| Revision as of 23:49, 18 October 2006 editA Man In Black (talk | contribs)38,430 editsm Reverted edits by Yukichigai (talk) to last version by A Man In Black← Previous edit | Revision as of 23:52, 18 October 2006 edit undoYukichigai (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers4,182 edits Revert, plus an additional congradulations to AMIB on his second violation of the Three-revert ruleNext edit → | ||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| As with most games based on or using the '']'' engine, '']'' allows users to modify existing game content and rules, and/or create new content through the use of a separate ]. | |||
| #REDIRECT ] | |||
| == Software Developers Kit == | |||
| The initial release of the ] was ], ], almost exactly three months after the release of the game. According to the initial announcing , the SDK consists of the actual software tools used to create the game. While the SDK can be used to create content and gameplay on par with that of the game, it is ''not'' capable of exporting the entirety of the existing game content into user-modifiable form. (Notably, it is impossible to decompile all of the game's conversation resource files using the SDK, or modify the original ]. Programs like Reshack were required to modify DLLs, and it was not until ] that a was released which could export all conversation resources) | |||
| Most of the components in the ] are simply modified versions of corresponding tools found in the '']'' SDK, the exceptions being the Conversation Editor and the ] import tool. | |||
| ===UnrealEd 2=== | |||
| Some photographs of the game development suggest that ] 2 was used by the designers as well as, or instead of, ] 1, which was included in the SDK. It is preferred for its improved stability and improved rendering ability. | |||
| The ''Hotel Carone'' mod was very demanding in terms of geometry and UnrealEd 1 was inadequate for the complex brushes. To meet the demands of the designs, UnrealEd 2 was specially hacked to allow a degree of compatibilty with Deus Ex mapping. This hacked version is now publicly available. | |||
| == Modding Community == | |||
| Though not nearly as popular or active as modding communities for its contemporaries -- games such as '']'' or '']'' -- the ''Deus Ex'' modding community nonetheless was and still is a sizeable and active group, and is notable for its unique development compared to other modding communities. Initially the number of mods and mutators developed for the game were small and/or of low quality, though the unstable nature of the ] -- particularly the modified version of ] -- as well as the relative difficulty required to load mods and mutators may have been primarily to blame. It was after the release of an update patch for the SDK, as well as a "{{h:title|Team UC Mod Loader|mod loader}}" developed by a separate modding group, that the proliferance of mods and mutators for ''Deus Ex'' began to increase. The majority of these were mutators for the recently released multiplayer patch for the game, itself another factor in the increase in modding activity. | |||
| Perhaps the most notable aspect of the ''Deus Ex'' modding community is how the activity within it has ''increased'' as time has passed. Most of the popular singleplayer mods for ''Deus Ex'' were released roughly 18 months or more after the game's initial release, with an additional resurgence in modding activity in early ] following the release of '']'' and the subsequent mixed fan reaction to it. Also notable are the additional, "non-standard" modding efforts to "update" the game and make it comparable to current games, including an updated ] driver for the game and even a project to convert the game to run as a mod for ]. | |||
| == Modding Links == | |||
| === Total Conversions === | |||
| These mods feature significant new content and have little — if anything — to do with the world of Deus Ex. | |||
| * — A humorous mod which tasks the player with procuring alcohol and other supplies for an upcoming weekend party. | |||
| * — A full-featured Total Conversion, set in a world similar but different to the world of Deus Ex. Apparently cancelled after the release of Episode 1. | |||
| * — A spin-off of a small German independent film called , picking up where the movie left off. | |||
| *<ref name="multiple">These mods are currently in development and have not publicly released any playable content to date.</ref> — A mod based on the Planet Deus Ex forum community, set in the cyberspace city of Forum City. | |||
| === Expansions (Fan Missions) === | |||
| These mods add additional plots and maps, and may or may not modify game rules, weapons, etc. | |||
| *<ref name="multiple"/> — A prequel to Deus Ex, set in the year 2027. | |||
| *<ref name="multiple"/> - Set one month after the events of Deus Ex, allows the player to experience life as an MJ12 agent. | |||
| * — A parallel expansion of the Deus Ex story, allowing you to play as JC's brother Paul. | |||
| * — Set within the events of Deus Ex, primarily in the titular hotel which is currently in the hands of the NSF. | |||
| * — An original story concerning a nanotechnologically augmented agent kidnapped and caught up in a power struggle between various corporations and governmental forces, set in Japan in the year 2031. | |||
| *<ref name="multiple"/> — Adds a new plot path to the core Deus Ex story for the player to explore, centering heavily on UNATCO. | |||
| === Game Modifications === | |||
| These mods ''only'' replace or modify game rules, weapons, items, etc. They may be able to run in combination with Expansions. Running in combination with Total Conversions may yield undesirable results. | |||
| *<ref name="beta">These mods are still in development but have publicly released playable Beta or Alpha versions.</ref> — A singleplayer modification, with heavy emphasis on a "bullet time" augmentation. | |||
| * — A singleplayer modification intended to make the game significantly more challenging, unrealistic and enjoyable. Adds alt-fire, new weapons, new player and NPC characters, multiplayer with bots, and new game types. | |||
| * — Adds in new features like Alt-Fire and Unique Weapons. Also contains a heavily modified multiplayer game. | |||
| === Other Modifications === | |||
| *<ref name="multiple"/> — A recreation of Deus Ex using Unreal Tournament 2004's Unreal Warfare engine. | |||
| *<ref name="beta"/> — High Definition Texture Pack; replaces existing game textures and models with higher resolution textures and high polygon-count models. | |||
| === Modding Resources === | |||
| * — A large collection of mods and multiplayer mutators for Deus Ex. (Note: mods and mutators found on the site may not be the most current versions.) | |||
| * — Fan Modification News Portal | |||
| * — A number of tutorials and other information about modding Deus Ex, collected and created by Steve Tack, creator of the Zodiac mod. | |||
| * — Download link to Deus Ex SDK. | |||
| === Notes === | |||
| <div class="references-small"> | |||
| <references/> | |||
| </div> | |||
| {{Deus Ex}} | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Revision as of 23:52, 18 October 2006
As with most games based on or using the Unreal engine, Deus Ex allows users to modify existing game content and rules, and/or create new content through the use of a separate SDK.
Software Developers Kit
The initial release of the Deus Ex SDK was September 22, 2000, almost exactly three months after the release of the game. According to the initial announcing press release, the SDK consists of the actual software tools used to create the game. While the SDK can be used to create content and gameplay on par with that of the game, it is not capable of exporting the entirety of the existing game content into user-modifiable form. (Notably, it is impossible to decompile all of the game's conversation resource files using the SDK, or modify the original DLLs. Programs like Reshack were required to modify DLLs, and it was not until June 2006 that a Deus Ex Extractor was released which could export all conversation resources)
Most of the components in the Deus Ex SDK are simply modified versions of corresponding tools found in the Unreal SDK, the exceptions being the Conversation Editor and the LightWave import tool.
UnrealEd 2
Some photographs of the game development suggest that UnrealEd 2 was used by the designers as well as, or instead of, UnrealEd 1, which was included in the SDK. It is preferred for its improved stability and improved rendering ability.
The Hotel Carone mod was very demanding in terms of geometry and UnrealEd 1 was inadequate for the complex brushes. To meet the demands of the designs, UnrealEd 2 was specially hacked to allow a degree of compatibilty with Deus Ex mapping. This hacked version is now publicly available.
Modding Community
Though not nearly as popular or active as modding communities for its contemporaries -- games such as Half-Life or Unreal Tournament -- the Deus Ex modding community nonetheless was and still is a sizeable and active group, and is notable for its unique development compared to other modding communities. Initially the number of mods and mutators developed for the game were small and/or of low quality, though the unstable nature of the SDK -- particularly the modified version of UnrealEd -- as well as the relative difficulty required to load mods and mutators may have been primarily to blame. It was after the release of an update patch for the SDK, as well as a "Team UC Mod Loader" developed by a separate modding group, that the proliferance of mods and mutators for Deus Ex began to increase. The majority of these were mutators for the recently released multiplayer patch for the game, itself another factor in the increase in modding activity.
Perhaps the most notable aspect of the Deus Ex modding community is how the activity within it has increased as time has passed. Most of the popular singleplayer mods for Deus Ex were released roughly 18 months or more after the game's initial release, with an additional resurgence in modding activity in early 2004 following the release of Deus Ex: Invisible War and the subsequent mixed fan reaction to it. Also notable are the additional, "non-standard" modding efforts to "update" the game and make it comparable to current games, including an updated OpenGL driver for the game and even a project to convert the game to run as a mod for Unreal Tournament 2004.
Modding Links
Total Conversions
These mods feature significant new content and have little — if anything — to do with the world of Deus Ex.
- Burden of 80 Proof — A humorous mod which tasks the player with procuring alcohol and other supplies for an upcoming weekend party.
- The Cassandra Project — A full-featured Total Conversion, set in a world similar but different to the world of Deus Ex. Apparently cancelled after the release of Episode 1.
- Der Zeit Mann — A spin-off of a small German independent film called Zeitschrift, picking up where the movie left off.
- The Nameless Mod — A mod based on the Planet Deus Ex forum community, set in the cyberspace city of Forum City.
Expansions (Fan Missions)
These mods add additional plots and maps, and may or may not modify game rules, weapons, etc.
- Deus Ex: 2027 — A prequel to Deus Ex, set in the year 2027.
- Deus Ex: Man in Black - Set one month after the events of Deus Ex, allows the player to experience life as an MJ12 agent.
- Deus Ex: Zodiac — A parallel expansion of the Deus Ex story, allowing you to play as JC's brother Paul.
- Hotel Carone — Set within the events of Deus Ex, primarily in the titular hotel which is currently in the hands of the NSF.
- REDSUN 2020 — An original story concerning a nanotechnologically augmented agent kidnapped and caught up in a power struggle between various corporations and governmental forces, set in Japan in the year 2031.
- UNATCO Born — Adds a new plot path to the core Deus Ex story for the player to explore, centering heavily on UNATCO.
Game Modifications
These mods only replace or modify game rules, weapons, items, etc. They may be able to run in combination with Expansions. Running in combination with Total Conversions may yield undesirable results.
- Chronos — A singleplayer modification, with heavy emphasis on a "bullet time" augmentation.
- Hardcore DX — A singleplayer modification intended to make the game significantly more challenging, unrealistic and enjoyable. Adds alt-fire, new weapons, new player and NPC characters, multiplayer with bots, and new game types.
- Shifter — Adds in new features like Alt-Fire and Unique Weapons. Also contains a heavily modified multiplayer game.
Other Modifications
- Deus Ex: Reborn — A recreation of Deus Ex using Unreal Tournament 2004's Unreal Warfare engine.
- Project HDTP — High Definition Texture Pack; replaces existing game textures and models with higher resolution textures and high polygon-count models.
Modding Resources
- Deus-Ex.net's mod section — A large collection of mods and multiplayer mutators for Deus Ex. (Note: mods and mutators found on the site may not be the most current versions.)
- DXEditing — Fan Modification News Portal
- Tack's Deus Ex Lab — A number of tutorials and other information about modding Deus Ex, collected and created by Steve Tack, creator of the Zodiac mod.
- Fileshack — Download link to Deus Ex SDK.
Notes
- ^ These mods are currently in development and have not publicly released any playable content to date.
- ^ These mods are still in development but have publicly released playable Beta or Alpha versions.
| Deus Ex | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Video games |
| ||||
| Universe | |||||
| Development | |||||
