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[RMI]

I don't really buy it. The little girl bears some resemblance to a little sister, but any little girl wearing an old fashioned dress would so that's that. As for the diving suit guy, it's a dude in a diving suit. I never really thought of big daddies as just dudes in diving suits.

My understanding is that Bioshock was originally supposed to be set on a space station until some major changes in art direction gave way to the underwater setting. I can't really believe that some artist saw the rather innocuous cover of this obscure Japanese magazine and changed everything based on that.

If this image is striking, it's only because we're already familiar with Bioshock, not the other way around.

 

[Chakan]

After turning on the power and entering, the player finds Amanda in her crib, alone. Once the player has explored the house, a snap is heard, and Amanda begins crying. When the player enters her room, the "Dark Being", described in Dr. Kricks journal, takes Amanda, and jumps through a portal. At this point, the Player can either follow him through, or use Dr. Krick's laboratory to construct their own portal. Either way, the player ends up on a rocky beach in a parallel world.

Wtf.

 

[FiggyCal]

Someone at kotaku is saying "Sumio Tsunoda".

I thought it was Kazuaki Saito.

 

[medze]

This is one of the early pieces of concept art for the "Rosie" model of Big Daddy, which seems to be very, very close to the image in the magazine in terms of base design (helmet is nearly identical):

http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/features/bigdaddyart/rosie_early.jpg

The design of both Big Daddy and the person on the cover of that magazine are based on old diving suits. The only thing coincidental is the appearance of a young girl in a blue dress (which isn't that weird since her attire is common for the time period)

 

[HardRojo]

Watching the walkthrough right now, on part 2 of 10.

The thing that kidnaps the baby is a giant, naked imp that makes weird noises. The beach part is a beach with rocks and sand. Game looks like a different flavor of Myst graphically.

Man, stop, no one is blaming Levine of anything, the similarities are there, they don't have to be precise and a perfect match, they are simply there to be seen and anyone could quickly relate how that Lighthouse cover art has similarities to Bioshock Infinite, it seriously baffles me when people react this way.

 

[CaptainGyro]

This is one of the early pieces of concept art for the "Rosie" model of Big Daddy, which seems to be very, very close to the image in the magazine in terms of base design (helmet is nearly identical):

http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/features/bigdaddyart/rosie_early.jpg

The helmet is nearly identical in a lot of deep sea suit helmet images, that doesn't really mean anything
edit- as mezde also pointed out it just means they are based on old diving suits

 

[disappeared]

Sounds like a lot of people should go watch Everything is a Remix.

Awesome. Will watch. I like the Woody Guthrie quote they used there.

 

[plasmawave]

Not surprising. Japanese gaming fans have an inferiority complex at times.

The irony is that they're calling Levine a hack even though it's refreshing seeing the distinctive and wide ranging art direction Japanese pop art once had like this:



Before succumbing to an artistic, and stubborn hegemony like this:

The fuck? What does Japanese gaming has anything to do with the topic at hand?

 

[Kerned]

News flash: Artists borrow and steal from existing art. It's not a big deal, in fact it's part of the process. Generally it's called "influence" to make it sound better. The people calling Levine a hack over this are being silly, but the people crusading to defend his honor are far sillier.

 

[Big One]

Not surprising. Japanese gaming fans have an inferiority complex at times.

The irony is that they're calling Levine a hack even though it's refreshing seeing the distinctive and wide ranging art direction Japanese pop art once had like this:

*snip*

Before succumbing to an artistic, and stubborn hegemony like this:

*snip*

Oh please. I'll be the first to point out that this isn't a ripoff and how unlikely it is that someone would encounter a Japanese magazine cover as a source for inspiration for an entire concept, but you're being just as hyperbolic as anyone else in this thread. You're comparing a sci-fi magazine serial to cartoons aimed at children and/or otaku...I mean come on.

And no I do not feel it's a ripoff, it's likely it's a coincidence. It uses generic elements for one (little girl imagery, diver imagery) that has been used for ages in all sorts of stories in all different genres. Plus we have no idea what context it has. You could probably go even farther back and find something even more obscure that uses similar themes and imagery...doesn't make it a ripoff, just that certain elements people use in stories get re-thought throughout history.

 

[Bossofman]

Some examples would be nice. (I agree with your post though).

Just off the top of my head, it's the basic story of Annie, the 'Predator' didn't kill the women either, and I doubt it would have looped off the head of a little girl.

 

[Ataru]

The irony is that they're calling Levine a hack even though it's refreshing seeing the distinctive and wide ranging art direction Japanese pop art once had like this:

Before succumbing to an artistic, and stubborn hegemony like this:

Japanese art isn't as homogeneous as some like to believe, even among anime and manga there are dozens of different styles which look radically different, from nauseatingly cute to quite realistic, even some styles that could pass as western comic book art.

 

[Herbspiceguy]

Interesting stuff posted here.

Also interesting to see how defensive some people are. If some ppl at Irrational 'took inspiration' from other creative works I really don't see a problem with that.

 

[Cipherr]

The fuck? What does Japanese gaming has anything to do with the topic at hand?

Don't like whats being said? Change the conversation.

Homie came out of left field with a country war. Insane.

 

[Superflat]

Not surprising. Japanese gaming fans have an inferiority complex at times.
The irony is that they're calling Levine a hack even though it's refreshing seeing the distinctive and wide ranging art direction Japanese pop art once had like this:

Before succumbing to an artistic, and stubborn hegemony like this:

Some grade-A ignorance you got there, mate!

 

[Big One]

Interesting stuff posted here.

Also interesting to see how defensive some people are. If some ppl at Irrational 'took inspiration' from other creative works I really don't see a problem with that.

Yeah this too. Even if he took inspiration from it, why is that an issue? Most writers and artists do just that...

 

[Nirolak]

Having actually played Lighthouse back in the day I'm not sure I would consider it very similar beyond a surface level.

Also the bird isn't 200 feet tall, it's about the same size as a regular person.

I do think Irrational's games share a lot with the adventure games of that era in that they were mostly about going to space or traveling through a portal to another world (or both if you're The Journeyman Project) while bringing you to fascinating worlds with lots of unique visual imagery and often interesting creatures, but these games built upon each other frequently so I wouldn't be surprised if you could even dig up another one with lots of surface similarities.

 

[DOWN]

I wouldn't be surprised if he had seen the image without knowing it's source. It's quite a coincidence if he really is saying the duo was evolved from Shining Twins inspiration.

 

[Loxley]

I'm positive that Japanese magazine was the first to ever depict a little girl wearing a dress.

-_-

 

[Ataru]

Interesting stuff posted here.

Also interesting to see how defensive some people are. If some ppl at Irrational 'took inspiration' from other creative works I really don't see a problem with that.

That's one of the things I like about Japan, they don't mind copying one another! The 16 bit era wouldn't have been nearly as great if Square wasn't inspired by Enix, Sega by Nintendo, etc.

 

[jim-jam bongs]

The most frustrating part about this thread is how everyone gives Ken Levine credit for everything.

 

[disappeared]

The most frustrating part about this thread is how everyone gives Ken Levine credit for everything.

BUT HE DOES DON'T YOU SEE!?

 

[Flame Lord]

Not surprising. Japanese gaming fans have an inferiority complex at times.

I think this may be the biggest stretch in the whole thread, lol.

 

[MormaPope]

News flash: Artists borrow and steal from existing art. It's not a big deal, in fact it's part of the process. Generally it's called "influence" to make it sound better. The people calling Levine a hack over this are being silly, but the people crusading to defend his honor are far sillier.

Interesting stuff posted here.

Also interesting to see how defensive some people are. If some ppl at Irrational 'took inspiration' from other creative works I really don't see a problem with that.

Since you're both probably referencing me, I'm not heralding Levine and his team as being the most creative people on this planet, that they thought of and created everything inside the games they made. The tone in this thread isn't "that's neat if thats a coincidence or if they were inspired by that", the tone is "Wow! Do you see this!? This is fishy as fuck, they totally got this idea because of this one screenshot or one idea."

Having actually played Lighthouse back in the day I'm not sure I would consider it very similar beyond a surface level.

Also the bird isn't 200 feet tall, it's about the same size as a regular person.

Watching a walkthrough it seems to be the size of a normal parrot or bird. Although that's probably a different bird altogether. The cover makes the bird look gigantic.

 

[FrankerZ]

This certainly is a very odd occurrence, the Japanese mag picture and Lighthouse. Even if it is true, I don't see a huge problem, it's apparent that they're not direct rip offs,( more so for Lighthouse, we don't know the story that was in the Japanese mag yet).

Other artist's work is used for inspiration all the time and as long as someone doesn't literally steal it 100% for someone else and release it in competition against them, I don't see a big issue.

EDIT: Edited for PC, apparently archaic slurs and abbreviations are one in the same

 

[aerts1js]

The most frustrating part about this thread is how everyone gives Ken Levine credit for everything.

.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

Its not quite the same idea, but Experiment 12 is series of 12 short games made by indie devs, where each continued where they thought the story was going without any input from the others. Essentially each chapter is its own self contained personal interpretation of the universe up to that that point.

Sanitarium was sort of like this.

http://www.gog.com/game/sanitarium

 

[Lijik]

Watching a walkthrough it seems to be the size of a normal parrot or bird. Although that's probably a different bird altogether. The cover makes the bird look gigantic.

Nah thats something else, heres the birdman:

the cover is just laying out random characters over a background

 

[lupinko]

Battle Royale to The Hunger Games scenario.

You mean The Running Man to Battle Royale to Hunger Games scenario.

 

[disappeared]

This certainly is a very odd occurrence, the Jap mag picture and Lighthouse...

This thread is going places.

 

[Fuchsdh]

For all those people talking about too many coincidences, I'll just leave this here:

http://www.snopes.com/history/american/lincoln-kennedy.asp

Things often come together in some grand conspiracy, when the reality is pretty mundane.

 

[Nirolak]

Since you're both probably referencing me, I'm not heralding Levine and his team as being the most creative people on this planet, that they thought of and created everything inside the games they made. The tone in this thread isn't "that's neat if thats a coincidence or if they were inspired by that", the tone is "Wow! Do you see this!? This is fishy as fuck, they totally got this idea because of this one screenshot or one idea."



Watching a walkthrough it seems to be the size of a normal parrot or bird. Although that's probably a different bird altogether. The cover makes the bird look gigantic.

It's been a lot of years but:

 

[disappeared]

Nah thats something else, heres the birdman:

the cover is just laying out random characters over a background

Needs a "FUCKING THING SUCKS" quote.

 

[MormaPope]

Nah thats something else, heres the birdman:

the cover is just laying out random characters over a background

It's been a lot of years but:

Yeah, what I saw was a small mechanical bird or even a real one, hard to tell:

 

[Authority]

The fuck? What does Japanese gaming has anything to do with the topic at hand?

I agree. We are just having an entertaining discussion.

This thread needs more happiness.

 

[ponpo]

That game looks scary (._. )

 

[Platy]

Little girl holding a man ..... and a man happens to have the suit of a profession.



If 1970 had a stock photo archive it would probably be full of images of generic little girls in "old clothing" holding hands with an adult

 

[apricot]

Nate Wells (who went to Naughty Dog and now Giant Sparrow) designed Big Daddies

^^^ Big Daddy design progression for the curious http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/article/bigdaddyart

 

[Messofanego]

Nah thats something else, heres the birdman:

THESE THINGS, THEY TAKE TIME

 

[Werewolf Jones]

The soulless look on the girls face is near perfect. Too bad it's sheer coincidence though.

 

[Elixist]

THESE THINGS, THEY TAKE TIME

was the first thing that came to my mind as well.

 

[JasonUresti]

So, Nate Wells may have seen this SF mag image (along with dozens of others) during his research into designing the Big Daddy/Little Sister combo.

Ken Levine very possibly played this Lighthouse game and was inspired by some of the concepts and characters in it and worked them into Bioshock Infinite. Levine did what every single creative person does.

You guys think this is shocking, then read about Superman and Hugo Danner, Batman and The Shadow/The Bat/other pulp heroes, Alan Moore taking three general plot lines for his greatest works from one single book, the nearly identical Swamp Thing and Man Thing being created and coming out within a year of each other, Terminator and Harlan Ellison, etc.

 

[Draper]

Mr. Bubbles, what happened to this thread?

 

[b&jy77VjiKn$#F]

This thread is something...

 

[Nocturno999]

^^^ Big Daddy design progression for the curious http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/article/bigdaddyart

That sketch art looks much more similar to the guy in the magazine cover...

 

[A-V-B]

Bingo. That's exactly what this feels like.

 

[Arrogant Bastard]

That sketch art looks much more similar to the guy in the magazine cover...

It's shocking how ignorant people are of early diving suits.

LMAO, so much for the "genius" behind the conception of Bioshock.

Look, another joke post.

 

[Owwari]

LMAO, so much for the "genius" behind the conception of Bioshock.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Hehehehe

The REAL reason Hudsonsoft was snuffed out. It's all in the Konami code...

Japanese art isn't as homogeneous as some like to believe, even among anime and manga there are dozens of different styles which look radically different, from nauseatingly cute to quite realistic, even some styles that could pass as western comic book art.

It's just that any other stuff doesn't really sell for shit nowadays often, so...

 

[BRocknRolla]

It is wildly similar. No two ways about it.