Deus ex human revolution personality type
deus ex human revolution - How exactly does the Social Enhancer augmentation work?
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I picked this up because I've always enjoyed dialogue in RPGs. However, I can't really be sure that I'm making effective use of it. Most times, the conversation will plod along until I can activate pheromones, and the person I'm talking to gives in. But I'm a bit baffled as to the more subtle aspects of it.
Alpha, Beta, Omega types - these light up when the other person is speaking, but what specifically is it trying to tell me? Do they correspond to the 'best' response choice? Do they imply something else?
For some characters (like Sarif) I get a little info box describing his personality, and when I'm talking various animations pop on screen, like a heart, lungs, what I imagine is epidermis - but there's little indication as to what these mean. For others, I only get the Alpha, Beta, Omega boxes (like O'Malley).
In short, I feel like I'm getting results because I can just use the pheromones to get what I want, but I want to understand why.
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The heart/lung/skin temperature monitors are just frill, as far as I can tell - the same animation plays every time they show up.
However, the box at the upper right corner gives extremely useful information as to the target's personality type that will help you decide how to approach the topic, and the persuasion bar in the upper left will show you how effective your tack has been so far.
As for the alpha/beta/omega types, the various personality types react differently to certain kinds of pheromone influence. If you decide to use them, you need to make your choice of which pheromone to use based on which personality type the subject has demonstrated most strongly during the conversation.
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The short answer:
Watch the squares.
Go with the most squares. Alpha is left, Beta is middle and Omega is the rightmost choice. Many characters flash one alpha square but show the other types longer and stronger, earlier in the conversation.
The long answer:
It seems to be derived from dog training. If I ever do a second playtrough I'll check the game against this theory - I'll try to win the conversations without the CASIE mod. (And help poor Malik this time. ;) ). I agree with Shadur's answer. Except that it also helps to read the psychological fact sheets. It contains hints like: "Can be destabilized by emotional arguments."
According to this theory Alphas are natural charismatic leaders, with natural authority. Like Hugh Darrow and David Sarif. And I guess this politician too. They should be susceptible to real power and strong arguments.
Betas are noisy wannabe leaders. Like the terrorist guy in the first mission. You can bark them into place.
Omegas are the real underdogs. Lowest ranking, lacking in confidence.
So according to the theory you can boost their confidence - in the right direction, that is. I'm guessing most scienctists are omega.
It's a funny choice of theory for human interaction. DISC, or MBTI would have been more appropriate.
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Shadur's answer has the gist but I will add more details.
Basically it allows you to pick the dialogue choices that are most likely to convince the person you are speaking to. In short it comes with the pheromones and you can match those to the right person whatever the first high rating is the subject will be. For example, a guy who scores two alphas then two beta will be an alpha, but if they score three omega then they are omega.
Alphas are best spoken to either by Redirecting or appeasing they are actually the easiest to beat in social battles because the appease option will most always work though be careful not to use the other as you will end up losing out quickly.
Betas are harder because they often mix with either Alpha or omega and only listen to rational arguments Luckily there's a grand total of 5 betas in the game. Betas respond to the charm tactic and facts.
Omegas are easy to negotiate with like alphas but be careful as two omegas in the game can mess up later levels badly and others will cause a drop in potential rewards, they respond to the pressure tactic (aka hard speech tough love etc).
Two characters have all three classes: Malik And Zelazny. They cannot be negotiated with at all but you can get extra dialogue from them.
There are tips on one side about the social boss battles that make them easier (Sarif is very easy thanks to this) besides that there are small line next to the dialogue options that help there too they look somewhat like this: ///// ones with longer dashes are better options.
One pro tip: don't guess the type by appearance or character in the game, some are not clear cut and others are strongly one way when you would think they are the other just look at the boxes others can be a royal pain in the ass even with the mod (Taggart and Tong in particular) generally as a hard and fast rule though:
- Appease/ redirect an Alpha
- Charm/ Compliment a Beta
- Pressure/ persist an omega.
Always choose the Dialogue with the most ///////////// on it and you will do fine.
Those of you acquainted with MBTI type theory/cognitive functions, how would you type JC and the rest of the characters? : Deusex
There’s been debate of JC being either an INTJ or INTP, which is reasonable given that he’s pretty intuitive, introverted, skeptical, witty, and intelligent. However, INTJ uses Ni-Te-Fi-Se, while INTP uses Ti-Ne-Si-Fe. I’m more inclined to believe that JC is an INTJ, because he had a very good Ni and his lines tend to be very Ni-oriented (as is the whole game). However, JC is such a malleable character that your choices will affect his personality and the lines he says. Anyways, here’s Mrs. Denton’s MBTI list for Deus Ex:
JC Denton: INTx - Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, but whether Perceiving or Judging is up for debate.
Paul Denton: ENFJ - Demonstrates strong use of Fe and Ni. Is strong, passionate, direct, and extroverted, however, he can see the underlying patterns beneath everything.
Anna Navarre: ISTP - Your typical no-bullshit, kinesthetically-gifted, unemotional badass.
Gunther Hermann: xSTx - I have a bit of trouble typing Gunther because we don’t see too much of him in the game. But he’s definitely a sensor and a thinker because of his love for shooting things. He can be a bit emotional at times, but he’s usually collected.
Joseph Manderley: ESTJ - Typical boss type. Turned on by rules and regulations. Will make sure you act like a professional. Can make you sign anything.
Jaime Reyes: ISFJ - Caring, dependable, and lowkey sassy. Remembers every single detail about the neurons—and just about everywhere—in your nanoaugmented body.
Alex Jacobson: INTP - Typical geek. Was probably a child prodigy. Graduated with multiple Ph.Ds in computer science, network systems, and communications engineering by the time he was 20.
Sandra Renton: ESTP - Is not particularly interested in the feelings of her father (or yours, for your information).
Rebellious and adventurous, always seeking a fresh start regardless of anybody else’s opinions.
Smuggler: INTP - Whacked-out paranoid, but there’s a method to the madness. Knows shit you probably don’t.
Nicolette DuClare: INFJ - Rebel with a cause. Likes supporting causes in the shadows. Understands how society works.
Morgan Everett: INTJ - Hustles behind the scenes so his wetdream of being the world’s puppet master comes into fruition someday. Sees and opportunity and seizes it. High IQ.
Stanton Dowd: INTJ - Morgan Everett’s buddy. Seems nice but is also scheming to control the world.
Tracer Tong: INTP - Genius IQ. A cybertech rogue. Developed a method to a problem nobody knew could be solved for certain.
Maggie Chow: ESFJ - Fame, fortune, and riches. Stays fabulous. Her wardrobe is worth more than your entire yearly income.
Walton Simons: ESTJ - Bob Page’s enforcer. Kink? People keeping their nose to the pavement.
Is nice enough if you do things his way.
Bob Page: ENTJ - The supreme megalomaniac. Believes himself a god. Lowkey a nerd.
Leave your comments and thoughts below!
latest history of Deus Ex - Gamedev on DTF
Conspiracy theories and mechanical apartheid.
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The author of the portal Hardcore Gaming 101 Maciej Miszczyk described in detail the legendary Deus Ex series. The second part of the material is devoted to the path of the series from Human Revolution to Deus Ex Go. It also covers fan mods and official products related to the franchise. The first part can be read here.
DTF publishes a translation of the article. nine0003
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
The development of the next game in the series was expected by many employees of Ion Storm and Eidos, but it did not start for a long time. In 2007, the third part was announced, and four years later it was released under the name Deus Ex: Human Revolution.
After the disappointment of Invisible War, the project saw another simplistic sequel, especially due to the regenerating health and cover mechanics. However, the final product exceeded expectations.
Human Revolution has many elements from modern shooters and RPGs. It is simpler than the original, but during its development, some of the nuances removed in Invisible War were returned, and even several original ideas were implemented. nine0003
Human Revolution is a prequel to the first Deus Ex: its events take place at the beginning of the augmentation era, when implants were created not with the help of nanotechnology, but through mechanical engineering (like Anna or Gunther from the first game). The plot focuses on technology, not their role in global politics. The plot is not devoid of political dilemmas, they just don't get much attention.
Human Revolution can be called a "transhumanist" game: it is dedicated to the relationship between man and machine on several levels: physical (augmentations are surgically implanted into the bodies of people or removed from their corpses and find new uses in the reaper subculture), psychological (dependence on augmentations) and social (the need to purchase drugs against rejection, the movement against implants).
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The "human revolution" for which the game is named is not a change in the political system, but a change in the understanding of science and technology, comparable to the Neolithic or industrial revolutions.
Augmentations, artificial intelligence, and even human-made computers are blurring the line between man and machine. In addition, the theme of bioethics is strong in the game, reminiscent of the arguments about genetic modification and cloning in the real world.
These questions are raised in the story of Adam Jensen, an ex-cop who works as chief of security for the biotechnology company Sharif Industries. He is injured during a terrorist attack, but survives thanks to emergency surgery - the damaged parts of his body are replaced with mechanical augmentations. Famous scientists are killed during the attack, including Jensen's girlfriend, Megan Reed. nine0003
Jensen must not only solve the mystery of the attack (according to the tradition of the franchise, there are conspiracies in Human Revolution, and not everything is what it seems), but also learn to live with augmentations.
They were installed without his consent, they cause aggression in opponents of modifications and are too noticeable, unlike the inconspicuous nanotech mods from the first Deus Ex. In return, Jensen gets sunglasses that retract into his skull and becomes unstoppable towards the end of the game..
Most of the events of Human Revolution take place in Detroit and Hengshadao (in the real world this is the island of Shanghai, but in the game it is a large city with many districts). These large, densely populated locations are free to explore, creating an open world feel combined with a relatively peaceful atmosphere. The level structure is not much different from the previous parts of the franchise. nine0003
As the story progresses, more and more hostile characters appear in the cities, and towards the end, the action even moves to levels full of battles. The design of the locations is good and, as before, allows for different play styles. The most interesting are peaceful cities with their dark alleys and tall buildings, slums and shops, workspaces and nightclubs.
Human Revolution is not as rich in allusions to literature as the previous parts of the series, but it has enough references to the first Deus Ex. It is possible to play through the game without knowing anything about the franchise, however, if the gamer is familiar with the original, many things take on a new meaning. Some of the references are nothing more than namedropping, but b to Most of them hint at how some of the characters became themselves.
As already mentioned, Human Revolution uses many modern mechanics: a BioWare-style dialogue wheel, health and energy regeneration, and shooting from behind cover (with the transition to a third-person view when the hero hides).
The former gives the gamer more options - in Deus Ex, there was almost no choice when speaking: in rare cases, he was limited to two lines, while in Human Revolution - four. nine0003
The combat system has become less fun. Combat in third-person shooters with cover mechanics and health regeneration is often boring: the gamer only has to wait for the enemy to start reloading the weapon and dodge grenades from time to time.
3rd person view and radar aids stealth. The player doesn't have to pop out of cover to see what the enemy is doing. Stealth mechanics have been given more attention than in the original, and they generally work flawlessly. nine0003
Even the choice between peaceful and violent solutions is not limited to different types of weapons, as knocked out enemies can be awakened by their allies.
How augmentations work sets Human Revolution apart from any other Deus Ex game. It is closer to the level system: gamers earn experience points by defeating enemies, hacking terminals, completing quests, exploring locations, as well as for special achievements (for example, passing a level undetected).
A certain amount of experience is converted into "Praxis points", which allow you to improve augmentations. Mods offer different playstyles, pumping fighting skills (damage reduction, crosshair stabilization, the ability to defeat multiple opponents at the same time, the Typhoon weapon), stealth (invisibility, silent movement, improved radar), hacking and even diplomacy.
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The latter is particularly interesting. The user can learn the nature of the character to learn how to convince him. Alphas like to feel in charge, Betas like to feel good about themselves, and Omegas respond to aggression. Particularly stubborn NPCs can be affected by pheromones.
There is a chance to fail during the dialogue, but some errors can sometimes be corrected. After failing to convince one character at the start of the game to hand over the tapes incriminating Jensen's employee, Adam can either help him on another side mission or simply take the tapes by force. nine0003
Human Revolution is not a very long game, although its world is filled with side content, quests and secrets for those who like to explore.
Those who pre-ordered the Augmented Edition, in addition to the standard bonuses like the soundtrack, also received an additional mission to rescue the son of the Shanghai criminal Tong Si Hung (he sails on a boat called "Tracer", clearly hinting that he is the young Tracer Tong from Deus Ex and Invisible War ).
The Missing Link DLC is available for purchase and download — a complex (Jensen starts his journey on an enemy ship without equipment and with the most basic augmentations) and an interesting expansion, the events of which take place between Shanghai and Singapore. Unfortunately, the add-on is stretched out due to the fact that the player constantly has to return to already completed locations. nine0003
Both missions became part of the main game in the Director's Cut, which improved the boss fights somewhat and brought Human Revolution to the Wii U. Compared to other "Director's Cuts", the interface of the port was adapted to the touch screen.
To be honest, the boss battles are the game's biggest drawback. There are only four of them in the original version, and three of them are nothing more than battles with enemies that have a lot of health points, firepower, and immunity to stun, sleep and capture. nine0003
The last battle is better than the rest, as it is more like a puzzle game than an open battle.
The fight from The Missing Link is the most exciting: the hero must fight his way through a room filled with enemies, at the opposite end of which the boss is hiding, not protected from non-lethal attacks and police takeovers. Everything works according to the rules, the same skills are used as throughout the rest of Human Revolution.
In the "Director's Cut" the developers improved the other bosses, giving gamers the ability to hack the defense system to make the fight easier, but the lack of bloodless solutions is still disappointing. nine0003
Also upsetting is the final stage of the game. Instead of patrol enemies, there are insane workers resembling zombies. The ability to avoid them in Human Revolution is not provided, and the use of firearms makes the battle with them unusually easy.
The game looks great, except for the rare problems with the police capture animation and "clipping" (clipping). However, this is not only a merit of technology: Human Revolution has its own special, instantly recognizable style.
The first thing that catches your eye is the colors: the game has changed the gray-brown palette popular in modern shooters and the shade of blue that has been fixed for science fiction to warmer yellow and gold (unfortunately, they are not so noticeable in the "director's cut", according to the rest parameters superior to "vanilla").
This is an interesting solution, which also fits into the less paranoid and sometimes even optimistic atmosphere of the game: the world, despite all its shortcomings, has reached its highest point of development. Yes, sooner or later it will fall and become a dystopia for other parts of the series, but you can still enjoy the view. nine0003
In addition to colors, the style of Human Revolution is determined by private elements. The most obvious of these is the fusion of the human body with mechanical parts. There are others too: huge monitor screens, basic geometric shapes (iconic triangles, Hive Club hexagons, and even rare laser-shaped shapes that the hero must beware of), spacious and minimalist interiors (at least outside the slums), contemporary art, skylines of cities illuminated by sunlight breaking through the clouds (interestingly, you can only see this through the windows of buildings separated from the rest of the world by a loading screen: it is always night in the city).
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These details do not accompany the gamer throughout the game, there are many futuristic corridors and neglected apartments, but they are hard to forget.
The Human Revolution soundtrack combines typical orchestral music, analog (or at least analog-like) synths and occasional female vocals with strong reverbs.
Composers drew inspiration from Blade Runner by Vangelis as well as previous Deus Ex games. There are even direct references: the theme "Sharif Industries" contains fragments of "UNATCO", and if you wait until the end of the credits, you can not only watch a short cut-scene, but also hear the main menu theme from the first part of the series. nine0003
The vocals are reminiscent of Dead Can Dance and other similar ethereal and darkwave bands. It is good and atmospheric, and also quite diverse - these are not just sounds for the background.
The best audio-visual experience in the game is the battle with Namir (if the player has previously completed one stupid task, all augmentations will be disabled in the boss fight).
The game interface behaves as if the hero was blown up by an EMP grenade, most of the HUD disappears, the radar incorrectly shows the location of opponents, and the screen is flooded with error messages. The image becomes blurry, but the gamer can make out lighting effects and strange living statues of men without skin. nine0003
Distorted audio and gunshots give the music a harsh industrial feel. It combines a piercing violin, rhythmic drums and synthesizers. In some places you can hear how the enemy taunts Jensen, but it's impossible to say for sure whether you see an enemy using invisibility augmentation, or just a visual glitch.
This is a great moment. The battle does not stand out in terms of gameplay, but the "director's cut" allows you to win it with the help of hacking with working augmentations. nine0003
From a technical standpoint, Human Revolution is a very good game, although the console version suffers from long loading times. It's a blockbuster, and the quality is to match: a high-budget project that spent money on providing a high-end experience in all areas: gameplay, graphics, music, story and voice acting (yes, for a part of the Deus Ex series, the voice acting is not bad).
All in all, Human Revolution is a great game and a very good part of the Deus Ex series. There are questionable game design decisions, the original is clearly longer, deeper and more complex. But Human Revolution showed how to modernize the series without stripping it of its own spirit. nine0003
Deus Ex: The Fall
Deus Ex: The Fall is a prequel to Human Revolution originally released for iOS. Despite the limitations of the platform, the mobile stealth shooter looks like a console or PC game with the appropriate gameplay. It (imperfectly) adapts mouse and keyboard or joystick mechanics to the touch screen, and also mimics the visual style of Human Revolution.
Unfortunately, The Fall is not a very good game. It suffers from an inaccurate, unresponsive control system, small levels that can be completed without stopping (especially with invisibility augmentations and a bunch of energy restorers), and questionable design decisions. nine0003
Most of the shortcomings are the consequences of adapting the game to a different system.
But some problems could have been avoided if The Fall hadn't been built around microtransactions.
In the Deus Ex series, most of the tension rests on inventory management: you need to find and save ammo (locations saturated with battles often do not have the opportunity to buy or sell anything).
In The Fall, the store is always available, and there is no inventory limit at all. At the same time, most of the items are too expensive: the in-game currency obtained during the standard game (especially considering how short it is) will not be enough for them, and you will have to use real money to purchase. nine0003
The PC version has no microtransactions, but the balance has not been changed, making these items unavailable unless the gamer finds a way to grind money.
At first, the plot of The Fall looks promising, despite the clumsy voice acting: this time, the main character is Ben Saxon, an augmented mercenary involved after a disaster in a showdown with the Tyrants, a secret operations department to which the bosses of Human Revolution belong.
After learning of their treachery, he hides in Costa Rica until he runs out of anti-rejection medication. The search for a reliable source of medicines leads him to Panama (a small hub level and location where most of the game takes place, not counting the tutorials). nine0003
There are hints of a deeper story about the drugs, their substitute, the companies that make them, and, of course, conspiracies (of course, not without the participation of Bob Page from the first Deus Ex), but it does not receive development. Although most of the game is explanatory dialogue, it can still be completed in a couple of hours.
The story ends on a cliffhanger, but it's hard to say if there will be a sequel. It's also hard to give it any weight, given how little detail is put into the character designs and motivations (a major miscalculation since Human Revolution didn't get to know the bosses very well either). nine0003
Much of the criticism is directed at the quality of the PC port of The Fall.
A patch has been released for the game that fixes the most noticeable shortcomings (like the inability to change control settings), but it's too late. The PC version suffers from a lot of hit calculation, clipping, and scripting bugs that should have been fixed before release. For example, you can get an achievement for a peaceful passage, even killing a lot of people with a shotgun.
In general, it is futile to try to adapt the experience of a computer or console action game to mobile systems, given the differences in the control system and low processing power. Simply put, The Fall is at the limit of the platform, but it doesn't offer a decent experience. nine0003
Developing a really good installment of the Deus Ex series for iOS and Android will require creative rather than technological solutions: you can either turn the game into a 2D top-down stealth shooter or turn it into a turn-based stealth action/RPG hybrid. By itself, The Fall is not worth recommending, despite the low price and short duration.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Mankind Divided is a direct sequel to Human Revolution, but like Invisible War, the game takes place after an unattainable combination of endings. nine0003
The gamer once again controls Adam Jensen, who mysteriously survived the destruction of Panchaea. This time, the hero will feel like a double agent: he works with an Interpol squad that confronts a terrorist threat, and also collaborates with a group of anarchist hackers known as the Juggernaut Collective.
The conflict is related to the aforementioned discrimination of augmented people. Since the events of Human Revolution, they have become second-class citizens, feared and hated by the media, government, and society. Jensen must investigate the activities of the activists of the Coalition for the Rights of the Augmented, who are accused of several terrorist attacks. nine0003
Of course, as in any other part of the Deus Ex series, the true enemy pulls the strings, remaining invisible to the public.
Despite the fact that four years have passed since the release of Human Revolution, Mankind Divided is not much different from its predecessor. The gameplay has not changed much: the mechanics of stealth, shooting from behind cover and hacking terminals work the same way as in Human Revolution.
The developers have slightly improved the system of persuasion by changing the principle of the characters: now each character has traits of two different personality types. As the conversation progresses, one of them appears stronger than the other, to which the player must respond accordingly. He is required to be more careful and adapt his strategy instead of sticking to the only successful option. nine0003
The leveling system has changed due to the addition of experimental augmentations. For the sake of their use, the gamer must block some other abilities if he wants to avoid bugs similar to the memorable boss battle from Human Revolution. It forces you to specialize. For one of the side quests, you can get the opportunity to activate all the augmentations at the final stage of the game.
A crafting system has also appeared - too simple and does not make much sense. Everything is limited to the collection of parts and the creation of objects from them. nine0003
Mankind Divided, compared to Human Revolution - "a step forward and two back." The core gameplay has not changed much, but still features a couple of notable improvements: the developers have fixed the combat system, and made it possible to avoid violence. By doing so, they allowed for a completely bloodless playthrough involving the use of persuasion and grabs to defeat bosses.
At the same time, technically the game is much less polished. It has long loading times, severe frame rate drops (even on powerful computers), and an awkward keyboard and mouse interface (for example, using the keyboard you can type passwords to computers, but not codes). nine0003
The main problem is that the main plot does not develop. There are several endings in the game (and this time they are not based on the final decision), but they can hardly be called the final.
Almost none of the important storylines are resolved: the fate of the augmented is unknown, it is impossible to choose between Interpol and the Juggernaut Collective, and the main character never encounters the organizers of the conspiracy. Mankind Divided is clearly setting the stage for a sequel, but the sense of incompleteness it leaves behind is disappointing. nine0003
The mediocrity of the main storyline is especially striking against the backdrop of a great world, location design and side quests.
Most of Mankind Divided takes place in a dystopian version of Prague (the only major hub level in the game, although there are a couple of missions outside of it as well). The city is indeed similar to Prague in both appearance and atmosphere, despite the fact that the lion's share of (written) sentences in Czech are more like machine translation. nine0003
The dystopian atmosphere is accentuated by racial discrimination (eg train segregation) and signs of the communist era (curfews, corrupt police, underground press).
The situation, as in the first Deus Ex, is gradually deteriorating.
The game almost completes the series' transition from interconnected hub levels to a massive open world. It has three versions of Prague - controversial and uncertain during the day, noisy and dangerous at night, hostile and oppressive during curfew. nine0003
The lion's share of side quests are stories of people trying to cope with the oppression of the government. In the most memorable of them, the hero must make fake documents for the augmented, so that they are not sent to the terrible Golem City (a ghetto for modified people and one of the best levels in the game).
There are some interesting characters in Mankind Divided, but not all characters are fully developed. The conspiracy theorists who publish the underground newspaper Samizdat are easy to remember, but not the agents of Interpol. nine0003
The side objective of the first mission is to rescue one of them. The opponents have surrounded him and are ready to kill him if the hero does not hurry.
At the same time, the gamer knows little about the character and is not particularly worried about him. At least, much less than in a similar Human Revolution scene.
Interesting people come across throughout the game - most in side quests, stories about supposedly important characters who rarely appear in the main storyline.
The game has an excellent soundtrack (although it clearly lacks choral tracks - the best compositions of Human Revolution). Can't say the same about the graphics. The environment looks good, but the motion capture suffers. nine0003
More importantly, the project lacks a unique visual style: the golden haze from the previous installment would not fit into the gloomy tone of Mankind Divided, and there is nothing to replace it. High-tech luxury has been replaced by filth and poverty - the game has fewer futuristic devices, spacious interiors and shiny augmentations.
Because of this, there is no recognizable picture: armored police and segregation trains do not stand out in any way (at the same time, in Mankind Divided, if you take the straight train, he will see an unskippable cut-scene in which the cop scolds the hero and checks his documents ).
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Microtransactions deserve special mention among the shortcomings of Mankind Divided. In single player mode, you can purchase in-game currency or Praxis Packs (Level Up) with real money. This is not necessary, but the very use of such a principle in the main part of the Deus Ex series is ridiculous.
In addition, there is a Breach multiplayer mode where microtransactions work in the same way as in mobile free-to-play games: they allow you to avoid grinding for a fee. Hacking is a boring Score Attack mode in stylish but mostly empty VR. The main goal is to load the data as fast as possible (which is limited to finding the shining monoliths and pressing the E key), while fighting a couple of simple enemies or avoiding them. nine0003
Hack is a completely useless addition to the game. It doesn't even come close to defining an adequate multiplayer mode. It's a way to make money through microtransactions in a game that gamers paid full price for anyway.
Mankind Divided is still a good game, although it still feels like a missed opportunity.
It's built on the solid foundation of Human Revolution, but there's little that stands out. The plot is a set of interesting ideas that have not been given enough time, and the gameplay is a modified Human Revolution. nine0003
Human Revolution's ratings have spurred not one, but two direct sequels, and the trend to add microtransactions to blockbusters is half-baked multiplayer. The PC port is not polished due to the concentration on console releases. Finally, the result of a completely different approach to graphics (in contrast to Human Revolution with its stylization, more attention is paid to realism and polygon count) does not look good enough to justify the system requirements.
These are not new claims for AAA games, but a bad sign for the franchise. While the spirit of Deus Ex lives on, the industry's negative trends have not gone unnoticed for the series. nine0003
Mankind Divided caused several controversies before its release.
After its announcement, an aggressive pre-order campaign began.
The organizers promised to release the game a few days earlier if enough people buy it in advance. Due to public outcry, the event had to be cancelled. But then the release of Mankind Divided was postponed for about six months - it is not known whether the promised early access was even possible.
Pre-release materials compared discrimination against the augmented to racism in the real world. This led to a lively discussion: are the developers giving social commentary or are they just trying to press on pain points without thinking about the consequences? nine0003
Shortly before release, the situation exploded due to the news about the addition of microtransactions and the small number of press copies of the PC version. All this, combined with technical problems and low enthusiasm for a game that was little different from its predecessor, led to sales that fell short of financial expectations.
Deus Ex Go
Blockbuster mobile spin-offs are usually superficial: developers try to cram something that vaguely resembles a console or computer experience into a small phone.
The Deus Ex series tried to do that in The Fall. nine0003
Eidos took a different approach with Hitman Go. She adapted the basic mechanics of a stealth kill game into a turn-based puzzle game. A clever and successful decision led to the emergence of similar projects based on other franchises of the company. Among them are Lara Croft Go (Tomb Raider) and Deus Ex Go. The latter was created to promote the release of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.
The story is told through Jensen's conversations with Miller and other Mankind Divided characters. The player infiltrates buildings in order to uncover a worldwide conspiracy. As a companion piece to Mankind Divided, Go's graphics and music perfectly capture the Human Revolution aesthetic down to the yellow filter, card set, and multiple triangles. nine0003
Each level consists of a series of hexagons connected by lines. The goal is to get to a certain point. Along the way, you have to deal with obstacles: guards, turrets, robots and other threats.
People run up to the hero if they notice him, but only in a straight line, after which they turn and rush back. The turrets are more insidious and shoot at Jensen as soon as they are spotted. They can be destroyed if they can't see you.
Human enemies cannot be killed while on alert, even if approached from the side. There are also two types of robots: guards, which are easy to get rid of, and huge walking mechs, especially dangerous because they see the hero even when he is in stealth mode. Since the game is turn-based, the enemies only act while the protagonist is moving. nine0003
Jensen does not have a firearm, only a short-range police baton. The whole arsenal is stealth and the skill of hacking terminals. Some levels have bonuses that make the hero invisible. You can activate them at any time, but they only last two turns.
Computers can be used to redirect data streams to either take control of turrets or disable traps that interfere with movement or kill.
Enemies not only block the path from the computer to the victim of the hack, but also cancel any hacker actions when colliding with the terminal, which makes the hero vulnerable if he is in the wrong place at that moment. nine0003
A lot of time is spent thinking about how to put opponents in a position in which the gamer can perfectly implement his plan. It may take some trial and error, but as long as the player doesn't act recklessly, they can complete the mission without taking any damage.
Actions cannot be undone, but even if the hero is killed, simply reloading is enough. There are no levels that are too long, if you know what to do, you can go through everything quickly enough.
There are 54 cards in the main campaign - this can be enough for a long time. The game gives a couple of hints, as well as the right to buy tips through microtransactions. nine0003
The developers of Deus Ex Go did a great job of adding mech and additional features of the "invisibility cloak" - the puzzles are interesting to the end.
Approximately every seven levels, the action is transferred to a location with a different color scheme.
There are also weekly maps of higher difficulty. On some of them, the gamer controls Pritchard from Human Revolution, but the principle of playing for him is the same as for Jensen. Maps change each other every week (access to the previous ones can be obtained by changing the system time on the device). nine0003
Additional bonuses are given for compliance with special conditions when passing levels. The player can also unlock Praxis Packs for Mankind Divided, but only on PC and Xbox One and only if they have a Square-Enix account.
Deus Ex Go is arguably the best project in the Go series. The hacking mechanics make the game seem more complex and exciting than the rest of the games, while its graphics and sound design remain true to the canons of the series.
Modding
nine0013 Like many classic games, Deus Ex is a popular modding target.
This is especially true of the very first part, cult and easily changed.
Major mods are still coming out today: Caustic Creative recently released Deus Ex: Revision, updating the graphics and reimagining the levels. The authors also added what they call "elements of the creation of the world." For example, they gave individuality to the offices of the UNATCO building (in the original, Anna did not keep a mannequin dressed as an NSF terrorist and intended for target shooting in her room, but in Revision she has one, and that fits into her image). nine0003
The Revision soundtrack is an interesting (and perhaps even superior) interpretation. It was created by the EdenShard group, which rightly calls its style "symphonic electronics".
The quality of the mod is quite high (it's not superior to the original, but it's close to it), and Eidos and Square Enix officially approved it. Unfortunately, it only works with the Steam version.
Deus Ex: Revision
Before Revision, there was The Nameless Mod, an extraordinarily ambitious Off Topic Production project.
It pays a lot of attention to non-linearity - the developers took into account every little thing (you can even take the side of the antagonists, just like JC remained loyal to the UN in the cut storyline for the first Deus Ex). nine0003
The plot of the mod is quite strange and self-referential: the game world is based on the PlanetDeusEx closed forum, and one of the factions is based on its moderators. In addition, new weapons, a melee system and a huge number of references to popular culture, the first part of the series and the fanon of the franchise are added. True, today it is difficult to understand some of them: the development of The Nameless Mod began in 2002 - an eternity ago by the standards of the Internet.
The Nameless Mod is a truly amazing project. This is an example of what modders with little skill, who love the game, and who are not embarrassed by the inaccessibility of their project to the uninitiated, are capable of. nine0003
The Nameless Mod
Other interesting full makeovers include 2027 (an unofficial prequel with RPG elements; although it began development before the announcement of Human Revolution, it takes place in the same year) and Deus Ex: Nihilum, known for its insane maze levels.
The most famous of the small mods: Shifter (restores the lion's share of cut content and adds new types of weapons), Biomod based on it, reworking augmentations and some skills. nine0003
For those who want to play vanilla Deus Ex on modern systems, it is recommended to use the Deus Exe file, which activates modern rendering and opens access to widescreen resolution.
A less serious mod worth mentioning is the Malkavian Mod. It rearranges the original's dialogue (already funny because of the voice acting) and adds other weird ideas (like the toilet using bits of Deionarra's speech from Planescape: Torment).
Since Invisible War has never been popular among fans of the series, there are few mods for it. The most notable is the Unified Texture Pack by John P (the user who also created the high resolution textures for Thief 3). Thanks to the addition, most of Invisible War looks better (except for the faces of some characters). nine0003
Human Revolution mods are mostly minor improvements that change the difficulty of the game or provide access to debug mode.
This can be attributed to the lack of official modding tools and the difficulty of modifying an AAA blockbuster without their help.
The coolest mod for the game is Deus FX based on ReShade. It not only brings the iconic golden hue back to the "Director's Cut", but also improves it. The developer tried to bring the graphic style closer to the look of the cut scenes. nine0003
Deus Ex: Icarus Effect and Deus Ex: Fallen Angel
Deus Ex: Icarus Effect is a book set in the Deus Ex universe written by James Swallow, a writer specializing in sci-fi spin-off material. This is a prequel to Human Revolution that follows the Tyrants, a group of mercenaries led by Jaron Namir, one of the game's bosses. The plot is somewhat reminiscent of The Fall, and for good reason: the mobile game retells some of the events of the book, and during the passage it continues from where it ended. nine0003
The Icarus Effect follows two characters: Ben Saxon, a mercenary working for the Belltower Association, and Anna Kelso, a Secret Service agent.
They find themselves on opposite sides of the barricade: Saxon joins the Tyrants, and Kelso tries to track them down by investigating a murder. Naturally, in the end, the heroes unite. This happens after Ben finds out how cruel Tyrants can be, and Anna's life is falling apart due to an all-encompassing conspiracy.
The image of Tyrants is being developed. Readers are also introduced to the characters that appeared in Deus Ex and Human Revolution: Günter Herman, Juan Lebedev, William Taggart and Adam Jensen. nine0003
"Fallen Angel" (Deus Ex: Fallen Angel) - a short story about Farid Malik - a pilot from Human Revolution. The story focuses on her life in Hengshadao, as well as the reason why she had to move to Detroit. The Belltower mercenaries make themselves known again: the heroine of the story learns about their cooperation with the triads and participation in a violent conflict between biotech corporations.
As is often the case with supplemental books, Swallow does not stand out with style or catchy phrases.
They do not contain philosophical dilemmas, political themes and cultural references - in short, what makes the plots of Deus Ex more interesting. nine0003
There's nothing wrong with the text: cool battle scenes and lovingly described technology, but that's about it. Fans of the series can appreciate the books for their contributions to the world of Deus Ex and character portrayals. For people without a deep interest in the franchise, they are nothing more than typical cyberpunk conspiracy thrillers.
Ironically, The Icarus Effect is best read after completing Human Revolution, as the book reveals a very important plot twist, thereby spoiling the emotionality of the early levels. Fallen Angel does not contain spoilers and does not require knowledge of the game, however the latter gives gamers more reason to be interested in Malik's life, so it might be better to play Human Revolution first. nine0003
Deus Ex: Human Revolution (comic series)
The Deus Ex: Human Revolution graphic novels were written by Robbie Morrison, illustrated by Trevor Hairsein, and published by DC.
Like Swallow's texts, the comics came out shortly before the game's release. Unlike the books, these are side stories about Adam Jensen and take place during the events of Human Revolution.
In a six-episode series, Jensen teams up with British spy Katrina Sutherland and battles a group of augmented terrorists who call themselves "Deus Ex" and chant the phrase during their attacks. Attention is paid to Adam's police past: the comic is filled with scenes of memories of the hero's life before body modification. nine0003
However, the plot moves only through the search for terrorists and the investigation of the reasons for their dislike for Sharif Industries. Everything else: character development, discussions about augmentations, description of the world - fades into the background, giving way to dynamic action scenes.
The style of the image resembles a rough sketch: there are additional lines; figures are distorted if they are not shown in close-up; panels of different sizes are unevenly distributed, in addition, many details are deliberately blurred.
The artist clearly loves to draw blood, explosions, violence, which gives the graphic novel a rough, aggressive atmosphere. nine0003
The technique could have worked if it hadn't been so out of line with the visual style of the blockbuster. Many characters, except for Jensen, do not look like their game counterparts.
Human Revolution is a cyberpunk story about the golden age of technology and dark secrets, while Human Revolution is a dark action movie where neo-noir, augmentations and conspiracies have faded into the background.
The first issue of the series served as the basis for a short (less than ten minutes) "animated comic" that came with the Augmented Edition. nine0003
In general, the entire series of novels is rather ambiguous. The police past and Jensen's life after the tragedy are quite interesting, as is the image of Katrina. However, the focus in the comics is on the boring Deus Ex terrorist storyline. It leads nowhere: the story takes place during the events of Human Revolution, but does not affect them, and even the emotional ending is not reflected in the game.
comic book series sometimes makes it look like an idea for a completely different franchise was quickly turned into extra material. In addition, the frequent and meaningless repetition of the words "Deus Ex" and "Human Revolution", which do not mean the same as in games, is very annoying. nine0003
#stories #long
Neurology in video games: Deus Ex: Human Revolution This space, with a few pounds of gray matter, provides an incredible degree of plasticity, allowing for the full spectrum of personalities, emotions, and thoughts, all within a limited physical space. When studying neuroscience, it's hard to get past the beauty and efficiency of the human brain. But what are the limits of the biological substrate, like the brain, and how can we expand our capabilities with it? nine0003
The desperate quest to improve our natural biology is, ironically, the inevitable result of our own biology. In addition, the idea that billions of years of evolution is in a mechanism can be confusing for those of us who are used to the idea of constant technological improvement and development, such as how our current model of the universe evolved to cope with the foundations of the Ancient World.
There is a burning question: "Where (and what is) Human Brain 2.0?" This question is explored in some potentially prescient sci-fi games like Deus Ex: Human Revolution, where neuroscience meets synthetic enhancements in a fascinating and terrifying way. nine0003
The
HR Implant Revolution focuses on the effects of artificial enhancement. Those who can afford it enjoy improved speed, strength, cognitive and sensory function. Enough principled or simply poor people who cannot afford implants find themselves at a serious disadvantage, and as a natural consequence of this discrepancy, a struggle begins between them and the “privileged” transhumanists and the corporations that improved them. The path you choose is crucial to the story and will greatly affect the ending. But to what extent are the features of HR based on reality and not just science fiction? nine0003
Loss of Implants: The Neuropozyne Story
In the HR world, the fictional drug Neuropozyne, a medicinal ointment needed by people with implants to keep their frail human bodies from rejecting mechanical parts.
Without Neuropozyn, a "glial tissue build-up" develops around the implant, which promotes regeneration and eventually leads to its failure (Darrow's syndrome in the Deus Ex universe). This leads the person with the implants to addiction to the drug, which gives enormous control to the powerful pharmaceutical company VersaLife, as well as general social chaos as the general population refuses to depend on Neuropozyn just to maintain control over their own bodies. nine0003
Eidos Montreal deserves credit for integrating some real-life aspects of neuroscience into his narratives. So let's see what they did right. Your nervous system can be divided into what we call the "Central" (brain and spinal cord) and "peripheral" (rest of the body) nervous system. Glial cells are often perceived as helpers of the peripheral and central nervous systems, as they support the function of neurons and nerve cells. In the central nervous system, "glial tissues" do exist, in a sense; a process known as "glial scarring" occurs after neurological injury.
After injury, types of glial cells known as astrocytes respond to the change in shape and occupy the area around the injury site, releasing molecules that inhibit growth and lead to glial scarring. The presence of these astrocytes, as well as the molecules they release, prevent the spread of axons from the sites of injury and the re-formation of functional parts. This is one of the major barriers to spinal cord injury rehabilitation; axons (outgrowths of neurons that provide communication with other cells) from neurons below the injury, which will first try to spread and reconnect with neurons on the other side, but will be blocked by the scar. We already have several pharmacological agents to suppress and treat glial scars: olomucin, which reduces the number of astrocytes and may promote axonal regeneration, ribavirin, which reduces the number of active astrocytes, and rolipram, which leads to axon growth. nine0003
Astrocytes: helpers or scarring little bastards?
However, one problem can be seen with the interpretation of biology in Deus Ex.
If glial scarring occurs after neurological injury to stop regrowth, then why do people regain motor skills and sensation after nerve damage in limbs, fingers, and so on? This is because in the peripheral nervous system, glial tissue is slightly different, namely the types of glial cells that help after injury and allow axons to re-grow and re-engineer functional connections. So, about the brain and spinal cord: no astrocytes, no “glial tissue buildup”, neuropozin is not needed, no problems. This means that peripheral improvements (see figure below) will be fine without the drug. nine0003
Peripheral enhancements circled in red
As for enhancements that are directly attached to the central nervous system, glial scarring should either not be a problem for them, or they will not be a problem as long as they are integrated into existing neural networks. All breaks in neural circuits can be bridged with implants.
Central Nervous System enhancements circled in dark blue, light blue enhancements that cannot directly connect to the brain or spinal cord but depend on other enhancements.
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And as far as the rejection of these devices by the immune system, our immune system is focused on maintaining the well-being of organic, biological parts that are not present in synthetic implants. The only remaining targets of immunology are "live nerve cells" in the HR version of the PEDOT electrodes, but these cells and their connections can be protected from the immune system with a trapping system already in use by scientists today. By the way, PEDOT electrodes, minus the living nerve cells in them, currently exist, and their composition could make them useful for human implantation. Finally, all immune system problems can be avoided altogether with embryonic stem cells, or even extract stem cells from oneself to create PEDOT electrode neurons in HR. So you don't have to be Adam Jensen to do without Neuropozyne. nine0003
Science in games is constantly reaching new heights it is needed and appreciated, the perfectly accurate game is limited in its freedom to create a new and exciting fictional world.
With scientific precision, it is necessary to find a balance between realism and fantasy in order to create an ideal, but this is not always an achievable goal, especially if the story has such a high priority. To justify the presence of Neurosophine in HR, designer Maria DeMarle said: “The concept of Neurosophine in the game helps us sharpen the social divisions in the game… but it was also important for a number of other story-related reasons. First, it gave us the opportunity to visually illustrate the uniqueness of Adam. Secondly, this is due to a side quest in the game. And third, it allowed us to do some interesting interweaving with DX1 and a certain pharmaceutical company run by members of the Illuminati…” The writers took care of scientific accuracy, they consulted with Will Rossellini, founder of MicroTransponder Inc. and a neuroscience graduate student who spoke of his role: “When I volunteered to be a science advisor in 2008, I said, ‘Let’s imagine where today’s research could take us 20 years from now… a lot of the science is connected to the story and that’s explained in the game.
