Where are we at with Plasmi-Quik vs Gene Bank [Archive]

Adam Nuhfer

03-29-2007, 05:46 PM

Yes, I was aware of the poll. I was wondering if any one had heard if they were going to drop the Gene Bank name. The poll seemed to die out, with no results being posted as to the decision of what IG would do.

Raveness

03-29-2007, 06:14 PM

The ball's in their court now. They've heard how the vast majority of the online community dislikes the name change, and they have the artistic assets saved as templates so they could go right back to Plasmi-Quik without much time loss.

Honestly, though, I'd rather they keep the name change if they changed it for an important reason. I dislike seeing creative people with strong visions be so easily swayed by their fans. It gives off a sense of narrow vision, that they don't deeply care about their creation. Give me a close-minded genious over an easily coercible adulator anyday ;)

Rapture_Tourist

03-29-2007, 06:33 PM

Hey, let's do something, which has never been done before. Let's make a petition :D :D :-P ;) :).

ffanxii4ever

03-29-2007, 06:37 PM

Doubtful that there will be a real important reason for gene-bank vs having it as plasmi-quik

Hatesink

03-29-2007, 08:07 PM

I just assumed it was a result of the market testing they'd done. I posted a question about it and one of the developers responded (but not with an exact answer (it wasn't an exact question)).

I thought it might have been changed in order to fit with the changing tone of the game, which worried me a lot, because I really liked the original concept. But they've posted re-assurances that as far as their original vision is concerned, the game is still more or less in (just a few things having been cut because they just weren't fun).

Fireman

03-29-2007, 09:43 PM

Soory, but im a it behind times with this game. Can someone tell me the decided name if there is one. I heard Plasma-quik in the Ken Levine Video, but I didnt know there was a change!!!

witch

03-29-2007, 10:32 PM

Soory, but im a it behind times with this game. Can someone tell me the decided name if there is one. I heard Plasma-quik in the Ken Levine Video, but I didnt know there was a change!!!

I think its still undecided...

nmrahde

03-30-2007, 12:03 AM

Maybe someone decided to do a subplot/flavorful audio log about genes/plasmids being sold stock-exchange style. Certainly would make sense considering Rapture's culture and it'd explain putting "bank" in the name.

v.dog

03-30-2007, 12:36 AM

From the plasmid thread:I can understand it from an accessibility standpoint; for someone who knows nothing about BioShock, 'gene-bank' is a lot more descriptive about what it does than plasmi-quik.

That being said, I think it's a dull choice. I bet if we put our collective heads together, we could come up with names that fit the era, sound good, and still express what the gene-bank and gene-tonics actually do.

Club Heaven

03-30-2007, 12:21 PM

Still, someone would have to be retarded not to make the connection between the plasmids they use and Plasmi-quik...

2K Elizabeth

03-30-2007, 12:29 PM

Hey guys,

Please try and keep topics, even older ones revisited, in one thread. I'll be announcing some moderators to help me out soon, but try and keep the boards clean and duplicate free if possible.

As for the plasmi-quik/gene bank discussion, I have no word on any decisions.

gughunter

03-30-2007, 11:37 PM

I have to admit I don't get what the big deal is about this. I just hope no one will freak out when it's revealed that (SPOILERS!!!)

Andrew Ryan is now Ezekiel Yoder

Rapture is now Pimpton

Little Sisters now refer to Mr. Bubbles as Uncle Archie

irrationallevine

03-31-2007, 03:22 AM

You can blame me and Jon Chey for this one- the fault lies right at the top! Our testing indicated that people saw a Plasmi-Quik machine and said "What the hell is that?" and never used it. Once we renamed it, people started getting it almost right away.

Weird, but true. I love the old name, but I also like when, you know, people use the character growth system...

In focus testing, I also learned that 4 out of 5 dentists preferred Trident for their patients who chew gum.

Glottis

03-31-2007, 04:05 AM

Plasmi-Quik is still the better of the two IMHO..... :)

Makes a person wonder who are the people that are doing the 'focus testing'
for these games ?! Senior citizens from the local retirement home ?

They didnt understand what it was ? :eek: :o

OOOooohhhkayyyy.....

Hatesink

03-31-2007, 09:47 AM

Weird, but true. I love the old name, but I also like when, you know, people use the character growth system...I guess that would make sense :p;)

Club Heaven

03-31-2007, 03:35 PM

Such a shame there weren't more smart people in the focus group :( Smart people like me...

Psyclone

03-31-2007, 03:48 PM

So...does that mean someone should change the Wikipedia article?

v.dog

03-31-2007, 06:35 PM

Such a shame there weren't more smart people in the focus group :( Smart people like me...The focus group needs to reflect the population as a whole. Also, would you know what a plasmi-quik was if you had simply bought the game of the shelf, without spending all this time in the forums, and reading all the previews?

Hatesink

03-31-2007, 06:55 PM

I probably wouldn't have known what it was but I can say for certain that I would have frobbed it, but then I've played a lot of games.

But if joe blow doesn't know to click on it then I guess it's best just to re-name it.

Maybe the mod community could make a patch to re-skin it after it's release. Irrational might make the skins available.

Personally I can't really complain, since I love all that training-level type stuff, and without the neophytes there probably wouldn't be any of that.

pn18

03-31-2007, 07:52 PM

wait...
where's the connection between gene-bank and plasmids? woudn't it then be better if they also rename plasmids to gene-mods?!

Adam Nuhfer

03-31-2007, 07:55 PM

You can blame me and Jon Chey for this one

I like the old name better, but I also understand.
You need to target a larger audience. Larger audience means more ca$h. More ca$h makes Ken, Joh, IG team, 2K and Rapture Mom very happy. Happy and well to do ca$h laden team make yet more creative games. Win<--->Win for all. :D

Makes a person wonder who are the people that are doing the 'focus testing' for these games ?! Senior citizens from the local retirement home ?

Wait a minute, I'm in AARP :eek:
Which should make me Senior Citizen Cult of Rapture material.
So, I should get a senior citizen discount in Rapture. 5-10% off various plasmids and my bar tab. :)

Raveness

03-31-2007, 08:04 PM

I know the name is not important, but I can't help the feeling that changing the name because of a focus group is an unsettling precedent. I'd not be surprised if the Little Sister prompt menu was also part of that.

This name is an example, albeit a small one, of "dumbing down". Testers that are not able to discern the station via frobbing it, or not patient enough to spend an iota of time to observe it, but would rather charge through Rapture blowing it off, just sound quite plainly "dumb". When I played SS2 for the first time, I skipped the tutorials, and I had no idea what a Value-rep station was until I frobbed the FIRST ONE I CAME ACROSS.

But vdog is right. The focus group does need to reflect the population as a whole, and unfortunately, on the whole, the population aint too bright ;) At least they aren't calling it the "Plasmid giving machine" with signs plastered above with arrows pointing "Get your plasmids here!" & "You can't play the game without these!"

Rapture_Tourist

03-31-2007, 08:39 PM

wait...
where's the connection between gene-bank and plasmids? woudn't it then be better if they also rename plasmids to gene-mods?!

Gene-bank = A place, where genes are stored, which you can buy to modify your own genetic structure.

Plasmid = The name itself stands for bacterial DNA in a ring form.

So, there is a connection, but I like Plasmi-Quik more. It sounds like Rapture marketing :).

Hatesink

03-31-2007, 08:45 PM

There are gene-tonics also, but I'm not sure if they're just a different item or if they mean for them to replace the plasmids.

Redraf

03-31-2007, 10:28 PM

Why don't they just keep it plasmi-quik and add it into the tutorial level? Unless there isn't a tutorial level, but still, there are usually at least prompts telling you what you can do for the first level or two. Plasmi-Quik just sounds cooler than Gene-Bank.

It would be too ridiculous if people didn't get that plasmids were the thing making fireballs come from yours arm though. Don't switch that to gene tonics please. I'll give you a cheese sandwich.../bribe

v.dog

04-01-2007, 01:07 AM

I know the name is not important, but I can't help the feeling that changing the name because of a focus group is an unsettling precedent. I'd not be surprised if the Little Sister prompt menu was also part of that.It depends on whether they respond to the focus groups in a knee-jerk fashion, our they sit down and say "this is what we want, this is what the focus group wants, what's that best solution?"
After all, the whole point of a focus group is to get feedback as to what works and what doesn't, and apply that feedback in a constructive manner. At least they aren't calling it the "Plasmid giving machine" with signs plastered above with arrows pointing "Get your plasmids here!" & "You can't play the game without these!"Well, they do have the sign that says "More items downstairs". ;)

Club Heaven

04-01-2007, 02:40 AM

The focus group needs to reflect the population as a whole. Also, would you know what a plasmi-quik was if you had simply bought the game of the shelf, without spending all this time in the forums, and reading all the previews?

Absolutely. I've played through much more user-unfriendly games and it took little time to figure out what machine does what. + there's a manual that comes with the game for the people who can read and think. In this case, Irrational probably had bad luck, recruiting morons with low IQs and short attention spans. There is no way a normal human being would have problems learning for themselves what a simple Plasmi-quik does. Even an ape, curious about the shiny thing on the wall would carefully approach it and gently pull a lever or something to see what the gizmo is for.
I think people today would get stuck 30 seconds into some old school RPG or adventure game. That's how lazy and slow in the head they are. No interest at all to learn and explore, just shoot, burn and stab. Mindless violence for an apathic youth. That's what we get in game after game. :mad:

Glottis

04-01-2007, 02:46 AM

Still, someone would have to be retarded not to make the connection between the plasmids they use and Plasmi-quik...

That is exactly what I have thought about it as well,and my 37 year old wife
who does customer service for a large chain here in Canada.I guess,I have
become overly protective of what I have seen of Bioshock,and I want to protect what I love about it.Which at this point is everything. :o

Plasma-quik sounds so........50's / 60's .... It just 'fits' and whoever on the team thought it up,was RIGHT on the money !! Of course
what do I know...I'm just a HUGE fan of IG's work.... :p

Glottis

04-01-2007, 02:49 AM

Absolutely. I've played through much more user-unfriendly games and it took little time to figure out what machine does what. + there's a manual that comes with the game for the people who can read and think. In this case, Irrational probably had bad luck, recruiting morons with low IQs and short attention spans. There is no way a normal human being would have problems learning for themselves what a simple Plasmi-quik does. Even an ape, curious about the shiny thing on the wall would carefully approach it and gently pull a lever or something to see what the gizmo is for.
I think people today would get stuck 30 seconds into some old school RPG or adventure game. That's how lazy and slow in the head they are. No interest at all to learn and explore, just shoot, burn and stab. Mindless violence for an apathic youth. That's what we get in game after game. :mad:

If this site had a post rating/rep system,you and Raveness would get lots of
kudos from me. :)

Raveness

04-01-2007, 04:05 AM

If this site had a post rating/rep system,you and Raveness would get lots of
kudos from me. :)
Wow, that's high praise. Thank You :) I would do the same in kind.

I agree wholeheartedly, Club Heaven. In all forms of entertainment, not just in games, there's an evidently increasing polarity between artistic integrity and commercial viability, and gems of creativity that manage both are becoming increasingly rare.

Jeff

04-01-2007, 05:51 AM

it's not hard to see that society cators to the lowest common denominator for sake of profit, just look at every movie now-a-days, pg-13 or bust much?

Silent Film

04-01-2007, 07:49 AM

Weird, but true. I love the old name, but I also like when, you know, people use the character growth system....

Do you also like receiving giant wedgies from the fan base? Clearly you must!

Line up folks... :D

Hatesink

04-01-2007, 11:22 AM

In this case, Irrational probably had bad luck, recruiting morons with low IQs and short attention spans.But isn't that the core demographic for FPS? :p;)
I think people today would get stuck 30 seconds into some old school RPG or adventure game. That's how lazy and slow in the head they are.To be fair, most adventure games are very clunky and could be considered to be very poorly designed. It doesn't surprise me that most people won't play them— most of them just feel broken and full of design floors.

In all forms of entertainment, not just in games, there's an evidently increasing polarity between artistic integrity and commercial viability, and gems of creativity that manage both are becoming increasingly rare.I guess it's ironic that BioShock explores capitalist dystopia. Maybe it's an unconscious criticism based on Ken Levine's frustrations with the art form.

I used to really love poetry and would study it very closely. I wanted to be able to encapsulate my feelings in the clearest way possible, but every time I sit down to write, a bunch of advertising slogans, headlines and straplines pop out. :confused:

Adam Nuhfer

04-01-2007, 03:36 PM

In focus testing, I also learned that 4 out of 5 dentists preferred Trident for their patients who chew gum.

That's all well and good for a dentist whom doesn't like fixing cavities. My guess is most of the folks on these forums are the 1 out of 5 who prefer something other than trident. While the majority get to pick the flavor we'll be chewing, it doesn't mean we've lost our taste for what we prefer. Wrapper changes, texture changes, Eye candy changes all add up. After a while it can get to the point it's tough chewing as it gets harder to swallow. Ah yes, it's a fine line one must traverse. Classic Trioptimum gum vs watered down gum. I'm glad I'm not a dentist. :D

nmrahde

04-02-2007, 01:45 AM

That's all well and good for a dentist whom doesn't like fixing cavities. My guess is most of the folks on these forums are the 1 out of 5 who prefer something other than trident. While the majority get to pick the flavor we'll be chewing, it doesn't mean we've lost our taste for what we prefer. Wrapper changes, texture changes, Eye candy changes all add up. After a while it can get to the point it's tough chewing as it gets harder to swallow. Ah yes, it's a fine line one must traverse. Classic Trioptimum gum vs watered down gum. I'm glad I'm not a dentist. :D

Very well said.

Laser Eyes

04-02-2007, 05:33 AM

But isn't that the core demographic for FPS?

Are morons with low IQs and short attention spans really the core demographic for FPSs? I better go back and see that psychologist that my employer sent me to. He said my IQ is in the top 1% on the planet. He must be wrong because playing FPS games is my favourite hobby!

v.dog

04-02-2007, 07:29 AM

If you're that smart, you'll realize there's a big difference between the core demographic, and the set as a whole. ;)

Hatesink

04-02-2007, 08:42 AM

If you're that smart, you'll realize there's a big difference between the core demographic, and the set as a whole. ;)I would have thought so ;)

Are morons with low IQs and short attention spans really the core demographic for FPSs? I better go back and see that psychologist that my employer sent me to. He said my IQ is in the top 1% on the planet. He must be wrong because playing FPS games is my favourite hobby!That doesn't really make you 'average' though does it? :p

Raveness

04-02-2007, 12:38 PM

FPS games are one of my favorite genres as well, but it would be hard not to recognize the snails pace of innovation they have taken, and the dozens of pumped-out dross actioneer titles released all the time in a cash cow manner.

Also, I think using the IQ term to denote a segment of the audience is a bit of an accepted misnomer. It has nothing to do with actual IQ, but rather a means to show how easily impressed and stupifyingly idiotic some consumers are, usually the ones who wave off highbrow titles as "boring" :rolleyes: because of their inability to digest its artistic merit & their apathetic laziness of not even making an attempt to understand it.

gughunter

04-14-2007, 06:57 PM

Uh-oh! Looks like there's been another name change. I wasn't upset about "Gene Bank," but this is just too much.

http://members.byond.com/Gughunter/files/gene_bank_small.png

Hatesink

04-14-2007, 07:25 PM

How about "Pump'Yur'Nards"

borgdrone89

04-16-2007, 01:46 AM

'sif "plasmiquik" written on a vending-looking platform like that won't interest unknowing players enough to test it out, eh?

Pinky_Powers

04-16-2007, 02:43 AM

I wonder if there's a plasmid that makes my left foot bigger than my right. Then I would just run right up and kick a Big Daddy in the nads.

SPDeath

04-21-2007, 09:13 AM

You know they could solve the whole 'people not knowing what plasmi-quik do' problem by telling them to RTFM (Read The F***ing Manual). This is part of the dumbing down of games problem, people want something to just switch on while there brain switches off.

borgdrone89

04-21-2007, 09:23 AM

yeah.. stupid dumbing down so its all gore...

Hatesink

04-21-2007, 10:24 AM

I'm guessing they'd identified an 'ideal' frequency with which the player character should hopefully jack into the plasmi-quick, and they probably could only achieve that by changing the name. Gene-bank suggests 'automated teller', which people are already habituated into frequently visiting.

Obviously that's just conjecture.

nmrahde

04-21-2007, 11:00 AM

I heard that now 'Gene Bank' is being replaced by 'Gene Hackman'. Apparently he'll just be running around Rapture giving out plasmids all willy nilly...

AuspexAO

04-21-2007, 02:08 PM

As a newer member of this community, I would like to take this opportunity to completely alienate myself by suggesting the following changes to the game jargon:

"Plasmi-Quik" should be "Harry Potter's Magic Dispenser (tm)"
"Splicer" should be changed to "zombie" or maybe "bad person-kill this!"
"Big Daddy" is confusing and should now be "Mr. Protectotron Deluxe"
"Little Sister" should be called "Royale with Cheese"

And lastly please replace "shotgun" with "happystick" so as to not offend those killed in bear-hunting accidents. (see "hunting the Mr. Protectotron Deluxe" video for examples of said accidents)

Karamell

04-21-2007, 03:26 PM

You know they could solve the whole 'people not knowing what plasmi-quik do' problem by telling them to RTFM (Read The F***ing Manual).

Should they put the words "Now go RTFM!" on the screen, then? ;)

This is part of the dumbing down of games problem,

There is no "dumbing down" here. It's a simple user interface issue. If you want a million people to press a button, don't put "strange" words on it. I think most people are unfamiliar with the word "plasmid", not so with genes.

people want something to just switch on while there brain switches off.

There is nothing wrong with that. But I guess most people around here keep theirs switched on. :)

Hatesink

04-21-2007, 03:42 PM

I think they should hide them on the ceiling. And instead of "Gene Bank" they should have written accross the front "Nothing of Any Interest"

SPDeath

04-21-2007, 04:15 PM

There is nothing wrong with that. But I guess most people around here keep theirs switched on. :)

I know there's nothing wrong with it, sometimes I don't feel like getting really invovled in a game story, and just wanna shoot things, and in those circumstances I would put on some painkiller or serious sam. However some games get bullied into this, like they wanna put some intellectual feature in the game but the publisher's might say "you can't do that, nobody will buy it"

smiley451

04-21-2007, 07:41 PM

Personally, I think Plasma-Quick should stay, seeing how you would use it to buy plasmids. And plasmid is such a cool word, and original, so they shouldn't change that either.

:) 451

Renight

04-28-2007, 08:21 PM

Wait a second... 2k, everyone likes plasmiquick better right? But some people don't know what its for. So change the name to...
Plasmi-quick
The Gene Bank.

Huu? Huu? What do you think.
(Oh yah if you use this you need to pay me 8 cents for each copy of the game. Lol just kidding, just put my name in the credits.
Plami-quick, the gene bank name creator John Hock.
Got a nice ring to it.)

MF9000

04-28-2007, 08:27 PM

Since many of us like the original name, maybe 2K/IG can put in an option to use the original skin on the Plasmi-quik. I really can't believe that the testers weren't curious enough to check out the machine to see what it did. I believe it's been mentioned before, just include a quick start manual that would at least hint at what the Plasmi-quik is for. Gene Bank reminds me of Genbank which is an online resource for genetic code from bacteria, viruses, and critters.

SPDeath

04-28-2007, 08:51 PM

If people aren't going to know what Plasmi-Quik is, then why should we assume they'll know what a gene-bank is.

If they're trying to engineer the game for morons they should be more careful, otherwise we'll have people running around wondering if they're supposed to buy new trousers from the jean-bank :D

MF9000

04-28-2007, 09:07 PM

What! Levi's cost 100 adam. I won't pay it. ;)

qaz88aof

04-29-2007, 07:18 PM

willerokiller

04-29-2007, 10:03 PM

Hahahahahaha.... nothing to contribute here

way to contribute for a cause

v.dog

04-29-2007, 10:50 PM