Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs Discussion Topic Part 4

[Kreekakon]

It was likely just something considered during development, but left there after it was removed.

[wretch]

It was likely just something considered during development, but left there after it was removed.

I know. That's why these 2 lines are so interesting.

[Solarn]

Nothing against FG but their attempts at a story in A:TDD started well (though very very very very VERY Lovecraft influenced, to the point of tribute) and then just fell flat.

Spoilers for both the new game and The Dark Descent, just in case someone's beaten the new one without trying the original.

Spoiler below!

Agreed. It started out immersive and mysterious, and you sympathized with Daniel trying to put the pieces together. The twist of his past crimes wasn't a major shocker, but it was appropriate. But all of the business of Alexander being from another dimension and the subplots with Agrippa and Weyer seemed shoehorned in, and overcomplicated the story—not intellectually in that it was hard to follow or anything, but it felt like baggage that distracted from the tone the game set early on rather than enhance it.

This is where I feel like A Machine for Pigs succeeded. The presentation is intricate, but it's all about Mandus' personal journey, coming to terms with his own corruption and seeking redemption. Nothing felt out of place.

Just an observation that Daniel, Justine, and Mandus have all brought about their own amnesia. I wonder, if there are future entries in the Amnesia series, if we'll have a protagonist who's being kept in the dark by someone other than him/herself.

Spoiler below!

I feel like supernatural horror is getting an undeserved bad rap these days, so I just have to chime in. I feel the exact opposite way. I feel like we've reached a point where "exploring the horrors of the human condition" and "coming to terms with your past sins" have become so trite as to be amusing. They make better content for a second-grade drama TV serial than for any serious horror games.

I consider incomprehensible, alien influences or malicious entities that you are powerless against a much more credible source of horror than "Oh no, I have been a bad person!".

[MyRedNeptune]

Look bit deeper and it's full of interesting stuff, some which one might have to piece together and others not so much.

So I'll repeat my first question - what is this interesting stuff?

To be honest, I think the biggest obstacle that prevents me from doing what you say is the sheer hamminess and melodrama of it all. Although pretty exciting and entertaining, it has the unfortunate side effect of making the characters so unrealistic and one-sided that you just can't draw any practical lesson from their stories.

Also, this should probably be taken to the plot discussion thread. I'm quite interested to hear other people's thoughts on this.

[Cuyir]

@Solarn: That's what I loved about the Penumbra series they

Spoiler below!

did the whole alien, supreme entities thing there much better than they did in A:TDD. It made me roll my eyes from time to time (in A:TDD), while in the Penumbra series it was a ''HOLY SHIT'' moment. Plus the stakes were much higher in Penumbra. I didn't get a sense of dread concerning what would happen if Alexander and The Shadow went into the world and caused chaos. Alexander was just an alien entity with girl problems...which was hilarious (assuming ''his love'' is a romantic person in his life in the other dimension or just his home...or whatever lol).

Penumbra on the other hand, the tuurngait seemed dangerous to the whole world.

In the end, A:TDD just felt too Lovecraft tribute-y, which started being good and then just turned uninteresting when the narrative shifted from the origins of the orb and focused on the present situations.

A:AMFP, so far, is showing how damned good TCR is at writing AND creating a thick atmosphere.

[felixmole]

I think Paddy's right, the game will be more widely appreciated over time. The two games are, I think, for different audiences, and obviously, many of those who loved the first game snapped on it expecting exactly the same settings.

How many LPs of TDD have I seen where players were moving forward without understanding exactly where they were going and why with the huge amount of notes they'd skipped, and just awaiting some scares. The second game is obviously different from that point.

[Draug]

I think Paddy's right, the game will be more widely appreciated over time. The two games are, I think, for different audiences, and obviously, many of those who loved the first game snapped on it expecting exactly the same settings.

How many LPs of TDD have I seen where players were moving forward without understanding exactly where they were going and why with the huge amount of notes they'd skipped, and just awaiting some scares. The second game is obviously different from that point.

Yeah, I did the same with a few friends. We played the first time TDD in a group of (I think 5 people) and we haven't read any note. We just wanted some good scares and a good horror atmosphere. This worked really good, we didn't get everything of the story but the gameplay was great. In AAMFP things are different. If I had not read the notes, I would have thought 'Wtf', but fortunately I knew, that the game will be story driven. AMFP has no reason to hide behind his "predecessor".

[felixmole]

When will AMFP be available on Ubuntu Software Center, and will there be a 64 bit version for Linux, as there was for TDD?

I notice some framedrops in the 32-bit Steam version, even with parallax off, even in enclosed areas, which did not happen in TDD...

[Vertical]

Think I should share something I've just noticed after re-watching one of the trailers.

Here, please, take a look at this screenshot:

Spoiler below!

Focus on that "portrait" to the right.

And compare it with this (young Justine)

Spoiler below!

I didn't find it during my first playthrough, so it seems like it was cut out from the final version, though I'm curious, what connection might there be? Did she die there? Why use a child's portrait instead of an adult woman's?

[blueberry]

Think I should share something I've just noticed after re-watching one of the trailers.

Here, please, take a look at this screenshot:

Spoiler below!

Focus on that "portrait" to the right.

And compare it with this (young Justine)

Spoiler below!

I didn't find it during my first playthrough, so it seems like it was cut out from the final version, though I'm curious, what connection might there be? Did she die there? Why use a child's portrait instead of an adult woman's?

Because Justine took place in another area and time period.