Deus Ex's Invisible War - Resisting The Obvious?

Thanks to Eurogamer for its interview with Deus Ex creator Warren Spector, as journalist and Deus Ex mod creator Kieron Gillen quizzes him about the PC/Xbox FPS sequel, Deus Ex: Invisible War. Spector illuminates the murky factions of the sequel: "My favourite moments are when people give you diametrically opposed goals on a single map", and explains the game's resistance of typical action game cliche: "There are no happy endings. There is no easy answer. There is no bad guy you can kill to make everything right." Elsewhere, C+VG has a two-part interview with Spector, also revealing a PC demo of the game is due close to its December 2nd U.S. release date.

Comments

Anything new?

[devilsadvoc8]

While Deus-Ex was original in giving the player a way to modify the character into any specialty, I don't see what is new about this one. If they are just offering better graphics and a few different ammo and weapon choices then I'll pass. Better hope the story is great.

Re:Anything new?

[gmhowell]

Reading the stories, it seems that it is more than better graphics and ammo. Interfaces have all been revamped, as has the skill system. Better ability to do non 'run and gun' tactics to finish the game. Choices matter throughout the game, not just at the end.

We'll see.

Re:Anything new?

[Hythlodaeus]

They're greatly amplifying the strengths of the original Deus Ex. Whereas in the first game you influence whether several characters lived or died at various points and had a choice of three endings in the last level, there really wasn't a lot of freedom to pick your objectives. At about midpoint in the game, the storyline makes you switch sides in the conflict, whether you like it or not.

The second time around, you choose your own path by choosing from mutually exclusive goals given by different factions. Also it will be possible to solve the game completely non-violently. Deus Ex 1 was close to allowing that, but in some cases violence could not be avoided.

The AI will also be substantially improved, so you'll find yourself doing things like hiding bodies so as not to alert the guards, or closing the door behind you so as not to be heard from the hallway.

Re:Anything new?

[Violet Null]

I'll be happy if it's the same thing, but with more branching of plot, ala Chrono Chross/Trigger.

Because, when you boil it down, the first Deus Ex had no plot branching. Sure, Paul could live or die. What's it change? Well, if he lives, it's just like when he dies, except you see him in Hong Kong (and nothing happens) and he sends you a useless message in the endgame. W00t it is not.

Or the bomb on the chopper. If you find the saboteur...well, it doesn't go off. Doesn't change nothing, though.

Sure, there are three endings, but they're all reachable from the endgame, and none of them rely on any choice made before that.

Deus Ex did a good job of making it look like you made choices that were meaningful, but in truth, the game was just as linear as any other. You couldn't refuse to join the NFS, for instance, nor could you decide to join them beforehand.

Re:Anything new?

[TwistedSquare]

Clearly it's a message regarding the illusion of free will - you think you can make choices but really someone else is guiding your destiny...

On a serious note, sounds good, and Dec 2nd is better than the early 2004 dates I had seen when it originally got delayed :)

Re:Anything new?

[lucasw]

in truth, the game was just as linear as any other

I don't think anyone who has played a Medal of Honor or similar and DX would say this. What you mean is that DX has game-level linearity, while it's obvious that individual missions are orders of magnitude more open and free than most other games. MoH has freedom only in how you chose to traverse a corridor a few rooms and open spaces wide.

Re:Anything new?

[aanand]

Branching of plot is overrated, and really not worth the exponential increase in development time. You can have a lot more fun by subtly altering the story according the player's actions, around a core set of static events, as the first game did to an extent. The real leap forward in DX2 should be the increased emphasis on systemic design. Areas having social context in ways more interesting than "weapons allowed" or "weapons not allowed". NPCs which actually exchange information when they talk to each other. That kind of thing.

Re:Anything new?

[Anonymous Coward]

Deus Ex 1 was close to allowing that, but in some cases violence could not be avoided.

Some cases? I can think of precisely one character you have to kill, and even in that case you don't have to use a weapon to do so. Everybody else can be knocked out or ignored. You probably consider knocking them out "violence"... but that leaves no word to describe the GEP option. ;)

The AI will also be substantially improved, so you'll find yourself doing things like hiding bodies so as not to alert the guards, or closing the door behind you so as not to be heard from the hallway.

I already do that in DX1, although I close the doors to avoid being seen and rely on crouching all the time to avoid being heard.

Re:Anything new?

[Haeleth]

Dec 2nd is better than the early 2004 dates I had seen when it originally got delayed :)

In the article: "Deus Ex: Invisible War will be released in Europe in February 2004."

Looks like I'll be importing a copy, then.

Re:Anything new?

[Anonymous Coward]

Er, where's the branching of plot in Chrono Cross/Trigger?

When you boil it down, those games have no plot branching. Sure, Lucca could rescue her mom. What's it change? Well, if she's saved, it's just like when she gets crippled, except you get... um... probably an item or a skill of some sort, it's really been too long.

Re:Anything new?

[TRACK-YOUR-POSITION]

I'm convinced that this was actually true of Legend of Mana--a game which offered a massive number of choices, in which you could even choose where the towns and dungeons you visit are located on the map, in the end didn't really offer significant choices at all--you can follow the quests in a wide variety of orders, but the only way to progress the story is to finish quests. The characters even seemed to make jokes about the protagonist's free will or lack thereof. At one point a child says to your PC "I hate grownups who only say yes or no" and your character is given a choice of responding "Yes." or "No."

Regarding this game, I think the freedom in the original DX was not so much the macrofreedom of plot changes near the end, but the microfreedom of finding more than one way to reach the various goals of the game. I don't really see what the point of Chrono Cross style branched paths--it's like reading one of those old kids books that asked you to make decisions for the main character and turn to the appropriate page. It's like one of those old laserdisc games. Spector talks alot about emergent gameplay, and branching story lines are definitely not an example of that. If the plot were determined by the various characters represented by AI programs trying to pursue goals through deduction rules, then player plot decisions could be interesting, but short of that technically infeasible task I don't really see the point.

tsarkon reports Deus Ex Rules.

[Anonymous Coward]

The first game fucking ruled. I cant wait for this one to come out.

Tracer "Tlacel" Tong

Stanton Dowd

Alex, Paul and JC Denton.

MJ12, Illuminati, Area 51, cats and greasy greasels - and of course swimming away from karkians to get powerups for your nano bioengineered self.

The game was rich.Morgan Everett. HELIOS. Carnivore and Echelon.

Bob Page. hehehe. DX rules.

spector

[mraymer]

Here's how Tycho at Penny Arcade feels about Warren Spector: http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2000-07 -05&res=l

Re:spector

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm amazed they even know who Warren Spector is, given that they're both blithering imbeciles who know nothing about PC games.

Re:spector

[Pie Fucker]

Yeah, boy, if there's one thing they have no knowledge of it's video games. Nice try.

I can't wait for DE2...

[robson]

...except "The Future War On Terror"? C'mon, guys...