Bioshock tidbits

[Tannhauser]

Ken Levine, Creative Director of Irrational, has been busy with the gaming media lately. Two weeks ago IGN uploaded a trailer showing off the Medical Pavilion section of Bioshock, and yesterday Levine returned to explain a bit about that area in a short interview.<blockquote>IGN: In the video, we read a spray-painted poster that reads "Aesthetics are a morale imperative" under a sign that reads Doctor Steinman's "Aesthetic Ideals" and a picture of a woman with a "before" and "after" face. Aesthetics have clearly gone wrong in Rapture the same way that so many people assume Hollywood actors and actresses should have perfectly honed physiques and altered breasts and faces in American movies. Is there a particular part of the story that deals with aesthetics or is this just one more facet of Rapture's society that's gone wrong? And could you fill us in on the doctor's role in it all?

Ken Levine: I don't want to spoil too much about Steinman, but I will say you learn a lot about him. One of the great things about BioShock is that while it is a first-person shooter to the core, for players who love story there's an incredibly rich story there for those who want to experience it.

Dr. Steinman, as he starts going crazier, takes over the whole medical area. You hear his diaries: "Why am I trapped within normal interpretations of beauty? Why can't I be more like Picasso?" He wants to be allowed non traditional, even cubist interpretations of beauty. Eventually he starts walking down the hallways, thinking he's talking to Aphrodite about beauty. And you follow this descent into insanity. You hear about his descent, you see it on the walls. Eventually you come across his surgery theater and encounter him operating. He's not happy to see you. That's like a subchapter in the story of BioShock.</blockquote>Additionally, Ken Levine did a more general interview at Eurogamer a few days ago, and Eurogamer also received their own teaser trailer of Bioshock.

Links:
IGN's Bioshock interview.
IGN's Bioshock video page.
Eurogamer's Ken Levine interview.
Eurogamer's Bioshock trailer.

Spotted at RPG Watch.

 

[Maphusio]

Yes this game is shaping up to be one of my favorites from what I have seen and read so far.

 

[mirdza]

I hope that the story will be told from some form of logs or diaries, like the audio logs from System Shock 2. That was awesome, you could actually hear the crew members being transformed to the Many.

 

[Jabbapop]

i wish the good doctor was fixated on abnormally large female breasts. that would make for fun times!

 

[Nauris]

i wish the good doctor was fixated on abnormally large female breasts. that would make for fun times!

Well, if he digs Picasso, it might be large *cubist* breasts

 

[monsharen]

for players who love story there's an incredibly rich story there for those who want to experience it.

I don't know, but I get negative vibes by those words. "for those who want", meaning, go find interesting things á la oblivion? Because I usually play for story and I lost the story in that game.

 

[mortiz]

for players who love story there's an incredibly rich story there for those who want to experience it.

I don't know, but I get negative vibes by those words. "for those who want", meaning, go find interesting things á la oblivion? Because I usually play for story and I lost the story in that game.

I think he just means you don't have to listen to all the audio-logs and things. Like in System Shock II you could skip most of the story by not doing that, though a few did contain important information.

 

[SuAside]

well, it is said that you can be a savior or an exploiter. so i guess you can bypass the information you need to do 'good' things & just do whatever you please instead.

 

[Pope Viper]

This is the only game i am looking forward to this year.