The Cult of Rapture BioShock community website has released their fifth podcast; featured Ken Levine speaking about a number of issues in BioShock. Notably brought up are the evolution, moral choices, characters, focus, and horror elements of the game.
Specifically, Ken mentions the heavy changes to the story/setting of the game throughout development, and the higher importance given to working out the core gameplay. About the final choice of environment, he brings up his personal interest in dystopian settings, influenced by fiction such as Logan's Run from his youth. Levine also comments that in the end, BioShock is a FPS focused on exciting gameplay; and that an interesting story is something more optional for players. By including an interesting story and setting, Ken Levine is allowed to "have cake and eat it too."
In one of the more interesting segments of the interview, Ken remarks on the horror styling of BioShock. He brings up the importance of the unknown in horror, of mysterious sounds and unseen things in the shadows. Also important to him are contrasts, between intentions and reality; something that permeates the setting and characters of the game.
Link: The collected podcasts from the Cult of Rapture.
Specifically, Ken mentions the heavy changes to the story/setting of the game throughout development, and the higher importance given to working out the core gameplay. About the final choice of environment, he brings up his personal interest in dystopian settings, influenced by fiction such as Logan's Run from his youth. Levine also comments that in the end, BioShock is a FPS focused on exciting gameplay; and that an interesting story is something more optional for players. By including an interesting story and setting, Ken Levine is allowed to "have cake and eat it too."
In one of the more interesting segments of the interview, Ken remarks on the horror styling of BioShock. He brings up the importance of the unknown in horror, of mysterious sounds and unseen things in the shadows. Also important to him are contrasts, between intentions and reality; something that permeates the setting and characters of the game.
Link: The collected podcasts from the Cult of Rapture.
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