-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Transistor SPOILERS Thread
- Thread starter LiK
- Start date
I was thinking that he was her lover and friend before the game started. When he was killed protecting Red, his soul got sucked into the Transistor.
Red is wearing a ring with the symbol on the Narrator's jacket. I got the impression they were married, or engaged to be.
He was killed, and his soul was uploaded to the Transistor.
Why was Red attacked? I wonder...
What were the pods during the final boss fight? Where had they gone? It looked like a normal world whereas Cloudbank looked digital. There were lots of references to "going to the country", were these people in some kind of matrix style pods hooked up to Cloudbank?
The basic plot is clear, but the overall story of Transistor's universe isn't. I wish there was more info to unlock in game, but then I also really love how short and sweet it is, like a brief window into the world.
He was killed, and his soul was uploaded to the Transistor.
Why was Red attacked? I wonder...
What were the pods during the final boss fight? Where had they gone? It looked like a normal world whereas Cloudbank looked digital. There were lots of references to "going to the country", were these people in some kind of matrix style pods hooked up to Cloudbank?
The basic plot is clear, but the overall story of Transistor's universe isn't. I wish there was more info to unlock in game, but then I also really love how short and sweet it is, like a brief window into the world.
Skandranon
Neo Member
Red was attacked to be absorbed into the Transistor, like all the rest, partially because Sybil was infatuated with her.
Shining Sunshine
Banned
The game definitely felt like a Reboot type of thing going on. You know, that CG cartoon?
Like the world is in a computer, but they aren't aware that they are just programs.
The Camarata feels like they were trying to keep Cloudbank "normal" when a dozen of artistic individuals were inspiring feelings in the Cloudbank's population. It's kinda like being controlled in the Matrix.
So the Camarata's method of control was the Transistor, but once they lost it, the Process that they were using to manipulate the world went out of control.
A pretty complex story that we can all interpret differently, but all that doesn't really matter. The real story is about Red and the Man's relationship. Red was just trying to find a way to save him, and when she saved Cloudbank and couldn't get him back, she joined him.
It was beautiful and sad.
Like the world is in a computer, but they aren't aware that they are just programs.
The Camarata feels like they were trying to keep Cloudbank "normal" when a dozen of artistic individuals were inspiring feelings in the Cloudbank's population. It's kinda like being controlled in the Matrix.
So the Camarata's method of control was the Transistor, but once they lost it, the Process that they were using to manipulate the world went out of control.
A pretty complex story that we can all interpret differently, but all that doesn't really matter. The real story is about Red and the Man's relationship. Red was just trying to find a way to save him, and when she saved Cloudbank and couldn't get him back, she joined him.
It was beautiful and sad.
MDSVeritas
Member
Is it ever really explained in any section why Red lost her voice? That felt like the loose end that was never tied up. I suppose it could simply be "Hey, they took her voice after they failed to get her with the transistor but I feel like there might be a more substantial answer.
Also, the credits music is so excellent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFrjMq4aL-g
Also, the credits music is so excellent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFrjMq4aL-g
Asher said Red's voice would help their plans because no one would listen to the Camerata otherwise.
Ploid 3.0
Member
That symbol is on everything near that stage. It was probably her logo (like Prince and his "Artist formally known as" thing) and he was part of the crew or stage hand possibly.
Or her manager. It's irrelevant really, the point is they were obviously in love.
Wavering Radiant
Member
I was thinking the reason why they wanted Red in there was because they wanted everything to stay the same. And since Red's description says that she was never controversial/different with her music (iirc), I guessed the Camerata thought she was probably the best person to be (in) the Transistor.
Moral Panic
Member
How did they take Red's voice?
What did the Camerata want to use Process for in the first place?
How did they make the Transistor anyway?
What did they mean when they said that they "can't stop the Process but they can make it go somewhere else"? Where did it go?
How did the guy manage to get the Transistor away from the Camerata? He seems to have been impaled by it, I doubt he could run far like that.
I like the overall story (world turned apart, bad guys feel bad about what they have done and try to fix it, those two that commit suicide) but some of the individual details don't feel very authentic, certain elements feel put in just for the sake of it.
I think it's fine to put details behind item descriptions ala Dark Souls, but it's a balance, when the entire plot is behind there it becomes a bit annoying. Especially with the fact that you have to set each function in 3 slots to get everything, which is a lot of time to spend. Making the plot be work is a bit....
What did the Camerata want to use Process for in the first place?
How did they make the Transistor anyway?
What did they mean when they said that they "can't stop the Process but they can make it go somewhere else"? Where did it go?
How did the guy manage to get the Transistor away from the Camerata? He seems to have been impaled by it, I doubt he could run far like that.
I like the overall story (world turned apart, bad guys feel bad about what they have done and try to fix it, those two that commit suicide) but some of the individual details don't feel very authentic, certain elements feel put in just for the sake of it.
I think it's fine to put details behind item descriptions ala Dark Souls, but it's a balance, when the entire plot is behind there it becomes a bit annoying. Especially with the fact that you have to set each function in 3 slots to get everything, which is a lot of time to spend. Making the plot be work is a bit....
XANDER CAGE
Member
Mostly irrelevant. They attacked her to try and absorb her wholesale, but failed, and only took her voice.
From what I gather, I think the Camerata was originally hunting down these people with world-changing talents and trying to control their powers themselves (or perhaps contain and stop them? I'm not sure). The Process would have been a way to rapidly implement change. Royce found it and Grant thought they could tame it, or something like that.
With their magic bad-guy science. It's a MacGuffin.
I think they were trying to send it to "the country," i.e whatever it is that exists outside of Cloudbank.
Seems like he flew or rolled a great distance. Is this really important, though?
Prototype Viktor
Member
stun locking Grant is fun. the end, otherwise he's annoying
What do you mean? There's no standard for this at all.
Mikey Jr.
Member
I'm assuming you skipped the ending? Where it shows all the different scenes of them together?
Anyways, I get the general story, and I think this is the gist of it.
So there is this place called Cloudbank.
In this city, you can change anything and everything. The weather, the colour of the sky, (possibly actual landscape, not sure).
Anyways, there is a group that manages all this called the Administrators. They are the government I think.
Within that government, there are a few people who create a group called the Camarata. I am not 100% sure on their motives, but they kept saying "When everything changes, nothing changes". I am assuming that they hated that everything could be changed based on the peoples whims. In one of the logs, one of the guys said that the people kept wanting to change a highway, to a park, back to a highway over and over. They even had "surveys" and what they wanted the weather to be like.
Anyways, what is behind the ability for the world to change is called the Process. Normally its behind the scenes and no one notices it.
Here is where it gets super fuzzy for me, so this may very well be wrong.
So the Camarata find the Transistor. They discover that this transistor can control the process. The transistor is "the brush". The Camarata also discover that the transistor can "absorb" people? People's essence? So they make a list of people they can absorb, but also explain why they disappeared to the general populace.
So they absorb people of different traits. Strong, intellectual, curious, loving, etc etc.
Red was on the list, but her lover, the voice guy, intervenes, and they were only able to get her voice. He was not so lucky and gets absorbed himself.
Anyways, something went wrong, and the process gets out of control. Possibly due to the loss of the transistor. So it starts taking over Cloudbank, and essentially killing everyone.
At the end, Red gains the ability to remove the process, but I guess she decides that she's rather die with voice guy rather than saving Cloudbank.
Fuck it, thats my take. Playing again on NG+, so I'll listen to the story again.
No way did I skip the ending. For me those showed their possible future inside the Transistor.
Finster
Member
I'm surprised some of you have missed that "The Country" is likely death or a death-like state. Shakespeare wrote about death as the Undiscovered Country. In Hamlet, he wrote, "The undiscovered country, from whose bourn no traveller returns." That word return is important.
When the Kendrells die Asher and Red say, "See you in the country". Asher says he would've preferred an eternity within the Transistor. Interesting.
This notion of a return. Everything within Transistor (the game) is about functions. Everybody has a particular function to fulfill. The Transistor (the implement) grants the user various functions. If anything, you should think of this as Transistor(). In programming, when you have recursion, you start with a function that calls itself. So, Transistor(), must eventually end up calling Transistor(), and so on. BUT, when you have a recursive function, you usually have some kind of return statement. This finishes that particular function call and gives a response to whoever called the function.
The first time you call Transistor(), I don't think they are lovers. However, once you, literally, "Begin Recursion" the unregistered user says "Together again." I think you can make some interesting statements about Recursion as a metaphor for Love. It can grow deeper and deeper, but in computer science, Recursion isn't without its shortcomings and pitfalls... much like Love.
At the end of the game, Red has the chance to return from the Transistor(), but instead decides to go one level deeper and makes another call to the Transistor() function at the end, so that she can be with the one she loves.
It would be interesting if there is some ultimate return statement within the game. A condition that breaks the loop. Is Red doomed to eternally live out this nightmarish scenario again and again on everyone's consoles and PCs?
e: The Process is interesting in all this. When you have unchecked Recursion, you usually end up with a runaway process...
When the Kendrells die Asher and Red say, "See you in the country". Asher says he would've preferred an eternity within the Transistor. Interesting.
This notion of a return. Everything within Transistor (the game) is about functions. Everybody has a particular function to fulfill. The Transistor (the implement) grants the user various functions. If anything, you should think of this as Transistor(). In programming, when you have recursion, you start with a function that calls itself. So, Transistor(), must eventually end up calling Transistor(), and so on. BUT, when you have a recursive function, you usually have some kind of return statement. This finishes that particular function call and gives a response to whoever called the function.
The first time you call Transistor(), I don't think they are lovers. However, once you, literally, "Begin Recursion" the unregistered user says "Together again." I think you can make some interesting statements about Recursion as a metaphor for Love. It can grow deeper and deeper, but in computer science, Recursion isn't without its shortcomings and pitfalls... much like Love.
At the end of the game, Red has the chance to return from the Transistor(), but instead decides to go one level deeper and makes another call to the Transistor() function at the end, so that she can be with the one she loves.
It would be interesting if there is some ultimate return statement within the game. A condition that breaks the loop. Is Red doomed to eternally live out this nightmarish scenario again and again on everyone's consoles and PCs?
e: The Process is interesting in all this. When you have unchecked Recursion, you usually end up with a runaway process...
AHA-Lambda
Member
My interpretation of the events are largely the same as others here, but man I wish this game wasn't so deliberately obtuse in its storytelling. Why not just do what bastion did?
Have so many questions after finishing:
How were the camareta hoping to actually achieve this plan of theirs? All I got was use transistor and process with absorbed souls of people :/
How/why take red's voice?
Where were they at the end?
What actually is the transistor?
How did they lost the transistor? So after the lover got stabbed, why not just take it from red?
Who was sybil? What was her story all about?
Have so many questions after finishing:
How were the camareta hoping to actually achieve this plan of theirs? All I got was use transistor and process with absorbed souls of people :/
How/why take red's voice?
Where were they at the end?
What actually is the transistor?
How did they lost the transistor? So after the lover got stabbed, why not just take it from red?
Who was sybil? What was her story all about?
I was surprised that the old guy with the evil white beard didn't end up being the final boss. Instead it's the wiry scientist who then throws the best curve ball ever at you with that final monologue and fight where he uses the power you have taken for granted and used as a shield against you. Excellently designed and implemented.
They wanted to absorb her into the transistor I think because her singing was sparking free will thought and I think rebellion (mentioned in her source file). I think the absorbing process was interrupted by the lover and he instead was absorbed into the transistor wholesale while only Red's voice was lost.
At the end as mentioned by the poster above me or on another page they were in the transistor but I think it was a metaphor for death. The undiscovered country, grant saying see you in the country, etc. Instead of living a life of silence and isolation Red chooses to die and spend eternity trapped in a vehicle for souls (the transistor) where she again had her voice.
What the transistor is is not that important I think. It is a tool that the Camerata used to control the process behind the scenes. The head camerata guy wanted to take a more active role with the transistor and reshape the world how he saw fit and in the process lost it.
They lost the transistor when the lover got stabbed. In the flashback it shows that they teleported away from the area due to unknown reactions from the transistor. They tried to take it from her but she was too much of a badass by that point. I'm not really sure who sybil was but I am assuming her file in the transistor would explain that.
The camerata were already in control. They directed the lives of people from behind the scenes but decided to take a more active role and use the "brush" (transistor) to paint the world how they saw fit.
Edit: Double post shame ;_;
AHA-Lambda
Member
Wow, thanks 
One last question, is the world at the end basically fucked and red left it to be in the transistor.
One last question, is the world at the end basically fucked and red left it to be in the transistor.
Wow, thanks
One last question, is the world at the end basically fucked and red left it to be in the transistor.
I think the world is fucked in a way and in some ways not. It has been reduced to a blank slate ready for someone to put their impression onto it. It's not really all dead, just ready for a reset and a new hierarchy to wield the transistor and the souls inside it.
It's a shame we didn't get to fight a Process Grant though. When Asher said that, 'Grant is not well,' I assumed that I would be fighting him soon.
The game really needed more boss fights too. Sybill and Spine of the World were some of the best moments from the game.
Yeah that would have been cool. I think that if you fought Asher once you entered the locked down complex and he was all processed up then had to prep for another fight with grant only to find him dead on the floor due to his own cowardice would have been a good 1 2 combo.
Edit: Especially if each time she fought a boss she had one of those flashbacks where you got to here her sing and got some more glimpse into the motivation of the characters and events leading up to the camerata losing control. That moment before fighting Sybill was probably my second favorite in the game. Behind the moment when you realize why she is sitting down next to her lover at the end.
asthmagasm
Member
I haven't finished Recursion yet so maybe someone could clear this up. Red speaks to the Transistor via the Newsbank responses, hence why she's deleting them and what not, but never seems to interact with any of the other people absorbed through the Transistor. Is it possible, that by interrupting the kill to put her in the Transistor, it took her voice but left her alive, but killed her friend and left his voice to be part of the Transistor?
Or am I over thinking things here?
Or am I over thinking things here?
It is a computer. IMO - it's some sort of VR hub. People are referred to as "Users" implying they aren't elements of the system. The man in the transistor is Red's boyfriend/husband/lover, he is stabbed with the transistor by Grant and rather than being logged out, his essence, his "Trace" is implanted into the transistor.
I think it's just a crime of passion. The only reason they chose Red in the first place was because of Cybil thinking she was a poinent source of influence. Every one corrupted were people of influence in their respective fields. If it wasn't Red, it would have been Fascimile, and one of the Camerata already had a liking for Red, be it overzealous fan or otherwise.
And fans rarely know much about the personal lives of their targets.
Near the end Royce alludes to you hearing people you know through the Transistor.
Not sure if I have an answer just based on my own speculation. Yes it absorbed her voice and absorbed her friend and made him the voice of the transistor. I wonder if there is a distinction to be made when someone is killed firsthand by the transistor. Only Red and her lover were. All the others absorbed were killed first by the process. Also her lover/friend seemed to be the first one absorbed into the transistor. Maybe the camerata were targeting her for the first to be absorbed because they wanted her, the most beautiful voice in cloudbank, to be the voice of their new reality.
Keep in mind, everyone we find along the path of the game has been corrupted, sometimes to the point where even the transistor can't speak with them. In the end, taking their traces seems to be more about taking the abilities that best suited their respective personalities, but that doesn't seem to mean that those people survive within the transistor. Most people we find are too far gone or are straight up dead when we take their traces.
I think the credit roll/ending negates that. They're clearly lovers.
These are better questions.
Red's voice seems fairly inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.
In the end, they seem to be within the transistor. Considering he was alive within the transistor throughout the proceedings, it's the only way they could be together in the end. "In the country"
It has something to do with Cybil. During the boss fight with her, she keeps screaming that she saved you, what that means is questionable, but the two of you, red and the man, seem to be transported away from the concert hall with the transistor.
Admiral Woofington
Member
...what?
That doesn't really make story-telling sense. Why would they show you possibilities of their future together inside the Transistor, and then proceed to have her enter it? Then those scenes would be pointless. Usually when you do the "what could have been" shit is to show what a character could've experienced if they had gone another way.
Not to mention you need to rewatch the images then. I'm like 99% sure two of them are direct hints that they took place in the past. One was Red writing one of her songs, probably the one she was going to sing at the concert before the main events of the game, and her lover behind her with two cups of coffee to stay awake. The other one is them kissing off the side of the stage and you can see the microphone you walk up to where the concert/attack takes place off to the side. Obviously showing this took place right before shit went down and that initial cutscene played out.
From what I see of their relationship is that it was largely kept a secret from the public and friends. This probably means he was a friend or part of her crew/Red's bodyguard. The Camerata didn't expect him there because their informant didn't know much about him and was wary, but didn't expect him to be Red's boyfriend/lover. So he came out of nowhere from the side of the stage when they threw the transistor at her and took the hit for her.
Don't get me wrong. You're welcome to your own interpretation but from the people that have beaten the game in GAF I have yet to see someone else with this point of view.
Moral Panic
Member
I thought "the country" was a euphemism for death.
MotionBlue
Member
The Transistor wasn't built, it was found.
I agree with this.
It is. But the transistor is what you make of it, which is why the fight within the transistor takes place "in the country".
If we're talking about things that we can directly infer without any sort of second hand retelling, the only ones who actually make it "to the country" are Red and Her Man.
AHA-Lambda
Member
Yeah, I'm surprised the imagery built him.as the main villain and he and another just get randomly killed off? Makes me think some aspects of development got rushed.
Admiral Woofington
Member
Honestly as a whole I got what I wanted from the story. I'm a fan of love stories in badass fantasy/sci fi media, and this gave me that. The rest of the background was just added oomph lol.
There was certainly room for this to be a much larger game narratively speaking. But for the scope of the gameplay, I bet it was exactly as long as they wanted it to be.
It's a fascinating world with a lot of interesting characters who you form attachments with very quickly. It's almost a shame that the game is only about 5 hours long, it's a pretty incredible IP.
AHA-Lambda
Member
Is recursion actually a term that is used in any story context?
Not really. Just a fitting term for playing through again with everything you learned.
Eh that didn't seem like it. I think it might have been a bit corny to fight the old general with the evil facial hair. I like what they did with it.
This is what I think myself. I remember seeing a broken terminal before The Spine and the Transistor said something about it going to the country.
Edit: Is it explained why the sword gets "sick" whenever The Spine is around?
Not specifically, although the man in the transistor does say something at one point like "maybe that happens to me whenever the Process gets that big". It's just an effect the Spine has on him, for whatever reason.
Admiral Woofington
Member
At the very beginning the voice that tells you "we're not going to get away from this are we Red?" is one of the Camerata. Besides that apparently the game stays the same
Similar threads
- Poll