FAQ
Short answers to the questions players ask most, with links to the longer explanation.
Which releases does T3SDK work with?
Only the Steam release of Thief: Deadly Shadows, patch 1.1 (T3Main.exe SHA-1 40bf68a54246bcde2fb5fcbc75b94dc7c7f78305). T3SDK checks this file at start-up; on any other build — a different store, an unpatched copy, or a Steam copy changed by another tool — it logs that and leaves the game to run exactly as it would without T3SDK. See Unsupported builds.
Is it safe to use?
T3SDK changes the running game only in memory. Installing and removing it only adds or deletes its own files in the game's System folder (dinput8.dll, T3SDK.ini, mods\), and it refuses to overwrite a file it doesn't already own (see Playing with T3SDK). It doesn't touch Steam's DRM or the game's copy protection: the launcher's Play button starts the game through Steam, exactly as Steam's own Play button does. The one thing to be careful about is mods themselves: a mod's DLL is a program that runs with your own rights, so only install mods you trust (see the warning on Installing mods). Back up your saves before trying any mod, in any case.
Does it change game files?
No, not the game's own code or data. Playing with plain T3SDK only ever adds its own files (above); installing an edited map, or a content mod, backs up the original file first and puts it back when you remove the map or turn the mod off (see Installing mods).
How do I remove it?
Click Remove in the T3SDK box on the launcher's Play page, or delete the files you copied in if you installed by hand (see Playing with T3SDK). To take everything back to how it was — mods, edited maps and T3SDK itself — follow Removing everything in that order.
Is there multiplayer?
Not yet. Multiplayer is the whole reason this project exists, but nothing playable is available today. Unreal's own network layer is gone from T3Main.exe entirely — no NetDriver, ActorChannel or travel strings, and no Winsock imports — so multiplayer has to be built from scratch as a mod, and that work hasn't started; only the groundwork (stable hooking and lifecycle) is done. See the roadmap towards multiplayer for what's needed and in what order.
Why does the game restart, or flash to the desktop, between levels?
The restart itself is the original game's own behaviour, not something T3SDK adds: Thief: Deadly Shadows relaunches its whole process for New Game and for every mission change, always has. T3SDK's loading-screen curtain hides the gap by keeping the outgoing loading screen up until the new one is ready, but that fix is new and hasn't been tried in the actual game yet, so you may still see a black flash instead. See Display and performance.
Will it make the game run better?
T3SDK doesn't optimise the game's renderer or engine; what it changes is presentation — a borderless window, a paced frame rate in that window (VSynch, MaxFPS), and smoother world updates above 100 fps (SmoothFrames). None of that is a performance fix by itself, and the last two haven't been tried in the actual game yet. On one test machine the main menu ran between 200 and about 1,255 fps uncapped, and about 180 fps in the game's first level. If that's more heat and fan noise than you want, turn on the game's own VSynch, which paces it to your monitor; with VSynch off, MaxFPS caps it instead. See Settings explained.
Why isn't the launcher code-signed?
Windows checks installers for an Authenticode signature, and getting one costs money or an application process that this project hasn't gone through yet (see Releasing: Windows code signing for the two options being considered). Until then, Windows shows "unknown publisher" for the installer: click More info, then Run anyway. This is separate from the launcher's automatic updates, which already check a different, unrelated key before installing anything — that part is already verified.
Where are the logs and saves?
Logs: System\T3SDK.log in the game folder. The launcher's Play page shows the end of it, Open opens the whole file, and Collect logs packages it for a bug report (see Troubleshooting). Saves: the game's own SaveGames folder, wherever your installation keeps it — the launcher's Saves page shows where it found yours, and Settings can override the location. See Save backups.
How do I get help?
The Taffer Tavern on Discord for questions, or Report a problem (Play page or Settings) for the project's GitHub issue tracker if you've found a bug. Run Collect logs first and attach the zip either way.
How can I support the developers?
By buying the game: T3SDK works with your own copy and contains none of the game itself. See the README's Buy the damn game section.