A question about an event in the game [spoilers]

[EliasCamber]

Hi all!

This is my first post, but I've been a fan of Penumbra ever since the tech demo. After finishing Black Plague, there was something that bugged me about Dr. Amabel Swanson's death.

Clarence was clearly playing a trick on you to make you think she was infected, and so, after running away from her, you killed her by smashing the box on her head. But how did this look from Amabel's point of view? She seemed like a perfectly intelligent person, so why would she be running toward you like a madwoman? No matter what I did in that scene, she mindlessly ran towards me. I understand that Clarence could change her appearance, but he obviously had to keep her position the same, otherwise you couldn't kill her so accurately.

Also, how was she able to inflict damage on you?? Surely Amabel would never do that. And how can that be Clarence's doing? If he can damage you, he would have killed you as soon as you became troublesome. So what in the world was ACTUALLY going on in that scene?

Anyway, awesome game guys. One of my all time favorites.

[WindexGlow]

It's just a story glitch, not really something you're supposed to think about.

[EliasCamber]

It's just a story glitch, not really something you're supposed to think about.

Well, that's what's so strange. Phillip (and Clarence) do dwell on it for some time after it occurs. It was a pretty powerful moment... in my opinion almost as powerful as Red's death. Sure, you didn't intentionally kill her, but on the other hand she never wanted to die and was perfectly sane, yet you killed her quite brutally.

The only explanation I can think of was that maybe Amabel was indeed infected, and Clarence was simply deluding you into thinking she was sane. But that would mean that he would have been fiddling with all of the video signals as well. Maybe that's why we never saw any video of her?

[Linux.Blue]

she didn't sound 100% clean.
I must be so ignorant or something when i play games or movies the first time. I don't pick up on much. I thought she was infected all the time and was slightly confused about what Clarence said.
sometime, I will have to play that game again. once it gets on linux...

[Crusher]

From what we know Clarence is more than capable of messing with Philip's perception, so the Dr might have not been running or moving at all, it could have been an allucination produced by Clarence. He just made it look like the infected was moving until he saw the Dr under the crate, then he made Philip see the infected in the same place.
Or maybe it's just a story glitch :p

[Kedjane]

Clarence is being able to control all of Philip's senses, but only to a certain degree.
Philip was well-ready and expecting to encounter a infected at any time - thus Clarence had an easier time creating the illusion of her being a monster. Seeing the monster made Philip believe it could kill him, making it easier for Clarence to give Philip the illusion of pain - so strongly that it killed him.
In reality I think Amabel came in and saw Philip, looked at him and saw him going nuts - just stood still and clamly walked towards him asking what was wrong, in fact not moving very much and failing to see what Philip was doing - WHAM! Perhaps she even just walked into the room and stood still in the middle of the room watching as Philip ran around the room like a madman.

[Fatbaticus]

To be honost i never thought about that she was infected. well she looks pretty clean to me but clerence is a guy that tricks your mind really (plsu i hate that word you silly billy) xD