Was there ever any alternate endings planned? (spoilers)

[AlicornNightmare]

This is a question more for Mr. Szymanski than a discussion; after playing the game, I've read that there are no alternate endings, but I am curious to know if there were ever any other endings considered early in development where the player could survive, or if there were multiple endings based on how many photos you managed to take within a certain time limit, for example. Or was it always planned that the player would die at the end?

[Mister Macaroni]

Definitely considered an ending where the player survived, but I felt like it might be too anti-climactic. The way it ends has been divisive though, so idk if I made the right call or not.

[Royal]

Originally posted by DuskDev:

Definitely considered an ending where the player survived, but I felt like it might be too anti-climactic. The way it ends has been divisive though, so idk if I made the right call or not.

I think it works tbh

[Mister Macaroni]

Thanks!

[AlicornNightmare]

Originally posted by DuskDev:

Definitely considered an ending where the player survived, but I felt like it might be too anti-climactic. The way it ends has been divisive though, so idk if I made the right call or not.

Thanks for answering my question! It's always fascinating to hear about ideas tossed around early in a game's development. As to the ending in-game, I really hoped that 'Iron Lung' would have the option to survive and buck the standard 'player dies and everything you did was for nothing' trope so often found in horror games, but I can't deny that the jumpscare at the end was damn effective, and the ending does fit with the grimness of this universe, so I'm guessing if the ending works really comes down each individual player.

[Zombus]

Definitely not complaining about the ending, but I definitely wouldn't be opposed to an alternate ending in which the player survives....maybe sets it up for a sequel? idk, just thinking out loud, I guess.

[Daro Silvertail]

maybe there could be an ending where trying to take a pic of anomaly in top left part of map would teleport the player away before monster got to the player, that would be interesting alternative ending

[Numbers, the Idiot]

As an addon to the above, maybe if you were to leave the glowing anomaly for the one to clip last, you'd have a small window to try and navigate the blood water to get to it, while the Giant Angler is too busy trying to *fish* you out of the Iron Lung (Pun initially unintentional)?

The ending of you going missing could remain the same, but the Player could be left with the knowledge that they had Escaped/"Escaped" the game.

[Bawkdragon]

Do we even know for sure MC died, there is a enough weird stuff that a sequel could start with MC waking up somewhere not normal.

Because the sub being crushed because of monster attack seems final, but we have enough weird stuff that the monster can teleport there victims to some alien place, or turn PC into another sea monste.r

[RocketPillow]

Originally posted by brendenhawley:

Do we even know for sure MC died, there is a enough weird stuff that a sequel could start with MC waking up somewhere not normal

Considering the water pressure and the giant gnawing salmon at their heels, I think it's safe to say our doomed burner sub pilot is swimming with the fishes in the form of a crushed meat can.

With a sequel, I think it'd make more sense to expand on the submarine by making the player a trained scientist with a properly-equipped vessel, not intended to burst open from the pressure. A genuine hope for mankind, yet still entrusted with a single soul.

[The Highwayman]

Originally posted by AlicornNightmare:

I really hoped that 'Iron Lung' would have the option to survive and buck the standard 'player dies and everything you did was for nothing' trope so often found in horror games

not much of a trope, and it's not used to the extent that you're implying it is.

Iron Lung earns the right to do this type of ending. Seems like a lot less of a problem that Iron Lung does it for good reason, and more of a problem that some other unnamed games you played recently did it for no reason.

Here's a thought experiment: Imagine the ending, but the text says "Some pictures were recovered, and the COI is preparing another expedition." See how that dodges your complaint, and changes nothing whatsoever about the experience? That's because the core point of the game is to take in the dread, and really what happens after the game ends is relatively unimportant, like a leaf garnish to make the steak look nice.

It's a pretty short experience with a minimalist plot; if it were several hours long I might agree that some sort of resolution is in order, but in its current state this is the perfect way to go out.

[Primus]

Too many spoilers in this thread :/

I loved the ending by the way.

[Rund]

Originally posted by Gwyn, Lord of Tinder:

Originally posted by AlicornNightmare:

I really hoped that 'Iron Lung' would have the option to survive and buck the standard 'player dies and everything you did was for nothing' trope so often found in horror games

not much of a trope, and it's not used to the extent that you're implying it is.

Iron Lung earns the right to do this type of ending. Seems like a lot less of a problem that Iron Lung does it for good reason, and more of a problem that some other unnamed games you played recently did it for no reason.

Here's a thought experiment: Imagine the ending, but the text says "Some pictures were recovered, and the COI is preparing another expedition." See how that dodges your complaint, and changes nothing whatsoever about the experience? That's because the core point of the game is to take in the dread, and really what happens after the game ends is relatively unimportant, like a leaf garnish to make the steak look nice.

It's a pretty short experience with a minimalist plot; if it were several hours long I might agree that some sort of resolution is in order, but in its current state this is the perfect way to go out.

Just wanted to say this is a really well made argument for the ending iron lung had

[Bebpo]

Just finished it and one thing I thought was when I got to the anomaly and everything was warping and was thinking from a lore perspective when you pick up that note early on it basically says you're sent to die so don't do it and find freedom and it got me thinking that a prisoner in that situation might have gone into the anomaly because they were going to die anyways and that is the unknown and maybe a chance at freedom.

I didn't go in the anomaly because uh, was pretty far into the game and didn't want to game over haha, and I didn't want to replay the whole thing just to try that so I looked here to see if there was an alternate ending or easter egg if you go into it, but no one's said anything so I suppose you just crash. But yeah I feel like if there had been an alternate ending, that would've been a cool spot.

[Voyse]

Originally posted by Bebpo:

you pick up that note and it got me thinking that a prisoner in that situation might have gone into the anomaly because they were going to die anyways and that is the unknown and maybe a chance at freedom.

I thought this as well, and actually decided to go into it.

Sadly, it appears you simply pass through it. You can even turn around on the spot and backup through it. But it seems to do nothing but make your Iron lung vibrate a ton and make your camera full of static from the anomaly model. There was a wall on the opposite side... so maybe crashing into the wall would of done something, but I to did not want to cause an unnecessary game over that far into the game.

I enjoyed the game, but the note frankly feels like a red herring and likely serves no functional purpose besides building up the mood.