Development BioShock

1 development

1.1 game design
1.2 story , theme development
1.3 game engine
1.4 soundtrack
1.5 release , promotion
1.6 ports

development
game design

lead developer ken levine had created irrational games in 1997 out of former members looking glass studios. first game system shock 2, sequel looking glass s system shock, , met critical success, though did not prove financial one. levine had attempted pitch sequel system shock 2 electronic arts, publisher rejected idea based on poor performance of earlier game. irrational proceed develop other games, including freedom force, tribes: vengeance, cancelled title deep cover, , completed lost never released due legal complications, @ point, levine wanted return game in same style system shock 2, more free-form game strong narrative.

in 2002, team had come core gameplay mechanic idea based on 3 groups of forces; drones carry desirable resource, protectors guard drones, , harvesters attempt take resource drones; these bear out little sisters, big daddies, , splicers in final game, @ time of concept, there no set theme. began working on creating setting game able pitch idea game publishers. 2002 demonstration version based on unreal engine 2 first xbox. demonstration set aboard space station overtaken genetically-mutated monsters; main character carlos cuello, cult deprogrammer —a person charged rescuing cult, , mentally , psychologically readjusting person normal life. ken levine cites example of cult deprogrammer does: [there are] people hired people [for example] deprogram daughter had been in lesbian relationship. kidnap , reprogram her, , dark person, , [kind of] character were. story have been more political in nature, character hired senator. team collectively agreed game not had set out make, , having trouble finding publisher. considered ending development, news efforts make spiritual successor system shock 2 began appear in gaming magazines , websites, team opted continue development, performing full revamp game.

by 2004, 2k games, subsidiary of take two, offered publish game based on drone/protector/harvester concept, giving irrational freedom develop story , setting. point, story , setting had changed significantly, taking place in abandoned world war ii-era nazi laboratory had been unearthed 21st century scientists. on decades, genetic experiments within labs had gradually formed ecosystem centered on 3 groups. version of game included many of gameplay elements remain in final bioshock, influenced concepts system shock 2. these elements included use of plasmids , eve, need use stealth or other options deal automated security systems, direction through environment non-player character relayed on radio, , story elements delivered through audio recordings , ghosts of deceased characters.

while gameplay 2004 reveal similar resulted in released version of bioshock, both design , story underwent changes, consistent levine says then-irrational games guiding principle of putting game design first. these areas issued due internal strife , lack of communication between various teams within irrational, part of result of having expand team 6 sixty members scope of project. environment considered bland, , there difficulties team s artists come consistent vision meet level designer s goals. critical junction short experiment performed level designer jean paul lebreton , artist hoagy de la plante, setting aside co-develop level later become part of tea garden area in released game, levine later use prime example of great bioshock space , emphasizing need departments work together. levine found cyberpunk theme had been overplayed considering initial reject electronic arts system shock 3, leading towards underwater setting of rapture.

story , theme development

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.

game engine

bioshock uses heavily modified unreal engine 2.5 of advanced technologies unreal engine 3. irrational had previous experience modifying , expanding on unreal engine in swat 4, , continued advancement of engine within bioshock. 1 major improvement added improved water effects, given nature of game s setting, hiring programmer , artist focus on water effects. graphical enhancement has been lauded critics, gamespot saying, whether s standing water on floor or sea water rushing in after explosion, blow away every time see it. bioshock uses havok physics engine allows enhancement of in-game physics, integration of ragdoll physics, , allows more lifelike movement elements of environment. windows version built work in both direct3d 10 (directx 10) , directx 9, directx 10 version supporting additional water , particle effects.

soundtrack

bioshock contains both licensed music , original score. licensed music 1940s , 1950s can heard playing on phonograph throughout rapture. in total, 30 licensed songs can heard throughout game. original score composed garry schyman. works pieces mesh chosen licensed music keep same feel, while trying bring out eerie, frightening , @ times beautiful mesh rapture s environments.

2k games released orchestral score soundtrack on official homepage on august 24, 2007. available in mp3 format, score—composed garry schyman—contains 12 of 22 tracks game. limited edition version of game came rapture ep remixes moby , oscar punk. 3 remixed tracks on cd include beyond sea , god bless child , wild little sisters ; original recordings of these songs in game. bioshock s score released on vinyl lp bioshock 2 special edition

release , promotion

an initial demo of game made available in august 2007 xbox 360 , microsoft windows. demo included cutscenes introduce player rapture, game s tutorial section, , first levels; demo included weapons, plasmids, , tonics otherwise introduced later in full title, give player more of features found in published game. xbox demo fastest demo @ time reach 1 million downloads on xbox live service. full game released these platforms on august 21, 2007.

the first patch xbox 360 version released 2 weeks after release fix of game stability issues players had reported patch found introduce more problems game users, including occasional freezes, bad framerates, , audio-related issues, though methods resolve these issues through console s cache system outlined irrational games.

in december 2007, common patch released both xbox , windows version. patch included additional content such new plasmids, new achievements xbox 360 version, , additional graphics settings address of field-of-view issues identified players. (see below). patch added in option disable use of vita-chambers, feature requested players make game more challenging, achievement complete game @ hardest setting without using vita-chamber.

ports

in august 2007 interview, when asked possibility of playstation 3 version of bioshock, ken levine had stated there no ps3 development going on @ time; however, on may 28, 2008, 2k games confirmed playstation 3 version of game in development 2k marin, , released on october 17, 2008. on july 3, 2008 2k games announced partnership digital extremes , said playstation 3 version being developed 2k marin, 2k boston, 2k australia , digital extremes. jordan thomas director playstation 3 version. while there no graphical improvements game on original xbox 360 version, playstation 3 version offers widescreen option called horizontal plus , introduced via patch in 360 version, while cutscene videos of higher resolution in dvd version. additional add-on content released exclusively playstation 3 version. 1 addition survivor mode , in enemies have been made tougher, , vita-chambers provide less of health boost when used, making player become creative in approaching foes , rely more on less-used plasmids in game. bioshock supports trophies , playstation home. demo version released on playstation store on october 2, 2008. update playstation 3 version released on november 13, 2008 fix graphical problems , occasions users experienced hang , forced reset console. update incorporated challenge room , new game plus features.

a port os x systems made feral interactive , released in october 2009.

in 2008, ig fun secured rights develop , publish mobile phone version of bioshock. version developed top-down, two-dimensional platformer attempted recreate of plot , game elements of original title; ig fun worked irrational determine key story elements wanted keep in game. ig fun recognized not able include full storyline within single mobile title, , planned split title 3 episodes . first episode released.

a port ios devices done 2k china studio released on august 27, 2014. ios version content complete , functionally equivalent original xbox 360 , windows version, featuring either use of touch-screen virtual gamepad controls or use of bluetooth-enabled controller, , graphics engine optimized ios devices. game later delisted app store in september 2015; game had become unplayable many upgraded ios 8.4 on devices, , while patch had been discussed, 2k representative stated decision remove game came developer. 2k later clarified working on resolving issues game s compatibility new firmware , re-release title once has been completed. however, january 2017, 2k officially stated no longer support title, game remain on app store, not receive additional updates.