Dxiw Expansion Ideas

[Dark Nation]

Hello,

DXIW has flaws, it was a good job but has flaws. To this extent I believe the game needs an expansion set directly aimed at the PC, that should accomplish two things.

1) address some of the problems griped about in the game.
2) build on what the game actually got right.

To that extent here are some ideas adressed directly to the first statement.

BIOMODS- Since Biomods replaced skills in the game I feel as though the BIomods should have been more complex in there upgrading, that and there should have been more of them, and more slots. Not to mention that you shouldn't have been aloud to max your character out at all.

Example about upgrading: When you upgrade the bio modification, you should be asked about what you want to upgrade about the biomod. Effectiveness cost etc. This would allow for more dynamic character customization.

As for actual biomod powers, well here some that could be added.

Nanite ammo factory- Since all the ammo in the game is essentially constructed from nanites, it would make sense for a black market biomod that would allow for ammo production over a period of time for some serious bio energy once active.

ION cannon- A biomod occupying the arm slot allowing you to launch Ion beams at an opponent once active by left click. Should be one of the most cost effective weapons in the game at max level.

Ballistic/Emp Protection- Passive 'nough said.

Radar- displays lay out of immediate area and acts as a map showing explored areas. Higher levels should track people and show hidden doors etc.

Bio scanner- shows creature statsitics, health and at high levels biomodifications possessed and current bio energy levels.

ION STORM- The black market terror weapon of the future. Launches massive amounts ion particles and emp shock waves leaving bodies and bots mutilated, walls scorched and everything susceptible to emp damage disabled (at higher levels scrambled). Takes massive amounts of Bio energy and some health. Higher levels its should be VERY cost effective. Note: designed to kill alot of people QUICKLY and Blantaly.

Energy shield (Active)- Once activated protects character from all sources of damage.


Thats all the biomods I can think of right now. If you have any ideas please post them. ONe other thing The npcs need to respond to what biomods you have espeacially things like life leech drone etc.

Levels- THe maps presented in DXIW to alot of people were too small. I am not saying redesign all the levels, just add on to whats allready present. Enough so that people will explore and allow for more discoveries etc. Hell a few extra alley ways in the medina and seatle would go an long way for realism.

Story- Here are the complaints that I keep hereing about it.
1. The dialogue seems to badly forced etc.
2. None of the characters were really developed past the few times you met them.
3. (In my opinion) the illuminati "secret" was released to easily, it could have just as well that finding that out should have been a bonus with its own rewards and hazards. Like opening up a new line of secondary missions involving duclare and duminer trying to get the upper hand over each other in what ever power/ideologue struggle in the shapping of the "New World Order."

Past that All I can think of is that the game should have been longer.

For right now thats all I can think of, if you have anything to add please do.

[Bigboy177]

I think all your ideas are OK. I think that the BIO Mods that you came up with would really change the game in a good way...
I would ADD:

1). I would really like to see skills because, BIO MODS will never fully take their place. Skills gave the first Deus Ex RPG touch, which was cut in the IW.
2). More weapons, make them work better.
3). More charakters that have their own personality, because the ones in IW are quite stiff, and normal...
4). Many interesting side stories and patchs
5). Fewer vents, because almost every mission you can pass through vents...

I think that's all for now... If I come up with something else I will post it...

Greets to All..

[kooaznboi1088]

1. Skill system back online.
2. Record conversations
3. Record datapads
4. Use the term "augumentations" rather then "biomodifications"
5. Make the damage system like the first DX, not universal like the second one.
6. Make it longer like the first one, give me more gameplay and story then 2 days worth.
7. Make more conspiracies/plot, improve the characters, I want to actually get to "know and feel" them as I would some one in real life.
8. Improve graphics and performance.
9. More then 2 mods on a weapon
10. Seperate ammo couldn't hurt
11. Improve the dialogue so that it is more like the original DX. Give hints and trails, also make them lie to the Player. Instead of just laying the whole plot in front of me.

Thats about what I want to see improved on IW.

[RobK]

Originally posted by Dark Nation
Nanite ammo factory- Since all the ammo in the game is essentially constructed from nanites, it would make sense for a black market biomod that would allow for ammo production over a period of time for some serious bio energy once active.

Ballistic/Emp Protection- Passive 'nough said.

ION STORM- The black market terror weapon of the future. Launches massive amounts ion particles and emp shock waves leaving bodies and bots mutilated, walls scorched and everything susceptible to emp damage disabled (at higher levels scrambled). Takes massive amounts of Bio energy and some health. Higher levels its should be VERY cost effective. Note: designed to kill alot of people QUICKLY and Blantaly.


Now there's some of the most clever things I've ever read around these parts. I particularly like the tongue-in-cheek choice of naming one the "Ion Storm" :)

[Dark Nation]

Hey guys,

Some more Ideas for this thread....

Biomods:
Spider climb: Allows player to climb vertical and diagnal surfaces like you would a ladder. Passive. Also allows you "look"(face) around in all directions and fire your weapon while not moving.

Other things I think the game needs but didn't mention my original post: THE AI SUCKS.

Even if you need to borrow something from what bungie and Konami did in Halo and Metal gear respectively IMPROVE IT!
'nough said about that.

Hey if any one has more to post please do.

[xarax]

We MUST get the ION STORM biomod. ;)

I think the normal and black-market biomods should be selectable, rather than replaceable. The player can choose at any time, which biomod is effective for a particular slot, and can switch back-and-forth between the mods without overwriting the previous mod.

For example, BOT DOMINATION and STRENGTH occupy the same slot. When the appropriate biomod canisters are installed into that slot, the player can choose at any time thereafter which mode is currently operational and can toggle back and forth. If needs BOT DOMINATION, just select it (and the STRENGTH biomod is disabled). Note that in this example, any items in the player's "extra strength inventory slots" will be dropped. When the player re-selects the STRENGTH mod, the BOT DOMINATION is disabled and the inventory slots are restored.

This would be cool for toggling between enhanced vision and spy drone. There probably could be a total of 3 choices for each slot, but the player must install the biomod canisters in choice before he can enable that mode. If he wants silent movement, super jump, and health leech, then he must install biomods for each of those before they are available for enabling.

This feature would likely require adding more biomod canisters through-out the game.

[Trevion]

Hmm... some of the gameplay ideas are kinda interesting.

SKILLS: My major objection to everyone's clamoring for the skills system back is that it never REALLY made sense. Getting more effective as you go makes sense. Getting better at using a sniper rifle because you found a ventilation shaft (Exploration +50) and saved the ambrosia (Primary Objective +250) makes no sense at all. I would love to see a proposal for a skills system that really tied into the way you played -- for example, if the damage you did with certain weapons was calculated along the lines of base_damage + (bonus_damage * (enemies_killed / enemies_encountered)). I'm not sure you can ever fit multitools into that model, though -- they're really just tools. No matter how amazing a chef you are, your microwave is always going to function the same.

BIOMODS: I'd be a big fan of more biomods. Switching biomods is nice the way it is - I found a nice use for it at the end of the game, but it's too cost restrictive to be really broken. Being able to switch biomods for free would take away any requirements for gameplay commitment at all. I think the idea of being able to specialize biomods (instead of just generically increasing their functionality) is a good one - for example, being able to add seeing organics, bots, or power-ups through walls. Then, if you were really intent, you could spend more biomod canisters on one biomod to get all of the above. My concern about adding new biomods is making sure that they enhance the gameplay. For example, adding damage reduction biomods basically duplicates the functionality of regeneration, but with a slightly different costs and benefits. I'm not convinced that's worth it. Similarly, how would adding bioweapons be significantly different than adding bio-ammo-scavenging? They both convert bioenergy into ammunition.

Personally, I think that synergies and conflicts between biomods could be really interesting.

NPC RESPONSIVENESS: I wouldn't mind the AI getting an across the board boost. How, though, would the AI respond to knowing that you had a health-leach drone? Pull out their insta-gib shock rifle and blast their own dying friends so you couldn't leech them?

LEVEL SIZE: I'd love to see completely continuous levels with background loading. I'd also love for everyone to have a GeForce FX 5950 just like me and about twice the processing power I do. Seeing as how that isn't true, and not having access to the source, I can't really speculate as to how much is really possible.

.trev

[EDIT: fixed grammar]

[JRWYW]

Here's an idea for a new skill system that's a little more realistic.

To improve a skill you simply use the proper weapon/tool/action that relates to the skill you wish to improve. For instance if you want to increase your skills in pistols/light arms, just use them more often.

[Pooeypants]

Originally posted by Trevion

LEVEL SIZE: I'd love to see completely continuous levels with background loading. I'd also love for everyone to have a GeForce FX 5950 just like me and about twice the processing power I do. Seeing as how that isn't true, and not having access to the source, I can't really speculate as to how much is really possible.

.trev

[EDIT: fixed grammar]
Just wanted to say, the tiny levels are a relic of the Xbox which could only fit in 64MB sized packages in their ram. Making bigger levels shouldn't hurt performance unless the engine was like Morrowind where data isn't compiled for maximum efficiency (i.e. it draws everything in front of you, even if you can't see it).

[Le`Sauveur`De`Ces`Dames]

Originally posted by Pooeypants
Just wanted to say, the tiny levels are a relic of the Xbox which could only fit in 64MB sized packages in their ram.

Actually I remember reading in an interview (I'll have to find where) that the levels on the Xbox where the same as on the PC, but subdivided into smaller area, since the XBox had fewer RAM.

son normally, the maps on the PC should be bigger than on the XBox

(though, of course, I couldn't confirm that, since I haven't played it yet. (it came out today here in france))

[Trevion]

Originally posted by Le`Sauveur`De`Ces`Dames
Actually I remember reading in an interview (I'll have to find where) that the levels on the Xbox where the same as on the PC, but subdivided into smaller area, since the XBox had fewer RAM.

son normally, the maps on the PC should be bigger than on the XBox

I remember that interview too - I'm pretty sure it didn't happen, though. The PC maps are really small.

[Le`Sauveur`De`Ces`Dames]

I guess that would make the X-Box version a turn-based RPG...

[Feral]

Since we are talking expansions, how about having a side mission(s) in the Panzerwerks factory? I was somewhat dissappointed not to go there, given all the talk. Maybe have the Order want you to go in and shut the production lines down, and the WTO to have you stop Order Seekers destroying it?

[niffwan]

Nice one, feral. There could also be a mission where you have to unchain some seekers from trees.:)

A good biomod to add would be the skullgun.:D

Probably not so much a expansion but a mod.
Greasel fighter 2004. You can run out and catch a sewer gob or opt for a house trained pet gob or buy an omar modified gob. Can your's be the next heavyweight gob champ. It could even be multiplayer...

Edit. added tree mission.

[CarpeDeux]

Originally posted by Dark Nation
BIOMODS- Since Biomods replaced skills in the game I feel as though the BIomods should have been more complex in there upgrading, that and there should have been more of them, and more slots. Not to mention that you shouldn't have been aloud to max your character out at all.I like your ideas for more BIOMODS. They sound cool. They are much more than a patch could ever be though. You are talking about basically a whole new round of game balancing and design. What I believe could be possible for a patch is your statement about not being able to max your character out at all. The game is incredibly easy right now. Even on realistic setting. Make biomods more scarce. Reduce the amount of money in the game. You'd be hardpressed to spend it all as it is now. And for goodness sake, only alow 1 normal and 1 black market biomod to be maxxed. Rest at level 0 or 1. But not maxxed. That would increase the replayability of this game immensly.

[Pooeypants]

Originally posted by Le`Sauveur`De`Ces`Dames
Actually I remember reading in an interview (I'll have to find where) that the levels on the Xbox where the same as on the PC, but subdivided into smaller area, since the XBox had fewer RAM.

son normally, the maps on the PC should be bigger than on the XBox

(though, of course, I couldn't confirm that, since I haven't played it yet. (it came out today here in france))
Err, the PC maps are tiny already...how much smaller can you get? One load per room?...

[Trevion]

Originally posted by CarpeDeux
I like your ideas for more BIOMODS. They sound cool. They are much more than a patch could ever be though. You are talking about basically a whole new round of game balancing and design. What I believe could be possible for a patch is your statement about not being able to max your character out at all. The game is incredibly easy right now. Even on realistic setting. Make biomods more scarce. Reduce the amount of money in the game. You'd be hardpressed to spend it all as it is now. And for goodness sake, only alow 1 normal and 1 black market biomod to be maxxed. Rest at level 0 or 1. But not maxxed. That would increase the replayability of this game immensly.

First, I think you're somewhat underestimating what game companies do as "patches" -- for example, Diablo II 1.10 and Warcraft III 1.07 (I think it was) completely rebalanced the games, adding significant new features in the process. While I wouldn't expect, for example, to see a completely new engine in a patch, some of the changes people have discussed would be implementable. (Also, I found the discussion more interesting than it would have been if everyone was constrained by what could legitimately be a patch and not DX3.)

I'm somewhat confused about your suggestion that only two biomods could be maxed. Are you suggesting cutting the total number of cannisters by about 3/4, or leaving the player with biomods they can't install? In either case, I'm not sure how it would aid gameplay. It would make things harder, but I suspect it would lead to a more interesting game to accomplish the same thing by making enemies more difficult to deal with (or adding more of them or what-have-you). I'd rather see the number of possibilities with biomods increased, so that you'd still end up making more choices but without reducing people's options.