The Ultimate SOMA Discussion Thread

**mirko** · 10-21-2013, 09:14 PM

thanks for the answer!

**Mechavomit** · 10-21-2013, 09:24 PM

So it was mentioned that the story will "involve women"?
God, I hope there won't be a romantic subplot, those thing are so boring and overused, I'd rather have a root canal that play as someone who is saving his girlfriend.

**Damascus Rose** · 10-21-2013, 09:41 PM

(10-21-2013, 08:19 PM)droog Wrote: Something in one of the interview which we don't know?

That recent one wasn't very informative actually. But the other one was good

**Alardem** · 10-21-2013, 09:53 PM

(10-21-2013, 09:24 PM)Mechavomit Wrote: So it was mentioned that the story will "involve women"?
God, I hope there won't be a romantic subplot, those thing are so boring and overused, I'd rather have a root canal that play as someone who is saving his girlfriend.

Ask yourself this - why did your mind spring to the conclusion that we'll be featuring the cliched 'damsel in distress' plot? There's countless other ways female characters can be used that aren't boring, terrible, and lazily-written (as was the case in FEAR 3 and Dead Space 3). Please give Frictional more credit than that. :p

The Alien trilogy is a very good example: Ripley is the protagonist through all three movies, and the second story in particular focuses on motherhood (Ripley the 'good' mother vs. the evil Queen).

**Mechavomit** · 10-21-2013, 10:03 PM

(10-21-2013, 09:53 PM)Alardem Wrote: Ask yourself this - why did your mind spring to the conclusion that we'll be featuring the cliched 'damsel in distress' plot?

"Hoping for the best, but expecting the worst".
Not because I don't trust FG, (I do) and I'm not against "damsels in distress" in particular, I'm against romantic subplots as a whole. Mostly because this kind of relationship has been explored countless times before and is still shoved in every second movie/book/game that comes out.

**HorrorElementFilms** · 10-22-2013, 02:26 AM

(10-21-2013, 10:03 PM)Mechavomit Wrote:
(10-21-2013, 09:53 PM)Alardem Wrote: Ask yourself this - why did your mind spring to the conclusion that we'll be featuring the cliched 'damsel in distress' plot?
"Hoping for the best, but expecting the worst".
Not because I don't trust FG, (I do) and I'm not against "damsels in distress" in particular, I'm against romantic subplots as a whole. Mostly because this kind of relationship has been explored countless times before and is still shoved in every second movie/book/game that comes out.

I think we should be perfectly clear here. Assuming Frictional Games would con their fans with some pitiful, and cheesy romance plot, is the silliest thing I've heard someone say about Frictional Games. Even if they were to do something outlandish like that in a HORROR game, don't you think they'd have at least the slightest clue as to what they were doing?
Take Justine, for example. Now, while the "love interest" isn't obviously present, it's known. The suitors being "in love" with Justine, is actually a bit disturbing, as it also helps with the story. And Justine, for as short as it is, is actually pretty decent. If your problem is the very fact that there's a female character in the game, keep in mind all the great games with a female character, that didn't even closely resemble a "damsel in distress" plot theme. If you're literally "Expecting the Worst" from Frictional Games, then you've obviously never played any game from Frictional Games.

**Alardem** · 10-22-2013, 04:33 AM

Romantic subplots can be wonderful in a horror story, and indeed can enhance your fear if it's executed strongly enough to make you feel the emotional stakes. The problem is when they're poorly written by imbecilic hacks who assume the player will automatically care about their designated love interest. See: Prey, Splatterhouse, and the zillion other games where interchangeable girlfriends are kidnapped at the beginning before you even get to see them as anything other than an excuse to start your adventure. (As a corollary, this is why most people didn't care for Mandus' children - we have no reason to feel anything for them.)

I'll cite Amabel Swanson as a precedent. Even though she was little more than a disembodied voice, I bonded with her because her friendly voice served as a counterpoint to the death and decay that poor Phillip was otherwise immersed in. It's all about contrast; caring about a character makes you more afraid of losing them.

I can quite easily imagine the protagonist of SOMA coming to care for a fellow survivor. Hell, I'd identify much more clearly with a helpless protagonist having to rely on others for dear life than I would with a generic action-hero and his invincible girl sidekick. (See: Alyx & Gordon from HL2, the poorly-coded Elizabeth and Booker from Bioshock Infinite)

**Mechavomit** · 10-22-2013, 04:45 PM

(10-22-2013, 02:26 AM)HorrorElementFilms Wrote:
(10-21-2013, 10:03 PM)Mechavomit Wrote:
(10-21-2013, 09:53 PM)Alardem Wrote: Ask yourself this - why did your mind spring to the conclusion that we'll be featuring the cliched 'damsel in distress' plot?
"Hoping for the best, but expecting the worst".

Not because I don't trust FG, (I do) and I'm not against "damsels in distress" in particular, I'm against romantic subplots as a whole. Mostly because this kind of relationship has been explored countless times before and is still shoved in every second movie/book/game that comes out.

I think we should be perfectly clear here. Assuming Frictional Games would con their fans with some pitiful, and cheesy romance plot, is the silliest thing I've heard someone say about Frictional Games. Even if they were to do something outlandish like that in a HORROR game, don't you think they'd have at least the slightest clue as to what they were doing?

Take Justine, for example. Now, while the "love interest" isn't obviously present, it's known. The suitors being "in love" with Justine, is actually a bit disturbing, as it also helps with the story. And Justine, for as short as it is, is actually pretty decent. If your problem is the very fact that there's a female character in the game, keep in mind all the great games with a female character, that didn't even closely resemble a "damsel in distress" plot theme. If you're literally "Expecting the Worst" from Frictional Games, then you've obviously never played any game from Frictional Games.

I never said I had a problem with Justine and Justine doesn't have a romantic subplot, despite her suitors being "in love".
But whatever, I get what you're saying. I'm very ashamed of what I said about FG so I'm gonna go cry in a corner and think about my life.

**Macgyverthehero** · 10-22-2013, 08:57 PM

(10-21-2013, 09:24 PM)Mechavomit Wrote: So it was mentioned that the story will "involve women"?
God, I hope there won't be a romantic subplot, those thing are so boring and overused, I'd rather have a root canal that play as someone who is saving his girlfriend.

Maybe the machines run on women. Who serve as the machines' "Mother". That could be a possibility as we did see that brain connector thing in the gameplay trailer.

**Alardem** · 10-22-2013, 11:07 PM

(10-22-2013, 08:57 PM)Macgyverthehero Wrote:
(10-21-2013, 09:24 PM)Mechavomit Wrote: So it was mentioned that the story will "involve women"?
God, I hope there won't be a romantic subplot, those thing are so boring and overused, I'd rather have a root canal that play as someone who is saving his girlfriend.

Maybe the machines run on women. Who serve as the machines' "Mother". That could be a possibility as we did see that brain connector thing in the gameplay trailer.

System Shock 2 had The Machine Mother.

H.R. Giger had a couple of neat images, too.

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