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[Overboost]

I didn't even notice Shiny Happy People was in the game until I saw it in the credits. That cover is way too different from the original to be instantly recognizable. Still, cool that it's in there.

Original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCQ0vDAbF7s

Infinite version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aH4o-VblLg

 

[Deleted member 80556]

I really like the Handyman dialogue.

"Turn me off! Please!"

"Look away!"

So sad

I hope that either the DLC or a possible 2K Marin sequel issue them better, they seem to be so misunderstood. They're kinda like Frankestein. And while the Big Daddies are also obligated to live like that, they're not aware of their misery, the Handyman remembers its former life, which makes it sad.

Going back to Rapture and hearing "Beyond the Sea" gave me chills. Did not expect that.

Me too, I stood still while Songbird drowned and when I saw a Big Daddy with a Little Sister my jaw dropped. And then that nice song!

 

[ayze82]

I just finished playing my initial run of Bioshock, on 1999 mode, and I have to say I don't understand why this game is a 95. I will admit it looks beautiful, but the game play is so monotonous. Constantly the combat setup is 3 - 5 humans, add a rocket human, escalate to a fireman, drop in a patriot, call in the handyman. Rinse and repeat. Every time you walk into an arena with 2 overlapping sky rails expect the same exact battle. Constantly to create "difficulty" they take away your abilities. For instance handy man not being affected by multiple vigor's and then shocking the player off the sky rail. In the arena outside chen lin's workshop, they literally turn off the wall hooks so that you can't move through the area quickly. Reviewers and gamers a like have hounded games recently for running the player around like an errand boy, yet have no problem with that in Bioshock. In 1999 you lose money every time you die. It wouldn't be that big of a deal, except they take your money, spawn you at half health, and routinely do not place you in a safe area. Several times I was spawned in with an enemy behind me and was killed without even knowing I was in danger. The difficulty settings are purely a variable slider increasing hit points and armor. I know that some people love cryptic time paradox stories, and its worthless to argue whether it is crap, but why the racism? What purpose did it serve to the story other than to cheaply illicit an emotion. Would the story have been any different had the vox merely been the poor working man. The entire theme of the story is that you have no choice and are completely controlled by destiny. This is constantly shoved down the players throat by forcing the player to do things they might never chose to do and yet everyone celebrates this. To me Bioshock 1 is far superior to Infinite in the way it creates an illusion of choice, and crafts a world that doesn't feel like a makeshift Disneyland ride.

 

[Hamlet Machine]

The entire theme of the story is that you have no choice and are completely controlled by destiny. This is constantly shoved down the players throat by forcing the player to do things they might never chose to do and yet everyone celebrates this.

It's an allegory of video games

 

[zkylon]

I really like the Handyman dialogue.

"Turn me off! Please!"

"Look away!"

So sad

personally I found them to be a bit cheesy. like the big daddies were sad without being so in your face (though crying little girls calling for their dead "daddy" is a bit crass), just from their looks, how slowly and heavy they looked, the "crying" sound they made, and their protective functions in the world.

the backstory behind the handymen is actually pretty cool, and all the voxaphones are also good, but they in general just seem a bit ridiculous jumping all over while screaming "pleaseeee".

I dunno, all the "heavy hitters" in the game are criminally underdeveloped.

tons of dlc potential tho

 

[Messypandas]

was the conceit of being knocked out and running towards Elizabeth only for her to be decades older used in a sci-fi or something? I can't help but feel i've seen that used before.

 

[Captainsweatpants]

personally I found them to be a bit cheesy. like the big daddies were sad without being so in your face (though crying little girls calling for their dead "daddy" is a bit crass), just from their looks, how slowly and heavy they looked, the "crying" sound they made, and their protective functions in the world.

the backstory behind the handymen is actually pretty cool, and all the voxaphones are also good, but they in general just seem a bit ridiculous jumping all over while screaming "pleaseeee".

I dunno, all the "heavy hitters" in the game are criminally underdeveloped.

tons of dlc potential tho

Oh God, I hope there is DLC, Oh man, Oh god, Oh man, Oh god.

 

[The Librarian]

Hi, all! So I'm here in the spoiler thread. Anyway, I have a question: Did Booker get killed when he got baptized upon arriving at Columbia? I can't figure it out.

 

[Guevara]

Hi, all! So I'm here in the spoiler thread. Anyway, I have a question: Did Booker get killed when he got baptized upon arriving at Columbia? I can't figure it out.

Nope. He doesn't lose any money but he does wake up with reduced health.

 

[Trigger]

Hi, all! So I'm here in the spoiler thread. Anyway, I have a question: Did Booker get killed when he got baptized upon arriving at Columbia? I can't figure it out.

We've debated this. It's up to you, but my answer is no.

So i just finished the story and have read some explanations for it. So Booker becomes Comstock after a baptization for his actions at Wounded Knee, and creates Columbia, and Monument Island to protect Anna/Elizabeth...

But where does this extreme nationalism come from? Why is Columbia a theocracy? And why do they have racial laws and such? I havent read an explanation for that.

Columbia is a theocracy because a very religious man with sci-fi tech prophet formed it. I'd like to think the extreme nationalism and racism is a product of Columbians being cutoff from America as a whole. They're far less susceptible to social change given how tightly Comstock controls things.

 

[Estocolmo]

So i just finished the story and have read some explanations for it. So Booker becomes Comstock after a baptization for his actions at Wounded Knee, and creates Columbia, and Monument Island to protect Anna/Elizabeth...

But where does this extreme nationalism come from? Why is Columbia a theocracy? And why do they have racial laws and such? I havent read an explanation for that.

 

[kirblar]

The entire game feels like a theme park ride, for better or worse. It's pretty obvious where Levine's getting his storytelling visual aids from.

He's also mentioned that building the world was by building a Theme Park, because you couldn't let any of the "seams" show.

 

[zkylon]

Oh God, I hope there is DLC, Oh man, Oh god, Oh man, Oh god.

uhh

 

[FluxWaveZ]

Turns out, the Season Pass was just a way to give Irrational more money and there's not going to be any DLC.

 

[HammerOfThor]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qXDOejdids


Ahahahahahahaaaaa.

Not gonna lie, I had a similar response when it happened to me lol.

 

[The Librarian]

Before I finished the game I was thinking that, with the idea of multiverses in mind, I thought Songbird would somehow end up being Booker.

I was wrong, but I had the right idea.

 

[sn00zer]

Before I finished the game I was thinking that, with the idea of multiverses in mind, I thought Songbird would somehow end up being Booker.

I was wrong, but I had the right idea.

Not entirely out of the question

 

[The Librarian]

My idea was built around Songbird's and Booker's roles throughout the game. They both are out to protect Elizabeth, just in different ways.

 

[Trigger]

Not entirely out of the question

A reveal in a Songbird DLC!

Believe!

 

[DatDude]

So i just finished the story and have read some explanations for it. So Booker becomes Comstock after a baptization for his actions at Wounded Knee, and creates Columbia, and Monument Island to protect Anna/Elizabeth...

But where does this extreme nationalism come from? Why is Columbia a theocracy? And why do they have racial laws and such? I havent read an explanation for that.

It's explained in the OP

The extreme nationalism comes from Booker himself. He was a huge patriot himself (maybe not in the normal sense), and this was shown clearly by all of his murders at wounded knee.

They have racial laws..again it's in the op..comstock justifies racism since religion justifies it.

 

[DatDude]

I just finished playing my initial run of Bioshock, on 1999 mode, and I have to say I don't understand why this game is a 95. I will admit it looks beautiful, but the game play is so monotonous. Constantly the combat setup is 3 - 5 humans, add a rocket human, escalate to a fireman, drop in a patriot, call in the handyman. Rinse and repeat. Every time you walk into an arena with 2 overlapping sky rails expect the same exact battle. Constantly to create "difficulty" they take away your abilities. For instance handy man not being affected by multiple vigor's and then shocking the player off the sky rail. In the arena outside chen lin's workshop, they literally turn off the wall hooks so that you can't move through the area quickly. Reviewers and gamers a like have hounded games recently for running the player around like an errand boy, yet have no problem with that in Bioshock. In 1999 you lose money every time you die. It wouldn't be that big of a deal, except they take your money, spawn you at half health, and routinely do not place you in a safe area. Several times I was spawned in with an enemy behind me and was killed without even knowing I was in danger. The difficulty settings are purely a variable slider increasing hit points and armor. I know that some people love cryptic time paradox stories, and its worthless to argue whether it is crap, but why the racism? What purpose did it serve to the story other than to cheaply illicit an emotion. Would the story have been any different had the vox merely been the poor working man. The entire theme of the story is that you have no choice and are completely controlled by destiny. This is constantly shoved down the players throat by forcing the player to do things they might never chose to do and yet everyone celebrates this. To me Bioshock 1 is far superior to Infinite in the way it creates an illusion of choice, and crafts a world that doesn't feel like a makeshift Disneyland ride.

1. It's 1 95 because it's a damn good game, even with it's flaws

2. Sounds like you should've played on Medium and just not have worried about the combat. I tried playing 1999 mode on my original playthrough, and stopped after 20 minutes. It was a horrible, unfun experience for me. Couldn't really enjoy any of the atmosphere nor narrative of the world.

3. The racism is portrayed in a symbolic sense. The city and it's conflicts are a metaphorical representation of the man who booker is/was (someone who is racist and a murder of other ethnicities). Think how Silent Hill was a town, but was also a representation of the character as well.

 

[Deleted member 80556]

Son of a gun...

(From the Irrational forums)

 

[The Librarian]

I can't see shit, captain!

 

[Ricker]

Phew...finally beat that damn battle when you can use Songbird and protect that core before the awesome ending...took me about 5 tries on normal hehe...went through the OP,some nice stuff there.

The old Liz in the getting destroyed New York was an incredible scene,wow,I just stood there and looked all around for a few minutes,amazing...loved those Tears song that played also,that was a nice touch.

Didn't really see in the FAQ in the OP about the choice where you have to pick between helping the black couple or the white guy...I saved the black couple but can you actually help in killing or be against them? does that change the story part about that black leader of the Union or something in the middle of the game?...

Anyway,I loved it,although I still liked Bioshock 1 more,Infinite is still a great game that I might replay soon...I was one who had a lot of the stuttering issues,I managed to get the game playing smoothly only about halfway through,so it will be nice to start with a clean playthrough as it was really bothering me at first and took away some of my immersion in the game.

 

[TheChillyAcademic]

A reveal in a Songbird DLC!

Believe!

MUST HAVE

That being said I was ABSOLUTELY convinced Songbird was Lady Comstock.

 

[kylej]

Do we know the importance of the lines on the map in the lighthouse?

 

[pringles]

Do we know the importance of the lines on the map in the lighthouse?

I'm not sure but could it be the route Columbia flies around? Think there was a "docking schedule" or something right next to the map, with city names and dates/times on it.

 

[Nori Chan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qXDOejdids


Ahahahahahahaaaaa.

Yeah that freaked me out too loo

 

[sn00zer]

I'm not sure but could it be the route Columbia flies around? Think there was a "docking schedule" or something right next to the map, with city names and dates/times on it.

This is what I assumed it was

 

[The Librarian]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qXDOejdids


Ahahahahahahaaaaa.

That part didn't scare me because I had guessed that if there was any way the game was going to scare me, it was going to be something like that. So I knew as soon as I entered that creepy area, this would be the part people talked about getting scared. When I pulled that lever I said to myself, "He's behind me, isn't he?" ....I was right!

 

[Estocolmo]

The entire theme of the story is that you have no choice and are completely controlled by destiny. This is constantly shoved down the players throat by forcing the player to do things they might never chose to do and yet everyone celebrates this

No you are wrong. There are actually some choices you must make in order to progress.

Also. How come the Vox uses Handymen and patriots for their own cause? In the end there were plenty of Washington Patriots trying to destroy the Core, used by the Vox.

 

[pargonta]

I'd like to note that going into Finkton docks on a second playthrough was a very special experience.

the metronome ticking through chopin blaring from the speakers being held up by mosquitos... the essence of time and rhythm coursing throughout that whole location.

You work, you eat, you sleep. simplicity is beauty...

in my first play through it didnt mean much but for some reason the second time through i absolutely loved it.

one of my favorite parts.

 

[The Librarian]

Two questions:

1. How does Comstock know about "Bring us the girl and wipe away the debt"?
2. Why was Monument Island abandoned by time Booker arrived?

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

Glad I'm not the only one that thought the whole "no I fear you" line was anticlimactic when it came back up in the end.

Yeah that line is much more interesting at the beginning of the game.

Hi, all! So I'm here in the spoiler thread. Anyway, I have a question: Did Booker get killed when he got baptized upon arriving at Columbia? I can't figure it out.

Dax you beat it!
What did you think?

Two questions:

1. How does Comstock know about "Bring us the girl and wipe away the debt"?
2. Why was Monument Island abandoned by time Booker arrived?

1) Do you mean how did Comstock know Booker was in debt in order to exploit him? He knew that from the Luteces but specifically the "Bring Us the Girl and Wipe Away the Debt" was a creation of Bookers mind trying to rectify both realities. If your wondering how did he know about Booker in general he saw him through the machine and no doubt the Luteces as well which is why he plotted their death.

2) Being close to Elizabeth and the Siphon was causing terrible effects in people. Cancer, deaths and so on. The Island was quarantined off as her power grew and grew which took a significant leap after her first menstruation.

 

[pargonta]

Two questions:

1. How does Comstock know about "Bring us the girl and wipe away the debt"?
2. Why was Monument Island abandoned by time Booker arrived?

for 2... i believe the syphon was failing/she was getting too powerful/too hazardous for peoples health/evacuation.

for 1... does he? if he does reference that specific line.. then i guess the luteces told him/memory bleed with booker/tear vision prophecy.

 

[Divvy]

Two questions:

1. How does Comstock know about "Bring us the girl and wipe away the debt"?
2. Why was Monument Island abandoned by time Booker arrived?

1. Comstock saw through his tears that you were coming or something, can't remember the exact details

2. The scientists studying Liz were worried that once she entered puberty, her emotions would cause her to become attached to anyone around her resulting in unintended consequences, so they effectively isolated her.

 

[Varna]

They could have had a bunch of Patriots protecting her... First time I played through the game I thought the whole thing was a trap. Your most valuable asset and you protect with... absolutely nothing?

 

[WatTsu]

1. Comstock saw through his tears that you were coming or something, can't remember the exact details

2. The scientists studying Liz were worried that once she entered puberty, her emotions would cause her to become attached to anyone around her resulting in unintended consequences, so they effectively isolated her.

I thought it was also no longer a safe working environment due to the equipment/tears/etc.?

 

[Trigger]

The Luteces cleared out the area in a big gun fight. Those two are pretty damn gangsta.

 

[Karried]

So why didn't Elizabeth try to kill him all the previous 123 times Booker went to Colombia?

Why was this trip special? Why was it during this trip they went through the different tears (or do they do that in all the previous 123 visits too?)

Why was it this time Old Elizabeth decided to give Booker the song to tame Songbird?

Why/what makes this trip different, even though it's been repeated so many times, what made Elizabeth show Booker the reality after Songbird destroyed the Tower?

If there's infinite alternate universes, shouldn't Elizabeth stop/kill all the Booker's? She only killed one Booker in one universe, so the other still exist, no, to go on and become Comstock.

 

[Jack Scofield]

Yah, I'm still not quite sure how Comstock knows Booker is coming to Columbia. I know it's covered in the OP (which is great, by the way), but I'm still confused. If Comstock saw Booker's arrival through a tear, doesn't that just mean that he was looking into another dimension and not the future? In that dimension Booker comes for Elizabeth. Why does Comstock assume the same thing would happen in his?

Hell, there are a billion Bookers doing a billion different things in a billion universes. Why does Comstock assume that the Booker in his universe will do the exact thing he just witnessed in another dimension? Comestock knows he isn't seeing the future, just one of an infinite amount of possible outcomes.

 

[kurahador]

So why didn't Elizabeth try to kill him all the previous 123 times Booker went to Colombia?

Why was this trip special? Why was it during this trip they went through the different tears (or do they do that in all the previous 123 visits too?)

Why was it this time Old Elizabeth decided to give Booker the song to tame Songbird?

Why/what makes this trip different, even though it's been repeated so many times, what made Elizabeth show Booker the reality after Songbird destroyed the Tower?

If there's infinite alternate universes, shouldn't Elizabeth stop/kill all the Booker's? She only killed one Booker in one universe, so the other still exist, no, to go on and become Comstock.

The syphon got destroyed...that's the BIG difference.

 

[Karried]

The syphon got destroyed...that's the BIG different.

But why on the 123 trip?! What was so special about this trip...the events unfolded 100% the same, no matter what all 122 trips, what was so dramatically different about this trip, that caused the revelation of old Liz to give Booker the song, etc.

 

[Neiteio]

Second playthrough photo safari continues: Leaving Soldier's Field, visiting secrets like the hidden Vox room along the way, and heading into Fink Manufacturing, with a focus on signage and unique architectural details.

To see my Hall of Heroes shots, click here.

 

[FluxWaveZ]

But why on the 123 trip?! What was so special about this trip...the events unfolded 100% the same, no matter what all 122 trips, what was so dramatically different about this trip, that caused the revelation of old Liz to give Booker the song, etc.

No, on the other trips he failed. They didn't unfold 100% the same because on the others, he dies a horrible death or something. It's why the Luteces practically made a game out of it with their meddling and little greenboard.

At least, that's what I understand. They could have made a game of trip #67 where Booker dies during his first fight with a Handyman but that wouldn't have been too great.

Yah, I'm still not quite sure how Comstock knows Booker is coming to Columbia. I know it's covered in the OP (which is great, by the way), but I'm still confused. If Comstock saw Booker's arrival through a tear, doesn't that just mean that he was looking into another dimension and not the future? In that dimension Booker comes for Elizabeth. Why does Comstock assume the same thing would happen in his?

Hell, there are a billion Bookers doing a billion different things in a billion universes. Why does Comstock assume that the Booker in his universe will do the exact thing he just witnessed in another dimension? Comestock knows he isn't seeing the future, just one of an infinite amount of possible outcomes.

Good point. I understand the Fink brothers taking technology and other elements from tears, but I'm not sure how prophecies would work since tears are not necessarily representative of the future.

lol

 

[Trigger]

But why on the 123 trip?! What was so special about this trip...the events unfolded 100% the same, no matter what all 122 trips, what was so dramatically different about this trip, that caused the revelation of old Liz to give Booker the song, etc.

Nothing really. That's just how the events panned out.

 

[bodyofanamerican]

Was standing looking at Monument Island at the very beginning right after the coin flip and overheard two guys talking about how "immigrants used to have to pass through there before entering the city." Never clicked that Monument Island was an angelic Statue of Liberty before hearing that.

 

[Spring-Loaded]

I don't have the game anymore; why's it called 1999 mode? Does Elizabeth open a tear to the release of Phantom Menace after using tears to see the other Star Wars movies and is then distraught, in turn causing her to alter reality in a way that makes everything harder for Booker?

 

[Trigger]

I don't have the game anymore; why's it called 1999 mode? Does Elizabeth open a tear to the release of Phantom Menace after using tears to see the other Star Wars movies and is then distraught, in turn causing her to alter reality in a way that makes everything harder for Booker?

It's a reference to older PC games.

RPS: Why are you calling it 1999 Mode instead of simply ‘hard’ or ‘ultra’ or something like that?

Ken Levine: In terms of figuring out the name of the mode, we already had difficulty levels in there, but they don’t really change the way you play the game. That’s more how committed are you and what level of challenge you want. This, you really have to play the game differently – but again, the last thing I want to do is oversell this, because I don’t want people thinking “oh my god, two games in one, Irrational spent 40 years making this…”

It is a difference in balance, a difference in specialisation, a difference in how you die, and there are a few new Nostrums to support it, and really does make a profoundly different experience. If someone selected it expecting a traditional BioShock experience, I think they’d be surprised and confused and dismayed, because they’re going to have to make decisions. They might get really stuck and have to go back to a savegame.

x

 

[Karried]

Ok, so at which point in the game (if assuming the events unfolded differently on 123rd trip) did Booker actually could control his own fate?