Comments on: deus ex, week two http://malvasiabianca.org/archives/2008/09/deus-ex-week-two/ Thu, 24 May 2012 20:46:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: David Carlton http://malvasiabianca.org/archives/2008/09/deus-ex-week-two/comment-page-1/#comment-109429 David Carlton Tue, 16 Sep 2008 03:03:37 +0000 http://malvasiabianca.org/?p=994#comment-109429 Yeah, that's a good point: if I'm going to complain about enemies in a narrative game, Deus Ex is the wrong example to use. Or at least not the best example: I still suspect that the enemies could be thinned out further, but at least it's not like, say, Eternal Sonata, where I got nothing from the vast majority of enemy encounters. Yeah, that’s a good point: if I’m going to complain about enemies in a narrative game, Deus Ex is the wrong example to use. Or at least not the best example: I still suspect that the enemies could be thinned out further, but at least it’s not like, say, Eternal Sonata, where I got nothing from the vast majority of enemy encounters.

]]> By: Corvus http://malvasiabianca.org/archives/2008/09/deus-ex-week-two/comment-page-1/#comment-109368 Corvus Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:09:04 +0000 http://malvasiabianca.org/?p=994#comment-109368 I think the enemies in Deus Ex have a very important narrative purpose. They force you to seriously consider how to approach any given situation and put a human face on the political struggle, emphasizing that the true cost of these sorts of schemes is the little guy, the grunts, and the innocents. I think the enemies in Deus Ex have a very important narrative purpose. They force you to seriously consider how to approach any given situation and put a human face on the political struggle, emphasizing that the true cost of these sorts of schemes is the little guy, the grunts, and the innocents.

]]> By: Denis http://malvasiabianca.org/archives/2008/09/deus-ex-week-two/comment-page-1/#comment-109357 Denis Mon, 15 Sep 2008 05:35:10 +0000 http://malvasiabianca.org/?p=994#comment-109357 This manner of discussion was one that helped spur me into starting my own blog. When my friend Cap'n Perkins and I were initially discussing the enemies in Oblivion, we were marking how different games provide varied challenges in their enemies. The model he was facing was providing him more reward in satisfaction than others by making him feel he had accomplished something. Deus Ex does not have the same feel in its AI/enemies, though it does provide an interesting nuance on the second type of gameplay we identified, which is that of an enemy that isn't necessarily overwhelming you, but they do have a certain advantage over you for some time (we also concluded that this one normally came hand in hand with the cannon fodder idea of enemies who were there as marking posts until the next more difficult challenge). So, the purpose of enemies? In most forms of narrative there does exist some form of conflict, and since we rarely deal with the internal or social aspects of conflict in games that one can find in other narratives, it tends to be outward representations of this to move the plot forward. However, because of the interactive element, this means it is in direct opposition to the character's goals. In a book, I just read through the conflict, in a game I have to take arms against it. I also am very pleased at the discussion happening in the forums. Seeing that the chapter I just finished (the NSF Airfield) has over 100 posts in it is definitely something that makes me groan when I start reading through them, and then something from which I have to tear myself away to post my own thoughts before I forget them in the concepts through which I find myself gleefully swimming. This manner of discussion was one that helped spur me into starting my own blog. When my friend Cap’n Perkins and I were initially discussing the enemies in Oblivion, we were marking how different games provide varied challenges in their enemies. The model he was facing was providing him more reward in satisfaction than others by making him feel he had accomplished something.

Deus Ex does not have the same feel in its AI/enemies, though it does provide an interesting nuance on the second type of gameplay we identified, which is that of an enemy that isn’t necessarily overwhelming you, but they do have a certain advantage over you for some time (we also concluded that this one normally came hand in hand with the cannon fodder idea of enemies who were there as marking posts until the next more difficult challenge).

So, the purpose of enemies? In most forms of narrative there does exist some form of conflict, and since we rarely deal with the internal or social aspects of conflict in games that one can find in other narratives, it tends to be outward representations of this to move the plot forward. However, because of the interactive element, this means it is in direct opposition to the character’s goals. In a book, I just read through the conflict, in a game I have to take arms against it.

I also am very pleased at the discussion happening in the forums. Seeing that the chapter I just finished (the NSF Airfield) has over 100 posts in it is definitely something that makes me groan when I start reading through them, and then something from which I have to tear myself away to post my own thoughts before I forget them in the concepts through which I find myself gleefully swimming.

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