Looks far more interesting than Bioshock 2, and Irrational are among the few people even trying to do anything interesting with storytelling in gaming (Valve and Ice-Pick Lodge are ahead of them, but I don't think anyone else is).
I'm on board.
If by interesting, you mean cribbing off their decade old game...
In terms of narrative form, the famous twist in Bioshock has far more to say about predetermination and player assumption than the one in SS2.
Whether it's a similarly-told story otherwise or not, it's still pushing forward the way stories are told in games. There's not a lot of that about.
SS2's plot, in terms of form rather than content, was about the game lying to the player. Nothing more.
Bioshock's was about the nature, or rather lack, of the player's free will. Different point being made, and it was one that hadn't been made before.
I'm not saying Bioshock had a better story than SS2 (though they're both too heavy in genre cliches to be genuinely good), I'm saying it moved storytelling forward.
20 year old Ryan is not going to be in sky city jingoism steampunk land.
They're not going to be retarded and try to retcon that shit in.
Listen, he got from Russia to the United States somehow.
AIRSHIP!
And honestly, most people in the entertainment industry strive to be retarded like that.
Well he did come to America in 1919. So if the game lasts several years, which could happen considering Levine talks about how not everyone is out to kill you, and you can walk into bars and other locales not be attacked.
But yeah, I highly doubt Andrew Ryan shows up in that form, but if he did it could make sense... sorta. It mentions he came to America because he believed it was a place where he could prosper, it wouldn't be a stretch to say early on he was patriotic about things.
Regardless though, it's fun to think about how he could fit in, but he probably won't show up at all.
I'm not really sure how to feel about this announcment but I guess it'll make more sense in the months to come. I have to say that I still feel that the System Shock series is far better than the Bioshock series, which makes it even sadder that it's stuck in legal hell.
Hmm.. I really curious where the superpowers come from. Otherwise, it looks pretty bio-shocky to me. The new setting means I'll probably give it a whirl.
Looks neat! I've been meaning to pick up BioShock 2 when the price dropped low enough, perhaps this "sequel" announcement will do the trick.
I have to echo others' thoughts on the name though. I know they want to tie it to BioShock, so why not something like "Icarus: A BioShock Tale" or something similar?
It's a "Halloween 3" situation. While technically there's nothing wrong with Halloween 3 (It's a horror story taking place during Halloween.) people had come to associate the movie series with Michael Meyers and his wacky murder sprees, and thus were displeased and confused that he wasn't in the third movie, after being the main story focus in the first two.
I'd imagine people associate Bioshock with Rapture, Adam and splicing.
It's a "Halloween 3" situation. While technically there's not wrong with Halloween 3 (It's a horror story taking place during Halloween.) people had come to associate the movie series with Michael Meyers and his wacky murder sprees.
I'd imagine people associate Bioshock with Rapture, Adam and splicing.
Right, there's that little problem, and people associating Bioshock with Rapture and everything that entailed. And then there's the marketing problem where they don't really want to put a number behind it because it is so different, but they're using the Bioshock name for recognition, except a lot of times this turns out to make people think it's just a spinoff and they don't care as much (look at stuff like Halo: ODST). With using a name like what some of us have pointed out (Aeroshock for me ), they'd get recognition AND the hype and wonder of a new title. And it isn't like it's completely out of left field (since Bioshock was a spiritual successor to System Shock).
So while there's nothing "wrong" with using Bioshock Infinite, I think they'd be better off doing SomethingElseShock instead. Less confusing to casuals, too.
The other thing is that, so far, we no little to nothing about how the powers work (Alchemy?), so the "bio" element really isn't coming in strong at the moment. Bioshock had genetic modification, horrid mutants, sealife just outside the windows, and even the general moist atmosphere all helped make the game really feel "bio" in my opinion.
The organ-powered clockwork robots are a good start though.
so why not something like "Icarus: A BioShock Tale" or something similar?
That seems kind of overwrought. Marathon 2 and 3 didn't take place on the Marathon. Not much of Ultima Underworld 2 took place in an underworld. And I don't even know where to start with Descent: Freespace. If this game is going to beat you over the head with a political-philosophical theme and have quasi-science magic powers I don't really see the problem. Does it take place in the same universe?
These other suggestions like Aeroshock sound really terrible to me. But Bioshock: Infinite doesn't seem to roll off the tongue as well as Infinity would have. It breaks up the iambic meter or something, I don't know.
Except in those other games you're following the same main character, or are dealing the same "universe" as it were. Isn't Bioshock 3 supposed to be totally unrelated, plot-wise, to the Bioshock 1/2 universe?
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Forever Zefirocloaked in the midnight glory of an event horizonRegistered Userregular
edited August 2010
Well, I see your point, but names like Skyoshock and Aeroshock and such I think are pretty stupid, unless being in the sky is like one of the key defining elements of the narrative. So far it's just a setting, like being underwater was. Unless people think Aquashock would be a more fitting name for Bioshock 1 and 2.
Something like Technoshock I think would be more appropriate, since it seems like America is lauding it's technology and superiority over other countries with its skycity, and its steampunk robots, etc.
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so why not something like "Icarus: A BioShock Tale" or something similar?
That seems kind of overwrought. Marathon 2 and 3 didn't take place on the Marathon. Not much of Ultima Underworld 2 took place in an underworld. And I don't even know where to start with Descent: Freespace. If this game is going to beat you over the head with a political-philosophical theme and have quasi-science magic powers I don't really see the problem. Does it take place in the same universe?
These other suggestions like Aeroshock sound really terrible to me. But Bioshock: Infinite doesn't seem to roll off the tongue as well as Infinity would have. It breaks up the iambic meter or something, I don't know.
When the 2nd game doesn't take place in wherever that's fine. That establishes what's going to be norm for the series and what falls under the series moniker. The problem here is that you've got number 2 taking place in rapture and now a non-number taking place somewhere completely different and probably unrelated. It does something odd with the series.
Every name suggestion anywhere on the internet has been terrible, and even more terrible that most of the suggestions are deathy serious. Thus making Bioshock Infinite the automatic winner.
Every name suggestion anywhere on the internet has been terrible, and even more terrible that most of the suggestions are deathy serious. Thus making Bioshock Infinite the automatic winner.
Is Bioshock really that great of a name to begin with? I mean, is it REALLY any better than Aeroshock or whatever?
The game just seems entirely unrelated to the rest of the series. It's almost like the name was purely for brand recognition. I really liked the "secret underwater society unfettered by morality," but a floating weaponized world fair? That is really hard to swallow for something taking place decades before Rapture.
The game just seems entirely unrelated to the rest of the series. It's almost like the name was purely for brand recognition. I really liked the "secret underwater society unfettered by morality," but a floating weaponized world fair? That is really hard to swallow for something taking place decades before Rapture.
I think the game itself will be fine, however.
Well, it's an impossible city in an impossible location, filled with super powered people, anachronistic technology, and a lethal overdose of an ideology. In that vein it is very much a successor to Bioshock.
Every name suggestion anywhere on the internet has been terrible, and even more terrible that most of the suggestions are deathy serious. Thus making Bioshock Infinite the automatic winner.
Is Bioshock really that great of a name to begin with? I mean, is it REALLY any better than Aeroshock or whatever?
I like the name BioShock. It's like System Shock, except instead of your environment being essentially being defined by computer systems (SHODAN's control of the ship, your psionic abilities) it was defined by biotechnology (your powers, your enemies, and and the downfall of Rapture all being predicated on ADAM).
Are there people who actually think "Skyoshock" is a good, marketable name?
In any case, I hope that despite the super powers we leave the body-horror/deformity stuff behind. I like the looks of this game so far but three games of that would get kind of old.
I'll have to say I'm very intrigued by whatever this is. I loved Bioshock, haven't played Bioshock 2, but if this starts looking awesome, I'll have to give it a go.
Are there people who actually think "Skyoshock" is a good, marketable name?
Oh you could market the shit out of Skyshock. You could use the footage from 9/11 with a narrator going "You think that was a sky shock? You aint seen nothing yet", cue gameplay footage.
Well, I'd drop the "O" and just make it SkyShock, but yes I find that a decent name.
"Skyshock" and "Skyoshock" are two completely different animals, and not just because of the extra syllable.
Skyoshock looks like something that should be in large print on a cereal box with hyphens ("Mmmm! Sky-o-Shocks!")
I'm not crazy about the name, either, but I'm imagining that the "infinite" is going to mean we'll be able to utilize the sky/3rd dimension for huge freedom of movement, which would tie in with the sky theme.
I understand the parallels, but Rapture had some nice logical consistency with it (even if a sea city is pretty damn impossible). Columbia just...doesn't seem to have much of a point.
I understand the parallels, but Rapture had some nice logical consistency with it (even if a sea city is pretty damn impossible). Columbia just...doesn't seem to have much of a point.
Columbia - as in the woman, Columbia, today more famously known as Lady Liberty, was the most common personification of the United States around the turn of the 20th century, much more common than Uncle Sam.
In the interviews I've seen, Ken Levine's talked a lot about how big they are on an iterative design process. I have faith that the Columbia in the final game will make sense.
I know it wasn't developed by Irrational, but did you follow any of the press on Bioshock 2 while it was being developed? As late as a few months before its release they hadn't even mentioned Lamb.
Posts
I'm on board.
In terms of narrative form, the famous twist in Bioshock has far more to say about predetermination and player assumption than the one in SS2.
Whether it's a similarly-told story otherwise or not, it's still pushing forward the way stories are told in games. There's not a lot of that about.
Bioshock's was about the nature, or rather lack, of the player's free will. Different point being made, and it was one that hadn't been made before.
I'm not saying Bioshock had a better story than SS2 (though they're both too heavy in genre cliches to be genuinely good), I'm saying it moved storytelling forward.
Well he did come to America in 1919. So if the game lasts several years, which could happen considering Levine talks about how not everyone is out to kill you, and you can walk into bars and other locales not be attacked.
But yeah, I highly doubt Andrew Ryan shows up in that form, but if he did it could make sense... sorta. It mentions he came to America because he believed it was a place where he could prosper, it wouldn't be a stretch to say early on he was patriotic about things.
Regardless though, it's fun to think about how he could fit in, but he probably won't show up at all.
Skyshock
Heavenshock
Windshock
Zephyrshock
Stratosshock
Airshock...
EDIT: Everyone who is dumb has been bitching about the name, what about the Air Daddies that we're gonna see? Will they be hands that fly with blimps?
goddamned QA people are so picky
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWRz_-0B1qw
I'm partial to Welkinshock.
Awesome word that should never have fallen into disuse.
Also, from the OP it sounds like they're talking steampunk with ziplines. This better not be Bioshock: Damnation.
I have to echo others' thoughts on the name though. I know they want to tie it to BioShock, so why not something like "Icarus: A BioShock Tale" or something similar?
What in the name Bioshock means it's underwater?
Bio = life, shock = a sudden or violent disturbance of the mind, emotions, or sensibilities
Infinite sounds weird, but since all we've seen is like 2 minutes of footage, perhaps it actually means something
Ken Levine is a pretty cool dude, he generally seems to know what he's doing, moreso than other faces in the industry.
XBL - Foreverender | 3DS FC - 1418 6696 1012 | Steam ID | LoL
I'd imagine people associate Bioshock with Rapture, Adam and splicing.
Right, there's that little problem, and people associating Bioshock with Rapture and everything that entailed. And then there's the marketing problem where they don't really want to put a number behind it because it is so different, but they're using the Bioshock name for recognition, except a lot of times this turns out to make people think it's just a spinoff and they don't care as much (look at stuff like Halo: ODST). With using a name like what some of us have pointed out (Aeroshock for me
So while there's nothing "wrong" with using Bioshock Infinite, I think they'd be better off doing SomethingElseShock instead. Less confusing to casuals, too.
The organ-powered clockwork robots are a good start though.
That seems kind of overwrought. Marathon 2 and 3 didn't take place on the Marathon. Not much of Ultima Underworld 2 took place in an underworld. And I don't even know where to start with Descent: Freespace. If this game is going to beat you over the head with a political-philosophical theme and have quasi-science magic powers I don't really see the problem. Does it take place in the same universe?
These other suggestions like Aeroshock sound really terrible to me. But Bioshock: Infinite doesn't seem to roll off the tongue as well as Infinity would have. It breaks up the iambic meter or something, I don't know.
Something like Technoshock I think would be more appropriate, since it seems like America is lauding it's technology and superiority over other countries with its skycity, and its steampunk robots, etc.
XBL - Foreverender | 3DS FC - 1418 6696 1012 | Steam ID | LoL
When the 2nd game doesn't take place in wherever that's fine. That establishes what's going to be norm for the series and what falls under the series moniker. The problem here is that you've got number 2 taking place in rapture and now a non-number taking place somewhere completely different and probably unrelated. It does something odd with the series.
EDIT: Well, maybe not now that I think about it. Half-Life and Portal are very different in theme and purpose, despite sharing the same universe.
Is Bioshock really that great of a name to begin with? I mean, is it REALLY any better than Aeroshock or whatever?
I think the game itself will be fine, however.
Well, it's an impossible city in an impossible location, filled with super powered people, anachronistic technology, and a lethal overdose of an ideology. In that vein it is very much a successor to Bioshock.
I like the name BioShock. It's like System Shock, except instead of your environment being essentially being defined by computer systems (SHODAN's control of the ship, your psionic abilities) it was defined by biotechnology (your powers, your enemies, and and the downfall of Rapture all being predicated on ADAM).
In any case, I hope that despite the super powers we leave the body-horror/deformity stuff behind. I like the looks of this game so far but three games of that would get kind of old.
Oh you could market the shit out of Skyshock. You could use the footage from 9/11 with a narrator going "You think that was a sky shock? You aint seen nothing yet", cue gameplay footage.
Skyoshock looks like something that should be in large print on a cereal box with hyphens ("Mmmm! Sky-o-Shocks!")
I'm not crazy about the name, either, but I'm imagining that the "infinite" is going to mean we'll be able to utilize the sky/3rd dimension for huge freedom of movement, which would tie in with the sky theme.
Fair enough, though the first one would probably be AstroShock or CosmoShock.
EDIT: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_(name)
I know it wasn't developed by Irrational, but did you follow any of the press on Bioshock 2 while it was being developed? As late as a few months before its release they hadn't even mentioned Lamb.