Sp Speculation: Just What the Heck is Going on in Dubai?

[Codex]

So, we have a lot of MP questions, a lot of "what cons is 2k going to be at" discussions relatively little single player discussion taking place. I know I'm not the only one (please, someone else back me up here!) that's interested primarily in the single player rather than the multiplayer, so I thought why not start the ball rolling on some chat?

Let's take one of the first trailers. The "world premiere" trailer (here:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xxn8U...eature=related) has a couple of interesting things that I've noticed. Firstly, that opening image of the flag flying upside down. From what I understand about the military, when a flag is flown upside down like that it is a request for an immediate assisted bug out. This is sort of corroborated by text on the website (from Conrad, talking about "you aren't the first they sent after me and you won't be the last") and from what we've already been told by 2k. You're sent in to find Conrad and his people who went missing after the natural disaster and aren't as dead as they should be. Was this flag flown by Conrad's men? Was it flown by someone afterwards? Just what is going on in Dubai?

First point of speculation: What's so important about Dubai to Conrad that he stayed through a natural disaster to defend it.

Second point: There are an awful lot of soldiers fighting against you in the trailers. Even if Conrad is a colonel, where's he getting all his men? In the trailer subtext he's mentioned as having a "squad." Are these soldiers locals who couldn't escape and who've joined up with him? Are they a second faction that Conrad is also fighting with?

Third point: Walker was cuter in the cinematic trailer -yes, I'm a girl, don't start with that stuff please D:- (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5D0Fgx3ApE) any chance that he will actually have hair in the final game, or that there is some element of character creation for him in cut scenes (a la Mass Effect)?*

What about you guys? What do you think about the above? Do you have any questions from the trailers that have got your "plot" engines ticking over? Let us discuss!

*Not really story related, but oh well.

[Juan29.Zapata]

Very good points, let me have the honor of replying to your post.

1. This actually really interesting, only something really terrible and if I say so, evil, could have made Conrad stay, and turn him mad (opinion from what I have read). Now, this is just me making this up, but I think there could be a supernatural twist. Hopefully not because people tend to hate, because it comes from nowhere.

2. Conrad probably had his own 5-people squad, but there must have been more people assisting in Dubai. He probably "hunt" them down, they either worked with (or for him) him or they died. That, or were people from Dubai that survived the disaster. Or maybe both!

3. Hard to say if it's possible to change his hair, after all, for some developers (most developers), animating hair is extremely hard, and they could spend those resources from hair on other things like improving some textures or some other stuff. Just for you to know, I'm not against the idea, but if it means that other things get less quality, I think I can live with his current hair.

[Codex]

Very good points, let me have the honor of replying to your post.

1. This actually really interesting, only something really terrible and if I say so, evil, could have made Conrad stay, and turn him mad (opinion from what I have read). Now, this is just me making this up, but I think there could be a supernatural twist. Hopefully not because people tend to hate, because it comes from nowhere.

If it goes the direction of supernatural I hope it doesn't end up like Assassin's Creed or something like that. Supernatural twists often feel forced and... lacking in some way, shape or form. I do believe in Heart of Darkness (apocalypse now) it's simply because the Commander went mad and decided to create their own little world.

2. Conrad probably had his own 5-people squad, but there must have been more people assisting in Dubai. He probably "hunt" them down, they either worked with (or for him) him or they died. That, or were people from Dubai that survived the disaster. Or maybe both!

This seems like something that will be explained in-game. It's a pity, cause I think there's a lot to be speculated on here.

3. Hard to say if it's possible to change his hair, after all, for some developers (most developers), animating hair is extremely hard, and they could spend those resources from hair on other things like improving some textures or some other stuff. Just for you to know, I'm not against the idea, but if it means that other things get less quality, I think I can live with his current hair.

But he's bald T_T In the original cinematic trailer he had hair xD

Oh well, it's an aesthetic fan-girl thing. It probably makes more sense for him not to have hair.

[Codex]

Well, here we go. This video (http://au.gamespot.com/xbox360/actio...opslot;thumb;3) confirms that there are indeed different factions in Dubai that you have to fight. It also discusses that "something happened" in Dubai to cause the sand storms.

Now, what I want to know is what is that something? Did Conrad do it? Did Conrad defect because of it (ie: was it a test by the military that he disagreed with?)? Curiouser and curiouser.