hawkmoon_2six9 on 8/10/2002 at 21:47
I bought Deus Ex as soon as it arrived in stores and this might seem strange but there's only one reason I haven't played it beyond the first stage: Lockpicks and locked doors.
I can't stand the fact that your lockpicks (regular or the electronic multitools) get used up. I'm a very meticulous sort of gamer, especially when it comes to role-playing adventure games and I like to explore and get into everything. It just drives me crazy that I have to leave a stage with so many locked crates/doors/lockers/whatever.
I like the way this was implemented in System shock 2 and actually the way it's been implemented in Ultima Underworld 1 & 2 AND System Shock 1 as well. The good part in those games was that the whole gameworld was persistent and continous. If you couldn't open a door now you could always come back to it later on in the game once you did have the ability to open it.
Unfortunately Deus Ex is split up into separate levels so we can't do that.
The work around for this should have been that, all the tools needed to open all the doors in any given level should have been there to find if the player is bothered enough to look for them.
The Thief games are an example (especially Thief 2). First of all your lockpicks didn't get used up in those games which was more realistic and a definite plus. But also, if something could not be opened with your lockpicks it was understood that the key for those doors/chests would be there somewhere in that level for you to find (in a really ridiculous, obscure hiding place maybe but definitely there).
Actually this might also be the case in Deus Ex as well, I don't know. But I would appreciate a confirmation either way on this fact. Can all the multitools/lockpicks needed in a level (for ALL locked objects not just game critical ones) be found on that level?
I'd really appreciate it if someone can answer that.
Aamir
Straylight on 8/10/2002 at 22:35
If you train your lockpicking and electronics skills and look around for other options, like security codes and computers, nano-keys, alternate routes, and explosives, you'll soon find that you have more lockpicks and multitools than you can carry.
Forsythe on 8/10/2002 at 22:44
If the appropriate skill is high enough, then yes, you can get practically anywhere; the trick is getting it high enough so it takes (at most) 2 picks for a high-rated door. If you also add in that many locked doors can be blown open w/ the sniper rifle if your rifles skill is at Master (or whatever the term is... it's been awhile), then you can really get into anything.
Big Brother on 9/10/2002 at 03:39
You shoulda stuck with it, man. I'm always carrying around 20 lockpicks since there's typically a way through a door that doesn't require lockpicking.
Winston Smith on 9/10/2002 at 04:39
If you think that the difficulty of opening all the doors is a design flaw, you're not understanding the game design. It's about choices and consequences. If you use three picks on that cabinet and only have two left, will you come across a closet in the next room which requres five and contains an upgrade canister? Or will you find five more picks before you get to the next locked door?
It's a very balanced level-design, IMHO; you have to let go of your obsessive tendancies and learn to make decisions.
Or, you could play the way I did, and save every time you have to make a choice. :D
[edit] I hate Big Brother!
....
I love Big Brother!
;)
D'Juhn Keep on 9/10/2002 at 19:03
I usually upgrade Lockpicks and Multitools to trained at or near the start and that's fine for most of the game. I get them to advanced sometime around Vandenburg. I can't remember the last game I played when I ever dropped to lower than 15 of either.
PowerCrazy on 9/10/2002 at 21:03
EVERY SINGLE LOCKED DOOR/OBJECT CAN BE OPENED! Yes thats right, all of them can be opened/bypassed ALL of them. Lockpicks/multitools is the single worse reason NOT to play the game. Its totally obsurd to base your judgement of the game on the first level especially once you've already BOUGHT it. Let me assure that if you play through the game once or twice you will quickly learn all the "tricks" and such that DX players use to open/bypass all the doors. On liberty island you don't even have to use a SINGLE lockpick. Because there are more than enough explosive barrels/boxes. And after that if thats the way you like to play, you should be able to train enough so that you can unlock ANY door with no more than two lockpicks/multitools. I usually don't go higher than "trained" on electronics/lockpicks/computers There is just no need. Seriously PLAY DX, get a feel for the engine, and you will soon see how great it is. Far superior to Thief, IMHO. (though there are MANY out there who will disagree)
PowerCrazy
Diehard Deus Ex Fan!
BadNacho on 10/10/2002 at 11:19
The reason the lockpicks run out is because they are not lockpicks as we know it. They are nano-picks that pick a nano-lock not a mechanical lock.
Fade on 11/10/2002 at 07:16
As others have said, boost your lockpicking/electronics and use alternate methods when you can, like going through a vent, carrying a box of TNT over or just finding the key. You shouldn't have too many problems. Just if you want to be able to open anything you find, you'll need to trade off other abilities, such as weapon skill.
daveodeth on 14/10/2002 at 21:26
you can tell if a door has a key lying around because if you use the nanokeyring then it will do the unlock action. if it does nothing there is no key around.
