Oy. Too soon.
BioShock 2 Officially Announced for Q4 2009 Release; Ken Levine Involvement Confirmed
by Chris Faylor and Nick Breckon Mar 11, 2008 4:09pm CST
Publisher Take-Two Interactive today officially confirmed that a sequel to 2K Boston's underwater shooter BioShock will arrive during the company's fiscal fourth quarter in 2009.
Take-Two's fourth quarter runs from August through the end of October.
BioShock 2 is under development by the Novato, California-based studio 2K Marin. The new development house is rumored to consist of several former 2K Boston and 2K Australia employees.
The publisher also announced that BioShock creator Ken Levine will be involved in the development of the sequel, though his role on the project was not specified. Levine's home studio of 2K Boston is rumored to be working on a new X-COM title.
"[Ken Levine] is critical to BioShock," said a Take-Two representative.
No platforms were announced. The game will likely make an appearance on both Xbox 360 and PC, and comments made earlier in the year by 2K Games president Christopher Hartmann indicate the game could also make an appearance on PlayStation 3.
BioShock 2 Teaser Site
[Mar 05, 2009, 4:29 pm ET] - Share - 5 Comments
There's Something in the Sea (http://www.somethinginthesea.com/) (www.somethinginthesea.com} is online as a viral teaser site for BioShock 2, the upcoming shooter prequel/sequel in the works at 2K Games. The Flash site shows a world map with an X over the UK dated 2/20/67. There are three clues "pinned" to the map, including a newspaper clipping datelined with that date and the location of Liscannor, Co, Clare, so presumably this seaside Irish town is the precise location of that marking. The clipping describes the kidnapping of a young girl, and the other clues are a photo of a Big Daddy doll, and a note speculating this is a clue in the kidnapping, as are "wet footprints" (hmmm).
Kotaku (http://kotaku.com/5165091/bioshock-2-warns-theres-something-in-the-sea) also has a reproduction of a real-life hand-drawn (looking) poster teasing the site taped to a light-pole in some unnamed town.
Thanks Shacknews (http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/57527) and nin.
I don't know, but is it just me or is the prospect of Bioshock 2 still pretty underwhelming?We're getting teased with info. So, yeah -- way too early to tell, I think.
There's not much I just can't get excited about it, and I think a big part of that is because Ken Levine isn't a part of it.Isn't that how it goes with most sequels?
I just don't have faith that the game is going to be as special as the first.
I generally have no reason to doubt sequels. You hear all the time that sequels suck, but with games I find that's rarely the case. Movies, yes. Movie sequels are very frequently crap compared to the first, usually because they're shameless cash-ins with no real value (see: Jurassic Park versus it's 2 horrendous, shit-garbage sequels), but game sequels are often good.In gaming, you're right -- more frequently than in movies, games have a chance in a sequel to be better than the original. Though, there have been times were the original's much better than the sequel b/c not much new was really introduced in the gameplay and graphics department.
Disciples II, Doom 2, Dawn of War II, God of War 2, Killzone 2, Silent Hill 2, 3, 5, for some people Half-life 2... the list could go on nearly forever. So yes, generally I do expect the thought of a sequel to excite me, and if it doesn't, that is often a very bad sign.As far as SH goes, I think 1 and 2 are the best ones in the series; followed by #3; and #4 is the worst of the bunch (even though #4 is decent). I ain't played #5 yet, so no comment there on that one....
Actual BioShock 2 Details: You Are Big Daddy
by Chris Faylor Mar 13, 2009 3:54pm
Following this morning's brouhaha regarding fake BioShock 2 details, actual information on the game is starting to come out as subscribers receive the latest Game Informer.
The sequel has players assuming control of "the first ever" Big Daddy, according to creative director Jordan Thomas. Players will be armed with a drill, and will also be able to upgrade their weapons and various plasmids.
As you liberate Little Sisters from other Big Daddies, you'll be able to either Harvest or Adopt them. Adoption apparently lets players escort a Little Sister around levels, fighting off splicers as the Little Sister harvests the all-powerful Adam from corpses.
The information surfaced over at the GameSpot Forums, and was backed up by blurry pictures of the article. The posters there and at NeoGAF also a provided wealth of other not-yet-verified details, apparently coming from the same source as the pictures.
Those unconfirmed details are listed below. Shacknews can confirm the validity of the above information, but can't yet say the same for any of the following points:
* The game is set 10 years after the first BioShock.
* There will be a multiplayer mode, but no details were given.
* The Big Sister is a grown-up Little Sister, and she's hunting you.
* Some levels take place on the sea floor outside of Rapture.
* The Big Sister will periodically pop up after you kill enough Big Daddies. Her arrival is apparently signaled by a Little Sister singing a song.
* The Big Sister is described as fast and "the hardest thing in the game." She'll utilize telekinesis to throw objects at you or use them as shields.
* Your drill overheats, and cannot be used constantly.
* As a Big Daddy, you'll be able to do that nifty shoulder bash move.
* Upgrade trees are now more diverse.
* The Incinerate plasmid allows you to throw a fireball or shoot a stream of fire, depending on upgrades.
* Using Incinerate on a Cyclone Trap will result in a flaming trap.
* You can now heal damaged turrets and bots.
* The game will reveal how Adam is recovered from Little Sisters.
The 2K Marin-developed shooter sequel is set to arrive between August 1 and October 31, 2009, and is "destined" for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The company has yet to state which versions will hit by October's end.
Prepare to be pleased, PlayStation 3 owners: BioShock 2 will not be a timed exclusive for the Xbox 360.
A 2K spokesperson told CVG that the company is planning to release the title across all relevant platforms at the same time. “We’re aiming for simultaneous release on all platforms (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC),” said the spokesperson, who added that multiplayer details would be available "soon enough."
The PS3 version of BioShock was released in North America fourteen months after the title made its debut on the Xbox 360. The wait was apparently worth it. Despite some message board rumblings of shoddy texture work and weird game-breaking glitches, videogame critics seemed largely pleased with 2K’s port -- it has a solid 94 average on Metacritic.
So, PS3 owners, how does it feel to know that you’re (probably) returning to Rapture with Xbox 360 and PC crowd?
Looks exactly like the first game.That's what probably left me unimpressed. It don't look like the HUD or anything has changed at all.
Certainly could be worse. I'm skeptical because Levine isn't leading the project, but if there's cool people working on it, it could still be cool. Or it might be lame... who knows. But I thought the video looked great.I mean, yes -- the water part did look really good and all...but maybe I'm just looking for the more NEW graphical technologies thrown in here or something?
Yeah, it hasn't been long enough. This is just a new game using the same engine, it looks like. Which is fine with me. I don't require a big tech upgrade for every sequel. Hell, I don't really even want one. I think too many games wait to and try to bust out impressive new tech for sequels instead of focusing on making a good game.
I got tired of Bioshock after playing a good ways into it. The game itself was great, but for some reason I just couldn't bring myself to finish it. Dunno why.
See, you aren't there yet. Don't even dare look it up. Just persist and it will be totally worth it. Trust me.We don't even want to spoil one of the greatest twists and turns in gaming history.
Yeah I went all-out wrench. Just went around bashing the shit out of everything. It was quite enjoyable, actually. The only hard part was the big daddies, since wrenching them was suicide.Yeah, that's when I had to rely on a shotgun or some other anged weapon. The Hypnotize Big Daddy plasmid came in handy too.
See, the first game gave the player a lot of freedom in how to play the game. So far B2 looks like it will restrict you to the husk of a slow-moving behemoth of a Big Daddy but with weapon options.I wonder if there'll be any Speed Plasmids to make Big Daddies faster...
I do like one thing so far, having plasmids and weapons simultaneously rather than toggled. Which is what I expected from the first game since the weapons didn't have an alternate fire mode.That's one of the things I liked about Halo 2 and 3 -- I only played those on the X-Box and 360, which my nephew has -- was the dual-wielding controls. Awesome controls.
BioShock 2 Multiplayer Details
[May 08, 2009, 11:15 am ET] - Share - Viewing Comments
2K Games announces details about multiplayer support in BioShock 2, saying they've recruited Digital Extremes to assist with multiplayer support in the underwater shooter. Here's what to expect:
Windsor, UK, May 8, 2009/... 2K Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), announced today that it has signed a partnership with Digital Extremes to develop the multiplayer experience for BioShock® 2. Under this partnership, Digital Extremes is working closely with the creative team at 2K Marin to develop a new and substantial element that enhances the lore and fiction of the BioShock universe.
“The fans asked for a multiplayer experience and we answered,” said Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K. “With Digital Extremes delivering a multiplayer experience for BioShock 2 that features all of the things that make BioShock unique, we’re holding ourselves to a high standard so that we can deliver the depth and variety that fans of the BioShock universe demand.”
Multiplayer in BioShock 2 provides a rich prequel experience that expands the origins of the BioShock fiction. Set during the fall of Rapture, players assume the role of a Plasmid test subject for Sinclair Solutions, a premier provider of Plasmids and Tonics in the underwater city of Rapture that was first explored in the original BioShock. Players will need to use all the elements of the BioShock toolset to survive as the full depth of the BioShock experience is refined and transformed into a unique multiplayer experience that can only be found in Rapture.
Key features:
• Evolution of the genetically enhanced shooter – Earn experience points during gameplay to earn access to new Weapons, Plasmids and Tonics that can be used to create hundreds of different combinations, allowing players to develop a unique character that caters to their playing style.
• Extend the Rapture fiction – Players will step into the shoes of Rapture citizens and learn more about the fall of Rapture as they progress through the experience.
• See Rapture before the fall – Experience Rapture before it was reclaimed by the ocean and engage in combat over iconic environments in locations such as Kashmir Restaurant and Mercury Suites, all of which have been reworked from the ground up to deliver a fast-paced multiplayer experience.
• FPS veterans add their touch to the multiplayer experience – Digital Extremes brings more than 10 years of first person shooter experience including development of award-winning entries in the Unreal® and Unreal Tournament® franchise.
BIOSHOCK 2 HAS A RELEASE DATE
May 26, 2009
Are you ready to start counting down the days until BioShock 2 hits store shelves? You can start now! BioShock 2 will be arriving on October 30th internationally and November 3rd in North America for the Xbox 360®, PLAYSTATION® 3 system, and PC.
- Elizabeth
Arkane Studios is pleased to announce its collaboration with 2K Marin and contributions to Bioshock 2 in the areas of design, animation and art. We're excited about this game, which underscores Arkane Studios' core values.
Arkane Studios (makers of Arx Fatalis and Dark Messiah of Might and Magic) will assist 2K Marin on the upcoming Bioshock 2. (http://arkane-studios.com/uk/home.php)
The little sisters were 8 year old little girls. This woman is clearly four times as much as that.
I think GPW mentioned he was creeped out as well, and I'd be interested to hear his reasoning.
Includes:
For $99 ($89 for PC), here's what you'll be getting:
# A 13"x13" premium packaging with special art on both the slipcase and the box cover.
# Three posters featuring vintage ads from Rapture (rolled)
# A vinyl 180g LP featuring the orchestral score from the original BioShock
# CD containing the BioShock 2 orchestral score
# A 164 page 8"x11" hardbound artbook chock full of developer commentary
# A copy of the game
Apparently I'm the only one that didnt see anything wrong with the images.
Apparently I'm the only one that didnt see anything wrong with the images.
Agreed. I actually don't have that much interest in Bioshock 2. The first one was a good game, and the world of Rapture was quite amazing. But it took me over a year to finish the game because I lost interest a couple of hours in. Only through perseverance was I able to reach a key plot point which made the game interesting enough to finish it up for me. From what I've seen, Bioshock 2 just seems to be almost the same thing.
Vinyl has a different sound to it than a CD. By comparison, newer formats have a coldness and sterility about them that with vinyl is a warmth instead. It's nothing something you can expect most people to understand, just like you can't expect most people to tell the difference between FLAC and MP3, but it's there nonetheless. Sadly, I don't have a turntable anymore. It's been a number of years. I do own a few other records, though.
Really? USB record players? Because that would be kind of awesome.Yes, they exist.
Since vinyl is played by scraping a stylus along its surface, it's imperative to have a turntable, tonearm and cart that work together to minimize damage, if albums are to last more than a few plays. $80 including all the electronics for PC hookup does not fill me with such confidence.
joystiq: It's been kind of weird, nobody can seem to really pinpoint what your relationship is with BioShock 2. Your name was all over the first one, do you want to clarify: What is your relationship with BioShock 2?
Ken Levine: I don't have ... except for being the studio that created the world and the franchise. You know: Andrew Ryan, Big Daddies and Little Sisters and all those things. We don't have a connection with BioShock 2. I haven't really seen it.
I have absolutely no interest in this game at all.I have nowhere as much interest as the original. It just seems too soon and the MP doesn't seem to be anything super-special.
Zero.
What stood out for me in the first was the world, the visuals, the art, and the music.Amen.
The action was above average, though at times didn't feel as natural a shooter as it should have.I thought the ease of switching b/t the shooting and the magic was what made the game as kick-ass as it was.
While there was plenty to look forward to before the release of the first Bioshock, I haven't seen anything new that would make me buy the second.I'll get Bioshock 2 probably at a later said date. I dunno, but after how great the original was IMHO, I really think it's too soon for Bioshock 2.
I can't say that won't change, but my feelings on this are similar to that of F.E.A.R. 2...
I just listened to the latest Giantbombcast, and those guys are basically saying the same thing. So I guess we aren't the only ones.
I had a look at one of the "leaked" multiplayer gameplay vids, and some of it shocked me as to how carbon copy it looks. They seem to be basically recycling ALL of the art assets. If you are going to be recycling basically everything that made the first game special, then what is your selling point?
I realize that since they are doing another game in Rapture, there isn't much they can do, but it feels like they took the decision to not do anything too drastically different to keep the cost of production as low as possible.
You answered your own question.
well, that certainly seems like a good thing.
I just listened to the latest Giantbombcast, and those guys are basically saying the same thing. So I guess we aren't the only ones.Thanks Pug, for mentioning that Bombcast.
System Requirements
Minimum:
o OS: Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7
o Processor: AMD Athlon 64 Processor 3800+ 2.4Ghz or better, Intel Pentium 4 530 3.0Ghz Processor or better
o Memory: 2GB
o Graphics: NVIDIA 7800GT 256MB graphics card or better, ATI Radeon X1900 256MB graphics card or better
o DirectX®: DirectX 9.0c
o Hard Drive: 11GB
o Sound: 100% DirectX 9.0C compliant sound card or onboard sound
o DRM Information: SecuROM offers unlimited activations on up to 5 PCs.
Recommended:
o Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ Dual Core 2.60Ghz, Intel Core 2 Duo E6420 Dual Core 2.13Ghz
o Memory: 3GB
o Graphics: NVIDIA 8800GT 512MB graphics card or better, ATI Radeon HD4830 512MB graphics card or better
o Other Requirements: Initial installation requires one-time internet connection; Ability to save game, earn achievements, receive title updates and online play requires log-in to Games for Windows LIVE; software installations required including Microsoft Visual C++2008 Runtime Libraries, Games for Windows LIVE client, Games for Windows LIVE Client Patch, Sony DADC SecuROM, Microsoft DirectX.
Thanks Pug, for mentioning that Bombcast.
I just listened to it.
Here's that Giant-Bombcast.
Talk on Bioshock 2 takes place from 39:13 to 53:54. (http://www.giantbomb.com/podcast/)
hahah I just read that. Insanity... especially when you consider that GFWL is completely broken piece of shit. My own issues with that service and Arkham Asylum can be found on these forums... and you want me to rely on *that* to save my game?
Crazy.
Scaling Back BioShock 2's DRM
January 22, 2010
Elizabeth
Over the past two days, I’ve fielded a lot of questions and concerns about the DRM for both the retail and digital versions of BioShock 2. Because of this feedback, we are scaling back BioShock 2’s DRM.
There will be no SecuROM install limits for either the retail or digital editions of BioShock 2, and SecuROM will be used only to verify the game’s executable and check the date.
Beyond that, we are only using standard Games for Windows Live non-SSA guidelines, which, per Microsoft, comes with 15 activations (after that, you can reset them with a call to Microsoft.)
What does that mean for your gameplay experience? This means that BioShock 2’s new DRM is now similar to many popular games you advised had better DRM through both digital and retail channels. Many of you have used Batman: Arkham Asylum as an example to me, which uses the exact same Games for Windows Live guidelines as us as well as SecuROM on retail discs, and now our SecuROM is less restrictive on Steam.
I know that the variables of PC gaming can be frustrating and confusing, and when you say there is a problem, we listen, and use your suggestions to make things better. Feedback like this does not go unheard, and while this might not be the ideal protection for everyone, we will continue to listen and work with you in the future when formulating our DRM plans.
1. Choose intended level of DRM
2. Announce ridiculous DRM for your game
3. Listen to the outcry
4. Scale it back to your intended level and get praised for it
It's not the first time we've seen this.
The install limits were the turn-off for me. This game is back in consideration, though I'd like to see a lot less restrictions still. DRM doesn't stop piracy. All it's doing is making it less likely that games of this era will work on computers five or ten years from now.While I do think Steam's DRM is pretty good in doing what it does (stopping Zero Day Piracy and that's about it), Modern Warfare 2 PC (which REQUIRES Steam period) in the end was the most pirated PC game of 2009.
I still don't get why games tied to Steam have tons of other DRM stuff applied to them. Isn't Steam's DRM pretty secure in and of itself?
Well, like I said, nothing stops piracy. At best all they can do is make it somewhat inconvenient. I thought Steam does a pretty good job with that, no?Agreed. It does a pretty good job - way better than most. It does a good job of preventing piracy on day of release - but give it a small bit of tiime once somebody got their hands on the full game files (once the game is fully officially released), it'll eventually wind up cracked.
Cracking Steam games is slightly more inconvenient, but that's about it. It's still fully doable to anyone with some common computing sense and an internet connection.Yeah - b/c even on a pre-load, you likely STILL won't have ALL the Steam files needed to even boot the game. You gotta' wait til release date when it does an update, until they give you the other files needed to even boot the game.
Let's just say that I don't think that's a worry due to extensive personal experience. Though really, even if they did ban me I wouldn't care. I have legit games I've bought that never worked right that nobody would ever offer any support for, yet my... alternative copies... that I acquired worked just fine. And there are still people who insist Steam isn't the problem. How cute.Did you ever get a Steam-less copy of Killing Floor that actually worked for you?
The whole 2 of them?
I was not even aware there was going to be MP support in Bioshock 2.
A big part of me would like to have the CE extras.
Just saw the video review.
I am confused because I thought this was supposed to be a prequel?
And didn't we kill EVERYONE in rapture? Where'd all these people come from? :P
This shouldn't be at all surprising. The man who was the soul of the game never worked on the sequel.
Not supporting the controller was not a decision that we made lightly," community manager 2K Elizabeth responded, with the company having explained:Does that sound like a BS answer to anyone else? Especially since the original game supported both control schemes and UIs.
We made quite a number of significant changes to UI / HUD for the PC version of the game. The decision was made early on not to support controllers at all in order to ensure that we got the mouse and keyboard control absolutely right. This of course required a redesign of large parts of the UI and the player HUD. For example, we removed the Weapons and Plasmid Selection Radials in favor of a custom created Weapons Selection Strip which more accurately reflects the keyboard layout.
Fuck, I just don't understand anyone anymore. First off, that sounds utterly like bullshit. You don't abandon one control setup to somehow make sure you get the other one right. That's completely nonsensical. Yet at the same time, what in the name of fuck would a PC gamer want to plug in a controller for in the first place? I swear I just don't understand people at all anymore.I use an Xbox 360 wireless controller on my PC when I'm playing console-style games. I definitely wouldn't use one for something like Bioshock though.
Fuck, I just don't understand anyone anymore. First off, that sounds utterly like bullshit. You don't abandon one control setup to somehow make sure you get the other one right. That's completely nonsensical.Agreed.
Yet at the same time, what in the name of fuck would a PC gamer want to plug in a controller for in the first place? I swear I just don't understand people at all anymore.Console games that wind-up on the PC, they sometimes don't have decent PC KB/mouse controls - see Res Evil 4 PC; Alone in the Dark PC; etc etc. Of course, this probably ain't the case w/ Bioshock 2 - the KB/mouse controls for this PC game were fine in the original, so they're probably fine again there in the sequel.
Fuck, I just don't understand anyone anymore. First off, that sounds utterly like bullshit. You don't abandon one control setup to somehow make sure you get the other one right. That's completely nonsensical. Yet at the same time, what in the name of fuck would a PC gamer want to plug in a controller for in the first place? I swear I just don't understand people at all anymore.
haha I had almost the same reaction on Shacknews.They wouldn't be in the majority here on the PC - that's for sure...hehe.
Who the hell uses a controller to play a shooter on the PC?
... yet how lazy are these people that they can't add simple controller support?That's what really baffles me - especially even more so now true since the first Bioshock PC had supported both KB/mouse and gamepad. :o
IGN gives it 9.1 (http://ps3.ign.com/articles/106/1066917p1.html)
It appears the MP, while fun, is mostly forgettable. That is not surprising since it feels that the MP is just tacked onto this game, given its predecessor's lack of an MP component altogether. Overall, I think it's analogous to the Metroid Prime and the Metroid Prime 2 that had MP. That said, it does appear the MP component is actually somewhat robust since it does have a progression system like Modern Warfare.
Overall, it seems that it's basically the same game, but a different story with drastically different characters.
I'm somewhat interested, but there is no way in hell I'm going to pay full price for this game. I'll wait for it to come down in price before buying it.
Rapture's halls aren't quite the visual spectacle they were when we saw them back in 2007, but the subaquatic city is still a terrifically detailed and engrossing setting. Water ripples down walls and pours from ceilings, blurring your vision, a reinforcement of your precarious position and foggy understanding of events within a city that, from the looks of things, should have imploded long ago. It's a reminder of the fragility of the human condition and how philosophical ideals, no matter how well-intentioned, will crack and seep into nothingness when put up against the eternal advance of the forces of nature. If you've got hardware that's powerful enough, it also shouldn't be too surprising to hear that this version of the game is noticeably sharper than on consoles and loads levels more quickly. I was running the game on a rig with a Core i7 960 3.2 GHz CPU, 2 GeForce GTX 260s in SLI, and 6 GB of RAM with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (obviously quite a bit of power) and the game was running smoothly with maxed out graphical settings at 1920 x 1200 resolution.
...
The multiplayer suite isn't as robust as what PC gamers are going to be used to, but it's still a fun addition to a stellar single-player mode. I should also point out the PC version of BioShock 2 uses Games for Windows – Live, so you'll need to log into an account if you want to save or participate in the multiplayer.
Hey guys,A "complete re-envisioning of the UI"? I'm envisioning something like the console version UI, you know...they ones they already had to make.
I talked to the dev team about controller support for BioShock 2, and I want to let you know that we won’t be adding this into the game in a patch. The decision not to support the controller was not made lightly, and to add it now would take a complete re-envisioning of the UI that the team worked so hard to create.
I’m sorry for those of you who are disappointed, and I want you to know that your comments and concerns have been heard and will be taken in to account when we are planning in the future.
Thanks,
-Elizabeth
And its something thats pretty much a standard feature now. Even Crysis supported a controller, and that game was PC exclusive.Yeah, it even has a "gamepad-only" multiplayer filter.
I still find it weird that Fable PC doesn't support gamepads.Agreed - especially since that game was first on an X-Box.
Controller support will not be added to the PC version. (http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showpost.php?s=5068bdcb03f29ab61a6972ea1b21adde&p=642668&postcount=362) A "complete re-envisioning of the UI"? I'm envisioning something like the console version UI, you know...they ones they already had to make.Bingo.
so.... anyone else actually play the game, or is this just another bitchfest topic about some random non-issue?
so.... anyone else actually play the game, or is this just another bitchfest topic about some random non-issue?
I have been waiting three hours to get into a multiplayer game of Bioshock 2 on Xbox Live. I don't mean that as in "fifteen minutes, but I was so impatient that it felt like three hours". I mean, quite literally, three hours. And here's the kicker: I never even got into a game.
Meanwhile, I can get into multiplayer Bioshock 2 games on the PC with no problem. The "getting in" part is easy. The "playing" part is a whole other kettle of fish. Rotten, stinking, franchise-killing fish. The PC multiplayer is afflicted with insufferable lag. I jump down from the second-story balcony of the Kashmir Restaurant and open fire on the guy hacking the turret, but then I'm suddenly back on the second floor again. I try to walk through a door, but it won't open. I turn a corner and suddenly I'm staring at the wall ten feet short of the corner. What the hell is going on? It's like having a 2400 baud modem.
BioShock 2 Multiplayer DLC Announced
"Sinclair Solutions Test Pack" will increase rank, add new upgrades and characters for five bucks.
By Steve Watts, 02/22/2010
BioShock 2
Is 2K Marin not entitled to the sweat of its brow? No, says the cynical gamer, downloadable belongs on the disc. Nevertheless, the company already announced upcoming DLC for BioShock 2, focusing specifically on the multiplayer aspect. The "Sinclair Solutions Test Pack" will be available for Xbox 360, PC, and PS3 for 400 Microsoft Points, or $4.99.
The pack includes a rank increase to level 50, the playable characters that were available as pre-order bonuses, 20 new trials, a third upgrade for each weapon, and five new masks. We have to wonder if raising the level cap for those who buy the DLC will make the game unbalanced, or if they'll simply be filtered into their own game lobbies.
Though 2K doesn't give a release date for the pack, the press release mentions, more than a few times, that more downloadable content is on the way "in the coming months." From the sounds of it, these packs will continue to expand the multiplayer content, as well as add some new single-player, story-based missions. Just as the multiplayer banked heavily on the mythology of Rapture, 2K promises these packs will "extend the lore and fiction of the failed Utopia under the sea." In other words, if you want to know every bit of BioShock's extensive canon, 2K has your number.
BioShock 2 is surprisingly messy for such a big title. The game is fairly buggy, including hard crashes and graphics bugs. One problem I had myself and read of others having is the Big Sister fight music looping an entire level, which I hope to Frith is a bug because if it is by design then the sound designer has to be incompetent, as this loud, intrusive theme gets very annoying very fast.
On top of that, BioShock 2 runs with layers of DRM. When I was running it, I had to run the game, Steam (not obligatory, but I bought it through Steam), its native DRM, and Games for Windows Live. This feels unnecessary, and it is no wonder this stack of software occasionally hits a snag or conflict and decides to just quit.
All throughout my time playing this game, I couldn't help but feel the game was shouting “I'm unnecessary!” at me. Contrary to what game publishers would like to think, not every successful property warrants a sequel, and while there might have been some potential in BioShock for a sequel or spin-off, the cop-out of handing it to another division to just bang out a cash-in title shows, painfully so. It's hard to play this game without being aware that it's just cashing in, from the feel of it being just a level pack, to the derivative story, to the somewhat half-assed ideas added by the new studio.
If you absolutely adored BioShock and couldn't wait for more, I could imagine the very similar BioShock 2 could fill the need, though it'll do it somewhat deceptively as it's really filling the emptiness with – well – more emptiness, not adding but at points even detracting. To me, BioShock already disappointed after its hype, and BioShock 2 just adds insult to injury. Yes, the gameplay tweaks improve the shooting action, and it is unquestionably a better shooter than its predecessor. But the game suffers under having no evolution in the RPG elements, repetitive level design hurting the fun, and a terrible story dragging along throughout. At only 12 hours long, I'd have a hard time advising people to buy what is essentially a competent – but at points heavily flawed – map pack with a multiplayer patch.
Anyway, I am still interested in this one, but like Cobra said, an excellent candidate as a bargain bin purchase. I'm not shelling out $60 for it.
DRM? Seems a good enough reason to me.
FPS on a console > DRM
It's that simple.
FPS on a console > DRM
thanks for posting that. :)
And I laughed at what he said about the big daddy, because that's what I was thinking.
FPS on a console > DRMI disagree, sort of. I think I'd put it more like "FPS on a console = bad DRM". I've tried FPS games on consoles and all I realize is that I wish I was playing it on a PC because the controls are horrible.
It's that simple.
I disagree, sort of. I think I'd put it more like "FPS on a console = bad DRM". I've tried FPS games on consoles and all I realize is that I wish I was playing it on a PC because the controls are horrible.That's often the choice I'm confronted with.
I'd just as soon as not buy the game at all rather than settle for either horrible DRM or terrible controls.
The PC version is 25% off now through Monday, making it $37.49. The catch? It's only the GFWL version.
The PC version is 25% off now through Monday, making it $37.49. The catch? It's only the GFWL version.
The second dose of BioShock 2 multiplayer downloadable content is coming this Thursday with the Rapture Metro Map Pack, featuring six new maps, two masks, three achievements, and a new game mode for fans of blunt objects.
A recent Microsoft update on upcoming downloadable content lists the Rapture Metro Map Pack for release on April 29th with a cost of 800 Microsoft points, which translates into $9.99 for those not paying in points.
What do you get for $9.99? Six new maps isn't too shabby, especially when you consider how much other popular multiplayer first-person shooters are charging for a pack of five. I could care less about new masks and achievements, but the new Kill Em' Kindly melee mode has me intrigued. It's all about taking out your frustrations on other players with blunt objects, and I am a big fan of first-person golf club fights.
Look for the new downloadable content to hit this Thursday, and perhaps then we'll get some word of the promised single-player DLC that's in the works.
Graphics
I am trying to recall here, but did Bioshock 1 have AA and AF settings in the Options? For some reason - I'm thinking there was - as I don't recall seeing these jaggies or blurry textures in the distance in Bioshock 1. So, let me say this now - there isn't any AA or AF settings for in Bioshock 2 PC - and at 1024x768, I see some jaggies here and there and some textures in the distance are blurry.
Yea basically the new Unreal engine doesn't allow for antialiasing on the PC -- which is bullshit.As popular as UE3 is, you'd think AA and AF would be supported. I mean, this is quite silly it's not supported - even if it does require a lot of resources.
Developers who make the effort to implement it, can, but it requires a lot of resources apparently.
So this is for the 3rd patch, I assume.Correct - which is coming "soon."
Heads up! Get BioShock 2 TOMORROW for $22.99 (360/PS3)/$19.99 (PC) from 11am-12pm CST, while supplies last (gamestop.com only)
Hey guys,
I have an update on the status of patches for BioShock 2 and some answers to questions on features that have been outstanding for a while. We will not be adding vending machine sounds into any version of BioShock 2 and we will not be adding playlists for the multiplayer DLC maps – we did look in to both options but due to technical and timing issues, these two fixes are not feasible. We are planning patches for the 360 and PS3 to fix some functionality issues, but they will not drastically change gameplay (and I’ll post the patch notes when I get them – these two items are still in with QA.) We will also not be offering Protector Trials and Minerva’s Den on the PC in the future – and I want to say that I’m sorry for the disappointment this will cause to PC players out there. As always, if any of these issues change in the future, I will update you guys first, but at this point in time I don’t want to make you wait any longer and these are the most definite answers I have and you guys should deem them final decisions.
Please feel free to PM me or email with any questions – I’ll follow up in this thread as best as possible but if I miss your comment, I’m not ignoring you – I might just not have read the post – If this happens, again, just ping me and we can chat.
Thanks,
Elizabeth
I am Andrew Ryan, and I'm here to ask you a question. Is a man not entitled to the DLC for his game? 'No!' says the woman from 2K, 'It belongs to the consoles.' 'No!' says the man from Washington, 'It's too violent for children and must be banned' 'No!' says the man from Activision, 'Only if you pay 20 bucks per map!.' I rejected those answers; instead, I chose something different. I chose the impossible. I chose... Rapture, a city where the designer would not fear the censor, where the games would not be bound by petty genres, Where the PC would not be constrained by the consoles! And with the sweat of your brow, Rapture can become your city as well.
I have some good news concerning the BioShock 2 PC patch as well as the development of Protector Trials and Minerva's Den for the PC. Not to keep you in suspense any longer, I'll sum it up with one sentence: We have resumed development on all three and they will be coming to PC.
I can give more detail from the dev side: the reason this isn't feasible is that it's not a programming issue, it's a content issue. The way our data is set up, the sounds for each level are baked into that level's package file, which is shipped on the disc as one big piece of compressed data.
To put the vending sounds into the campaign levels from BioShock 2 would mean re-packaging and re-distributing every level in the game. This would mean releasing a patch that would be many, many gigs (if Minerva's Den was 1.1 gig, then all of BioShock 2 would be 4-8,) which Microsoft and Sony don't allow (patches are only allowed to contain code, not content.)
So, really, it's not a business decision but a technical limitation of the engine architecture we used for BioShock 2, one that cannot be resolved. This is what further investigation, following Michael's initial statement, revealed. Sorry, folks.
On the upside, this is also why vending sounds are in the Protector Trials and Minerva's Den-- because we found the problem before shipping them, and ensured that the sounds were properly embedded in the level files for the DLC.
You would think for the PC version they could have the patching mechanism unpack the files, insert the needed parts, and then repackage them.That's what BethSoft did with Oblivion and Fallout 3 but only when it was absolutely necessary, otherwise they just used overrides with newer files added.
Hey guys,
I have an update for you! As of today, we’re tracking to submit the Protector Trials to certification at the end of January.
Minerva’s Den has some more work to be done on it still and is tracking to submit to certification in the beginning of March. I’ll let you guys know when we do submit but our release date will change depending on how that process goes (which is why I don’t have a firm release date for you guys yet.)
I don’t have a final patch list for you yet, either, but one item I know many of you will look forward to: we have fixed mouse sensitivity issues and many v-sync option bugs.
Next update will probably be about our submission – until then, I’ll answer whatever questions and clarifications you may have here.
Oh, I'd like to hear your thoughts on Minerva's Den DLC for Bioshock 2, (http://www.overwritten.net/forum/index.php?topic=3741.0) some time. :D
I missed out on that.
I really wish they did a Bioshock 2: Complete Edition re-release w/ all of the DLC's.
I still see the CE floating around stores, usually reeeally beat up, for a couple bucks. I thought about grabbing it but never did.
I never played this. I wasn't a huge fan of Bioshock. I absolutely loved the setting, but I wasn't fond of the shooter mechanic. It seems like it would have been better as an adventure game.
Yeah, same here. I enjoyed the game thoroughly regardless, but what I wanted after the first wasn't another shooter. It was a first or third-person adventure game set in Rapture during the period when it was actually a working city.That's what excites me about the premise of the Bioshock Infinite upcoming DLC.