Faith in BioShock Infinite (joystiq interview)

[japester]

Interesting interview (aren't they all? heh) focusing quite a bit on the aspect of religion and how Ken found that more challenging than writing about someone like Ryan, whom he shares a similar background with. What really caught my attention was how Comstock is a literal prophet, not just a figurehead. He has made predictions (including one about the coming of Booker) that have come true. That makes him a lot more dangerous, not only because he might be able to predict your moves, but because it will make his followers all the more fanatical.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/07/ir...finite-and-ev/

[vsharres]

Maybe that's way the held Elizabeth captive, to be able to predict the future using her ability to open tears....

[japester]

Definite possibility, vsharres. If you can have an effect on time/space, then why not predict the future? I wonder if prior to her power spike, Elizabeth could only open non-interactive windows? And now she can physically merge the different realities and bring items through? So many possibilities....

[IGlegacy_Felonious]

With that interview and the religious angle, I get almost a Bioshock 2 feel with the cult of Lamb, swap in Elizabeth for Eleanor and Comstock for the Lamb's side. Not sure how I feel about that but in Ken I trust.

[rootbeertapper]

Maybe that's way the held Elizabeth captive, to be able to predict the future using her ability to open tears....

Sounds like a old Star Trek TNG episode where this woman controlled an entire society with her cloaked ship then Captain Picard found out she was a fraud and knocked her down off her pedestal.

[watchman]

Perhaps warping the situation into a more extreme 'cult' (strawman) situation is safer than a political standoff with one side being bomb throwing anarchists (terrorists) that you have the option of 'sympathizing with'....


Maybe this 'redirection' is what is taking so long - scrubbing out certain 'controvesial' aspects in the game setting???

[losstarot]

With that interview and the religious angle, I get almost a Bioshock 2 feel with the cult of Lamb, swap in Elizabeth for Eleanor and Comstock for the Lamb's side. Not sure how I feel about that but in Ken I trust.

This would indeed feel too redundant if it were true. Let us hope for another scheme at all.

And most of all I would be shocked if they went mild or even dumped the whole thematic about the Founders-Vox political conflict which will derail into a civil war, and put instead more religion into it to avoid controversy. What makes me wonder about such a thing is that ol'Comstock doesn't seem even related anymore to the Founders but a religious figure... Was it the only comfortable way for Levine to envision the character that he failed to see in 2011, as we read in a past article?

[Note-Taker]

This would indeed feel too redundant if it were true. Let us hope for another scheme at all.

And most of all I would be shocked if they went mild or even dumped the whole thematic about the Founders-Vox political conflict which will derail into a civil war, and put instead more religion into it to avoid controversy. What makes me wonder about such a thing is that ol'Comstock doesn't seem even related anymore to the Founders but a religious figure... Was it the only comfortable way for Levine to envision the character that he failed to see in 2011, as we read in a past article?

Actually, I thought it was funny that someone called Elizabeth the "lamb" or something along those lines (in reference to how others see her), recently. There are some possible similarities, at least in that both have to be rescued and both seem to be being used for someone or everyone else's purposes. Though I don't think we've been told yet, exactly, why Elizabeth is so important to others (what her specific use is to them).

[watchman]

This would indeed feel too redundant if it were true. Let us hope for another scheme at all.

And most of all I would be shocked if they went mild or even dumped the whole thematic about the Founders-Vox political conflict which will derail into a civil war, and put instead more religion into it to avoid controversy. What makes me wonder about such a thing is that ol'Comstock doesn't seem even related anymore to the Founders but a religious figure... Was it the only comfortable way for Levine to envision the character that he failed to see in 2011, as we read in a past article?

I suppose it could have been a tactic to put off any 'controversy' dealing with misportraying Christian Religion the last two years by presenting the game as something else (the 'historical-like' class struggle theme). Or a redirection after some feedback which told them which 'controversy' was more palatable to the market (or possible commentators/condemnors).

We will have to see if most of the opponents in the game are now faceless (another 'controversy' they may seek to dodge about the player effectively becoming a mass murderer).