Deus Ex 3 design document dated November 26, 2003

First page of the November 26, 2003 design document

The Deus Ex 3 design document dated November 26, 2003, titled "Plot Brainstorming," is a document created by Ion Storm describing several different plot concepts for the next game in the Deus Ex series following Deus Ex: Invisible War. These concepts were never realized as an actual game, and were later replaced by different game concepts, including Deus Ex: Insurrection and a later Ion Storm "Deus Ex 3" project, projects that were ultimately cancelled as a result of Ion Storm's closure in 2005.

Development history

This document was generally not known to the public until November 2014 when it was described in Eurogamer article by Joe Martin, who had obtained the document from an archive held at the University of Texas. Martin later made the document publicly available in 2016. The footer of the document contains the name "Deus Ex 3," a generic name that has been used to describe multiple projects directed toward developing the third main title of the series.

The design document is dated November 26, 2003, which predates the release of Invisible War. The document therefore indicates that a third game was already under development prior to the release of Invisible War.

By February 2004, the early plot concepts were replaced by a new plot concept developed under the name Deus Ex: Insurrection. Although the early plot concepts predate the officially given preproduction period of Insurrection (which began January 2004), they were developed under Art Min, lead designer for Insurrection. Thus, the concepts described in these documents are regarded as precursors to Insurrection. For subsequent development history, please see the article for Deus Ex: Insurrection.

The design document describes four different concepts, respectively titled "Save Civilization," "Foster Family," "And Then They Pull You Back In," and "Infiltrate the Cult." These plot concepts are summarized below.

"Save Civilization"

The player is a black-ops operative leading a strike team sent to investigate Area 51. The player witnesses JC Denton's destruction of the Aquinas Router, but is gravely injured when another nuclear missile hits the area. Just before the missile hits, a member of the player's strike team reveals allegiance to a certain faction that had sent the missile (this faction is noted as "Illuminati?" in the design document). The player's body is salvaged from Area 51 and rebuilt cell-by-cell to become the ultimate fighting machine. The player is the only survivor of the team, and the only one who knows what happened.

After being rebuilt cell-by-cell, the player is tasked with protecting the president, Linda Yarborough. Communications are down, cities in the U.S. are rioting, and the whole world is suffering from chaos. Yarborough has the power to avert the coming of a new dark age, but faces corruption inside her own government. Her husband seems to have access to information that she does not, while her son is being influenced by his college friend Henri DuClare. In Washington D.C., NSF forces lay siege to the White House, forcing the president to flee to Mount Weather. The player is tasked with escorting the president's family.

In Mount Weather, the player is given a stable base analogous to UNATCO in the first game, where the drama of the U.S. leadership's inner circle can unfold over time. The President fears that spies have penetrated her administration, and sends the player on missions to New York, London, Moscow, Paris, or similar locations to contact old allies and neutralize enemies. According to the draft concept, the game story would unfold as the player tries to uncover the real threat to the government and to society in general.

"Foster Family"

The player (named "Gavin Crane" if male) is a CIA agent and the adopted son or daughter of a U.S. senator. The player has a fiancé, Cari Kennedy, who has political ambitions of her own. As a CIA agent, the player undertakes tasks that become riskier and less conventional, such as stealing an ambassador's private records, transferring terrorist funds to a Swiss bank account, and laser-sighting a target for aerial assassination. As the story progresses, the player is offered various career choices, which depend on the outcome of the missions.

According to the plot concept, the player is tightly bound to the other principal characters on a very personal level. The player's actions will affect his or her relationship with Cari, who is pulling the strings behind the scenes all along, and with the player's father, who can become a powerful enemy or a powerful ally.

"And Then They Pull You Back In"

The player takes the role of Xavier Gale in the 2020s or early 2030s. Gale is a mechanically augmented operative who is part of a squad called "Black Rain." After deserting from Black Rain due to its dishonorable operations, Gale is brought back to the squad to complete one last mission, or face court martial for disappearing. The mission would involve VersaLife. The company had previously captured a Black Rain member, but the leader of Black Rain secured his release by trading in Gale's daughter, who has a certain DNA characteristic of interest. During the course of the game, Gale learns who he is and who he is really working for.

"Infiltrate the Cult"

"Infiltrate the Cult" plot concepts (pp. 5-6 of the document)

This section includes two separate plot concepts that share common elements. The first concept is set after Deus Ex, while the second concept is set after Deus Ex: Invisible War.

Interquel plot concept

The first plot concept is set in the wake of the Collapse following the events of Deus Ex. The player is a member of the Outer Counties Militia, a militia group in Nevada. The player's sister, Natalie, has joined a local quasi-religious group called the House of the Righteous. After the first mission (which would have featured a visit to Area 51), the player finds that Natalie is missing, and that the House's facility has been deserted. The local militia declares the House to be hostile, and assigns the player to go undercover as a new convert at the House, using Natalie as a source of information for the militia. The player must decide whether to use Natalie for the greater good, rescue her, or join her.

Sequel plot concept (continuing from Invisible War)

The second plot concept is set after the Helios ending of Deus Ex: Invisible War and would have would have made that ending canon. The only described similarities with the interquel plot concept is the common element of a militia group and a cult.

In this concept, the player is a member of a militia group in the mountains and is trying to stay outside of JC's mind-net to retain an individual consciousness. Scientists in the militia group have developed a nanite inoculation to keep the player free from JC-Helios' whispers. The player's father is also in the militia, but the player's sister has joined a cult, called the House of the Silent Mind. The player is also contacted by a mysterious figure who is presumably outside of both organizations and seems to have information about both the militia and the cult.

In actuality, the militia group is controlled by the Illuminati, who is plotting to regain control of the world. The House of the Silent Mind is similarly developing a "force impervious to JC-Helios," but is run by a sociopath who wishes to assume JC's role at the top (this leader of the House is not named in the design document). The mysterious figure outside of both groups is revealed to be Paul Denton, who believes that JC has gone mad and needs to be stopped. There is also a fourth party, described as a "self-aware AI born of humankind," who wishes for a more moderate outcome. The design document also states that it is possible that JC may still be good after all.

The text of this part of the design document is as follows:

“

Alternatively, you are in a militia group in the mountains, trying to stay outside JC’s mind-net after his endgame in DX2 and retain your individual consciousness. Scientist in your cadre have developed a nanite inoculation to keep you free from JC-Helio’s whispers in your head. Your father is in the militia, your sister is seduced by a strange cult (see plot thread above). You are contacted by a mysterious figure, presumably outside both organizations but with a lot of info about both. He tells you the militia and the infusion are not what you think. You can choose to follow your father, your sister, or this new voice and decide who to report to about whom.

What’s really going on:

- your militia is actually a node of yet another Illuminati plot to bring the world back under their control. and the nanites in your blood are protecting you from JC, but could they be saying something else. your father doesn’t know any of this, but firmly believes in the "living in villages” model."

- your sister’s House is in fact a cult. see above. House of the Silent Mind. Also offline. Sounds good at first, like militia, but wants you to forsake all your possessions, yadda yadda. The sociopath running it is in fact just trying to develop a force impervious to JC-Helios, so he can use the troops to stage a coup. He has no intention, however, to return to the state previous to transhumanity as he claims – he just wants to assume JC’s role at the top.

- the mysterious figure is Paul Denton, who is now in a vat like Lucius De Beers, and is telling you that JC has gone mad and you need to stop him. (or is it Paul who’s just bitter that his little brother is god now?)

- another entity, whom you first mistake for Paul, makes contact with you. eventually you learn it is an entity arising out of online web of minds, a self-aware AI born of humanity, what will this child be? begs you not to pull the plug entirely, but maybe just get JC offline or maybe not.

- alternatively, it is possible that JC is good and all these ppl are lying (of course)