New Hacking/Crafting System news - Terminus Machina mod for Deus Ex

WIP screenshots of the brand spanking new object making/hacking/tinkering system. This is a new menu similar to inventory called "Make" in which the player can not only construct new items based on schematic/recipes, but also "invent" their own items, and "scrap" found junk for parts. I like the crafting systems of games like Fallout and Arcanum, but I always thought it was just a little too easy to just grab a recipe list, click "create" and voila, a fresh gattling napalm thrower. In keeping with the thinking-friendly, don't-spoonfeed-solutions theme of Deus Ex, in this game, the player has the option to not simply wait for a recipe to tell them what to do, but they can actually attempt to "invent" a new item by trying configurations of different component parts scrapped from existing objects - what actual real-world invention and hacking involves. If the player manages to "discover" a combination, then they "write up" their own schematic into a schematic window, then use it to assemble their new item. This way the player also has a greater sense of accomplishment upon successfully inventing their own new item, hopefully feel more like they're doing the actual hacking rather than being handed turn-key hacks as a "script kiddie" ;)

For example, you may run across an old smashed-up TV in your exploration. By "scrapping" the TV you can pull out components like copper wiring, capacitors, magnets, etc. There might be a junked solar car or radio elsewhere from which you can salvage solar panels. You can then just start "tinkering" around with these parts in the "Make" screen, and if you have the adequate Mechanics and Electronics skill, you'll invent a solar trenchcoat. The trench coat itself is an "aug" which can be uninstalled, and which provides a modicum of armor, and a few more style points, but not much else. Now with the solar trench, you've just taken the first step in sustainable energy independence, with constant recharge of your electricity stores.