Do the choices affect the game or history?

[Dennis[DK]]

Though the game, especially at the first half of the game, you are sometimes forced to choose between two options. For example, will you throw the ball at the couple or the announcer, choose the cage or the bird for Elisabeth, shoot Slate or not, pull the gun at the ticket sales and so on.
But will these choices affect the game or history in any way, like the choices do in BS1 and BS2? Or are it completely unimportant? Because I am about to play the game for the second time, and I intentional choose the opposite choice than I did first time, just to see that if have an effect (I am about half finish in my second game). And I don't notice any.

But if the choices not affect the game, why then add them?

[RegionalDialect]

It's playing on the whole idea that no matter what you choose, the outcome will always be the same:
"We swim in different oceans, but land on the same shore"
But nonetheless I will go through the outcomes of the choices:
-Throw ball at couple or announcer determines whether the couple will give you a piece of gear later in the game
-Drawing or not drawing your gun at the ticket booth determines whether you wear a bandage on your hand for the remainder of the game
-Elizabeth's choice of brooch just determines which one she will wear during the game
-Killing or sparing Slate only, as far as I am aware, affects Elizabeth's dialogue in that scene

[Pass me 'dat RPG]

Originally posted by Mr McSuave:

-Killing or sparing Slate only, as far as I am aware, affects Elizabeth's dialogue in that scene

and whether you "meet" him later in the game (in the prison)

[RegionalDialect]

Originally posted by BloodyMatzu:

Originally posted by Mr McSuave:

-Killing or sparing Slate only, as far as I am aware, affects Elizabeth's dialogue in that scene

and whether you "meet" him later in the game (in the prison)

I've played through the game twice, spared him both times, but still had completely forgotten about that.

[Dennis[DK]]

OK, so the game change in a very minor way, depending on one's decision. The very little change may be the reason for why I haven't noticed the change.
But since one can make multiple decisions at some places, the change in the game should be greater, like in BS1 and 2, IMO. Maybe something with if the player/Booker act aggressively, shoot innocent/civilians (to loot their bodies for money and such), throw the ball at the couple, and steal from cash registers and such, Elisabeth will be more hostile in her attitude towards Booker, and provide less ammo, salt and health, than if the player/Booker act decent.

But looking at what Mr McSuave write, it seems to be the point (multiverses?), that the choices will provide no/minor changes.

[Drone 7]

Originally posted by Mr McSuave:

-Throw ball at couple or announcer determines whether the couple will give you a piece of gear later in the game

It really just determines who will give you the gear, also not making the choice at all will result in no gear.

[Wolf Echo]

The game plays on the whole concept of fate/destiny where in the ultimate outcome is fixed, and nothing we do changes it in more than trivial, minor ways. This plays into Ryan's famous statment from BL1; "A man chooses, a slave obeys." While we are given the illusion of choice, it's all simply there to trick us, the player, into believing that our actions will effect the ending, but if you pay attention, very early on in the game you're shown just how false that impression is with the coin flip and the tally of all past flips. You, the player, don't call heads or tails, the games does that for you, and no matter which it picks, the outcome is the same in the end. It's a grand expression of being able to take many paths and get to the same place. One fate, one ending, no way to prevent it except stop the cycle before it starts, which just leads to a different cycle which you see in Burial at Sea.

To put it in simpler terms, the choices are there to make it seem like you can try and find the "Good End", that some combination if choices in the game lead to a better/different ending when there really isn't one.

[Unfortunately]

Originally posted by Quietus Wolf:

The game plays on the whole concept of fate/destiny where in the ultimate outcome is fixed, and nothing we do changes it in more than trivial, minor ways. This plays into Ryan's famous statment from BL1; "A man chooses, a slave obeys." While we are given the illusion of choice, it's all simply there to trick us, the player, into believing that our actions will effect the ending, but if you pay attention, very early on in the game you're shown just how false that impression is with the coin flip and the tally of all past flips. You, the player, don't call heads or tails, the games does that for you, and no matter which it picks, the outcome is the same in the end. It's a grand expression of being able to take many paths and get to the same place. One fate, one ending, no way to prevent it except stop the cycle before it starts, which just leads to a different cycle which you see in Burial at Sea.

To put it in simpler terms, the choices are there to make it seem like you can try and find the "Good End", that some combination if choices in the game lead to a better/different ending when there really isn't one.

Can't tell if paranoid or you're almost quoting me from the other thread...

[Wolf Echo]

Originally posted by Unfortunately:

Originally posted by Quietus Wolf:

The game plays on the whole concept of fate/destiny where in the ultimate outcome is fixed, and nothing we do changes it in more than trivial, minor ways. This plays into Ryan's famous statment from BL1; "A man chooses, a slave obeys." While we are given the illusion of choice, it's all simply there to trick us, the player, into believing that our actions will effect the ending, but if you pay attention, very early on in the game you're shown just how false that impression is with the coin flip and the tally of all past flips. You, the player, don't call heads or tails, the games does that for you, and no matter which it picks, the outcome is the same in the end. It's a grand expression of being able to take many paths and get to the same place. One fate, one ending, no way to prevent it except stop the cycle before it starts, which just leads to a different cycle which you see in Burial at Sea.

To put it in simpler terms, the choices are there to make it seem like you can try and find the "Good End", that some combination if choices in the game lead to a better/different ending when there really isn't one.

Can't tell if paranoid or you're almost quoting me from the other thread...

Probably paranoia since I've no clue what thread you're talking about. Honest.

[Unfortunately]

Well then let's just say I agree with everything you said, and then go on to say that that's why Bioshock Infinite's plot sucks.

[RegionalDialect]

Originally posted by Unfortunately:

Well then let's just say I agree with everything you said, and then go on to say that that's why Bioshock Infinite's plot sucks.

Not every game needs multiple endings. In fact most don't.
Bioshock Infinite is one of those such games.

[RegionalDialect]

Originally posted by Drone 7:

Originally posted by Mr McSuave:

-Throw ball at couple or announcer determines whether the couple will give you a piece of gear later in the game

It really just determines who will give you the gear, also not making the choice at all will result in no gear.

Seeing as I have only ever chosen the 'throw at announcer' option, I just made an assumption.

[Voodoo]

Originally posted by Unfortunately:

Well then let's just say I agree with everything you said, and then go on to say that that's why Bioshock Infinite's plot sucks.

Your conclusion is... shallow, to say the least.
Read this, as example:
http://www.incgamers.com/2013/04/the-bird-or-the-cage-what-bioshock-infinite-says-about-choice-and-fatalism
Maybe this will give you more insight about why the Bioshock Infinite's plot is what it is.
IMO, Levine is ingeniously trolling the whole concept of "choice without choice", which is so popular in today's games (*ahem* Mass Effect *ahem*).

[RegionalDialect]

Originally posted by Khranitel:

Originally posted by Unfortunately:

Well then let's just say I agree with everything you said, and then go on to say that that's why Bioshock Infinite's plot sucks.

Your conclusion is... shallow, to say the least.
Read this, as example:
http://www.incgamers.com/2013/04/the-bird-or-the-cage-what-bioshock-infinite-says-about-choice-and-fatalism
Maybe this will give you more insight about why the Bioshock Infinite's plot is what it is.
IMO, Levine is ingeniously trolling the whole concept of "choice without choice", which is so popular in today's games (*ahem* Mass Effect *ahem*).

You're right.
Hell even Call of Duty is trying it out now. Time to move on I think.