So I'm playing through Deus Ex again...

[Fox5]

I've been playing through deus ex again (with the updated d3d8 renderer, hdtp pack, and shifter patch/mod) and besides noticing what a fun game it is, I've noticed something interesting.
Despite coming out in 1999, its background conspiracy crap (the things you read in the various newspapers, emails, and kiosks) parallels the post 9/11 world pretty well. In fact, the main differences are that a lot of things haven't reached the same level they are in deus ex, and that it was the statue of liberty blown up, but otherwise it's a pretty good fit. I'm impressed at how the devs (who probably borrowed from countless fiction writers) were able to predict the effects a major terrorist attack would have on a country.
Oh, and of course the roles of the UN and the US are somewhat reverse in the game.

It's pretty fun, and the updated renderer keeps the game looking decent. The HDTP texture pack doesn't add much since so few models are changed. The shifter mod adds a variety of gameplay changes that I think are justified for the most part. The game's also pretty good at providing multiple ways to complete an objective. The stealthy, non-violent way is almost always suicidal though, and honestly enemies are so fragile that the brute force approach is never wrong, even if you haven't trained your weapon skills at all (provided you at least have the right weapon for the job). You're also extremely fragile, which may just be the results of the mod. I've had more than one time I've randomly dropped dead from a single shot while still having a decent amount of life.

 

[shortylickens]

I too suspect the developers were very well read people and (given some of the conversations in the game) at least a few of them were political science majors and had minors in computer programming. Or maybe the other way around.
But yes, a lot of the material in there was reminiscant of books like Starship Troopers, on the duties of soldiers and citizens and governments.


Its generally agreed this is one of the few games in which stealth is actually easier than combat, but that requires a lot of patience. Luckily if you choose the right skills and equipment, the combat path is not too difficult.
For a real challenge, try beating the game without killing anyone. There are at least a dozen guys here on Anandtech who would be more than happy to tell you how.

 

[jonks]

I wasn't pc gaming when it came around the first time, and last week I installed and tried to play, but just wasn't feeling it. I probably didn't give it enough time, but how much better do the add on packs make it look? Do they bring it up to 2003 graphics standards at least? Yes, I know graphics aren't everything, but I'm spoiled after the FPS season we just had, where even pretty craptastic games like Blacksite still look pretty darn pretty.

 

[shortylickens]

Wel if you're spoiled then you're screwed. The graphics packs dont add pixel shaders or bump mapping or HDR lighting or anything else. You have to accept the fact that its a game, not a movie. The interaction is whats important, not the visuals. If you can't get past them then you may as well go play Crysis or UT3.

There was supposed to be a big overhaul to make a total conversion for UT2004, I think it was called Deus Ex Redux or something similar. But I havent heard squat about it lately.

 

[pontifex]

good job...you mentioned Dues Ex. now the whole of AT is goign to have an orgasm.

 

[Fox5]

Well, the dx8 renderer or updated opengl renderer (which doesn't seem to work properly anymore) are a must imo. The original game was basically a glide game, so you don't even get full graphics effects of the original without them. They also do add the option to have dynamic per pixel lighting effects in the few areas the game has dynamic lights. They add 32 bit color to get rid of the banding on the textures and graphics, high quality reflections on the floor and such, and have an overall positive effect.

The texture packs just replace some of the textures with higher res ones, but most things don't get the overhaul so it really sticks out when something has.

After adding everything, the graphics might be about on par with the original halo, minus bump mapping of course. Ultimately, it's a game that was pre-mandatory 3d accelerator support so it will never look fantastic.

The ut2004 total conversion is still in development, not sure what it accomplishes though.

For a real challenge, try beating the game without killing anyone. There are at least a dozen guys here on Anandtech who would be more than happy to tell you how.

So far it seems possible, just annoyingly difficult. There doesn't seem to be much benefit to it anyway, other than the stealth skill bonus awarded at the end of missions (may be new to the shifter mod I'm using) but you lose out on kill skill points then. I went through the early missions by incapacitating everyone (as opposed to killing), but afterwards the game doesn't seem to take notice.
Avoiding killing people seems like it would get easy after you get the stealth or speed aug. You can either run silent since enemies have crap vision, or just run by them since you're ungodly fast. Not to mention I've managed to stockpile a crap load of gas grenades which should allow me to get by any tricky situations. I don't see how you'd avoid killing some of the main 'boss' characters though.

Yes, I know graphics aren't everything, but I'm spoiled after the FPS season we just had, where even pretty craptastic games like Blacksite still look pretty darn pretty.

It's really about the gameplay and story. Few fpses will match deus ex in story, and even fewer play like deus ex. There's also a variety of ways to complete just about every objective.
The system shock series and bioshock play like deus ex. The rpg-fps mess. I guess you can throw oblivion in there as well, along with a handful of other fantasy rpg-fps games made back in the day.

Though not as good, you may watn to try the sequel to deus ex, deus ex invisible war.
http://games.tiscali.cz/images/news/dx2textury.jpg
It has pixel and vertex shaders, higher polygon counts, better physics, and with the texture enhancement mod doesn't look half pad. Honestly, deus ex looked about as good as it could given the technology at the time, but invisible war suffered so dearly for being:
1. An xbox game first and foremost
2. One of the first games to decide it was going to heavily push pixel and vertex shaders, at the expense of everything else.

You may also want to try out Project:Snowblind a spiritual successor in story and theme, but turned into a rather linear shooter. It's the newest in the 'series' and thus has the best graphics. I plan on going through the entire deus ex + snowblind saga over my winter break.

Edit:
BTW, apparently some of the random story excerpts in the game which I'm so found of are actually taken directly from real books. So the books in game are actually prior art.