Check off "done" on your BioShock for PlayStation 3 scorecard, along with date, demo, DLC, and disk space. Are we missing anything? Well, for one, a different ending -- but that's been shot down into a flaming pile of sinking wreckage to cut costs [maintain the original production]. "When you get a chance to work on something that was really creative you get the temptation to re-do things," senior producer Melissa Miller told MTV Multiplayer. "We chose not to." Fine, but a simple, "play the original / alternative ending" option would have satisfied purists (and encouraged some of us to buy the game again, too!).

Experience the rapturous adventure -- leading up to the faulty, final hours -- when BioShock for PS3 arrives in North America on October 21 and internationally on October 17. The DLC scenarios will be available "shortly after launch" -- pricing will be specified at a later date.

One thing that regular readers of Joystiq know is that we don't tend to delve too deeply into the mechanics behind the games, mostly because we're far too busy getting the news out. However, we got to sit down with games writer Susan O'Connor at Austin GDC and she provided an excellent insight into games from the writer's point of view.

Click through for the full interview with Susan to find out why she thinks short games are better than epic ones, why the cinematic model isn't the best for games, and what she did on BioShock.

Besides working on "Super Secret Project That We're Dying to Find Out About X," Ken Levine also has an involvement of some sort with the follow-up to his hit BioShock, as well as the upcoming film based on the license. Heart-breakingly, he recently told OXM his work with BioShock 2 isn't really "material," that he's only "informally engaged in certain scenes."

His involvement with the film is even harder to pin down. Levine said, "My job there is to be a friend to [director] Gore [Verbinski] and [writer] John [Logan], be a resource for them and kick ideas around with them. At the end of the day John's the writer and Gore's the director. I'm not the traffic cop."

...Umm, if KennyL is hiring himself out as a friend, shouldn't we have been his first choice? Or at least been allowed to make an offer? We think he would have found our salary of numerous hugs and adoring stares very competitive.

As the most stubborn person alive, you've already dismissed BioShock's numerous awards and rapturous reception, chalking it up to a juvenile and easily swayed media. "They'll stick a ten on any old thing these days," you say, rolling your eyes at all the games-as-art debates arising in the first-person shooter's wake. The word-of-mouth may be exceedingly positive, but the word coming from your mouth is, "No."

"No, I'll play the demo first," you declare, "and then I'll make my decision." You flip your official and slightly unsavory Big Daddy calendar to the October page. "Ah, October 2nd. That's when the PlayStation 3 demo is due to arrive on the PlayStation Network!" You circle the date in one swift, confident stroke ... but suddenly feel a tinge of unease trickle down your spine.

"Wait a minute ... how did I know that? It's like ... someone else is putting these thoughts directly into my mind, dictating my very character from afar. Oh crap, was that a hyperlink?"

[Thanks, Chris]

Admittedly, it's old hat by now, but PS3 owners should expect to wait through an install when BioShock makes its debut October 21. Eurogamer reports that the 4.98GB install will take approximately 10 minutes before players are allowed to enter Rapture. To pass the time, the install has Rapture-related advertisements and music (provided you don't wander off to make a sandwich).

PS3 owners will have their patience rewarded with the "survivor mode" difficulty in the game, along with the eventual release of some "exclusive" puzzle stages.

[Via VG247]

Well, that was easy. 2K Games has complied with our subliminal request that it release the PlayStation 3 version of sublime, submerged shooter BioShock in North America on October 21. There was some mental resistance to our suggestions of a worldwide release, however, so you international folks will just have to make do with October 24.

BioShock comes to the PlayStation 3 sporting the same aquatic utopia-turned-dystopia that made the game one of 2007's best, along with Trophies, a new "Survivor" difficulty level and challenge rooms, to be released as downloadable content "shortly after launch."

It should come as no surprise that our favorite film around Joystiq HQ is Matthew McConaughey starrer Fool's Gold. We even have an adorable little Fool's Gold drinking game where ... well, we get really drunk and watch Fool's Gold. It's precious. Now, Ken Levine tells videogaming247 that, despite what we all assumed, the BioShock movie will be little to nothing like Fool's Gold!

"You're always going to be worried that in that first meeting they're going to be, like, 'OK, it's Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey on a desert island hunting for pirate treasure,' but it's not going to go that way," he said. Apparently, KennyL thinks director Gore Verbinski and crew "will very much honor the dramatic and thematic elements of the game."

... So you're saying there's not even room for Alexis Dziena as a ditzy heiress who proves to herself that she has something more to offer besides a killer body and a 1,000-watt smile? Why are you even making this movie?

After revealing special Trophies a couple days ago for the "survivor mode" in the PS3 port of BioShock, developer 2K Marin finally saw fit yesterday to explain what the new setting is all about. The wait was definitely not worth it as the PS3 "exclusive" mode isn't much more than a very hard difficulty level for the game.

2K's BioShock site, The Cult of Rapture, explains that in survivor mode there are no extra enemies, but the citizens of Rapture are tougher and deal more damage. Vita-Chambers will also provide less EVE back when dying, so there is some penalty. Players are also expected to take their time in the new mode and learn to utilize some of the "hardly-ever-bothered-with-'em" plasmids like Target Dummy and Enrage. All this secrecy over an extra difficulty mode was just so contrived. 2K, would you kindly never do that again?

News Flash: BioShock helm Ken "KennyL" Levine is working on a new game that will totally blow your mind. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Levine sidestepped talking about his new project, only to say it is, "something very, very different, so it's a little scary - because we don't know what it is, exactly."

He said the focus would be on "people's relationship with the game over the long term. That's what we're thinking about, but it's about as clear as I can be." Our hope is that he's reused some ideas from the original BioShock plan and is now poised to make a game of Nazis on a tropical island, more affectionately dubbed Wolfenstein Xtreme Beach Volleyball.

After giving a tiny taste of the Trophies available in the PS3 version of BioShock a couple weeks ago, 2K left people feeling like all Achievements had simply been recycled. Not so, says 2K Marin designer Tynan Wales, explaining on the PlayStation Blog that there are exclusive Trophies for the port.

• "A Man Chooses" -- Complete "Survivor" difficulty.
• "I Choose The Impossible" -- Complete "Survivor" difficulty with the Vita-Chambers turned off.

So, what's this "exclusive" mode called Survivor for the PS3 version of the game? Beats us! There were murmurings that it was a hard difficulty with the Vita-Chambers turned off, but now that these two achievements have been revealed, that's obviously not the case. We're checking with 2K for an official answer.

Update: Supposedly 2K Marin will reveal what Survivor mode is tomorrow.

For those out there who thought BioShock on the PS3 was going to exploit the full strength of Cell processors and Blu-rays, 2K Games' senior producer Melissa Miller, tells VideoGamer that the PS3 version "looks no different from the 360 version." It looks so similar, in fact, that when we saw it at E3, it never even crossed our minds to do an impressions post on the game. We just reported on the new DLC content and moved on. From what we've seen of it, BioShock on PS3 is the same as it ever was on Xbox 360. There, we've written our impressions post now.

Adding to the news from last week that BioShock on PS3 will be getting "exclusive" content, the PlayStation Blog reveals that the game will also receive Trophies. Alyssa Finley, executive producer at 2K Marin, explains how the Trophies are being designed and reveals a few of them in the process.

• Bronze: These trophies will be handed out for exploring the general facets of the game, like "researching, modifying weapons, hacking, and crafting."
• Silver: These trophies will require more thorough exploration of Rapture. The "Historian" Trophy will require finding every audio diary in the game. Finley says the other trophies are going to be kept secret, but we're guessing if you look at the Xbox achievements, the tougher exploration ones should be found here.
• Gold: The Trophy "Brass Balls" can be found here, requiring a player make it through the game on hard with the Vita-Chambers turned off.
• Platinum: ???

BioShock should be available to those who forsake all but the PS3 later this year. We might just have to take a return trip to Rapture for the Trophies alone.

BioShock for PS3 will feature "exclusive" DLC puzzle scenarios which take place outside of the game's narrative -- the DLC will be accessible through a separate section on the main menu. There is currently no release date or pricing at this time.

The BioShock DLC takes place in arena-type levels designed to look like Rapture. The scenario we saw involved a little sister stuck atop a Ferris wheel -- she needs to be rescued! The first thing that has to be done: Hit the control box with the shotgun's electric buck, causing the wheel to move a little. To move it a little more requires finding a booby-trapped room featuring an electric crossbow inside a safe. Shoot the control box with the crossbow and cut the line to give it a charge, and the wheel moves a little more. Every electric item found will move the wheel a little more until the Little Sister is saved. No other scenarios were discussed.

Ken Levine may be entering the upper echelon of game designers. According to a source from The New York Post, the BioShock creator is renegotiating his contract with Take-Two to allow more creative control over his projects and – this is the key – royalties (here called "points") "based on how much business the next installment of 'BioShock' and any other games that he develops produce."

Given we don't know exactly to what extent Levine will be working on BioShock sequels, if at all, it's pretty interesting to hear that Levine could be given royalties for a creating a concept, even without working on a project directly. As noted by Variety, we'd only imagine a few notable game icons with this much weight (e.g. Sid Meier, Will Wright).

This is all rumor at the moment, as neither Take Two's people or Levine's people are talking, but we're watching the re-negotiating (as are apparently the tabloids) closely.

[Via The Cut Scene]

2K Games has announced a partnership with Dark Sector developer, Digital Extremes, to aid in the completion of the PlayStation 3 version of superb submerged shooter, BioShock. Digital Extremes is the fourth studio to join the project -- 2K Marin, 2K Australia and 2K Boston have already dove in -- and aims to give PS3 players a "fully optimized experience," complete with new features and content. And trophies, probably.

James Schmalz, CEO and founder of Digital Extremes, noted that the decision to work on the critically acclaimed project didn't even require a brain. "When 2K approached us to assist with development on BioShock for the PLAYSTATION 3 system, it was a no-brainer," he said. "You really can't ask for a more exciting, technically impressive world to work in than Rapture, and the incredible knowledge and talent between the 2K studios and our team at Digital Extremes is unprecedented." Apparently, when it launches this October, BioShock will make the PS3 "sing with Big Daddy goodness and Little Sister 'thank you's'."