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The most commonly used weapon in Thief, however, is the least deadly. The blackjack is a short and blunt club used to knock out unsuspecting guards. Mastering the blackjack is a little tricky. Players are required to sneak behind their target and club them over the head. A blow to the back, elbows, knees or any other place on the body will simply alert the intended victim of Garrett's presence. Once a guard is aware of Garrett's intentions, the blackjack is rendered all but useless, and players will be forced to either flee or use their sword to defend themselves. Using the blackjack successfully however, feels like quite an accomplishment, especially the first few times, and players will find that it will quickly become their primary weapon. Guards who get knocked out with the blackjack remain unconscious for the duration of the game.
Thief's first great innovation comes in the sound design. Guards are quickly alerted by any amount of noise in the game, and players will instantly find themselves cranking up the volume on their speakers, not only to listen to their own footsteps, but to those of the enemy as well. Garrett has variable walking and running speeds. The faster Garrett moves, the more noise he makes. Thief also has a variety of floors, from carpeting to gravel to shallow water. Players must take all these aspects into account while moving around. Thankfully, guards will make as much as noise as you do. In fact, not only will their footsteps be audible, but their swords will rattle in their sheaths and their armor will clank. Sometimes, guards will even mutter words under their breath, or even whistle songs to lift their boredom. Our hide was often saved when we were about to turn a corner only to hear a muffled "Hmm, thought I heard something. Probably just my imagination" or "this job sucks" coming from the other side.
Doorways that are blocked by a guard can be cleared by throwing a plate or bottle towards the opposite end of the room. Guards will often leave their posts to investigate any noise and come back when everything has been checked out. This is just an example of the flawless sound design execution by Thief. Players with DirectSound capable cards are in for a treat.
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