Deus Ex 3 - Interview @ 1Up

Eidos Montreal's Stephane D'Astous speaks to 1Up about their approach to Deus Ex 3, although they aren't giving away much detail:

1UP: Deus Ex has a sizable fan base, and you pointed to the forum reactions toward this announcement as proof of that. But many critics and gamers were left disappointed with Invisible War. What strengths and weaknesses from the previous games are you trying to emulate or maybe overcome with the new title?

D'Astous: Without going into specifics, what we've done the past several months with both games is read a lot of archives about how it was perceived. There's obvious features that we definitely want to continue. I think the dialogue, choice versus consequences, the depth and richness of the game is something that we will certainly conserve. There are other more specific features that we want to keep.

Everyone knows what worked well on the first one and what the second one tried, but now we're five years later, even seven years later from the first Deus Ex. I think we have the possibility to have a fresh look. I think the franchise is at a turning point in its life where new blood will be good, but also respect for the history of that great franchise. With the new technology available now, we really want to give a second wind to this franchise. Games don't last forever. Deus Ex came out in 2000, seven years ago. If we wait any longer, I don't think that's a good thing, but we don't want to rush production either. That's why we're working on a schedule that we're trying to respect as much as possible, but definitely the game will not be published until it has obtained a certain level of quality according to us.

Bring back the skill system, please.
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Originally Posted by Dhruin
Bring back the skill system, please.

What he said.


Let's hope his sincerity and interaction with the fans last, as a very good DX could make a developer, Golden.
Downsides, can this engine really do a PC game without looking like secondary Port, which all the games so far do?

I'm very suspicious about how easy he was on the dumbed down crap-fest system-pig that was Invisible War.

well its a custom for devs not to bash someone else's work on public arena, but agreed its worrying how he didn't take stronger stance towards the IW disaster.

He didn't really take much of a stand on anything. That interview doens't give me any confidence.

Without the angry Spector named Warren, I have zero hope for this game.

I think the fact that they are cross developing it for all platforms pretty much tells us its gonna be as bad as IW, if not worse. Warren's absence could be good or bad, perhaps they will stay true to the first game not having warren's restrictive shadow over them - or perhaps they will screw it up worse than warren did IW. Well i say we start f-ing praying…

Didn't like the tone of the interview. Sounded too much like vague placations and hidden "dumbing down" agendas.

Deciding what to keep for DX3 is simple - everything from the first game. Skills, different ammo types, the biomod system. Make sure that different builds can find significantly different ways to pass through the game using the strengths of that build. Open spaces with interactive environments allowing you to sneak, snipe, or direct assault your way through.

Where they need to focus their efforts of invention is on coming up with a great story with lots of choices and consequences. The game mechanics are already there in DX1. They don't need a "fresh look".

Yup. I posted in another forum that the interview gives off the same vibe as the countless other PC franchises that have been shat upon by dumbing down for consoles. "Bringing in a new audience, taking a fresh look." Blah blah blah. We've seen it all before. The primary target audience for this game will be XBox 360 and PS3 gamers who have no experience with the series.

It's not that games need to be dumbed down for consoles, but there seems to be a complete lack of any desire to be innovative or experimental these days. People will play good games if they're given the choice, but when most games are bland and uninspired, new gamers don't know the difference between a bad game and a good one.
If the hype machine can use words like innovative and so forth, that seems to be enough to convince people the game is just that, when in fact there is no innovation. I guess it's easier to bandy about words and phrases than to actually do the work involved in those claims.

i have hopes. interview is good and all. funny, all of you already know the game will sucks. how? you played it? so what of spector isn't there? he's the only good designer? funny! bioshock was great and spector wasn't there at all.

have a little fate.

Lol, what the hell does spector have to do with Bioshock.
It's "have a little fate, baby!", careful Sutherland will throw wine and cheese at you!

Anyway, at least from a technical standpoint I am worried and you guys now have me worried due to his lack of acknowledgment of specific flaws in IW, makes me worried on the gameplay development. Damn I hope there is at least room for a good story if they are going to fubar everything.