GDC08: Early, pre-Little Sisters BioShock footage
by Michael Zenke 
{ Feb 21st 2008 at 9:15AM }
Yesterday morning we had the chance to listen to Ken Levine speak on the storytelling process behind his hit title, BioShock. The quick Zero Punctuation video got big laughs, but there was another video during the presentation that more accurately represented what Ken was talking about. Above is a picture of a stage in the development of the Little Sisters, a hint at other (stranger?) versions of Rapture and its denizens. You can catch other stages in the Sisters development in our gallery of photos from the talk.
Like the Little Sisters concept, the video itself shows an early version of Rapture. The beautiful art-deco world we know and love is an ugly, boxy, warehouse of a place. Check it out below the cut for raging Big Daddies, worm-like Little sSsters, and one of the quickest "time to crate" experiences in gaming.
Gallery: Ken Levine Storytelling Gallery
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
LAZoftheTamarinds @ Feb 21st 2008 9:37AM
"Above is a picture of a stage in the development of the Little Sisters"
That picture looks alot like a dog in a wheelchair.
Cool vid. :)
FOXHOUND @ Feb 21st 2008 9:43AM
The dog in the wheelchair reminds me of the pink demon from the DOOM movie.
LAZoftheTamarinds @ Feb 21st 2008 10:04AM
Oh yeah! the guy that was in a wheelchair then one monster bites him then he turns into a wheelchair monster dog thing... or something likethat. My movie memory is a bit fuzzy.
ridestowe @ Feb 21st 2008 9:48AM
i think that dog in the wheelchair just became my new background.
FoxHoundADAM @ Feb 21st 2008 9:55AM
Wow their early build seams ore like a Silent Hill FPS with the ugly monsters. Oviously they made A LOT of good changes from those early builds.
Sam @ Feb 22nd 2008 11:59PM
yeah I think Joystiq reported in an interview that Bioshock started out as a nazi shooter on an island. I dont think that they're development team really knew what they were doing to begin with, but then got they're act together at the end!
Reinforcements @ Feb 21st 2008 10:25AM
Who wants to buy a legless dog?
They're like cuddly throw pillows.
Like hats with personality.
Rapture_Tourist @ Feb 21st 2008 10:23AM
The old Little Sister design is no big news. The Bioshock artbook featured a lot of rejected designs for the LS and the Big Daddy:
http://www.2kgames.com/cultofrapture/artbook.html
Rapture Tourist - www.rapturegazette.com
NATO_Duke @ Feb 21st 2008 10:23AM
later in the pics they show an early little sister - I think the changes they made to them are much better.
I like that even before you interact with them there is still the humanity and innocence there - rather than the ugly freaky looking character in that mock-up.
Manic Inc @ Feb 21st 2008 11:52AM
Hilarious about what he says about the crate. I can't remember where I read about the 'time to crate' thing. I think it was made by a friend of Yahtzee's.