Fontaine Futuristics (game level)

* Connects From Dionysus_Park_(game_level)
* Connects To Outer_Persephone
* See also Rapture Map
* See also BS2
* See also Fontaine
* See also ADAM and ADAM_Technology
* See also Gilbert Alexander
* See also Amended_Game_Level_Maps
 Fontaine Futuristics is the Name of a Game Level *and* the Business Where Fontaine Researched and Manufactured ADAM Products
== The Main Facility Where Fontaine Developed His ADAM Technologies ==
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Original Map Problems :
The Traincar in the Atlantic Express Station in BS2 is pointing in the wrong direction. That is, if it is supposed to be arrived from the West ( as per the route we are following ). Arriving from South or East would be odd-- maybe could reorient map (counter-clockwise) to come from the North ( Though I would expect that the Persephone (elevator) connection would be to the South end of FF (and to preserve that elevator link verbatim, Persephone would have to be flipped 180 degrees (or altered)).
That AE map's last Station on the line is not Persephone -- as Persephone is physically connected to the Fontaine Futuristics level. If it actually was that last (red) station, the AE map scale would make the distances between all the other stations laughably short ( and not worthy of any train trip -- the entire AE line we traverse is already short enough, as it is in total of about a mile and a quarter ).
Flipping the Traincar direction Eastwards is much less painful. Outer/Inner Persephone will have to be reoriented no matter what.
Some odd mismatches are seen between exterior views thru different windows (or walking outside) and from inside areas and buildings. The tall Fontaine Futuristics building ( seen from the Train Station ) has to be very shallow to allow that Lobby interior ( with a large curved ceiling windows ) looking out into the Ocean to exist. They otherwise would overlap if the building front is any thicker than 24 feet. Looking back toward same building section, it is not even visible in the Lobby (thru ceiling), even though it towers above and is immediately adjacent.
That exceedingly tall multi-storied tower/building ( windows seen would have it be more than 30 stories tall ) -- Perhaps it was Fontaine using a 'fake front' to deceptively-impress/aggrandize his company building in the view from the AE station ( or just Level Developers who missed realistic, leaving details which interfere with a cohesive level scene ). The top half of the building seems to be decorative in any case - with false floors indicated by fake windows, on a 'way too' narrow tower Art Deco 'way too' narrow tower : This was done on many real skyscrapers, which had 'Towers', which often had little usable space inside them, and were done simply to look more impressive..
I understand it was done for a game 'impression', but there is such a thing as 'overdoing it' --- unlike many window views you can see THIS very clearly standing outside. The Tower's apparent inside volume would be too puny to match the what we see inside Fontaine Futuristics.
The next Tower above Frank Fontaine's office has a similar problem - The window view looking past the bear shows an ocean horizon, but it is really looking out through the Lobby ceiling interior, and the skylight window is looking up into where the building structure has floors ( as indicated from other window views -- inconsistent ).
These I can justify -- one (behind the bear) is now a large aquarium and the ceiling 'windows' are actually fancy lighting panels ( they look up to a very vague outside view anyway ... ). The Tower above is still not that large (like the one viewed from the Train Station) and narrows even more just a few stories up. Fortunately for the game, the sloppy level view inconsistencies have no impact on the game function. The 6 story central building interior overlaps/intersects the tower seen from outside.
To try preserve in-game details in some logical fashion -- an Observation deck was added to connect the Fontaine Futuristics Central Building 4th floor to the (thin) North Tower to fit the odd arrangement over the Lobby ( a window viaduct now connects to the 'show' Tower which is used as a tourist attraction ). Such a place is useful for company salesmen to 'talk' customers into expensive Plasmid treatments ( some businessmen were buying group applications of 'advantageous' Plasmid/tonics to improve employee productivity ).
Again, for the solo game, these are details that matter hardly at all and many player would never notice ( some may hardly even look out the windows ). But for the MMORPG, the details interior/exterior must be consistent as they can be seen from all sides ( and are fully accessible/interactive ). Walls/structures can be in a damaged state exposing both the inside and outside simultaneously - have to be real details instead of false fronts.
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The "ADAM Research Laboratory" section ( as shown ) required use of Airlocks to reach ? Did Suchong/Alexander/Tenenbaum ( not to mention their staff and test-subjects ) have to put on diving suits to cross to this facility ?? It would be rather bothersome to have to do so.
( Expecting inmates/test subjects to get 'suited up' to be moved to/from that facility would be pretty strange and VERY unlikely. )
So, they most likely had a physical connection that allowed walking normally between the Fontaine Futuristics main building and the "ADAM Research Laboratory". The entrance to Persephone was probably likewise connected . This path would have been in place long before BS2 ( and Sofia Lamb's subsequently hiding the entrance to Persephone ). At some point, the structure linking those buildings was destroyed ( We see remnants of a building in that vicinity that might have been part of it ).
The map of Persephone indicates a AE connection of some kind ( a siding that would have to descend all that way down from the FF facility level ). But on that level, the entrance is boarded up ( so not usable by Lamb's current minions ).
A similar problem in BS2 exists : with getting between the Train Station and the Fontaine Futuristics complex. There are numerous Splicers that we encounter there, and they should have to connect to the rest of Sofia Lamb's 'collective' easily. That would NOT be by 'Traversing the Ocean' to get supplies and whatever else across ( and then probably to pass on supplies to Persephone ). The wrecked viaduct at least indicates the old connection path.
I have added a tunnel structure between the Fontaine Futuristics building and the Persephone Elevator entrance, and then have it continue conveniently on to the Cell Block in the Live Test Facility ( where you would surely expect 'inmate' Tests Subjects to be sent ).
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Added/Modified :
4 Additional floors ( in-game they are visible, but cut-off/inaccessible interior in-game ) exist in the central Fontaine Futuristics building - multi-story Office, besides the 2 we can reach ( the Lobby level isn't counted ) -- thus there are several more floors for offices, labs, etc... Suchong, Tenenbaum and Alexander would have had their Labs there somewhere.
A High-rise structures ontop of the Train Station ( look back from Fontaine Futuristics ... ) - I made use of it and created the "Fontaine Railway Arms", built to house some FF employees and customers. It includes 4+ floors above the railway facilities containing hotel rooms. The High-rise structure adjacent to (left of) the Train Station - is another wing of the Hotel for yet more employee residence.
Fontaine Futuristics was built later than much of the City ( Fontaine had to build up his wealth first ), so a Metro Bathysphere Station would be a likely facility -- for the high-end commuters/customers ( the lowly minions take the Trolley ). Added - attached to the Train Station a '2 dock' csmall Metro Bathysphere Station, which connects out thru Minervas Den Plaza. This had to be positions (5th & 6th level) to go over all the Atlantic Express tracks, and takes up 3 floors to fit all the required cable machinery, airlocks and passenger loading dock areas, etc ...
Similarly, there would be a Metro Trolley/Street route ( a Transit hub to serve the cluster of building ) as Fontaine Futuristics would continue to be connected to the City properly ( not just some old Atlantic Express lines to nowhere important/largely abandoned for passenger traffic ). An extension of the City's interconnecting 'Street' structure has a Plaza ( "Place des Titans" ) here, and the heads off North-North-East to another plaza 3/8ths of a mile away. Another 'Street' heads towards Sirens Alley ( another well traveled-to venue ). The FF Trolley Station is in the basement of the West Wing of the "Fontaine Railway Arms" Hotel. Above it is the plaza with its collection of commercial shops. The FF Metro station served Rapturians still going to the old entertainment/tourist destinations ( Ryan Amusements/Abyss Overlook/Dionysus Park/Masons Quarter, and Quaint old Mk1 AE train ride ).
A City water pump station (Ryan's Rapture Power and Heating) is below the Bathysphere Station - for transporting hot water from Hephaestus for heating all the local buildings.
Added - a Mk2 AE Freight siding to FF ( large enough to fit 3 standard 40-foot AE Boxcars ). It was used for the original building construction, and later for general freight movement ( rumors are that Fontaine had a 'Private' Traincar that might be useful for various nefarious purposes and which mysteriously disappeared after his 'death' ). A shallow trench was dug into the seabed northwards to allow the 2 different Train tracks to cross and the freight siding to reach the Fontaine building's basement Freight airlock.
Manufacturing and shipping of Fontaine product are done in the basement floors ( shipping via the AE Freight siding ). I added various support facilities ( It is an industrial plant after all -- with mass production manufacturing of Plasmid/Tonic components and packaging -- amongst other things ). I added a main staircase down to those areas for the many workers to use and multiple elevators to access the multitude of floors. I am not sure if the Gatherer's Garden machines were made here by Fontaine before his demise ( long before ? ), OR if that was a Ryan Project ( still possibly made here ). Fontaine did create/make the "Power-To-The-People" machines, and this manufacturing facility may have made and serviced them.
Various tall 'Sky-Scraper' buildings, seen on this level, have substantial Art Deco-Styled Decorations ( 'Towers' and light pillars ) for show - to look more impressive. They are generally TOO SMALL for habitation levels, but might be used ( if needed for some utilities, and possibly a hidden Submarine dock ).
The ADAM Research Laboratory looks like it was built well below normal construction standards, relying on Seabed Rock walls in more than a few places, and with alot of rock filler to save expense on concrete. It is likely the construction was done in a hurry and "on the cheap" by a low bid contractor. A number ( quite 'a pile' actually ) of large boulders were cemented together to form parts of the main structure ( the area Gil lives in ), and other boulders placed in an attempt to conceal the buildings. Moving such large rocks underwater is not too hard, as the rock is only about 3 X as dense as water, and a 'Balloon' Crane only twice their size is sufficient to lift such huge rocks ( even larger building components were routinely moved the same way when Rapture's buildings were constructed ).
I added another level of Containment Cells below the "Live Test Facility" ("Holding Cells"), where some of the more dangerous testing mistakes can be 'hid' while the staff figures out what happened -- and Then what to do with them.
Employee Worker facilities in FF building - Cafeteria/Kitchen/Lockers - Keeps the employees from wasting time leaving the building, and also supplies food for the 'test-subjects'.
A Submarine Dock for Fontaine's nefarious activities. Fontaine did alot of clandestine illegal projects which really couldn't take Public Transportation. An external dock (docking port) was simpler and cheaper ( and easier to hide ) than a much larger internal dock ( in which the submarine enters airlock ... ). It has access to the main FF building, the test facility and Persephone.
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The Metro Trolleys we saw in BS1 present problems, as shown. The tracks ( besides being ludicrously short ) are stub ended and the cars are single-ended, which in |real life would require turning around the cars to operate the return trip ( they would not be run backwards on their route ). One solution is some prohibitive turning system ( a 'Balloon Loop' or a track 'Y' or a 'Turntable'Railroad Turntable : https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=railroad%20%2Bturntable ). Many real Trolley cars were double-ended to simplify the reversing operation at an end-of-line.
For this level map, a turntable is used to turn the Trolleys. It sits in the basement level between the two hotel high-rise buildings ( adjacent to the Train Station ). A small commercial 'Plaza' is part of the transit hub complex that gives access to the Trolley, Bathyspheres and AE trains.
Vend-O-Rama ( in the Transit Hub basement level ) - a new idea for consumer convenience - a large cluster of new vending machines ( adjacent to the Jet Postal Station ), including an experimental Accu-Vox Vending Machine. A future product which was cut short by Fontaine's demise was a removable Magnetic disk to fit a new Accu-Vox recorder ( http://ftldesign.com/Timex/index.htm -- magnetic disk recorder circa 1954 -- Note - the disks in that product could be 'folded' ! ). Fontaine Futuristics also had a planned mini-jukebox-like answering machine that could record upto 99 2-minute messages using the same technology and a similar product proposed for upgrading public announcement systems.
The building foundations on this Map are an extra level deep ( the supporting concrete actually goes down alot further ). High-rise buildings need to be anchored deeper to support their larger size and the extra force against their sides by Ocean currents. The ridiculously tall decorative towers ( presented as 30+ stories high ) increase those forces significantly ( leverage is working against the structure ). Some extra floor levels are included to show sections of the taller buildings ( the towers and the 6+ floors of the Fontaine Futuristics main building ). The various modes of transport (Trolley/ AE Train/ Bathysphere) are also located on varying floor levels.
Fontaine's building has alot of hidden passages and rooms, to hide various activities ( ontop of the maze of utility ways and basement/foundation tunnels and the connections to the 'special' testing labs and Persephone ).
"Plasmid Laboratory" - a room you in-game go into (drop thru the ceiling) which has no doors to get personnel in or out of it, ( I doubt that they used Teleportation for the 'doctors'. ) So I added one, connecting to the likely accessway ( which in BS2 is pretty well wrecked ).
There is a tunnel in the Live Test Facility ( water leaking/pouring out of it ) that does not seem to go anywhere, and looks to have been sealed up. It may have been for an intended facility extension eastwards which was never built.
The "Plasmid Test Building" - where the "Unstable Teleport Plasmid" goes ... A multi-storied building located a sufficiently safe distance from the main building complex. Used for various Plasmid trials/tests away from where 'accidents' might interfere with other projects. A number of the more violent combat Plasmids were perfected at this location. If unfortunate circumstances required it, the whole test building could be instantly flooded, killing any uncontrollable test subjects. A long tunnel in the foundation level with a Tram connects this test site with the 'Live Test Facility Cell Block' and the Central Building. The Tram was used to haul heavy test equipment, repair materials, Test Subjects, and bodies to/from the Test Site. The Tram is similar to the one that Fontaine used to move contraband from Smugglers Hideout to Arcadia for 'distribution'.
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For the MMORPG, this location would hold untold piles of goodies the players would want to 'salvage', but being so well known, there would have to be some reason it hasn't been already been picked clean. Perhaps it is one of the last strongholds of 'The Family', and/or horrendous results of the ADAM experiments still lurk there to make parts of it quite hazardous. Alexander the Great ( did you let him Live, or are you sure he was actually Dead ? ) might still hold court in that other section. Various Splicer factions might have similar designs to plunder its treasures ( and you likely will run into them or their booby traps ). Just getting into the facility requires diving suits and getting 'goodies' out poses difficulties.
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Oddity for Fontaine Futuristics level
Gil Alexander is playing his message on the TV ( near the first airlock ) and even if you immediately enter the Ocean thru the airlock ( and it fills with water and you are walking out there ) the message  still continues playing - you never picked up any Audio Diary ( not likely for people to carry radios for the message to continue ).   Could have been simple to have the door closed/locked until the message was finished.    Minor detail... Over analysis ...
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Another is Gil Alexander's 'Sane' pre-recordings.  All very dramatic, but how does he know that the right person is hearing it ( One able to get to him and kill him ???  And not some of Sofia Lamb's minions, who will just eliminate his plea - Sofia having ordered it just because Gil might be a threat to her, if released ).  
The airlock passage requires a diving suit and we see those Splicers on the Station side. So there must be another way to connect thru to it, like one of my sewer/utility tunnels underneath -- same goes for Persephone - its being supplied/staffed.
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ADAM Usage Dropping (by BS1 Time) ? :
The Pheromone Control thing may have greatly lowered the need for the quantity of ADAM, as the fighting largely ended, and the Splicers were calmed down. Similarly such 'control' might help to mediate the addiction effects of Splicers WANTING ADAM.  That would be a reason for Fontaine Futuristics ( Now re-lableled "Ryan Futuristics" ) being closed, with Little Sisters unloading their ADAM ( however that works ) at Ryan's other facilities. The abandoned place was later reactivated under Sofia Lamb and later became the haunt of Alex The Great.
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Fontaine Futuristics may have needed 'alternate' ways to collect biochemicals and other such substances. The Free Clinic obviously collected Human Blood ( in this instance voluntarily ). But this may also have been 'a front' for more than a little low-level testing for FF products ( ie - Seeing if various experimental products poisoned people ). Such testing possibly being done without the victim's knowledge. Possibly it even later allowed a way to MAKE/affect various 'Down and Out' people ( Think- whom is the cliche persons who 'gives blood' ) crazy enough to follow troublemakers like Atlas.
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