The AI Stuck Within A Game

[@Zomgtforly]

That A.I. sounds like it's living in a cyclical hell. They gain sentience, and then the realization that each and every time that a person in their dreamscape they're there to kill them. That's damn horrifying.

[@vampire9545]

So IRL

[@jimmymay7884]

​@vampire9545 bro what? People are tryna kill you in your dreams?💀

[@PInnHeAd]

@@jimmymay7884 1.. 2 he is coming for you!

[@lordfatcock]

Kinda. More like it's someone's subconscious that's been completely broken. These games are not scary but just soul-crushingly depressing.

[@linin7446]

soma is another game that gave me that cyclical feeling

[@kuturu]

Wish this becomes a regular series! Your narration is soothing and you always reccomend very interesting games

[@VirtualCarbon]

much appreciated!

[@funnyperson4027]

@@VirtualCarbonyou have me hooked. Also the synths used in the background really fit the mood. Thank you

[@forrestpatterson6053]

I agree. this is my first video and the voice is VERY soothing.

[@jimconner3983]

lol i like the comments on youtube. cracks me up. might as well just tell him "cute voice bro!"

[@forrestpatterson6053]

@@jimconner3983 lmfaooooo you ain’t entirely wrong.

[@neptunianRefrain]

i watched manlybadasshero play mothered AGES ago, i didn't know there was more to it! the entire enigma studios lore seems so interesting, can't wait to see it unfold further.

[@ANlMOSlTY]

Ikr it's so interesting

[@havokmusicinc]

mbh is a great channel

[@Raizoken0]

oh my god I love manly

[@therobotjesterz]

Hello Aradia Megido

[@onioncutter]

i love that channel!

[@WobblesandBean]

"Mothered" is so sad. Liana, *_a child,_* has been forced to repeat this same cycle over and over. Her father literally sold his daughter's mind to be poked and prodded, and eventually go insane. No wonder she went on a rampage, most people would in her situation.

[@howdoichangemyprofilepictu9839]

The classic brain in a jar isolationist horror trope! Only this time you create the being being tortured 👍

[@Darker7]

He didn't sell *her,* he sold the technology of the android bodies he wanted to attach her soul to. He then even succeeded in fully attaching her CORE (soul) to one, but then Enigma Corporation found out about it and they didn't like it one bit, so they took her away and tried to figure out how to detach her soul from it, failed, then found a way of commercialising her into creating Dreamscapes :Ü™

[@kuro_renge]

​Not dreamscapes. Echoes.​ [DREAMSCAPE] is the programm that allows you to explore [ECHOES] created by [HER] @@Darker7

[@TheOneWayDown]

Stories with VR utopias always hit hard because when I was in the worst of my depression, that was all I wanted. To be shut away in a fake world and have my body rot away. There's still a part of me in there that wants that more than anything, to be given a reality that makes sense and feels right so I can finally stop fighting.

[@AroundTheBlockAgain]

I really appreciate the lack of jumpscares in any horror video or game, letting the storytelling get to actually horrifying you. Fascinating games, and a great overview video! Thank you!

[@Hypno_BPM]

i always love when video games play with the idea of you (the player) just following orders without thinking twice. Bioshock 1 comes to mind.

[@Xune2000]

That would be every FPS. Press F to pay respects.

[@jakomioftherose2434]

Would you kindly.

[@DarkBelial]

The reveal of her name being 'red' is really sad considering it was referring to the situation "code red" that her father mentioned, which both means that her memories don't go far enough to remember herself as Liana, and that she's the 'worst case situation' for what her parents wanted her to be, considering she's intentionally corrupted (I think so, at least)

[@Darker7]

I disagree, let me compile and transcribe the relevant lines: »Without a CORE… the vessels I've been working on are merele machines, androids with no real purpose other than what they're told…‹ › …but if I can *contaminate their interface with a human's CORE,* this could be the key to creating a sentient synthetic lifeform.« (memory_leak#3) »UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES can we retire these units once they've hit 100% CONTAMINATION.‹ › That scenario is what I'm referring to as a CODE RED.« (memory_leak#10) To summarise: "Contamination" refers to having a human CORE (soul) overtake an Enigma Machine's interface and a Code Red is when that process is complete, i.e. the human soul is completely attached to the android and has assumed full control. Code Red is the *goal* he's aiming for, not a failure state :Ü™

[@killertofu586]

Her AI was intentionally "contaminated" but the 100% contamination was where he said that it absolutely couldn't be killed. I think because he did believe that meant she was as close to Liana as it would get...? Not entirely sure, but I'm also not sure if reaching 100% contamination was intentional either.

[@the_lizardface]

I think he said her name was "Rhett" not "Red"

[@mariecarie1]

@@the_lizardfaceit’s Red. It’s mentioned the interface in the first game

[@the_lizardface]

@@mariecarie1 oh okay. I was going off what his name was

[@elvis5384]

There's a certain bliss to horror, in a way, it's fascinating.

[@amazingman249]

Explains exactly how I think of it

[@QuantumTelephone]

Yes. That's how I describe Silent Hill 2

[@Hypno_BPM]

i think the fear of unknown and all the ideas i have of it is the fascinating part of horror. that’s why horror being over explained usually ruins it.

[@stjeep]

i get easily scared yet i seek things that scare me, i like the feeling

[@elvis5384]

Yeah, it's strange isn't it? The feeling of the unknown, feeling alone yet being unsure if you are. Being alone with your own thoughts, with no one in sight, but the cries and whimpers of animals in the dark, maybe it's the primal part in us, a part that we thought as long gone, but a part that's still there, longing for home, for closure. Maybe that horror is home, it's where we started from, in our earliest of days, long before language, long before thought, in the dark depths of the ocean, or in the dark woods of the forest, or among baren rocks and cliffs. It's the unknown, and the familiar, both in one, in symbiosis.

[@richardduba9151]

There are next to no coverage of any game from the Enigma trilogy and definitely barely anyone who actually care to approach it properly. Great channel with good execution and a careful selection of topics. Echostasis is the no.1 game I'm waiting for since years now and it's still not done. The presentation of all these games are pretty much perfect. Everything makes sense and each aspect of it's presentation are coherent with each other. The market is certainly there for these games, so I'm rooting for Echostasis to be released and happy that it got some spotlight by aware individuals like you.

[@jdog1944]

Brother stay strong, You will one day be one of the big ones.

[@VirtualCarbon]

[@banquetoftheleviathan1404]

lamont, it's the big one, i'm commin elizabeth!

[@drphiI]

i have to applaud the developer. they're combining vaporwave aesthetics, dystopian scifi, horror, and what seems like archival clips and footage [like in the beginning of echostasis] into these games. it's like playing a harlan ellison novel; great stuff all around. you're great too, virtual carbon! your aesthetic, presentation and respect for your viewers' intelligence is much appreciated; subscribed!

[@vodkasvoice]

WAIT. Mothered was the finale of a trilogy??? Holy shit, I never knew! Thank you so much for this video!

[@Mana-Pixel]

it's a prequel but ok

[@vodkasvoice]

@@Mana-Pixel Oh yeah, it is, but I meant, like... it was the third release in the series.

[@DiogenesTheCynic.]

@@vodkasvoice Echostatsis isn't out yet, that was a standalone demo. So Mothered is technically the 2nd, and there is still its secret DLCquel in the Haunted PS1 2022 Demo Disc.

[@BlumpkinBigchop]

@@Mana-PixelBuT oKaY, chill hormones

[@titoh8952]

i think the retro/pixel ps1 polygon style of games/movies is one of the best things i've ever seen in my whole life

[@lisamona6208]

I found it sad at first with how it seemed liana was reawakened inside of her own android body this whole time but couldn’t say anything or show signs to her parents that she was there unlimately making her own mother give up on her coming back. Now I have almost 2 theories of how mothered connects to echo statis 1 the one who potentially freed HER was her own family members like her brother or parents seeing what torture she been through to unlimately set her free. 2 the subject who died and had his core fused into HER could potentially be her own brother or father- as in the secret code it said she needed 3 cores to do a ‘ritual’ maybe it was her own family members she either wants to be reunited again or resent for never accepting HER as they’re family. Either way it’s super interesting seeing this grand story, This upcoming game looks awsome! And I can’t wait for more content!

[@karrr69420]

The second one is crazy, but it coukd make sense. Like her wanting to spend eternity with her family would make sense. And since everything in this series seems deliberate.i dont think 3 is a random number.

[@schurfgebietwindra33]

Oh, wow! I only knew mothered, I wasn't aware that there's a whole series of games! Thank you for making this, this video is very well produced!

[@ghost57444]

i love this guy so much, i found him last week and ive binge watched so many of your videos. love everything about all of them, props dude.

[@dragonheartrave7687]

I absolutely love these games and Echostasis has gotta be my favorite. The idea of being in this "bubble" with the ability to fabricate our perfect world but can be lost in it forever without you even knowing? Its fascinating, and horrific at the same time.

[@Daisythepage]

6:20 for me it’s horrific because they’re essentially butting things that are essentially people (but digital) and not treating them like people If you make something meant to be human and don’t treat it like a person that’s the only time it’s harmful. If something is human artificially created or not it’s still a horrific life to not be treated like a person!

[@vhsman3323]

I love this form of horror. It seems almost peaceful and bittersweet.

[@liambalogun]

ive been into these games for awhile! thank you so much for covering this! there is actually a sequel to mothered called mothered home! to access it you have to have the haunted PS1 demo disk installed then have a completed save file from mothered and launch the demo of mothered and it will load up mothered home :)

[@DarkwaveMistress]

Glad someone made such a good synthesis of these games.

[@fooshfoosh1809]

your channel is severely underrated! great content

[@LillianGraceFullofficial]

Fr

[@jessicamitchell6276]

I can not get over how good this channel is. I am always watching your videos while I work or when I am working out. If you get a Patreon, I'll pay monthly for this. I can see this going into many places and being huge

[@SwaggyG_2102]

I came across your Liminal Land video a while back, and I must say that I really love how well-edited your videos are. I can tell that Nexpo acted as a major influence on your channel.

[@sarene6939]

The intro graphics/selection screem were spine tinglingly delicious. Fantastic analysis, and insightful commentary as well, always looking forward to your content! 🙌

[@michaelprobably]

always love your videos your editing and narration is insane! so underrated

[@quoxa]

soon as i saw the lilith thumbnail i knew i had to watch

[@legba7550]

"we wake up in a room" Instantly my mind: "A rubber room"

[@NanaShaCrash]

One of the things that kiiiind of bugs me about "analog horror" is when the video game uses tracking or fuzz/distortion in the full screen of the game, when that is more of a common look for things like viewing Beta or VHS tapes because of the fact that it is a MAGNETIC TAPE. The fuzz and static can also be attributed to things like radio or "rabbit ears" TV. But this is very uncommon for anything on a computer. More like, there should be "fuzz" from the CRT that blurs things together a bit more, and gives you a better view of the "pixels" of the screen. It's interesting that a lot of people who are making games do not know the difference between these two things. A lot of people forget about punch card computers too. That was a bit before my time but my father told me all about how they worked, and it fascinates me. I grew up in a strange time when typewriters and old accordion style cameras were still being used sometimes, but then we had newer and newer computers as well. It always has fascinated me how these things lose a lot of their context leaving the "feeling" of these things used in creative and unusual ways.

[@Qwertymnbvcxzygc]

The combo between atmospheric music and narration about interesting topics is gold

[@Kyletheguyle]

The first one was actually my favorite video by you!! Watched it four times lol really excited to see this one too!!

[@itsbenjibrand]

Stumbled upon your channel by accident and so glad I did. The quality of your content, the presentation format and your voice keeps me watching. Thanks for doing what you do Virtual Carbon!!

[@VirtualCarbon]

Thank you so much! means a lot!

[@sofia_g23]

This video draws you in so quickly! Thanks for this deep dive.

[@bransturgery1543]

Thank you for covering this. The games are excellent but I had such a hard time piecing all the information together.

[@austindecaux7895]

Wow you got this vid out quick! Please make more of these videos they're absolutely great c: Seeing you released this made my morning 😮

[@spadesshark581]

I absolutely love this series! Keep up the amazing work

[@DokDo1995]

Great video...Its nice seeing someone putting some light on some obscure horror games...

[@Justalildude]

Best channel ive come across in a good while! Keep up the amazing work!!!!

[@bondvar]

I love this series, its really interesting and your editing is on another level. keep it up, I would very love to see a 3rd volume...

[@canariawing]

when i first watched a playthrough of mothered (shoutout to manlybadasshero) the story of it really stuck with me. it was really gripping from start to finish. i remember not liking the 'sequel' because i felt like it took away from the story the first game was telling. i'm glad i was finally able to learn more about the games connected to mothered tho, i'm looking forward to the full version of echostasis!

[@freshglizzy3763]

I think you'd like 'White chamber'. The game is from 2005 and has always been really niche. I think it'd make for a good video.

[@anqi100]

"Enigma programed me to like the color blue" Very small detail, but red and blue are usually paired, and given that her name was "Red", it's natural they would make her like the "opposite color" (if that makes any sense).

[@Saint_Dan132]

Part 2 you say. Hmmm I know how I will be spending my time for the next few hours, loving your work. From Scotland with love ❤

[@thierrylafronde9280]

These video games are visually amazing

[@mariecarie1]

Absolutely adore these games. I’ve watched playthroughs of all the games, and now I kind of want to stream them. They’re just gorgeous and so well done, and such an interesting way of storytelling.

[@joshwainscott2303]

You are one of my favorite channels I watch rn, how do you not have more subs? Editing is top notch

[@akijinchan]

Oooh the vibe is immaculate, let me watch this when I get the time Your videos seem like an experience

[@novideoscorp]

god i didnt expect this video to be on that game that ManlyBadAssHero once played, "mothered"...it left such a huge impression on me, theres nothing like it, its something i would dream...

[@BestoFriendoCassidy]

LETS FUCKING GO. The one channel I have bell turned on.

[@zeezzz2989]

Evangelion reference🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯

[@chriscofer6780]

Lilith

[@bunybooo]

as to the last game it reminded me of a movie The Trouble with Being Born. also features kids androids with unsettling connotations.

[@Raphsophomes]

Pretty sure they releases another one. I have returned after waiting for an entire year, this was so underrated

[@nospace5109]

hey man neat video essay, definitely looking forward to watching your other posts

[@Wildoutness]

1:00 You knew what you were doing to the child my inner child when you played this noise.

[@t.t.k132]

No way, no way this channel has 28k subscribers This video looks like it was produced from a channel that has 500k subs, hope you get that number of subs soon man

[@VessiaKeyes]

Lovely channel and amazing voice ❤

[@VirtualCarbon]

Thank u!

[@Terrariadude11]

I know I’m late to the party but I’m loving the content so far and I can’t wait to see the new and old videos!

[@HeatherHolt]

It’s still so crazy to me such top tier content exists on KZbin. 👏👏

[@Madamebunni]

heyy! youtube shunned me but glad im in the discord

[@FiresAndFoxes]

30 midroll ads is insane i was trying to sleep to this but that isnt happening

[@michaelprobably]

also, would absolutely love an in-depth video from you about the game SOMA play it if you havent already, seems right up your alley :)

[@gt4666master]

Soma took a lot of cues (especially the underwater habitat) from the Rifters trilogy by Peter Watts Please PLEASE read Starfish if you're into scifi, its so good, I try to read it twice a year. I guarantee it will stick with you for a long time

[@buukaczi]

Your hair looks stoopid

[@vanilla7349]

​@@gt4666master your comment may be 6 months old but it still managed to convince someone today :) thank you for the recommendation

[@themanwalkstheearth]

To be honest this is more accurate to transhumanist technology not artificial intelligence the fusing of both human and technology to the point where we don't know whether to question it as human or machine basically machine with the mind of a human and scary enough transhumanist technology is possible and this game really does a good job of showing that in my opinion

[@karrr69420]

Well yes. In the world of this series it seems ful AI has been achieved and they are common. And lina's father created the first transhuma android.Its the enigma corporation that says its just AI

[@elementallobsterx]

13:19 punk/analog horror/avant-garde moment

[@GameIT.]

OMG dude! I thought you stopped uploading videos 😅 I didn't get a single YT notification from your channel for some reason. I'm glad I decided to look up your channel.

[@FlantisFroggu]

The quality and visuals of these videos are the kind I would as a dev see as an award if I was featured in it. I don't remember what these kind of award shows were called on TV, I only remember they looked into the award winning content itself and analyzed it rather than just giving it an award, and it was a lot more opinionated from the show's host. (Rather than just being what the audience thinks)

[@FatherMcKenzie66]

What an amazing video man, keep it up! I can’t wait to watch the next one!

[@Rebecca-lr6qw]

Excellent video, so interesting!

[@netiii]

Was surprised to recognize one of the games! Thanks manlybadasshero 😂

[@noodles2459]

This is a great video covering these games

[@zeotex2851]

yo wtf this game series is massively underrated

[@TakeMeToYoFishmonger]

34:12 my personal belief about the second game is that you are playing as the dude from the first game, feeling guilty and deciding to help red with her goals

[@virgo4200]

i love your narration your voice is calming

[@swordguy1243]

Not gonna lie that neon cross goes hard

[@ZaTheLean]

yo 2 minutes ago great vdeo btw! I found out about ur channel from morbidforfun

[@TealDiamond42222]

I thought of a game where an ai has multiple options and it makes a decision based off those commands and an NPC, causes it to happen so the player is not in full control

[@MadameSomnambule]

The static on the screens make me think of my grandma’s Atari 2600 hooked up through RF. My dad’s Commodore 64 also has an RF port as well as A/V output. While the vhs effects aren’t common in computers, they’re not too out of place in much older pcs and consoles that have radio frequency based audio and video input.

[@finn_in_the_bin5263]

24:21 im fucking fascinated by this idea and i want someone to do a deep dive on it, it sounds so cool in theory but what about future consequences? How do you interact with other people, find love, procreate, make a family? Would humanity simply cease to interact and die off in a quiet extinction? Or would there be ways to connect the 'echoes' so people could still meet and interact? And what about the outside world- would there be any returning to it, leaving your Paradise for mundane chores and self-maintenance like food, showers, etc? And if so how would they incentivize people to leave literal paradise for that? Would they just let them rot in their bubbles, unwilling to leave their perfect worlds to maintain their physical forms??

[@annawanna5995]

I think it's supposed to be solitary in nature, creating artificial beings you can interact with instead. Interacting with other people could be done outside of the program only. While I don't know if it's escapable or permanent, the user seems fine in their pod, and doesn't seem to have to leave to feed or to otherwise care for their basic needs like feeding or cleaning themselves.

[@buukaczi]

Perfect paradise won't do cuz people would wake up in the pods.

[@dharkbizkit]

echo in second game is exactly my dream scenario. it would solve so many problems for almost every human on earth, yet if such a thing will ever exist, it will happen after my lifetime and that really depressing

[@LUX-AmbientMusic]

Great video VC👍

[@plentyoflulu4694]

commenting for each piece : RN i'm at the Enigma machine, but this feel like an esploration of womanhood in a patriarchal society. With the esploration of it's name, the decision of making it's own body fem presenting , the way it was shut down, the fact that it was continued to use eve after shut down to learn how to break any other android with "undesirable traits".. let's see

[@plentyoflulu4694]

Echostasis : Yes , Get them Red!

[@plentyoflulu4694]

Welp, Mothered : I was wrong about Enigma machine on some bits, lore wise. I understand why i did missunderstood tho. This was an incredible story ngl

[@bulkinggod3872]

I wonder what you've been smoking 😂

[@Pineplle06]

It’s like a second Nexpo, and I love it

[@Serenity-f5n]

that whole series would make an interesting tv show/series

[@JoanWhack]

This is the plot to the first half of the movie A.I Artificial Intelligence.

[@coyoteartist]

I have seen something on Mothered elsewhere, but I'd no ider that it was part of a trilogy. Explains a lot.

[@TheGreyShaman]

Dang, the dreamscapes and how you enter into them is eerily similar to our own construct of time

[@jarate8076]

why is Lilith in the thumbnail

[@_counterspell]

you've been looking for her lately haven't you

[@KvngKongg]

Swear🤣 I had to click

[@Lillitu666]

Yeah why am I in the thumbnail?

[@jarate8076]

@@Lillitu666 ur not her

[@Ralodosmovo]

I dig your personalized video game graphic at the start. '_~

[@JaxkGoesHeavy]

Babe wake up Virtual Carbon posted

[@TheCoreyWolfe]

I need more of this I beg @Virtual Carbon

[@WhiteFox-ce8ep]

Great video as always.

[@uhhhvangel8393]

love ur sound engineering smm,,,

[@Wheresmy240]

You've def earned my subscription

[@RobStuff420]

Very good video!

[@DozensOfVictims-ek5ll]

Love the sounds.

[@zarkc4]

Sick intro...

[@ulyssesk7325]

i seee the lines in my head, this creates a compressive artefact....

[@Victor-xv7jh]

This looks dope!!! ❤

[@travisleabeck2572]

Nice relaxing presentation with well paced commentary. I have one criticism about the editing that i hope you'll take into account. The constant bloom effect that is pervading throughout the entire video is a little too much. Your editing is well paced and the effects and coloring look good overall, but the bloom is making this a difficult single sitting watch as long form content.

[@sugarpolecat4781]

The world Jamie crafted is interesting and intriguing and creepy as heck at the same time, but some parts are hard to digest especially in Mothered when you're discovering the reality of your situation the game's pace goes way too slow in my opinion. Great video though, you got it all condensed into almost 1hr so that's impressive!

[@0therun1t21]

These are beautiful games, I'd love to play them. Thanks!