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whoisKeel

08-22-2007, 09:50 PM

...

EDIT - And that widescreen glitch, I have yet to run into it. And in 1080i, this game is just so purdy! ;)

From what I heard it was just that the widescreen version was a cropped 4:3 image. That is, they just cropped off the top/bottom of the 4:3 picture (whereas normally they would cut off the sides of a 16:9 picture to fit a 4:3). I don't think this is anything you would normally notice unless you played the game a fair bit on a 4:3 TV or saw all the pictures on the internet. Now I'm not actually playing on a 16:9, so I can't say for positive, but I seriously doubt the widescreen version feels so cramped that you'd be able to tell without hearing about it first (judging by screenshot comparisons).

diskoboy

08-22-2007, 10:02 PM

From what I heard it was just that the widescreen version was a cropped 4:3 image. That is, they just cropped off the top/bottom of the 4:3 picture (whereas normally they would cut off the sides of a 16:9 picture to fit a 4:3). I don't think this is anything you would normally notice unless you played the game a fair bit on a 4:3 TV or saw all the pictures on the internet. Now I'm not actually playing on a 16:9, so I can't say for positive, but I seriously doubt the widescreen version feels so cramped that you'd be able to tell without hearing about it first (judging by screenshot comparisons).

I just read that today.

"They're working on it" is what 2k is saying.

evil_genius

08-23-2007, 12:44 AM

-hellvin-

08-23-2007, 06:33 AM

I am have severe problems with the game. It keeps skipping, the sound and video when alot of shit is going on. I exchanged the disc and it still happens. Does this sound like a problem with my console to you guys?

Yes, ocassionally my sound will cut out but not any kind of skipping, nothing I'd call severe that I've seen so far. The biggest problems with the sound on my end are occasionally certain things will just disappear, ie: the clicking of the pipes while hacking.

Running through hard mode at the moment after beating normal. Harvesting all the little sisters this time, doesn't really seem to be a huge advantage in ADAM IMHO, especially with the teddy bear trade off for saving them. The only thing giving my headaches is of course the big daddies...that is until I got the crossbow. For a while I was using the grenade launcher which works well but TRAP BOLTS FTW. Lay five of those suckers and lure mr bubbles right through ;D. Incendiary Bolts do an extreme amount of damage to Big Daddies as well, I think more than the grenade launcher even. Standard Bolts are just as kick ass although I havent used any against BD's yet.

Damn...wish I didn't ignore that weapon in normal now, lol....

gepeto

08-23-2007, 07:37 AM

Yes, ocassionally my sound will cut out but not any kind of skipping, nothing I'd call severe that I've seen so far. The biggest problems with the sound on my end are occasionally certain things will just disappear, ie: the clicking of the pipes while hacking.

Running through hard mode at the moment after beating normal. Harvesting all the little sisters this time, doesn't really seem to be a huge advantage in ADAM IMHO, especially with the teddy bear trade off for saving them. The only thing giving my headaches is of course the big daddies...that is until I got the crossbow. For a while I was using the grenade launcher which works well but TRAP BOLTS FTW. Lay five of those suckers and lure mr bubbles right through ;D. Incendiary Bolts do an extreme amount of damage to Big Daddies as well, I think more than the grenade launcher even. Standard Bolts are just as kick ass although I havent used any against BD's yet.

Damn...wish I didn't ignore that weapon in normal now, lol....

Bioshock is alot like system shock 2 where alot of scary so called background sound is used to freak peopl out it might be the speaker system I use a creative one and man all different sounds come out of them sorta like a left right rear thing. maybe a sound channel.

Schlabayzell

08-23-2007, 08:27 AM

Best. Game. Ever. Or at the very least, one of the.

heybtbm

08-23-2007, 09:14 AM

Well, I got my 360 to turn on long enough to boot up Bioshock (get my hopes up) and then lock up again on the "start new game" screen. Some things weren't meant to be, I guess.

diskoboy

08-23-2007, 07:15 PM

Billy Idol - White Wedding.

Am I the only one that likes to play this song when he goes up against a little sister/big daddy?? :)

portnoyd

08-24-2007, 07:30 PM

This forum does not have spoiler tags so I will refrain from reading the rest of the thread...

But this game is fucking art. GOTY hands down. A crime this won't be the best selling game of the year either. I didn't think it was possible to make System Shock 2 better... but they did it.

heybtbm

08-24-2007, 09:17 PM

But this game is fucking art. GOTY hands down. A crime this won't be the best selling game of the year either.

A FPS that has no multiplayer component doesn't deserve GOTY. No matter how good it is. Plain and simple.

Watch the latest video preview of Call of Duty 4 over at IGN, and tell me Bioshock is still "GOTY hands down".

diskoboy

08-24-2007, 09:28 PM

A FPS that has no multiplayer component doesn't deserve GOTY. No matter how good it is. Plain and simple.

Watch the latest video preview of Call of Duty 4 over at IGN, and tell me Bioshock is still "GOTY hands down".

STRONGLY disagree.

Multiplayer doesn't necessarily make or break a game.... I've been hearing so many complaints about this game lacking multiplayer. it's actually starting to piss me off. We've probably all been playing games long before there was even an internet, it's amazing how fast everyone has become so spoiled on it... I barely ever play multiplayer.

Since when did there become this unwritten law that every game on the face of the planet has to have online multiplayer? IMO, playing online would be the same old deathmatches found in every other FPS known to man. Not to mention the plethora of immature 12-year-olds that completely destroy the experience.

geneshifter

08-24-2007, 11:00 PM

A FPS that has no multiplayer component doesn't deserve GOTY. No matter how good it is. Plain and simple.

Watch the latest video preview of Call of Duty 4 over at IGN, and tell me Bioshock is still "GOTY hands down".

I have to disagree also. A lot of FPS multiplayer modes are all the same thing. I'm currently playing in the CoD4 multiplayer beta and, though I can't say anything specific. I can tell you that it's a lot of the same with some extra stuff added on top. Not that big a deal. For me, I've had the best multiplayer experiences with BF2 on PC and R6:Vegas on the 360. Those games truly offered something unique that made playing multiplayer fun. But, to say that a game without multiplayer cannot be GOTY is crazy talk. Most games suck at MP anyways. Plus, the single player experience in Bioshock is one of the best of all time IMO.

MegaDrive20XX

08-24-2007, 11:10 PM

Lothars

08-25-2007, 04:30 AM

A FPS that has no multiplayer component doesn't deserve GOTY. No matter how good it is. Plain and simple.

Watch the latest video preview of Call of Duty 4 over at IGN, and tell me Bioshock is still "GOTY hands down".

I disagree with you, because Multiplayer for the most part doesn't determine how good a game is, it helps but if the game has a decent Singleplayer and a great Multiplayer versus a Fantastic Singleplayer game

To say that an FPS needs a multiplayer component and if it doesn't have it than it's taken out of the running? that's garbage and pretty bias IMO

Lothars

08-25-2007, 04:36 AM

Since when did there become this unwritten law that every game on the face of the planet has to have online multiplayer? IMO, playing online would be the same old deathmatches found in every other FPS known to man. Not to mention the plethora of immature 12-year-olds that completely destroy the experience.

honestly I would be more happy if alot more games contained no online multiplayer for many games it's not required and shouldn't matter but it's thrown in because it's supposedly "required" which is bullshit.

I can understand games like Halo 3 and COD 4 have multiplayer but a game like Bioshock doesn't need it, especially since it seems like Multiplayer would have been thrown in and been crap which would of hurt such an outstanding game.

Lord_Magus

08-25-2007, 08:36 AM

I think heybtbm is confused. That's the only reason I can find for anyone to mention Bioshock and Call of Duty in the same sentence.

Just because Bioshock is played from a first person perspective, many people make the mistake of slapping the generic FPS tag on it - the same exact thing happened with Metroid Prime. If anything, if Bioshock had a multiplayer option it would definitely feel like a tacked on afterthought (Metroid Prime Echoes anyone?), and playing online against immature kids shouting "PWNED!!1!" at every chance they get could potentially even ruin the game's unique atmosphere. For this reason, I'm actually *happy* that Bioshock didn't choose the "me too" route and add multiplayer just for the sake of it.

heybtbm

08-25-2007, 09:26 AM

I think heybtbm is confused.

Oh, I'll admit to that.

I guess I should be more specific. What I'm referring to when I mentioned "multiplayer" is overall value. I agree 100% with the people that dislike "tacked on" multiplayer components. Prey, F.E.A.R, The Darkness...those games have terrible multiplayer and really add nothing to the experience.

However by applying the same logic, other games with a robust multiplayer component deserve extra credit for going beyond their single player experience and transforming into something truly great (Rainbow Six: Vegas, Call of Duty, BF2:MC, Ghost Recon). These are games that you can play for 100's of hours online. How many times can you play through Bioshock? Quite a few it sounds like, but certainly not enough times to equal 100 - 200 hours.

In a nutshell, I'm saying that great games that achieve this extra bit of value should be the only titles worthy of GOTY. I'm not saying Bioshock needs multiplayer...it can obviously stand on its own (and then some). BUT...there is simply too much competition out there that has quality mulitiplayer and will be just as good (or at least close) in the single player department. Remember, there can only be one GOTY. I'm not saying Bioshock isn't going to be 2nd or 3rd.

diskoboy

08-25-2007, 01:03 PM

I finished this game last night around 12am

6 hours day 1, 3.5 day 2, and then 1.5 day 3. The ending? Well depending on what I did...is what effected it the most....my thoughts? I'm going to have to play through this again because I missed ALOT. I was more focused on the depth storyline than the actual exploration of it all. So 2nd run should begin sometime next week. Overall, amazing game by far.

I beat it last night, too, but I spent a good time exploring and taking pictures. Getting ready to go back through again on hard. The ending (At least the ending I got...) kind of left more questions than it did awnsers. Especially the very last couple of seconds.

But thats what sequels are for. :)

And after playing this, I have the sudden urge to read Atlas Shrugged.... I can't imagine why.

evil_genius

08-25-2007, 07:28 PM

Oh, I'll admit to that.

I guess I should be more specific. What I'm referring to when I mentioned "multiplayer" is overall value. I agree 100% with the people that dislike "tacked on" multiplayer components. Prey, F.E.A.R, The Darkness...those games have terrible multiplayer and really add nothing to the experience.

However by applying the same logic, other games with a robust multiplayer component deserve extra credit for going beyond their single player experience and transforming into something truly great (Rainbow Six: Vegas, Call of Duty, BF2:MC, Ghost Recon). These are games that you can play for 100's of hours online. How many times can you play through Bioshock? Quite a few it sounds like, but certainly not enough times to equal 100 - 200 hours.

In a nutshell, I'm saying that great games that achieve this extra bit of value should be the only titles worthy of GOTY. I'm not saying Bioshock needs multiplayer...it can obviously stand on its own (and then some). BUT...there is simply too much competition out there that has quality mulitiplayer and will be just as good (or at least close) in the single player department. Remember, there can only be one GOTY. I'm not saying Bioshock isn't going to be 2nd or 3rd.

Kill yourself.

MegaDrive20XX

08-26-2007, 01:59 AM

I beat it last night, too, but I spent a good time exploring and taking pictures. Getting ready to go back through again on hard. The ending (At least the ending I got...) kind of left more questions than it did awnsers. Especially the very last couple of seconds.

But thats what sequels are for. :)

And after playing this, I have the sudden urge to read Atlas Shrugged.... I can't imagine why.

I just finished it a 2nd time tonight and the new ending I got was MUCH MUCH better compared to the one I recently recieved.

-hellvin-

08-26-2007, 05:27 AM

Kill yourself.

Damn...that seems a little harsh, I don't think his post really deserved that?? Must have missed something...

Anyhow, after finishing this game twice I must say it's been probably the most fun filled and gripping game I've played in a LONG, LONG time. I think the game could do very well with Co-op, much the same way System Shock 2 did, which was added quite a while after it's release. Double teaming Big Daddies would be so sweet ;D.

I'm quite sad I've already blown through all 1000 gamerpoints for the game already and done both endings. I absolutely hope we see some kind of new additional content for this game in this distant future! Now I'm gonna have to satisfy my craving for more with some co-op system shock 2. I've gone through it with one friend before, and would love to get 4 of my friends together to play ;D.

heybtbm

08-26-2007, 11:00 AM

I'm quite sad I've already blown through all 1000 gamerpoints for the game already

What were the hardest achievements? Just curious.

portnoyd

08-26-2007, 11:31 AM

heybtbm

08-26-2007, 02:16 PM

I figure other's replies have said what I feel about heybtbm's response to my post, but yeah... CoD4? Lol. Come on. Just as Bioshock doesn't have multiplayer, CoD4 won't 'have' a single player.

As Lord_Magus said, mentioning Bioshock, a well crafted, beautiful story in the same sentence as Call of Duty, a feable attempt to cash in on a series that has worn itself out, is a crime.

Please.

It's frustrating how some people only read what they want in post meanwhile completely ignoring what is actually typed in front of their eyes. I can just see a bunch of people with their lower lips sticking out, shaking their fists at their computer monitors.

"He's slamming Bioshock...I'll show him!"

I think some of you need to relax.

I never once compared Call of Duty 4 with Bioshock. I never said Call of Duty 4 is better than Bioshock. Other posters are the ones that inferred a comparison between the two. Slamming CoD4 doesn't offend me. I just used CoD4 as an example of an awesome upcoming game that has the potential to be GOTY, just like Bioshock. I enjoy multiplayer FPS and think single player FPS get boring and stale too quickly. I like human opponents more than AI. These are OPINIONS (gasp). How does that warrant personal attacks?

Sothy

08-26-2007, 03:27 PM

Bioshock should have a kart racer game in the options.
How can you not have unlockable go karts and still be a good game?

I give it a 2.4 out of 15

-hellvin-

08-26-2007, 03:42 PM

What were the hardest achievements? Just curious.

Probably:

Historian
Weapon Specialist
Lucky Winner

Historian was pretty tough, but nowhere near impossible. There's an EXCELLENT guide at www.xbox.com that will show you where the ones you're missing are. The only three you can miss are:

The two at the demo portion of the game
Suchong - Vita Chamber...this one is in Hepheaustus core, and is a in the big room before the small room you fall into which has two you CAN NOT miss.

Weapon Specialist is hard, because if you do something in the game I'd rather not spoil, you can't get into a certain room with the last weapon upgrade. Finding the room is also a secret achievement. Hope those weren't too much of spoilers ;D.

Lucky Winner isn't at all hard, just a bit tedious. It took me three reloads of 150 bucks to finally hit it.

diskoboy

08-26-2007, 03:54 PM

Lucky Winner isn't at all hard, just a bit tedious. It took me three reloads of 150 bucks to finally hit it.

I got that one on my 3rd try.

-hellvin-

08-26-2007, 04:20 PM

I got that one on my 3rd try.

Ugh, I read a thread on another forum where most the people were like, "yeah, it only took me five spins!"

Me...HUNDRED

evil_genius

08-26-2007, 06:55 PM

Does anybody know of anywhere I can find the locations of all the diaries?

MegaDrive20XX

08-26-2007, 07:35 PM

Ugh, I read a thread on another forum where most the people were like, "yeah, it only took me five spins!"

Me...HUNDRED

17 for me to get the Lucky Winner achievement

Nesmaster

08-26-2007, 11:06 PM

Does anybody know of anywhere I can find the locations of all the diaries?

http://forums.xbox.com/14897555/ShowPost.aspx

DP ServBot

08-28-2007, 11:31 AM

Filed under: PC (http://www.joystiq.com/category/pc/), Microsoft Xbox 360 (http://www.joystiq.com/category/xbox360/), Action (http://www.joystiq.com/category/action/), Adventure (http://www.joystiq.com/category/adventure/), First Person Shooters (http://www.joystiq.com/category/firstpersonshooters/), Interviews (http://www.joystiq.com/category/interviews/)

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/08/bioshockrust.jpg (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/joystiq-interviews-bioshocks-ken-levine-about-success-and-harve/)

Earlier we posted some choice moments (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/levine-confirms-no-ps3-bioshock-and-does-mea-culpa-on-pc-issues/) from our interview with BioShock's Lead Designer Ken Levine. Below is the full interview. There's more depth on the tech issues Irrational experienced, Levine's ability (or lack of) to harvest Little Sisters, their experience with the Unreal Engine 3 (http://www.joystiq.com/tag/UE3/) and an awkward moment about BioShock 2.

OK, so what did you want to talk about today in regards to these PC issues on BioShock?

Given the internet and what they are -- with their tubes and all -- I want to sort of talk about the concerns people have. We take the concerns people have very seriously. There's been some concern like, "What happens if it's three years from now, or ten years from now, when I want to play this game. And, you know, Irrational Games has been hit by a meteor?" We will unset the online activation at some point in the future -- we're not talking about when. If people have concern about that they shouldn't be worried about that. This activation is for the early period of the game when it's really hot and there are people really trying to find ways to play the game without buying it. Of course, there are a lot of people who are legitimately trying to play it. We're not trying to be Draconian, we're trying to find a balance.

Now, let's see if we can put this in the simplest terms, this screen thing has taken on a whole life of its own (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/22/levine-responds-to-bioshock-widescreen-issue-sort-of/). The game was designed for widescreen. Instead of doing the normal thing and just chopping off the sides for full screen, you actually added more to the top and bottom so full screen people wouldn't lose anything from the sides -- a very nice thing to do actually. Thus, infuriating the PC owners and almost anyone else with widescreen because how dare you not give them more to see like they're used to. So, now this patch (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/bioshock-pc-patch-other-fixes-on-the-way/) will add in the stuff to the side of the full screen. So, in essence, to use a visual term, this patch just zooms the camera out a little bit to appease PC widescreen owners to give the option of increased field of vision?

We started the game widescreen. We primarily designed it for widescreen. Then we had to ask, "How do we make it full screen." Your options are to put black bars at the top and bottom, keep same width perspective. Or you allow to ... add pixels to the top and the bottom if you can afford the frame rate -- we could. So the call was made to show those few more pixels. Now this is one of those things when you're making a game -- like I was making a game -- honestly, if somebody came from the future and told me this was an issue I would have laughed at them. I would have said, "Are you kidding me?" But that's what's interesting about gamers, they're an interesting and diverse group. Now that I know that there's this huge contingent out there that actually really cares about this, I wouldn't have laughed at them because they're stupid, I would have laughed because I couldn't have imagined that people are passionate about this. And now that we know they're passionate, we have a responsibility to respond to those people and give them what they want. It's their game, they paid money for it, they should be able to play in the way they want to play. We may disagree with them aesthetically, but sure, we'll make a patch and make if work for them.Continue reading Joystiq interviews BioShock's Ken Levine about success and harvesting Little Sisters (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/joystiq-interviews-bioshocks-ken-levine-about-success-and-harve/)

Read | Permalink (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/joystiq-interviews-bioshocks-ken-levine-about-success-and-harve/) | Email this (http://www.joystiq.com/forward/973313/) | Comments (http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/24/joystiq-interviews-bioshocks-ken-levine-about-success-and-harve/#comments)

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Drexel923

08-28-2007, 11:38 AM

Merged in an interview with the Lead Designer. ^^^^^

diskoboy

08-28-2007, 02:46 PM

Did anyone happen to download the games' orchestral score at cult of rapture?

If not.... Go get it!! It's absolutely free! Now if they'd come out with a full soundtrack, with ALL the games music, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Namely just for Bobby Darin and The Ink Spots..

http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/home.html

Anthony1

08-28-2007, 06:01 PM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/pluckylump/MISC/superken01.jpg

AMG

08-28-2007, 06:10 PM

Trebuken

08-28-2007, 06:11 PM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v210/pluckylump/MISC/superken01.jpg

Are they making a sequel to Mystery Men...is that Ben Stiller>>>? :)

Ed Oscuro

08-28-2007, 06:47 PM

So did anyone with a DX10 capable gfx card, pick up the PC version?
Nope, but I have a DX10-native card, a copy of Vista, and the Bioshock beta...unfortunately, not all together because I'm still not sold on installing Vista. So I couldn't apply the super detail textures.

The game still looks utterly amazing, however.

G-Boobie

08-29-2007, 04:14 AM

SPOILERS

Just beat the game for the first time (not the last, for sure\\^_^/), and man....

Does anyone here know what the 'good' ending is? I'm 99 percent sure that I got the good ending, since I only harvested one of the little sisters.

The ending was pretty sweet, and I mean that in both ways. My girlfriend got a little weepy, which was cute.

Next time through, we harvest all the little girls, and nevermind the moral implications.

Ed Oscuro

08-29-2007, 04:23 AM

Does anyone here know what the 'good' ending is? I'm 99 percent sure that I got the good ending, since I only harvested one of the little sisters.
Not as good as it could've been - if you're on 360, you just missed getting a special achievement.

G-Boobie

08-29-2007, 04:38 AM

Dammit. It was totally a button slip, too.

blissfulnoise

08-29-2007, 12:25 PM

Finished BioShock last night. Pretty amazing and certainly the most immersive FPS I've ever played.

But, this whole BioShock as art movement may be a bit misplaced.

Fair warning: Spoilers be ahead

As I see it, there's just too many concessions towards making the player experience more "gamer friendly" to chalk it up as a paragon of games as art. Ammo vending machines, hacking mini-games, and empty moral choices (Harvesting the Little Sisters only results in an ending change and a few different dialog moments at various points, very minor on game impact) all detract from an uncompromised experience the way games like Shadow of the Colossus provide.

The only example of "art" that I think could apply to BioShock is strictly on the aestetics of the environment and the scope. They nailed the art deco style squarely on the head but didn't really do anything new with it other than put it underwater (which is, admittedly, cool). And while the story is pretty amazing and certainly imaginative (Andrew Ryan is one of the most intriguing characters I've ever seen in a game), it really falls flat on its face when the end of the game rolls around. Several story points dropped or left unexplained, escort missions, repetitive enemies, and a stereotypical FPS boss fight at the end of the game that felt TOTALLY out of place.

I think one of the driving forces that qualifies games as "art" is an expressed, or functional, notion that the game is not compromising itself or its objective by pigeonholing itself into established genre cliches for just the sake of making it viable in the marketplace. While I do realize that a lot of the greatest artists in history all did commissioned work for just these purposes (see: The Sistine Chapel), most still refused, or played down, compromises for the sake of their patrons.

I guess in my analogy, we'd, the gaming audience, would be the patrons. But in a game like Shadow of the Colossus or Killer 7, there was a pretty obvious tone that the designers weren't really concerned with shoe-horning their artistic vision into a market established framework. They had a vision and built the game around said vision. Now a lot of times, these visions don’t work out commercially, or even critically, and it’s understandably hard to continually publish games of this nature if they’re not making any money. But, that's the crutch of great art. Sometimes it has to be made for its own sake, and video games should be held to that standard if we're going to throw around the art label. They're admittedly still games, and may have to conform to their own identity, but there's ways of executing that without retreading old ground for the sake of market familiarity. See flOw for example, or even Metal Gear Solid.

BioShock seems to have originally been scoped way bigger than the way it ended up. While the box that it got crammed in is a pretty big one, It’s clear that the first few levels have far more player impact than the last few do. It’s not so much a matter of the game “blowing its load”, but it seems as though the design team just got tired of creating content of a continually high level. This could be due to all the publisher shifts and forcing the game out to meet a deadline, but it has to be taken into consideration.

For example, the Plasmids. After about the 1/3 mark, all further plasmids are just “upgrades” for ones you already have. That just seems lazy. Most tonics also are just “upgrades” from about the half way point on. And most are useless/window dressing. The weapons are all fairly cool, but they definitely are interchangeable outside of a few particular fights. I found myself, like most people, using the shotgun for almost the whole span of the game.

Anyway, I’ll drop off there. The game is definitely one of the best games on the 360 and is a defining experience for the single player FPS, but with the gaming (and non-gaming) press throwing heaps of praise on the game as though it were some sort of videogame second coming, I thought I’d put a bit of it in perspective. It’s worthy of a lot of praise, and Irrational did some amazing work, conceptually and, for the most part, in execution, but unfortunately, it seems as though they missed a lot of opportunities to make BioShock truly legendary by simply falling asleep at the wheel.

evil_genius

08-29-2007, 04:12 PM

^good post

whoisKeel

08-29-2007, 04:19 PM

I agree almost completely with you blissfulnoise (except for using the shotgun). This game is good, real good, but it is not the second coming of video games. If the second half held a candle up to the magic of the first half of the game, it might be a different story. I absolutely hated the ending :(, I felt like I was cheated out of the promise of something more. It is a little disappointing to think that this may be the most innovative game of the year, yet I feel like I've played this game many times before.

Still, I'm on my 2nd play through. The atmosphere of the game is just about perfect.

-hellvin-

08-30-2007, 03:21 AM

I agree almost completely with you blissfulnoise (except for using the shotgun).

Indeed, wrench and crossbow for the win. All you will ever need.

G-Boobie

08-30-2007, 02:18 PM

I agree with BlissfulNoise.

Of course, I still think this is in my top ten of all time list. It's just that the ridiculous hype left me feeling disappointed even when I was blown away.

Bioshock hype backlash in ten...Nine....Eight....

YoshiM

08-30-2007, 02:58 PM

I've got about an hour and a half under my belt with it now. It's been a trip so far. So far it's your standard FPS flair for sure (special powers-check, jumbo sized pockets-check, no feet-check) but it's the visuals, atmosphere and story that draw you in.

Trebuken

09-01-2007, 06:51 PM

I found the Grnade Launcher very useful. Even the proximity mines; they were better than the tripwire bolts...

Great game - which ending is 'the good one'?

G-Boobie

09-01-2007, 08:27 PM

SPOILERS!!!

The 'bringing the little sisters to the surface' is the 'good ending'.

RPG_Fanatic

09-01-2007, 09:55 PM

Bioshock is a great game but EGM gave it all 10's I don't think it's a 10 out of 10

diskoboy

09-05-2007, 11:27 PM

Anyone know what the update was for?

heybtbm

09-06-2007, 10:24 PM

Anyone know what the update was for?

From Major Nelson...

Update improves stability when loading autosaves and overall game stability, corrects audio during title menu loading, and addresses AI behaviors regarding use of health stations.

Sothy

09-07-2007, 12:23 AM

While I do not want to get into the topic of irresponsibility in online enabled games RE: publishers bug fixing after release in order to meet deadlines.....
It is kinda cool to see customer feedback followed up that quickly.

heres a cool side by side of the pre and post ai tweak
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49QYRMH-IdQ

ProgrammingAce

09-07-2007, 02:17 AM

That's substantially better, all the cats before the patch were dead...

Slate

09-07-2007, 12:28 PM

I'm playing through it again so I can get all of the achievements. I have 40/50 right now.

diskoboy

09-07-2007, 01:56 PM

From Major Nelson...

Update improves stability when loading autosaves and overall game stability, corrects audio during title menu loading, and addresses AI behaviors regarding use of health stations.

Damn - I was hoping the Plasmid Pack was coming soon.

FAMOUS

09-09-2007, 07:57 PM

Im having trouble finding the elevator code that your suppost to get from the photographer in his diary, i cant seem to find this diary anywhere? does anyone know the 4 digit code? I think its in Fort Frolic, please help

Graham Mitchell

12-13-2007, 10:46 AM

So, I'm dragging up this old thread because I just got a 360 and this was the only game I bought.

Damn.

I never was much in to FPS's, but this game just called to me with it's stylish presentation. It's brilliant. I absolutely love the sense of humor the game conveys, like the propaganda banners--"Altruism is the Root of Evil", or "ABOVE ALL DO NO HARM" written in blood all over the surgical pavilion. Great game.

But I've got a question, if somebody can help me. This may have been answered in this thread, but I didn't have time to read all 6 pages. (Besides, whoever answers it gets a +1 post!) They mention Xbox Live very vaguely in the manual. I downloaded the plasmid upgrade and I think it forced me to update something, but there is no actual online multiplayer support, is there?

Honestly, it wouldn't bug me all that much if it was just a single player game, simply because the single player game is so darn good.

blissfulnoise

12-13-2007, 11:21 AM

No multiplayer.

Captain Wrong

12-15-2007, 12:47 PM

unwinddesign

12-15-2007, 06:03 PM

Man, I was playing this for a while (on a Mac in Boot Camp, runs great, btw) and once i got past the style and feel of the game, I felt it wasn't that different than a million other FPS. Run a round, find the key, work a stupid puzzle, etc., etc. I was only about three hours in. Did I give up too soon?

The main draw is the story, which I wish people would stop creaming themselves over. Clearly everyone who says the story is so deep and fantastic and intriguing has either never read a book or never played a game with a really deep story. It doesn't even brush up against the somewhat over the top stories of the Final Fantasy series. It has all the intrigue of the Da Vinci Code, which means it's somewhat entertaining, but ultimately retarded. People will still do massive analysis on it, though, because they feel intellectual when playing it.

It's a good game, not amazing, since the actual gameplay is a bit iffy and has a lot of issues (360 version). Don't know if they were truly fixed in the recent patch that was so hyped up, but I haven't really been inclined to check it out again.

When reviewers were comparing it to Deus Ex, I was excited, but it has jack shit on DE, and doesn't even come close to that level of subtlety and mastery. And, on a side note, Ayn Rand is a fucking moron and a bad subject to base a GAME on.

Graham Mitchell

12-15-2007, 07:10 PM

The main draw is the story, which I wish people would stop creaming themselves over. Clearly everyone who says the story is so deep and fantastic and intriguing has either never read a book or never played a game with a really deep story. It doesn't even brush up against the somewhat over the top stories of the Final Fantasy series. It has all the intrigue of the Da Vinci Code, which means it's somewhat entertaining, but ultimately retarded. People will still do massive analysis on it, though, because they feel intellectual when playing it.

It's a good game, not amazing, since the actual gameplay is a bit iffy and has a lot of issues (360 version). Don't know if they were truly fixed in the recent patch that was so hyped up, but I haven't really been inclined to check it out again.

When reviewers were comparing it to Deus Ex, I was excited, but it has jack shit on DE, and doesn't even come close to that level of subtlety and mastery. And, on a side note, Ayn Rand is a fucking moron and a bad subject to base a GAME on.

You know what? I've been spending the last week being absolutely intrigued with this game, and I consider myself a reasonably literate person.

I wouldn't say I feel "intellectual" while playing it, but I definitely feel something. A something I haven't felt since Snatcher. I personally haven't played a game with a backstory this fascinating since playing through that on the Sega CD in '95. There are a lot of neat literary devices at work in the game. My background is in science, so I lack the fancy schmancy lit vocabulary to describe everything, but I'm really enthralled with it.

Really, I hate FPS games for the most part, but the whole aesthetic of Bioshock just draws me in. There is something more to it. I could love any game, regardless of the gameplay, if it was presented in this interesting of a manner.

Also, you might not like the way it's done, and you may have problems with the gameplay and that's valid. But I don't think it's fair to imply that everybody who is moved by this game is a dribbling idiot.

unwinddesign

12-16-2007, 05:25 PM

Graham Mitchell

12-16-2007, 10:17 PM

I don't recall calling anyone an idiot for liking the game. I'm referring to some folks acting as if it's a great literary work or some sort of brilliant story that will be remembered for years.

It's typical sci-fi conspiracy stuff, and if you enjoyed it, good for you. I hated it. I thought it was weak. I thought the performance issues outweighed the appearance of the game. I thought that it was much too linear to really make it intriguing; I knew what was going to happen with the main character, Atlas and the rest of the gang from the start of the game. It was mildly entertaining, like the aforementioned Da Vinci Code, but it's not a classic. Not by a long shot.

What I was saying in my post is NOT that everyone who likes the game is an idiot. If you love it, more power to you. I'm just saying that most of the people who DO love it have missed out on some finer games/works that Bioshock rips off poorly. People are reveling as if Bioshock is a messiah amongst games, a sign that corporate, polished games can still be innovative. I'm disputing that heavily.

But no, no one's an idiot for enjoying the game. If it's your favorite game of all time, you're not an idiot. I just think you're getting screwed if you only delve into Bioshock, and not from where it came from.

The pseudo-intellectual bullshit that people discuss on Gamefaqs and the Bioshock forums, however, still stands as a joke.

It's a fair criticism, and there are plenty of examples in life where I've felt the same way you do about things. But I got chastised too many times for being a jerk about it (I believe Captain Wrong himself put me in my place about a Shenmue/Grand Theft Auto discussion where I said something I'm not too proud of. You never know who you're going to offend.

And if corporate, polished games can't be innovative then how do you explain Hideo Kojima?

As for the influences of Bioshock, well, unfortunately I've never owned a PC capable of playing Deus Ex. Is the version for Xbox any good? I hope it works on a 360... It's a shame that game didn't come out on more machines in the US. I'd really like to try it.

Daft Punk

01-28-2009, 04:48 PM

I recently picked this up for $15 and id say it was money well spent. Main thing I don't like is the repetitive enemies and the way they make you swap weapons and plasmids.
After a few hours im at the guy that wants me to kill people and take pictures of them.

I screwed up and got 200+g worth of achievements on the wrong gamertag so I have to start all over on mine.

Lord_Magus

01-28-2009, 07:28 PM

As for the influences of Bioshock, well, unfortunately I've never owned a PC capable of playing Deus Ex. Is the version for Xbox any good? I hope it works on a 360... It's a shame that game didn't come out on more machines in the US. I'd really like to try it.

Stay away from the console versions of Deus Ex (of course, the same can almost be said about all multiplatform FPSs), but I think the Xbox only got the sequel (titled Invisible War) and not the first one.

The original PC version actually ran on a (heavily modified) version of the Unreal Engine 1, so any PC younger than about 10 years old can play it quite comfortably. The sequel wasn't received equally well, but that's expected when you're trying to follow up the sheer genius that was Deus Ex 1.

So in short: so yourself a huge favor and play Deus Ex. It's easily one of the best games ever made.

EDIT: while you're at it, make sure you also play System Shock II, the "spiritual predecessor" to Bioshock. While not as refined as Deus Ex, it does share a lot of similar game mechanics and was very atmospheric and extremely well-written.

calthaer

01-28-2009, 11:39 PM

Daltone

01-29-2009, 08:56 AM

I got Bioshock when it ws �3 on Steam a couple of months ago. It's very pretty and everything, but it's not doing anything for me. I loved the System Shocks, but his is just not for me. I hate the way that the game controls like an arcade shooter - sensitive mouse, everything zooming around at Q3 speeds. Somehow it just doesn't fit with the look of the game.

G-Boobie

01-30-2009, 12:06 AM

An important technical note:

If you are going to try to get System Shock 2 (and any game using the Dark Engine, like Thief / Thief 2) to run on a modern box, you should visit the forums at http://www.ttlg.com - they have invaluable technical notes / workarounds to get those games running on modern systems.

A seriously heartfelt thank you, Calthaer. My computer hates System Shock 2, and I've been itching to play it since Bioshock: maybe now I can get it to run!

I got Bioshock when it ws �3 on Steam a couple of months ago. It's very pretty and everything, but it's not doing anything for me. I loved the System Shocks, but his is just not for me. I hate the way that the game controls like an arcade shooter - sensitive mouse, everything zooming around at Q3 speeds. Somehow it just doesn't fit with the look of the game.

Isn't there a mouse sensitivity slider? Can you not adjust your DPI?

The game is totally worth fiddling with a few menus. :)

Daltone

01-30-2009, 07:37 AM

Isn't there a mouse sensitivity slider? Can you not adjust your DPI?

The game is totally worth fiddling with a few menus. :)

Yeah, there is, and it does help a bit but somehow the combat still feels a bit twitchy and 'lightweight' is the word that I am searching for I think. However, still going to try to finish it, maybe it will grow on me!

Graham Mitchell

01-30-2009, 04:13 PM

Yeah, there is, and it does help a bit but somehow the combat still feels a bit twitchy and 'lightweight' is the word that I am searching for I think. However, still going to try to finish it, maybe it will grow on me!

really, even though the shooting is decent, the reason one plays through bioshock is for atmosphere and aesthetics. the plasmids are kind of cool and add some variety, but exploring the city was really the highlight for me.

Daltone

02-01-2009, 04:26 AM

really, even though the shooting is decent, the reason one plays through bioshock is for atmosphere and aesthetics. the plasmids are kind of cool and add some variety, but exploring the city was really the highlight for me.

No, I completely understand. I just find that the shooting bit of the game spoils the atmosphere as things go from 'quite tense' to 'Serious Sam Style Shoot Em Up' every time combat pops up. From the looks of things it's just me that has this problem !

Ed Oscuro

02-01-2009, 04:51 AM

Bioshock is markedly worse than many other FPSes in the sense that it handles the S much worse than most other games. Really it should be called an FPW (apsijg) - First Person Wrencher (and plasma shifting inventory juggling game).

The "atmosphere" that so wowed me in the demo quickly became boring and even stifling - claustrophobia in a bad way. I have a vague impression that Timeshift, for example, doesn't really suffer this problem, despite having a sense of style (apparently). Looking outside the glass domes never got old; too bad those great vistas were rare, and the expansive indoor areas they promised so few.

Didn't know the cats were supposed to be alive, and unfortunately the video on this page is gone (apparently - copyright claim by American Broadcasting Company? Are you kiddin' me?)

Not going to reinstall this so I can roleplay a child killer and get full blown Securom again.

G-Boobie

02-01-2009, 06:26 AM

Bioshock is markedly worse than many other FPSes in the sense that it handles the S much worse than most other games. Really it should be called an FPW (apsijg) - First Person Wrencher (and plasma shifting inventory juggling game).

You are of course entitled to your opinion, but I have to strenuously disagree. Perhaps my view is skewed by having played the System Shock games, but Bioshock handles the 'shooting' portion of it's gameplay with aplomb, and significantly more style than most other entries in the genre. You probably can just wrench/zap your way through the game, but there are plenty of other interesting, fun, and viable options available to the player. Try the 'Big Daddy Training Level' late in the game using just the wrench and we'll talk.

The "atmosphere" that so wowed me in the demo quickly became boring and even stifling - claustrophobia in a bad way. I have a vague impression that Timeshift, for example, doesn't really suffer this problem, despite having a sense of style (apparently). Looking outside the glass domes never got old; too bad those great vistas were rare, and the expansive indoor areas they promised so few.

The claustrophobic atmosphere is, I admit, a take it or leave it affair. I'm a huge fan of survival horror games, so I loved Bioshock's art design pretty much top to bottom. I suppose it's a YMMV situation.

I think Bioshock is suffering from a serious case of Hype-ititis, defined as a condition where a game is so over-hyped and lauded that, after a point, a person would rather contract a virulent STD than add to the hype.

It wasn't the finest game ever produced, but it hooked me hard enough that I beat it in two marathon sittings. It has a uniquely clever fourth wall breaking plot, some well thought out and entertaining weapons and plasmids, and some of the best art direction the FPS genre has ever seen. It was certainly five hundred thousand times more proficient in damn near everything than "Timeshift", of all games: I just don't get the hate.