Game theory; Marionette Manipulation (spoiler alert)

[Mike1234545]

After completing the game, me and my partner decided to talk about things like The king's words, the "alternate ending", Easter eggs, and what exactly the game is about.

This led to a few different discussions with us thinking of a few game theories. I will give credit due to those which helped with information now.

Clockwork Raven - My partner, and co-idealist

http://steamcommunity.com/app/582500/discussions/0/133258092247143678/
(I've recorded what the king said, and after many attempts, all I could hear was: "I didn't want to do this, somebody help me")

Though I did find this one, I'll give credit for it and a few other players saying it in posts.
https://steamcommunity.com/app/582500/discussions/0/133256758574030223/
I got impatient and reverse-engineered the game. I found something about a zombie that crawls across the floor.

The theory is, The king was manipulated by the marionette, making him kill all the subjects in the castle. (I do go in detail, for and against)
Let me explain.

The zombies are the people he killed inside of the castle. The basement would be the most ideal place to put the bodies. (Aswell as they are UNDEAD)

The only other "living" thing inside of the castle is the marionette. The two other eskimo's you travel with intially seem to not be there. (more explained down below) After listening to the story and playing the game, it seems to be obvious nothing else is there other then the two people.

Along with this evidence from my two sources, it makes it appearent that something foul is at play.


Questions and thoughts:
Evidance which maybe hard to understand is the person in the opening cutscene who looks to be another eskimo (by the pants and boots). Though note there was 4 eskimo's, minus 2 makes two left, leaving two other "eskimos" we have no idea about. (Possibly the king + Marionette)
We thought this is a bit far fetched, but answered this question, though we decided to leave it at an idea instead of reasoning.

Why is there a castle in Antarctica? I dont see how people can be living in the artic durring the middle ages, nor live happily.
I quote straight from the play-
"There once was a castle filled with life"
"and there lived a king and his wife"
"all were happy and all was good"
"until the king killed all he could"
"standing in blood he proudly said"
(ALSO please note, I raise questions to the RHYME Scheme of the selection. The topic which I took the audio from is questionable as the idea behind the 2 stanza rhymes should make "said" most likely rhyme with "dead".)


"The Marionette finishes the play"
This one is fishy. It may just be because of clever word choice of a way to say you died, or to say that the story is being told to you through the marionette (which is like people playing games and looking up how to do things)
One alternitive idea we talked about is that the marionette is the king himself. But we are not going into this one as it is much more flawed.

Also I raise into consideration is the Marionette only is at the end of the game.
The puzzles;
Eye (non-timed)
Pictures (candles burn out, therefore you will not be able to progress as you will not be able to see)
Water (drown)
Chess (freeze)
Pressure Plates ( Spikes)
Theater (Marionette, and it does not say it kills you persay)

[Mapletwig]

i dont honestly know if there was that much thought put into the story... as this was a school project at first i could be wrong but i think that your overthinking it :p

[悪魔]

Originally posted by RatDonkeyGoat:

i dont honestly know if there was that much thought put into the story... as this was a school project at first i could be wrong but i think that your overthinking it :p

We just like overthinking things with open endings. :p Honestly I like making theories about open ended movies/games. If it makes me think it's just that much more fun.

[Mapletwig]

i agree it is still very fun :p

[TectonicPlates]

I don't know if this has anything to do with it, I'm just bringing something up I noticed, but there's two things that didn't seem to have a purpose in the game. One was the painting of a king/prince in the Librarian room. When you interact with it, it says "Isn't he magnificent?". It didn't get used in any puzzles. Also, on the Explorer path, there was one lever in the back stage of the theater that didn't get used. You couldn't even interact with it. I don't know if these play a role, I just thought I'd point it out.

[Mike1234545]

Originally posted by lauraaki:

I don't know if this has anything to do with it, I'm just bringing something up I noticed, but there's two things that didn't seem to have a purpose in the game. One was the painting of a king/prince in the Librarian room. When you interact with it, it says "Isn't he magnificent?". It didn't get used in any puzzles. Also, on the Explorer path, there was one lever in the back stage of the theater that didn't get used. You couldn't even interact with it. I don't know if these play a role, I just thought I'd point it out.

Yes, we both saw these and we questioned the painting.
We where assuming the lever was to make things more confusing (and, or not yet implemented content)
The king picture really could not be interpreted at this point IMHO. Clockwork agreed that it was strange that it was the only interactable item which is not used though.

[PeanutPizza]

Something else which I didn't quite get: when you have to figure out the maze, the librarian can stand on the chandelier while it moves up and will see a text, "a cat in the narrow makes strange jumps". But I never found anything where that was useful whatsoever.

[NowBobCat]

Remember the beginning and ending shorts.
The Eskimos were knocked out, but not killed
Why, if they were being put through death traps, and at the end, trapped
but remember that text at the end
it seems familiar
"we were here"
What if the 2 others that left were the 2 that successfully fully made it out?
The marionette is definitely haunting the king, and he doesn't want you here.
Perhaps the "isn't he magnificent" is the marionette, whispering in your ear.
The king brought you in, and gave you a chance to escape
Perhaps what was running was not the king, but the marionette, OR
THE OTHER ESKIMOS
MIND=still perfectly intact

Just theorizing tho

[Randomystick]

Originally posted by lauraaki:

I don't know if this has anything to do with it, I'm just bringing something up I noticed, but there's two things that didn't seem to have a purpose in the game. One was the painting of a king/prince in the Librarian room. When you interact with it, it says "Isn't he magnificent?". It didn't get used in any puzzles. Also, on the Explorer path, there was one lever in the back stage of the theater that didn't get used. You couldn't even interact with it. I don't know if these play a role, I just thought I'd point it out.

That lever could originally have controlled the marionette. After the marionette gained consciousness, it broke free of its controls, making the lever useless. It would make sense that the marionette was originally intended to be a stage prop.

The king/prince painting is probably a self-portrait of the King in the game, and the phrase "isn't he magnificent?" points to the King's narcissism and megalomania, which could be further attributed as symptoms of insanity. Why he went insane is anyone's guess, but it isn't far fetched to theorise that the marionette was mind controlling him soon after it gained conscience.

A really great game and interesting plotline, can't wait for the sequel. Thanks sovietwomble for showing us the game!

[NowBobCat]

Originally posted by Randomystick:

Originally posted by lauraaki:

I don't know if this has anything to do with it, I'm just bringing something up I noticed, but there's two things that didn't seem to have a purpose in the game. One was the painting of a king/prince in the Librarian room. When you interact with it, it says "Isn't he magnificent?". It didn't get used in any puzzles. Also, on the Explorer path, there was one lever in the back stage of the theater that didn't get used. You couldn't even interact with it. I don't know if these play a role, I just thought I'd point it out.

That lever could originally have controlled the marionette. After the marionette gained consciousness, it broke free of its controls, making the lever useless. It would make sense that the marionette was originally intended to be a stage prop.

The king/prince painting is probably a self-portrait of the King in the game, and the phrase "isn't he magnificent?" points to the King's narcissism and megalomania, which could be further attributed as symptoms of insanity. Why he went insane is anyone's guess, but it isn't far fetched to theorise that the marionette was mind controlling him soon after it gained conscience.

A really great game and interesting plotline, can't wait for the sequel. Thanks sovietwomble for showing us the game!

Wait sovietwomble did a video on wwh?

[SnikkelSaboteerder]

Hey Mike1234545!

Its amazing to see people like yourself trying to connect the dots and come up with all these stories. There is way more of the story revealed in the second game which will release on February 2nd.

Thank you for your enthousiasm and support!

P.S. The castle was positioned elsewhere but we go into more detail in the sequel. ;)

[NowBobCat]

Carcosa, what modification was put on the kings final speech?

[Espio]

I also find it strange that a crouch key was implemented without the need for it in the game... then again it might be for future stuff

[chainchompguy3]

"I found something about a zombie that crawls across the floor."

While exploring the maze (Place with switches for color-coded doors), there will often be mysterious figures spawning in the distance, that run around the nearest corner and disappear.

on 2 occasions, it looked like a normal, bipedal person.
But on 1 occasion I had, it looked like a legless zombie crawling with it's arms.

my guess is that is what the crawling zombie in the code is.

[TectonicPlates]

Originally posted by chainchompguy3:

"I found something about a zombie that crawls across the floor."

While exploring the maze (Place with switches for color-coded doors), there will often be mysterious figures spawning in the distance, that run around the nearest corner and disappear.

on 2 occasions, it looked like a normal, bipedal person.
But on 1 occasion I had, it looked like a legless zombie crawling with it's arms.

my guess is that is what the crawling zombie in the code is.

I have seen both the crawling zombie and the running zombie in the maze. That's what that code is for.

[✪ Eto♪]

What about the unknown person who knocked out the 2 eskimos in the intro cutscene. Wouldnt that mean there were 3 living beings in the castle? (Excluding the other 2 eskimos in we were here too). I guess that person is the one who set up the puzzle rooms and read the play and is most likely working with the marionette. Could that person be the King? And why?