The Story of Thief & Looking Glass Studios | Noclip Greatest Hits

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In our latest episode of Greatest Hits Danny peaks through the Looking Glass to remember the original Thief series and the long shadow it has cast on the world of game design.
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Edited by Jeremy Jayne & Danny O'Dwyer
Filmed & Colored by Jeremy Jayne
Featuring Original Music by Megan Carnes
Gameplay Capture by Frank Howley
Captions by Megan Carnes
Motion Design by Dan Silverstone (Pica)
Twitter: / pica_creative
IG: / vivapica
www.pica.me.uk
0:00 - Intro
2:37 - The Early Concepts
13:05 - Designing Thief: The Dark Project
29:28 - Tools of the Trade
35:40 - Thief 2: The Metal Age
40:04 - The Culture at Looking Glass
49:37 - Thief: Deadly Shadows
1:02:22 - Outro
1:03:33 - Credits

[@improvgm8663]

The fact that other stealth games don't seem to understand how important sound was to making Thief great is frustrating.

[@jamesoldham9995]

The Styx games nail the footstep sounds. And Chaos Theory has really cool ambient noise effects, but yeah I know what you mean.

[@main_stream_media_is_a_joke]

@@jamesoldham9995 The Styx games are to me the spiritual successor of the Thief games, and they just nailed the pissed off goblin character and crazy verticality of the levels. Love both the games flaws and all.

[@FinixPoltergeist]

Amen

[@retroartist9186]

@Stellvia Hoenheim 😔

[@brennanwn]

Same 😫

[@daviddesrosiers1946]

Watching this makes me realize that ironically, when gaming tech was in its infancy, its raw creativity was actually at its zenith. Creativity is a happy accident in the modern game space.

[@thee0581]

Back then, I'd say it was 90% thinking about delivering a great game, and assuming the sales / money would come naturally with it, if it just delivered a great experience. Today I'd say it's 90% about how to design a game to make money, and just 10% for the experience.

[@quinnmarchese6313]

theres an old adage i continuously go back to these days in regards to game design--"limitation breeds creativity". when devs _can_ make huge, hyper-realistic looking, entirely open worlds, the actual creativity behind them always suffers. we see with every passing Ubisoft game, the Saints Row reboot, GTA V, RDR2 (to an extent, personally i think that game is fine), etc. You also see it proven by games like TLoZ Wind Waker, where its art style was born of the relative lack of power from the Gamecube and thusly its cartoonish, cel-shaded look upscales wonderfully and stands toe to toe with many modern indie titles, while its younger brother Twilight Princess (a totally good game btw, not raggin on it), has aged poorly in most areas, as it tries to go for a more grounded art style when the tech at the time simply cant reproduce realistic graphics.

[@jamesrussell2936]

while I think you've got a point, I also think everyone is forgetting all the god-awful games from back then lol

[@s1140285]

The "Greatest Hits" intro screen was badass. Congrats to whoever took the time to design that. It looked amazing.

[@williambjork2777]

soooooo gooooood

[@SamBIllium]

Great music too

[@KillahMate]

Came down here to say this exact thing. That into is some top-level work in every way.

[@awk-irl]

when i saw the unreal tournament menu screen i let out an audible gasp :')

[@VigneshMukund]

It's him: instagram.com/vivapica/

[@trblemayker5157]

Im happy to see so many people still know what Taffer means.

[@Curt_Randall]

Thief was my first PC game experience. It came free bundled with my video card. I had no idea what it was (remember this is before youtube, and the internet was very young then). I installed it, started playing, and I immediately became enthralled with it. It was incredibly immersive and the sound was in a world of its own. Over 20 years later being a pc gamer, the apparent amount of love that went into making the game is still unmatched. I will forever have major respect for LGS.

[@RGDcommentnode]

The sound design for Thief and System Shock 2 are still top quality. Really atmospheric, lot of tension, and downright scary sometimes. Let's just say they gave teen me some interesting nightmares back then.

[@antduude]

The sound of bare feet slapping on the tile floor in the Medical level is still some of the scariest memories I have. I can still remember vividly how many hours I spent playing the game late at night, headphones on, listening intently for the slightest sound as I moved through the levels, afraid of scuffing my boots on a hard floor, waiting for the guard to round the corner, etc. Thief's sound design was absolutely brilliant.

[@ChristopherLeBlancArtAndDesign]

Oh yeah, same here. Down in the Bonehoard was difficult for me to get through. I have vivid memories of being so scared, I refused to move. I was fourteen years old, and the sound of the zombies walking around just outside of my hiding spot made me absolutely terrified. Then, the sound of the horn echoing through the catacombs was haunting and so darn eerie. And there's something about maze-like game environments that somehow make things even creepier.

[@sixcoregamer9221]

Modern games simply do not sound like this. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYXPm6ipgclrock

[@hishamjalal9078]

so these nightmares of yours. are you in a hotdog costume?

[@NoclipDocs]

[edit] Captions are now live!

[@baglayan]

Thanks for your hard work

[@Wizuu0274]

Just a question, are there gonna be spanish captions for this one?

[@Eternal_23]

How about MDK and MDK 2?

[@AngeleiaHall]

Thank you for making accessibility a prioity! I look forward to watching with captions !

[@NoclipDocs]

@@Wizuu0274 sadly KZbin no longer allows community submissions so we’ve not been able to utilize our community to help us do this work. We hope to add official foreign captions to future docs with some new funding but sadly that’s not gonna be soon.

[@ShellComics]

The fall animations for the NPCs get me everytime haha XD (Also the intro is still an absolute banger)

[@SaltyWarPig]

I spent probably 200 hours just playing the demo level before I ever bought the game. That's how good it was. This game was a part of my teenage years. Thank you for this well-done documentary.

[@In-hoc-signo-vinces]

YES! I did the exact same, cos i was a kid and couldn't afford games. I play the demo all summer holiday

[@malek0093]

I've been looking forward to this doc ever since it was announced and honestly it was so worth the wait, it's absolutely insane how much work and passion you guys put into your videos. I'm already super excited for the Prey doc to come out.

[@NoclipDocs]

Thank you so much, that's really awesome to hear

[@EricMalette]

Totally. Prey needs the love. The fact that Prey isn't on the tip of everyone's lips is baffling. Totally flew under the radar for PC gamers.

[@MyNextShotWontMiss]

@@EricMalette I've got the Prey collectors edition in the metal box. It didn't fly under my radar but it was sadly largely overlooked back in the day. Great game.

[@brennanwn]

I have the exactly the same feeling

[@liamatelman1692]

A Prey Doc is incoming? OMG im so hyped!

[@Sammo212]

Hell yes! Still one of my favorite games of all time. Anyone who disagrees is a taffer.

[@RolledDie]

It WOULD be pretty weird for someone to disagree on what your favorite game is.

[@GepardenK]

Shut up, you taffer! You want stealth? You should've been there years ago! Tell ya...the games then? They were something to see. Those games, they didn't need no grinding and quest markers, and bat vision, and all that knifery you straps to 'em now!

[@Sammo212]

@@RolledDie You've never been on Twitter, eh?

[@letsgoBrandon204]

@@GepardenK Wow, Good games. Would've liked to have seen that.

[@BigPuddin]

@@Sammo212 You're wrong about liking something more than other things and having an opinion, taffer. Boo.

[@Sir.Craze-]

My friend. That intro.... Is _seriously_ next level. The amount of effort that must have taken. Damn, guys. Damn. (And just a shout out to my clear favorite. The roller coaster tycoon panels!)

[@tradito]

Amiga!

[@danwells6766]

Feel's like a an eternity ago when these games were out coming and yet the memories are still vivid. thanks for all the hard work putting these game documentaries together. Now how about the original Deus Ex

[@MuscarV2]

Coming out* How do you manage to swap two word placements like that?

[@danwells6766]

@@MuscarV2 oops, editor fired

[@MadMac5]

Warren Spector did a great post-mortem on Deus Ex at GDC back in 2017. Check it out at kzbin.info/www/bejne/qpfJiWaMoc-Hqqs

[@danwells6766]

@@MadMac5 Thanks, I will check it out.

[@rapeisalwaysthewomansfault946]

Yeah no clip! Get on it

[@johnny-smith]

“One of the most powerful things you can do is name a game something that immediately tells the player what they’re going to do.” Thief: You steal things. Civilization: You run a civilization. Metro: You survive in metro tunnels. Crusader Kings: You reign as a king during the crusades. Dark Souls: You play as John Darksoul, titular protagonist of the hit series “Dark Souls,” famous for such quotes as “Every soul has its dark,” and “It’s always darkest before the soul.”

[@DoctorTillinghast]

10/10

[@trblemayker5157]

That last part made me laugh

[@maggitPL]

I believe the Dark Souls joke started as HALO and Masterchief being called John Halo.

[@KaneDesign]

Classic!😂

[@WARnTEA]

You forgot the most popular one, Grand Theft Auto : murder/manslaughter simulator with an occasional theft of an auto.

[@ImSeriously]

This is my favorite games series of all time. Top tier level design, sound design, character design, voice acting (shout out to Stephen Russell

[@dehumanized93]

Inarguably the greatest video game series of all time.

[@greyfox37]

@@dehumanized93 I can second that. The lore is even fascinating too. Sadly I am horrible at game design and do not have the time to do it like I wanted to in the past, so I turned my Thief campaign into a pen and paper one and play it with my wife. She really loves the ideas I have and how I describe everything, it makes her feel like she is there

[@dehumanized93]

@@greyfox37 Great idea! Sadly I am single, so there's no one to play Thief with hahaha :D

[@ag578glaup5]

Maybe check Gloomwood. It's a game inspired by thief but with it's own ideas. The demo is great.

[@deepstothepeeps]

I would've loved to see Stephen Russell interviewed, though I don't know how much insight a voice actor can provide. Still, this is a great documentary for a legendary series. I play through Deadly Shadows every couple of years. It might be getting to be that time again...

[@Scavija]

I was literally about to leave a comment about wishing Stephen Russel being interviewed as well when I saw yours. You really can't have Garrett without Stephen Russel, and you really can't have Thief without Garrett. Thief has forever cemented Stephen Russel as one of the most legendary voice actors for games in my mind and I am always excited when I hear him in any game I play.

[@XxDruidmancerxX]

Me too! I'm pretty sure he'd have at least funny stories about the writing and stuff. Especially since he voiced Garrett, Benny and Karras (among others). It's hard to find stuff from him on KZbin in general, unfortunately.

[@Ridnarhtim]

Not sure if you're aware, but the Inside At Last podcast interviewed him recently, it was really interesting. It's episode 14 on youtube, spotify etc, should be easy to find.

[@Scavija]

@@Ridnarhtim Thank you for that recommendation! It was a great listen.

[@NickRaven]

And don't forget there was recently a 5-hour look at the whole series over at The Nth Review. Very thorough!

[@MrVesinokkaelain]

Being from Finland, I remember laughing at the Finnish coat of arms being used as a tavern sign at 57:37. Seeing that again brought back fond memories. I wonder if there were any Finns in the development team, and that was meant as an easter egg, or was it just a placeholder image flip they thought no one would notice.

[@TJStellmach]

Iikka Keränen was a level designer on Thief 2, and was at Ion Storm afterwards, but he worked with the Dallas team and wasn't involved in Thief 3 that I know of.

[@IdahoBookworm]

Deadly Shadows actually holds up really well, especially now that you can mod it to restore the seamless large levels and get rid of the teleporters. I still prefer the mood and art direction of 2, but 3 is a great game in its own right. Although I'm still scarred from the Cradle . . .

[@balintszollar]

I adored Deadly Shadows despite all of its faults! Also, that damned orphanage level still haunts me to this day. Definitely one of the scariest experiences I ever had in my 32 yrs of gaming....

[@palchristianandersen9086]

Yeah. I remember being skeptical about it 3 because of DX: Invisible War, but it won me over pretty quickly. The addition of a city hub area was a neat addition to the formula too, made the world seem a bit more alive.

[@PlasticCogLiquid]

Deadly Shadows is great, it's one of my favorite games alltime, along with the previous two.

[@phantomspaceman]

The modded version with bug fixes mostly meets the standards of the other two but some of the levels like the hubs are still too small to convey what they wanted. When 4 came out it made people appreciate the 3rd game.

[@deathfromace]

Good to see others that liked Deadly Shadows. I bought it day one and really loved the game...had some issues with it like the level loads but it is what it is. It seems like I heard nothing but negative things about it when it came out so good to hear others liked it as well.

[@omgcandy16Kimicari0]

the comparison of the guard's search audio to golf commentary is mindblowing.

[@FunkiestChickenlawl]

I'd just picked up thief a couple of years ago for the first time and it's already in my top 5 greatest games I've ever played in my nearly 30 years of life. I've played a ton of games of that era when I was a kid like Half Life and Battlezone 2. I have a ton of nostalgia for them, but I really feel like I missed out with this game. My dad was never the type of guy to buy games like Thief, so I never got to experience this gem. It's so simple, yet so immersive and with a gripping story that's all told from the player's perspective, never putting you in a cutscene. Pretty much every hallmark of a masterpiece is in this game. Which made me realize, game companies really don't make good games anymore these days. Last good AAA game I played in recent memory was Baldur's Gate 3, which was so good it made the entire gaming industry feel threatened by it, and for good reason. That's not to say that indie games aren't thriving though, there are some REAL sluggers coming out right now that aren't from AAA megacorps.

[@indianhistorybuff]

Possibly the greatest game studio ever. Oozing with talent.

[@WARnTEA]

I feel like we are at a time where another team of smart people could be put together to make amazing games again. There was basically a renaissance around thief/half-life that ended at the first mafia game, where there really wasn’t any game design formulas made. It was a time of immerse experimentation, and at its core was physics based gameplay and storytelling done through gameplay as part of the environment. Theres that one video that compares the physics of mafia 1, 2, and 3, where you can see how the industry continually ditched physics simulations in favor of higher resolution graphics. Looks great in a screenshot but is completely lifeless when in motion. We’ve started getting to a point where most gaming machines will have about 16 cpu threads and an ssd. Our computers are strong enough to have a game look good and have crazy physics and sandbox gameplay. Especially since creation tools have been making it easier and easier to create assets like photoscan enviroments and unreal’s lighting pipeline. Also part of the problem was that gamers were nerds back in the day so most games were complex and didn’t have too much to help in tutorials, then games kept getting more simplistic to try and pander to the lowest possible player to attract a bigger audience but gaming has been so prevalent by now that a lot of old gameplay techniques can be brought back because tutorials aren’t a necessity anymore. Modern games keep focusing on open worlds/bigger worlds and I kinda want to see what it looks like when a AAA team focuses on the gameplay and bring it back to smaller worlds that are jam packed with detail and life.

[@metropolis10]

I grew up playing video games, surrounded by other dudes who played games, seeing interviews with the studio head dudes and lead dev dudes becoming famous. What strikes me whenever I watch more in depth interviews like this is how many women are in the background working away, making my fav levels, characters, and worlds. How much a part of the conversation they are behind the closed doors. I never knew they were there. So thanks for that, and for everything else.

[@forasago]

I counted three.

[@TafferKing451]

Wonderful documentary on one of the greatest trilogies ever made, and of some of the most talented people to cross this industry.

[@Crowborn]

Hey, it's the birdperson!

[@fromthebackseat4865]

TRILOGY. ITS A TRILOGY.

[@ShinForgotPassxXx]

I cannot believe you mad lads got Ken Levine! I could listen to him a whole day long.

[@andareon]

The drunk guard singing really threw me back to the hundred of hours I sank into this game :) Amazing video, thanks a lot! Really a classic of PC gaming.

[@lucasoscar]

Thief games were the first one enemies felt alive, they had conversations between each other and react to sound and movement, it was really ahead of its time (EDIT: also each level told a story, i remember finishing most of after a couple of hours and it was rewarding and memorable)

[@EposVox]

Bro that Greatest Hits intro SENT ME I need visuals like this in my life

[@bernardo777ful]

I see 'No clip', I see 'Thief', I click

[@krzysztofp516]

Thief I and II are my favorite game ever. Basically a masterpiece in stealth games genre. Love the cynical personality of Garret ( Stephen Russell was brilliant ). Imho best video game character ever. And this atmosphere of mystery and dread that is difficult to find in other games of this type.

[@plasticvisual]

Can't think of another game after Thief that treated sound with such importance... My favorite games of all time (Thief 1 & 2).

[@quinnmarchese6313]

gonna comment just because im a bit tired of seeing this echoed in the comments, Metal Gear Solid always featured sound as an important aspect to consider/use to your advantage, from knocking on walls to bait someone around a corner or throwing an empty clip or similar item to distract an enemy, also Splinter Cell 1 and 2 hyperfocuses on the sound generated by what you're walking on (as well as throwing empty cans or whistling as distractions) before SC Chaos Theory also added focus on using ambient sound to maneuver more swiftly when you are near a sound source. Also No One Lives Forever 1 and 2 (both are hugely great games deserving of remasters that they will never get) uses the floor type to affect the loudness of footsteps.

[@C1ockwork]

Now THIS puts a smile on my face.

[@sainstranger]

Thief 3 was one of my favorite games when I was young. The lock picking mini-game that you could get really good at and that really felt like lock picking, wall climbing, layers to every location, city hub , side missions you had to find yourself and that helped you find information that would make next core missions easier, gorgeous visuals and fantastic optimisation, OMG I am still fascinated! The thing that if you killed too much guards or were caught stealing several times made militia on the streets notice you and your portraits started appearing on the city walls! Guards in next levels became more aware if you were brutal before. Damn, there even was a secret level in prison if you got caught in the streets! After remembering all this I guess it was and still is my favorite game of all time, along with fallout 2.)

[@grabelnikov]

Randy has absolutely nailed it describing thief 2. The game lost a bit of its magic and felt more routine (even though being a more polished experience overall). There aren't many games to this date that reach the heights of world-building of the Dark Project. Playing Constantine's Mansion is one of the best gaming experiences I have ever had.

[@RiccardoAlbertini]

I found thief 2 to be so good honestly :)

[@PlasticCogLiquid]

They were both great, but I agree about the mansion......that was wild

[@Nergalsama01]

Hm. I enjoy the contrast between T1 and T2. T1 features more supernatural elements and has a very special atmosphere, whereas T2 feels a lot more down-to-earth, in a way. Grittier even, maybe, because your enemies are very human with human ambitions and motivations.

[@hishamjalal9078]

To me, Thief 1 and 2 are like one big game. can't choose one over the other.

[@quinnmarchese6313]

as a guy who isnt a huge "fantasy" genre fan, i prefer what Thief 2 is doing narratively and graphically with it's steam/dieselpunk aesthetic and inspiration, but i won't deny that Thief 1 and 3 are more detailed in world-building aspects and fit together better than 1 and 2

[@CYON4D]

The first three Thief games are such classics, they are definitely among the best pc games of all time. Looking Glass Studios will always be remembered for the amazing work they have done.

[@dontomaso11]

Love that even the designers felt something was lost with thief 2. The design/experience was much tighter but the.. adventure was lost, in a way. A lot of people hate them but level 2 to 6 in the first game are my abs favs because it just feels so exciting, like a thief tomb raider.

[@quinnmarchese6313]

if i have one fault for thief 1 its the zombie/monster infested missions. both because they dont feel as truly interesting or thought-provoking in my more recent excursions with Thief 1, and because Looking Glass was so good at atmosphere (and the dated graphics add a bit to it) that these levels were just terrifying to my younger self. Deadly Shadows (even though it too is a secret horror game) was always my favorite since i was too young to truly appreciate 1 at its time and never had experience with 2 until recently.

[@tomigun5180]

@@quinnmarchese6313 I missed the zombies and skeleton warriors from 2. It was boring without them, and I never finished the game, even though I tried doing it twice. Robots are boooooring. Steampunk is boooring! Horror is fun. The mysticism and magic of the world was lost. The fantasy was sucked out of the fantasy world. Even Constantine points out the essence of Thief: THAT DARKNESS ISN'T JUST THE LACK OF LIGHT!!! People started to think it is, and it made Constantine angry. Too bad the new developers of Thief 2 completely forgot about this fundamental truth. And when the game told me that I have found a secret place, in a very videogame-y way, as if I didn't know it already, well, that was just disgusting and 100% immersion breaking. Even Garrett's face, when you went 3rd person view, looked off, the devs didn't even bother looking at the original game for making the main character, FFS. Part 3 was even worse, with constantly telling you things Garrett and the player shouldn't know, like exactly how much loot is on the map, and how much of it you gathered already.

[@polpettaio]

My favorite game of all time. Picked up at launch, with a 5.1 "sound Blaster" kit. I miss you garret.

[@rickyblitz9679]

This is legit one of my favourite gaming documentaries. The only criticism is that it’s not 2 hours long

[@Spermicidee]

That credits sequence really put a smile on me! I owe a lot of my creative identity to Thief and the pursuits of various Looking Glass alumni, and to see a once-in-a-lifetime studio get the attention they deserve in this was such a treat.

[@Born...]

Their "love for the work and art" is what is sadly missing from most of the gaming industry today. That is why halo is not in the spot it once was long ago, the old games were being made by people are truly cared and created each part of the world they were building. Staying up late at night or sleeping in the studio to get more done, Wanting their game to be fun and making their game for not only the people, but for themselves. I hope this comes back around sometime soon. The gaming industry truly needs it.... We were truly spoiled back in the day and didn't realize it.

[@roelfkromhout]

Greg LoPiccolo was already a hero for creating that System Shock opening track. Had no idea he was lead on this.

[@illiaandriukhin5386]

Yes, System Shock OST is pure brilliance.

[@WiseGuyFTW]

Thank You for this, no game even today comes close to the level of realism achieved in this game. Stealth in relation to lighting and sound is unmatched even today.

[@TheAgamemnon911]

That was an hour well spent. Thief is just the best video game trilogy ever made. Yes, trilogy. What fourth game? Oh... that one. No, we do not talk about that one anymore.

[@quinnmarchese6313]

oh you mean Dishonored? we talk about that one all the time lol. (the actual fourth thief was so bad that i just consider dishonored 1 to be thief 4. i mean choffer and taffer sound so similar.)

[@rekware9320]

These docos are literally "get the popcorn" watches. Get a snack, put your feet up and be informed and entertained at the same time. If i had more money id be a patreon for sure. I've just started the video and really hope you talk to Warren Spector..and then Ken Levine turns up!! Wowee...!! The sound design in Thief was fantastic!!

[@RetroDeathReviews666]

The greatest Windows PC game ever created. A game that still shines as strong as it did in when it came out. And one that nobody could ever even hope to replicate.

[@Muertegris]

The Thief saga is the best for me, and Thief: Dark project the best game ever made. I think like Randy Smith, in Thief 2 is less variety of levels. I think the second mission of Thief, with the haunted mines and the hammerite prision is very impressive and make you blow your mind. The third seeking the horn of Quintus is amazing too. I missed a lot those things in the other thief games.

[@MrBobby35790]

Thief 1 contains one of the best cinematics I've ever seen in a game. Was a young teenager, and when the cutscene played and the *ahem* tables were turned on Garrett, my young teenager mouth was hanging open. I couldn't believe what I'd just watched haha.

[@jimjamz.]

There is still no other game to date that can make me shiver and the hairs stand up on the back of my neck as The Dark Project, once the Haunts notice you and give chase. Having bought and played this on release in '98, I wasn't expecting a replay in 2020 to repeat the effect - I was wrong. My original play-through left such a psychological scar, my shiver has almost become muscle memory when interacting with that character in the game, some 22 years later. Sadly, The Metal Age couldn't reproduce that experience, and it was obviously evident missions took precedent over the inter-woven story-line we were led through in TDP. The Metal Age and its improvements was a deserved sequel, but it did lack that lore and mystery we unraveled in the first game. Thank you for an enjoyable documentary on probably the best game series ever made. It would have been great if you could have interviewed Paul Neurath, as he would have some interesting facts regarding project development, as he did for the War Stories series.

[@Citizen_JV]

It's Amazing of how a defunct company like Looking Glass Studios made a such an Engrossing Stealth Sim that ended up being one of the greatest games ever made. Not only that, this Documentary proves that Looking Glass Studios were deeply passionate of making this game and wanted. literally wanted for this game to work and in the end, it did. It takes time and patience to make a video game that could possibly push the envelopes of not just being one of the greatest games of all time but it also made Thief II The Metal Age and Thief Deadly Shadows come to fruition in spite of financial problems they went through. I have the utmost respect of companies, like Looking Glass Studios that really (literally) gave a shit of what they wanted to do for Thief The Dark Project to succeed and by all means, It not only succeeded, but its Loved by a lot of Fans!!

[@georgemckendrickbryce9863]

What an epic game franchise, I'm not a big gamer really, but I picked up Thief Deadly Shadows for the PC in my teens and I was hooked on the franchise instantly! The atmosphere, the story, the art, and the taffers! It's just the perfect combo! I was so excited at the release of Thief 4, and it saddens me Eidos Montreal missed out on a lot of those magic ingredients in the game. But I'd gladly buy a Thief 5 if they learned from their mistakes 🤘

[@vitsavicky]

Every single one of these people is a true legend. So many great games came out of Looking Glass even when it no longer exists, but the spirit lives on. Immersive sim is one of my favourite genres and I am glad to learn of its origins. Thank you noclip, stellar work as alway.

[@scgamerd]

Thank you for working on this! A long forgotten classic, original thief feel now sadly resides in mostly our nostalgic memories. I really hope that this may inspire previous creator teams to together for last time and give us fans a true farewell thief game that is deserving of the name

[@TheSlowpC]

A beautiful episode of a classic company and a great game.

[@pointman426]

Both you and GVMERS had similar ideas for today's content, LOL! Awesome work, guys!

[@quinnmarchese6313]

very pleased to see that Warren Spector stands up a bit for Thief Deadly Shadows--its among the best of that era when we talk about sequels to PC exclusive games getting "consolified". The levels would definitely benefit from losing the load zones (pretty sure theres a mod that removes load zones and makes the levels just complete) but like for a game from 2003, it aged wonderfully both graphically and design-wise, the narrative is solid and brings back some of the fantastical flair from the first one without using too many monsterous creatures as enemies, and its pseudo-open world design still feels like a brilliant balance between sandbox exploration and focused linearity.

[@PunkerNinetySix]

Thanks Noclip! I appreciate the point of view you presented on crunch in this doc. This, in my opinion, is 100% the correct way to view crunch time as it relates to any creative pursuit. The statement "never work for a company that makes you do this" is also right on point. It should be the creator's choice and that choice should come to light as a result of positive workplace culture, realistic expectations around each individual's unique work/life balance and a supportive team who inspires you to be your best. Corporate interests should have no weight on that decision whatsoever. This documentary is truly an inspiring look, and somewhat of a dream scenario, at what it is like to make games for a living.

[@TheRatsCast]

I was in the camp of; I loved Thief 2, and that is my favorite game. Not just out of the thief games, but any game. I've played that game multiple times; more than any other game I own. I own it again on Steam because I just had to game it. Thank you, Danny; for a wonderful join as always. You and your team are amazing, and Thief is one of my favorite franchises ever. It brought me to such wonderful games series as; Assassin's Creed, Dishonored, Deus Ex, and Styx. Styx: Master of Shadows and Shards of Darkness has been my new Theif game; as it's the most like Thief, but with a combination of all the other games I listed.

[@freeze-frames]

Thief was such a formative game for me, along with System Shock 2 it took hold of my teen brain and made many modifications to it; really set the course for me creatively. I remember when Looking Glass went under, I was crushed for months. So cool to see these guys talk about the experience making these games!

[@nav2Max_Light]

0451 is the password to enter looking glass studio! That's why this code gets mentioned in many games.. Including Deus Ex series! Thanks a lot for this documentary!! I just got into the Thief series recently. I am currently experimenting modding the game with Ray tracing Global illumination input mod.! Just one thing in this documentary you didn't mention Steve Russell, the VA of Garrett! Do let me know if I am wrong...

[@brennanwn]

This documentary has been hiding in the shadows patiently. Waiting to steal my heart😀😏

[@wormerine8029]

Amazing game to this day, even without nostalgia. Played it for the first time in 2010s, and fell in love with both Theif1&2 in spite of their age. Thief1 easily lands within my top 10 of all time.

[@illiaandriukhin5386]

Same. Played System Shock 1 in 2010 and Thief in 2011 for the first time and those are my favorite games (even though I am playing games since 1994). Thief 2 and Deadly Shadows didn't impress me that much though, some magic was lost for sure.

[@popolokross444]

Never thought i'd be seeing the alumni of Looking Glass in the same video. It really felt like a celebration of the Studio, thank you Noclip.

[@THgoll]

That was one of the best documentaries I've seen for a video game in a while.

[@RonJomero]

A NoClip documentary about my favorite game series of all time?!? Hell yes please! I'm still pissed Daikatana indirectly killed Looking Glass Studios.

[@shanesthief]

Your absolutely right John Romero killed LGS.

[@Theodore5of5]

The self-effacing humility of these really talented artists stands out to me. I really liked their assessment of their own studio culture versus trying to manufacture that enthusiasm and drive inorganically, "mandatory fun" as it were.

[@martinstrnad641]

Thank you so much, Thief gave me the initial motivational push to focus on game development during my teenage years. Looking back at all this and hearing the devs talking like I would talk in my late 20s while working on games myself fills me with nostalgia so much.

[@cirocardoso3v]

This documentary needs a follow up with the amazing community that still makes fan missions for thief 1, 2 and 3.

[@Tarets]

What a great team of passionate people.

[@Wispmage]

I've been anxiously awaiting this doc since you announced it and I'm thrilled with the end result. You told the story of Thief and Looking Glass beautifully and it was really great to hear from folks that I'd only known before as names in the credits. Keep up the fantastic work!

[@JFPlayeRsDream]

Ever since I discovered Noclip, which was a long time ago, I've been asking for a THIEF documentary. Thanks a lot! ❤️

[@MyNextShotWontMiss]

I loved Thief games. Great memories. Looking forward to watching this after work.

[@davidcrowell2611]

You guys might actually have the best content on KZbin. I've never played Thief before but I found this super interesting. Also to echo what a lot of others have already said, the intro for your classics series is soooo sick. Whoever put that together did an amazing job!

[@Andrew-79]

One of the greatest series of all time. Great video. Thanx

[@reddeaddude2187]

I've never played a Thief game but I like how you can manipulate light sources to hide easier. It's common sense but so many games forget about it.

[@danculp3136]

This is one of the best documentaries I've seen

[@eareboucas]

Thief 1 and 2 are my favorite PC games from that period and I'm beyond happy that this doc is finally out! ♥️

[@nickdanger12345]

You're the one getting robbed by not having a more popular channel. Maybe you just noclip through KZbin's algorithim. Well edited, well researched, and well voiced video game essays. Love the channel, I recommend it to all my friends!

[@TerrorTerros]

please keep in touch with Warren for the inevitable "Deus Ex" episode..

[@dennisbugaev2733]

I just found this channel, and then stumble upon this deep dive of the development of a game I loved so much. Me and my buddy would spend whole nights huddled in front of my computer screen trying to get through all these levels and in Thief 2 and Deadly Shadows. This game is basically a major contributor to why my biological clock is so messed up I have chronic insomnia now. I got too used to being most active, mentally, between midnight and 5 AM. 10/10 would destroy my health again!

[@NoclipDocs]

Thanks so much, and welcome to the channel :)

[@thenothing2786]

These documentaries make me feel all warm and cozy.

[@TheKiburedo]

Welp... now I have something to watch when I get home, can't wait!

[@Dukefazon]

I have close to zero experience with any Thief game but hearing Ken Levine talk about stuff puts a huge smile on my face. I'm not a Ken Levine fan or anything like that I just like the way he describes the golden age of video game development. I wish I was there back then, I always wanted to make a video game. But I'm still not too late, I can still put out something good if I finally commit to it, but it's not easy with a dayjob...

[@MuteCircle]

My all-time favourite (second hand) Thief memory. A friend throwing some cheese into a guard's path, interrupting his idling dialogue and creating the immortal line. "I'll find you, you taffing... CHEESE!?!"

[@FromTheAtticTV]

What would we do without Noclip? Like seriously. This channel is a gem.

[@Rain-King]

Oh, boy, ever since discovering your channel, I have hoped for a documentary on Looking Glass Studios, a studio simultaneously ahead of their time and obscure. A deep dive into the Thief series comes pretty damn close. :)

[@Roboterpunk]

Playing Deus Ex again right now, I realize once more how much the works of all the wonderful people at Looking Glass influenced this game. It‘s a masterpiece built upon the foundation laid by Thief. There is so much greatness in every aspect of those games, and I‘m very greatful for them.

[@cardcounter21]

_Thief: The Dark Project_ will always have a nostalgic place in my heart but _Thief 2: The Metal Age_ was the crowning glory that I still play today with the emerging HD graphic mods!

[@emmajeane]

ill never be tired of listening to the folks from looking glass talking about their work, playing the metal age way back when really opened my eyes to how interesting and dynamic games can be. also the production quality on your docs keeps going up which is incredible considering how strong you started, glad you guys are doin this ♥

[@Roguester]

So glad that to see an in-depth dive into this wonderful series. The first three games in the series are full of nostalgia for me.

[@wizaard7]

I remember following this game's production, on their website, when it was still called "The Dark Project". I could tell they were working out what exactly the game would be as I read through their posts (although I've forgotten the details). I remember one moment when I first started playing it. I was in the street trying to find a back way into some building (I'm blanking on the name) but it was the one where the guards are talking about the bear pits. I saw a guard coming and crouched down and hid in the shadows. As he walked past me, he greeted me, and continued on. It was simultaneously hilarious and disorienting. I knew this game was something special, and I had no idea what I was doing, but I was hooked.

[@casualcadaver]

Thief the Dark Project is one of my top games of all time. Top 10 for sure maybe even top 5.

[@MustardEAD]

The unsung hero of this series is the Title Sequence.... simply amazing

[@chrisfoxx5442]

This documentary needs to be shown to game companies around the world, not only is it an entertaining story about the creation of Thief but it's a beautiful and in-depth look at a studio that blossoms from the work that the team wants to do instead of the work that they're forced to do and in turn the magnificent project they were able to make.

[@thesummerofmark]

Once again, outstanding work from the Noclip team. I hope you’ll cover these amazing studios making amazing art for years to come

[@WardenDios]

Dark Project and Metal Age are still to this day my favorite games of all time.

[@larsscholz3762]

Amazing job you did on this one! Thief is truely a classic and this doc series is on it's way to becoming one as well!

[@alexandreantunescosta6216]

Thank you for this awesome video!!! It's not even for nostalgia, because "Thief" games are pretty much alive in my heart, never forgotten ( from time to time i restarted the thief trilogy and the "dark mod" only to admire how far developers with commitment can go)....such well designed games!!! And your docs are priceless man! Insta like stuff!

[@SolidSnake684]

Nice! I actually just started playing Thief for the first time recently, and I absolutely love it! For 1998 it's aged suprisingly well. Always fun to play an older game like it's brand new. Excited to watch this side by side while I work my way through the series.

[@WiresDawson]

oh hell yes! one of the best video games ever, covered by one of the best video game documentary channels, this is a wonderful surprise!

[@3333218]

Never clicked so enthusiastically on a video before!

[@delatroy]

Thief STILL cannot be matched for stealth, atmosphere and voice acting👌