Irrational: BioShock in the Sky Would Be "F**king Boring"

[Tom Goldman]

Irrational: BioShock in the Sky Would Be "F**king Boring"

Irrational Games didn't develop BioShock Infinite with the intention of making BioShock in the sky, because it thinks that'd be boring.

Many first impressions of BioShock [http://www.amazon.com/BioShock-Infinite-Mac/dp/B002I0KOSI/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1299907866&sr=8-11] in the sky," but Irrational Games disputes this idea and went over the game's development process at PAX East 2011 to prove it. Irrational explained that the intention was actually to make a game completely different from BioShock so the studio would be able to stay interested.

The Irrational speakers, which included Ken Levine, Nate Wells, Shawn Robertson, and Stephen Alexander, said that they'd be "fucking bored" with a game that was just BioShock but in the sky. Irrational likened the comparison to calling a Buffalo a "large racoon." Sure, some elements are similar between BioShock and Infinite, but the development motivations were and are so much more than that simple concept.

Infinite actually came about from the desire to create an alternate version of the turn of the 20th century. At the time, there was an incredible amount of optimism about technology, and America was transforming. The changes in society, along with the style seen in advertisements and architecture, were huge inspirations for BioShock Infinite.

Another big change Irrational wanted to make was to use the environment as a gameplay device rather than just something pretty to look at. Players could stare out through the glass walls of Rapture, but the fact that the city was underwater didn't have all that much of an effect. In BioShock Infinite, being in the sky means something. Platforms move and shake while the player hangs from the game's skyline system, on the verge of death at any moment. As Levine says, it's "like being on a roller coaster while hanging in the air, and you have a fucking gun."

Art direction-wise, BioShock Infinite has also taken a different turn. Irrational showed the evolution of the game's concept art which started very dark, and eventually became the more colorful world we The Shining [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/trailers/2028-BioShock-Infinite-Gameplay] as a comparison.

Because of these factors and more, Irrational doesn't feel that BioShock Infinite is a replica of BioShock. At the least, it wasn't developed with that concept in mind, and Irrational hopes it will instill different feelings into its players.

Permalink

 

[Exort]

Did they just called their game boring?
Last time, I recall it is still titled BioShock, right?

 

[Oilerfan92]

I have always called buffalo large raccoons. Are you implying I am an idiot ? You have just lost me as a customer. Good day sirs.



OT: Bioshock isn't my favorite game, so this game is on the "outside" with a chance of impressing me into a sale.

 

[ace_of_something]

If it's so different why did they call it bioshock? Why not call it.. I dunno... off the top of my head Aeroshock?

edit: Rhetorical question; I'm well aware of the two possible answers.
1) it's not actually that different.
2) Trying to cash in on the name

 

[Zhukov]

Uh huh.

Their gameplay (err... "gameplay" that is) trailer says otherwise.

I love Bioshock and I'll probably love Infinite. But I doubt the gameplay will differ much. Hell, just look at the similarities between System Shock 2 and Bioshock.

(Cue SS2 fans in 3...2...1...)

 

[Dragonpit]

If it's so different why did they call it bioshock? Why not call it.. I dunno... off the top of my head Aeroshock?

Because the word 'Bio' has nothing to do with water.

 

[Catalyst6]

Somehow this doesn't surprise me. Besides the general idea of plasmids (the kind that give you lightning bolts, not the boring real kind that offers penicillin resistance.), the game isn't all that similar.

That being said, it's still clearly a Bioshock game when compared to your standard FPS, but from what I've seen in the videos Irrational would be pretty clean and away by calling it redesigned.

 

[Rayne870]

I get vertigo when falling long distances in games, and Bioshock Infinite has a huge chance to play on that for me.

 

[Blind Sight]

It's "like being on a roller coaster while hanging in the air, and you have a fucking gun." Sold. Do you want to take my money now Levine, or later?

 

[Thaluikhain]

If it's so different why did they call it bioshock?

So they can cash in on the fanbase by having the same sort of thing, but at the same time not alienate people who don't want more of the same, I guess.

This seems about as likely to work as making a family friendly horror movie.

 

[BlackHat2600]

Bio Shock has had its ups and downs. Putting it the sky as is will certainly not make the game worth it. If they expand on the plasmid abilities and create new ways to dispose of your enemies, it stands a chance. I love when a video game can accommodate a gamers antics. Bulletstorm is great example of that. Plasmids were so much fun, but the idea had been done before and the sequel didn't really bring much new to the table. If Irrational Games doesn't add something new to the game play, the game will drop faster than the sky city it's set in.

 

[ace_of_something]

If it's so different why did they call it bioshock? Why not call it.. I dunno... off the top of my head Aeroshock?

Because the word 'Bio' has nothing to do with water.

You kinda missed the point there brah.
It's not that 'bio' has nothing to do with the sky. It's that they claim the game is completely different from previous bioshock games... so why keep the name?

 

[MR.Spartacus]

So they're deliberately misleading people then? Why call it Bioshock if it's "not Bioshock". If I cooked something called bell peppers and beef, then you wouldn't be in the wrong for expecting the ingredients that comprise the name of the dish to actually be ingredients used.

 

[lacktheknack]

Did they just called their game boring?
Last time, I recall it is still titled BioShock, right?

Point: Missed.

They're saying that Bioshock: Infinite will NOT be the same as the first two. I don't believe them, but that's what they're saying.

 

[RedRussian]

"like being on a roller coaster while hanging in the air, and you have a fucking gun."

So....where can I send a check? Can I just mail you all my money? Im sold.

 

[lacktheknack]

This seems about as likely to work as making a family friendly horror movie.

Just to be pedantic, they did.

And <link=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/coraline>it worked.

 

[Internet Kraken]

So they're deliberately misleading people then? Why call it Bioshock if it's "not Bioshock". If I cooked something called bell peppers and beef, then you wouldn't be in the wrong for expecting the ingredients that comprise the name of the dish to actually be ingredients used.

Their following the Final Fantasy marketing strategy of making a completley different game (or at least so they claim) but using the brand name of their successful games to create more appeal. People who liked Bioshcok will be tempted to try this game as they will associate it with a game they liked, even if it supposedly has nothing to do with it. Frankly I wouldn't do this myself, since it's nothing but a gimmick and I think it creates problems down the road. One of the reasons Square Enix has so much trouble pleasing the Final Fantasy fanbase is because it incorporates tons of different games all under the same name, and thus they have a lot of fans with conflicting tastes.

 

[alrekr]

If it's so different why did they call it bioshock? Why not call it.. I dunno... off the top of my head Aeroshock?

Because the word 'Bio' has nothing to do with water.

You kinda missed the point there brah.
It's not that 'bio' has nothing to do with the sky. It's that they claim the game is completely different from previous bioshock games... so why keep the name?

Because "Bio" refers to biological; which can refer to plasmids (as they alter you biologicaly) for one thing, and they are still present in the game.

 

[Lucane]

If it's so different why did they call it bioshock? Why not call it.. I dunno... off the top of my head Aeroshock?

Because the word 'Bio' has nothing to do with water.

You kinda missed the point there brah.
It's not that 'bio' has nothing to do with the sky. It's that they claim the game is completely different from previous bioshock games... so why keep the name?

No one really(not a majority amount) complained when Final Fantasy started getting on in numbers or subtitles and the stories not being directly relatible to each other anymore. The same thing with Wild Arms(Same Planet but vastly different settings every time with large treks of time going by between sequals) or Call of Duty vs. Modern Warfare vs. Black Ops all being called Call of Duty in part.

It's not who the cast is it's how the world works and what's in it.

 

[icyfresh]

Dude, this is bioshock, but with more weapons. with more enemys, group battles, bigger big daddys. bigger and more interactive enviornments, deeper charaters without losing the audience with puzzle after puzzle (yet) and more plasmid powers that also look badass and have differnet styles and strategys for attack. also you know they gotta have something that "gathers" or "sells" the drinkable plasmid powers. so maybe new lil sisters or lil brothers. (maybe you just get adam or whatever when you kill the big gorrila thing thats apparently not a big daddy) but either way its going to be FUCKING AWESOME! the next game i want to see them partnered up with the company 'people can fly' so that its even more awesome!!!