Eidos Montreal has a post on their website from Lead Level Designer René-Martin Pauzé who talks about his Level Design Philoshophy for Deus Ex: Human Revolution
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DX:HR Dev Vault - Level Design Philoshophy
- Thread starter Couchpotato
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They have been working on that Final Fantasy boredom for 10 years apparently...they probably sunk a lots of cash in it.
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Yea, but the rumor is that The Last Remnant (yes, I disliked that game and still din't write why although promised) that had a great idea and premise never got properly developed because SE pulled it's funds and redirected into some FF game.
Thus I'm just asking if the same thing happened with DX4.
Thus I'm just asking if the same thing happened with DX4.
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Human revolution had great level design that I agree 
I just recently re-played the game (the director's cut version) and I loved it.
One thing i missed though. Deus ex 1 had quite many city hub levels, DX:hr had only two: Detroit and Hengsha. I'd have loved to see an other city hub and Imo the game's narrative would have benefitted from it. Landing on top of Montreal's picus tower right after Hong kong epic last level felt kind of odd. It would have been the perfect opportunity to change the pace a bit. Why not allow player to draw some breath a bit and explore the city instead of landing straight on top of Picus communication Tower.
Secondly i think they went occasionally slightly overboard with ventilation shafts. I think it was at times a bit silly that there was always an open ventilation shaft just waiting for Adam Jensen to crawl through.
I just recently re-played the game (the director's cut version) and I loved it. One thing i missed though. Deus ex 1 had quite many city hub levels, DX:hr had only two: Detroit and Hengsha. I'd have loved to see an other city hub and Imo the game's narrative would have benefitted from it. Landing on top of Montreal's picus tower right after Hong kong epic last level felt kind of odd. It would have been the perfect opportunity to change the pace a bit. Why not allow player to draw some breath a bit and explore the city instead of landing straight on top of Picus communication Tower.
Secondly i think they went occasionally slightly overboard with ventilation shafts. I think it was at times a bit silly that there was always an open ventilation shaft just waiting for Adam Jensen to crawl through.
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D
DArtagnan
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Human revolution had great level design that I agree
One thing i missed though. Deus ex 1 had quite many city hub levels, DX:hr had only two: Detroit and Hengsha. I'd have loved to see an other city hub and Imo the game's narrative would have benefitted from it. Landing on top of Montreal's picus tower right after Hong kong epic last level felt kind of odd. It would have been the perfect opportunity to change the pace a bit. Why not allow player to draw some breath a bit and explore the city instead of landing straight on top of Picus communication Tower.
Secondly i think they went a bit too overboard with ventilation shafts. I think it was at times a bit silly that there was always an open ventilation shaft just waiting for Adam Jensen to crawl through.
The original plan was to have the Montreal area as a third hub - but they ran out of time/resources
Still, the game is - at least - twice the size of DX in terms of length, and I happen to think the areas are more varied and interesting.
As much as I adore the original game, it stands out as exceedingly "grey" in my memory - except for Hong Kong, which is my favorite area from DX.
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DArtagnan
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I just checked howlongtobeat.com - and it seems that DX and DX:HR are roughly equal in length. Strange, as I clearly recall completing the first game in about 25 hours - and the second game took me 50+ hours.
I guess I must have rushed through the original, though I rarely rush through games I really like.
I guess I must have rushed through the original, though I rarely rush through games I really like.
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The original plan was to have the Montreal area as a third hub - but they ran out of time/resources
Still, the game is - at least - twice the size of DX in terms of length, and I happen to think the areas are more varied and interesting.
As much as I adore the original game, it stands out as exceedingly "grey" in my memory - except for Hong Kong, which is my favorite area from DX.
Ah, it would have made perfect sense! Stlll the game is quite a masterpiece even without Montreal city hub.
Compared to orginal DX, DX:hr is indeed more vibrant and colourfull. In dx1 every location expect Hong Kong was in quite a bad shape. In Deus ex:hr things are rapidly going to that direction.
The level design was fantastic quality from the very begining to the end. Playing director's cut was such a blast. The game truly felt more complete as the missing link dlc level was finally restored to the orginal campaign and pre order gun packs were implemented to the game in more immersive way. And redesigned boss fights were a pleasant surprise, although I just gunned them down with my revolver.
And no doubt I will later replay this again as the new game+ seems to let me keep all the praxis points I've earned. Fun times ahead.
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DArtagnan
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Yes, I still think DX:HR is a modern masterpiece - and one of the very, very few games I've played that actually exceeds the original classic it's trying to emulate.
Though I realise many fans would consider such a statement sacrilege.
Though I realise many fans would consider such a statement sacrilege.
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Sacrilege!
Because of the outsourced boss fights (I haven't played the Director's cut)…
The hubs were better in DX:HR though.
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I liked DX; never played the director cut but picked it up with the current SE humble bundle. Odd they never include FF in those bundles
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The first one I played so long ago I can't really comment on it but it was fun at the time. Sort of like Half Life; hum one of these days I should try Black Mesa....
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The first one I played so long ago I can't really comment on it but it was fun at the time. Sort of like Half Life; hum one of these days I should try Black Mesa....
You're kidding, right?
I think your memory might be a little hazy regarding the length of the original game. DX:HR is definitely not twice as long as Deus Ex. Not even close.
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DArtagnan
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You're kidding, right?
I think your memory might be a little hazy regarding the length of the original game. DX:HR is definitely not twice as long as Deus Ex. Not even close.
Check my follow-up post?
D'oh! I guess I responded a little too quickly there. 
Maybe you were thinking of Invisible War though? That game is approximately half the length of the other two.
Maybe you were thinking of Invisible War though? That game is approximately half the length of the other two.
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DArtagnan
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D'oh! I guess I responded a little too quickly there.
Maybe you were thinking of Invisible War though? That game is approximately half the length of the other two.
Nah, it was the first one. I just have this memory of checking playtime back when I first completed it, and it was around 25 hours. I have a tendency to remember that sort of thing, though I know that it was before Steam and it could only have been a rough estimate.
But playing HR - I was very impressed by how long it was, considering the density of content.
I really should replay both of them soon.
I never completed IW. I think I got reasonably close last time I tried it, though - but it just can't hold my interest.
Yeah, IW is pretty bland, especially when compared to the others. I've completed it once, but I have no desire to ever replay it.
I'm looking forward to replaying DX after the Revision mod is complete, and I still haven't played the DC version of HR yet.
I'm looking forward to replaying DX after the Revision mod is complete, and I still haven't played the DC version of HR yet.
Crilloan
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DX had the best intro
DX:HR was perfect to play with a scotch next to your keybord.
DX:IW (acronyms, a way of life...)
managed to play it once, just to have it done. Bland was a very good description.
With updated graphics (but sadly not updated mechanics) I might play the first again.
I started a replay of DC human revolution recently but my backlog is a hindrance.
replaying IW, nope, wont happen.
OnT:
I think they succeeded well enough with the design. As mentioned above, I would have loved another hub (but I still clocked in at ~50 hours, which is more than long enough for me)
One could always dream of a remake of the first game with better mechanics.
It would be an instabuy for me.
C
DX:HR was perfect to play with a scotch next to your keybord.
DX:IW (acronyms, a way of life...)
managed to play it once, just to have it done. Bland was a very good description.
With updated graphics (but sadly not updated mechanics) I might play the first again.
I started a replay of DC human revolution recently but my backlog is a hindrance.
replaying IW, nope, wont happen.
OnT:
I think they succeeded well enough with the design. As mentioned above, I would have loved another hub (but I still clocked in at ~50 hours, which is more than long enough for me)
One could always dream of a remake of the first game with better mechanics.
It would be an instabuy for me.
C
Seems I have a lower opinion of HR, with the horribly designed boss fights (while outsourced, they were designed/delivered as ordered by eidos). The horribly tact on dlc missing link. There was absolutely no hint or indication missing link, was originally intended other than a money exploit after the fact. Playing the original game, shows it was never intended or hinted at.
Don't get me started on 'press the button to win' console design functionality. Or all the design cheats used to hide the fact the levels were designed for consoles, since they were too limited by memory to be levels the size of the original. Or the complete lack of meaningful RPG choices in the story.
This is the same studio who did Thief, which you guys are praising as good designers.
Don't get me started on 'press the button to win' console design functionality. Or all the design cheats used to hide the fact the levels were designed for consoles, since they were too limited by memory to be levels the size of the original. Or the complete lack of meaningful RPG choices in the story.
This is the same studio who did Thief, which you guys are praising as good designers.
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