davidcarlton
Moderator
Registered: 07/14/08
Posts: 354
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Reply with quote | #1 |
I've counted the game 8 votes, and all I can say is: y'all really really want to play a game made by Looking Glass Studios. (Which, in a happy coincidence, I did as well!) Specifically, the tally of first-place votes was:
Thief: 16 votes System Shock 2: 7 votes Castlevania: SotN: 1 vote Star Control 2: 1 vote
So we'll be playing Thief. (With players being able to choose whether they want to play the original Thief: The Dark Project or its update Thief Gold.)
We'll do a moderator huddle to pick a start date based on how long it might take for people to get a copy, and then start playing! I'm looking forward to it. |
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davidcarlton
Moderator
Registered: 07/14/08
Posts: 354
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Kloreep
Registered: 08/04/08
Posts: 250
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Reply with quote | #3 |
Quote: Originally Posted by davidcarlton
y'all really really want to play a game made by Looking Glass Studios.
Heh, indeed. 
Heads-up: it looks like this is one game for which you DO NOT want to update your drivers to fix problems. I had gotten Thief II humming along happily on my 4000 series Radeon card, but trying to come back to it today, I found it now crashes almost instantly. The only major change I made was upgrading to the latest Catalyst 9.9 driver, and looking around, it seems driver updates have been a major bane of the legacy support needed to run old games like Thief. Same goes for NVidia cards.
So... if you haven't updated your graphics card drivers in a while, you might want to keep it that way. I'll report back if I have success getting Thief Gold (and hopefully 2) to work without downgrading the driver. For now, I'll just link to the excellent http://www.ttlg.com forums, more specifically a stickied FAQ there that has come in handy for me in the past getting Thief to work.
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CrashT
Registered: 08/19/08
Posts: 250
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Reply with quote | #4 |
*Dances* Tricksee Manfools.
I'd like to recommend the DDFix application as it solves a number of the more common issues as well as providing support for higher resolutions, including widescreen.
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Justin Keverne
GamerTag: CrashT
Groping The Elephant |
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LouisF
Registered: 07/06/09
Posts: 66
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Reply with quote | #5 |
Here's what's shown when I try to install Thief Gold... 
"This product cannot be installed on Windows NT due to a Microsoft DirectX (tm) limitation."
Any help would be appreciated.
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"It is easier to break the rules once you are aware of them." (Jesper Juul)
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Gravey
Registered: 07/03/09
Posts: 28
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Reply with quote | #6 |
Wow, I am pleasantly surprised, given the talk SS2 was getting in the short list thread. Trust the Thief fans to keep quiet until *whack* sap across the head. Or e-mail vote in an inbox. Either way.
Here are two more tips for getting Thief to run nowadays: like the TTLG thread mentioned above, there's a thread on the Eidos forums that might be helpful: http://forums.eidosgames.com/showthread.php?t=76532. You can also get an updated video codec for the game here: http://www.videohelp.com/tools/VP7_Codec
I ordered the Thief Complete Collection from the eBay vendor, and it took ten days for it to arrive in Vancouver, BC for less than US$4 shipping.
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Gravey
Registered: 07/03/09
Posts: 28
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Reply with quote | #7 |
Quote: Originally Posted by LouisFHere's what's shown when I try to install Thief Gold... "This product cannot be installed on Windows NT due to a Microsoft DirectX (tm) limitation." Any help would be appreciated.
Did you try the TTLG FAQ? If not, here's the answer to the first question, it sounds like it might be your issue:
Quote: How do I install Thief on Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Vista?
Go to Start, then Run, then type d:\setup.exe -lgntforce, where d:\ is your CDrom/DVDrom drive. (note: that's -lgntforce, lowercase "L". If you're unsure, copy and paste it from here.) This problem arises because Win2K, WinXP and Vista are based on the NT kernel, which had DirectX support which was flaky at best. Thief needs DirectX to run, so, when the installer sees the NT kernel, it assumes that the game isn't going to be able to run and quits the installation. The -lgntforce switch tells the installer to ignore the NT kernel and install anyway.
Let me know if that did the trick or not.
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Kloreep
Registered: 08/04/08
Posts: 250
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Reply with quote | #8 |
I'm happy to report I've gotten Thief Gold working using the standard fixes listed around Thief websites.
The only major caveat I have here - aside from my copy being Gold, not the original Dark Project - is that according to the readmes of these fix programs, you may have to remove the game's copy protection first, depending on what protection they're using. I personally didn't have to, and applied all of these fixes on top of the original, uncracked install.
Anyway, here's the procedure that worked for me, for those who don't want to go off-site/read through the comprehensive FAQs if they don't have to. Just be warned I have my own particular set-up - Windows XP with an ATI graphics card - and this may not be exactly or all that you need, especially if you're using Vista/7 rather than XP.
1) Force the game to install using -lgntforce command with the setup program
Edit: If you have the Complete Collection, you may be able to run the installer normally; see posts below reporting that to be the case. It's pretty much a given you'll need to do this unless you're running a version of Windows earlier than 2000.
Let's say you have Windows XP and your disc drive is drive D. You would open the start menu, click "run," and type in:
d:\setup.exe -lgntforce
If your disc drive's letter isn't "d", just adjust "d" to whatever letter it is. Take note of where you install the game so that you can go to that directory later.
---Now that it's installed, you can try running the game. If you're lucky, you may play without it crashing, but a crash is likely. Even without crashes, the graphics probably don't look as good as they should.
2) Download and install DDFix. Choose the GUI version of the latest revision (v1.3.11).
---Note: You may not have a program to open .7z files. A free utility is available here. I used the shareware program WinRAR.
Extract the DDFix files to wherever you installed Thief (my Thief Gold installed to c:\game\ThiefG by default). Run ddfixGUI.exe. I would suggest checking "Video fix" (it may help to prevent the cutscenes from not working after reboots) and you might want to choose the biggest resolution, 1024x768, as well. Click "apply patch." DDFix not only solves a number of problems with new graphics cards, but also helps Thief play nice with multi-core CPUs; so you should now be able to run the game without crashing, and it probably looks nicer too.
---At this point, definitely try running the game. You should get to the menu and into the game just fine. The question is, did you see an opening video, or just go straight to the menu? If there was no video, you're missing cutscenes you should be seeing.
3) Fixing the videos: If they aren't working, install a newer codec.
I personally used the updated Indeo codec available here, but this codec that Gravey linked to above looks to be newer. That makes me think it's also more likely to be compatible with newer versions of Windows like Vista, but I don't actually know.
---You should definitely now be seeing video. At this point, the game is playable, but it may look stretched, or even more pixellated than the old graphics call for.
4) Installing the Widescreen(/Hi-Res) patch
Thief doesn't support the large resolutions computers are throwing around these days, but you can patch that too. Get the patch here and extract it - again, to the directory you installed Thief to. (Note that, per the DDFix notes, you should definitely do this after installing DDFix.) Run DarkWidescreen.bat and follow the prompts: input the resolution Thief should run at, and go ahead and enter 100 where it suggests you do.
If you aren't sure what resolution to use, your desktop resolution is probably the one to go with. In XP, you can right-click on the desktop, click Properties, and go to the Settings tab. In the box where it says Screen Resolution, look at the numbers where it says "x by y." Use those (x is the horizontal size, which is what the patch will ask you for first.)
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davidcarlton
Moderator
Registered: 07/14/08
Posts: 354
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Reply with quote | #9 |
Quote: Originally Posted by Gravey
I ordered the Thief Complete Collection from the eBay vendor, and it took ten days for it to arrive in Vancouver, BC for less than US$4 shipping.
Ah, that's useful info. Then we should probably allow two weeks before starting, so that those of us (like myself) who waited until after the vote will be able to get copies. |
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CrashT
Registered: 08/19/08
Posts: 250
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Reply with quote | #10 |
The copy of Thief Gold from the Complete Collection appears to have no copy protection, or at least I could install apply DDFix and it worked fine without requiring the disc.
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Justin Keverne
GamerTag: CrashT
Groping The Elephant |
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kateri
Registered: 03/02/09
Posts: 28
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Reply with quote | #11 |
Thanks, Kloreep, I followed your instructions and everything seems to be working perfectly! (Win XP, ATI 4850)
I didn't need to use the Run command to install anything though (in fact, it didn't work when I tried), it installed from the CD normally with no problems - I have the Complete Collection, with Thief Gold, which states it uses Win XP.
So, all systems are go here!
K.
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Kloreep
Registered: 08/04/08
Posts: 250
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Thorgest
Registered: 05/31/09
Posts: 5
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Reply with quote | #13 |
For any Mac users out there Run Thief through the crossover application as trying to get Thief to run in bootcamp may be a no-go(at least for me it was).
Use the latest version of crossover (8.0 i think) as well as its win98 bottle is way more stable than previous releases.
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Res dura, et regni novitas me talia cogunt Moliri, et late fines custode tueri. |
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Gravey
Registered: 07/03/09
Posts: 28
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Reply with quote | #14 |
I was running a DDfix'ed/widescreen patched Thief: The Dark Project in Windows XP SP3 in Bootcamp 3.0 (Snow Leopard) on a Core 1 Duo MacBook (onboard GMA950 video), and it ran great at 1280x800.
I've installed the Complete Collection but haven't patched any of it yet. They do all start up and run fine, videos, menus and a little bit of gameplay (I assume until it crashes since I haven't applied the multicore fix). I'll try to get all three patched and going tonight.
For what it's worth, TMA is the only game from the Comp. Col. that requires the disc to run. Also, if you have Steam installed, the community features will be available during TDS—at least the pop-up showed up when I launched TDS (is that normal for games available on Steam but not bought from there? Interesting anyway).
Edit: Oh yeah, and a big thanks to Kloreep for the nicely detailed summary of the patching process. Cheers! |
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brainygamer
Moderator
Registered: 07/13/08
Posts: 342
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Reply with quote | #15 |
Many thanks to everyone who voted for Game 8. Thief it is! Thanks, also, for helping each other locate the game and get it installed and running on our systems.
I've opened a dedicated forum for discussion of Thief now, so please continue the conversation there. If I knew of a stealthy way of getting there from here, I would surely recommend it. 
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Michael Abbott
The Brainy Gamer blog and podcast |
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Marceux
Registered: 04/15/09
Posts: 62
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Reply with quote | #16 |
Damn!
I was waiting for a VGC e-mail to update/remind me when we were going to do voting. I completely missed out. *sigh* I'll be joining in on Thief a little late. Oh well.
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brainygamer
Moderator
Registered: 07/13/08
Posts: 342
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Reply with quote | #17 |
Quote: Originally Posted by Marceux
Damn!
I was waiting for a VGC e-mail to update/remind me when we were going to do voting. I completely missed out. *sigh* I'll be joining in on Thief a little late. Oh well.
Sorry about that, Marceux. I try send email to VGC members as seldom as possible to avoid littering inboxes with superfluous messages. This time I sent out a note announcing nominations for Game 8, but maybe I should have sent a reminder of the vote too.
We've only just begun the playthrough, so I'm sure you'll be able to catch up if you want to. Hope you will.
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Michael Abbott
The Brainy Gamer blog and podcast |
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AndrewArmstrong
Registered: 07/22/08
Posts: 282
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Reply with quote | #18 |
Quote: Originally Posted by brainygamerQuote: Originally Posted by Marceux
Damn!
I was waiting for a VGC e-mail to update/remind me when we were going to do voting. I completely missed out. *sigh* I'll be joining in on Thief a little late. Oh well.
Sorry about that, Marceux. I try send email to VGC members as seldom as possible to avoid littering inboxes with superfluous messages. This time I sent out a note announcing nominations for Game 8, but maybe I should have sent a reminder of the vote too. We've only just begun the playthrough, so I'm sure you'll be able to catch up if you want to. Hope you will.
I missed the vote/start too, mainly since I've been battling with hardware problems on a new PC I've built and have had 2 weeks of pain since Windows 7 came out doing so, heh.
Reminder emails are fine for me, would be nice to get reminders if only because I lacked the time (or access to my bookmarks for a while) to check!
(Okay so I also suck at Thief, so it doesn't matter in this case, although I swear I'll get past the first level one day...)
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