Eidos Interactive and Ion Storm Announce Deus Ex SDK Will
Be Available
(Gamers Can Create New Stand Alone Missions)
SAN FRANCISCO, September 13, 2000 - Eidos Interactive, a leading worldwide
developer/publisher of interactive software products and ION Storm, developer
of Deus Ex, announced today that the 4.5 Mb Deus Ex SDK package will include
all of the tools used to create the award winning action/role-playing game.
Members of the gaming community can download the SDK for free at www.eidos.com,
www.ionstorm.com, and www.deusex.com
on 9/22/00.
"I'm really excited about the release of the Deus Ex development tools,"
said Warren Spector, Project Director of Deus Ex. "The game is all about
putting the power to solve problems in players' hands. Now we're going even
further and giving them the power to create their own problems. A Deus Ex mods
community started growing even before the release of the SDK and I think I can
speak for the team when I say we're really looking forward to seeing what they
do with our tools. It'll be quite an experience playing Deus Ex-style missions
we didn't have a hand in creating!"
Armed with the SDK, users can:
-- Create standalone Deus Ex missions
-- Build 3d maps from scratch, using Deus Ex textures and sounds
-- Modify existing Deus Ex maps
-- Share their creations with other members of the Deus Ex gaming community
The Deus Ex SDK includes:
-- A version of UnrealEd specifically modified to work with Deus Ex. This is
the level builder that was used to build every map in the game. UnrealEd can
be used to build level geometry, place NPCs and items in the world, set up conversations,
handle AI alliances and reactions, and script camera movements during endgames
and end-of-mission sequences. It can also export all the UnrealScript source
code for Deus Ex, for further study or modification.
-- A version of the UnrealScript compiler, UCC, modified to work with Deus
Ex.
-- ConEdit, Deus Ex's conversation editor. This is a full-featured dialogue
and camera editor used to script dialogue between NPCs, specify conversation
options, handle random or semi-random barks, and set up context-specific conversations
based on in-game boolean flags. Users will also be able to create and import
their own MP3 speech files to go along with the new conversations they create.
-- Sample conversation files from three Deus Ex missions -- the Training Mission,
Mission 1 (UNATCO Island) and Mission 2 (Battery Park and the streets of New
York).
-- A tool that converts Lightwave objects to an Unreal-compatible format. Models
built in Lightwave can be imported into Deus Ex using this utility. A sample
batch file is included as an example of how to combine multiple Lightwave objects
into a single animated mesh.
-- Extensive documentation for the SDK, with detailed descriptions of all features
and information on how to build Deus Ex add-on levels.
The following are comments made by other Deus Ex team members about the SDK:
Harvey Smith (Deus Ex Lead Designer): "I'm completely psyched to see what
happens when we put our project tools in the hands of the online gaming community.
I think we'll see some really wild and interesting missions."
Bob White (SDK Associate Producer): "All of the great ideas for our universe
were not conceived within these walls. By providing our tools to the public
we know they will be able to create missions set in the Deus Ex universe that
we never would have come up with. Early on, we realized the mod community can
keep a great game going even longer and we are excited to see what they can
do with access to our tools."
Deus Ex is a globe-hopping, epic adventure. Travel the world from New York
to Paris to Hong Kong exploring locations recreated from detailed maps, blueprints
and photographs. How you choose to deal with scores of NPC's affects the outcome
of the game, minute-to-minute, mission-to-mission, start to finish.
Create a compelling alter ego and select and develop your own unique set of
skills, nanotech augmentations and determine which weapons and objects you will
need to survive and solve problems. Will you be the charismatic master manipulator,
the shrewd and stealthy tactician, or the deadly avenging angel?
Developed by Ion Storm's Austin, Texas development office, Deus Ex development
was led by Warren Spector, co-producer of such hits as Ultima VI and Wing Commander
1. Warren went on to produce the award-winning Ultima Underworld series, Ultima
VII, Part 2: Serpent Isle, System Shock, Wings of Glory and many more.
Deus Ex, considered by many members of the gaming press to be one of the "Must
Have" titles for 2000, is available in stores now.
Eidos Interactive, Inc. is a leading developer and publisher of interactive
entertainment products for the PC, PlayStation® game console, Sega Dreamcast(tm),
Nintendo® Game Boy® Color. Eidos Interactive is part of London-based
Eidos plc (NASDAQ: EIDSY) with additional offices in San Francisco, Paris, Hamburg,
and Tokyo. For more information on Eidos Interactive's product line visit http://www.eidos.com.