Has Bioshock changed your life?

[The Console King]

Well it may sound odd but has bioshock changed your life in any way, shape or form? Oh and tell us exactly how!

For me I am currently taking Graphic Design and well after playing this game I got major inspiration from Art Deco in my work and I'm always listening to Django Reinhardt.

[Telekinetic Puppeteer]

Mmph.. I'd say it has helped my creativity, for my comics and stories. A wide vicinity of games, books, cartoon,s etc... can really help. :)

[Adam And Eve]

I chose "not really" but it has.

I've stopped buying games with shallow story lines. No more shovelware for me :P I'll occasionally buy a game whose success is based on multiplayer but that's just so I can put live to good use.

[The Console King]

Yeah I will agree with you that getting a game with a good story line and playablility is hard these days!

I think companies go for the mass production style of things now instead of them being something of care and wanting to leave an impression on you.

[BioShock Freak]

I think it's changed my life somewhat. Lol. Thanks to Bioshock, I joined the forums and met a whole bunch of people. :D
~Mari.

[speed]

I haven't posted in these forums in such a long time... I thought I was done with BioShock because it was about 6 months ago maybe longer that I finished my 3rd tour of Rapture. I truly love this game, but at that point in time I felt like I was done and needed to move to the next great game out there. Games came and went but none of them could compare to the awesome experience that BioShock was. Why did I start thinking about BioShock again? I've wondered that a few times and then I realized that it never left me and I never left it. Is this corny? You bet, and strange too, especially if you guys knew my age ;) For me it's a great example of the whole being far greater than the sum of its parts. Sweet graphics (yes I am a graphics *****!), very tight game play and mechanics, and an awe inspiring narrative which is a first of its kind IMO. The art deco style fit the game like a glove. All of this worked together to make one helluva experience that doesn't want to leave my head anytime soon, but somehow BioShock is even more than all of these things isn't it?
I would have to say BioShock has changed my life, mainly because I can't seem to get enough of it, it leaves me wanting more and more. I played it on the 360, but find myself excited all over again knowing that the PS3 fans out there will be giving it a go now. I do find some comfort in knowing there are many other BioShock freaks out there and that I'm not the only crazy one :p

[BlacquePhalcon]

The ideology has changed my outlook. For example they phrase "a man chooses a slave obeys" always comes to mind when making desicion, i think even more thouroughly now.

[Dr J. Steinman]

I would say so. Of course, there's only so far it can go to change 'my life' but I think it has made a generally large impact on me; it got me interested in the time period, inspired me to write romantic/virtuoso piano music, got me into voice acting, and presented to me a whole level of philosophy I had never encountered before, as well as introducing me to a whole bunch of characters to get obsessed with! All in all, a fantastic and inspiring game.

[BioShockWins]

Yes. Yes it has.
Now it says "Moderator" under my user name.

[Medium-Sized Daddy]

Sure... it inspired a paper for my ethics class. I didn't actually mention Bioshock, but this game gave me ideas on Altruism 'n' such. :D

[WrenchMaster]

Well, it's changed me by showing me what a good game actually is. I have a much higher expectation for games now.

[The Console King]

I haven't posted in these forums in such a long time... I thought I was done with BioShock because it was about 6 months ago maybe longer that I finished my 3rd tour of Rapture. I truly love this game, but at that point in time I felt like I was done and needed to move to the next great game out there. Games came and went but none of them could compare to the awesome experience that BioShock was. Why did I start thinking about BioShock again? I've wondered that a few times and then I realized that it never left me and I never left it. Is this corny? You bet, and strange too, especially if you guys knew my age ;) For me it's a great example of the whole being far greater than the sum of its parts. Sweet graphics (yes I am a graphics *****!), very tight game play and mechanics, and an awe inspiring narrative which is a first of its kind IMO. The art deco style fit the game like a glove. All of this worked together to make one helluva experience that doesn't want to leave my head anytime soon, but somehow BioShock is even more than all of these things isn't it?
I would have to say BioShock has changed my life, mainly because I can't seem to get enough of it, it leaves me wanting more and more. I played it on the 360, but find myself excited all over again knowing that the PS3 fans out there will be giving it a go now. I do find some comfort in knowing there are many other BioShock freaks out there and that I'm not the only crazy one :p

It is true that no matter what, the game still seems to make you want to play it again and again and I can't ever see a time where the game is boring!

I just want more Bioshock goodness!!

I would say so. Of course, there's only so far it can go to change 'my life' but I think it has made a generally large impact on me; it got me interested in the time period, inspired me to write romantic/virtuoso piano music, got me into voice acting, and presented to me a whole level of philosophy I had never encountered before, as well as introducing me to a whole bunch of characters to get obsessed with! All in all, a fantastic and inspiring game.

I think that the game gave me intrest in that period so much I felt that sometimes I want to get maybe a haircut or an outfit from that era... I bet I sound crazy don't I?

Yes. Yes it has.
Now it says "Moderator" under my user name.

Lets hope that comes my way lol!

Well, it's changed me by showing me what a good game actually is. I have a much higher expectation for games now.

I know I felt that games had gone into a slump until Bioshock re-opened my eyes to good gaming!

[501105]

Kinda, I am now part of a fun forum and I have played one of the best games ever which makes a lot of other games look very boring.

[Farisnet]

It made me think about things from different viewpoints; it hasn't changed my life philosophy, but I think that any game that makes you think about its themes is exceptional.

[chrizza92]

yes bioshock has changed my life i have became less greedy and have learnt about what a sea slug can do to a city

[Atlas.]

I wouldnt say 'changed my life' but it has certainly made me more aware of things. I now love that time period from the music to everything and anything Art Deco. I appreciate the buildings now from this time period too, the associations with Rapture just make you want to go in them. I really feel that i would rather live in the time era of Bioshock than that of today, if it would be anything like the atomosphere in Rapture that is. Some of it has had an impact such as some of what Ryan said "a man chooses, a slave obeys" being the main one of course. I agree with alot of what Ryan said and can see why he wanted to do what he did.

Even the genetics references throughout the game i found interesting, relevant to what im doing. The work of Fontaine, Tenenbaum and Suchong and the story behind ADAM, though it couldnt be true it was still interesting. Also the whole story behind Jack, having his growth accelerated, memories inplanted... I just love the whole storyline of Bioshock, a very inspirational and enjoyable game in all aspects as well as great characters


Another good thing about Bioshock? This forum :D Have met some great people here i never would have otherwise ;)

[Dr J. Steinman]

Hehe, cool stuff ;)
I just remembered it has changed something else - my perception of a usually everyday sort of phrase that the game has made infamous. Now, I will probably notice every single time someone says it, when ordinarily it would have seemed pretty much as normal as 'hello'.

[Cohen's Puppet]

1. It's certainly changed my standards on what is defined as "fine videogaming".
2. It taught me that for something (albeit a story, movie, game, etc.) to be good it has to have a plot; anything plotless is trash.
3. In the age where kids my age listen to hip-hop and R&B, I think I'm the only one who listens to Bobby Darin, Django Reindhardt, and the Andrews Sisters.
4. I've always liked learning about the past and it taught me how awesome it was to live in the 1920's.
5. I've learned to incorporate the wonderful genre of 1920's Art Deco to my art repertoire.
6. I've discovered my love for dystopia-driven stories.

[The Console King]

1. It's certainly changed my standards on what is defined as "fine videogaming".
2. It taught me that for something (albeit a story, movie, game, etc.) to be good it has to have a plot; anything plotless is trash.
3. In the age where kids my age listen to hip-hop and R&B, I think I'm the only one who listens to Bobby Darin, Django Reindhardt, and the Andrews Sisters.
4. I've always liked learning about the past and it taught me how awesome it was to live in the 1920's.
5. I've learned to incorporate the wonderful genre of 1920's Art Deco to my art repertoire.
6. I've discovered my love for dystopia-driven stories.

Same goes for me I mean when I said to everyone in my college that my faverote music Icon was Django Reindhardt they all looked at me puzzled. I was 16 when I first played it and I can't think of any other game that has still kept me intrested for so long even now.

[Bioshocker23]

it has changed my ideas about certain things

[Septiroth0]

Yeah I will agree with you that getting a game with a good story line and playablility is hard these days!

I think companies go for the mass production style of things now instead of them being something of care and wanting to leave an impression on you.

I agree there seem to be only a few companies who actually make good games anymore, such as Zenimax (Bethesda Softworks).

[Blue Lightning]

4. I've always liked learning about the past and it taught me how awesome it was to live in the 1920's.
5. I've learned to incorporate the wonderful genre of 1920's Art Deco to my art repertoire.
6. .

Yeah it's strange, art deco's height was the 1920's. By the time Rapture was built in the late 1940's, art-deco was long gone. Yet Rapture is art-deco. Kind of strange...but I like it :)

[Hector Rodriguez]

It has opened my mind to new ideas for the bad stories I occasionally write, started to make me appreciate swing music and art deco. And since art deco lasted from 1910-1939, I'm not sure if it's technically art deco. I think there is another style of design that was very similar to art deco, only with a few subtle changes, that came after the 30s. The actual name of it, I'm not completely sure. :o Think it may have been Industrial, but I highly doubt it. Meh. Still all good. :D Now I want to change my vote from 'only a little' to 'very much'. Didn't take into account BioShock introducing me to all of you guys. :D

[RyanAndrews]

I think it's changed my life somewhat. Lol. Thanks to Bioshock, I joined the forums and met a whole bunch of people. :D
~Mari.

We are glad you are here.

I suppose it did the same for me. I am glad I met everybody here. Except the guy who posted spoilers in his topic titles. :mad: But BioShock still managed to suprise me.

And it influenced my taste in music. (I love Reinhardt now, a bunch from the era, and anything that was in the game)

[RyanAndrews]

Yeah it's strange, art deco's height was the 1920's. By the time Rapture was built in the late 1940's, art-deco was long gone. Yet Rapture is art-deco. Kind of strange...but I like it :)

Designed beforehand though wasn't it? They couldn't start without designs. Construction began in late thirties right? Then it opened in 1946? So that would explain it. It was designed when art deco hadn't quite lost its popularity. :D

[John murdoch]

i chose the second, i've already forgotten the title.. "yeah, sort of"? heh. great gaming experience, i'm not going to take just any trash now. it is also quite an inspiring game, with its creative story line and beautiful graphics, as many people have mentioned. it has some great history worked into it.

[B10SH0CK1123]

Yeah BioShock has changed my life in a way, the ending kind of made me realize how your decisions will pay off in the end.

[bioshock_fan]

It has changed my life a little because:

* It helped to set the standard for what a quality storyline within a game should be.

* If the game was never released, I would have never joined this forum.

* If I would have never played this game I would have done other, more productive things instead (I'm still very glad I picked up this game though:D ), so tecnically it has changed everyones' life who has played it in some small way.

* Slightly improved my imagination and encouraged me to start writing stories...then unfortunately I got frustrated and quit. Planning to start writing stories again sometime soon:) .

* It helped me to question certain things that we consider to be factual in the world today.

[drillintheface]

like many people i fell in love with the bioshock story. Others games that changed me are gta 4 and mass effect and ESPECIALY oblivion

[John Stein]

Well, I know a lot of people have become objectivist because they like Ryan's ideas. Personally, I think Bioshock is one of the only games that can be truly brought into political discussion and it is the only game i have ever thought about in the same way as I read a book (motifs). Also, I only started playing this game, and it became my favorite game, because it had to do with capitalism and because it was a counter distopia to a book. I also started reading that book because I read about it while reading bioshock and that book certainly changed my ideas about the right of the majority.

[Slayer_2]

Yeah, it made me respect laws and such much more.

[Metroplex]

My current favourite games list:
1- Titan Quest
2- Bioshock
3- Crysis

So, yes, I think that Bioshock has indeed made me realise how games can be made great if the developers try to make them, so Bioshock is there among my top games.

[hellknight_lizz]

Yeah. Not life changing...just little ways of loking at stuff. Plus it inspired me to start piano again, and listen to more art deco music. Hell I even bought an art deco ring in york because it was vaguley bioshock-esque. :D.

[LuiII]

Since i've started playing bioshock,it's been like built into my mind, the other day i was at the mall and a store started playing the sound that the bots make when they go after you,and i literally took cover!:p :D

[Bioking]

Yeah I would go with Speed. (Only because I am a huge Bioshock fanatic!!!) :D

[adidaq]

Bioshock, for me, was a strange and wonderful mixture of all my interests.
I love art deco and steampunk aesthetics, I am a huge fan of classical music, George Orwell's 1984 is my favorite book (People who have read it will see the connection), The concept of an underwater city has always intrigued me, and I'm quite obsessed with suspense and horror (being a Hitch**** / Stephen King fan.)
Being a mixture of all these things, bioshock is almost exactly how I'd always dreamed a game / film / book should be.
In the sense that I managed to find a game that takes all the elements of things I'm passionate about, I could say it has changed my life, simply for bringing all those things together.

[Cyber999]

This game has definitely changed my life. Bioshock is the best (Single-player only) game I've ever played, and nobody can tell me otherwise. This game has helped me with so much, such as strategy, life choices, and avoiding detection (in video games). I LOVE BIOSHOCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D

[Hector_Spector]

BioShock was a remarkably immersive experience for sure, and a real eye-opener for me but it wasn't life changing in that regard. Sure it provided a good lesson into why Utopian societies never work and the ideals and beliefs Rapture's foundation was built on, but it didn't change my life for me. It was merely an educational trip into the philosophical side of things, using a unique, art-deco setting to set both the tone and the scale of the idealist vision Ryan had gone for. At the end of the day, BioShock is after all just a game no matter how many buzz words you throw in to make it sound more than it is. But, I can't deny that BioShock is an incredible achievement from both a technical and an artistic standpoint thats brimming with undeniable excellence on all gaming fronts.

[adidaq]

At the end of the day, BioShock is after all just a game no matter how many buzz words you throw in to make it sound more than it is.

I guess, like film, music, theater, literature and art; a game can have a significant influence on life.
I have read a few books that have significantly changed my outlook on the world, and have watched a few incredible (and life changing) films/plays.

In a very real sense a game, like a film or song, can be considered 'life changing', as films, songs, and games are all considered entertainment mediums.

If we want games to be 'taken seriously' in the world of entertainment, we shouldn't dismiss it simply for being a game; but instead, accept it's similarities with film and other mediums.

That being said, a 'life changing' game should be just as accepted as a life changing film, or other entertainment medium.

(off topic, but I felt I needed to say it ^^;)

Oh, and Hector_Spector; that wasn't a personal attack on you by any means. Your posts are always interesting and thought provoking and you are very entitled to your opinion. This isn't Rapture or anything :P

[Frank Fountaine]

Yes, Well kinda. I mean ever since I've played Bioshock all the games I played, or tried playing seem idiotic in comparison. I try to play different games I REALLY wanted to enjoy some of the games I have played but I just can't. Ever since playing Bioshock my bar is raised to a new level, and unfortunately developers haven't caught on.

But Bioshock did really change my life. In any sense Bioshock is a literature, and philosophical masterpiece. Like 1 poster commented in this thread "we can actually argue about politics in a video game." I guess if anything this game just makes you think a little extra...

Hector_Spector I understand it didn't change your life and I get that, I mean we all have our own opinions here. But you have to admit at least it changes your view of how you look at video games does it not? If a game can make us argue about moral decisions, and philosophical understanding you have to admit not a lot of games achieve this. So it's not JUST a game. If anything games like Bioshock should be listed with other great books, and movies.....do you agree?...//

[adidaq]

But Bioshock did really change my life. In any sense Bioshock is a literature, and philosophical masterpiece. Like 1 poster commented in this thread "we can actually argue about politics in a video game." I guess if anything this game just makes you think a little extra...


When the political structure of a videogame's setting can not only be discussed, but debated, you know you've found a significant game in the growth and 'maturity' of the industry in general.
Developers should strive to make engrossing political settings like bioshock.
Slightly off topic, but could someone direct me to particularly memorable threads discussing bioshock's politics in great depth?

[The_Harbinger]

Its help expand my idea range alot

[Hector_Spector]

I can understand where some of you are coming from, some people tend to take games for what they are at mere face value. Whereas other people would look beyond what it is and see it from a completely different perspective. An introspective and cogitative one, that the game is trying to convey something that bears a certain relevance and significance in a myriad of other mediums, including reality. BioShock is certainly one of a minority of games that are using expressive and progressive storytelling with a very philosophical bent at its heart as Ken Levine has stated. The aim is to enrich the experience and immerse the player in the world of Rapture and there is no denying the delivery mechanism used here is simply incredible.

I'm not contesting that BioShock should be regarded as something more than a game, on the contrary in fact since I see BioShock as art. An art form I hope is a harbinger of things to come from other titles in the future of the 360's life cycle. I certainly hope that the success and acclaim that BioShock has received, should encourage other developers to take into consideration the importance of an engaging story with an equally engaging and interactive setting and a basis that is relevant to today like morality, psychology and philosophy.