Deus Ex GMDX: Deus Ex Advancement Mod v9 Released!

[Raskens]

In which case mantling is massively useful to make the silent running vs speed enhancement choice not screw stealth players hard, and you should also allow yourself to enjoy mantling since the AI are a lot harder now and therefore make traversal of maps in stealth more difficult (but of course, you also get numerous new stealth features like better leaning, stealth skill which also help there).

I don't want the game easier, I want it to be more difficult. Even at hardest difficulty (all difficulty settings on max) I found it too easy with mantling enabled. Also, didn't you balance out the silent running vs speed enhancement choice with the stealth skill, and some adjustments to the augmentations? If not, I will admit that mantling balances out the choice more.

Also, mantling doesn't make box stacking redundant. It just changes the base elevation range. Of course this means any vanilla specifically-designed knee-high stacking challenge is redundant (which I tried to sensibly account for if possible), but instead new ones at higher elevation open up, some also designed specifically by me, but many are emergent design. You can combine box stacking and mantling to reach new heights as a stealth player, one that ideally doesn't take speed enhancement (which vanilla every build and playstyle should take speed aug without exception - it was objectively better even for stealth).

Yeah, not being able to reach new heights was one of the downsides of turning off mantling, but the value I received from reaching those higher places didn't counterbalance the cost of making microfibral muscle redundant for lower heights. Combine this with mantling making the game easier, and the net effect became negative for me. Also, note that this is probably dependent on my specific playstyle. In general, mantling probably improves the game.

GMDX does offer approximately 10% more xp because of the inclusion of the perk system and stealth skill. Some skills are also made cheaper, more accurately relative to their actual value (e.g demolitions doesn't cost tons despite doing next to nothing vanilla). But what exactly is your definition of a "combat skill" or a "Stealth skill"? All but one skill is not beneficial to stealth and that is heavy weapons. Now if you're going ghost, then yes not much is relevant to you but this was always the case.

Anyway to adjust the xp somehow? Checked the ini files, but couldn't find anything?

 

[Ash]

Anyway to adjust the xp somehow? Checked the ini files, but couldn't find anything?

Hmm, maybe one for RoSoDude's version. Maybe a playthrough modifier for reduced xp RoSoDude?

the xp system is and should be designed around combat and lethal stealth first and foremost, with non-lethal stealth being secondary, and strict ghosting being tertiary/redundant. The latter two simply don't use a lot of tools xp relates to (of course ghosting is just non-lethal but with even more self-imposed restrictions in place - no baton, no crossbow, no gas grenades etc. Low-tech, pistols and demolitions skill respectively).

 

[Lacrymas]

By "ghosting" you mean no-one is even knocked out? That's the hardest way to play the game imo, I don't know what the justification for it not being taken into account is.

 

[fantadomat]

I don't know what the justification for it

Being a non functioning authist.

 

[RoSoDude]

Anyway to adjust the xp somehow? Checked the ini files, but couldn't find anything?

Hmm, maybe one for RoSoDude's version. Maybe a playthrough modifier for reduced xp RoSoDude?

Interesting idea. Wonder how low I should go with such a thing? 10% reduction?

On a related note, a long time ago I imagined a "Factory Zero" challenge run where you can't install new augmentations but get accelerated skill point progression. While that sounds a bit bland to me, it would make for a nice playthrough modifier for someone who's played the game dozens of times and is looking for an injection of variety. Which was kinda the motivation for them in the first place (also semi-inspired by Fallout traits).

 

[Ash]

By "ghosting" you mean no-one is even knocked out? That's the hardest way to play the game imo, I don't know what the justification for it not being taken into account is.

Difficulty in this context is irrelevant. If ghosting doesn't use 80% of the games skills and the tools relating to them, or only does so minimally, why should it have any influence over said skills?

Multitools: used to bypass only what is in your way to finding the objective. You use and find less multitools than the average player. Balances itself.
Lockpicks: see above.
Hacking: Only need trained (vanilla). GMDX makes it so master is useful to all playstyles.
Environmental training: Nightvision goggles did nothing vanilla, thermoptic camo didn't hide you against certain enemies (oversight). rebreather lasted so long that zero skill investment was needed.
Stealth (NEW): makes the skill system more relevant to the ghoster
Perks (NEW): some perks are beneficial to a ghoster
Athletics/swimming: the meme is actually useful to ghosts, but of course even moreso in gmdx if you're aware of my numerous refinements.

That's it, and half of it is not even present vanilla. So why would I adapt the skill system progression to this and not to lethal stealth or combat that actually utilizes the skill system in its near-entirety and is the conventional and obviously more-intended way to play? Lol non-functioning autism indeed. who the fuck designs a game specific to a player's self-imposed restricted playstyle over the more intended experience?

And I don't think ghosting is necessarily the hardest way to play. there's strict rules, but said rules simplify a lot of the experience. Get to the objective, get out completely dominates the approach. Not explore every nook and cranny that the game so desperately wants you to do (and most nooks have a challenge of some kind, many of which a ghoster will miss because there are patrolling enemies nearby). This and more.

 

[Raskens]

During my ghost playthroughs I try to explore everything while ghosting. If it's not possible at some point I will either skip that area, or I will ignore my ghosting rule.

 

[fantadomat]

Yo ash,i haven't replayed DX in around maybe two years. So thing of giving it another spin. Anything new in your mod for the last two years?

 

[Ash]

Just vRSD is of note, as well as potentially any other add-ons on the moddb page made by third parties. Of course if it's by third parties you're probably getting something not-gmdx, not everyone can into game design especially to my refined standards (I'm not humble - my pride is all I am left with), but I will vouch for vRSD as something with 93% (give or take) alignment to my values.

 

[fantadomat]

Just vRSD is of note, as well as potentially any other add-ons on the moddb page made by third parties. Of course if it's by third parties you're probably getting something not-gmdx, not everyone can into game design especially to my refined standards (I'm not humble - my pride is all I am left with), but I will vouch for vRSD as something with 93% (give or take) alignment to my values.

Yeah,you and Wesp5 are the dudes that live up to my standards when it comes to modding.

 

[agris]

the damage dealt depends on a simple factor of object mass and augmentation upgrade level, as well as hit location.

fundamentally, the damage should scale with the kinetic energy of the thrown object, which is dependent on the square of the velocity - mass is just a linear scalar. KE = (1/2)mv^2

maybe this is what you do and just mention mass for simplicity’s sake?

 

[Ash]

You'd be surprised to know that velocity is not a factor at all. Originally it was, but it was ultimately unnecessary. Remember game design is often about faking shit for technical reasons, balance, or general convenience (in this case a mix of all three) rather than accurate simulation of reality for accuracy's sake.

To elaborate:

-The player can only power throw at one constant velocity output (left mouse click) like in the sequels/prequels (convenience).
-Objects do not have elaborate physics due to hardcoded limitations of the classic Unreal Engine. In short objects look super weird when bouncing, and it was very jarring in this case (tech limitations).
-Being able to pick up and throw heavy crates infinitely much like Human Revolution's infinite throw vending machine would be OP (Balance).

The solution is :

-Damage scales based on aug upgrade level (but so does throw velocity, creating the illusion that the damage scaling is accurate to real physics) as well as object mass and hit location.
-Power-thrown objects always break upon first impact (making things balanced, as well as eliminating the weird hardcoded bouncing that would otherwise happen due to technical limitations). If objects always break upon first impact, then damage needs not be a factor of velocity when the velocity of thrown objects is for the most part constant (only changes based on aug level and object mass, which are independently factored into the damage scaling).

The result is:

It feels close enough to the real thing. It only really feels weird when thrown objects graze the side of a building it is flying parallel to (though some deflection code should have probably been added in special instances like this), or when tossing large metal crates or barrels and they shatter instead of dent and bounce. Everything else the player will typically subconsciously put down to old game physics they are accustomed to, or JC being superhumanly strong which no one can actually relate to with real experience.
Lastly, design and development-wise as a nice bonus it's simpler to determine and control the damage range and outputs mathematically speaking when the formula is extremely basic.

 

[Fenix]

Ash what is your opinion on Cyberpunk2077?

 

[Ash]

IDK. I've yet to play Witcher 3 (tried 2, didn't like). People I trust tell me again and again it's stupid pseudo-intellectual storyfag shit. I say this because any game with a good story but terrible gameplay is just not respecting your intelligence nor time, and is not a good game or product of media. How much time is actually spent in gameplay? 30 hrs? 30 hrs of unengaging shit for 30 hrs of good story? Are you crazy? Just play an actual good game like Deus Ex that delivers both in abundance, read a book, or watch a movie.
I also think interactive sex or romance aspects in games is fucking weird, and even weirder still when there's a lot of it. It's fine, good even when its one plot beat handled tastefully, but there is no glory or pleasure in deflowering virtual women in an interactive, role-playing context. Have you ever seduced and fucked a hot chick? Gaming's replication of such experiences are completely laughable, I get nothing out of it aside from perhaps an unwanted boner for which I then want release (how immersion breaking! ). It should stick to the sword and guns, heroics and tactics side of the male fantasy, does that way better.

So, with that in mind, and Cyberpunk's apparent disastrous launch, as well as people saying it's barely an RPG, I am barely inclined to play it. I love FP/RPGs as a genre so it has my slight attention, but it's 2020 so it was 99% likely to be shit anyway.

 

[agris]

Ash both W3 and cyberdong77 are very poor RPGs. You would be wasting your time if you don't care for cinematics and garbage-tier itemization. Both use twitch combat, albeit of different varieties (W3 is god of war style, dongz is FPS).

I have a weak spot for the style / presentation of both games, but everything from the UI, quest structure, down to the character development systems and itemization is grating.

edit: one nice thing that I do like about CP77 is that weapon skill influences ironsight sway - although you have to turn this on in the settings. I don't know if it changes the spread of weapons when you aren't aiming, DX or alpha brotocol style, but it is a nice nod to character skill impacting combat mechanics.

 

[Fenix]

IDK. I've yet to play Witcher 3 (tried 2, didn't like). People I trust tell me again and again it's stupid pseudo-intellectual storyfag shit. I say this because any game with a good story but terrible gameplay is just not respecting your intelligence nor time, and is not a good game or product of media. How much time is actually spent in gameplay? 30 hrs? 30 hrs of unengaging shit for 30 hrs of good story? Are you crazy? Just play an actual good game like Deus Ex that delivers both in abundance, read a book, or watch a movie.

Yeah, everything that I have heard and know about W3 is exactly this (haven't play it), ad I read a lot about it back then AND these day in relation with CP2077. It's exactly this - good story, chars, high prodaction values, extremely good songs - and gameplay that is so boring that you puch a hole in the wall with your head. Thing i smany people don't like complex gameplay, they are OK with doing primitive activity - I can't call it even gameplay, it's just primitive things disgused as gameplay - and lotsa beautifull things.

I also think interactive sex or romance aspects in games is fucking weird, and even weirder still when there's a lot of it.

Absolutely! And it's hilarious if someone didn't find it like that. Thruth to say, CDPR advertising W2 with all sex stuff they put in it was what put me off back then. Probbaly there are really lot of those who never had sex in their like like a man, who conquered the woman.
Agree with the rest.

 

[fantadomat]

Yo ash how do you activate the console commands?

EDIT: Nothing funny mate,i want to enter the manderley's vault,and you can't do that without a noclip command .



Geee it seems that safe is removed in ash's mod,shame it was nice ester egg. Also i have some bug that crashes the game if you use a scope zoom.

That said,i am curious if there is a key for the locker in the break room in unatco hq.

 

[covr]

Apparently there's a v10 of GMDX on moddb. So called 'community edition' with bazzilion of changes. Is it any good? I am still not very far with v9.

 

[Jaedar]

covr never play modded first time around

The fact that this proved a controversial statement is interesting to me. Clearly Deus Ex is art, which is why anyone would be concerned with experiencing it as the authors intended.

My recommendation for covr and others would be to play with GMDX (perhaps Rosvodude's gmdx, but I haven't played it) the first time though. If you really get invested in the nuances of the lore and setting, maybe play vanilla afterwards to see the "canon", but even then I'd recommend the new vision texture pack.

Next week I might recommend it the other way around though. GMDX is better, but it feels like desecration to tell someone to not experience the original when it is right there.

 

[JohannDaart]

Does it make game worse or better? Because I want to play the best possible version of the game with no intention of replaying it in the future.

I would recommend GMDX for a first playthrough. It's really faithful to the original.

What's the gain of playing vanilla for a first playthrough?

GMDX adds subtle improvements upon things that are in the game, streamlines stuff without making it different.
By playing GMDX, you are not going to miss anything from the original. You will just experience the game in more comfortable way.
If playing the original is like making a photo with the first iPhone, then playing GMDX is like making a photo of the same thing with the newest iPhone.

On the other hand, Revision mod looks and feels different than the original. Maps are changed, sometimes for no reason. So it's like making a photo with the new iPhone, but the subject of the photo is changed too (by adding silly instagram cat ears).

 

[†††]

What's the gain of playing vanilla for a first playthrough?

Easier to play I guess

 

[HansDampf]

GMDX looks to me as if the developers had 3 more years to polish, balance and update the game.

 

[AW8]

Renamed bInvisibleWhore.

I get that it's a jab at DX2, but what is it? A variable, an object? What was given the dubious honor of having this name?

 

[Jaedar]

Renamed bInvisibleWhore.

I get that it's a jab at DX2, but what is it? A variable, an object? What was given the dubious honor of having this name?

The fact that the variable starts with a small b usually means it is a boolean variable. This sort of naming scheme used to be really common afaik but has fallen out of favor as programming tools got better.

As for what the variable does, now I am a bit curious

 

[RoSoDude]

Renamed bInvisibleWhore.

I get that it's a jab at DX2, but what is it? A variable, an object? What was given the dubious honor of having this name?

It's for checking if the player is up against a wall so their weapon gets pushed back closer to the chest. Much subtler than DX:IW's version, thankfully. I shudder to remember the high frequency oscillations of both arms (because they're modeled as part of the weapon) in DX:IW if you looked at a wall wrong.