Bioshock Series Discussion Thread (SPOILERS)

[Steerpike]

I thought between the Hall of Heroes and the various video kiosks they did a decent job of explaining the Boxer Rebellion to people, and we do see some pretty serious cannons at a couple points in the game, although it might have been good to see more.

[LoA]

I thought between the Hall of Heroes and the various video kiosks they did a decent job of explaining the Boxer Rebellion to people, and we do see some pretty serious cannons at a couple points in the game, although it might have been good to see more.

And that's the thing, I wanted to learn more about Columbia, but the game didn't bother to make much of a culture for this world, other than "these guys are racist jerks".

Also, do you guys think I write too much in my posts?

[Steerpike]

How'd you mean?  I think you write a proper amount...

Certainly racism was emphasized, but I personally thought the game did a good job of stressing some of their other values: their views on American exceptionalism, their intense religiosity, their reverence for the founding fathers.  The semi-contradictory mix of fanaticical, Evangelical Christianty and laissez-faire capitalism struck me as very true to the period.

[LoA]

How'd you mean?  I think you write a proper amount...

Certainly racism was emphasized, but I personally thought the game did a good job of stressing some of their other values: their views on American exceptionalism, their intense religiosity, their reverence for the founding fathers.  The semi-contradictory mix of fanaticical, Evangelical Christianty and laissez-faire capitalism struck me as very true to the period.

You know, this is one of the things that I think is very brilliant about the game. I'm a Classical Liberal (Ye Olde Libertarian), and I've actually read the Founding Fathers, and studied what they tried to do with the American Revolution. And from my personal studies, I'm under the impression that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and especially Benjamin Franklin would all be rolling in there graves if Columbia were a real thing...

[Steerpike]

Yeah, Jefferson would have been pretty annoyed at being depicted as what amounts to a saint.  A hairsbreadth separated that guy from atheism, and he really hated priests.

[LoA]

Yeah, Jefferson would have been pretty annoyed at being depicted as what amounts to a saint.  A hairsbreadth separated that guy from atheism, and he really hated priests.

I won't get into Thomas Jefferson's theological preferences (it's still being debated by historians to this day), however I think its pretty safe to say that Benjamin Franklin was a skeptical theist, and he wrote down this before he died.
[ic]
You desire to know something of my religion. It is the first time I have been questioned upon it. But I cannot take your curiosity amiss, and shall endeavor in a few words to gratify it.

Here is my creed.

I believe in one God, the creator of the universe.
That he governs by his providence.
That he ought to be worshipped.
That the most acceptable service we render to him is doing good to his other children.
That the soul of man is immortal, and will be treated with justice in another life respecting its conduct in this.[/ic]

Needless to say the Cult of Columbia pretty much spat on Benjamin Franklin's grave.

The most interesting of which is the fact that you don't even worship "God" in Columbia, you're worshiping Comstock...

[LoA]

Okay, so here's a thought, if we here at the CBG had to build a Bioshock from the ground up, what would we do differently?

I've heard that there are only two more places the Bioshock games could go at this point, underground, or in space (not counting SystemShock).

What do you guys think?