Mirror, Mirror/Shepard's Glen

Post by **AuraTwilight** » 21 Oct 2008

I'm not trying to question you, just honestly curious especially since I love old European myth.

Sorry, I'm not sure where I read it. I do know that it kind've evolved into the whole vampire reflection thing.

Post by **SHACKled89451** » 27 Jan 2009

Sorry, I'm not sure where I read it. I do know that it kind've evolved into the whole vampire reflection thing.

Makes you wonder if maybe Alex's distorted reflection is some sort of variation of the vampire reflection myth... That effect just really stands out to me, it's one of the little touches that made certain parts of this game feel more like a dream state than a game at times.. I remember having several dreams, or nightmares, where I would go to look in the mirror and i would see either a blurred image of myself, or something totally different staring back at me. Great touch by DH IMO.

tooblekaine · Post by **tooblekaine** » 05 Feb 2009

I don't think there's a big mystery to the mirror here. As a game programmer myself, I can tell you that mirrored images are not actually additional geometry in the scene being rendered behind the wall (as I suspect the mirror Heather encounters in SH3). Rather, they are textures like any other texture. It is a photograph taken from the perspective of the reflected surface and instantaneously applied as a texture to the mirrored object. Now, for whatever reason, most likely for processing speed purposes, this is not a very detailed, hi-res image, which, obviously, just makes it look blurry. But I wouldn't read any symbolism into it. I found this same exact mirroring "effect" happened in GTA IV as well.

TheRedOne · Post by **TheRedOne** » 06 Feb 2009

Maybe so... But there's also a lack of furniture when looking in Alex's home's mirrors, yet when at the police station, every item within the room can be seen in the mirror.

Was it just an error, or something more?

Post by **True Darkness** » 04 Mar 2009

most likely just an error. Programming games is hard work an takes alot of time and attention. It does seem appearant that DH wasnt as attentive with the game and didnt notice some small effects and glithes that seem to make it in (though I have no prob with glitches, but alot of ppl have) team silent put alot more effort into silent hill games when they were doing them it seemed. So the reflection could just be something they never checked over. I wouldnt be able to think up or find any importance to empty space in your fuzzy reflection.

Post by **SHACKled89451** » 05 Mar 2009

Tooblekaine wrote:I don't think there's a big mystery to the mirror here. As a game programmer myself, I can tell you that mirrored images are not actually additional geometry in the scene being rendered behind the wall (as I suspect the mirror Heather encounters in SH3). Rather, they are textures like any other texture. It is a photograph taken from the perspective of the reflected surface and instantaneously applied as a texture to the mirrored object. Now, for whatever reason, most likely for processing speed purposes, this is not a very detailed, hi-res image, which, obviously, just makes it look blurry. But I wouldn't read any symbolism into it. I found this same exact mirroring "effect" happened in GTA IV as well.

Don't forget.....

PRIME_BBCODE_SPOILER_SHOW PRIME_BBCODE_SPOILER:

In the otherworld Shepard house, in the upstairs bedrooms, Alex has no reflection at all...

And forgive me, but having programming experience doesn't nessecarily validate your argument, nor does anything I say validate mine. Considering Alex seems to have a severe identity crisis, I would say it's likely there is more to the blurry mirror images than you may think there is.

Post by **phantomess** » 13 Mar 2009

thelonebamf wrote: I wasn't sure whether or not that was something that was ever done on uniforms, or whether it was just another "oooh, something isn't right" detail.

Oh, it's normal. It's so the flag looks like it's flowing (or so I've heard). If a flag was being carried into battle, it would flow back from the pole as it moved forward. Unless the wind was blowing it the other way...

Post by **SHACKled89451** » 24 Mar 2009

TheRedOne wrote:Maybe so... But there's also a lack of furniture when looking in Alex's home's mirrors, yet when at the police station, every item within the room can be seen in the mirror.

Was it just an error, or something more?

Never noticed that before.. The mirrors in the Shepard house creep me out...

Post by **Miasma** » 29 Mar 2009

SHACKled89451 wrote: Don't forget.....

PRIME_BBCODE_SPOILER_SHOW PRIME_BBCODE_SPOILER:
In the otherworld Shepard house, in the upstairs bedrooms, Alex has no reflection at all...

Ugh, I was about to check that, but I totally forgot. I noticed that there's no mirrors at all on their OW bathroom and totally forgot to check that mirror, thinking the only ones they had were in bathroom. Could somebody post a picture or something of that mirror in other world? I don't have save files where I'd be near OW Shepherd house.

Post by **Mis Krist.** » 29 Mar 2009

Darth Tacos wrote:Okay then. The point is you're going to be lost. I don't think it was meant to be rude.

The point is, he wasn't in a military hospital. He was in hospital for mental illnesses. Which is why a trans-oribtal lobotomy was scheduled for him.

This is why I don't think that ending is anywhere near canon or real--lobotomies are illegal nowadays (in developed countries, anyway). They have been for two decades. And if they aren't illegal, they're not practiced mostly because they don't do much good at all. Whether Homecoming makers bothered to do their research on that or not is another matter.

Back on topic: I did notice this about the mirrors, as well as Alex no being in the OW Shepherd house mirror. I didn't even think anything of it, oddly enough.

Post by **Nyarlathotep** » 29 Mar 2009

Krist. wrote: This is why I don't think that ending is anywhere near canon or real--lobotomies are illegal nowadays (in developed countries, anyway). They have been for two decades. And if they aren't illegal, they're not practiced mostly because they don't do much good at all. Whether Homecoming makers bothered to do their research on that or not is another matter.

Not to derail the topic, but, I believe Alex does comment on this fact during the hospital segment, when you read a certain note.

Post by **Mis Krist.** » 29 Mar 2009

^ Does he say how they don't do that anymore? Because if so then I just love that woobie bastard all the more :3 Daww. And if he contradicts me then I'll lulz at my comprehension fail. Either way it's fun times for me.

Also, someone mentioned this:

>I don't know if this is significant, but with all the talk about mirrors and reflections- did anyone notice the flag on Alex's uniform is flipped? It's not upside down (distress signal) it's just... backwards

I thought I'd seen something like that before, but I asked a pal of mine who's all up on this shaz and he'd never heard of such a thing, so now I'm sort of second guessing myself. But now that I think of it... wouldn't it look that way to someone who looks at a uniform in a mirror? D:

Post by **Nyarlathotep** » 29 Mar 2009

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/3531/lobotomy.png

Huh, even earlier on in the area than I had thought. It's the first note in the game you read.

Post by **Mis Krist.** » 29 Mar 2009

Oh, Alex. First you know about Janus and now you're a creepo who knows about obsolete psychiatry procedures :3

Thank you very much for the screenshot, by the way! I don't know *how* I missed that memo.

Post by **phantomess** » 30 Mar 2009

Krist- again, it's normal for the flag to be backwards on a uniform (on one side). The side of the flag with the blue square- the spine, if you will- is always towards the front.

Post by **Mis Krist.** » 30 Mar 2009

^ See, that's what I thought, too, but as I said, I second guessed myself. Thanks, Krista

Post by **SHACKled89451** » 01 May 2009

Krist. wrote:
Darth Tacos wrote:Okay then. The point is you're going to be lost. I don't think it was meant to be rude.

The point is, he wasn't in a military hospital. He was in hospital for mental illnesses. Which is why a trans-oribtal lobotomy was scheduled for him.
This is why I don't think that ending is anywhere near canon or real--lobotomies are illegal nowadays (in developed countries, anyway). They have been for two decades. And if they aren't illegal, they're not practiced mostly because they don't do much good at all. Whether Homecoming makers bothered to do their research on that or not is another matter.

Back on topic: I did notice this about the mirrors, as well as Alex no being in the OW Shepherd house mirror. I didn't even think anything of it, oddly enough.

Have you ever had a dream, (or nightmare) where you were able to look into a mirror?

If so, was you're reflection accurate?

thats what this effect reminded me of... haunting...

Post by **Ekamp** » 02 May 2009

I just thought of the reflection as lazy. THere are a lot of graphical problems in this game.

Maybe there's a meaning behind geometry disappearing when it isn't even out of view yet?! =O

Post by **Krysta** » 02 May 2009

indeed, blame the bad programming. On the PS3 it was very bad, on PC it was lot better. Due to the diffrent shaders usage, if you know what I mean...

Post by **ww_andi** » 18 May 2009

I have not had any issues with my ps3 copy.

Also on subject i think the mirrored effect was intentional. I mean they put an image of a fetus inside of the nurses for Pete's sake. Something that most of the time will go unnoticed. It wasn't until my fourth play through that i saw it.

Also i loved when Alex admitted to killing six people in Shepard's glen before he was institutionalized.

That was for Shackled

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