Taffer's Thief I Walkthrough - Training Mission

Walkthroughs

A Keeper's Training (Training Mission)

My best time on Expert: 2 minutes, 6 seconds
Maximum Possible Treasure: 50

Note: I have played this particular "mission" on all three difficulties, and the only difference I know of is the Secret Area: It is only available on the Expert setting.

Introduction

"The essence of balance is detachment. To embrace a cause, to grow fond or spiteful, is to lose one's balance, after which, no action can be trusted. Our burden is not for the dependent of spirit."
— Mayar, Third Keeper

I was a kid. No parents, no home. Running messages and picking pockets to keep my ribs from meeting my spine. One night I saw a man...folks just passed him by like he wasn't there. I thought he must have something valuable, so I snuck up on him and made a grab.

"Ugh!"
"That's not for you."
"Please, sir, I'm hungry. Don't tell the Hammers, I promise..."
"What is your name, boy?"
"Garrett."
"You have talent, lad."
"Let go of me, old man!"
"To see a Keeper is not an easy thing. Especially one who does not wish to be seen. We have a need for those as gifted as yourself. If you've grown tired of how you live, then follow me, and we will show you a different way."
"Leave me alone!"
"As you wish."

I caught up with him just before he vanished into the crowd. It was the beginning of a very long education....

Objectives

Your objectives for this mission do not change based on your difficulty level.

Follow the directions of your Instructor in order to pass the training tests.

NOTE: The in-mission objectives will appear identical to the pre-mission objectives. There is no simplified version.

Before The Mission

What You'll Encounter: Human Guard (Swordsman).

You start this mission with nothing but your shadowy clothing, and no opportunity to purchase anything.

Walkthrough

A walkthrough is not really necessary for this mission...your Instructor will walk you through it himself. Instead, I will point out a few things of interest.

The Dark Room

This is the room where you have to make it to the other side without being seen. It is not actually necessary to wait for your Instructor to stop speaking before beginning this section. If you stand on the bottom step, you can successfully jump over the short wall keeping you from entering the room. Jump off to the right, where it is darkest. Otherwise, you'll land in the light and be seen immediately.

The Quiet Room

This is the room where you have to make it to the other side without being heard. Again, it is not necessary to wait for your Instructor. Jump over the barrier, but this time jump to the left (while not actually necessary, jumping to the left will keep you from having to turn and backtrack, thus allowing you to shave some time off your final clock score). Note that it is much more difficult to successfully jump here then in the Dark Room.

When you get near the end of the room, instead of turning right to avoid the metal grating, try jumping over it and landing on the stairs. They are carpeted, and you can manage this without attracting your Instructor's attention.

The Sparring Room

This is the room with the targets, the dummy, and the sparring area. Try to pick up your Sword first, then your bow, so that the bow is readied automatically. (Not only will you not have to ready it, but having your Sword out slows your movements.) Move down to the targets, and shoot off an arrow. Then, turn right around, draw your Sword, and attack the dummy. You will have to keep attacking it until you have successfully connected with a left swing, a right swing, and an overhead swing. (If you're interested in taking another second or two off of your final clock score, try approaching the dummy with an overhead swing at the ready.) Once this is done, you will spar with a guard. (Note that in this combat, you cannot kill the guard, nor can he injure you.) Once you've sparred a bit, you can leave the circle, and pick up the items off the table. (Note that, even though your Instructor tells you to pick up ALL the items, it is not required...you can simply pick up the key alone and proceed from there.)

This part was a bit tricky for me, when I was trying to get through with the shortest time possible. I would spar for a bit, then go to the table, but the items were not there. Go back and spar, check the table again. Someone emailed me and told me that the items will not appear until you have hit the guard a minimum of five times with your Sword. I have confirmed this. So go find the guard as soon as possible and whack him five times to minimize your time. (I shaved about 40 seconds off my best time this way!)

NOTE: Although unnecessary, you CAN get into the target range area. Simply walk along the wall which parallels the staircase, aim yourself at the target area, run and jump. You should land in the grassy area with no trouble. In here, you can pick up your arrows that you've shot.

Another unnecessary-to-get-to-but-fun-nonetheless area is the balcony. Using a running jump, jump onto the window ledge to the right of the table where you find your Sword and bow. Once there, do another running jump towards the ledge you can see out a distance. Hold down your mantle key, and you will pull yourself up onto this ledge. Sometimes, you will land on the tree instead of completing your jump. Simply jump again from there, and you should have no trouble.

The Basketball Court

This is a "secret" area. Once you have finished sparring with the guard, go to the table and pick up the key. Then, follow the guard out (or run past him) before the exit is blocked off. You may need to fire an arrow at the guard to slow him down in order to do this. Keep going until you come to a door. Unlock it with your key, and you will find the basketball court. Try shooting the ball through a basket. As far as I know, you don't get anything for doing so, but it's a fun diversion. :)

Also, in the far corner is a bedroll. Pick it up and examine it, and you will get to read some of the quotations overheard while the game was being programmed ("Quotes from the Dark Team during the development of Thief: The Dark Project"). Some of it is quite amusing. :)

Note that it is not necessary to get to this area. There are no bonuses that affect the game whatsoever, as far as I can tell.

The Mantle Room

This "room" is outdoors. Once you've done your running jump across the gap over the river, you have to pull yourself up (mantle) onto a block. In this room, you can manage to get yourself onto the roof. At the end of the path you are walking on, instead of falling, jump forward and LAND on the red beam which the rope descends from. From here, take a running jump, and you'll land on the roof. The only problem is, you can't stay there...you fall off in a few seconds.

There is no reason to do this, other than for your own personal edification. It contributes nothing to your game that I know of. Note that the same method can be used in the other rope-room (the jump-across-the-gap room) to get on the roof there.

The Treasure Room

This is the room beyond the red door. After entering, you will hear yourself (Garrett) thinking about your (his) plans. Run down to the end of the hall, and you will find a table with a golden vase on it. Pick it up. (50, Treasure Count: 50.) It will give you another 50 gold pieces with which to purchase items for the next (first) mission.

Game Bug: You are supposed to start the next (first) mission with 300 gold, or 350 if you picked up the vase. HOWEVER, if you do this little trick, you can start with more. Save your game just before the end of the training mission. Now, finish the mission, but instead of continuing, reload and finish again. Each time you do this, the game apparently adds 300 (or 350, if you grabbed the vase) to the total amount you had PREVIOUSLY. So, go in, grab the vase, and you start with 350. Reload, go in, grab the vase, and instead of starting with 350, you get 350 ADDED to the previous 350...700. Reload again, you start with 1,050. Keep doing this as much as you feel like it. (Note that to purchase all the items available for the next mission, you only need to have 1,200.)

Congratulations! You've completed the Keeper's Training!