Shifter mod for Deus Ex

"Removing the suck from Deus Ex." It's an odd slogan, but that's what Shifter does, what little of it there is. In my opinion anyway. A little mod that started off as an effort to get the damn laser sight to turn on automatically now includes additional augmentations, unique weapons, new game mechanics, bugfixes, restored game content, and even a complete and working alt-fire option for almost every weapon. All of this, seamlessly integrated into the existing game, capable of running simultaneously with almost any other Deus Ex mod. Play your favorite mod, then play it again, "Shifter-ized".

For those of you who are sticklers for actual, quantifiable advantages, here are a few features which Shifter brings to Deus Ex:

• "Replacable" Augmentations: Find a new aug you just have to have? Now you can replace an existing augmentation with one found in an augmentation canister. Just use a medical bot to install it, like you would with any other augmentation.


• New/Better Augmentations: In unmodified Deus Ex, many of the augmentations were of limited to no value, or only useful in very specific situations. Shifter attempts to rectify this by modifying how some of these augs work (like Microfibral Muscle) or by replacing them completely with new, superior augs. (like Electrostatic Discharge)


• Alt-Fire: Long since overdue, most weapons in Deus Ex now have alt-fire modes, accessed through a separate alt-fire key. Now you can unleash a napalm bomb from your Flamethrower, or throw those ever-so-common Combat Knives at unsuspecting NPCs. For weapons without alt-fire, the button doubles as a scope toggle key.


• Unique Weapons: Scattered throughout the game in key locations are new and ever-so-deadly weapons. These weapons are unique, and only appear in that one location, nowhere else, to balance their power.


• Random NPC Inventory: In a realistic setting one would never be able to say for certain what a random passerby on the street might have on them. Shifter incorporates this into Deus Ex, giving NPCs hostile, neutral and friendly alike randomly determined items. Perhaps nothing more than some extra credits, perhaps some food or cigarettes, but maybe even a contraband substance or weapon.


• Additional Skill System: It seems somewhat unfair that a player is not rewarded with skill points for some acts of true skill, feats like defeating a room full of MiBs, or perhaps walking within just a few feet of them without being detected. Either way, combat or stealth, players are now rewarded for their feats of skill.


• Deadlier NPCs: Many of the additions made to Shifter would seem to shift the balance of power almost exclusively to the player. To counteract this, NPC AI and skill has been upgraded. Enemies shoot better, aim quicker, and dodge faster. Never underestimate a Shifter NPC. (Well, when I finish all the AI tweaks, anyway. :P)

I've spent far more time on this mod than any other project I've ever undertaken, and I don't see myself stopping anytime soon. I may get distracted from time to time, or be mostly happy with a release only to find a few flaws in it several months down the road, but I will never abandon the mod. The day I stop maintaining Shifter is the day after the Deus Ex modding community officially dies.

For those of you who are brave, check out my Savefile Project Folder from time to time. It's where I store various "snapshot" builds of Shifter as I add features between releases. You'll get to play with new goodies between the official releases, at the slight cost of having to deal with possible bugs, crash-tacular errors, and other beta-esque things.