Machine in the Amokuali *Spoilers

[ceredig]

The machine that the music is coming from under the Amokuali, I noticed it looks like its plucking strings of light. Is it manipulating the song of creation? When meeting Kax-Teh for the first time it is implied the boy is an experiment and was given his powers, is this machine how they were able to do it?

[[ACE] abordeu]

Yes, the machine is responsible for this, correct! Only some creatures in Zenozoik can actually hear the music. The creators at first didn't know who it would affect and how. Notice that the Director was able to hear the music when he was a boy too:

- but once, when I was a boy, I was lucky enough to hear a fragment of the Melody of the Spheres, the great symphony that determines the shape of creation.

[Lirka]

Originally posted by ACE abordeu:

Yes, the machine is responsible for this, correct! Only some creatures in Zenozoik can actually hear the music. The creators at first didn't know who it would affect and how. Notice that the Director was able to hear the music when he was a boy too:

- but once, when I was a boy, I was lucky enough to hear a fragment of the Melody of the Spheres, the great symphony that determines the shape of creation.

But - spoilers obviously - at the end the boy says that the music was always there? So did he mean it was not the machine, or that he heard it way before the quest where you destroy it?

[Lirka]

Originally posted by Ceredig:

Originally posted by Lirka:

But - spoilers obviously - at the end the boy says that the music was always there? So did he mean it was not the machine, or that he heard it way before the quest where you destroy it?

My interpretation of it is that they didn't make the song but they were using the machine to manipulate it

Ah yes, that makes sense! So the machine actually created the boy? So why was it suddenly so loud for him that it had to be destroyed?

[Lirka]

Originally posted by Ceredig:

Originally posted by Lirka:

Ah yes, that makes sense! So the machine actually created the boy? So why was it suddenly so loud for him that it had to be destroyed?

Before you fight Kax-Teh for the first time him and his leader talk about how they accelerated the experiment and Kax-Teh was worried this would cause harm. My guess is that they tried it again but did it too much and the boy couldn't handle it.

But what did they actually try again? Create another boy? Why would that harm our boy?
Also, if he was our master, does that mean Pseudo was also created by them?
I haven't actually played Zeno Clash yet, so if that's answered there then I don't want spoilers :D I'm gonna start with ZC1 tomorrow!

[[ACE] abordeu]

Originally posted by Lirka:

Originally posted by ACE abordeu:

Yes, the machine is responsible for this, correct! Only some creatures in Zenozoik can actually hear the music. The creators at first didn't know who it would affect and how. Notice that the Director was able to hear the music when he was a boy too:

- but once, when I was a boy, I was lucky enough to hear a fragment of the Melody of the Spheres, the great symphony that determines the shape of creation.

But - spoilers obviously - at the end the boy says that the music was always there? So did he mean it was not the machine, or that he heard it way before the quest where you destroy it?

Note that this was written by Jonas and Edmundo, so this is only my interpretation, but for me when the boy says that it was a way of telling Pseudo that they were meant to find each other.

[[ACE] abordeu]

Originally posted by Ceredig:

Zeno Clash 1 + 2 plus Artifacts of Chaos are among my top 5 favourite games, Thief 2 and Dishonored being the other two.

We're honored!!! That's so encouraging to hear. Thief 1 and 2 are also among my favorite games!

[[ACE] cbordeu]

The machine is indeed meant to grant a specific power onto an individual in Zenozoik. The acceleration of the process was to consolidate the effect of the power so it could be properly harnessed by the outside world.

The reason it is a song, is because it is like a sound wave which they don't know which individual will be able to hear / become the recipient. It was not "planned" for the boy. He was compatible by chance. Pseudo is trained by Golem to become the protector of whomever will be the recipient of this gift, and music is also used to lure him to the boy. It is logical to believe Pseudo was also one of the gifted who managed to hear one of the songs at an early age. It is clear that minimal interference is allowed by outsiders during the whole process and that is why they need someone from within to protect the recipient.

Other of the Golem's powers ("isn't it more beautiful to make things fly" - Xotl-Teh) are likely gifts given to other recipients in Zenozoik by different songs (and also "extracted").

In ZC2 Nahuatl-Teh becomes insane and abuses the level of interference that outsiders can cause, by making the twisted and broken chimeras at the base of the pink tower (For which Kax-Teh condemns him). By this time the musical machine is probably long gone.

[Lirka]

Thank you guys for all the answers!
I literally just finished SC1 for the first time. Even though I bought both ZC1 and 2 at launch, life happened and I never got around to playing them. But I have to actually say that I loved the world in ZC1 even more than in Clash! It's so bizarre and weird, and all the colors and hues look amazing. I can't believe I never got around to playing it!

Is there a reason that Clash looks more "normal"? I felt that at the ending when Pseudo burned the artifact, and said "no more rules" it signified that the world would become more chaotic, thus ZC1 being even more weird.

Well, time to start ZC2!

[Lirka]

Originally posted by Ceredig:

Originally posted by Lirka:

Thank you guys for all the answers!
I literally just finished SC1 for the first time. Even though I bought both ZC1 and 2 at launch, life happened and I never got around to playing them. But I have to actually say that I loved the world in ZC1 even more than in Clash! It's so bizarre and weird, and all the colors and hues look amazing. I can't believe I never got around to playing it!

Is there a reason that Clash looks more "normal"? I felt that at the ending when Pseudo burned the artifact, and said "no more rules" it signified that the world would become more chaotic, thus ZC1 being even more weird.

Well, time to start ZC2!

My interpretation is Clash takes place in the past so the world is more natural (if you can even call Zenozoik natural). I think the Zenos haven't built themselves a proper civilisation yet unlike Zeno Clash where they have Halstedom, unless Zenozoik has already had a few previous civilisations but they always end up destroying themselves and starting again.

Anyway my point is the architecture in Zeno Clash is weird and Clash is a more natural landscape so it can come across as less weird, although the fauna and flora are stranger than ever. The lions with human faces in the corwid woods genuinely made me feel uncomfortable

Yeah from what I understand, it's confirmed to be a prequel:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1430680/discussions/0/3792632890313730312/

So you might be right. It seems the reason ZC1 feels more weird is because of the architecture of a lot of the buildings, which are indeed not yet present in Clash. But yeah, the humanoid faces on those lions...
I do wonder how much time there is between Clash and ZC1 though. It feels like it could be quite a long time! Golem looks to be immortal, so there's no way to tell.