Something That Bugged Me

[Sjenkins32-1]

Why did Delta need money to access the vending machines? I mean, I understand Jack needing money on account of him being human, and that those machines probably weigh a ton....but Delta is a big daddy!

I really like this game, and am going through my second playthrough. I just don't understand realistically, how a 8 foot, couple hundred pound behemoth with a huge drill for a arm must scrounge around for enough paper bills to buy necessary items from machines. He surely must be strong enough to break them apart.

IMO it would've made more sense if they did away with cash and simply allowed us to break open the machines and let us take what we needed. To make things fair, all machines would have a set amount of items in them and they couldn't refill items on account of the machines being broken. If we use up all items in all vending machines then we'd have to get items from dead splicers, seems more of a challenge to me then simply making sure I have enough money to buy something a infinite amount of times.

Could you imagine Delta's reaction if the machines wouldn't take his dollars, because they were too beat up?

Would do you think?

[Mr.Plum]

You're not going to like this but here goes: It's just a game. Sure, a big daddy could rip a vending machine to shreds, but the game wouldn't flow. It's like saying "why does Delta need to hack vaults? Isn't he strong enough to break it open?" Money, along with hacking, is implemented for gameplay reasons and may not make realistic sense, and it doesn't have to.

There are many aspects of Bioshock that don't make perfect sense (purchasing tonic/plasmids with adam) and are implemented for gameplay machanics. Simple as that.

[Adam Addict L]

this question goes good with ''Why can splicers break all kinds of stuff but Delta can't?'' :

It's like saying "why does Delta need to hack vaults? Isn't he strong enough to break it open?" Money, along with hacking, is implemented for gameplay reasons and may not make realistic sense, and it doesn't have to.

Well a steel vault is pretty tough...even Delta would have to beat on it a few times

There are many aspects of Bioshock that don't make perfect sense

true enough NOTE:I was going to add something else to go along with that you said but I forgot what it was

[MetroidJunkie2008]

Speaking of purchasing tonics/plasmids, how did Andrew intend for citizens to pay the adam fee? Did the circus of value machines have bags of adam for sale at one point?

[Incinerate]

Dont vending machines shoot out bombs when broken? Im not sure but if i remember in FF Plsmid theatre a Cirqus Of Values shoots out a bomb and kills a splicer after being broken into.

[Fialvert]

That wouldn't make any sense. Delta can only carry a certain amount of anything, so therefore, once he left the machine, a bunch of splicers would probably show up and take the rest, so Delta would be screwed.

[Relight]

That wouldn't make any sense. Delta can only carry a certain amount of anything, so therefore, once he left the machine, a bunch of splicers would probably show up and take the rest, so Delta would be screwed.

Splicers don't touch vending machines in normal gameplay though - a gameplay mechanic - so they wouldn't touch them in this situation either.

The only time Splicers touch vending machines is in scripted sequences where they're trying to get into one.

So, with the way the game is now, Splicers don't go around looting other bodies for money, and then go to vending machines to buy things.

[janissary12]

Speaking of purchasing tonics/plasmids, how did Andrew intend for citizens to pay the adam fee? Did the circus of value machines have bags of adam for sale at one point?

The GG machines have a funnel near the top. I guess you pour the ADAM into that.

[MetroidJunkie2008]

The GG machines have a funnel near the top. I guess you pour the ADAM into that.

I'm not asking how they used the Adam as currency, I'm asking how they were supposed to obtain the Adam. The only way you can get Adam ingame is from the little sisters and I highly doubt Andrew Ryan intended for people to just crack them open and take it. There had to have been some way Andrew Ryan sold Adam, perhaps he used it as a working wage or something?

[Relight]

By the way, it kind of ties in, you can destroy the health stations - and you'll get a first aid kit for your trouble.

[mehe]

Cause realism in a game like this can only go to a certain extent. I could ask why his whole suit didn't burn up on him since it should've caught on fire while using a fire plasmid.

[MetroidJunkie2008]

Cause realism in a game like this can only go to a certain extent. I could ask why his whole suit didn't burn up on him since it should've caught on fire while using a fire plasmid.

The plasmids go THROUGH the gloves so, if you combine that with the easy injection system on his wrist and the Eve tube going right into his vein, it seems obvious that Delta was designed to use plasmids, as efficiently as possible.

[mehe]

The plasmids go THROUGH the gloves so, if you combine that with the easy injection system on his wrist and the Eve tube going right into his vein, it seems obvious that Delta was designed to use plasmids, as efficiently as possible.

So...what about Jack...?

[MetroidJunkie2008]

So...what about Jack...?

Jack's arms are completely exposed so the area Incinerate covers wouldn't affect him.

[mehe]

But it's fire..the heat alone should set him on fire.

[MetroidJunkie2008]

But it's fire..the heat alone should set him on fire.

It's possible that the heat is somehow concentrated inside of his arm. The plasmid DOES alter his DNA afterall, it's like asking how he doesn't retain scars on his hand after the Winter Blast plasmid literally appears to rip through it.

[janissary12]

There's some weird economics there: ADAM is both useful on its own (apparently--or is it?) and is used as a currency, so it seems like a bit of a barter economy.

There's (literal) tons of theory on how barter economies differ from currency economies, but I certainly don't know the ramifications.

Maybe everybody was supposed to raise sea-slugs at home. Like rabbits.

[PhlyPinoy]

MADNESS?! THIS. IS. RAPTURE.
laws of physics do not apply in rapture =/

[AdjundantReflex]

Imagine Delta frantically straightening out a few bills to buy a health pack while under heavy fire from Splicers.

[RaptureWillBeReborn]

Imagine Delta frantically straightening out a few bills to buy a health pack while under heavy fire from Splicers.

...or a big sister...

[janissary12]

Imagine Delta frantically straightening out a few bills to buy a health pack while under heavy fire from Splicers.

Ha, good one!

[MetroidJunkie2008]

Imagine Delta frantically straightening out a few bills to buy a health pack while under heavy fire from Splicers.

Reminds me of this Bioshock comic where Jack makes the splicer stand still while he's busy hacking a vending machine then tells him to wait some more for one last try.

[Sjenkins32-1]

I like alot of the replies thus far but I must disagree with Mr.Plum. Yes, I know it's "just a game," but you mean to honestly tell me you never saw something strange either in a game or a movie and questioned it afterwards? Like, "Man, how did he survive all of that?" or " how is that even possible?" Anyways Mr.Plum, this is just a fun subject to relax and talk about what other people think of this.

Well a steel vault is pretty tough...even Delta would have to beat on it a few times

Unless I'm mistaken I believe vaults/safes also have electricity running to them. You know, like how if you mess up at hacking a safe you get shocked. I imagine if I was wealthy person in Rapture, I would want more then a safe to guard my money. Delta could probably smash a safe open pretty easily, but might think twice if they got power going to them.

"The plasmids go THROUGH the gloves so, if you combine that with the easy injection system on his wrist and the Eve tube going right into his vein, it seems obvious that Delta was designed to use plasmids, as efficiently as possible."

Actually, if you look close enough you'll see that there are special small opening on each of his fingertips (and palm) for Delta to cast his plasmid of choice.

I'm not asking how they used the Adam as currency, I'm asking how they were supposed to obtain the Adam. The only way you can get Adam ingame is from the little sisters and I highly doubt Andrew Ryan intended for people to just crack them open and take it. There had to have been some way Andrew Ryan sold Adam, perhaps he used it as a working wage or something?

Like others have mentioned, it might've been a form of pay but probably mostly for FF employees. I would say, the most likely is that back in Rapture's hayday you could probably buy ADAM directly from FF....at a pretty penny.

Keep it coming guys, this is fun to see what everybody thinks on this.

[Reinhart]

All Vending Machines, (or machines in general) are indestructible. I can guarantee you that you will find burnt machines, and short-circuited ones, but you will never find a broken machine. (By broken, I mean bisected or destroyed) This, was probably the developer's feeble idea of a joke. Not all questions have answers, though. So leave it be.

[Mr.Plum]

Unless I'm mistaken I believe vaults/safes also have electricity running to them. You know, like how if you mess up at hacking a safe you get shocked. I imagine if I was wealthy person in Rapture, I would want more then a safe to guard my money. Delta could probably smash a safe open pretty easily, but might think twice if they got power going to them.

ok, maybe my vault example didn't express the message I was trying to convey. Maybe they do have electric currnet running through them. Don't vending machines have security systems as well?

According to your way of thinking, Delta hacks to avoid a shock or setting off security alarms. So, maybe Delta gathers money to spend at vending machines to avoid such occurances. That's why he doesn't blow up vending machines.

As stupid as that sounds, that, of course, isn't the case at all.

Like others have mentioned, it might've been a form of pay but probably mostly for FF employees. I would say, the most likely is that back in Rapture's hayday you could probably buy ADAM directly from FF....at a pretty penny.

The developers really didn't flesh out the Bioshock universe as well as they would have liked. In other words, not everything in Rapture has an answer. Most of the inconsistencies arose from creating solid game play mechanics. These inconsistencies should be acknowledged and dismissed.

Using money for vending machines does seem ridiculous and unrealistic but how else would the game function? The game needs to function somehow and using money to purchase ammunition from vending machine is (a really lazy) way to do it.

[Eleanorgirl]

You can't just buy everything in the machines for free you know. lol! *giggles*

[wodinoneeyex]

Something as simple as physicly breaking into it would probably set of its self detruct. And even though you are a Big Daddy, you are still a human and subject to most limitations (though you probably have some strength mods).

Even though you have armor it is never invulurable. Large explosions blow apart any materials you can come up with and the shock from lesser ones will still pupl your flesh no matter how thick it is.

Thats probably why even after 8 years many vending machines still have stuff in them and even half insane splicers wont try to break into them.

[PoeticMadnesss]

Well, there was a diary either removed or in the game from Alexander about how they refitted vending Mahoney with supplies for big daddies (don't remember if it was in game or not)

anywho, I think a reason for them having to use money is because if the bds use the money, then splicers can't, right? It's using resources that splicers themselves need in order to restock their own ammunition, and if there's less money for splicers to use, then there's less ammo for them overall, right?

Big daddis are bound to have hundreds of kills each in regards to their numbers of slain splicers, and even though we don't see it, they probably search the bodies for cash as well. Personally, I believe this to be the most logical reasoning behind how the bds not only resupply and why, but also why you find tons of cash on slain bds.

An in regards to why you couldn't just break in: imagine smashing into a machine that carries grenades. Potential for large explosion? Rather high =P lol

Just my two cents.

P.S. @OP: These are the kinds of topics I wish were brought back to the forums, the kind of speculating things that haven't been showing up lately. Thank you.

[Yak]

What I want to know is how come you can charge as light speed, wielding a massive drill on your arm, can hurl boulders with nothing but mind-power and yet a lightweight concertina door is an impenetrable barrier?

[Stanley Poole]

I can just see Delta fumbling with the paper bills, as the machine keeps spitting them back out and he's trying to flatten them out. Oh the frustration