Thief Deadly Shadows: Paul Weaver Interview

Thief: Deadly Shadows (Xbox)

You are Garrett, the master thief. Rarely seen and never caught, Garrett is the best that ever was. Able to sneak past any guard, pick any lock, and break into the most ingeniously secured residences. Garrett steals from the wealthy and gives to himself, making his living in the dark and foreboding City. Here crime and corruption are commonplace, wealthy nobles prey on the poor and each other, and magic and machinery coexist uneasily. World weary and cynical, Garrett wants nothing more than to be left alone to ply his trade. But things never work out that way.

This week, we took some time to speak with Paul Weaver, Senior Producer of Thief: Deadly Shadows, about the project and the game in development by Ion Studios.


Could you please introduce yourself and tell us what your responsibilities are in the development of "Thief: Deadly Shadows". What other games have you worked on?

Paul Weaver: Hi there, my name is Paul Weaver and I am the Senior Producer here at Ion Storm. I have worked on Thief: Deadly Shadows since it passed its Alpha deadline in February and am assisting in its timely completion for June this year. Since joining Ion Storm I have been fortunate enough to help out as Producer on the European release of Deus Ex 2.

Before that I was Director of Development at Acclaim Studios in Cheltenham in the UK where I worked on Alias, XGRA, Summer Heat Beach Volleyball, Crazy Taxi, 18 Wheeler, XG3, Dakar 2, and RC Revenge Pro.

Prior to my position there, I worked at Rare as a Lead Game Designer, where I worked on Donkey Kong Country 64 in its early inception as well as being the co-designer of Donkey Kong Country 3.


For those not familiar with Thief, describe the focus of the series.

Paul Weaver: Thief: Deadly Shadows is the final installment of a trilogy that started on the PC 7 years ago - It was arguably the first true modern stealth game. The main character that you play is Garrett, a reluctant anti-hero totally out for his own gain, not interested in helping people or saving the world, but stealing as much as he possibly can.

In the first two games, Garrett dealt more heavily with the Hammers and the Pagans. The Keepers were a secret organization that showed up occasionally just to meddle, but didn't play a primary role. In this game, Garrett finally interacts directly with them. It's an intense story that leads up to its dramatic conclusion in Deadly Shadows.

However, for first time players to the series (especially on Xbox) there is no need to feel out of your depth. This installment stands on its own. All the important story elements are introduced to new players in this game. For returning fans, there is subtle rich backstory to appreciate also. This game, like its predecessors, focuses on Garrett taking fate into his own hands in an attempt to change his and the City's future.

It's all about the hood...scary.

Thief is the game that started the stealth genre. How does that legacy feel? Does it add pressure to the development of this third installment?

Paul Weaver: I have to say it's an honor to be involved even in the small timeframe that I have on the project - The Thief series has been an inspiration to me through my career and all of the games have highlighted something that all developers can take away and learn from. There is a real pressure to succeed with this title - We have the opportunity to end the series in style and everyone who has worked on it from start to finish has felt the pressure to make sure that this is the best in the series.


What are your thoughts about the more recent stealth titles like Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell? Were there any elements that you took from these games during the development of Deadly Shadows?

Paul Weaver: Due to its PC heritage, the Thief series really hasn't had the attention that the more console driven titles such as Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell have enjoyed over the past few years, which is a shame, as for the most part those titles have borrowed more from Thief than vice-versa. Both of those titles are of course classics in their own right and with our transition to Xbox, we hope to show the mass gaming public that Thief: Deadly Shadows deserves to sit alongside those titles. The major difference in this game is that we aren't concentrating on modern gadgets or being a spy - This is a medieval world with low-tech solutions and a hero who's totally out for himself - It's a refreshing change!


What new elements are you implementing into Deadly Shadows to ensure that the Thief series continues its trail-blazing?

Paul Weaver: There is a whole range of new features in the final incarnation of this title and they all deserve some time to discuss. Firstly, the game is playable in both third and first person perspectives. The Thief world has also been fully re-designed with the inclusion of 'The City', which Garrett explores in between his missions. As well as this, we have a truly state-of-the-art AI and rendering systems and we have once again pushed the use of Havok physics in our title to the max. There's a full range of new tools for Garrett to pick from - but I don't want to give away everything!