Deus Ex: Invisible War Dev Diary #1

Although the Deus Ex sequel is already available in the United States, TotalVideoGames has begun a dev diary feature for the upcoming European release of Invisible War. In the first installment, lead writer Sheldon Pacotti talks about what went into creating the game’s storyline. An excerpt:

What are the factions? Initially, the player will be faced with two competing approaches to social reconstruction — that of the WTO and that of the Order Church. The WTO of Invisible War is a greatly expanded incarnation of the WTO of our time. Concerned mostly with economic development, it has taken on a quasi-governmental structure involving a “charter” system for nascent city-states all around the world. Walled enclaves occupy the centers of cities like Chicago, Seattle, Cairo, and so on — limited communities that are easy to regulate and expand in a deliberate and cautious manner. Meanwhile, the Order Church has coalesced around the idea that what brought on the Collapse was precisely the hollow materialism that informs everything the WTO does. In abandoned factories, on street corners, in mosques, cathedrals, anywhere they can find, Order “Seekers” gather to devise a new way for society, one that draws upon the wisdom of every great religion and seeks to establish balance between humanity and the natural order.

Simple enough. But what if the player isn’t impressed with either of these approaches? Well, there are other factions, most of which are present from the beginning of the game and gradually gain prominence. One of these factions — believe it or not — is the group that created Tarsus Academy. Sure, the player was lied to, spied on by a team of scientists, and injected with untested biocules while supposedly receiving an education, but the Tarsus director has assured the player that the experiments are of profound significance and that he will recognize that eventually. As the game progresses, the player learns more about the people behind the Tarsus ruse, who become (for some players, perhaps) more sympathetic than the other faction leaders.