Editorial Deus Ex: Devolution

[VentilatorOfDoom]

Tags: Deus Ex: Human Revolution; Eidos Montreal

<p>Gamezone asks: <em>Can Eidos Montreal live up to the impossibly high standards set before it?</em></p>
<p>... and then they proceed to <a href="http://pc.gamezone.com/editorials/item/deus_ex_devolution/" target="_blank">express their concerns</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Dugas has been very vocal about his assessment of Deus Ex and what made the game so endearing, immersive, and downright evolutionary. According to Dugas, the secret ingredients are, “Options.” Players in Human Revolution will not be limited to one path, and will be presented with options for advancement that are separated into four categories; combat, hacking, social, and stealth. Dugas may have already missed the point.<br /><br />Warren Spector said it best in his post-mortem at GamaSutra, “It’s all about how you interact with a relatively complex environment in ways that you find interesting (rather than in ways the developers think are interesting), and in ways that move you closer to accomplishing your goals (not the developers’ goals).”<br /><br />When dissecting the formula of Deus Ex, options are part of the equation, but not the solution. The solution is the creativity of the player. I recall a time in Hell’s Kitchen when I stacked debris to hop over a fence and ended up in a dead-end alley and no way back. I had to load a previous save, but I wasn’t mad. I was awestruck. I had been given a mix of tools and freedom so powerful that not even the developer could predict every outcome. On a side note, that alley was modified into a full-fledged path in the console edition.</p>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p>Spotted at: <a href="http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/98746-deus-ex-devolution.html">GB</a></p>

 

[ironyuri]

Deus Turd: Human Turd?

 

[VentilatorOfDoom]

witty and educated elite

of corz

 

[ironyuri]

witty and educated elite

of corz

I just want to belong somewhere and be accepted

So much of the art design in the images displayed in that GameZone article look out of place in the Deus Ex setting let alone the chronology of the game.

Deus Ex had a nice, consistent cyberpunk setting, a nice blend of post-collapse New York and technology for the few/turd for the rest. The screens all look too clean and streamlined nothing out of place, no dirt, no grit.

I don't find a subway station believable that looks so clean and is devoid of any litter whatsoever.

While Deus Ex might have offered choices it also offered a really interesting (and consistent!!) setting in which they could take place.

 

[Some Moron On Welfare]

Not RPG.

 

[bonch]

I miss cyberpunk.

 

[Konjad]

Not RPG.

It has weapon stats so it have to be RPG

 

[Azrael the cat]

witty and educated elite

of corz

I just want to belong somewhere and be accepted

So much of the art design in the images displayed in that GameZone article look out of place in the Deus Ex setting let alone the chronology of the game.

Deus Ex had a nice, consistent cyberpunk setting, a nice blend of post-collapse New York and technology for the few/turd for the rest. The screens all look too clean and streamlined nothing out of place, no dirt, no grit.

I don't find a subway station believable that looks so clean and is devoid of any litter whatsoever.

While Deus Ex might have offered choices it also offered a really interesting (and consistent!!) setting in which they could take place.

Isn't it supposed to be set BEFORE the 'great collapse'? As in just before - at the very height of the Deus Ex future's economic prosperity? That would explain the lack of grime.

[/prediction] I'm guessing the game's ending segways into the great collapse.

 

[ironyuri]

I can't remember Deus Ex history with enough clarity to respond but -

There was the Northwest Secessionist civil war some, what, 25-30 years pre-Deus Ex?

Also why would the technology pre-grey death, world financial crises be so much more advanced?

The collapse I meant was more the collapse of public order brought on by Grey Death/unemployment rather than complete social collapse. This prequel thing just doesn't make sense to me

 

[Some Moron On Welfare]

Wow, guys, you're such nerds. Geez, get a life or something.

Honestly, who cares about continuity issues in a fuckin' shooter? FFS, I already have images of acne scarred faces popping up in my head.

 

[Mister Arkham]

It's the firgging Star Wars prequel rule of design. Old stuff = teh olde = we can do better with our flashy future technology/special effects = devotion to bells and whistles without regard for previous lore/art direction = What? This doesn't look like a Deus Ex title.

 

[Overweight Manatee]

The 'Collapse' didn't happen before Deus Ex, it happened at the end where JC simultaneously carried out all 3 plot lines to the conclusion.

I don't see how they can really do much without breaking continuity. There isn't much room for any 'epic' style encounters unless they retconned them into the past. The only other option is a completely meaningless game in which certain organizations develop nano augmented agents, do secret spy stuff, then somehow spontaneously combust and leave absolutely no evidence in time for UNATCO and friends to re-invent everything 10 years later.

 

[random_encounter]

I can't remember Deus Ex history with enough clarity to respond but -

There was the Northwest Secessionist civil war some, what, 25-30 years pre-Deus Ex?

Also why would the technology pre-grey death, world financial crises be so much more advanced?

The collapse I meant was more the collapse of public order brought on by Grey Death/unemployment rather than complete social collapse. This prequel thing just doesn't make sense to me

Isn't it supposed to be set BEFORE the 'great collapse'? As in just before - at the very height of the Deus Ex future's economic prosperity? That would explain the lack of grime.

Looking at this Deus Ex timeline, Utah seceded in 2031 and several other states followed after that but the attempts failed, though martial law was still in effect. The Gray Death surfaced in 2051 and the prequel takes place in 2027, so I guess the world hasn't yet seen the worst that the next few decades have to offer.

 

[Serious_Business]

Wow, guys, you're such nerds. Geez, get a life or something.

Honestly, who cares about continuity issues in a fuckin' shooter? FFS, I already have images of acne scarred faces popping up in my head.

That is weak shit man, you can do better than that, come on

 

[Chaud]

Wow, guys, you're such nerds. Geez, get a life or something.

Honestly, who cares about continuity issues in a fuckin' shooter? FFS, I already have images of acne scarred faces popping up in my head.

That is weak shit man, you can do better than that, come on

It was good for what it was.

And what it was, coincidentally, it is the same as what this game will be.

 

[ironyuri]

Honestly, who cares about continuity issues in a fuckin' shooter? FFS, I already have images of acne scarred faces popping up in my head.

If Deus Ex was set in the 18th Century, would you feel better?

 

[Major_Blackhart]

Eh, the guy nails it a bit about the level of freedom the game had, within each levels. I have a sinking sensation that the levels in DX HR will not be as 3D as those in DX (i.e. multiple paths that can take a player in many different directions) but rather it will have multiple paths that are obvious or this or that, according to the developer and none else.
I dunno. I still dislike regenerating health.

 

[poocolator]

And what it was, coincidentally, it is the same as what this game will be.

you leave nothing to the imagination.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

That pic of the subway really bugs me. It's too clean. Yeah, I get it that this is the future. But there's no way they could have eliminated things like dirt, grime and dust, especially not in a subway. Too sterilized for my tastes.

 

[chzr]

That pic of the subway really bugs me. It's too clean. Yeah, I get it that this is the future. But there's no way they could have eliminated things like dirt, grime and dust, especially not in a subway. Too sterilized for my tastes.

bloom > dirt

 

[MetalCraze]

That's a nice read. Too bad it won't save Desu Ex.

 

[Melcar]

It will be shit. Like always.

 

[jazzotron]

It will be shit. Like always.

(Repeat the above line in the voice of Eeyore).

 

[MasterSmithFandango]

I hope it's good. Dues tevx is gbecomeing one fo a msy favorite games, dud. I dhavet fintished it yet, but I'ms alsmot done and its fvaen a blast.

 

[Major_Blackhart]

I hope it's good. Dues tevx is gbecomeing one fo a msy favorite games, dud. I dhavet fintished it yet, but I'ms alsmot done and its fvaen a blast.

Shut the fuck up gunter.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjYJ7zZ9BRw

 

[Azarkon]

So what does Warren Spector have to say about Deus Ex: Invisible War and his crusade to free us from the tyranny of choice?