Reasons for Infected Mutation?

chimpmunk said:
So basically, you have nothing else to offer than "It's just a game." as for what fictional setting L4D takes place in? Are you trolling, playing dumb or just being dumb?

If you have no interest in the story of L4D (or want to prove your "intelligence" by arguing that zombies are "unrealistic"), you may leave.
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May I direct you to this?

I'm saying there can be no plausible scientific explanation for the whole 'zombie' thing, so just don't bother trying to reason their 'evolution' etc.
You can enjoy a game without trying to connect every aspect to reality you know.
 
My friends and I have noticed that, on occasion, the witch, after killing the person who startles her, will simply run away, hands around her head. Makes me think she could truly be mind****ed and perhaps partially aware of what's happening (to her). The torture of that causes the secluded wailing, while startling her brings out the homicidal tendencies.

If we're going to inject explanations. ;o
 
Eejit said:
May I direct you to this?

I'm saying there can be no plausible scientific explanation for the whole 'zombie' thing, so just don't bother trying to reason their 'evolution' etc.
You can enjoy a game without trying to connect every aspect to reality you know.
Click to expand...

You're posting in a thread that's all about finding sense in the zombie outbreak of L4D. I never said you HAVE to digg into the story of L4D to enjoy it, far from it. But all you do is post "zombies can not exist! so it's just a game! it's no logical!"

People are not debating about a zombie outbreak in real life, get this straight. This thread is about people trying to find logic and coherence inside a fictional setting that does not follow the same rules as our world. Just because something is not possible in our world does not mean in it can not be logical inside its own fictive setting.

Did you ever read a fantasy book? Or is it worthless because "it can never happen"?

You're a weak troll it seems...
 
Might I also add that such things as mutagens do exist. Mind you, none exists in reality that could cause the complex changes that would be required in L4D and other zombie media (without outright killing the host), but the possibility is not entirely out of the question - just very unlikely.

--

I'd also like to point out that Tabula Rasa had an extremely plausible explanation for an infection that caused zombie-like behavior. (Mind you, they weren't your typical zombies; it was, once again, viral in nature, and the hosts were very much still alive.) But basically this virus caused some kind of genetic change, halting the production of an enzyme that prevented the infected alien species from regulating their body temperature, causing extreme overheating and intense pain, but preventing logical death through other physical changes. The only way they could ease this suffering was by consuming the flesh of their non-infected brethren, who still had working copies of this enzyme.

It not only explains the desire for the flesh of the non-infected, but also why they would not attack those already infected.
 
Eejit said:
I'm saying there can be no plausible scientific explanation for the whole 'zombie' thing, so just don't bother trying to reason their 'evolution' etc.
You can enjoy a game without trying to connect every aspect to reality you know.
Click to expand...

Well obviously you can't truly relate it to all aspects of reality, but that's the point of fantastical stories, especially in Valve videogames, it makes some sense, it has partial truth.

You're just being stupid now, we all know this couldn't really happen, but just like Half-Life, we like the little bits of explanation thrown in there.

"WELL, THIS IS DUMB TO HYPOTHESIZE BECAUSE A PORTAL WOULDN'T REALLY OPEN UP IN A SCIENCE LAB AND LET ALIENS THROUGH"

:|
 
And yet people are trying to apply real world scientific theories to something that is scientifically impossible...
It clearly doesn't follow our rules so why try to apply them?

There's some speculation that makes sense, and then there's some that doesn't.

Example of reasonable theorising: ZT hypothesising that the smoker's 'tongue' is somehow made from his intestines. Example of unreasonable theorising: the boss zombies evolved from normal zombies because of selective pressure.
 
Yes, because you are the master of science of all the hl2.net board, thus, you can decide what is "reasonable" and what isn't...

Especially since your only arguments are "IT'S A GAME!" or "IT'S NOT LOGICAL"...
 
I know enough biology to know when real science conflicts with fiction.
 
Eejit said:
I know enough biology to know when real science conflicts with fiction.
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Care to explain how, using your logic and knowledge of biology, a human body would mutate enough to give the said human the ability to not only spit their intestines out without removing them completely, but control them so precisely that they can hit a target from 50 feet away, and then retract?

I'm not trying to get involved in an argument, but seriously - if you consider this believable (using in-game logic), why is mutation in the space of two weeks so unbelievable? Because as far as I can see, you seem to be basing your facts on real-life logic and in-game logic.
 
I never said it was believeable, but at least that fits observations well. It's what it looks like. It's quite likely how it was designed, even though it's impossible.

Hypothesising about possible evolution of the impossible Infected using real science is another thing entirely. If Valve do come out with some hokey science at some point as part of their (science) fiction then ok, but it's silly to think we can work out the course of impossible events using real science.
 
Speak for yourself. When I've finished my six hundred thousand press-up routine a day exercise, I shall be a tank.
 
Hey all I originally said was it doesn't make sense and is ludicrous.

Chipmunk started arguing about that and so gradually shifting the discussion.

Whatever.

chimpmunk said:
Zombies do not have to be "dead". Did you ever see the movies "28 days later" and "the serpent and the rainbow"?
Both movies have "zombies" which are not undead. For all we know, the zombies of L4D could be under some kind of virus that makes them brain dead but keeps the cortex alive, hence, why they act like animals.
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His original post was trying to justify it as making more sense than them being undead. It does not.
 
Eejit said:
His original post was trying to justify it as making more sense than them being undead. It does not.
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And why is that? Because you decided it did not make sense?

Oh, yeah, you know about biology... I guess you're always right then... :rolleyes:
 
Eejit said:
Hypothesising about possible evolution of the impossible Infected using real science is another thing entirely. If Valve do come out with some hokey science at some point as part of their (science) fiction then ok, but it's silly to think we can work out the course of impossible events using real science.
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No (and I'll try to back my statement, something you should do too). If said fiction is coherent and follows its own logic, you can still understand the way this fictional world operates and it would be possible to understand at least parts of it, based on our own experience of it.

Whether your like it or not, there is a "logic" to Left4Dead, zombies and mutations are part of that logic. You wouldn't be surprised (at least not too much) to see a acid blooded mutant zombie with red eyes in Left4Dead because it would seem coherent with the logic of the L4D setting.
However if you saw Dragon riding Elves you would not it does not belong there because it is not logical inside the world of L4D.

Do you understand that?
 
Given the nature of the game, I think we can chalk the whole thing up to 'Movie Science' if Resident Evil gets away with being serious about it, L4D can get away having fun with it.
 
if the rabies thing is the story, its most likely some sort of cover up. the safe rooms and the safety posters make me think this was planned or someone suspected something like this.

the LECA company who makes the safety poster is probably involved. one of the posters in the safe room has their logo changed to a skull.
 
I am going to speculate that Eejit is a secret government scientist trying to convince us that our speculation is ridiculous because we're on to what he and his nefarious co-conspirators are doing.
 
Pay no attention to staticprimer he's clearly deranged!
Also any mod who supplies us with his IP address and other details may be allocated bunker space.

chimpmunk said:
And why is that? Because you decided it did not make sense?
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No, because it actually doesn't make sense. I didn't 'decide' that, I 'understand' it.
Lobster said:
Given the nature of the game, I think we can chalk the whole thing up to 'Movie Science' if Resident Evil gets away with being serious about it, L4D can get away having fun with it.
Click to expand...
Hey, they don't get away with it in my books.



You might as well just say for the whole thing "a wizard did it". Because magic would be as plausible as any other explanation.
 
The different "bosses" have been designed to perform specific roles:
Boomer: As a targeting system for the horde. It will find the designated target and throw up on them. Attracting all infected to the area.
Smoker: Assassin, picking off key targets from among a group as a method of assassination.
Hunter: Disruption. Getting into the lines of the target enemy before they have time to react, hopefully comprimising their defences.
Witch: An escort. As well as the obvious physical mutations a young woman's maternal instict is used so that she will defend a target by any means nessisary. Witches without a designated "child" become deranged and confused at not being able to find their baby.

All bosses encountered in the game are unprogrammed with no designated targets.

Louis worked for the company that created them. Before the containment failure he was just an office worker for them. He was suspicious of his company's research, but he never asked questions that could have compromised his job. He has yet to admit this to his three new friends.
 
How could you never have been taught: one coffee two sugars?
 
Eejit said:
You might as well just say for the whole thing "a wizard did it". Because magic would be as plausible as any other explanation.
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This is what I meant in my last post. You're not only trying to work things out with real-world logic, you're also combining this with in-game logic. However, you're using the excuse of in-game logic to basically tell us that everything you believe possible in the game is indeed correct, and vice versa.
 
Tom.S.1994 said:
This is what I meant in my last post. You're not only trying to work things out with real-world logic,
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Not really. Saying "the smoker's tongue looks like an intesting" isn't working something out logically, it's just making a simple observation.
 
Notices on the sides of buildings in 'The Apartment' level say stuff like 'Contaminated' etc.

Maybe a virus or disease which spreads through touching/smelling/eating something...
 
Could be the water supply and rats like in Res Evil 2.
 
it might be something to do with food. all the apartments that have zombies in have food left out and the fridges are left open
 
nightlord said:
it might be something to do with food. all the apartments that have zombies in have food left out and the fridges are left open
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That would mean though that the virus has none or almost none of an incubation period.
 
Corp. Sheepo said:
That could very well be. We have no idea.
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Actually, yes, it is a stretch but it does make some sense. There are some poisons that can kill you in seconds, so it's not that far fetched to believe a virus/bacteria could act as quick, although it would be the ultimate disease.
 
Viruses don't grow in food guys...

Incubation time depends a LOT on initial doseage with every non-chronic disease I can think of.
 
Generally bacteria or parasites.

Viruses can contaminate food but they're inert there, like I said, they don't grow in food. An outbreak the size of that shown in the game caused by food contamination is pretty much impossible.
 
It's as likely as any other explanation.
 
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