Story and theme development BioShock

a visit ge building , statue of atlas in new york city principal idea led art deco stylings of bioshock.

the thematic core of bioshock born when levine walking @ rockefeller center near ge building in new york city. saw uniqueness of art deco styling of building along imagery around building such statue of atlas near it, , recognized these spaces had not been experienced in first-player shooter genre. history of rockefeller center fed story concept; levine noted how center had started construction prior great depression of 1920s; when primary financiers had pulled out, john d. rockefeller backed remaining construction complete project himself, stated edge magazine great man building architectural triumph against odds . history of rapture , character of andrew ryan loosely based on rockefeller s story. considered many of characters of rapture people oppressed once before in lives , free of oppression, have turned around , become oppressors, fact felt resonated throughout human history.

at point in development, backdrop of rapture had been fleshed out, had yet come on how represent drones, protectors, , harvesters original game idea. big daddy concept protector class developed in process, team had yet reach satisfying design drones, having used several possible designs including bugs , dogs in wheelchairs. team wanted have player care drones in way , create pathos these characters. idea of using little girls came out of brainstorming, controversial , shocking within team @ first, recognizing killed , make game more horrific in style of night trap. however, levine worked on story, started incorporate ideas of dystopian , utopian thinkers twentieth century, including ayn rand, aldous huxley, , george orwell, , considered ideas fascinating . brought in ideas of objectivism rand outlined in book atlas shrugged, man should driven selfishness , not altruism, , used inform philosophy behind city of rapture , andrew ryan’s work, tied in previous observations on rockefeller , writings. extended use of little girls drones (now little sisters), particularly question whether player should try save girls or harvest adam own benefit. 2k games expressed concern initial mechanic of little sisters, player actively prey on little sister, have alerted big daddy , setting fight player. approach did not sit levine, , 2k games asserted not ship game player gets punished doing right thing . altered approach little sisters invulnerable until player had dealt big daddy, though lebreton considered massive kludge game s fiction. idea of creating little sisters , presenting player choice became critical part of game s appeal larger gaming market though still met criticism outlets. levine desired have 1 ending game, have left fate of characters more ambiguous , publisher pressure directed them craft multiple endings depending on choice of harvesting little sisters. levine noted never intention 2 endings game. sort of came late , requested food chain me.

other elements came story design. levine had interest in stem cell research , moral issues go around [it] . in regard artistic influences, levine cited books nineteen eighty-four , logan s run, representing societies have interesting ideas screwed fact re people . idea of mind control used on jack offered lebreton, inspired films manchurian candidate, means provide better reason limit player s actions opposed traditional use of locked doors prevent them exploring areas should not. team had agreed jack s actions controlled key phrase struggled coming 1 not reveal atlas true nature. levine happened upon kindly after working on marketing materials game asked reader hypothetical questions such kill people, innocent people, survive? , later working phrase first script game.

numerous tensions within team , publisher 2k games continued during development process. according lebreton, levine distrustful of of more egotistical newer hires , arguing them enforce vision of bioshock. 2k games concerned growing budget title, , told levine market title more first-person shooter rather first-person shooter/role player game hybrid set out for. near targeted release date, levine ordered team round-the-clock development, creating more strife in team. paul hellquist, game s lead designer, omitted key design meetings, later recounted due contrary nature levine, questioning several of choices; used frustration put design efforts medical pavilion level in charge of @ time. near anticipated completion date, 2k decided give irrational 3 months polish game, extending current crunch time studio under.

a critical playtest of game occurred in january 2007, initial feedback players negative, including issues of setting being dark, having no idea go, , distrusting atlas, @ time voiced in southern drawl, described lecherous colonel sanders . team took criticism heart, revamping several elements during months such improving lighting, implementing quest marker, , using irish voice atlas make him sound more trustworthy. during late-stage playtest title ninety-nine percent complete according levine, playtesters did not game @ felt no connection player-character jack, , person overseeing tests told levine game failure. @ point, bioshock did not have many cutscenes, levine ideologically opposed them. however, following day, levine , lead group came cheap way correct this, adding initial cut scene within plane , subsequent plane crash, helped set time frame, place player in role of character, , alluded kindly line later in game. levine likened approach initial aircraft crash @ onset of television show lost establish character , setting.

the game released in august 2007 final budget of $25 million. in 2016 interview, levine felt game have used 6 more months of development improve gun combat system , fix lagging issues occurred during final boss fight. despite critical success of title, many of on team leave irrational pursue other projects due late development strife occurred.