Smokes DX mod

[metche_steele]

After reading several long but interesting threads in Deus Ex editing, about this mod, I thought I would try it out and do some investigation as to whether it would be worth including parts or all of the mod within our own package (its open source according to Jonas but we'd get permission from Smoke himself personally and we'd also credit the guy with the work).

To give you a basic premise:
The mod improves certain details of the original DX game (Id like to point out that not all of the mods features could be appropriatly included in our mod). Some features I believe would add a new dimension to the game without being invasive enough for one to consider it 'major alteration'. Something we are obviously trying to avoid.

Anyways the following bullet points give a brief overview of what I witnessed going on in the mod, last night. Its not conclusive as I was too knackered to do any extensive research, but its a start.

• DX logo on startup screen has subtle electricity noise.
  JCD can be customised - clothing, build, shades, etc.
  
  Blood spurts
  ammo discharge - ammo casing improved and random drop
  colour of energy bar is now blue
  when you leave JC for a moment without mobing him - his gaze wonders around (not sure if i like this one)
  jump crouch ala half life
  'other' cans appear (zap, blast, b - code has been fixed)(inventory images need fixing tho.
  improved sky??
  non clouded drunk effect (more realistic)
  wood fragments (break crate/box) dont dissapear
  ammo count is screwed unfortunatly
  if NPC is blown up they leave their entrails and blood behind and stay visible
  better F12 light
  break a water fountain and it leaves a pip behind with water flowing out
  vending machine gives out random drinks (not just nuke!)
  ice breaker blue colour - cooler effect
  cleaner bots dont become enemy if you step on them - they also move more rapidly i think
  infolink default aug can now be upgraded so agent can interface remotely!
  lamps are brighter
  have some previously hidden convos been revealed?? The first time you meet with Carter the last induced convo you have he says 'I bet I could jack you into an online jukebox - we'll have to try that' ---was this in the original? Was it in the code but never used????? Ive never heard this!

Thats it for now 0 ill keep you all updated!

[Jonas]

Yep, some of these would fit right into HDTP. I'm especially fond of the new fire effects and the blood stains on the melee weapons, I'm surprised you didn't mention those. Try to pick up a flamethrower and set something on fire, you'll notice both the flamethrower effect and the fire effect on whatever you hit looks way better now. And then try attacking somebody with the knife and witness how the blade gets stained with his blood. Then jump into the water and see it wash away. Really awesome effects.

I wouldn't put the player customization options in HDTP though, they kinda mess up some of the conversation. For example, a lot of people will sometimes refer to you as a guy in a coat, which may seem a bit weird if you chose not to wear one. Similarly, Anna's question about your shades would be awkward if you weren't wearing any.

[metche_steele]

Yep, some of these would fit right into HDTP. I'm especially fond of the new fire effects and the blood stains on the melee weapons, I'm surprised you didn't mention those. Try to pick up a flamethrower and set something on fire, you'll notice both the flamethrower effect and the fire effect on whatever you hit looks way better now. And then try attacking somebody with the knife and witness how the blade gets stained with his blood. Then jump into the water and see it wash away. Really awesome effects.

I wouldn't put the player customization options in HDTP though, they kinda mess up some of the conversation. For example, a lot of people will sometimes refer to you as a guy in a coat, which may seem a bit weird if you chose not to wear one. Similarly, Anna's question about your shades would be awkward if you weren't wearing any.

Agree with all your points! I didnt think it would be appropriate either (player customisation).

As for the knife trick - cheers for the heads up I'll be documenting more 'findings' to you all come Monday .

[Ajare]

jump crouch ala half life

Doesn't this affect gameplay?

wood fragments (break crate/box) dont dissapear

Does this just affect boxes, or cabinets too? Sometimes, when you blow up cabinets the debris obscures items that you want to pick up.

better F12 light

In what way better? I think it's fine as it is, and was probably made like that for a reason.

infolink default aug can now be upgraded so agent can interface remotely!

What does this mean?

[metche_steele]

jump crouch ala half life

Doesn't this affect gameplay?
>>I dont believe it does - you can do long jumps now and jump higher but I believe its balanced out so as not to conflict with the strength(?) aug.

wood fragments (break crate/box) dont dissapear

Does this just affect boxes, or cabinets too? Sometimes, when you blow up cabinets the debris obscures items that you want to pick up.
>>It affects boxes as far as I know - not sure about cabinets. The debris doesnt have a collision on it so you can walk right through it. I will check at the weekend whether it obsures items!

better F12 light

In what way better? I think it's fine as it is, and was probably made like that for a reason.
>>seems clearer - although I could be wrong. Its not a massive alteration - ill get a screenshot. But as I mentioned we should pick and choose what we want. I never suggested we should use everything.

infolink default aug can now be upgraded so agent can interface remotely!

What does this mean?
>>you have a built in aug called 'infolink' which was put there so that carter and the like could communicate with you thru' your head without anyone on the outside knowing. It never used to be upgradable but now you can upgrade it so you can interface with computers and the like remotely. Im not suggesting we use this one - i think its moving off our non invasive upgrade path.

[Dragon]

have some previously hidden convos been revealed?? The first time you meet with Carter the last induced convo you have he says 'I bet I could jack you into an online jukebox - we'll have to try that' ---was this in the original? Was it in the code but never used????? Ive never heard this!

this line is in the original game. you have to poke the radio guy multiple times before you get this one

[Smoke39]

DX logo on startup screen has subtle electricity noise.
I think that's a bug.


Blood spurts
I don't actually remember what I did with the blood.

when you leave JC for a moment without mobing him - his gaze wonders around (not sure if i like this one)
Idea stolen from Goldeneye, though I never got it working as well as I wanted. The view bob is also modified. For example, jumping makes your biew bob realistically.

improved sky??
Nope.

non clouded drunk effect (more realistic)
Your gun also swirls around aiming in weird directions.

wood fragments (break crate/box) dont dissapear
Their lifespan is randomly increased, only sometimes permanent.

if NPC is blown up they leave their entrails and blood behind and stay visible
Same as above. Fragments all have the new code, which applies to wood, flesh, shells, etc.

better F12 light
the radius and brightness scale with distance.

cleaner bots dont become enemy if you step on them - they also move more rapidly i think
They aren't changed. :b

infolink default aug can now be upgraded so agent can interface remotely!
Increases the frob distance of computers.

lamps are brighter
IIRC, I didn't touch them.

also:
-the spydrone can frob some stuff (comps, datacubes, maybe buttons, can't remember)
-some new augs
-GEP gun and some other weapons are shiny
-shotgun spread is constant. accuracy attribute effects how close the CENTER of the spread is to where you aim.
-laser sight increases standing accuracy increase rate, and I think min accuracy, rather than making accuracy 100%
-WP rocket explosions are tons cooler
-bunch of other junk I don't remember right now. I'll see what else I can dig up later.

[Jonas]

okay, here's my take on these. The ones I label "Graphical" would fall within the goals of HDTP in my opinion, the ones labelled "Gameplay" would not.

When you leave JC for a moment without mobing him - his gaze wonders around. The view bob is also modified. For example, jumping makes your biew bob realistically.

Graphical.

non clouded drunk effect: Your gun also swirls around aiming in weird directions.

Gameplay.

Fragments all have the new code, which applies to wood, flesh, shells, etc. Their lifespan is randomly increased, only sometimes permanent.

Graphical.

better F12 light: the radius and brightness scale with distance.

Graphical (and freakin' awesome).

infolink default aug can now be upgraded so agent can interface remotely!

Gameplay.

the spydrone can frob some stuff (comps, datacubes, maybe buttons, can't remember)

Gameplay.

some new augs

Gameplay, duh.

GEP gun and some other weapons are shiny

Graphical.

shotgun spread is constant. accuracy attribute effects how close the CENTER of the spread is to where you aim.

Gameplay.

laser sight increases standing accuracy increase rate, and I think min accuracy, rather than making accuracy 100%

Gameplay.

WP rocket explosions are tons cooler

Graphical.

And of course both the new fire effects and the bloody melee weapons are graphical, and seem a no-brainer to me: ADD THEM!

[Smoke39]

WP rocket explosions are tons cooler

Graphical.

Gameplay as well; the damage is reduced because it was so high before that people died instead of catching fire. @_@ The effect can obviously be implemented without the damage change, though, if you don't wanna mess with that.

Also, wouldn't the busted drinking fountain pipe and soda cans also be graphical?

A few more things:
gameplay
-combat knife can be thrown light a shuriken on trained
-plasma penetrates some objects and walls
-crouching helps accuracy and recoil with rifles and heavy weapons
-damage dealt is converted to points toward the next skill level with that weapon class
-too much damage to certain body parts disables the augs in that slot
-crouching just before landing reduces fall damage
-greater hacking skill is required to hack some things now (instead of just turrets)

both
-vision aug modified, NVG changed to IR goggles
-lasers are invisible except with IR goggles/vision aug
-CO2 and stuff make lasers visible where they shine through the puffs

graphics
-carcs make blood in water
-I tried to make the cigs more realistic, but was never satisfied with it. I don't remember if I left my incomplete version in the version I released.
-electricity has a new mesh and arcs
-people spawn more flesh fragments when gibbed
-furniture with several skins has had its switch reimplemented

I think that's all I can remember for now.

EDIT: lasers reflect off of mirrors in the correct direction now (I think they were a bit off before), and your light aug now also reflects off of mirrors

EDIT again: looking at my light aug code, it looks like the light radius scaling based on distance was already in the game, I just reduced the minimum and increased the amount that it scales, making the effect considerably more pronounced.

EDIT: more junk
- headshots are detected much more accurately (the old method was TERRIBLE. you could shoot someone in the head and not get a headshot like half the time).
- hideagun (I forget what it was called in the game. it was the single-shot plasma gun) changed to a flaregun (sets people on fire)
- flare darts replaced with EMP darts
- I don't remember if I left it in, but I started adding hallucination effects to the zyme, like making your footsteps echo.

[Jonas]

-furniture with several skins has had its switch reimplemented

Cool, that's the one I've been dying to get into HDTP for ages. The other graphical things sound cool as well though.

[Whisperblade]

This looks wicked,
Smoke, if you read this do you have any idea how I can fix this error?

CRITICAL ERROR
Can't find file for package "extension".
History: Uobject::safeloaderror <-uobject::staticloadclass <-initengine

I've triple checked my mod install. Normally I'd give up but this is really too good a mod to waste.

[Dragon]

-lasers are invisible except with IR goggles/vision aug
-CO2 and stuff make lasers visible where they shine through the puffs

i like this also better than having lasers visible all the time. hell have you ever seen traps like that visible in the real life? boring.

i also like the idea of disabling augs in damaged body parts. would be a nice way to make Odjin less overpowered. thanks for the idea

[Master_Kale]

The one feature I'd like to see that wouldn't negatively impact gameplay (in my opinion) would be a gibbed body's inventory remaining. I played with that, and it was cool to see the bad guy's inventory scattered over the ground after blasting him away with a GEP rocket.

I also like the Jump-Crouch (being an avid fan of Half-Life mods ), and I'd like to see it implemented, but hmm...I think it would modify the movement of Deus Ex too much, and would go beyond the scope of HDTP

As for any of the graphical aspects, more gibs is always fun, I don't think I'd want the lasers to be hidden, and the randomized drinks are a nice touch.

Just my opinion

[Smoke39]

CRITICAL ERROR
Can't find file for package "extension".
History: Uobject::safeloaderror <-uobject::staticloadclass <-initengine

Do you have "extension.u" in your "Deus Ex\System" folder?

[Iki]

So is this mod available for download or what? Haven't found a link anywhere.