Ostriig on 17/10/2009 at 16:45

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A relatively recent l(http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2009/10/16/hypothetical-gaming-design-reboot/) ink on RPS: Jack Monahan, describing himself as an independent game developer and concept artist, is the owner of the (http://designreboot.blogspot.com/) "Design Reboot" blog, focused on short, alternative "what if" perspectives on various games or game concepts, as well as general musing on matters of games design.

His two most recent entries pointed to potential prequels to the original Deus Ex, featuring characters Anna Navarre and Gunther Hermann as protagonists. Now, regarding the designs, I can't say I was bowled over with the concepts themselves, as I found the (http://designreboot.blogspot.com/2009/10/design-reboot-flatlander-woman.html) Flatlander Woman one to be rather thin in detailing, and, while the conflicted human condition of the mech suggested in (http://designreboot.blogspot.com/2009/10/design-reboot-laputan-machine.html) Laputan Machine is something I definitely hope DX3 will explore, I think Monahan is picturing a rather rigid correlation between augmentation and psychological degradation and desensitisation, unless I read it wrong.

The cover artwork for each article, however, is pure awesome in my book. Renditions of completely non-modified (except for the left eye) (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xGCucTAiXCA/Stc_RIqq78I/AAAAAAAAAQg/OWeZ2EfW7Rw/s1600-h/laputanposter.jpg) Gunther and (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_xGCucTAiXCA/Stkofn8f4YI/AAAAAAAAARI/G3AadMU5SrM/s1600-h/flatlanderposter.jpg) Anna, with the former looking like a cross between Arnold and Woody Harrelson, and the latter looking like a more tomboy Angelina Jolie, with less horrible cock-grubbing crack-whore in the mix. I'd really be curious to see this guy take a shot at them post-augmentation.

DDL on 19/10/2009 at 14:06

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I'd feel incredibly nervous starring in a game where the actual NAME is a phrase that would kill me instantly if uttered...

...still, nice ideas, if a bit too "high concept".

DDL on 19/10/2009 at 19:06

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Plus DX leaves a great deal to be desired regarding cause and effect backstory. We tend to think it's a case of increased mechanisation == decreased humanity, because it's a neat little tie-up and it ostensibly makes sense. It doesn't necessarily have to be true, though.
Maybe UNATCO made extra effort to recruit people who were ALREADY amoral killing machines devoid of most redeeming human traits, and then added mechanisation?
Maybe they're not monsters because they're mechs, they're simply monsters who are also mechs.

I'd think you'd have to be a little bit 'gone' in the first place to voluntarily have bits of you chopped off and replaced with stuff that makes you better at killing people, so there's no telling how far back that particular rabbit hole goes.

Well, unless CtC knows something to the contrary, in which case the floor's yours, Chris. :)

chris the cynic on 19/10/2009 at 20:04

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This would make perfect sense and fit what we know of UNATCO


Not really.

It just should be remembered that the life of a mech aug sucks.

Mechanically augmented humans have their own airport security systems and have to register with government authorities. They are second-class citizens, looked down upon even by the non-augmented poor. There's no way a mechanically augmented human can pass for normal for very long. They're not allowed in certain locations and have separate facilities, ostensibly tailored to their unique needs but really as a way of controlling them.

So to me it seems like you would need a powerful reason to do it. Obviously injury is such a reason, so is being a total nut who just wants to kill, but it also seems to me like making the world a better place could be a reason as well.

If you're a soldier and you know that getting augmented will let you do the work of ten people then there are two ways to look at it. Either that is nine people who don't have to face combat at all. Nine of your friends and colleagues who are kept safe by you sacrificing flesh. Or that's 9 people who can be deployed elsewhere. Order can be maintained with a smaller force. That means fewer avertable tragedies for the simple fact that it would be possible to be more places at once.

I think that presenting that argument might convince some people to be augmented for the good of others. Especially considering that the state of the world is pretty shitty. Before 2030 there was AIDS killing people off, before that there were other plagues (including a particularly deadly flu) which presumably led to at least some unrest, after 2030 there was an ongoing insurrection in the US. (Actually multiple separate insurrections, with the NSF being the most recent.)

And wars.

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Of course I can't back up the existence of non 'gone' mech augs with anything in the game. Though Jordan Shea did seem to be a mostly decent human being.

Jashin on 10/11/2009 at 21:01

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This is subtly but completely suggested by the game.

Still nicely put.