Enter The Thinktank... Ideas for HDTP

[Mr_Cyberpunk]

Ok, I've just had some really cool ideas..

1. We should try and adjust the UNATCO/MJ12/POLICE/NSF troops to
look like Future Force Soldiers. Because they look like push overs atm! I'm freaked out by FFSs. This would mean though that UNATCO troops can see in the dark, MJ12 can do similar moves to NanoAug agents, the NSF are better adjusted to hazardous conditions (because they come from the West) and the Police are cheap push overs, but they can still hold their own during a fight.

POLICE OFFICER:


Think of it like this, at least you'd be able to see their faces, either that or you can just put a riot helm on them.


NSF:


They helm is really big and looks cheap.. Exactly the way the NSF operate!

MJ12:


This image use to give me nightmares.. that our worst fears were coming true, soldiers are getting Auged! If this were MJ12 RUN LIKE HELL!

UNATCO:


This is by far the most cyberpunkie armor I've ever seen, though this armor was aparently phased out for something much more cooler below:




Seriously cool! Unatco troops wouldn't look so useless if this happened.

Consider it please guys..


2. During the game the HDTP leaves Data Cubes in areas of interest so that people can explore the game again and find the new stuff.. Self explanitory really..


3. An secret extention in the training mission which allows you to see avartas of the HDTP team. (similar to the gallery at the end of the level:
"even your brother can't smile for a photo")

4. Adding HDTP team into the end credits..


Again these are just enhancements to be done way way way down the track if the teams up for it later. If you need info about the technology google it cause there's tones of info. also www.howstuffworks.com has a little work on exoskeletons.

[lofaesofa]

That's not quite what I think the original artists had in mind...

Especially not for the MJ12 troops.

I don't think that those alterations would keep with the theme of the game.

Drastically changing the resistances or the AI of enemies isn't really part of High Definition Texture Project.

The HDTP datacubes/secret levels are cute ideas, but what would we put on the data cubes? I certainly wouldn't want anyone spoiling my game with badly written rubbish included.
A shoddy secret level would ruin the game.
I think adding our names to the official credits is pretentious. A simply readme would be fine.

The scale of this mod is already pretty huge. It's pretty ambitious as it is. Unless we got a lot more people working on the mod then we just have to stick with the general plan.

Our artists/modellers stick to the originals as much as possible, but we do experiment a little because some of the original media is so low detail that we can't help but improvise.

[Master_Kale]

The HDTP datacubes/secret levels are cute ideas, but what would we put on the data cubes? I certainly wouldn't want anyone spoiling my game with badly written rubbish included.

I think custom datacubes would be a neat little bonus, IF it could be pulled off without going into each level and having to add them in manually...

I don't know about you, but that's a lot of work

Unless, we take existing datacube entries and replace the existing text with our own! That could work

[Mr_Cyberpunk]

I totally understand what you've all been saying. The pics were there to inspire you guys into maybe nit picking at the armor and thinking... Maybe the models should have details like this or something. I fully agree with the MJ12 thing they wouldn't look like FFS2020s. Also the AI thing, I actually didn't mean to say it like that.. I meant to say that it looks like they have these abilities despite the fact that they don't...

I understand the scope of HDTP though, JUST RETEXTURE THE DAMN CHARS AND BOXES! That's fine..

The datacube idea was because I figured that maybe people would actually enjoy going through the levels again.

The gallery was a stupid idea I admit it.. still TNM might want to do it??

Thanks for the feedback. That's what project teams are meant to do right?
Better get back to work..

[Jonas]

The datacube idea was because I figured that maybe people would actually enjoy going through the levels again.

Yeah, but it would also mean you had to download all the modified levels along with the rest of the mod. Which would likely make the mod very big.

[Mr_Cyberpunk]

So feasibility analysis is that we can't make anything to drastic to the game...
Essentially the scope was to change textures and then it expanded into models.

I totally understand. The smartest way is to just make the filenames identical so that they overwrite what we change that way we don't need to manually input them into the game.

I liked the idea of making FFSs in the realistic approach to DX because it was the only factor missing. That the human troops rendered completely useless in comparance to Nano-auged agents and Mechs. (one of the issues addressed in the game)

Just don't get too protective of the game, things may change yes.. So... Change is good ain't it. In retalliation you'd say If it ain't broken don't fix it... But HDTP contradicts that now dosen't it...

The only enhancement that I can think of that'd work would be an updated User Interface.. Because the existing one dosen't match the HDTP models.

[Guest]

well i for one would like to know what is wrong with making the police/unatco/NSF/mj12 troopers look more intimidating. afterall, you guys are rebuilding the in game models....

afterall the only extra work would be adding a few boxes to the front torso, and maybe a sholder pad. that can add up to too many extra polies can it?

oh, and for when the weapons get rebuilt, are they going to look the same (but schnazier), or are they getting built into a more formidable looking weapon?

... and of topic...

what about animations? those staying the same?

[justanotherfan]

The characters I've seen are looking more intimidating, more real. There's nothing wrong with changing the game to have more real military officers, but that's another modification, this is about improving the graphics while staying true to the original vision.

[metche_steele]

well i for one would like to know what is wrong with making the police/unatco/NSF/mj12 troopers look more intimidating. afterall, you guys are rebuilding the in game models....

afterall the only extra work would be adding a few boxes to the front torso, and maybe a sholder pad. that can add up to too many extra polies can it?

oh, and for when the weapons get rebuilt, are they going to look the same (but schnazier), or are they getting built into a more formidable looking weapon?

... and of topic...

what about animations? those staying the same?

We will always use a little poetic license in our models and textures but we do aim to strive for a close match to the original as possible. Since the originals are no where near as detailed as our new ones - it gives us flexibility to be a little creative. However, this is DX, and it would be wrong to make complety different textures imo. We want to keep it true to the original design brief.

Making things look more scary? Absolutely - For starters the 'square heads' of the originals models just werent cutting it

Animations? Oh yes ...thats Phas' speciallity

[justanotherfan]

Can't wait to see some more fluid animations where there was no detail to it.

I remember when I couldn't play Deus Ex 2, and the retexturing package came out. The characters got little Tarsus badges on their uniforms, I figured they had put their logo on the textures of the main characters, was pretty annoyed (until I eventually found out what Tarsus was).

[Yixian]

I think if you keep the mod to superficial changes only and simply bring Deus Ex into the world of modern gaming then its impact could huge.

I think you guys should stick with revving up the graphics, maybe somehow bringing in some more complex technologies like anti-aliasing, dynamic lighting or what have you (I have no idea how plausibnle that is, but that kind of thing adds a LOT to the atmosphere, something Deus Ex revels in), and if possible, sound.

Compile it for both Mac and PC, make it available in a nice little free download with easy installer and you might just make Deus Ex the hottest game evar once again!

[Jonas]

Anti-aliasing is easy, just force it on in your video card properties. Don't know if it can be coded into the game as a menu option. Dynamic lighting is already in the game, but all the normal lighting calculations are disabled when a light is made dynamic, so it will shine through walls and often look kinda bad (although not always, the light from the burning barrels are dynamic, for example, as are all lights in the game that you can toggle with light switches). Upgrading the dynamic lighting would be an engine change, and that's right out of the question.

[Yixian]

Okey doke, thanks for educating me on that, very interesting

How about pixel shading?

[JC]

I do think a lot of the characters need improving, they would look really odd with updated textures. It could just about get away with it before but now I definately think they should be updated. Along the lines of what you have posted so they are a lot more realistic but definately a bit more modern. If the MJ12 troops are the ones that are almost wearing armor (are the armor?), the picture you showed definately doesn't fit with the original concept. Make it similar but more bulky like armor. They need to be able to shoot rockets remember.

But yeah, great thinking. Some stuff in Deus Ex should definately be changed.

[edit]

For the data cube idea, there were a couple of images left out like the bisected aliens. They could be included.

[VodunLoas]

The datacube thing can be done, there is a way to put new items in a map without modifying the maps. I've seen it done on multiplayer mods. MP maps would have new weapons and such like DXMP_Smuggler and you wouldnt have to download that map over just the mod. The script pinpoints where the item is located in the map. If anybody know Jim Bowen, he can help.