Bunch of new screenshots added this week, new work on the second area "Kennedy High". Things are coming along, however rapidly as they can come along when you're a one man army up against an eldritch bestiary of computer bugs and texture artifacts. Things are of course far from finished but perhaps I'll get out a super-alpha playable demo so people can give things a try and maybe give some suggestions for making the game more engaging and enjoyable.
To start, I have here a tentative top-ten list of my new replacement skills for the existing Deus Ex skills. Many of these skills will be slightly similar -- Hotwiring is basically electronics except rather than just multitooling keypads you can also siphon electricity and wire up your own portable solar systems and other useful things.
The "weapons" categories have also been simplified as straight-up combat will be even less central in Terminus Machina seeing as your character is much more underpowered. The "projectile weapon" skill will also affect your ability with cameras (needed for capturing digital face-overlay disguises). Your melee skill will also have a much bigger impact. If you invest nothing in "hand-2-hand" your knives will often break, you will tend to drop your baseball bats mid-swing, and damage will be greatly reduced.
There will be very few "complete" useful items just laying around the game -- you *are* living in a crumbling necropolis, after all. No AK47 in the mailbox and shotgun shells in random boxes lying around. The DIY "Making new uses of things" will be essential here, and I'm currently working on getting a diverse crafting system up and running. If you want a crossbow you'd better go find some old tire rubber and metal parts and invest in that Mechanical Tinkering skill. No energy? Grab some solar panels off of that old broken down street-cleaner bot, some copper wire from that junked Audi and sew up your solar coat. Need a lam to take care of that goddamned Nazi counterinsurgency android? Nab some liquid detergent and fertilizer from 711, read your Anarchist Cookbook and cook up some IEDs. Jerryrig a discarded smartphone to your bomb and use it as a remote detonator. Nails and wood pieces can be whittled into wicked crossbow bolts. If you've got your "Naturepunk" skill up you might even be able to sort out a poison to make those bolts even deadlier (or incapacitatier).
On another brief playthrough of Deus Ex, I realize the genius is in the plethora of possible solutions to any given challenge -- and the ability for the player to decide what does and does not constitute a challenge worth solving. I'm presently attempting to sort out how this can be further expanded upon. Ideally, in this game, not only will you feel as though you're solving the challenges your own way, you'll feel as though you're *inventing* the solutions right out of everyday pieces of trash on the street. I also want the game to be more difficult and sparse -- at no point should you be running around like a two-legged F-16 blowing the crap out of everything in your way. This is one problem I had with DX, especially later in the game. You will always be underpowered as a underclass hacktivist, but with enough ingenuity and endurance, you might just make it through.
But, without further ado, the skills list:
Computer Hacking
The deciphering of codes, breaking of passwords, intrusion into and manipulation of secure systems.
Hot Wiring
Increases energy siphoning speed and decreases likelihood of dangerous accidents. Reduces the number of Multitool required for any non-computer-skill-aided hack.
Bio Hacking
Ability to physiologically modify oneself and others using gene-splicing, genetic modification, and surgical insertions
Improvised Explosive Devices
Building IEDs from household chemicals and undetonated munitions. Increases effectiveness as well.
Weapons: Projectile
Increases weapon damage, accuracy, and reduces reloading time. Also affects proficiency with cameras (i.e. Sousveiller).
Weapons: Hand-2-Hand
Increases weapon damage, accuracy, and reduces reloading time.
Social Engineering
Your ability to convince others that you are right, to lie, and to impersonate others. Affects facial identity masking, social engineering hacks.
Mechanical Tinkering
Your ability to build, repair, and manipulate mechanical devices.
Lock Picking
Reduces the number of lockpicks required when Lockpicking.
Nature Punk
Your knowledge and expertise with plants and animals. Natural remedies, growing of food, and ability to work with animals.
Medicine
Increases the amount of damage healed by your Medkit.
