Theory on the name of the new "Big Daddy"

[Slow Pro]

As most/all of you have seen, there seems to be a new big dog in town. The metal colossus that we glimpse in the trailer seems to be Columbia's answer to Rapture's Big Daddy (or vice-versa, considering the time-line). Now, it has been confirmed that these new foes are not called Big Daddies, so what could they be named? Design-wise, this new baddie is a body of steampunk-metal goodness with a human head and a glass surrounded heart. So what are they called?


The Tin Man (or Men for plural)


At least, that's what I think. look at it this way:


1. 1912 is not so far from 1900, the date the original Wizard of Oz book was published (including drawings of the Tin Man), and is even closer to 1902, the year that the play came out. To anyone who had read/seen these, they would probably call these metal monsters Tin Men (considering robots weren't really a concept in 1912, even in Japan). The Oz book series even extends all the way to 1920, with a total of 14 novels. A few people growing up in America probably read one or two.


2. There seems to be a design emphasis on the glass-encased heart of this new baddie (Cue: "If I only had a heart"). To the two of you out there that don't know, the Tin Man wished that he had a heart, and that was his entire drive throughout the Wizard of Oz. It's an ironic play on the original Tin Man as well, because even though he didn't have a heart, he was the most caring of Dorothy's traveling companions. This Tin Man is quite the opposite. His heart seems to be one of the last pieces left of him, yet he seems to be quite cruel and ruthless.


3. It just sounds cool. Just imagine "Be prepared to fight the Tin Man." I know, this point's kinda weak. I sorta fizzled out on the first two.


Discuss!


P.S. I'm Slow Pro on the Cult of Rapture site.

[v3nd3tta]

I dont even think that this metal man is going to have anny resemblance to what the big daddy does, but it may. I think of Frankenstien when i see that metal monstor w/ a glass encased heart. p.s Like your avatar, wish they could have put something like that in BioShock 2.

[Systemaddict]

I like your line of thinking and this is a pretty well laid out theory with good solid reasoning behind it - so much so I voted thumbs up for it.


So understand that when I say I don't like it. While it does make sense and fits with the time period there's two things that hold me back from the idea;


1. The odd parallels the series is creating with time and history make a lot of themes, people, objects etc, really hard to place. Rapture might take place sometime in the 40's or 50's and people had science fiction - but does that mean turrets should be possible? Obviously fiction is it's own beast and can create masterful premises that are perfect in their own, and only their own, context. My point is only that I wonder what they'll base on pure history as we know it - or what they'll create for history to use for themselves if you know what I mean.


and the more important one for me;


2. It's too common. Way too common in gaming and fiction of this type. That may be a perfect reason to use it, but it may also not work in the same favor that Big Daddy did. I suppose lots of that depends on the prevalence of these 'things' in the game. I do suspect it to be quite a lot.


Personally, I hope that's not their NAME but I do think it's the perfect slang for the citizens of Columbia. I just don't find the same attachment as you in terms of it being cool. Maybe it's too much Terminator growing up (that's what I associate the name with after Wizard too).


I love the thought you've put into this though and I'm sure I may be the minority on this one.

[Slow Pro]

systemaddict said:

I like your line of thinking and this is a pretty well laid out theory with good solid reasoning behind it - so much so I voted thumbs up for it.

So understand that when I say I don't like it. While it does make sense and fits with the time period there's two things that hold me back from the idea;

1. The odd parallels the series is creating with time and history make a lot of themes, people, objects etc, really hard to place. Rapture might take place sometime in the 40's or 50's and people had science fiction - but does that mean turrets should be possible? Obviously fiction is it's own beast and can create masterful premises that are perfect in their own, and only their own, context. My point is only that I wonder what they'll base on pure history as we know it - or what they'll create for history to use for themselves if you know what I mean.

and the more important one for me;

2. It's too common. Way too common in gaming and fiction of this type. That may be a perfect reason to use it, but it may also not work in the same favor that Big Daddy did. I suppose lots of that depends on the prevalence of these 'things' in the game. I do suspect it to be quite a lot.

Personally, I hope that's not their NAME but I do think it's the perfect slang for the citizens of Columbia. I just don't find the same attachment as you in terms of it being cool. Maybe it's too much Terminator growing up (that's what I associate the name with after Wizard too).

I love the thought you've put into this though and I'm sure I may be the minority on this one.



Well, the reason I thought that the name sounded cool is because if they were called that and someone bought the game knowing nothing of the story, it might lead to interesting things. Someone in the game would say "You're going to have to fight a Tin Man!" and a new player would think "Tin? Sounds scrawny and weak." Then they turn the corner and an Iron Colossus starts barreling down the hall at them. Point is, it just sounds so contrasting to call something so terrifying a Tin Man that it actually sounds pretty cool.

[Systemaddict]

I respect that - and the contrast of something so weak really works if you're up against something good. Used sparingly it's a solid beat.


I still need to see more of what those things are before I'm sure.

[Rybow73]

If it references the Tin Man too much, I'd just have the "Yellow Brick Road" song endlessly stuck in my head while playing.

[Systemaddict]

"were off to see the wizard....the wonderful wizard of Oz"...

[Slow Pro]

I can imagine it, you see one and start singing "Follow the Yellow Brick Ro-" then a big metal boot crushes your skull. I wish we had some pics of them, as the only thing I have in terms of visuals is a description provided by IGN after they played a demo:


"These creatures have a human head set atop a large mechanized body. Their visible heart is encased in glass and their oversized bodies have something of a steampunk aesthetic, only slightly less advanced."


http://pc.ign.com/articles/111/1111864p1.html ('http://pc.ign.com/articles/111/1111864p1.html')

[elementdelta59]

i like it...

[Invader]

Pretty good. I like it- but it depends on how dominant they are in the game. Are they going to be average foes, or are they going to be Columbia's Big Sister?

[Systemaddict]

@invader


There's a few previews that have stated these things are pretty common -- that they aren't the thing that's hunting Elizabeth...instead that's some 30 foot bird-demon thing (I'm paraphrasing from tons of articles that paint an unclear image of it)

[Slow Pro]

The more I hear about this game, the more and more I'm led to believe that these new enemies will be called Tin Men. I wish we'd get a new trailer...

[Rybow73]

The Tin Men from Hell.

[Systemaddict]

subjectnu said:

The more I hear about this game, the more and more I'm led to believe that these new enemies will be called Tin Men. I wish we'd get a new trailer...



They really can only so much off. Two years is a long time...they keep showing us everything we'll know the whole game before it's out.

[Rybow73]

Yeah, we have to remember that the trailer came out days ago...not months or years ago, haha.

[smokedogg]

maybe with the beating heart he will be called a "beater" or "thumper"

[drewjamicks]

I just read an interview of Ken Levine on the PS Blog where he gives them the name "Alpha". Whether this is the actual ingame name I'm not sure...he mentioned internally they have names for each of the enemies 'classes'. These being Alphas, Betas and Gammas. Each of them react differently to the protagonist. Pretty cool stuff.


Here's the link:


<a>http://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/08/20/bioshock-infinite-for-ps3-gameplay-qa-with-ken-levine-new-screens/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PSBlog+(PlayStation.Blog)</a>

[benporter]

If you listen to the podcast, they're also referred to as Handymen. So it seems like tin man might be pretty close to it.

[jthm773]

...I like Tin Man better, plus it has a better feel when used in a horrorific way "The Tin Man is coming!" rather than "The Handyman is coming" ...handyman almost sounds like Handy Manny, that kids show lol

[iglegacy_buddygz]

Tin Man reminds me too much of the Big Daddies...

I like the Handyman direction a little better.

[benporter]

I like how understated Handyman sounds, and that it does sound very kid friendly. Bearing in mind that people probably see these things stomping about the city, they'd need to try and make them seem friendly in some way.

[AdjundantReflex]

Subjectnu, I like your line of reasoning, and I'll add that Big Daddies were referred to as Tin Men by some citizens of Rapture, and, well, what studio doesn't like to reference previous games?


As for the Handyman name, this is also a possibility, but we have to be careful to not make assumptions - perhaps these Big Daddy-type creatures (I'll just call them Daddies for convenience) are not, in fact, public knowledge - maybe their existence is a secret, and the citizens don't know about them, so no friendly name is needed. The role of the new Daddies may be completely different from those of their Rapture counterparts. For all we know, they may not even be anything like the Big Daddies of Rapture.


That said, Handyman does make sense as a possible name as well - I'm not trying to trash anyone's take, just post some other possibilities.

[X1 BLACKOUT 1X]

IDK if this has bee posted yet, but I've sorta taken to the habit of calling them Sky Daddies after somebody suggested that name on the 2K forums

[adventecho]

lol nice i like the sky daddies name :p

[Rybow73]

Haha, Sky Daddies sounds like the alternative to what you tell your kids of where babies come from, instead of the stork.

[benporter]

Coming to think of it, does Daniel Wales not refer to Delta as a "metal f**king handyman" at one point?

[X1 BLACKOUT 1X]

rybow73 said:Haha, Sky Daddies sounds like the alternative to what you tell your kids of where babies come from, instead of the stork.


Haha it was that or Tin Jack. We're apparently not a very creative bunch haha

[Systemaddict]

Well, Handyman makes sense for Raptures Big Daddy characters - since you see the one with the rivet guns actually FIXING sections of glass outside.


I'm fine with the Handy Man name sticking - especially if it somehow links to that logic in the creation of Daddy's.

[iglegacy_buddygz]

What about "The Silly Dudes"? For some reason I got that vibe watching the trailer... I dunno... it just sticks.