The inscrutable po on 27/5/2002 at 19:54
Some people probably love all the written material in the game. I have mixed feelings myself. As a first time player, the game moves pretty slowly. I try to learn the different tools and ways of using them. Then there seems to be a lot of newspaper articles and books laying around. Do I really have to read them all or do I just click on them so my character has learned the codes? So far I've been reading everything.
I find Deus Ex to be more addictive than I first thought. I'm coming from Thief and that game just had me going from place to place because the guards were so funny, the rooms were so pretty and the trap setting and so forth were so neat. Deus Ex has some funny stuff, but the setting is no where near as pretty as Thief, but anyhows I do enjoy fiddling with my HUD or whatever that thing is. The reading? I'll probably get more out of it the next time I play through.
Amorpheus on 27/5/2002 at 22:44
The newspapers and books are only for atmosphere - additional information to the world. The datacubes are usually useful, some contain codes, others useful hints, a few ATM accounts, and some are also just for atmosphere.
I'd say you don't need any of these. But they enhance the game.
Deiyen on 27/5/2002 at 23:00
I'd agree with Amorpheus. Most of the reading in the game gives you additional or background information about the game world, also, some conversations. The first time I played through, I read almost everything, and I understood almost nothing. When you play through again, reading things often make you go "Oh yeaaa" because you know the story.
And I came from playing Thief as well. Deus Ex was given to me by a friend until he wanted it back, so I bought it for myself. Thief and DX have a lot of similarities, so I guess it's just a preference of settings, medieval-esque or futuristic.
ICEBreaker on 28/5/2002 at 06:48
The written material was of extreme importance to me. The scientific ones made a lot of sense. I was surprised that the script writers like Todd, Pacotti or Grossman had such a good knowledge of these things.
santaClaws on 28/5/2002 at 10:30
It' just more fun if you read more of the excerpts. You could compare it to a shooter: You can run through it, with the goal to finish it as fast as possible, or you can take the time to investigate every corner and find every extra. I prefer the extra tour. And especially in the case of DX: What you get out of it depends on what you put into it.
Gafland on 6/6/2002 at 05:42
Actually you get alot of background knowlegde that will help you understand the story better the first time you play it ( I wish I did it). You get a lot of early information if you read everything.
Uncia on 6/6/2002 at 12:29
On one hand, I love the details and the atmosphere they create, but am on the other hand too impatient to read everything.
Then again, could be because this time I'm playing to see the 3rd ending and I've read all of that before. *g*
ignatios on 7/6/2002 at 00:07
you didn't just load the game to see all the endings? ;)
Uncia on 7/6/2002 at 00:12
Nah, but this is my 3rd time through the game [oy! I also play all the LGS games, you try finding the time to play each and every one of them every week ;)] so that's an initiative.
If I <i>just</i> wanted to see the endings I'd just reload my first game. I idiotically completed most of the objectives for all three sides, was one step away from any of the endings. :p
Though as much as it annoys me, I think Thief's "pause everything, here's the note, fullscreen, read it all boy!" system held my attention better. Then again, do that in DE and you prolong the game for weeks by sheer load and resolution change time. ;)
ignatios on 7/6/2002 at 11:54
I didn't find the reading too bad in Deus Ex ... I mean, it really depends on what your definitions of "really necessary" is. You can click on every damn datacube you find and ignore what it says, checking your "Notes" section when you see messages like Secondary Goal Completed etc.
All that reading does make the game world that much richer though; in my opinion, the universe is one of the biggest strengths of Deus Ex. There's so much -- dare I say it? -- humanity in that game.
I still have to get past Med/Sci in System Shock 2; I keep waiting for the perfect evening and it never comes ... :nono:
