In the realm of gaming, questions often arise that may seem trivial at first glance, yet they can lead to surprisingly intricate discussions. Recently, a seemingly silly inquiry about the height of Garrett, the iconic protagonist from the Thief series, sparked a deep dive into the character’s dimensions. The initial claim that Garrett stands at six feet tall had long unsettled me, as I had always envisioned him to be shorter, perhaps due to my own modest height of 5’7″.
My curiosity was reignited while writing about the height of characters from Elden Ring: Nightreign, which led me to revisit Garrett’s stature. This time, I stumbled upon a different assertion: that he is actually 5’5″, a figure even shorter than my own expectations. This revelation made more sense, yet it still left me pondering the discrepancies.
Further investigation revealed that the 5’5″ measurement referred specifically to the version of Garrett from Eidos Montreal’s 2014 reboot, calculated by a blogger named Haethel through comparisons with other characters. However, this rebooted Garrett is not the original, thus complicating the search for a definitive answer.
As I delved deeper, I discovered a vibrant community of Thief players who have debated Garrett’s height for years. A thread dating back to 2004 on the TTLG forums showcased a wide range of proposed heights, from 5’6″ to 6’2″. This prompted me to seek out someone with firsthand knowledge of the game—someone who could provide clarity amidst the confusion.
Consulting an Expert
Romain Barrilliot, a level designer at Arkane Studios and a Thief aficionado, seemed like the perfect candidate. Known for his work on fan missions and his expertise in the series, I reached out to him with my question. To my surprise, he responded within nine minutes, confirming that Garrett is indeed 6 feet tall in the original Thief and likely in its sequel as well.
Barrilliot elaborated on his response, providing a visual comparison that illustrated Garrett’s height against a 6-foot brush used in the game’s design. He explained that the character model, referred to as “playbox,” is indeed 6 feet tall, although it may not resemble the Garrett we know during gameplay. This revelation was both amusing and unsettling, as it challenged my perception of the character I had stealthily navigated through The City.
However, the plot thickened when Barrilliot noted that the Garrett model from Thief 2 appears taller than the original. He estimated that this version stands at approximately 6’5.3″, though the difference may be largely cosmetic. The ambiguity surrounding Garrett’s height stems from the game’s design, where towering enemies often dwarf him, leading to a skewed perception.
Ultimately, Barrilliot provided insight into how distance is measured within the Thief universe, revealing that the game’s metrics translate easily to other titles. He noted that Garrett stands significantly taller than characters from other games, such as Quake’s protagonist, further emphasizing the variability of his height across different iterations.
In the end, the quest for Garrett’s height not only yielded a definitive answer but also highlighted the complexities of character design and perception within the gaming industry. What began as a simple question transformed into a fascinating exploration of one of gaming’s most enigmatic figures.
