The Ultimate SOMA Discussion Thread

[GhylTarvoke]

To get you in the right frame of mind for SOMA's launch we are going to start posting philosophical musings. Here's the first:

You are certain that you have a subjective experience. There is no doubt that you are a conscious being. But how can you know for sure that others are?

Is there anything another person can do to truly convince you that they are conscious too, or is there no way of being absolutely sure?

I've been waiting for this. (Yes, that's me.)

To answer the question: no, there's no way of being absolutely sure. In fact, there's no way of being absolutely sure of anything, except for your own existence and your own consciousness. You might just be a brain in a vat.

But that's not a very helpful response, so let's assume that we're not in The Matrix. In that case, the fact that other people talk about "consciousness" seems to be evidence that they're conscious - not proof, but evidence.

[Kein]

I'll just be sitting here watching Frictional laughing their heads off when there turns out to actually be a section with bombs in the game and it turns out to be the best part.

Please, let it be true but I'm not forcing anything. It would be so funny. BTW, I didn't mean acctual grenades/bombs as in shooter games more like: EMP and Noisemaker throwables for stunning and luring enemies.
Also, throwable torches or small LED lamps (for the water) just to check the corner and lit the room.
Maybe it will be in some expansion DLC or future IP of Frictional. Or maybe a mod for community.

Btw, when the screen/camera shakes does it mean immediate creature approach ?
Because there was strong chromatic aberation effect when you saw an creature. Is this related?
Does this mean loosing sanity as in Amnesia or something else ?

Yes, GRENADES. And C4 and RPG. And Pulse Rifle!

Bonus Secret Weapon: Chainsaw!

[Googolplex]

You can't be sure, because everything you see, hear or feel are electrical signals that are sent to the brain. You can imagine a candle, even when there was never light in your head. It's absolutely dark there - and you are able to imagine light. So you can see something even when it's not there. How do you know that this world is real? An animal or a blind person has a very different opinion about the world. How can you say that yours is reality? Life could be a simulation, a dream or a test. We are probably NPCs in a video game and god is the developer.

PS:
His game has fantastic graphics.

[Radiance]

You can't be sure, because everything you see, hear or feel are electrical signals that are sent to the brain. You can imagine a candle, even when there was never light in your head. It's absolutely dark there - and you are able to imagine light. So you can see something even when it's not there. How do you know that this world is real? An animal or a blind person has a very different opinion about the world. How can you say that yours is reality? Life could be a simulation, a dream or a test. We are probably NPCs in a video game and god is the developer.

PS:
His game has fantastic graphics.

Only God didn't add weapons, bombs and destruction in his own game. We're destroing our game.
I nuked my idea with this statement about EMPs in the game though thosse are not bombs per se.

SOMA que.:
When the screen/camera shakes does it mean immediate creature approach ?
Because there was strong chromatic aberation effect when you saw an creature. Is this related?
Does this mean loosing sanity as in Amnesia or something else ?

[GhylTarvoke]

You can't be sure, because everything you see, hear or feel are electrical signals that are sent to the brain. You can imagine a candle, even when there was never light in your head. It's absolutely dark there - and you are able to imagine light. So you can see something even when it's not there. How do you know that this world is real? An animal or a blind person has a very different opinion about the world. How can you say that yours is reality? Life could be a simulation, a dream or a test. We are probably NPCs in a video game and god is the developer.

This is technically the correct answer, but not what Frictional was looking for. Solipsism is a discussion-killer.

If we assume that people exist in the way we think they do, then their musings on consciousness are at least suggestive. If they're not conscious, then what are they talking about?

When the screen/camera shakes does it mean immediate creature approach ?
Because there was strong chromatic aberation effect when you saw an creature. Is this related?
Does this mean loosing sanity as in Amnesia or something else ?

The distortion only seems to happen when a creature is near. This includes camera shaking, digital artifacts, and chromatic aberration. One of the developers called it the sci-fi version of sanity effects.

But it doesn't necessarily mean you're in danger; the creature may be friendly. Also, sanity may not work the way it did in TDD, with Daniel falling to the ground and so on.

[Googolplex]

Please no EMP's for SOMA, it's not NFS Hot Pursuit.

[TiManGames]

Please no EMP's for SOMA, it's not NFS Hot Pursuit.

but ait wil be su funi :))))) plz fictional games edd bombs 2 deh gaem

[MrSteve]

Now now. This is starting to feel like a pack attack.

[Thomas]

Fun fact: At one point there were actually EMP bombs in the game. I think the asset is still in there somewhere

[MrSteve]

There. Not such a silly request now, was it?

Thanks for that, Thomas.