Deus Ex Deus Ex: Revision Mod

[Durandal]

I started playing GMDX after Revision was borderline unplayable on my 1366x768 monitor, due a mod included in the package that supposedly improves HUD images, but all it does for me it fuck up the HUD scaling, making my HUD a jumbled mess.

What don't you like about GMDX? I'm curious.

I just started playing it, and I have some minor gripes about it. Like how the red dot completely eliminates the need for any more accuracy upgrades, since the red dot in the original would still move around as you were readying your shots, but in GMDX it is 100% accurate. I'm not a huge fan of how Deus Ex handles accuracy, but the red dot in GMDX feels like a lazy patchwork solution.
I'm not a huge fan of having Trained Hacking give you a 50% success rate on hacking stuff, as RNG like this only facilitates more savescumming (SS2, anyone?). That's all I can really say, for now. But I like everything else it does.

 

[Ash]

No, that is GMDX. He merely made some contributions to this mod, I don't know which ones.

Clarification: I made no contribution to Revision, at least not as far as I know. It was intended at one point, but things didn't work out. My mentality is GMDX, theirs is Revision.

I just started playing it, and I have some minor gripes about it. Like how the red dot completely eliminates the need for any more accuracy upgrades, since the red dot in the original would still move around as you were readying your shots, but in GMDX it is 100% accurate. I'm not a huge fan of how Deus Ex handles accuracy, but the red dot in GMDX feels like a lazy patchwork solution.

Developer here. That is exactly how it worked vanilla. About the only thing I did for the laser was increase the size of the blob a touch so it can be seen at greater distances. Oh, and I added a subtle toggle on/off sound effect for it.

I'm not a huge fan of having Trained Hacking give you a 50% success rate on hacking stuff, as RNG like this only facilitates more savescumming (SS2, anyone?). That's all I can really say, for now. But I like everything else it does.

Yes, shit RNG is shit, and is gone in the current unreleased build. It has been replaced with skill requirements where some computer systems require higher hacking levels to even attempt to crack. The reason being trained level of hacking was all that was really needed vanilla.

Just wanted to clear that up, not to impose on Revision's time in the spotlight. Continue with whatever you were doing.

 

[ghostdog]

Developer here. That is exactly how it worked vanilla. About the only thing I did for the laser was increase the size of the blob a touch so it can be seen at greater distances. Oh, and I added a subtle toggle on/off sound effect for it.

Another vote from me to make the laser point move around a bit according to player/weapon accuracy.

 

[Dev_Anj]

A very good video comparing a level from the v1.3.1 demo and final release:

 

[Gord]

Seems the New Vision textures increase loading time quite a bit...

 

[Durandal]

Developer here. That is exactly how it worked vanilla. About the only thing I did for the laser was increase the size of the blob a touch so it can be seen at greater distances. Oh, and I added a subtle toggle on/off sound effect for it.

Oh, my mistake, I guess it was Shifter/BioMod that made the dot move based on the player's accuracy.

 

[†††]

A very good video comparing a level from the v1.3.1 demo and final release:

Man, I hate this thought school so prevalent in the mod scene of "hey, let's make every level bigger! that'd be awesome! (even though it's pointlessly empty and adds nothing to the gameplay)"

It made every DX mod ever unenjoyable for me, even those highly acclaimed like TNM or Nihilum. It really showcases how hard is to make good level design, and why is such a rarity. Anytime one of these mods come out, I appreciate the original DX a bit more.

 

[Dev_Anj]

This is the most intelligent post I've read about the whole Steam affair:

They did a shady deal with a big publisher, ended up making their mod steam exclusive, inducing people to buy extra copies of the game, all of the proceeds of which go to Valve and Square Enix. So people should be ashamed of criticising that? The developer was not communicative or transparent and acted unfairly, so people called them out on it. Do you think people would even be interested in this mod if they didn't already have a copy of the game? Of course it's the developer's prerogative to make whatever mod they like and release it in the manner they would prefer, but if they expect people to play it and support them, then they have to be transparent with the players as well as giving them what was supposed to be an entirely free product. To that extent people are actually entitled to complain and show dissatisfaction. The mod would be nothing without the players who receive it.

In a broad sense there is and always will be conflict between producers and consumers over what is a fair price for a product or inversely what a fair product is for a given price. Producers by principle will to the greatest extent that they can, without losing sales or reputation, conceal as much information as possible about a given product in the ultimate interest of maximising profit. I, the consumer, live in a society where I am bombarded with marketing from producers attempting to sell me products, without giving me full information about them. It's necessary for me, the consumer, to be as informed as possible and as active as possible in holding producers to standards of fairness.

This is a marginally relevant case but the same broad principles apply - the developer acted unfairly and without transparency, and people rightly called them to account. This is not a matter of criticising the mod itself - that's irrelevant. But the developer made a very poor and dodgy decision with the release format. Even if they felt they had to release it in this manner, the best way of dealing with that would have been to let people know what was going to happen and explain why they thought Steam exclusive was best. At least then it wouldn't have been a surprise.

Lines bolded for emphasis.

http://www.offtopicproductions.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=112786#p112786

 

[Metro]

One day you people will bitch about real problems.

 

[Baron Dupek]

Maybe they do.
Just not on the forum about videogames?

EDIT:
speaking about mod itself - finished on a GOG copy.
Fuck codex for clapping hands over this bullshit Steam exclusivity.

You better do installing New Vision + Biomod/Shifter or play GMDX (new version incoming).

 

[Dev_Anj]

You better do installing New Vision + Biomod/Shifter or play GMDX (new version incoming).

Yeah everything I've heard and seen of this mod convinces me that it's a mediocre product, and that playing notable total conversions like The Nameless Mod, 2027, Burden of 80 Proof and Redsun2020 is more worthwhile than playing this. I'm definitely excited for GMDX though, it would be a good way to wipe off the disappointment from this mod.

 

[Baron Dupek]

Is the Burden of 80 Proofs that good? I played all (almost) Deus Ex mods, with recent playthrough of The Nameless Mod (they also did something for Revision).

 

[Turtle-Zone 3000]

Is the Burden of 80 Proofs that good? I played all (almost) Deus Ex mods, with recent playthrough of The Nameless Mod (they also did something for Revision).

Its a short humorous mod for DX. Play it if you've got time to spare.

 

[Baron Dupek]

By spare time you mean waiting for GMDX then sure.

 

[Dev_Anj]

The Nameless Mod (they also did something for Revision).

They didn't, they just made a lot of the custom models as well as code which was used in Revision, and it's free for everyone to use noncommercially.

Is the Burden of 80 Proofs that good?

It is pretty good as an attempt to make a short, old school adventure game in the Deus Ex engine, and the scripting and writing is pretty strong, but it is indeed short. It also has one part that could be a bit of a turn off as it's really bland, but thankfully that part is short. It even has some clever secrets and some open endedness in the story. So yeah, play it, you won't regret it if you know what you're in for.

 

[Baron Dupek]

Old school adventure game?
Hah, i like the attempt of making soemthing different in the game. Then I want to recommend you Mutations which is basically dungeon crawler. Traps, wandering in long corridors
Something like the crypt in the Cementary (where you find S. Dowd in vanilla DeusEx) but with more stuff to do. And last level (actual underground base) is HUGE. By "huge" I mean - large enough that walking in The Nameless Mod didn't bothered me that much (yes, people complained about vast walking distances).