Re: Bad Machine

[erkyrath@netcom.com (Andrew Plotkin)]

Kory Heath (kheath@best.com) wrote:
> [endgame spoilers for Bad Machine...]














> Admiral Jota wrote:
> > Avrom Faderman <Avrom_Faderman@email.msn.com> wrote:
> > > I've finished the game.  It *is* a *fairly* conventional story structure
> > > (though neither of the things you suggested), but still a remarkable game,
> > > and one of the best ending texts I've seen in a long time (not because the
> > > content is surprising, but the effect of the form is really quite
> > > remarkable).
> > 
> > You may want to play the game again though; there is more than one
> > 'winning' ending. (I've seen two; Dan has told me there are others.)

> Ok, I'm finally going to break down and ask about this.  (I didn't want
> to, but I haven't been able to get anywhere else on my own steam.)  I've
> been able to break through the south wall near the lifter and go
> outside, where it is "very bright, and very quiet".  Is this one of the
> "winning" endings?

I've gotten there, and I consider it a winning ending. 

I too am interested in other ways to end the game.

> If it is, I'd be interested in hearing how other people feel about
> this.  My own feelings are mixed (or will be, if this is in fact an
> "ending" :).  On the one hand, it's a gutsy move by the author, and I
> like that.  On the other hand, I'm not sure I like the total lack of
> closure that this has resulted in for me. 

I found it entirely satisfactory. I mean, hell, it's the same as the
ending of THX-1138, right?

There was a certain lack of closure due to the fact that there were areas
of the game left unresolved. But I always feel that about games with this
sort of divergent branching. I *knew* the game had many unrelated endings
(I can't remember where from -- probably IFmud chatting) so I was able to
discount it. The part of the game I saw was a single complete story. 

> If this is an "ending", and if all the other "endings" are similar in
> style, I wouldn't call this a conventional IF story structure *at all*.

How not?

--Z

-- 

"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the
borogoves..."