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Spector Talks Deus Ex Sequel 38

Posted by simoniker from the a-side-order-of-deuce-eggs dept.
Thanks to GameSpy for their interview with Deus Ex creator Warren Spector regarding the eagerly-awaited FPS sequel, Deus Ex: Invisible War. Spector discusses the equal co-development of the different DX2 versions ("We started right at the outset wanting to make a game simultaneously for both the Xbox and the PC"), the state of the US games industry ("The costs of doing business and the risks are so high that everybody's getting super conservative"), and what needs to evolve in the future ("I think that the challenges for us, the places where we really didn't even try, are in the areas of non-combat character interaction.")
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Spector Talks Deus Ex Sequel More

Spector Talks Deus Ex Sequel

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  • eureka! (Score:2, Informative)

    by noitalever ( 150546 )
    ("I think that the challenges for us, the places where we really didn't even try, are in the areas of non-combat character interaction.")
    and as soon as fps games figure this out, all other games will fade to grey...

    Seriously, if we could get a game that had the good character development of and online world, and the fun and past pace of a fps, and the strategy of a star/war/redalertcraft type game... well... isn't that what all game developers try to do? then they fail because they run out of money, and a
    • Its too bad the cost to make these kind of games is quite high. Imagine in the old days when small groups of people can build games like Doom, Ultima or Warcraft.

      I guess in the end it is all about money.

      Though there are still some games out there in sourceforge that are done quite wellm but most of them don't look as good as the commercial games.

      Wonder when they are going to make a combination of Quake and NetHack ... QuakeHack.

      • Re:Cost of doing business (Score:4, Insightful)

        by bigman2003 ( 671309 ) on Wednesday September 10, 2003 @10:59AM (#6922004) Homepage
        I don't know if it is "all about the money".

        You can still make games cheap, or even free.

        But people don't want that anymore. Big budget games CAN be so much better. Yes, there is a lot of big budget crap too, but most of the really good games have really good budgets.

        I want good voice acting. I want gameplay that has been tested like crazy, and tweaked to (hopefully) perfection. I like eye candy, and I like big-time on-line support that works.

        So, I wouldn't say that the game studios are all money-grubbing pigs- doing it for the money, instead of the art. I would say that most of them are just responding to the consumer demands. And it takes big teams, and a lot of talent, and a lot of time to create a game now.
    • Hasn't that game already been made [gamespot.com]?

      skye

    • Re:eureka! (Score:3, Insightful)

      by ziggles ( 246540 ) *
      Combining good ideas doesn't mean the result will be good. I like pickles and I like peanut butter.. but I wouldn't want a pickle and peanut butter sandwich. Or just because I like peanut butter and jelly doesn't mean I stop liking peanut butter by itself.

  • I'm still pissed (Score:2, Insightful)

    by M3wThr33 ( 310489 )
    At E3 this year, 4 stations were running the XBox and 2 on the PC. I ain't getting no FPS for the console when it's on the PC, too, it's just stupid. I'm just praying it was like that because it needed optimization at the time, but the hands-on review for GameSpy I saw was the XBox version.

    Don't people care about real gamers anymore?
    • I'm buying it for my Xbox-

      Warren Spector said it himself- that the game was going to be based on the Xbox capabilities, with a little bit of resolution enhancement on the PC.

      Play through Halo one time, and you will probably get used to the controls. A mouse and keyboard IS better, I admit. But, the combination of a mouse/keyboard and my desk/workchair is not better than a console controller and couch.

      Plus- my Xbox has never crashed, games will frequently crash on my computer- which sucks.

      So- I'll buy
      • I will ask you a question. Have you played morrowind? It is available for both the x-box and the pc.

        The game was great but it had a lot of loading as you walked through the world. It is a continues world with new areas being loaded in as you move along. This actually went through the point of being annoying as you got spells to move faster. Although it was beautifull to just walk from one city to another the constant loading made it a pain.

        Then a expansion came out. The expansion was PC only. Suddenly the

    • A lot of people say, "Well I don't want to play a game that isn't designed specifically for my platform." I never really understood that. What we really wanted to do was provide a particular kind of experience that we think players, regardless of what kind of hardware they have, will enjoy. I think we can do that very effectively. The Xbox is a pretty decent piece of hardware. I don't think PC players will feel cheesed [cheated] in anyway.

      Did you read the article? The game developer obviously wants it to
      • "The game developer obviously wants it to be as broad an event as possible, selling to every possible environment."

        Ever heard the saying "Jack of all trades, master of none"? Well, it's the same with games - if you make them multi-platform, you have to make them for the lowest common denominator. This will inevitably result in the experience on more powerful machines being significantly worse that it could be had the game been written for it specifically.

        Every single time a game has been designed to work
        • Grand Theft Auto 3? The game rocks on PC, better than on the PS2. Yes the graphics reflect the original platform, but that doesn't in any way hobble the fantastic gameplay.

          You can also look at Halo, the latest Mechwarrior game, and Splinter Cell as examples of multiple platform titles that succeed despite being "hobbled".

          I also wager KOTOR will also succeed at multiple platform success. It would be difficult to mess that title up.

          I'm sure that Ion Storm would prefer to build for one platform, but t

        • Ever heard the saying "Jack of all trades, master of none"? Well, it's the same with games - if you make them multi-platform, you have to make them for the lowest common denominator. This will inevitably result in the experience on more powerful machines being significantly worse that it could be had the game been written for it specifically.

          Let's see, the game was designed for a ~P3-700 + ~GeForce 3. When was the last time you saw that on the system requirements of a game (I wonder what the PC version of
      • Well, just getting into console is a suckers game anyway. the PC was supposed to be a generic computer for multiple purposes. You can configure such a box towards any level of sophistication, including game speed.

        However, by pumping NTSC polygons at higher rates than ever, consoles are a fools enticement, IMO. 2 years down the road, one has to drop such hardware for the newer. Also, consoles are now adding on telephony/networking to mimic the components PC have already enjoyed. And nary a higher resol
        • You don't make any sense at all. "I'm not resolved to pumping those 2-300 every two years into a new console and games." You follow that with "I'll upgrade the PC, especially when sweet video cards are coming out each year." So you prefer paying $300 every year instead of every two years? How does that make an argument against consoles?

          Besides, the ps2 came out 3 years ago. GC and xbox 2 years ago. There are no plans for new consoles anytime before 2005. Console generations have always been around 4-5 ye
        • Don't get me wrong, I love games and gaming. I'm just resolved to not pumping those 2-300 every two years into a new console and games. I'll upgrade the PC, especially when sweet video cards are coming out each year. Plus, I can enjoy that memory/speed for other applications.

          Considering the age of the current consoles, the planned release of the next generation consoles 2 years from now, and the life of the previous generation, even if you only spend 200-300 upgrading your PC every 2 years you'll be a bit
    • Nope.

      If you are a linux/mac user you should be used to this. The same as everyone always assumes that your desktop is windows everyone assumes that the gaming platforms are Gamecube/PS2/X-box. For some reason the most powerfull and expensive gaming console, the PC is always left out.

      This despite the tact that big companies make their entire living out of providing hardware for this gaming platform without subsidie. Or do you think ati and nvidia could sell the latest video cards to desktop users? Same wit

      • You missed the biggest con against PCs. To get a PC with better graphics than my xbox, I'd need to pay at least $1000, preferably $2000 and up for a real hard-core gamer machine. That's not including the monitor. Sure, you can get a PC for cheaper, but not a hardcore gamer PC with all of the bells and whistles you describe. There's a big difference between that and the $200 consoles cost (less for GC). I think it officially qualifies as an order of magnitude.

        Just a little pro for consoles that rarely get
        • Not quite true - to get graphics anywhere near PC-quality, you'd need to shell out some cash for a HDTV - and the HD AV pack for your console.

          As stated previously - 480x320 != 1600x1200

    • Re:I'm still pissed (Score:2, Insightful)

      by DaveCBio ( 659840 )
      Console gamers are real gamers. There were games in most homes on console long before they were on the PC.
      • Console gamers are real gamers. There were games in most homes on console long before they were on the PC.

        Console gamers can be real gamers, for console games are real games. But they are often only attracted by the entry-level price of consoles, and don't have the dedication that a real PC gamer has. Do the mindless console playing masses have any concept of frames-per-second or screen resolution? Have they ever known the joy of having the latest and greatest hardware... something none of their frie
        • Console gamers can be real gamers, for console games are real games. But they are often only attracted by the entry-level price of consoles, and don't have the dedication that a real PC gamer has.

          That's why there are so many PC gamers out there with overclocked Athlon and Celeron rigs, right? I bought my first PC for gaming, and have performed the majority of upgrades on my PC strictly for gaming. That being said, it doesn't take much these days to get and keep a gaming rig up to snuff for the latest game
        • I play games on both my PC and PS2. That being said...

          But they are often only attracted by the entry-level price of consoles
          No, I'm attracted to games I can get only on one or the other. Square doesn't release the FFs on PC (reliably, witness the craptastic FF VII port). Same thing as to Kingdom Hearts, Dark Cloud 2, .hack, etc. (Yes, I'm generally an RPGer. I'm not twitchy enough for FPSs most of the time, but I do enjoy RTSs. On my PC.)

          and don't have the dedication that a real PC gamer has
          R

  • It's Sarah Paestch, not Page... (Score:4, Interesting)

    by Dimwit ( 36756 ) * on Wednesday September 10, 2003 @10:36AM (#6921683)
    Just so you know...the "other" writer is Sarah Paestch, not Sarah Page.

    Yes, yes, I'm dating a video game writer. And she's a *girl*! How cool is that?

  • Massively ironic statement (Score:3, Funny)

    by PeteyG ( 203921 ) on Wednesday September 10, 2003 @02:18PM (#6923835) Homepage Journal
    From the article: and to be honest, most of my gaming is done on the console, especially since that seems where most of the innovation seems to be.

    Warren Spector said that. Warren fucking Spector! One of the greatest innovators in electronic gaming period! All his tremendous innovation has been on PC so far. So this is a VERY ironic thing for him to say.

  • Disappointed. (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Kwil ( 53679 )
    Sad to see this from Warren.

    It seems he's completely neglecting one of the major differences between the X-box and the PC, namely, the UI.

    I mean, having a keyboard makes a difference. It allows more options, more diversity of control in a rapid manner. Unless the game is undergoing some kind of *insane* level of menuing, you can guaruntee that the game will not approach the complexity or detail possible using a PC. If the UI didnt make a difference, would Capcom have bothered to make a controller like thi [game-revolution.com]
    • It seems he's completely neglecting one of the major differences between the X-box and the PC, namely, the UI.

      Umm, didn't he say right near the beginning of the article that the UI would be different between the two versions?

      hmm here's the first paragraph of his first response in the interview:

      Spector: We started right at the outset wanting to make a game simultaneously for both the Xbox and the PC. So, what we did was we set the bar at the Xbox level -- the PC version is going to be different only in
      • It's a superficial difference really, all he's doing is restructuring the, by neccesity, simplified X-box UI to make use of a keyboard mouse combination.

        Innovation is a lot more than simply cycling through weaponry, and true, if that's the extent of Warren's "innovation", then it's probably perfectly suited for the X-box.

        But by constraining himself to the limitations of the X-box first, he obviously prevents certain things.

        As an example, even staying within the FPS genre, what about creating a game that
        • I was simply trying to point out that limitations often spark innovation. My examples are, of course, quite poor, mostly because I write these posts very quickly ;)

          As for your idea of a fully-mapped interface to each half of the body for a martial arts style game, I believe this idea was began with Tekken, when each button represented each part of the body. Additionally, previous games, such as Die By The Sword, had different control schemes that still played out better on gamepads than on the keyboard + m

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