So you've seen the
Announcement of GMDX v9.0, which promises to deliver a faithful Enhanced Artistic Direction to Deus Ex. This news post will focus on developments in that regard, and the recruitment of additional artists to further that goal.
Future news posts will cover other aspects of design, such as further Artificial Intelligence updates.
To truly deliver the best quality
Deus Ex deserves further assistance will be needed. Here with GMDX is where Deus Ex's potential is to be fulfilled with faithful, integral accuracy.
2D Art:
The Optimization of New Vision
GMDX takes the excellent New Vision mod and optimizes its application to Deus Ex by evaluating how textures are applied to the game world and making improvements accordingly. For example where texture tiling was extremely obvious, now it no longer is. Textures are scaled and aligned where appropriate. In addition, GMDX seeks to address vanilla textures that New Vision did not update, or updated unfaithfully.
Here are some examples:
NYC Billboard (vanilla):
NYC Billboard (GMDX):
Not only is this an excellent high resolution faithful update of the original texture, it also adds new realistic details not originally possible, such as the faded paint and dirt. Details you'd expect from Deus Ex's dystopian New York.
Decals
GMDX adds numerous decals to the game world to diversify environments, obscure obvious ugly texture tiling, and to simply make each appropriate scene look prettier.
The Skybox as seen from Versalife data entry in GMDX v9.0:
In this image some decals can be seen. Focus on the shack to the left. Note the spots of rust on the roof? decals. More are in view if you know where to look.
Can you make high detail 2D textures? If so,
Send me a message
3D Art:
The optimization of HDTP
HDTP is unfinished, more notably so than New Vision. Generic decorations, animated effects, weapons, each category has assets in need of an update. Currently GMDX has one 3D modeler lending support. More are needed.
As another example of the work being done, and the work expected from future artists: HDTP did not update the fire extinguisher mesh and skin. GMDX has:
Weaponry Overhaul
Something that is not set in stone yet, but a talented modeler by the name of Mortecha has proposed to redesign the game's weaponry in aesthetically pleasing and logical style. The assault gun for instance was neither a logical design nor (in my opinion) an aesthetically-pleasing one. Here's a untextured preview of what Mortecha has in store:
As you can see it's a divergence of style, but still remains relatively faithful to some extent. It is also a more realistic, functional and aesthetically-pleasing design.
For partial purism or plain variety's sake, there will likely be the option to play with HDTP's weaponry should you desire.
Animation Update
Did you know NPCs in Deus Ex have no reloading animation while moving or crouched?
Find the lack of NPC death animations to be a disappointment?
Find the awkward NPC running animations to be immersion-breaking?
Notice that NPCs with melee weapons can only attack while standing still?
To truly update Deus Ex to the extent it deserves is to address these issues and more. Yet not so vital advancements would be beneficial: An animation to accompany GMDX's mantling? New intricate weapon reload animations? What about dogs? Notice that they never sit or lie down, and their attack animation is lackluster? NPCs also have what is essentially one universal idle standing stance, adding more would be an immersive delight. I could go on...
Requirements:
An artist contributing to GMDX should strive to faithfully update vanilla assets, and any new assets should be created with conscious consideration for the game's design intricacies. For example, new generic interactive objects should be just that: generic. Generic so that they can subtly fit in to a variety of diverse locations without breaking player immersion. Conversely, unique location-specific objects should be wary of the themes, events class and culture of where it is attempting to fit.
The majority of meshes should be geometrically simplistic as the old version of the Unreal Engine Deus Ex runs on uses primitive collision cylinders. You get the idea.
If your skill set matches any of what is needed,
Send me a message
Not an artist but still wish to help? Donations can be made on
GMDX's website by clicking the paypal icon in the top right hand corner.
http://www.moddb.com/messages/compose?to=|Totalitarian|
-Totalitarian
side. And that's for the albino JC model!
