Warnings
- GameSpy online services have been shut down (see Network for solutions).
Key points
- An official SDK level editor is available, resulting in a number of gameplay-improving mods for download.
General information
- The Nameless Mod Forums - contains information relevant to most Deus Ex mods
- GOG.com Community Discussions for game series
- GOG.com Support Page
- Steam Community Discussions
- Deus Ex wiki
Availability
- A demo and an add-on of Deus Ex are available at GameFront, including the first two missions.
Version differences
- While the Steam version is cheaper, the GOG.com version has cloud saves and offers free bonus content.
Essential improvements
Patches
- The 1.112fm patch fixes various bugs and adds multiplayer.
- Digital distribution versions already include this patch as do some retail re-releases.
- This patch unintentionally removes music from the Hell's Kitchen map on your last visit, as well as introducing other map bugs. The problem is present in all GOTY releases. Except for one you manually patched yourself, which will also be missing the new conversation files. Note that though the GOTY version introduces noticeable bugs, it also fixes many. An in depth file comparison along with relevant links are available here.
Other Patches
D.X.M's Deus Ex Maps Patch is an small patch that fixed some bugs found within the 1.112fm patch.
- Replaces the maps from the 1.112fm patch with the 1002f ones and fixes various bugs, but also introduces some. Up to player preference which set of maps you use.
- This patch does not replace the multiplayer maps for compatibility reasons.
- These files are identical to the original release maps - with the exception of 3 actually unique files. More info, link to the 3 vanilla files, and list of bug & differences available here.
Confix is a small patch that repairs dialogue typos and logic errors in conversations.
- Fixes typos, logic errors, and other issues in the conversation files.
- Only available in English, Russian, and Turkish. All available in the Community Update. (Russian Confix currently only available there.)
The Unofficial Patch v2 is a fanmade community patch made to address the remaining bugs & various issues still present in the game.
- Fixes additional bugs and cheats.
- Included other patches like Confix and Deus Ex Maps Patch.
- Missing other fixes within the game.
Kentie's Deus Exe is an updated executable that integrates support for various features.
- This fix will replace the existing
deusex.exe
file within the folder. If you want to be able to uninstall it, backup the main executable beforehand.
- Can be used with the Steam release as it'll bypass Steam DRM, letting you play Deus Ex without Steam.
- Does not work with the GameStop (Impulse) version of Deus Ex. Instead use the Custom launcher combined with the OTP UI Fix or Peixoto's patch.
- FPS limiter in new versions of DeusExe causes freezes when opening menus. See Game freezes when opening menus.[2]
- Using AutoFOV while running the game windowed and minimized, will result in an instant crash.
Using Deus Exe
|
- Install Deus Ex normally. For CD versions you must choose the full install option.
- Download the latest version of Deus Exe (If using Windows XP download 5.3 version instead)
- Install Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable Package (x86).
- Extract the Deus Exe files to
<path-to-game>\System folder, replacing the existing deusex.exe when prompted.
- Set your options in the pre-game launcher.
|
The community update is an unofficial patch package assembled by the Deus Ex community and Xen's Deus Ex Archive.
- The patch includes every translation, patch, alternate exe, and renderer known; As well as many useful tools for players and modders.
- Mods integrated include Deus Ex Transcended (with the option of the Deus Ex Map Patch), Confix, Deus Ex Unofficial Patch v2 & Deus EXE. See mod page for complete list.
- Also includes the original demo files which you can apply the multiplayer patch to. This lets you play the full multiplayer and single-player up to the end of mission 2! Minor updates to some of the included projects have been done and more is planned.
Custom Renderer
Select renderer to be used[3]
|
- If you are using Deus Exe, install your renderer of choice then select it in the launcher.
- If you are using the original Deus Ex, install the renderer then run Deus Ex in Safe Mode and choose it from the list.
|
Kentie's Direct3D 10 renderer improves compatibility with modern systems and adds native support for various features including anti-aliasing, anisotropic filtering and multi-monitor resolutions.
- Also known as Unreal Direct3D 10 renderer.
- Black screen on Alt+Tab in fullscreen, enable
Precache
in the DirectX 10 renderer settings[4][5]
- This renderer may exhibit stuttering and performance issues with Nvidia driver 442 or newer.[6][7]
Reduce stuttering with NVIDIA driver version 442 or newer
|
- Only NVIDIA's frame-limiter reduces stutter (NVIDIA only)[8]
- Disable in-game frame rate limit Use "0" for "FPSLimit" setting.
- Cap frame rate to 120 FPS or lower through NVIDIA Control Panel
|
Darknovismc's DirectX 11 renderer adds more graphical features, including ambient occlusion, screen-space reflections, and higher quality HDR post-processing.
- Made as a fork of Kentie's Direct3D 10 renderer.
- Also known as Unreal DirectX11 Renderer.
- The latest version does not support Deus Ex—support will be reincluded in the next release.[9] For now, use v1.6.1.
- Places a temporary watermark in the bottom right, and copies the developers PayPal link to your clipboard. Follow these instructions to disable the watermark and remove the PayPal link from being inserted into your clipboard.
Disable DirectX 11 renderer's PayPal watermark and disable the link from being copied into the clipboard.
|
- Start a new game or load existing save.
- Press a key bound to action Send Message To Team or Send Message to All.
- Delete the content of the command by pressing ← Backspace.
- Type in
preferences .
- In Advanced Options new window open Rendering section.
- Open Direct3D 11 support section.
- Set SupportMETextEnabled to
False .
Notes:
- If the game crashes while attempting to access the Advanced Options, open
DeusEx.ini (see configuration file(s) location) with text editor and modify SupportMETextEnabled in [D3D11Drv.D3D11RenderDevice] section, instead.
|
These can be used as an alternative to the custom Direct3D 10/11 renderers, providing bug fixes and improving compatibility without adding more features.
- No extra dependencies required unlike Direct3D 10 renderer.
- May work better with Linux running under Wine and DXVK.
- Doesn't feature extra effects like HDR and bloom from the Direct3D 10/11 renderer.
Usage
|
- Download the enhanced OpenGL/Direct3D 9 renderer, it is not required to have both installed at the same time.
- If using the OpenGL renderer, it might be desired to make a backup of
<path-to-game>\System\OpenGLDrv.dll before installing the updated OpenGL renderer as it overwrites that file.
- Extract the files from the renderer into
<path-to-game>\System .
- Change the renderer used by the game
|
Improved graphics
- Game can be vastly improved graphically by the New Vision and HDTP mods. See Mods.
Run without the CD or Steam
Game data
Kentie's Deus Ex modern launcher - Settings.
Configuration file(s) location
- Deus Exe stores settings in
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Deus Ex\System\
Save game data location
- Deus Exe stores saves in
%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Deus Ex\Save\
Video
Windowed mode[citation needed]
|
- Toggled in
Settings > Display or by using Alt+↵ Enter, but start-up is not affected.
- Use Deus Exe or modify
DeuxEx.ini (line StartupFullscreen ) to start in Windowed mode.
|
- Only the software renderer, Direct3D 10 renderer and DirectX 11 renderer properly handle adjusting brightness in Windowed mode. OpenGL renderer will adjust brightness but affects the entire screen.
Change frame rate limit[citation needed]
|
- Use an updated custom renderer.
- In-game (not in menus), press the "Send Message To All" button (default "T").
- Type "preferences" without quotes (remember to delete the pre-written text "Say").
- In the window that should have opened, expand the "Rendering" section, then expand the relevant "Direct3D 9/10/11" or "OpenGL" sub-section.
- Set "FPSLimit" to the desired limit by clicking on the number next to it.
- Close the window.
|
Input
Enable controller support[citation needed]
|
- Use the console command
preferences .
- Under Display, set UseJoystick to
true .
- Default settings are unplayable.
|
Controller remapping[citation needed]
|
- Use the console command
preferences .
- Adjust sensitivity under Joystick.
- Adjust input under
Advanced > Raw Key Bindings .
|
Audio
Audio feature |
State |
Notes |
Separate volume controls |
|
Music, Sound effects, Speech. |
Surround sound |
|
Dolby Surround[11] Up to 7.0 discrete surround; requires EAX or A3D.[12][13] |
Subtitles |
|
Located under Game options. |
Closed captions |
|
|
Mute on focus lost |
|
|
EAX support |
|
A3D 2.0, EAX 1.0. See Restore 3D sound for OpenAL Soft HRTF. |
Royalty free audio |
|
|
Localizations
Language |
UI |
Audio |
Sub |
Notes |
English |
|
|
|
|
Czech |
|
|
|
Fan translation, download. It is only available up to 1.014f patch. |
German |
|
|
|
Included in retail version. Digital copies can be converted. |
Hungarian |
|
|
|
Fan translation, download. |
Italian |
|
|
|
Included in retail version. Digital copies can be converted. |
Japanese |
|
|
|
Included in retail version. Contains additional changes to the game such as lowered difficulty. UI texts remain in English. |
Polish |
|
|
|
Included in retail version. Digital copies can be converted. |
Spanish |
|
|
|
Included in retail version. Digital copies can be converted. |
Brazilian Portuguese |
|
|
|
Fan translation, download. |
Network
- Multiplayer for the retail version requires the 1.112fm patch; digital distribution versions are already patched.
Multiplayer types
Connection types
Ports
Protocol |
Port(s) and/or port range(s) |
TCP |
7790-7792 |
UDP |
7790-7792, 27900 |
- Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) support status is unknown.
VR support
Issues fixed
- Check Deus Ex tweak guide for more information on settings.
Brightness slider not working
Audio stutter/game crashing due to audio subsystem
Use Deus Exe[citation needed]
|
- If problems persist, adjust the audio latency setting in the launcher.
|
Game freezes and stutters during gameplay and menus
Set FPS cap using 3rd party tools[2]
|
- Open DeusExe launcher and go to options.
- Under Video options set FPS limit to
0 .
- Click OK and use a 3rd party tool to limit the framerate.
Notes
- Alternatively, when playing in fullscreen, you can use Vsync to limit the framerate (although, it is not recommended).
|
HUD & subtitles are broken when using Nvidia 3D Vision
Use Nvidia Profile Inspector to delete the Deus Ex 3D vision profile[14]
|
- Download and open Nvidia Profile Inspector.
- Select Deus Ex from the dropdown list.
- Click the red X button.
|
32-bit color won't enable
Mod fix[citation needed]
|
- Use Deus Exe.
- Set 32-bit color in-game.
- Restart the game before changing any other settings.
|
Crash when enabling 32-bit color
Patch the game up to 1.112fm[citation needed]
|
Error message crash on startup
Crash diagnostic[citation needed]
|
- The error message will generally detail the subsystem in which the crash occurred in so one can narrow down the possible causes.
- The game's logfile (
Deus Ex\system\deusex.log ) has additional information.
|
Large-scale graphical glitches
Change renderer[citation needed]
|
- Issue is usually caused by the chosen renderer.
- Launch Deus Ex in Safe Mode and change to a different renderer.
- If problems persist, use a custom renderer.
|
Shadows appear scratchy/green
Use 32-bit color depth instead of 16-bit
|
GUI scaling issues
Use Deus Exe and adjust the GUI scaling option[citation needed]
|
- Depending on the resolution (e.g. 1366x768), the GUI may still be too small or too big. Use Peixoto's patch or OTP UI Fix instead.
|
Missing music on last visit to Hell's Kitchen
Restore 3D sound
Use OpenAL Soft[17]
|
- Download the ALAudio for Deus Ex mod, and copy all of its contents (not the folder) to
<path-to-game>\System .
- Open
DeusEx.ini and change the line AudioDevice=Galaxy.GalaxyAudioSubsystem to AudioDevice=ALAudio.ALAudioSubsystem . Copy the settings at the bottom of the post here at the end of the .ini file. Replace UseHRTF=Autodetect with UseHRTF=Enable .
- Follow the instructions on this guide. Make sure to use OpenAL Soft 1.18.2 instead of later versions to create the
.mhr files. During step 11, set the Period Count to 2.[dubious – discuss]
- If you are using Deus Exe, make sure to edit
DeusEx.ini in %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Deus Ex\System\ .
- Lipsync is faster than it normally should be with the included
OpenAL32.dll and lipsync will not work if you replace the included OpenAL32.dll with the one from OpenAL Soft.[18]
|
HDR not functioning correctly in Direct3D 10 renderer
Use Veronikas HDR Brightness Fix
|
- Download Veronikas HDR Brightness Fix
- Drop the hdr.fx file into "Deus Ex\System\d3d10drv\"
Notes: This fixes the brightness auto adjustment effect that doesn't work correctly/lasts too long.
|
Other information
API
Technical specs |
Supported |
Notes |
Direct3D |
7 |
D3D9, D3D10 and D3D11 with fan developed mods. |
OpenGL |
1.2 |
OpenGL support is experimental. Enhanced OpenGL renderer is available here. |
Glide |
2 |
|
Software renderer |
|
|
Shader Model support |
3, 4 |
|
Executable | PPC | 16-bit |
32-bit |
64-bit |
Notes |
Windows | | |
|
|
|
Mac OS (Classic) | | | |
|
|
Middleware
|
Middleware |
Notes |
Multiplayer |
GameSpy |
|
SDK
- After the release of the 1.112fm patch Ion Storm released an official SDK for the game which includes a full level editor and conversation editor.
- It is possible to crash the SDK by excessively spawning some items including rockets. A fix can be found on this site (scroll down to Deus Ex Stuff).
- A community-made extension of this SDK is available here as well as additional tools here.
Mods
A community-made overhaul mod that features improvement made to enhance the experience of Deus Ex in a new way.
- Available for free completely to everyone and anyone who owns the original game through Steam or GOG.com.
- Upgraded levels, new art and soundtrack. Also adds many quality-of-life features.
- Added NG+ (skills, augmentations, and equipment carried over) option to replay the game on a second playthrough or more.
- Maps even after changing them in the settings to vanilla are still changed/edited making this mod less viable for vanilla experience.
- Deus Ex Revision download can be found via the modder website. You can also download it via Steam/GOG.com.
An extensive overhaul mod that improves the overall performance not found on other mods. This mod faithfully overhauls the entire game to fit the modern standard.
- Includes Kentie's Launcher, modern renderers, New Vision and HDTP. One download, all-encompassing.
- Currently has 2 forks, GMDX Version RSD (or simply vRSD) and the GMDX 'v10' Community Update (or simply GMDX V10).
- Feature many improvements including graphics, gameplay (AI, Gunplay, Options Menus etc.), audio design, bug fixing and more.
- Development has been stopped.
This community-maintained fork aims to improve the artistic direction and bring deepened function to the mod, alongside fixing bugs and adhere more to the canon of the game.
- It has a separate installation and save directory, allowing the installation of both this mod and GMDX v9.
- Includes most, if not all features from the original GMDX, and has less chance for issues during installation.
- Additional bug fixes that were not addressed in the original GMDX mod.
- Active development.
- Has prevalent performance issues not present in v9 or vRSD. There are no known workarounds.
An experimental fork of GMDX v9. It was originally an addon for GMDX v9, but is now a full-fledged mod.
- Still in beta as of February 2020.
- Endorsed by the mod author of GMDX v9. Considered as a future official update of GMDX.
- Adds new features and gameplay modifiers.
- Fixes persisting bugs from the original GMDX mod.
A texture mod that replaces the vast majority of the game's texture files with HD remakes, drastically improving the visual appeal of the game.
- Compatible with Kentie's Custom Launcher.
- An additional renderer is required. Two are included in the New Vision download, one for DirectX and one for OpenGL, and a video demonstrating full installation of the mod with Kentie's Launcher can be found here.
- Versions 1.5 and 2.0a are vastly different. 1.5 retextures most of the textures, while 2.0a upscales the original ones.
A texture mod that remodels and retextures the majority of the game's assets.
- The project is currently in beta, and the last release was uploaded in 2015.
- The newest version can be downloaded either through Mod DB or from the Off Topic Productions forum thread.
An enhancement mod that alters the rules of the game and adds new features.
- Fixes many common annoyances within the game, including improved enemy AI.
- Add a restructured augmentation system that replaces augmentations considered obsolete by the developer of the mod.
- This mod makes the game significantly easier by increasing the number of skill points awarded and items dropped.
The Shifter mod can also be played with other extensions like:
- BioMod - An alternative extension to Shifter, further adding game-changing features such as autosave and automated augmentations. Also, the Shifter's awarding of skill points for kills is removed.
- Deus Ex Unified - A unification of both Biomod with vanilla Shifter.
- Also incorporates Deus Ex Enhanced.
An extensive conversion of Deus Ex which provides a new storyline set outside of the Deus Ex universe.
- Fully voiced and includes many new weapons and features.
A "mod taking place in an alternate Deus Ex continuity" that takes some content from other mods and provides around 10 hours of gameplay, 3.5 hours of voice work, and 2 hours of new audio.
- Also known as DXN, DEN and Nihilum.
A JC Denton genderswap mod, inspired by a cut gender select feature originally planned for the game.
- New female JC Denton character model.
- All of JC Denton's voice lines faithfully re-recorded.
- NPCs lines edited to accommodate female pronouns and new tertiary unobstructive NPCs added.
- Select NPCs were recast due to problematic audio editing, all except for one were done mimicking the original voice as closely as possible, according to the mod creator.
Vanilla? Madder AKA VMD or VMD Sim is a Deus Ex vanilla conversion focused heavily on RPG and roleplay elements, immersive sim gameplay, modernization/QOL, and more.
- Skill trees, hunger/stress/smell systems
- In depth character customization
- Status effects from foods
- Compatible with almost any total conversion mod
Additional Mods
Compilation of mods and fan-made missions can be found here. The wiki page also contains detailed descriptions of many mods.
System requirements
Windows |
|
Minimum |
Recommended |
Operating system (OS) |
95 |
98, 2000, ME |
Processor (CPU) |
Intel Pentium II 300 MHz AMD equivalent |
Intel Pentium III AMD Athlon |
System memory (RAM) |
64 MB |
128 MB |
Hard disk drive (HDD) |
150 MB |
750 MB |
Video card (GPU) |
DirectX 7.0a compatible
| 16 MB of VRAM |
Mac OS |
|
Minimum |
Operating system (OS) |
8.1 |
Processor (CPU) |
PowerPC G3 266 MHz |
System memory (RAM) |
64 MB |
Hard disk drive (HDD) |
150 MB |
Video card (GPU) |
ATI Rage Pro 4 MB of VRAM |
Notes
References