Suggestion: Scouting orbs

[BobTheMad]

Ok.. the one thing I REALLY miss from this game (that was in the Thief series) is the scouting orbs. I am not sure how hard they would be to implement into the UT engine, but have a few ideas about them

1) They would encourage ghosting by allowing clever thieves to scout out an area before entering.

2) The orbs in Thief2 were completely invisible. I would not reccommend this method though. The orbs should follow the same transparency rules as thieves do. If someone were to toss an orb into a shadowy corner, then it is invisible. It is is tossed into broad daylight, then the guards could see it.

3) They should be destructable. By this I mean that a guard could step on one, thereby destroying it. Perhaps blinding the thief who was looking through it at the time similar to a flashbomb. This would occur even if a guard stepped on one that he did not know was there (was in a shadow for instance). This would encourage the thief to be careful where he places them.

4) They could cost 75 loot, and are re-usable (just frob to pick up).

Whadda ya think?

[Kiech Bepho]

Sounds cool, but would you have time to use them? Plus, would you really want to? You would become VERY vulnerable while using your orb to scout around, and unlike Thief, the guards in this game don't take the same patrol over and over again. It just needs some thought.

Kiech

[MrEricSir]

I can see how they could be useful, and perhaps encourage ghosting. I somehow doubt the devs want to go to all the extra trouble to add them in, though.

[Bloody-Reaper]

Actually... There is a scouting orb in Thievery!

Just look in the editor under the pickups, it's there!

And yes... It does work! You can see the whole world with it!!!

[Kiech Bepho]

Actually... There is a scouting orb in Thievery!

Just look in the editor under the pickups, it's there!

And yes... It does work! You can see the whole world with it!!!

Well, if you're not taffing us (likely story) then I guess it will be in 1.3. I don't want to undervalue the effort and skill needed to program the eye, but there are already little round objects in the game, things that can be squished, and a followcam/freecam. So what they would need to do is:

Paint an apple black (or a little round thing) - and make it non-edible.
Call it an 'orb' or something.
Make it squishable.
Set followcam to the orb's position. Or make it a freecam but without the ability to move.
I don't think the 'stealth' property would be needed, since it IS just a little black ball anyways.
Set a button to return to playerview.

Kiech

[LegalAssassin]

They have been in for a long time, though they look like [Earth] and the code looks a bit messy:

TODO:

Rewrite so there is a Controller that is kept in the player's inventory.

for example.

[Thebos]

I like the idea.

The thief being vulnerable while using is a way of balancing a potential advantage. Should a guard start hacking the thief, I would suggest instantaneous shifting from scout view to normal view.

I would suggest an additional item being needed to use this device- a "viewer". This would provide a means of using the orb after it has been dropped. Selecting the item in your inventory would show the orbs view, scrolling if multiple orbs dropped, and a message indicating no picture available if the no orbs have been dropped or they have been destroyed. Also, incorporating this functionality into the telescope might be another way of doing the same thing.

Precendence for this in game would be the need for guards to buy a repair tool to use any purchased whistler.

Another reason for an additional view device would be no need to lose an eye.

[BobTheMad]

As for being vulnerable when using the scouting orbs, how about leaving the sound 'viewpoint' where the thief is... so he/she would be able to hear any approaching guards. The scouting orb would be visual only.

[BobTheMad]

[Mr.K.]

I'm thinking that unless you make the orbs totally invisible and silent (which would be kind of unfair), they'd not be really useful, because guards would see the orb being thrown just like they see arrows and then guess where you are.

[LaughingRat]

I'm thinking that unless you make the orbs totally invisible and silent (which would be kind of unfair), they'd not be really useful, because guards would see the orb being thrown just like they see arrows and then guess where you are.

Which, of course, rather defeats the purpose of scouting....

[SNAFU]

I'm thinking that unless you make the orbs totally invisible and silent (which would be kind of unfair), they'd not be really useful, because guards would see the orb being thrown just like they see arrows and then guess where you are.

Which, of course, rather defeats the purpose of scouting....

Amen. Make 'em the ultimate stealth tool. No noise or sight.

[BobTheMad]

It was suggested that the orbs follow the same rules as thieves do. In shadow they are invisible. In light they are not.

Yes they would need to make no noise when dropped tho.

[Chainsaws]

How about letting you fire it with the bow, that way it would go far enough not to give your exact position away...

[Kiech Bepho]

How about letting you fire it with the bow, that way it would go far enough not to give your exact position away...

An orbarrow? Maybe if my bow didn't sqeak every time I draw it. The distance would be cool though. That and all the arrows make noise...ugh.

Kiech