
ONCE INSIDE THE LOWER ENTRANCE.
There are no pitfalls inside this door... just a dark curving hallway surrounding a well-lit room. The entrance to the curving hallway is between the entrance door and the well-lit room... a right turn about 30 feet inside the building (10 meters).
ELEVATOR UP TO THE MAIN LEVEL
Once around the curving hallway, Garrett steps into the bottom of a tall shaft. Elevator buttons are at eye level or just above when looking back towards the well-lit room.
ROOF AREA ABOVE SWIMMING POOL
One player has complained about darkness on the roof above the swimmong pool. On the roof beyond the swimming area is a fairly open area, and in one corner of this area is trap door. There is no other way off the roof other than going back the way you came up.
FALLING OVER THE CLIFF FROM "STREET" LEVEL
The brick knee wall around the mountain top outdoor area is not just for looks -- There is a huge drop on the other side in most places. If you can't see past one of these walls, chances are it will be "re-load time" if you have go at jumping over.
THE CAVES
This is a serious problem if your card does not support gamma adjustment. If it gets really bad, I recommend playing on "Easy" or "Hard" and using the shortcut people have been discovering by the freight elevator (Only on "Expert" do you need the loot that is in the caves to win).
The cave entrance is well-lit but as you climb farther in things get dark. The floor tilts toward the cliff edge and you will run into a short wall. Mantle over this rather than trying to go around -- since there is no place to go around and you'll just fall off the cliff when trying (as happen to one poor soul).
Down into the caves things brighten up a bit (in version 1.2). Off this cavern is a lit cave with a dead guy and some moss arrows, but the way out is not so easy (in versions 1.0 and 1.1)... The exit from the cavern is under water, and lousy gamma will make this hard. But here's the trick if you are stuck...
Consider the cavern to be an analog clock seen from above where the 12 o'clock position is the huge vertical shaft in the ceiling at one end, and the "dead-guy" cave entrance is at 6 o'clock. The exit from the cavern is about 15 feet (5 meters) under water at about the 8 o'clock position. The opening is about 8 feet wide (2.5 meters) and there is a light mushroom just around the corner about 20 feet inside (6 - 7 meters). Once in here, things are lit okay.
At the highest point in this cave section you may discover a ladder leading to a long very dark tunnel -- this is a shortcut that lets you back out of the caves the way you came if you want to go back -- but you don't ever need to use it.
BEYOND THE AUDITORIUM
Beneath the auditorium are unlit tunnels leading to an unlit (prior to ver 1.2) water reservoir. Considering the cliff edges and land mines, you will have a hard time here if you can't see. Stay to the left all the way through, jump into the reservoir, swim down about 20 feet (6 -7 meters), then straight across and back up at the other side. This will lead you to the first of two huge elevator shafts.
The elevator areas are fairly well-lit, but the flooded tunnel between them is not.
The entrance to the tunnel is under the platform where you find another dead guy half in the water. Swim down, then to the left. The tunnel zig-zags left and right, and there are air holes every so often -- so if you get disoriented, just keep swimming. Of course if you can't see, you'll be in trouble -- but so far no on has complained about getting lost here -- so maybe the texture is bright enough for everyone.
Past the second shaft you will find a power room, and stairs beyond this are not lit -- but they are ordinary stairs, so you shouldn't get stuck too badly.
BACK TO SOLUSTICE'S OFFICE
The endgame area is reached through a tunnel which opens up in the floor of the Solustice's office. Walking down the stairs you may walk into a dark corner at the bottom of the stairs. Just come back a bit and look around. Things will be well-lit after that.
WHAT ABOUT AREAS NOT MENTIONED HERE?
Write to me, and I'll help you out right away if I am available -- frobber@edanet.com -- and then add your situation to this page.
A Thief 1 Mission by frobber
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