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This is a collaborative walkthrough for Deus Ex: Invisible War. Please add any missing information to any section and/or correct any errors that you find.

Before You Begin: Running the Game[]

This guide will provide several troubleshooting steps for Deus Ex: Invisible War. Deus Ex: Invisible War was released in 2003 for PC and the original Xbox, making it likely that you, the reader, are likely playing this on the PC. As such, there are a few things that you might need to know in order to run the game in the first place. Be warned: getting Invisible War running on PC can be somewhat technical if you're having trouble. This portion of the article will be brief, so if you don't understand something, Google is your ally. This guide will hardly be comprehensive, but many, many people have had problems with the game and found solutions. Most people will have no trouble finding fixes to their specific issue with a quick Google search. If you don't find your solution in this guide, but are able to solve the problem and get the game running, please update this guide with your problem, the solution that worked for you, and any other common solutions you found while looking for a solution.

The most common issue users encounter is freezing and crashing during load screens. The game uses a separate launcher program to fetch each area, rather than launching from within the engine itself. The crashing has a few common causes

  • The game takes exception to a multi-threaded processor
    • Invisible War was originally designed before multi-core processors were popular. Typically, a multi-core processor will attempt to balance a processing load evenly across its cores. What this means for the game is that, because the game basically has to start a separate program to load in a new level, the launcher application is initialized and run from a different core than the game is on. There are two solutions that can be attempted to fix this:
      • Set the game and the launcher CPU affinity to 1
        • All this means is that you're telling Windows to only run the game on one core of the processor. This can be accomplished for the current play session through the Task Manager, or more permanently using a utility such as Process Lasso. You will need to make sure both programs are running on one physical core with no hyper-threading.
      • Disable CPU cores and Hyper-Threading in BIOS
        • If you are unable to set the CPU affinity for both programs (it can be somewhat difficult using Process Lasso to set the affinity for the launcher), another option is to simply turn all but one physical core off in your BIOS. Not all mother boards support this feature, but running on a single physical core with no hyper-threading will force the game and the launcher to run on the same core, eliminating this problem. The game might flash back to the desktop when you try to load an area, but don't panic: as long as your desktop is at a low resolution, the game has not crashed, and the launcher will start the next level shortly.
  • Other processes running on the same CPU core as the game are causing problems
    • Several known culprits (as of 2016) are as follows
      • Overlay programs
        • Overlays such as Team Viewer (see below), Overwolf and software that comes with the driver for some ATI graphics cards can cause the game to crash during loading screens. You'll want to find wherever these programs live and disable or uninstall them, if possible.
      • Fraps
        • Fraps is easily the most popular stand-alone screen capture program on the market. Recording with Fraps once a level is loaded causes no issues, but the game will crash if you trigger a loading screen while it is still recording.
      • Razer Configurator
        • This program is hit-and-miss. There have been reports of problems with the Razer Configurator running in the background, but not every system will have an issue with it. If you use Razer products, only try this step once you have exhausted all above options
      • Team Viewer
        • It is not known if Team Viewer causes any problems with Invisible War, but it is widely known to cause problems with a variety of games, and also falls under the Overlay category above. If you have tried everything you can think of, exiting Team Viewer certainly won't hurt anything.
      • Other assorted processes
        • This list has the potential to be very long. If you close the above applications and still run in to freezing or crashing at loading screens, simply open task manager and start killing non-essential processes and trying to load the game again until successful. Please add any specific process you have proven conclusively (e.g. killing one specific process and only this process fixes the game) to the list above! If you are unable to prove that one specific process causes it, add it to the list with the caveat that it is inconclusive!

Seattle, Washington[]

Note: Alex Denton can be either male or female. For simplicity's sake, all pronouns referring to Denton will be male, as the box art depicts the male Alex.

Tarsus Academy[]

Residential Level (Part 1)
Tarsus Front Door

You begin the game in your bedroom. In the southeast corner, you will find a chest that contains a basketball and a map of the Tarsus Academy's residential level. A popup tutorial will inform you that you can access the "goals and notes" section by pressing "N" by default. Above the chest you will find a shelf that contains a trophy and a pair of binoculars. Grabbing the binoculars will trigger another popup that will tell you to access your inventory using the "V" key. It will also explain how to access your quick select wheel, and how to swap items in and out of it. In the northwest corner of the room, a holo-projector will activate as soon as you approach. Dr. Leila Nassif will greet you and explain that the reason you were suddenly evacuated from the Chicago academy was because of a terrorist attack. She tells you to find the map that is in your chest (if you haven't already retrieved it) and she'll unlock your door. A distant boom will sound during the conversation, and Dr. Nassif will refuse to answer when questioned. Grab the candy bar that's on your desk and the map from the chest if you haven't already. Dr. Nassif will then instruct you to go to the recreation center to meet the other cadets from Seattle, and to check in with Billie on your way down. The door to your bedroom is now unlocked, and you can exit it to access the rest of your apartment. In the south part of the main living space, you will find the dining and kitchen area. There is Soy Food in the refrigerator. Grab it, and then exit the apartment using the door on the eastern wall.

Once in the hallway, head north. A vent will explode, killing an SSC Guard and alarming the Janitor. Once the Janitor calms down, he will talk to you outside of Billie's apartment. All he will say is that he has worked at the Seattle tarsus location for years, but "nothing usually makes it past the turrets." Denton asks him if he knows what's going on, but he only replies that SSC will be "sending help any minute."

Looking north, you will see Billie's apartment. Contact her using the intercom to the left of the door, and she will invite you in to discuss the current happenings. Billie will tell Denton that she hasn't been able to get straight answers out of Nassif either, but that she was able to get the code to the elevator. You will not need to remember these codes, as, unlike the original Deus Ex, keypads do not offer you the chance to punch in codes. You either have the code or you don't, and if you don't, most keypads can be bypassed with a multitool. Denton tells Billie that he's going to try to get some better answers out of Dr. Nassif. Billie tells him she won't be coming because she has other things to do.

Inside Billie's apartment, a locked chest will be in an entryway-style area to the east containing an EMP grenade. Interacting with it will bring up a tutorial on locks. Billie's kitchen will be to the west. She has packs of soy food in her fridge and a loaf of bread on the counter. Once you've collected these, exit her apartment and follow the hallway east and then north again. There will be a news terminal on the western wall of the hall reporting on the attack on Chicago, and a cleaner bot patrolling the northernmost portion of the hall. In this section of the hall, Klara and Leo's apartments will be on the east side, but they are inaccessible at this time. Continue to the north end of the hallway and you can access the elevator to the recreation level. It will be attended by an SSC guard who is not at all cooperative when asked what is going on. Finish Arguing with the guard and step on to the elevator.

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Recreation Level
Tarsus Seattle Recreation Level

The moment you step off of the elevator on the recreation level, you will be given a tutorial on using the compass. A few paces later, you will again be interrupted by Dr. Nassif, this time in person. She will reassure Denton that the ongoing attack will not be a repeat of Chicago, and asks that he introduce himself to the other trainees in the rec area. At that moment she will be interrupted by Stan Carnegie, who informs her that they have a code yellow, and that a guard was found dead. Denton will attempt once more to pry information out of Nassif, but she insists that she doesn't have time to debrief everyone, and that he proceed to the recreation area.

Once done speaking with Nassif, proceed south down the hallway. At the end, the hall will open up in to a small room and a staircase down to the lower level. Note: there are several vending machines on this level that will sell the player snacks or soda for 20 credits each. Do not purchase anything at this time: you will need your starting credits later to advance the plot and accept your first paying missions. Proceed to the south end of the room with the stairwell, and you will be greeted by Klara Sparks in a sort of medical bay. Klara is very friendly towards Denton. Denton asks her what is happening with the explosions, but she simply dismisses them as demolition. Klara asks Denton if he's doing ok after what happened to Chicago and if any of his family was hurt. When Denton tells her that his foster parents were there, she is very apologetic and tells Denton to let her know if there's any way she can make him feel more at home.

If the player chooses to talk to Klara again, Denton will insist that the academy is under attack, and tell her about the guard that died on the residential level. Klara is surprised at the news, but asks if it could have been a simple accident. Denton is sure that it isn't, and asks Klara if she knows anything about the "code yellow" and whether these things happen often. Klara tells Denton to ask Dr. Nassif, as she's only been in Seattle for a couple of weeks. Denton will ask Klara if she isn't nervous after what happened in Chicago, and why there have been so many transfers. Klara tells him that she and Leo Jankowski requested a transfer to the Seattle location, because it's the last stop before graduation.

Finish conversing with Sparks and proceed out the eastern door to the raised track. Leo will be doing laps. He will converse with Denton when you approach. After introductions, Denton will inquire whether he knows anything about a code yellow emergency, and tell him that a guard has been murdered. Leo scoffs that he wouldn't be running if there was an emergency, and asks if Denton has ever heard of him. The player will be give the dialogue options of "Uh, sorry," and "Right... Jankowski. Nice to finally meet you." If the player selects the latter option, Leo will tell Denton not to be intimidated by Leo's ranking, and that he treats ever team member as an equal. Leo expresses sympathy about Chicago, and offers that Denton take it easy for a little while. Denton accepts the sympathy, but presses Leo on the explosions that can be heard outside. Leo assumes that it's all staged for the benefit of the new transfers, owing to the fact that they apparently re-wrote exercises due to his spectacular performance. From here you may choose to press Leo even further, or allow him to return to his run.

Once you have finished speaking with both Leo and Klara, explosions will hit nearby, causing windows to break and an alarm to sound. Dr. Nasif will tell you to get to your locker and retrieve the items there. Proceed downstairs. To the east, you will find a basketball half-court. To the north of the court will be a locker room. Head in to the locker room and have a look around. In the northernmost room you will find four lockers, each loaded with goodies. The locker on the left will be unlocked by default. It contains a candy bar, soy food, and two clips of ammo. Your locker (second from left) will also be unlocked now. It contains a Mako Ballistics pistol, baton, multitool and medkit. Empty both of these lockers. You also have the option of breaking in to one of the other two lockers (presumably Leo and Klara's) with the multitool you just acquired. The middle-right locker contains an Energy Cell and another ammo clip, while the far right locker contains a Spiderbomb and Credit chip.

On your way out of the locker room, the guard that was outside will stop you and inform you that there is an Order Seeker outside. She offers to let Denton slip by unnoticed before she engages the target, then proceeds to explain stealth techniques. You make ask for more advice, ask her to distract the Seeker while you sneak out, offer to help her take the Seeker out, or accept her offer. If you offer to help her, she will be impressed by your bravado and put you on point. Once you exit the locker room, the Seeker will run towards the locker room from the stair well to the upper level. Kill the Seeker, or let the guard do it, and inspect his body to find a depleted ammo clip, then head back up to the upper level.

Billie will beat you to Nassif's office with just enough time to close the door in your face. When Denton asks Billie what she's doing, she tells Denton to go get his Biomods installed before leaving the facility, and gives him instructions on how to get to the lab. She reveals that she was contacted by the Order in Chicago, and that Tarsus isn't training them, but rather using them as test subjects. Billie tells Denton that the Order doesn't agree with what Tarsus is doing, and that he should explore his apartment to see the real Tarsus. Once the conversation has ended, head back up the elevator to the residential level.

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Residential Level (Part 2)

Upon your return to the residential level, the lights will be out and the hallway a mess. Billie will call you on your infolink to tell you that the apartment on you immediate left (Klara's) is connected to Leo's via a vent shaft. A dead guard (presumably the same uncooperative one from earlier) will be lying on the floor in front of you. After you exit the elevator, a living guard will come talk to you and inform you that another Seeker is present. He asks for backup in taking the seeker out, and you will have four options: you can agree to the guard's request, tell the guard that you'll take the lead, suggest a stealthy maneuver, or tell the guard that he's on his own. If you choose to suggest a stealth maneuver, the guard will recommend using a vent to sneak past the Seeker. The Seeker is located ahead in the southern part of the hall, patrolling back and forth.

Lab Overwatch

Once you're done talking to the guard, enter Klara's apartment (right in front of you on the east side of the hall) and find the open vent shaft that will take you to Leo's apartment. Don't miss the multitool right below the fan just before you exit in to Leo's apartment. Leo will have soy food in the fridge and a multitool on the counter. Grab both and head to his closet area, where you will find a chest containing a concussion grenade and medkit. Finsih looting and head for the door. Outside, the Seeker will be patrolling the hallway right in front of Leo's apartment. Either disable the guard or sneak past him to get to your apartment. Once inside, Billie will call you again and tell you to watch the ceiling. She cuts the power and the ceiling disappears revealing a pair of scientists who are panicked because you are now able to see them.

When you're done listening to the scientists' discussion, head in to your bathroom and out the gaping hole that has been left in your wall. There will be a raised platform with a ladder for you to get down to a small pit. Descend in to the pit and use the metal crate to boost yourself up to the platform on the other side, which will have a door to the lab level.

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Lab Level
Lab Level

Inside the main lab, you will find several cryo chambers, a holocomm, and a locked cabinet with three biomods. Once you approach the holocomm, Dr. Nassif will appear and explain the nanite modification process to you. Denton asks her if she thinks that the Order was behind the Chicago attack, but Nassif explains that the Order aren't a bunch of terrorists, so it is unlikely. After the conversation is finished, Nassif will unlock the cabinet and you can grab your first biomods. Apply them to your personal tastes, keeping in mind that you will be able to obtain several black market biomod canisters very soon.

Exit the room through a door in the south wall, and you can speak to a concerned scientist who will warn you about the turret which has been reprogrammed to kill Tarsus personnel. She explains that the turret is linked to the camera, and that if the camera triggers an alarm, the turret will fire on you. She further explains that you can sneak past the camera or disable it with an EMP.

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Upper Seattle[]

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Inclinator[]

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Lower Seattle[]

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Inclinator, Part 2[]

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WTO Hangar[]

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Mako Ballistics[]

Exterior[]

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Weapons Lab[]

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Biolab[]

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Cairo, Egypt[]

Medina[]

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Arcology[]

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Trier, Germany[]

Streets[]

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The Black Gate[]

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Templar Compound[]

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Antarctica[]

The Sanctuary of J.C. Denton[]

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Versalife Base[]

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Cairo Revisited[]

Medina[]

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Arcology[]

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New York, New York[]

Liberty Island[]

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UNATCO Base[]

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The Four Endings[]

Ending 1: The Apostle Corporation's Great Advance[]

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Ending 2: The Illuminati Light[]

Ending 3: The Flooding[]

Ending 4: The Ruined Earth[]

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