BioShock
Developer(s)	2K Boston/2K Australia, 2K Marin (PS3)[1]
Publisher(s)	2K Games
Engine	Unreal Engine 3 Havok physics
Version	1. A video game developer is a software developer (a business or an individual that creates Video games A developer may specialize in a certain video 2K Boston/2K Australia (previously known as Irrational Games) is a Video game developer founded in 1997 by three former employees of Looking Glass 2K Marin is an American Video game developer based in Novato, California. 2K Games is a video game publishing subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive which also owns Rockstar Games notable for the Grand Theft Auto series A game engine is a software system designed for the creation and development of computer and video games The Unreal Engine is a popular Game engine developed by Epic Games. Havok Physics, better known as simply Havok, is a Physics engine developed by Irish company Havok. 1 (December 4, 2007)[2]
Platform(s)	Xbox 360, Windows,[3] PlayStation 3
Release date	Windows, Xbox 360 NA August 21, 2007[4] PAL August 24, 2007[4][5][6] PlayStation 3 October 2008[1]
Genre(s)	First-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating(s)	ESRB: M OFLC: MA15+[7] BBFC: 18[8] PEGI: 18+[9] OFLC (NZ): R16+ CERO: D[10]
Media	DVD-DL, download,[11] Blu-ray Disc
Input methods	Gamepad, keyboard, mouse

BioShock is a first-person shooter video game by 2K Boston/2K Australia—previously known as Irrational Games^[12]—designed by Ken Levine. "December 4th" redirects here For the song by Jay-Z, see December 4th (song. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. In Computing, a platform describes some sort of Hardware architecture or Software framework (including Application frameworks, that allows The Xbox 360 is the second Video game console produced by Microsoft, and was developed in cooperation with IBM, ATI, and SiS. Microsoft Windows is a series of Software Operating systems and Graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Events 1192 - Minamoto Yoritomo becomes Seii Tai Shōgun and the De facto ruler of Japan. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The PAL region is a Video game publication territory which covers Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and varying European countries Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar 's General Gaius Scribonius Curio is defeated in the Second Battle of the Bagradas River Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. October events and holidays Children's Book Week ( England) - First Week of October National Day ( China People's Republic 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common See also [[Game classification]] Video games are categorized into Genres based on their Gameplay interaction A first-person shooter ( FPS) is an action Video game from the Shooter game The initial development of Maze War In video gaming, single-player refers to the variant of a particular game where input from only one player is expected throughout the course of the gaming session A video game content rating system is a system used for the classification of Video games into suitability-related groups The Entertainment Software Rating Board ( ESRB) is a self-regulatory organization that applies and enforces ratings, Advertising guidelines and The Office of Film and Literature Classification is a Statutory Censorship and classification body which provides day to day administrative support for the Classification The British Board of Film Classification ( BBFC) originally British Board of Film Censors, is the organisation responsible for Film, DVD Pan European Game Information ( PEGI) is a European Video game content rating system. The Office of Film and Literature Classification ( OFLC, Te Tari Whakaropu Tukuata Tuhituhinga is the government agency in New Zealand that is responsible for The ( CERO) is the Organization that rates video games and Computer Software in Japan with levels of rating that informs the customer Digital media (as opposed to analog media) usually refers to Electronic media that work on digital Codes. DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is To download is to receive data from a remote or central system such as a Webserver, FTP server, mail server or other similar systems A gamepad, also called joypad or control pad, is a type of Game controller held in the hand where the digits (especially thumbs are used to provide input In Computing, a keyboard is an Input device partially modelled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys In Computing, a mouse (plural mice, mouse devices, or mouses) A first-person shooter ( FPS) is an action Video game from the Shooter game The initial development of Maze War A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. 2K Boston/2K Australia (previously known as Irrational Games) is a Video game developer founded in 1997 by three former employees of Looking Glass 2K Boston/2K Australia (previously known as Irrational Games) is a Video game developer founded in 1997 by three former employees of Looking Glass Ken Levine is a founding member of and creative director at 2K Boston, formerly known as Irrational Games The game is available for the Windows operating system, and the Xbox 360 video game console. Microsoft Windows is a series of Software Operating systems and Graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. The Xbox 360 is the second Video game console produced by Microsoft, and was developed in cooperation with IBM, ATI, and SiS. ^[3] It was released on August 21, 2007, in North America, and three days later in Europe and Australia. Events 1192 - Minamoto Yoritomo becomes Seii Tai Shōgun and the De facto ruler of Japan. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. ^[13] On May 28, 2008, 2K Games confirmed that BioShock is in development for the PlayStation 3 and will be released in October 2008 and is being developed by the newest 2K Games studio, 2K Marin. Events 585 BC - A Solar eclipse occurs as predicted by Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common 2K Games is a video game publishing subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive which also owns Rockstar Games notable for the Grand Theft Auto series 2K Games is a video game publishing subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive which also owns Rockstar Games notable for the Grand Theft Auto series 2K Marin is an American Video game developer based in Novato, California. ^[1] A version of the game for mobile platforms is currently being developed by IG Fun.

Set in an alternative history 1960, the game places the player in the role of a plane crash survivor named Jack, who must explore the underwater Objectivist-dystopian city of Rapture, and survive attacks by the mutated beings and mechanical drones that populate it. Objectivism is a Philosophy developed by Ayn Rand in the 20th century that encompasses positions on Metaphysics, Epistemology, A dystopia (from the Greek δυσ- and τόπος alternatively cacotopia, kakotopia, cackotopia, or anti-utopia) is the vision of a society The game incorporates elements found in role-playing and survival horror games, and is described by the developers and Levine as a "spiritual successor" to their previous titles in the System Shock series. A computer role-playing game ( CRPG) is a broad Video game genre originally developed for personal computers and other home computers Survival horror is a video game genre inspired by fictional Horror films in which the player's primary objective is to survive and/or escape a threat typical of horror A spiritual successor, sometimes called a spiritual sequel or a companion piece, is a successor to a work of fiction that instead of being a standard Sequel System Shock is an Action role-playing game developed by Looking Glass Technologies and published by Origin Systems. ^[14][15]

The game received overwhelmingly positive reviews, and ranks as the thirteenth best video game on Game Rankings based on reviews from critics. Game Rankings is a Website which keeps track of Video game reviews from other sites and combines them to present an average rating for each game ^[16][17] It was particularly well-reviewed in the mainstream press where its "morality-based" storyline, immersive environment and Ayn Rand-inspired dystopian setting were all singled out for praise. Morality (from the Latin la moralitas "manner character proper behavior" has three principal meanings An Immersive Digital environment is an Artificial, Interactive, computer-created Scene or "world" within which a user can Ayn Rand (ˈaɪn ˈrænd &ndash March 6 1982 born Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum (Алиса Зиновьевна Розенбаум was a Russian born American A dystopia (from the Greek δυσ- and τόπος alternatively cacotopia, kakotopia, cackotopia, or anti-utopia) is the vision of a society ^[18] BioShock has been praised for providing "an entirely new tool through which to explore philosophy, psychology, and morality. "^[19]

Gameplay

BioShock is a first-person shooter with role-playing game customization elements, and is similar to System Shock 2. A first-person shooter ( FPS) is an action Video game from the Shooter game The initial development of Maze War A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters. System Shock 2 (commonly abbreviated SS2 or Shock 2) is a science-fiction horror -themed Video game Early indication of the style of gameplay and some of the artificial intelligence (AI) was revealed by a 14-minute video released on September 20, 2006. Events 451 - The Battle of Chalons takes place in North Eastern France. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[20]

The hacking minigame in BioShock, which requires the player to construct a complete pipe system between two points while avoiding obstacles. A minigame (also spelled mini-game or mini game) sometimes called a subgame, is a short Video game often contained within another

The player takes the role of Jack who aims to fight his way through Rapture, using weapons and plasmids that give him special powers such as telekinesis or the ability to electrocute foes. A plasmid is an extra-chromosomal DNA molecule separate from the chromosomal DNA which is capable of replicating independently of the chromosomal DNA The term psychokinesis (from the Greek ψυχή, "psyche" meaning mind soul heart or breath; and κίνησις, "kinesis" "Electrocute" redirects here For the band see Electrocute (band. Security cameras and foes can be evaded by stealth; alternatively, security cameras and turrets can be destroyed using weapons or hacked to use them to the player's advantage. ^[21] Hacking, which is based on the Pipe Dream game concept, can also be used on health dispensers and vending machines to gain extra benefits, and on locks and safes to gain access to the secured contents. Pipe Mania is a Puzzle game developed in 1989 by The Assembly Line for the Amiga. ^[22]

The main resources in the game are ADAM, EVE, and money. ADAM is a mutagen, which allows genetic changes. In Biology, a mutagen ( Latin, literally origin of change) is a physical or chemical agent that changes the genetic information (usually DNA) Quantities of ADAM can be used to purchase plasmids, EVE, and other genetic mutations at special "Gatherers Gardens" vending machines throughout the game. ADAM can be obtained in several ways, most prominently the harvesting of "Little Sisters" after defeating their bodyguards, the "Big Daddies," who are large, heavily armored, genetically enhanced humans wearing diving suits. A diving suit is a garment or device designed to protect a diver from the Underwater environment EVE acts as fuel for "active plasmids" in a manner similar to magic points in other games, while money allows the purchase of items and ammunition, as well as paying to override security elements, such as bots or turrets. Magic points ( MP; also called mana) are units of magical power that are used in many role-playing, computer role-playing and similar games ^[23]

It is here that morality is implemented as an aspect of the gameplay; the player can chose to either rescue the Little Sisters, or harvest their ADAM. While both choices have their advantages, this element of conflicting morals has an impact on the storyline, and, among other things, on the difficulty of the game itself. ^[24]

To adapt and advance the character, the player can purchase plasmids, using ADAM. These are grouped under the Combat, Engineering, Active, and Physical technology trees. In Strategy computer games the technology tree or tech tree is an abstract hierarchical visual representation of the possible paths of Research The "Active" plasmids are abilities that function as alternate weapons; they are powered by EVE, and require activation by the player. The other classes of plasmids, referred to as "Tonics," are passive abilities that work as long as they are selected as equipment ("equipped"). ^[25]

Plasmids are versatile, and can be used by the player both in concert with each other and with the environment to create numerous effects. For example, "telekinesis" can be used on all loose objects: the player can catch and redirect grenades or rockets, hold large objects to form impromptu shields, or use those same objects as projectiles. Other types of plasmids have different practical uses; for instance, using an "electro-bolt" on a body of water electrifies not only the water, but also any beings and machines within it. An element of choice is present: since not all plasmids can be equipped at once, the player must decide which plasmids to use, and which to place in storage. ^[26]

A Big Daddy defends a Little Sister from two Splicers, while the player watches.

Most plasmids alter the character's appearance, in keeping with the theme of "sacrificing one's humanity," referenced by Ryan in one of the game's trailers. ^[27] For instance, the incinerate plasmid causes the character's hand to glow red, take on a charred appearance, and radiate flames from the fingers. However, selecting a weapon will cause these changes to revert back to normal, suggesting that any physical changes conferred are temporary. Higher levels of the same plasmid will cause more extreme changes; for example, the highest level of incinerate causes a heavier glow, more severe charring, and more prominent flames. In all, there are over 70 unique plasmids and tonics varieties.

Via single-use weapon-upgrade kiosks called "Power to the People" machines, the player can customize weapons to hold larger magazines, consume ammunition at a slower rate, or cause more damage. Each weapon has a selection of three different types of ammunition: normal, anti-personnel, and armor-piercing bullets are available for the weapons found early in the game; later weapons such as the crossbow have more diverse types of ammunition. A crossbow is a Weapon consisting of a bow mounted on a stock that shoots projectiles often called bolts ^[28] There is also a "research camera" in the game that analyzes enemies. After taking enough pictures of any given enemy, the player is granted increased damage, plasmids, and other bonuses when facing that type of enemy in future battles. The quality of the photograph can speed the rate at which these advantages are rewarded. ^[29]

The player can also access several types of vending machines: the "U-Invent," which combines retrievable spare parts into ammunition, tools, etc. ; "The Circus of Values" vending machine sells everything from cakes to first aid kits to EVE hypos; the "El Ammo Bandito!", a machine that vends both normal and specialty ammunition; and other more specialized machines, such as health stations. Most vending machine varieties can be hacked, allowing the player to buy "hack-only" items, and reducing the cost of the previously available merchandise. ^[30] Glass-walled "Vita-Chambers" can also be found throughout the game, which the player does not use directly. Instead, should the player die, their body is reconstituted at the nearest one, retaining all of their possessions, but only a portion of their full health. ^[31]

Plot summary

Setting

BioShock is set during 1960, in Rapture, a fictional underwater dystopian city. Fiction is the telling of stories which are not real More specifically fiction is an imaginative form of Narrative, one of the four basic Rhetorical modes. A dystopia (from the Greek δυσ- and τόπος alternatively cacotopia, kakotopia, cackotopia, or anti-utopia) is the vision of a society ^[26] The history of Rapture is learned by the player through audio recordings as they explore the city. Secretly built in 1946 on the mid-Atlantic seabed, Rapture was entirely self-sufficient and powered by submarine volcanoes. "Ocean Floor" redirects here For the 2001 song by Audio Adrenaline, see Lift (Audio Adrenaline album. Geothermal power (from the Greek roots geo, meaning earth and therme, meaning heat is energy generated by heat stored in the earth or the collection Submarine volcanoes are underwater fissures in the earth's surface from which magma can erupt Constructed by business magnate Andrew Ryan (voice by Armin Shimerman), Rapture was envisioned as the solution to what he saw as increasingly oppressive political and religious authority. A business magnate, sometimes referred to as a mogul, tycoon, baron, or industrialist, is a person who has reached a prominent place in Armin Shimerman (born November 5, 1949) is an American actor who was born and raised in Lakewood, New Jersey. The city was populated by those whom Ryan believed exemplified the best in humanity. It was revealed in an audio log that Ryan wanted Rapture to become an "Eden," a concept furthered by the resources ADAM and EVE, which are named after the biblical inhabitants of Eden. Adam (אָדָם ʼĀḏām, "dust man mankind" آدم; Ge'ez: አዳ and Eve (חַוָּה Ḥawwā, "living During the early 1950s, Rapture's population peaked at several thousand, though an elite emerged, discomforting many of the inhabitants. ^[32]

The development of ADAM—stem cells created from a species of sea slug—by Dr. Stem cells are cells found in most if not all multi-cellular Organisms. A nudibranch (pronounced (BrE or (AmE is a member of one Suborder of soft-bodied shell-less marine Opisthobranch Gastropod Mollusks Bridgette Tennenbaum further upset the social balance. ADAM's prevalence greatly accelerated genetic engineering research, creating a plasmid industry that sold everything from a cure for male pattern baldness to skills like telekinesis, with non-passive types like the latter requiring a serum, EVE. Genetic engineering, Recombinant DNA technology, genetic modification/manipulation (GM and gene splicing are terms that apply to the direct A plasmid is an extra-chromosomal DNA molecule separate from the chromosomal DNA which is capable of replicating independently of the chromosomal DNA Androgenic Alopecia (also known as androgenetic alopecia or alopecia androgenetica) is a common form of hair loss in both male and female The term psychokinesis (from the Greek ψυχή, "psyche" meaning mind soul heart or breath; and κίνησις, "kinesis" In order to improve ADAM yields, Rapture scientists created the "Little Sisters," young girls, each with a slug embedded in their body. Although initially just ADAM "factories," during the war which later broke out, they were repurposed via mental conditioning to extract ADAM from the dead, and recycle it within themselves. Classical Conditioning (also Pavlovian or Respondent Conditioning) is a form of Associative learning that was first demonstrated by Ivan Pavlov ^[33] At the same time, the scientists created "Big Daddies," (voiced by Stephen Stanton) armed and highly enhanced humans in diving suits—to defend the Little Sisters as they worked. A standard diving dress consists of a metallic ( Copper, Brass or Bronze) Diving helmet, an airline or hose from a Surface supplied ^[26]

For several years, Rapture was what Ryan originally intended it to be: a paradise of freedom and wealth. But ultimately, the very reason it was created—Ryan's hatred of authority—caused the city's downfall, and the ideals Ryan had envisaged to be corrupted and lost. To keep his utopia a secret, Ryan passed a single law: contact with the surface was prohibited. This turned out to be one law too many. The edict made smuggling profitable, resulting in the formation of a small black market. Smuggling, also known as trafficking, is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons past a point where prohibited such as out of a building into a Prison This market came to be dominated by a man with just as much determination as Ryan: former mobster Frank Fontaine (voiced by Greg Baldwin). Greg Baldwin (born September 13, 1960 in Grants New Mexico) is an American Actor. Unlike Ryan, however, Fontaine wanted control. His wealth, combined with his monopoly on Tennenbaum's research, soon gained Fontaine enough power and followers to challenge Ryan for control of the city.

In late 1958, Ryan lost patience with the conflict, and apparently had Fontaine killed—an action that proved useless, as another figure, Atlas (voiced by Karl Hanover), took Fontaine's place as the leader of the opposition. On New Year's Eve that year, Atlas and his ADAM-augmented followers fomented a riot involving the lower and upper classes. New Year's Eve is on December 31, the final day of the Gregorian year and the day before New Year's Day. ^[34] This sparked a civil war between Ryan and Atlas that eventually spread to all of Rapture, crippling the city. As the war progressed, Ryan began to betray his ideals. The former advocate of reason and self-determination began using torture and mind control in his battle with Atlas. Torture, according to the United Nations Convention Against Torture, is "any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental is intentionally Mind control is a broad range of psychological tactics able to subvert an individual's control of his own thinking, behavior emotions or decisions Eventually, he became so unreasonable that a number of his supporters attempted to assassinate him. By the time the player enters Rapture, only the "Splicers"—citizens with severe mental and physical problems caused by excessive ADAM use—are left, scavenging throughout the city. The remaining non-mutated humans have managed to barricade themselves in the few remaining undamaged areas. ^[35]

Story

The underwater city of Rapture

At the start of the game, Jack (the character controlled by the player) is a passenger on a plane that crashes over the Atlantic Ocean in 1960,^[36] after ordered society in Rapture has collapsed. ^[37] After surfacing, Jack swims to a nearby lighthouse, where he finds a bathysphere in which he descends into the ocean and enters the failed "paradise" of Rapture. A bathysphere is a Spherical deep-sea Submersible which is unpowered and is lowered into the ocean on a cable ^[38] Atlas assists Jack via radio in making his way to safety, while Ryan, believing Jack to be a government agent, uses Rapture's automated systems and his pheromone-controlled Splicers against him. A pheromone (from Greek φέρω phero "to bear" + ‘ορμόνη " Hormone " is a Chemical that triggers a natural Atlas tells Jack that the only way he can survive is to use the abilities granted by plasmids, and that he must kill the Little Sisters to extract their ADAM. Overhearing Atlas' words, Dr. Tennenbaum intercepts Jack, and urges him to save the Little Sisters instead. She gives him the means to kill only the embedded slugs while leaving the girls alive and promises to repay him if he does as she asks. ^[33] As Jack works his way through the city, he learns about Rapture's fate and history through audio logs, genetically-induced ghostly playbacks of past events, and radio messages. Atlas says his wife and child have been hiding on a submarine, and just as Jack and Atlas reach the bay where it is located, Ryan has it detonated; an enraged Atlas tells Jack that Ryan must die.

Jack makes his way to Ryan, who offers no resistance to Jack's efforts, but instead reveals why Jack has come to Rapture: Jack was actually born in Rapture two years ago, genetically modified to mature rapidly. He is Ryan's illegitimate son by an affair with Jasmine Jolene, an exotic dancer. For the racehorse see Exotic Dancer (horse The terms exotic dancer and exotic dance can have different meanings in different ^[34] Ryan further reveals that, after purchasing Jack's embryo, Fontaine designed him to obey orders that are preceeded by the specific phrase "Would you kindly". Jack was then sent to the surface when the war started to put him beyond Ryan's reach. When the conflict between Atlas and Ryan reached a stalemate, Jack was sent instructions to board a flight with a package. At a designated time he opened the package to discover a gun and instructions to hijack and crash the plane next to the lighthouse, enabling him to return to Rapture as the cat's-paw of Atlas. The Monkey and the Cat, or Le Singe et le Chat, is a Fable written by French Poet Jean de La Fontaine. Ryan calmly demonstrates Jack's lack of free will by using the trigger phrase, "Would you kindly. . . ", which Jack then realizes Atlas has been using since his arrival. Ryan then orders Jack to kill him, so as to die on his own terms. Atlas, in complete control of the city as a result of Ryan's death, reveals himself to be Fontaine. With Ryan dead, Fontaine no longer needs Jack, and leaves him at the mercy of the reactivated security systems. Nevertheless, Dr. Tennenbaum and her Little Sisters help Jack escape through the vent system, where he falls and loses consciousness.

When Jack awakes, Dr. Tennenbaum has already deactivated some of his conditioned responses and assists him in breaking the remaining ones, among them one that would have eventually stopped his heart. During their subsequent pursuit of Fontaine, the doctor predicts that the only way to get through the last few obstacles would be to assemble a Big Daddy diving suit and follow the rescued Little Sisters through the passageways that only they can open. A diving suit is a garment or device designed to protect a diver from the Underwater environment By the time Jack reaches him, Fontaine has injected himself with vast amounts of ADAM, becoming an inhuman monster. Jack and the Little Sisters are eventually able to subdue Fontaine, when the Little Sisters swarm over Fontaine and stab him to death with their ADAM needles. Here the game ends.

Three endings are possible depending on how the player interacted with the Little Sisters, both narrated by Dr. Tennenbaum. If the player only rescued the Little Sisters (therefore saving their lives), the ending shows the rescued Little Sisters returning to the surface and living full lives under Jack's care, including them graduating college and getting married; it ends on a heart-warming tone, with an elderly Jack surrounded on his deathbed by all of the adult Little Sisters. If the player harvested (and therefore killed) more than two of the Little Sisters, the game ends with Jack turning on the Sisters after defeating Fontaine, presumably killing them all and taking their ADAM. Tennenbaum's voice narrates what occurred, condemning Jack and his actions. Later in the second ending, a ballistic missile submarine comes across the wreckage of the plane and is surrounded by bathyspheres containing Splicers. A ballistic missile submarine is a Submarine equipped to launch Ballistic missiles ( SLBMs) The Splicers kill all hands aboard the submarine and take control of it. ^[39] If the player harvested all of the Little Sisters, the player is shown the same movie as the second ending, though the tone of Tennenbaum's voice is angrier. ^[40]

Development

Original story

Originally, BioShock had a storyline which was significantly different to that of the released version: the main character was a "cult deprogrammer"—a person charged with rescuing someone from a cult, and mentally and psychologically readjusting that person to a normal life. This article does not discuss "cult" in the original sense of "veneration" or "religious practice" for that usage see Cult (religious practice ^[42] For example, Ken Levine cites an example of what a cult deprogrammer does where "[There are] people who hired people to [for example] deprogram their daughter who had been in a lesbian relationship. They kidnap her and reprogram her, and it was a really dark person, and that was the [kind of] character that you were. "^[34] This story would have been more political in nature, with the character hired by a Senator. A senate is a Deliberative body, often the Upper house or chamber of a Legislature or Parliament. ^[34] While the gameplay with this story was similar to what resulted in the released version of the game, the story underwent changes, consistent with what Levine says was then-Irrational Games's guiding principle of putting game design first. ^[42]

Levine also noted that "it was never my intention to do two endings for the game. It sort of came very late and it was something that was requested by somebody up the food chain from me. "^[43]

Influences

In response to an interview question from the gaming website IGN about what influenced the game's story and setting, Levine said, "I have my useless liberal arts degree, so I've read stuff from Ayn Rand and George Orwell, and all the sort of utopian and dystopian writings of the 20th century, which I've found really fascinating. IGN (abbreviated and formerly known as I magine G ames N etwork is a multimedia news and reviews Website that focuses heavily on Video The term liberal arts refers to a particular type of educational Curriculum broadly defined as a Classical education. Ayn Rand (ˈaɪn ˈrænd &ndash March 6 1982 born Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum (Алиса Зиновьевна Розенбаум was a Russian born American Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950 who used the Pseudonym George Orwell, was an English writer "^[44] Levine has also mentioned an interest in "stem cell research and the moral issues that go around [it]. "^[44]

In regards to artistic influences, Levine told Electronic Gaming Monthly, "As a kid, I was obsessed with 1984 and Logan's Run. Electronic Gaming Monthly (often abbreviated to EGM) is an American Video game magazine. Nineteen Eighty-Four (also titled 1984) by George Orwell (the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair) is a 1949 English Novel Logan's Run is a Novel by William F Nolan and George Clayton Johnson. I love exploring what happens when good ideas fall apart. "

PlayStation 3

When asked about the possibility of a PlayStation 3 version of BioShock, Ken Levine had stated only that there was "no PS3 development going on" at the time. ^[45] However, on May 22, 2008, Electronic Gaming Monthly announced that a PlayStation 3 version of the game will be released in November 2008. Events 334 BC - The Greek army of Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of the Granicus. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Electronic Gaming Monthly (often abbreviated to EGM) is an American Video game magazine. The director for the PlayStation 3 version will be Jordan Thomas, and Electronic Gaming Monthly has suggested there may be some graphical improvement. ^[46] Added content has been confirmed for the PS3 version of the game,^[47] and will have Playstation Home integration, as indicated by the presence of the Home logo on the box art of the game. PlayStation Home (also marketed and referred to simply as Home) is a community-based service for the PlayStation Network which has been in development since early ^[48]

Similarities to System Shock series

According to the developers, BioShock is a spiritual successor to the System Shock games, and was produced by former developers of that series. A spiritual successor, sometimes called a spiritual sequel or a companion piece, is a successor to a work of fiction that instead of being a standard Sequel System Shock is an Action role-playing game developed by Looking Glass Technologies and published by Origin Systems. Levine claims his team had been thinking about making another game in the same vein since they produced System Shock 2. System Shock 2 (commonly abbreviated SS2 or Shock 2) is a science-fiction horror -themed Video game ^[49] In his narration of a video initially screened for the press at E3 2006, Levine pointed out many similarities between the games. The E3 Media and Business Summit, formerly known as Electronic Entertainment Expo and commonly known as E3, is an annual Trade show for the computer ^[50] There are several comparable gameplay elements: plasmids in BioShock serve the same function as "Psionic Abilities" in System Shock 2; the player needs to deal with security cameras, turrets, and drones, and has the ability to hack them; ammunition conservation is stressed as "a key gameplay feature"; and audio recordings fulfill the same storytelling role that e-mail logs did in the System Shock games. Electronic mail, often abbreviated to e-mail, email, or originally eMail, is a Store-and-forward method of writing sending receiving ^[50] The "ghosts" (phantom images that replay tragic incidents in the places they occurred) from System Shock 2 also exist in BioShock,^[51] as do modifiable weapons with multiple ammunition types. Additionally, Atlas guides the player along by radio, in much the same way Janice Polito does in System Shock 2, with each having a similar twist mid-game. Both games also give the player more than one method of completing tasks, allowing for emergent gameplay. Emergent gameplay is the creative use of a Videogame in ways unexpected by the Game designer 's original intent ^[52]

Game engine

BioShock was initially developed using an enhanced Tribes: Vengeance game engine, the highly modified version of the Unreal Engine 2.5 technology used by other previous Irrational titles including SWAT 4, and SWAT 4: The Stetchkov Syndicate. Tribes Vengeance (sometimes called TV or Tribes 3) is a Sci-fi first-person shooter (FPS Computer game of the A game engine is a software system designed for the creation and development of computer and video games The Unreal Engine is a popular Game engine developed by Epic Games. SWAT 4 is a tactical First-person shooter Computer game developed by Irrational Games and released by Vivendi Universal SWAT 4 is a tactical First-person shooter Computer game developed by Irrational Games and released by Vivendi Universal In an interview at E3 in May 2006, Levine announced a switch to a modified Unreal Engine 3.0. The Unreal Engine is a popular Game engine developed by Epic Games. Levine emphasized the enhanced water effects, which he claimed would be very impressive: "We've hired a water programmer and water artist, just for this game, and they're kicking ass and you've never seen water like this. "^[53] This graphical enhancement has been lauded by critics, with GameSpot saying, "Whether it's standing water on the floor or sea water rushing in after an explosion, it will blow you away every time you see it. GameSpot is a video gaming Website that provides News, Reviews Previews Downloads and other information "^[54] The Windows version of BioShock can utilize Direct3D 10 (DirectX 10) features and content, if the system meets the hardware and software requirements,^[55] but it will also run on DirectX 9, if these requirements are not met, or if the video options are changed. Direct3D is part of Microsoft 's DirectX API. Direct3D is only available for Microsoft's various Windows Operating systems ( Windows ^[56] There are a few differences in image quality between the two APIs, such as additional water reflections and soft particle effects,^[57][58] but are otherwise subtle from the player's perspective. ^[59]

Simultaneous threading

Chris Kline, lead programmer of BioShock from Irrational Games, deemed BioShock as "heavily multithreaded" as it has the following elements running separately:^[60]

• Simulation Update (1 thread)
• UI update (1 thread)
• Rendering (1 thread)
• Physics (3 threads on Xenon, 1 to TBD on PC)
• Audio state update (1 thread)
• Audio processing (1 thread)
• Texture streaming (1 thread)
• File streaming (1 thread)

BioShock also uses Havok Physics,^[55] an engine that allows for an enhancement of in-game physics, and the integration of ragdoll physics, and allows for more lifelike movement by elements of the environment. Simultaneous multithreading, often abbreviated as SMT, is a technique for improving the overall efficiency of Superscalar CPUs with Hardware Havok Physics, better known as simply Havok, is a Physics engine developed by Irish company Havok. Physics (Greek Physis - φύσις in everyday terms is the Science of Matter and its motion. In computer Physics engines ragdoll physics are a type of Procedural animation that is often used as a replacement for traditional static death Animations

Demo

A demo was released on Xbox Live Marketplace on August 12, 2007,^[61] and the PC demo was officially released on August 20, 2007, and announced during Larry Hryb's (Major Nelson) interview with Ken Levine on his podcast. The Xbox Live Marketplace ( XBLM) is a virtual market designed for Microsoft 's Xbox 360 console that allows Xbox Live members to download Events 1099 - First Crusade: Battle of Ascalon - Crusaders under the command of Godfrey of Bouillon defeat Fatimid Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 636 - Battle of Yarmouk: Arab forces led by Khalid ibn al-Walid take control of Syria and Palestine Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Larry Hryb (pronounced Herb known by the Pseudonym Major Nelson, is the Director of Programming for Xbox Live, the Microsoft gaming network A podcast is a series of audio or Video digital-media files which is distributed over the Internet by syndicated Download ^[62] The demo contains the first 45 minutes of the game and includes a cinematic opening sequence that established the setting and initial plot lines, and the tutorial phase of the game. ^[26] The demo also contained some differences from the release version such as an extra plasmid and weapons, alongside an earlier security system presence. These were introduced to give players access to several features of the full game. In nine days, the BioShock demo outperformed every other demo release on Xbox Live and became the fastest demo to reach one million downloads. Xbox Live (trademarked as Xbox LIVE) is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation ^[63]

Updates

On September 6, 2007, the Xbox 360 version of BioShock received an update that "Improves general game stability, especially when loading autosaves. Events 3114 BC - According to the Proleptic Julian calendar the current era in the Maya Long Count Calendar started Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. It also tweaks the way enemies use health stations and fixes a slight audio glitch during menu loading. "^[64] Users were prompted to download the automatic update when they next started the game. The update, has however, been criticized for introducing several problems to the game, including occasional freezes, bad framerates, and even audio-related issues. Frame rate, or frame frequency, is the measurement of the Frequency (rate at which an imaging device produces unique consecutive images called frames The The problem seems to be with the game's caching, and can be corrected by the user. In Computer science, a cache (kæʃ like "cash") is a collection of data duplicating original ^[65][66]

On December 4, 2007, a patch for the Windows version, and a title update and free downloadable content for the Xbox 360 version were released. "December 4th" redirects here For the song by Jay-Z, see December 4th (song. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. In addition to correcting bugs in the software, the patch/new content introduces a horizontal field-of-view option, new Plasmids, an option to disable Vita Chambers, and an additional achievement in the Xbox 360 version for completing the game without using any Vita Chambers on Hard mode ("Brass Balls," 100 points). Vita Chambers need not be disabled to earn the achievement, and quick saves can still be used. ^[67]

Mobile phone version

On February 12, 2008, IG Fun announced that they had secured the rights to develop and publish a mobile phone version of BioShock. Events 1429 - English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army besieging Orleans from attack by the 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common IG Fun CEO Sean Malatesta promised "to offer a whole new gaming experience and unmatched excitement amongst mobile gamers the world over". ^[68]

Reception

Awards

At E3 2006, BioShock was given several "Game of the Show" awards from various online gaming sites, including GameSpot,^[69] IGN,^[70] GameSpy^[71] and GameTrailers's Trailer of the Year. The history of the E3 began with its creation in 1995 and has continued through the current expo in 2008 GameSpot is a video gaming Website that provides News, Reviews Previews Downloads and other information IGN (abbreviated and formerly known as I magine G ames N etwork is a multimedia news and reviews Website that focuses heavily on Video GameSpy, also known as GameSpy Industries, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related GameTrailers ( GT) is a media website that specializes in video game related content ^[72] BioShock received an award for Best Xbox 360 Game at the 2007 Leipzig Games Convention. ^[73]

After the game's release, the 2007 Spike TV Awards selected BioShock as Best Game, Best Xbox 360 Game, and Best Original Score, and nominated it for four awards: Best Shooter, Best Graphics, Best PC Game, Best Soundtrack. Events March 14: Microsoft announces Games for Windows - Live, a version of Xbox Live for the Windows platform Spike (formerly called Spike TV) a division of MTV Networks, is an American cable network designed for an audience described ^[74][75] and the game also won the 2007 BAFTA "Best Game" award. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA is a British charity that hosts annual awards shows for film television television craft video games and forms of animation ^[76] X-Play also selected it as Game of the Year,Best Original Soundtrack,Best Writing/Story, and Best Art Direction. X-Play (previously GameSpot TV and Extended Play) is a TV program about Video games known for its reviews and ^{[77][78][79][80]}

At IGN's "Best of 2007" BioShock was nominated for Game of The Year 2007,^[81] and won the award for PC Game of the Year,^[82] Best Artistic Design,^[83] and Best Use of Sound. IGN (abbreviated and formerly known as I magine G ames N etwork is a multimedia news and reviews Website that focuses heavily on Video ^[84] GameSpy chose it as the third best game of the year,^[85] and gave BioShock the awards for Best Sound, Story and Art Direction. GameSpy, also known as GameSpy Industries, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related ^[86] GameSpot awarded the game for Best Story,^[87] while GamePro gave BioShock the Best Story, Xbox 360 and Best Single-Player Shooter awards. GameSpot is a video gaming Website that provides News, Reviews Previews Downloads and other information GamePro is an American Video game magazine published monthly The magazine was first established in Redwood City California in 1989 by Pat Ferrell ^[88]

BioShock won the "Best Visual Art", "Best Writing", and "Best Audio" awards at the 2008 Game Developers Choice Awards. The Game Developers Choice Awards are awards annually hosted by the Game Developers Conference and presented by the International Game Developers Association for outstanding ^[89]

Sales

2K Games stated that, as of September 10, 2007, over 1. Events 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. 5 million copies of BioShock have shipped since its release. ^[90] The Xbox 360 version was the third best-selling game of August 2007, with 490,900 copies. August 2007 is the eighth month of that year It began on a Wednesday and 31 days later ended on a Friday. ^[91] The Wall Street Journal reported that shares in Take-Two "soared nearly 20%" in the week following overwhelmingly favorable early reviews of the game. Take-Two Interactive Software Inc ( is an American publisher, developer, and distributor of Video games and video game Peripherals ^[92] Take-Two announced that, as of June 5, 2008, over 2. Events 70 - Titus and his Roman Legions breach the middle wall of Jerusalem in the Siege of Jerusalem 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common 2 million copies of BioShock have been shipped. ^[93]

Reviews

BioShock has received wide critical acclaim:^[104][105] mainstream press reviews have praised the immersive qualities of the game and its political dimension. Official Xbox Magazine is a monthly Video game magazine which started in November 2001 around the launch time of the original Xbox. PC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. PC Zone was the first Magazine dedicated to games for IBM-compatible personal computers to be published in the United Kingdom. Games for Windows The Official Magazine was a monthly Computer game magazine published by Ziff Davis Media, licensing the Games for Windows Game Rankings is a Website which keeps track of Video game reviews from other sites and combines them to present an average rating for each game Metacritic is a Website that collates reviews of music Albums games, movies, TV shows, DVDs and Books. The Boston Globe described it as "a beautiful, brutal, and disquieting computer game. The Boston Globe (and Boston Sunday Globe) is the most widely circulated daily Newspaper in Boston and in New England, . . one of the best in years,"^[18] and compared the game to Whittaker Chambers's 1957 riposte to Atlas Shrugged, Big Sister Is Watching You. Whittaker Chambers ( April 1, 1901 &ndash July 9, 1961) born Jay Vivian Chambers and also known as David Whittaker Atlas Shrugged is a novel by Ayn Rand, first published in 1957 in the United States Wired also mentioned the Ayn Rand connection in a report on the game which featured a brief interview with Levine. Wired is a full-color monthly American Magazine and on-line periodical published in San Francisco, California since March 1993 ^[106] The Chicago Sun-Times review said "I never once thought anyone would be able to create an engaging and entertaining video game around the fiction and philosophy of Ayn Rand, but that is essentially what 2K Games has done. The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily Newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. . . the rare, mature video game that succeeds in making you think while you play. "

The Los Angeles Times review concluded, "Sure, it's fun to play, looks spectacular and is easy to control. The Los Angeles Times (also known as the LA Times) is a daily Newspaper published in Los Angeles California and distributed But it also does something no other game has done to date: It really makes you feel. "^[107] The New York Times reviewer described it as: "intelligent, gorgeous, occasionally frightening" and added, "Anchored by its provocative, morality-based story line, sumptuous art direction and superb voice acting, BioShock can also hold its head high among the best games ever made. "^[108]

At Game Rankings, BioShock holds an average review score of 95. Game Rankings is a Website which keeps track of Video game reviews from other sites and combines them to present an average rating for each game 4% for the Xbox 360, making it the third highest rated Xbox 360 game released to date, after The Orange Box and Grand Theft Auto IV. The Orange Box is a Video game compilation for Microsoft Windows, the Xbox 360, and the PlayStation 3. ^[109] In the PC ratings it achieved 95. 2%, making it the third highest rated PC game released to date, behind Half-Life 2 and The Orange Box and the sixteenth highest ranked game of all time. Half-Life 2 is a Science fiction First-person shooter computer game and the sequel to the highly acclaimed Half-Life ^[110] GameSpy praised BioShock's "inescapable atmosphere,"^[111] and Official Xbox Magazine lauded its "inconceivably great plot" and "stunning soundtrack and audio effects. GameSpy, also known as GameSpy Industries, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related Official Xbox Magazine is a monthly Video game magazine which started in November 2001 around the launch time of the original Xbox. "^[100] The gameplay and combat system have been praised for being smooth and open-ended,^[98][35] and elements of the graphics, such as the water, were praised for their quality. ^[33] It has been noted that the combination of the game's elements "straddles so many entertainment art forms so expertly that it's the best demonstration yet how flexible this medium can be. It's no longer just another shooter wrapped up in a pretty game engine, but a story that exists and unfolds inside the most convincing and elaborate and artistic game world ever conceived. "^[96]

Reviewers did highlight a few negative issues in BioShock, however. The recovery system involving "Vita-Chambers," which revive a defeated player at half-life, but do not alter the enemies' health, makes it possible to wear down enemies through sheer perseverance, and was criticised as one of the biggest flaws in the gameplay. ^[112] IGN noted that both the controls and graphics of the Xbox 360 version are inferior to those of the PC version, in that switching between weapons or plasmids is easier using the PC's mouse than the 360's radial menu, as well as the graphics being slightly better with higher resolutions. ^[35] The game has been touted as a hybrid first person shooter role-playing game, but one or two reviewers found advances from comparable games lacking, both in the protagonist and in the challenges he faces. A first-person shooter ( FPS) is an action Video game from the Shooter game The initial development of Maze War A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters. ^[113][114] Press Start Online stated that BioShock "really could have been so much more, and it’s almost nostalgic to look back on those opening hours and think of what could have been. "^[115]

Sequels

In response to the game's high sales and critical acclaim, Take-Two Chairman Strauss Zelnick revealed in a conference call to analysts that the company now considered the game as part of a franchise. ^[116] He also speculated on any follow-ups mimicking the development cycle of Grand Theft Auto, with a new release expected every two to three years. ^{[117] [118]}

On March 11, 2008, Take Two Interactive officially announced that the sequel to BioShock is being developed by 2K Marin, and is expected to be released before the 2009 holiday season. Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common 2K Marin is an American Video game developer based in Novato, California. ^[119]

BioShock 3 has also been announced, with its release likely to coincide with the Bioshock film. ^[120]

Film

Industry rumors after the game's release suggest a film adaptation of the game would be made, utilizing similar green screen filming techniques as in the movie 300 to recreate the environments of Rapture. PLEASE SEE THE DISCUSSION PAGE BEFORE MAKING A MAJOR EDIT*** The topic of the article is controversial which may be under dispute ^[121] On May 9, 2008, Take Two announced a deal with Universal Studios to produce a BioShock movie, to be directed by Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Carribean, The Ring) and written by John Logan (Gladiator, The Aviator, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street). Events 1457 BC - Battle of Megiddo (15th century BC between Thutmose III and a large Canaanite coalition under the King of 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Universal Studios (sometimes called Universal Pictures or Universal City Studios) a subsidiary of NBC Universal, is a major Global American Gregor "Gore" Verbinski (born March 16 1964) is an American Film director and Writer. Pirates of the Caribbean is a multi-billion dollar Walt Disney franchise encompassing a theme park ride a series of films John David Gynn Logan (born 24 September 1961) is an American Screenwriter. Gladiator is a 2000 Epic film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a 2007 musical thriller and the Film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim and ^[122]

Criticism and technical issues

Overlay of two screenshots, one taken using widescreen settings, and one taken using standard 4:3 settings, demonstrating the differences in the field of view. The red tinted areas are those present in the standard image only.

Since BioShock was released, several issues have been found, with most uncovered in the Windows version. ^[123] In both the BioShock demo and release version, it was observed that the field of view (FOV) used in widescreen was set such that it appeared that there was less visible in the display compared to the 4:3 format,^[124] conflicting with original reports from a developer on how widescreen would have been handled. The field of view (also field of vision) is the angular extent of the observable world that is seen at any given moment ^[125] This was a design decision made during development. ^[126][127] In patch 1. 1, released on December 4, 2007, the "Horizontal FOV Lock" option was added to the Options menu. "December 4th" redirects here For the song by Jay-Z, see December 4th (song. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[128]

BioShock for Windows (both the retail version and that available through Steam) utilizes SecuROM copy protection^[129] software, and requires internet activation to complete installation. Steam is a Digital distribution, Digital rights management, Multiplayer SecuROM is a CD / DVD Copy protection Product, most often used for Computer games running under Microsoft Windows, developed Copy protection, also known as content protection, copy prevention, or copy restriction, is a technology for preventing the unauthorised reproduction The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks This was reportedly responsible for the cancellation of a midnight release in Australia on August 23, 2007, due to 2K Games servers being unavailable, as the game would be unplayable until they were back online. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[130] Through SecuROM, users were originally limited to two activations of the game. Users found that even if they uninstalled the game prior to reinstallation, they were still required to call SecuROM to re-activate the game. The issue was worsened by the fact that the incorrect telephone number had been included in the printed manual, as well as essentially forcing customers outside the United States to make expensive international calls to the US. In response, 2K Games and SecuROM increased the number of activations to five before requiring the user to call again. However, as no information had been provided by 2K on the existence of these measures prior to the game going on sale—or on the retail box of the game itself—many remain dissatisfied. Users also found that it was necessary to activate the game for each user on the same machine, which was criticized by some as an attempt to limit customers' fair use rights. ^[131][132] 2K Games has denied that this was the intent of the limitation. ^[133]

Two months after the initial release, 2K attempted to alleviate customer complaints by developing a special pre-uninstallation utility to refund activation slots to the user. ^[134] This tool however does not address situations where the game has been installed on a PC which uses more than one user account as it only works once per PC (unlike activations which are counted per user-account), nor is it able to revoke an activation if the installation has become unusable, for example by hard disk failure, effectively rendering such activations permanently lost. 2K Games has specifically mentioned each of these issues in the revoke tool FAQ,^[134] and have stated that until software solutions are found for such situations they will handle any further requests for additional activations past the 5-activation limit on a case-by-case basis. ^[135]

Alerts from virus scanners and malware detectors, which can be triggered by SecuROM software, led to some debate about whether a rootkit was being installed; this was denied by 2K Games. Malware, a Portmanteau word from the words '''mal'''icious and soft'''ware''', is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without A rootkit is a computer virus which consists of a program (or combination of several programs designed to take fundamental control (in Unix terms "root" ^{[136][137][138]} However, an uninstallation of BioShock does not remove the files installed by SecuROM or the registry keys used, and some of these files are impossible to delete in the standard way. ^[139][140]

BioShock was also criticized for not supporting pixel shader 2. A pixel shader is a shader program often executed on a Graphics processing unit. 0b video cards (such as the Radeon X800/X850), which were considered high-end graphics cards in 2004–2005, and accounted for about 24% of surveyed hardware collected through Valve's Steam platform at the time of BioShock's release. ATI Radeon is a brand of Graphics processing units (GPU that since 2000 has been manufactured by ATI Technologies and subsequently AMD and is The Radeon R420 core from ATI Technologies was the company's basis for its 3rd-generation DirectX 9 The Radeon R420 core from ATI Technologies was the company's basis for its 3rd-generation DirectX 9 Valve Corporation is an American video game development company based in Bellevue Washington, USA that was founded in 1996, and made famous User efforts to create a pixel shader 2. 0-compatible version of the software have met with some success,^[141] but 2K Games has issued no statements regarding possible pixel shader 2. 0 support being added by an official patch. ^[142]

Versions and merchandise

Limited Collector’s edition

Following the creation of a fan petition for a special edition, Take-Two stated that they would publish a special edition of BioShock only if the petition received 5,000 signatures;^[143] this number of signatures was reached after just five hours. ^[144] Subsequently, a poll was posted on the Cult of Rapture community website (operated by 2K Games) in which visitors could vote on what features they would most like to see in a special edition; the company stated that developers would take this poll into serious consideration. ^[145] To determine what artwork would be used for the Limited Edition cover, 2K games ran a contest, with the winning entry provided by Adam Meyer. ^[146]

On April 23, 2007, the Cult of Rapture website confirmed that the Limited Collector's Edition would be sold solely within the United States and Canada and exclusively from EB Games and GameStop stores,^[147] and that would include a 6-inch (150 mm) Big Daddy figurine (many of which were damaged; a replacement initiative is in place), a "Making Of" DVD, and a soundtrack CD. Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. EB Games (formerly known as Electronics Boutique) is an international computer and video games retailer GameStop Corporation ( is the world's largest Video game and entertainment software retailer Before the special edition was released, the proposed soundtrack CD was replaced with The Rapture EP. ^[148]

Art book

BioShock: Breaking the Mold, a book containing artwork from the game, was released by 2K Games on August 13, 2007. Events 3114 BC - According to the Lounsbury correlation the start of the Maya calendar. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. It is available in both low and high resolution, in PDF format from 2K Games's official website. ^[149][150] Until October 1, 2007, 2K Games was sending a printed version of the book to the owners of the collector's edition whose Big Daddy figurines had been broken, as compensation for the time it took to replace them. Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[151]

Soundtrack

Main article: BioShock Original Soundtrack

2K Games released an orchestral score soundtrack on their official homepage on August 24, 2007. 2K Games released an orchestral score soundtrack on their official homepage on August 24, 2007. Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar 's General Gaius Scribonius Curio is defeated in the Second Battle of the Bagradas River Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Available in MP3 format, the score—composed by Garry Schyman—contains 12 of the 22 tracks from the game. MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a Digital audio encoding format using a form of Lossy data compression ^[152] The Limited Edition version of the game came with the The Rapture EP remixes by Moby and Oscar The Punk. ^[153] The three remixed tracks on the CD include "Beyond the Sea," "God Bless the Child" and "Wild Little Sisters"; the original recordings of these songs are in the game. " God Bless the Child " is a song written by Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog Jr

In BioShock, the player encounters phonographs that play music from the 1940s and 1950s as background music. The phonograph, or gramophone, was the most common device for playing recorded Sound from the 1870s through the 1980s In total, 30 licensed songs can be heard throughout the game. ^[154]

See also

• Biopunk

References

External links

• BioShock Official website
• The Cult of Rapture
• BioShock Wiki at Wikia
• BioShock on MobyGames
• BioShock at the Internet Movie Database
• BioShock at the Open Directory Project