StaceyPowers

Ah hah, but therein lies your answer. Surely a mystical entity is better at logical design work than a human being.

That one sticks with me too. I was actually looking at a ring on Etsy the other day with that inscribed on it which I really want =D

Don’t underestimate that pickaxe! I got the enhanced one from the top of the Throat of the World, and have given it full upgrades. It does about the same damage as a weak standard axe at this point. So it’s not great, but it’s a usable weapon. Very helpful for killing people in Markarth.

@DylanC Capturing Rapture itself would indeed be a challenge, specially getting the ambiance right. I think Guillermo Del Toro could probably manage it. As far as budget goes, there might be workarounds there because of the setting, actually. You can see it in the games themselves. There is actually very little detail or resolution on the cityscapes through the windows, but the rippling water and the low detail we'd expect at the bottom of the ocean doesn't make it seem weird. Low light and low visibility in a film also could help to reduce special effects budget requirements. I'd be interested in a story that explores the origin of the splicers, as we never really see anything from their point of view. A story about Tannenbaum would interest me as well, as I adored her character.

Have you discovered any cool non-gaming hobbies through gaming? I spend a lot of time in Bioshock games staring at the advertisements, typefaces, architecture, and overall design of Rapture and Columbia. Over time, I’ve taken note of the different elements which typify the Deco and Nouveau styles (Infinite’s architectural is more neoclassical, but there are Nouveau elements throughout the game). Finally, I ended up purchasing a set of drafting templates as well as a bendable straight edge, and now I am working on creating Art Deco and Art Nouveau designs of my own. So far without a lot of success, but I’ve been making some strides. I’d love to hear about hobbies you would never have picked up if not for playing video games.

So, I’m struggling with a hunting challenge in RDR. I thought it’d be really easy, and I have been having zero luck with it. It’s the one where you’re supposed to kill two animals from two different species in one Dead Eye use. I am having an impossible time finding two animals from two different species in close enough proximity to one another. I’m in the area south of Bonnie’s ranch where there are lots of deer, coyotes and birds, and still have barely even encountered any candidate shots. Anyone have any advice on this? I almost feel like I’m missing something obvious/doing something wrong.

@DylanC Thank you, that was incredibly insightful. It also sheds light on why use of the vigors in Columbia doesn't seem to be all that widespread.

I've never had such a "problem" with any game, lol. I'm just not that competent at anything I've played.

Yes, sadly I think we will never see a new Bioshock game again. I'd like to know what Ken Levine is working on these days though.

Skipping it would be missing out. It is a solid game.

lol. I hate getting lost. For getting lost, I recommend the vaults in Fallout games. Make it Vault 34 if you want to amp up the pressure of finding your way around in a very timely fashion =D

What do you think are some of the most underrated sequels in gaming? I completed Bioshock 2 for the first time the other night and I thought it was excellent. The weakest of the three? Maybe, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t amazing in its own right. I feel like it was simply overshadowed by Bioshock 1, and this caused people to overlook it. The other underrated sequel I’m currently in the middle of is Dragon Age 2. I think I’m in the final “chapter,” so have played through maybe 2/3 of it. A lot of people seem to really hate this game, but I can’t see why. Yes, it has a million side quests, and the plot is somewhat “formless,” but these are things that make it feel lifelike and organic to me. What are some sequels you’ve enjoyed a lot which you think have been severely underrated?

Actually, I thought Bioshock 2 was excellent (I just finished it). It lacks some of the "cleverness" of the first game, but the storyline is solid, the locations are cool, you learn a lot more about the history of Rapture--including insights into Bioshock 1, and there were a couple of gameplay elements I liked better as well. I would say it is my least favorite of the three games, but that still makes it an amazing game.

There is never any explanation about the Vigors in Infinite, though it is conceivable that someone could have found the same slugs in that universe. Perhaps the lighthouse marks their location along with being an elevator up to Columbia? I’m going to be playing Minerva’s Den pretty soon. Then Infinite again, then Burial at Sea. I’m super stoked about Minerva’s Den since I’ve heard so much about it.

Those were both gorgeous, thank you both for sharing!

I'm almost positive the severing of the bond results in insanity or coma. In fact, on one of the many occasions near the end that Lamb sends a bunch of splicers to kill Delta, she says "at least you'll escape the legacy of the Big Daddies" or something like that. Although, considering he just wakes up in another Vita Chamber if he dies in the attack, her line makes little sense.

I'm glad you are enjoying them! I'm excited to play the Minerva's Den DLC next which goes with Bioshock 2. Then I'll replay Infinite and finally get around to the Burial at Sea DLC.

On this thread, @skyfire and @kingpotato and I were talking about the idea of a Bioshock movie, and what we'd want from one. We all agreed that what would be most interesting would feasibly be a story about Rapture, but maybe not an adaptation of Bioshock 1 or 2. A different story exploring some other facet of the city's history. Personally, I'd love if our hypothetical, nonexistent film were set before the fall, so that we can see what Rapture was like at its height. What would you want from a Bioshock film?

A movie about Rapture might be a good opportunity to show the city before the fall, which is something I think a lot of players would be excited about.

*****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."