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Horizon Zero Dawn SPOILERS Thread
- Thread starter vivekTO
- Start date
Just finished. What a satisfying ending and interesting story. Loved it. Also loved that personal moment with Petra near the end.
Did anyone else really dig Sylens? He's such a cool character. His morality is questionable, but he has a lot of complexity. He could make a great antagonist for a sequel, and one that would be far more interesting than most.
Did anyone else really dig Sylens? He's such a cool character. His morality is questionable, but he has a lot of complexity. He could make a great antagonist for a sequel, and one that would be far more interesting than most.
Tal Shiar Agent
Member
I just realized that the only remnant of our culture that the new tribes directly inherited was the English language. Everything else similar they either rediscovered of potentially found in ruins.
LastMinuteHero
Member
Let me get this straight, with Apollo being dead, there is no way for animals like cats, dogs and cows to exist? Maan fuck Ted Faro
H.Cornerstone
Member
When did these gifs happen?
This is in the finale mission
H.Cornerstone
Member
Huh.. I don't remember a stormbird, and mine was during the day not at night. I guess I was so in the moment I don't remember those.
Think that's still in the day, as I believe the finale mission is setup to be the same time of day for everyone. You have to "go to sleep" to start the mission.
Blackthorn
"hello?" "this is vagina"
Wasn't flora/fauna re-population handled by another AI?
Which reminds me, I love how the elegantly the AI's rebuilding the world answers so many of the questions I had of the game early on. I remember in a trailer thread discussing where is could be set, how it was obviously America but the jungle biome through me off. Turns out it was just non-native flora being released that would have caused the jungles.
It gives the artists freedom (they get to act like the AIs in a way, repainting the world how they like) and can even be used to explain limitations of game development, such as why there's only a limited amount of species.
You can tell gameplay, art and story were developed in tandem and all prioritised early on, all elements complement each other perfectly.
Why does everyone assume that the Odyssey was destroyed leaving the solar system?
I mean there are more than enough facts to conclude that the Odyssey was the shipwreck you find in the desert with the Tallneck walking around it. The only thing it says about the Odyssey blowing up is that the engine exploded as it was spinning up it's engines to leave the solar system. At no point does it actually say it was destroyed far away from the orbit of Earth.
I mean there are more than enough facts to conclude that the Odyssey was the shipwreck you find in the desert with the Tallneck walking around it. The only thing it says about the Odyssey blowing up is that the engine exploded as it was spinning up it's engines to leave the solar system. At no point does it actually say it was destroyed far away from the orbit of Earth.
Twilight Princess
Member
Ted fucked us.
Tal Shiar Agent
Member
That's way too small to be the Odyssey. It had an adult crew of 60.
Supposedly had a crew of 60. Besides who said that was the entire wreckage? There are more facts supporting that it is in fact the Odyssey than not.
forgeforsaken
Member
There's another journal about it's successful launch and messaging the HZD team. It seems pretty clear from both messages that it was not near earth when it blew up. The wreckage in the desert is something else.
After beating the game, here's a few thoughts for the spoiler thread.
- Fuck Ted
- Ending battle was great
- Ending scene with Aloy going to see Elizabet's house was perfect and emotional.
- After credit scene was definitely intriguing. I'm glad they are teasing a sequel, which seems like a no brainier for GG to do. I like the Odyssey theories people are talking about.
- Lastly, while I definitely want to play as Aloy in the sequel. I'd love a Rost DLC with his story after hearing about what happened to him.
- Fuck Ted
- Ending battle was great
- Ending scene with Aloy going to see Elizabet's house was perfect and emotional.
- After credit scene was definitely intriguing. I'm glad they are teasing a sequel, which seems like a no brainier for GG to do. I like the Odyssey theories people are talking about.
- Lastly, while I definitely want to play as Aloy in the sequel. I'd love a Rost DLC with his story after hearing about what happened to him.
"It's like watching NGO but all the animals are chainsaws" and "I can watch this all day" yep, nailed it
potatohead
Member
Question about the ending:
I realize that Faro basically said he wiped out all of the information about civilization.
Hypothetically does Hades have this information as well somehow? Otherwise what information and "knowledge" is Sylens getting from him.
My guess is Hades is spoon feeding Sylens basic information about history and science and computer technology without giving him any significant power over himself really so he is pawned into helping Hades.
Both in the ending mission.
I realize that Faro basically said he wiped out all of the information about civilization.
Hypothetically does Hades have this information as well somehow? Otherwise what information and "knowledge" is Sylens getting from him.
My guess is Hades is spoon feeding Sylens basic information about history and science and computer technology without giving him any significant power over himself really so he is pawned into helping Hades.
Both in the ending mission.
Isn't that exactly why Sylens said he was working with Hades and the cult in the first place? Hades was teaching him advanced maths and sciences and he wanted the knowledge.
Gorocketcat
Member
Just finished. LOVE this game.
I kinda lost track of the story though, as I've been playing it bits over the month. One thing I missed - how did the humans repopulate the planet hundreds of years later? How did they get out of the bunkers?
I kinda lost track of the story though, as I've been playing it bits over the month. One thing I missed - how did the humans repopulate the planet hundreds of years later? How did they get out of the bunkers?
1.Ted was an agahnim reincarnation, fucked shit up unleashed an evil that took over the machines. Ganon eventually came to be from the rogue AI and eventually settled into hades. Elisabet was Zelda used her powers and skills to save humanity and lock up ganon. Aloy is link made from Zelda's genes and stopped ganon.
2.Sylens becomes Ganon's new avatar/pawn thinking he has the upper hand. Aloy/link once again rises to the challenge. Time passes all knowledge is lost. Enter all legend of Zelda timelines.
3.?????????
4. Profit/botw
2.Sylens becomes Ganon's new avatar/pawn thinking he has the upper hand. Aloy/link once again rises to the challenge. Time passes all knowledge is lost. Enter all legend of Zelda timelines.
3.?????????
4. Profit/botw
Gorocketcat
Member
Yeah, so I can't really blame Sylens at all. He was never bad, he was just doing played.
I will say - I find it kind of silly that Sylens could create a "back door" into the program. This guy was banging sticks together until a couple years ago.
Tal Shiar Agent
Member
He had almost 20 years to learn.
S
Steve.1981
Unconfirmed Member
Artemis was in charge of reintroducing natural animal species. I think Demeter was in charge of plant life?
In-game info tells us construction of the Odyssey was completed in Earth's orbit, then the ship travelled to the edge of the solar system before spinning up it's antimatter engines for the next leg of it's journey, apparently this was when the engines malfunctioned and exploded, destroying the ship.
I'm not sure how much of this story I believe, but I'm pretty certain the wreckage in the desert is not the Odyssey.
RocknRola
Member
Yeah a Rost standalone kind of thing could be fun. Not necessarily right now, because I want them to give Aloy some more love but Rost's story is definitely one that I'd love to play as well.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Also, Fuck Ted.
The Last One
Member
What is the consensus about the ending? I really liked it, even got kinda emotional.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Secret ending spoiler.
Elisabeth most probably did ..
LastMinuteHero
Member
S
Steve.1981
Unconfirmed Member
When Aloy travels to Elisabet's home? I loved it. I'm biased as hell though, I loved the whole story
The Last One
Member
When Aloy travels to Elisabet's home? I loved it. I'm biased as hell though, I loved the whole story
Yes, that one. Such a well done moment.
Tal Shiar Agent
Member
That wreckage in the desert is an airplane. You can find one exactly like it in the back corner of the Embrace where the scrapper site is all alone.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
I dunno, based on the tension between them and before the lawsuits, seemed like they may have been a thing.
S
Steve.1981
Unconfirmed Member
It really was. Perfect as well because the story began with Aloy desperate to find out where she came from, and it ended full circle with her answer.
S
Steve.1981
Unconfirmed Member
I don't think so. Elisabet worked for Faro. She created the first "green" robots which FAS mass produced. I think they just fell out when Ted moved the company over to machines of war.
H.Cornerstone
Member
Let's just say I think the epilogue has to be one of GiantBombs best moments later this year
I have a feeling that the Nora aren't going to last long in their current conditions
Especially with their savior, who already despises your politics from the bottom of her heart, leaving for a long trip when her tribe needs her the most
The DLC is probably going to take place during her search for Elisabeth's home
Also I don't recall any mentions of the amulet before the ending...
Especially with their savior, who already despises your politics from the bottom of her heart, leaving for a long trip when her tribe needs her the most
The DLC is probably going to take place during her search for Elisabeth's home
Also I don't recall any mentions of the amulet before the ending...
Blackthorn
"hello?" "this is vagina"
I cried. Granted, I was close-to-blackout drunk, but damn it got me.
The voiceover of Elisabeth talking about what she would want her daughter to be like over the footage of Aloy, and that she died looking out over a ruined planet without ever knowing whether Gaia would succeed, it was all too much for me.
Love the game so much, the ending and post credits are near perfect for me.
(The end scene with Aloy and Elizabet's log totally make me forgive the 'door is not closing' cliche).
I too now think the signal probably came from the Odyssey, but I keep seeing the processes refered as AIs, while it was clearly indicated they are not.
The only true AI in the game is Gaia, all the others are refered to as "processes", which I guess is a name for highly capable but specialized sub programs. They probably can learn and adapt to some degree, but they cannot truely create (original concepts/ designs), evolve, or change or modify their own purpose, which is why they are so single minded.
Now, the following is an extrapolation about the machines Gaia created. I will put it behind spoiler as even though it is a mere conjecture, if I end up being right (for an expansion/ sequel) it would end up being a big spoiler.
But I get ahead of things here hehe.
(The end scene with Aloy and Elizabet's log totally make me forgive the 'door is not closing' cliche).
I too now think the signal probably came from the Odyssey, but I keep seeing the processes refered as AIs, while it was clearly indicated they are not.
The only true AI in the game is Gaia, all the others are refered to as "processes", which I guess is a name for highly capable but specialized sub programs. They probably can learn and adapt to some degree, but they cannot truely create (original concepts/ designs), evolve, or change or modify their own purpose, which is why they are so single minded.
Now, the following is an extrapolation about the machines Gaia created. I will put it behind spoiler as even though it is a mere conjecture, if I end up being right (for an expansion/ sequel) it would end up being a big spoiler.
In a log talking about Gaia -can't remember if it was Elizabet- it is noted that "she" was tasked in developping the best and most efficient way for machines to reintroduce life on Earth.
It is also noted at some point that Gaia developped an interesting quirk as an AI by being really interested in Dinosaurs.
Now, what if the current machines (who without Gaia are more feral) were designed not just to be a part of an ecosystem while re-building life, but with a much larger goal in mind, the result of caution and foresight from Gaia that even when the take down code would be sent, the Faro Swarm would then just be merely asleep, with a wake up order possible?
If you see it that way, then the creation of the Dinos make sense.
Imagine Gaia having the control of millions of robots, from Scout Watchers to bipedal TRex tanks to massive walking EMP field Stormbirds, all in order to not have living humans do the fighting again this time, and preserving life just in case the Swarn was reactivated. Of course Gaia has been mostly down for 19years as of the game.
Imagine that scene in the sequel... Faro Swarm army vs Gaia Dinos army, led by Aloy.
It is also noted at some point that Gaia developped an interesting quirk as an AI by being really interested in Dinosaurs.
Now, what if the current machines (who without Gaia are more feral) were designed not just to be a part of an ecosystem while re-building life, but with a much larger goal in mind, the result of caution and foresight from Gaia that even when the take down code would be sent, the Faro Swarm would then just be merely asleep, with a wake up order possible?
If you see it that way, then the creation of the Dinos make sense.
Imagine Gaia having the control of millions of robots, from Scout Watchers to bipedal TRex tanks to massive walking EMP field Stormbirds, all in order to not have living humans do the fighting again this time, and preserving life just in case the Swarn was reactivated. Of course Gaia has been mostly down for 19years as of the game.
Imagine that scene in the sequel... Faro Swarm army vs Gaia Dinos army, led by Aloy.
RocknRola
Member
I actually kinda like that theory tbh.
potatohead
Member
Yea that was my question because faro says all of human history and knowledge and advancement and culture is erased but to me hades must have kept a lot of information if he is baiting sylens with it.
Hippolnareff
Member
I'm pretty sure those things can eventually exist naturally through evolution? The main loss of Apollo is mistakes of the past and the advancement of technology, I thought.
Miniature Kaiju
Member
The ending fucked me up good, especially because I empathized, related and identified so much with both Elisabet and Aloy. And I say that as a cis het dude, so whoever says you can't or shouldn't relate to these characters can go fuck right off.
They were initially subroutines, intelligent algorithms. GAIA implies, though, that the signal that freed them also made them self-aware and unconstrained, effectively turning them into full-blown AIs.
That's my reading, as well. HADES is probably the most knowledgeable of the subroutines, as it needs to be able to undo anything GAIA does. The others probably have bleeding edge knowledge in their own fields, as well as some other quirky trivia, like DEMETER knowing poetry due to its programmer love for poetry. One thing that I want to point out is that APOLLO is probably closer to a full AI than any of the other subroutines, as not only it was the knowledge base, but it was also programmed with fairly self-aware personae supposed to pass on this knowledge in a safe way.
BTW, I love that APOLLO personae were based on Aristotle and Aspasia
In order to function GAIA and all her subsytems need to know physics, mathematics, biology and many other scientific fields. So it was probably not stocked in APOLLO database only, but installed in every subsystems so they can act autonomously.
H.Cornerstone
Member
Yeah, but there are no wildcats or wolves in the world for dogs to evolve from.
Tal Shiar Agent
Member
The embryos and DNA are probably still in storage and Aloy could probably manually introduce them or have GAIA do it when she fixes her, but the idea was to have the new humans do it themselves over a period of decades.
S
Steve.1981
Unconfirmed Member
That's a really cool theory actually. I'm not sure how accurate it is though.
Hephaestus was the sub-a.i tasked with engineering the machines we see in the game. Once "freed" by Hades, it independently assessed the situation and decided humanity posed a threat. That's when it began creating the larger, more dangerous machines, from the Sawtooth to the Thunderjaw.
You're right about that conversation between Sobeck and Gaia though. I never thought about what that implies yet. Your guesses could well turn out (and would be pretty awesome tbh).
Remember we've only seen a small section of one part of the world. Who knows how things are playing out in other places?
Blackthorn
"hello?" "this is vagina"
I wonder if it was the Eclipse's actions assisting Hades that made Hephaestus make war machines, or if it was a bug that made it consider humans attacking machines in general to be a threat and Hephaestus remains an enemy to humanity.
I hope it's the former, because I love the idea of two warring AIs, especially if the next game expands more on the machine control side of things. Riding a Thunderjaw into battle against Faro robots would be beautiful.
Thanks, thought so.
Can't wait for all this info to be compiled online.
S
Steve.1981
Unconfirmed Member
Yeah that's the thing, from all I've discovered (and I'm missing a fair few data points) we don't actually know why certain decisions like this were made, we just know they were. Maybe that's deliberate on Guerilla's part, so they can think about what directions they really want to go with this stuff for part 2.
And agreed, I'm looking forward to seeing complete timelines for all available info that we have so far. There's so much cool stuff to dig into.
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