StaceyPowers

*****SPOILERS BELOW.***** I finished my first playthrough of Bioshock 2 last night. Amazing game overall, and somewhat under recognized in my opinion. Some matters did confuse me though, in particular the ending. I don’t understand for sure what killed Delta. In fact, I’m not even sure if Delta died. My understanding of the situation is that once the bond between Delta and Eleanor was severed, if Delta were left untreated, he would either 1-lapse into a coma, or 2-go insane. By setting the explosives, I assume Lamb’s goal was to kill Delta on the instant. This would transport him to a Vita Chamber, where he would regenerate. But by then the sub would be on its way to the surface, and Persephone would be sinking into the depths where he’d ultimately die permanently. Instead, he survived and hung on long enough to reach the surface. What happened to him then? Did he have a delayed death from his injuries? Or was he slipping into a coma? If the latter, would Eleanor’s act in removing the ADAM have killed him? Or would he have remained comatose? At that rate, how did Eleanor plan to save him on the surface in the first place? I never was clear on that. I appreciate any light anyone can shed! @DylanC In particular, if you have any insights or theories, I'd love to hear them

SPOILERS BELOW I still have not played Burial at Sea, but I have now played Bioshock 1, 2 and Infinite. So much about Infinite felt (and feels) like a puzzle I am trying to solve. I thought playing 1 and 2 would provide some answers, but I have nothing but more questions and confusion. Elizabeth said, “There’s always a man, always a lighthouse, always a city.” Obviously, we’ve got the lighthouse and the city. But who is the man? Is Booker Andrew Ryan? Jack? Delta? And what about Elizabeth? The clearest parallels seem to be between Elizabeth and Eleanor, and thus potentially between Booker and Delta. We know Delta is a diver that the people of Rapture nicknamed “Johnny Topside,” but his real name was never revealed. Then again, his name wouldn’t necessarily matter. That could be a variable. I am aware that a “Booker” exists in Burial at Sea, which just increases my confusion. Not that two versions of a man can’t exist in one universe; obviously that was all over Infinite. The other odd thing is all the links in the environment, as well as other parallel figures in the stories. Like it’s strange to me that the plasmids exist in both worlds, and the vending machines are nearly identical, and so forth. And there are similar characters like Fink and Fontaine (who could be the same man). But I could easily imagine the same personnel who would join Rapture would also find their way to Columbia. Lamb certainly reminds me of Comstock, though it would seem odd to assert that Delta and Lamb are the same person. Anyone have any theories about all this, particularly Booker and Elizabeth’s potential Rapture identities? @DylanC Tagging you again in hopes you have some thoughts to share.

I hadn't even thought about how video game portrayals of war and PTSD might interact.

Good point. If the technology one has is already a limiting factor, it isn't going to matter.

Zombie-related stories almost always touch on social issues from what I've noticed. I mean, I haven't watched it, but I've heard that the title of "The Walking Dead" refers to the human population rather than the zombie population, and the sacrifice of aspects of one's humanity in order to survive.

Surprising how common this emotional flatness thing is. What's funny is I don't feel like I'm missing anything. I wish I had less to be anxious or angry about, but I'm fine with "calm" being my equivalent of "happy."

Nice. It just gets better and better. I just finished Bioshock 2 last night (I played Infinite first, then 1, then 2) for the first time. It was also excellent, though it leaves me with many questions by the end.

Are there any video game dialogue lines that you’ve heard so many times you say them habitually IRL? For me, there’s this line that your character says constantly in Dragon Age: Origins if you pick the “aggressive” voice: “Let me get you a ladder so you can get off my back!” I find myself saying that at the slightest excuse day in and day out.

What video games have the best and the worst portrayals of war? I doubt most of the members of this forum have been in a war, so obviously we’re guessing. I’ve heard many people mention Spec Ops: The Line. I haven’t played it yet, but it sounds amazing.

For me, gaming is almost more a de-escalation of emotions than anything. I'm emotionally flat though, so it's pretty much "calm" or "upset." Just getting back to calm can be pretty great.

Dragon Age feels kind of like that for me.

Interesting the way you put that, "good fantasy." People talk about "good sci-fi" in much the same way, but I've rarely heard anyone mention fantasy in the same light. I suppose that this is why both of these genres are classified as "speculative fiction," however. Both look at "if" scenarios, and both can be very relevant to what ends up unfolding in the real world when they concern social issues.

Oooh, you got Bioshock! Starting with the first one?

I'd say that "more desperate" thing usually does apply with me, but there are exceptions! I have definitely learned more patience from The Last Of Us. That game really rewards you for stopping and observing and planning before you go try and deal with your enemies. Once I got the hang of it, I adjusted my mindset and it didn't bother me (in fact, it's kind of cool). Doesn't mean it translates to other games though, lol.

Have you ever encountered scenes or other content which was cut from a game which you wish had remained in the finished game?

Is there a game you adore to the point where to you, it goes beyond being “just a great game?” Like for me, Bioshock has achieved a kind of unique status. Infinite in particular is arguably my all-time favourite story, above books I’ve read and movies I’ve watched, and even a lot of TV. Philosophically, the entire series just resonates with me. It’s almost weird to me realizing that a lot of people get through them and conclude “pretty good shooters, with some fun twists.” What game are like that for you, where you just take them extra seriously?

Closing in on the end of Bioshock 2. I believe I’m playing the last level now, with probably just a night or two left before I’m done. Looking forward to playing Minerva’s Den after this. I’ve read so many good things about it.

... Wow. I don't even know what to say about that, lol.

Quite literally, it was. But even in Rapture, someone was going to wind up being a janitor--or jobless. Thus why Lamb and Fontaine were able to sweep in with their "solutions" for the poor. These games are arguably more relevant to real life than ever.

That's me as well. I don't usually even know what framerate I'm playing at. I suppose this is because I'm not playing games like COD like @DylanC mentioned, where it'd be more important.

Yeah, caves can be confusing. The ones in Skyrim usually aren't bad, but this is because most of them have patterns to their layouts which are fairly linear.

I have to be totally honest ... I literally pay no attention to framerate. How important is framerate to you?

In this thread, @The Blackangel and I were talking about how gaming offered us a necessary psychological escape from abusive households growing up. I'm someone who is usually wary of "escapism," because if it goes too far, it is a mindset which tempts us to avoid solving important life problems. But in the case of childhood abuse where there is no way to solve the problem, escapism via gaming makes sense. I would also say that I use video games for nightly "escapism" now to stop thinking about myself and my problems for an hour before bed. I sleep better as a result, which boosts my functioning each day. This too seems a legit application. Do you use video games for escapism? Have they helped you cope in situations where you were faced with unsolvable problems IRL?

I can relate to this. When I was a teen, there was a strict ban on RPGs in our house, but I realized I could play MUDs through telnet and no one would likely figure it out. I had a whole other life in an online game, and it too was essential to holding me together.

Some stuff I’ve learned from video games: -Playing MUDs made me a very fast typist, which has been an essential job skill for me. -Political aspects of MUDs also gave me some crucial people skills which I was lacking before, and which are useful in business and everyday life. -Both short and long term relationships with people I met gaming have had transformative effects on my life. -Playing Dragon Age has helped me become a more expedient and confident decision-maker, especially in the face of peer pressure. -I’ve learned things about history, physics, metaphysics and philosophy from playing games. -Playing Myst when I was a kid was part of what made me decide to get serious about creative writing. -My particular neurology doesn’t allow me to meditate or practice “mindfulness” effectively, but I can achieve a flow state through gaming which provides similar benefits.