Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines
Encyclopedia
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, abbreviated as Bloodlines or VTMB, is a computer role-playing game for Windows
developed by Troika Games
in 2004
. Like Activision
's Vampire: The Masquerade – Redemption, Bloodlines is set in White Wolf, Inc.
's Vampire: The Masquerade
universe also known as the World of Darkness
(WoD), but it is not a sequel to the earlier game. The game allows the player to choose one of several different vampire clans and progress through the game according to the different strengths and weaknesses of the player's character, as in its paper and pencil role playing origins.
Although Bloodlines divided critics at the time of release, it retains a popular cult following
. It is also notable for being the first game along with Half-Life 2
to use Valve's Source engine
. The game can be played from either the first-person
or third-person shooter
perspective. It is also Troika Games' third title and the last to be made before Troika closed down in February 2005
.
or female
vampire character of one of seven Camarilla clans. Players can choose to manually pick the clan their character will join and their character's stats, or they can answer a series of questions to be assigned stats. Once a character has been created, the introductory sequence begins with an in-game cinematic of a lascivious vampire Sire 'Embracing' the player's character; draining the character of blood, and beginning the player's transformation into a vampire. Shortly after the Embrace, both the player and their Sire are captured by the Los Angeles Camarilla for what is revealed to have been an unauthorized act, violating the organization's strict rules on vampire creation. The player's Sire is executed at the order of the Prince, Sebastian LaCroix, who is the leader of the Camarilla in Los Angeles. The player is spared a similar fate when Nines Rodriguez, a Brujah who was in the audience as a representative of the Anarch community, jumps up and calls out the Prince, who then relents.
and third person
perspective
s. The player character's ability to overcome obstacles is in many cases a mixture of player and character abilities, with character stats determining the effectiveness of actions, and player abilities determining whether or not the actions succeed. For example, the ability to move silently and avoid being detected is heavily influenced by the character's Dexterity
and Stealth ratings; however, if the player does not stay in the shadows while sneaking past enemies, the character can still be detected.
The player character increases in power dramatically during the course of the game through the expenditure of earned experience point
s on attributes, skills, and vampire abilities called "Disciplines". A multitude of item
s, weapon
s, and book
s can be found or purchased to make the player character even more powerful.
Melee and ranged weapons exist in equal numbers, although only in the later stages of the game.
How the player interacts with the game world varies depending upon which clan the player character belongs to. Differences range from different dialogue options becoming available to certain quests becoming available or unavailable. The most notable gameplay differences are experienced by those who play as Malkavian (due to their insanity, dialogue options are often non sequiturs, making it difficult to conduct conversations and negotiations; Malkavians also encounter numerous bizarre moments during gameplay, such as television sets and stop signs speaking to them) and Nosferatu (who, in order to avoid Masquerade violations, are prohibited from speaking to humans and who do not have access to any gameplay options involving seduction).
Unlike most CRPGs, the experience needed to increase stats and skills is not awarded for killing enemies. Experience points are awarded solely for completing quests, no matter how many creatures the player eliminates in the process (though the quest objective often involves killing). This encourages the player to complete quests in creative ways and significantly increases the game's replay value
.
The game invokes two other unique penalties and rewards for certain behaviors in the game's non-quest (i.e. non-combat) areas. Players are penalized for exhibiting vampiric abilities in front of humans by the loss of Masquerade points, which can also be reinstated by performing actions to protect the Masquerade. If the player loses 5 Masquerade points, the game ends. Also, the player is able to gain and lose "humanity" points, which have an impact on how well the character can be controlled when his or her blood supply is low. This can potentially cause the character to go into a feeding frenzy at the wrong time which in turn can lead to Masquerade violations. Humanity points are awarded for acts of kindness, such as finding alternatives to killing certain NPCs. They can be taken away if the player character kills a human outside a combat zone (or even sometimes within a combat zone if the human is a noncombatant), intentionally or not, or if the character commits an unethical deed such as stealing money from a charity. Unlike Masquerade points, the game does not end if the player humanity level drops to zero, but the player's character is almost certain to enter frenzy when it is this low, and some dialog options may change. Experience points can be used to purchase humanity points. Having a very high or very low humanity affects some conversation options.
n Sarcophagus
, believed to contain the body of an ancient vampire (Antediluvian) in torpor
. As the various factions of L.A. conspire to obtain this artifact, or to foil each others' attempts to do so, the player must decide whom to trust: Prince Sebastian LaCroix, Regent Maximillian Strauss, the Anarchs, the Kuei-Jin, or only him/herself.
However, the in-game storyline does not change regardless of what is done, and all the core missions still need to be completed. For example, if the player decides to side with the Anarchs, they will still need to obey Prince LaCroix, as they are told to act like they are still loyal. The only storyline-affecting choice is when the character chooses his or her allegiance near the end of the game, though prior choices can affect which of these allegiances are available.
archaeologist Dr. Johansen, and was on its way to an American museum for examination. Bloody handprints on its surface found while onboard the Elizabeth Dane indicate it may have been opened from the inside. The Vampires of Los Angeles circulate rumors that the sarcophagus held an Antediluvian, a third-generation vampire, one of the eldest and most powerful in existence, and also a sign of Gehenna
, the Vampire "end of days" scenario. The vast majority of them believe that it should never be opened, or destroyed entirely. Beckett believes it to hold nothing more sinister than the mummy of an Assyria
n king, a hypothesis confirmed by Dr. Johansen, who however brings to note that this king was attributed with 250 years worth of achievements. While he notes that previous royal names were probably just erased, or that the name was passed onto subsequent generations, he chuckles at the idea that the king could have lived to 250 years of age. The surface murals depict figures drinking bowls of blood, which Dr. Johansen stipulates was more of a result of rituals or simply the royalty's way of dealing with porphyric
disorders, rather than any proof that whatever lies inside is a vampire.
. The dialogue for this changes slightly, depending on the player's clan and certain side quests.
and a Chinese
theater which complement the feel of each locale. Initially, the player is confined to the Santa Monica area until several early quest are completed, at which point the player is given access to a taxi cab that provides access to other areas.
, the blood-bank
and hospital, a local diner, several businesses including a bail bond agency the player can work for, the haunted Ocean House Hotel (includes many references from the 1980 movie "The Shining"), and several residences including the player's initial home base or "haven".
, the Elizabeth Dane was discovered by fishermen who received no replies to their radio hails. Maritime law enforcement agencies subsequently discovered signs of an incredibly violent struggle onboard, but they were unable to locate any remaining signs of the crew. Aside from a cracked container holding the Ankaran Sarcophagus and a stolen package, the police were unable to locate anything else of note. The name of the Elizabeth Dane is a reference to a ship with the same name in the 1980 horror film The Fog
.
chantry, among other areas of secondary interest, like the condemned hospital. Depending on choices made by the player he or she may be given a haven "upgrade", receiving access to either a forth floor apartment in the Skyeline building, the Chantry (Tremere), or in the sewers (Nosferatu), depending on the clan being played.
Under the Camarilla, each clan is led by a primogen
, usually the eldest representative in the city. Three are named in the game: Maximillian Strauss (Tremere
), Gary Golden (Nosferatu
) and Dr. Aleister Grout (Malkavian
).
, due to their idealistic tendencies. An Anarch who claims and keeps domain over an area is called a Baron. The only in-game Baron encountered is Isaac Abrams of Hollywood. Isaac, a Toreador, is far more civil than the typical Anarch, but nonetheless hates the Camarilla just as much. Therese Voerman, a Malkavian
, however, is not so loyal to the Anarchs and fancies herself the Camarilla Prince of Santa Monica. However, her 'sister' Jeanette, also a Malkavian, works alongside a Camarilla Nosferatu, Bertram Tung, to undermine Therese's attempts at becoming Prince of Santa Monica.
While Anarchs can be found in many North American cities, they are largely regarded as immature and foolish, unable to achieve anything on their own. However, an Anarch revolt in 1944 led to the slaying of Don Sebastian, the Toreador Prince of Los Angeles, and the establishment of the "Anarch Free States"—a zone on the West Coast where several large cities were put under Anarch control. This changed in the early 2000s, as a Kuei-Jin attack on L.A. weakened the Anarchs enough for Sebastian LaCroix to step in on behalf of the Camarilla. The fate of most of the previous Anarch leaders is unclear, but it is stated that the previous "leader" of the movement was slain by the Kuei-Jin.
The Last Round is a bar in downtown where the Anarchs Nines Rodriguez, Smiling Jack, Damsel, and Skelter gather.
named Andrei, who occupies the Hollowbrook Hotel in downtown. While the Camarilla and Anarchs agree, in principle, that Kindred should keep a low profile, Sabbat members flaunt their supernatural power for all to see. The Sabbat also perform diablerie, a highly illegal act among Kindred that consists of draining a fellow vampire to death and taking on the victim's power.
(also known as Cathayans) have gained a foothold in Los Angeles as part of a larger globalization drive spearheaded by their home authorities, and have taken the local vampiric population largely by surprise. The Kuei-Jin do not consider themselves Kindred in the Western sense, they consider themselves to be reborn for a purpose, but because of their similarities, they are referred to as Asian vampires. The locals look upon them as demons due to their wildly powerful abilities and differing worldview. Based in Chinatown, they are seen as dangerous invaders. The local leader, Ming-Xiao, resides in the Golden Temple.
officially began work on the game in November 2001
, but the nearly three-year-long production cycle was plagued by many problems. Because Valve's work on opponent AI
was not completed in time for Troika to show Bloodlines at a press event, Troika wrote their own AI routines, which never worked as well as the code that Valve eventually developed. Early attempts by Troika to create a multiplayer mode and levels working were unsuccessful and eventually the feature was abandoned. The original writing team was replaced midway through the project, causing most game levels and dialogs to be completely revised.
When Troika had not completed a playable Santa Monica hub with combat and discipline usage that met Activision
's satisfaction after more than two years of development time, the publisher took several steps to bring closure to the troubled project. First, Activision increased the budget to add Troika's second development team to the project in March 2004
, after they had completed work on The Temple of Elemental Evil
. Next, it sent the game's Activision producer and two testers to work on-site at Troika's offices until the game was completed. Finally, it set a deadline of September 15 for Troika to produce a Code Release Candidate.
Troika delivered the Code Release Candidate on the required date, though it left the development team in low morale
. Due to the game's size and complexity, the Code Release Candidate took three weeks to test, but on October 4, 2004, Bloodlines went Gold as Version 1.0. Since contractual obligations with Valve would interdict Bloodlines to be released before Valve's debut of the Source engine in Half-Life 2
, Activision did not publicly announce that the game had gone Gold and instead gave Troika an additional week to polish the game, after which Bloodlines Version 1.1 underwent another three weeks of testing.
The second version of Bloodlines shipped on November 16, 2004, the same day that Half-Life 2
was released. Valve's first-person shooter
, a hugely successful sequel, sold four million units by 2006. The original Half-Life had itself sold 12 million units by then. Earlier release plans were to postpone until Spring 2005 so that Bloodlines would not compete against a sequel to a blockbuster, with a large advertising budget and ready made loyal following during the already competitive Christmas season.
Bloodlines sales underperformed in the first few weeks, selling 72,000 units ($3.4 million) despite generally favorable reviews.
After Troika's disestablishment, Bloodlines became available from online distribution systems like GameTap
, Direct2Drive
and later Steam.
, Leonard Boyarsky
and Tim Cain
. Despite this, several employees continued to work without pay on the Version 1.2 patch
, which after three weeks was released on December 22, 2004.
Unable to find additional work, Troika disestablished itself in February 2005. As a result, direct support for the game ended. Community patches have been released as add-ons to the game, in order to fix errors and bugs that were not corrected by Troika due to the scope of the game and the subsequent closing of the developer, as well as to restore unreleased additional content found in the game files.
gave the game 8.4 out of 10, saying that the visuals and in-depth RPG elements were of high quality but the combat and especially the AI were lacking, and called it a "grand RPG but a flawed gem of a game".
Computer and Video Games
praised the game for its execution and flair, but resented it (and Activision) for the number of bugs and the discontinuation of technical support immediately after the game's release. They named it "the best buggy game ever".
Kieron Gillen of EuroGamer
admired the accomplished and "effortlessly intelligent" script, claiming that "no other game has come close. Nothing's even tried." However, he criticized the game for becoming repetitive in its final third, and for sporting a large amount of bugs on release, settling for a 7 out of 10 score.
But Lewis Denby of HonestGamers overlooked these flaws, stating that the game "may not be polished and may end with a sigh instead of a shout, but for its ambition alone it deserves stream after stream of compliments." He awarded the game 9 out of 10.
In the early months of 2009, the game experienced a significant revitalization, thanks in particular to its re-release on the Steam development service. Multiple sites (including Rock Paper Shotgun and Eurogamer) have done retrospectives praising the title as "a clever, multi-faceted RPG," and declaring that "it bristles with life and character." Writer Brian Mitsoda spoke with Rock, Paper, Shotgun regarding his work on the game, and his feelings regarding its rushed production and reception.
had lyrics written specifically for the game, it is a revised version of the song "So What". Some of the music in the game is not credited, including the main menu music.
The official soundtrack was released through Best Buy
stores for customers who pre-ordered the game. The tracks are as follows:
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
developed by Troika Games
Troika Games
Troika Games was a video game developer created by the key people behind the first of the critically acclaimed Fallout series of games. The company was focused on role-playing video games between 1998 and 2005, best known for Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura and Vampire: The Masquerade –...
in 2004
2004 in video gaming
-Events:*January 20 — Wireds Vaporware Awards gives its first "Lifetime Achievement Award" to recurring winner Duke Nukem Forever.*March 4 — Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Peter Molyneux into the AIAS Hall of Fame*March 22-26 — Game...
. Like Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
's Vampire: The Masquerade – Redemption, Bloodlines is set in White Wolf, Inc.
White Wolf, Inc.
White Wolf Publishing is an American gaming and book publisher. The company was founded in 1991 as a merger between Lion Rampant and White Wolf Magazine, and was initially led by Mark Rein·Hagen of the former and Steve and Stewart Wieck of the latter. Since White Wolf Publishing, Inc. merged with...
's Vampire: The Masquerade
Vampire: The Masquerade
Vampire: The Masquerade is a role-playing game. Created by Mark Rein·Hagen, it was the first of White Wolf Game Studio's World of Darkness role-playing games, based on the Storyteller System and centered around vampires in a modern gothic-punk world....
universe also known as the World of Darkness
World of Darkness
"World of Darkness" is the name given to three related but distinct fictional universes created as settings for supernatural horror themed role-playing games. It is also the name of roleplaying games in the second and third settings...
(WoD), but it is not a sequel to the earlier game. The game allows the player to choose one of several different vampire clans and progress through the game according to the different strengths and weaknesses of the player's character, as in its paper and pencil role playing origins.
Although Bloodlines divided critics at the time of release, it retains a popular cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
. It is also notable for being the first game along with Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 , the sequel to Half-Life, is a first-person shooter video game and a signature title in the Half-Life series. It is singleplayer, story-driven, science fiction, and linear...
to use Valve's Source engine
Source engine
Source is a 3D game engine developed by Valve Corporation. It debuted in June 2004 with Counter-Strike: Source and shortly thereafter Half-Life 2, and has been in active development ever since...
. The game can be played from either the first-person
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
or third-person shooter
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
perspective. It is also Troika Games' third title and the last to be made before Troika closed down in February 2005
2005 in video gaming
-Events:*March 6 — The television show 60 Minutes tackles issues within video game controversy. This segment of 60 Minutes has been criticized by video game players for encouraging video game censorship....
.
Introduction
The game begins with the creation of a maleMale
Male refers to the biological sex of an organism, or part of an organism, which produces small mobile gametes, called spermatozoa. Each spermatozoon can fuse with a larger female gamete or ovum, in the process of fertilization...
or female
Female
Female is the sex of an organism, or a part of an organism, which produces non-mobile ova .- Defining characteristics :The ova are defined as the larger gametes in a heterogamous reproduction system, while the smaller, usually motile gamete, the spermatozoon, is produced by the male...
vampire character of one of seven Camarilla clans. Players can choose to manually pick the clan their character will join and their character's stats, or they can answer a series of questions to be assigned stats. Once a character has been created, the introductory sequence begins with an in-game cinematic of a lascivious vampire Sire 'Embracing' the player's character; draining the character of blood, and beginning the player's transformation into a vampire. Shortly after the Embrace, both the player and their Sire are captured by the Los Angeles Camarilla for what is revealed to have been an unauthorized act, violating the organization's strict rules on vampire creation. The player's Sire is executed at the order of the Prince, Sebastian LaCroix, who is the leader of the Camarilla in Los Angeles. The player is spared a similar fate when Nines Rodriguez, a Brujah who was in the audience as a representative of the Anarch community, jumps up and calls out the Prince, who then relents.
Gameplay
Bloodlines is a role-playing game with the choice between first personFirst person (video games)
In video games, first person refers to a graphical perspective rendered from the viewpoint of the player character. In many cases, this may be the viewpoint from the cockpit of a vehicle. Many different genres have made use of first-person perspectives, ranging from adventure games to flight...
and third person
Third-person shooter
Third-person shooter is a genre of 3D action games in which the player character is visible on-screen, and the gameplay consists primarily of shooting.-Definition:...
perspective
Perspective (visual)
Perspective, in context of vision and visual perception, is the way in which objects appear to the eye based on their spatial attributes; or their dimensions and the position of the eye relative to the objects...
s. The player character's ability to overcome obstacles is in many cases a mixture of player and character abilities, with character stats determining the effectiveness of actions, and player abilities determining whether or not the actions succeed. For example, the ability to move silently and avoid being detected is heavily influenced by the character's Dexterity
Fine motor skill
Fine motor skills are the coordination of small muscle movements which occur e.g., in the fingers, usually in coordination with the eyes. In application to motor skills of hands the term dexterity is commonly used....
and Stealth ratings; however, if the player does not stay in the shadows while sneaking past enemies, the character can still be detected.
The player character increases in power dramatically during the course of the game through the expenditure of earned experience point
Experience point
An experience point is a unit of measurement used in many role-playing games and role-playing video games to quantify a player character's progression through the game...
s on attributes, skills, and vampire abilities called "Disciplines". A multitude of item
Item (game)
In pencil and paper games and computer and video games, an item is an object within the game world that can be collected by a player or, occasionally, a non-player character...
s, weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s, and book
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
s can be found or purchased to make the player character even more powerful.
Melee and ranged weapons exist in equal numbers, although only in the later stages of the game.
How the player interacts with the game world varies depending upon which clan the player character belongs to. Differences range from different dialogue options becoming available to certain quests becoming available or unavailable. The most notable gameplay differences are experienced by those who play as Malkavian (due to their insanity, dialogue options are often non sequiturs, making it difficult to conduct conversations and negotiations; Malkavians also encounter numerous bizarre moments during gameplay, such as television sets and stop signs speaking to them) and Nosferatu (who, in order to avoid Masquerade violations, are prohibited from speaking to humans and who do not have access to any gameplay options involving seduction).
Unlike most CRPGs, the experience needed to increase stats and skills is not awarded for killing enemies. Experience points are awarded solely for completing quests, no matter how many creatures the player eliminates in the process (though the quest objective often involves killing). This encourages the player to complete quests in creative ways and significantly increases the game's replay value
Replay value
Replay value or replayability is a term found in combination with video games, but it may be also used to describe other kinds of games, movies, music, or theater plays. In video games, the term replay value is used to describe the entertainment value of playing a game more than once...
.
The game invokes two other unique penalties and rewards for certain behaviors in the game's non-quest (i.e. non-combat) areas. Players are penalized for exhibiting vampiric abilities in front of humans by the loss of Masquerade points, which can also be reinstated by performing actions to protect the Masquerade. If the player loses 5 Masquerade points, the game ends. Also, the player is able to gain and lose "humanity" points, which have an impact on how well the character can be controlled when his or her blood supply is low. This can potentially cause the character to go into a feeding frenzy at the wrong time which in turn can lead to Masquerade violations. Humanity points are awarded for acts of kindness, such as finding alternatives to killing certain NPCs. They can be taken away if the player character kills a human outside a combat zone (or even sometimes within a combat zone if the human is a noncombatant), intentionally or not, or if the character commits an unethical deed such as stealing money from a charity. Unlike Masquerade points, the game does not end if the player humanity level drops to zero, but the player's character is almost certain to enter frenzy when it is this low, and some dialog options may change. Experience points can be used to purchase humanity points. Having a very high or very low humanity affects some conversation options.
Storyline
The storyline of the game is dynamic. This comes not only from the presence of numerous optional quests, but also from the existence of several different endings, see below. The plot revolves around a mysterious archaeological artifact called the AnkaraAnkara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
n Sarcophagus
Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus is a funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved or cut from stone. The word "sarcophagus" comes from the Greek σαρξ sarx meaning "flesh", and φαγειν phagein meaning "to eat", hence sarkophagus means "flesh-eating"; from the phrase lithos sarkophagos...
, believed to contain the body of an ancient vampire (Antediluvian) in torpor
Torpor
Torpor, sometimes called temporary hibernation is a state of decreased physiological activity in an animal, usually characterized by a reduced body temperature and rate of metabolism. Animals that go through torpor include birds and some mammals such as mice and bats...
. As the various factions of L.A. conspire to obtain this artifact, or to foil each others' attempts to do so, the player must decide whom to trust: Prince Sebastian LaCroix, Regent Maximillian Strauss, the Anarchs, the Kuei-Jin, or only him/herself.
However, the in-game storyline does not change regardless of what is done, and all the core missions still need to be completed. For example, if the player decides to side with the Anarchs, they will still need to obey Prince LaCroix, as they are told to act like they are still loyal. The only storyline-affecting choice is when the character chooses his or her allegiance near the end of the game, though prior choices can affect which of these allegiances are available.
Ankaran Sarcophagus
A sarcophagus that was previously discovered an untold number of years ago by Church authorities and subsequently re-buried, it was rediscovered by the NorwegianNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
archaeologist Dr. Johansen, and was on its way to an American museum for examination. Bloody handprints on its surface found while onboard the Elizabeth Dane indicate it may have been opened from the inside. The Vampires of Los Angeles circulate rumors that the sarcophagus held an Antediluvian, a third-generation vampire, one of the eldest and most powerful in existence, and also a sign of Gehenna
Gehenna (World of Darkness)
In the role-playing game Vampire: The Masquerade by White Wolf, Inc., Gehenna is the vampires' prophesied armageddon.Gehenna is the time when the Antediluvians will rise to consume the blood of all the younger vampires and construct a city in which they will rule for one thousand years...
, the Vampire "end of days" scenario. The vast majority of them believe that it should never be opened, or destroyed entirely. Beckett believes it to hold nothing more sinister than the mummy of an Assyria
Assyria
Assyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur...
n king, a hypothesis confirmed by Dr. Johansen, who however brings to note that this king was attributed with 250 years worth of achievements. While he notes that previous royal names were probably just erased, or that the name was passed onto subsequent generations, he chuckles at the idea that the king could have lived to 250 years of age. The surface murals depict figures drinking bowls of blood, which Dr. Johansen stipulates was more of a result of rituals or simply the royalty's way of dealing with porphyric
Porphyria
Porphyrias are a group of inherited or acquired disorders of certain enzymes in the heme bio-synthetic pathway . They are broadly classified as acute porphyrias and cutaneous porphyrias, based on the site of the overproduction and accumulation of the porphyrins...
disorders, rather than any proof that whatever lies inside is a vampire.
Camarilla
In the Camarilla ending, which can be followed through with the Tremere primogen, the character destroys both Ming-Xiao and the Sheriff of LaCroix, and Prince LaCroix is presumably sentenced to death. The Sarcophagus is stored away in a warehouse in a very similar fashion to the end of Raiders of the Lost ArkRaiders of the Lost Ark
Raiders of the Lost Ark is a 1981 American action-adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by George Lucas, and starring Harrison Ford. It is the first film in the Indiana Jones franchise...
. The dialogue for this changes slightly, depending on the player's clan and certain side quests.
Kuei-Jin
Choosing this path means that the player character doesn't have to fight Ming-Xiao. Instead, he heads directly to Ventrue Tower to fight the Sheriff and confront Prince LaCroix. However, after besting them and seizing the sarcophagus for the Kuei-Jin, he is betrayed. To stop any of Caine's descendants from gaining whatever power is hidden in the sarcophagus, Ming-Xiao dumps it into the Pacific Ocean... with the player strapped onto it, unable to free him/herself.LaCroix
Allying with Prince LaCroix, the player character convinces him that he/she did not sabotage his alliance, and he sends him/her to kill Ming-Xiao and retrieve the key of the sarcophagus. Upon doing so, the Prince, elated, names him his right hand man, and asks him/her to open the sarcophagus. Inside is a large quantity of C4, and a farewell note from Smiling Jack, the Anarch from the beginning of the game. LaCroix descends into mania as the penthouse explodes. Far off, Jack, along with Messerach, a normal mummy that had been inside the sarcophagus, watch the explosion, and the cab-driver, standing in the shadow, reiterates to the player as he walks off into the night that "the blood of Caine controls our fate...farewell, vampire"Anarchs
If the player character chooses to side with the Anarchs, he briefly reunites with Nines Rodriguez before going off to the Kuei-Jin stronghold to kill Ming Xiao and retrieve the key to the sarcophagus. Then he makes a final assault on LaCroix's tower, killing the sheriff and confronting LaCroix himself. After confronting him, he slashes his throat and promptly leaves. Shortly afterwards, LaCroix opens the sarcophagus, and the ending proceeds as for the LaCroix ending. Alternatively, the player can choose to open the sarcophagus personally, hoping to gain the power themselves; however, they make the same discovery and are subsequently killed with LaCroix in the explosion.Personal
This path causes the character to side with no one. Other than omitting the meeting with Nines Rodriguez, this ending is mostly the same as the Anarch ending.Locations
While the areas found in Bloodlines are based on real places, they do not completely resemble their real-world counterparts. Based in the World of Darkness, the locales are significantly darker and more run-down than their real-life Los Angeles counterparts. There are however many landmarks, such as the Santa Monica PierSanta Monica Pier
The Santa Monica Pier is a large double-jointed pier located at the foot of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica, California and is a prominent, 100-year-old landmark.-Pacific Park:...
and a Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
theater which complement the feel of each locale. Initially, the player is confined to the Santa Monica area until several early quest are completed, at which point the player is given access to a taxi cab that provides access to other areas.
Santa Monica
Santa Monica is the starting area and is considerably run down. Thin Bloods are present at the beach and law enforcement is poor, among other things. It is home to the Asylum nightclubNightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
, the blood-bank
Blood bank
A blood bank is a cache or bank of blood or blood components, gathered as a result of blood donation, stored and preserved for later use in blood transfusion. The term "blood bank" typically refers to a division of a hospital laboratory where the storage of blood product occurs and where proper...
and hospital, a local diner, several businesses including a bail bond agency the player can work for, the haunted Ocean House Hotel (includes many references from the 1980 movie "The Shining"), and several residences including the player's initial home base or "haven".
Elizabeth Dane
A small-scale cargo shipCargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
, the Elizabeth Dane was discovered by fishermen who received no replies to their radio hails. Maritime law enforcement agencies subsequently discovered signs of an incredibly violent struggle onboard, but they were unable to locate any remaining signs of the crew. Aside from a cracked container holding the Ankaran Sarcophagus and a stolen package, the police were unable to locate anything else of note. The name of the Elizabeth Dane is a reference to a ship with the same name in the 1980 horror film The Fog
The Fog
The Fog is a 1980 horror film directed by John Carpenter, who also co-wrote the screenplay and composed the music for the film. It stars Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Atkins and Janet Leigh...
.
Downtown
Downtown L.A. is home to the local Camarilla, based in the Venture Tower, and street side Anarch movement, based in the pub The Last Round. The area is also the location of Club Confession, the Empire Hotel, the Nocturne Theatre, Skyeline Apartments, the local TremereTremere
The Tremere are a clan of vampires in the Classic World of Darkness setting.The Tremere backstory is heavily based on Ars Magica, and the original House Tremere appeared as a Hermetic house in that game system. As the World of Darkness progressively diverged from Ars Magica's medieval Europe,...
chantry, among other areas of secondary interest, like the condemned hospital. Depending on choices made by the player he or she may be given a haven "upgrade", receiving access to either a forth floor apartment in the Skyeline building, the Chantry (Tremere), or in the sewers (Nosferatu), depending on the clan being played.
Grout's mansion
Grout's mansion on the outskirts of L.A. houses mentally disturbed people who attack on sight. Various personal monologues on dictation machines are strewn about his mansion. After the player finds out that Dr. Aleister Grout is dead, the place is set on fire by Brother Grünfeld Bach, a German Catholic vampire-hunter.Hollywood
Hollywood is Anarch territory, claimed by the Baron Isaac. It houses the Asp Hole and club Vesuvius, both owned by vampires. The Chinese Theatre and cemetery are local landmarks, although the Theatre is currently abandoned (apart from a stone Gargoyle which the player may choose to kill or assist during a quest), and there is a serious cemetery problem—overseen by Isaac's ghoul, Romero—which the player can resolve in a number of ways. The Nosferatu are also headquartered here, though no one knows exactly where.Chinatown
Chinatown is Kuei-Jin territory. Almost universally avoided by the native western vampires, Chinatown is the headquarters for eastern vampire holdings in L.A. and the surrounding areas. The head of the local Mandarinate is Ming Xiao, a shapeshifter who rules from the Golden Temple. The area includes a number of businesses the player can utilize depending on game-play choices.Camarilla
The Camarilla claims that all vampires are its members, regardless of their actual affiliation. They are the enforcers of the Masquerade—rules all vampires must abide by in order to keep their existence safe and hidden from mortals. Beaten out of Los Angeles through brute force by the Anarchs 60 years ago, the Camarilla have recently returned to the city, with LaCroix leading the effort to establish a new presence. Headquartered in the downtown area, they are having trouble consolidating power due to opposition from the Anarchs. A Camarilla member who claims domain over a city is called a prince. LaCroix is the prince of L.A. during the course of the game.Under the Camarilla, each clan is led by a primogen
Primogen
Primogen is derived from "primogenitor", a word meaning the first or earliest ancestor. It may also be related to the word "primogeniture". The word primogen is used in fiction in various ways:...
, usually the eldest representative in the city. Three are named in the game: Maximillian Strauss (Tremere
Tremere
The Tremere are a clan of vampires in the Classic World of Darkness setting.The Tremere backstory is heavily based on Ars Magica, and the original House Tremere appeared as a Hermetic house in that game system. As the World of Darkness progressively diverged from Ars Magica's medieval Europe,...
), Gary Golden (Nosferatu
Nosferatu (World of Darkness)
The Nosferatu are a clan of vampires from White Wolf Game Studio's Vampire: The Masquerade, Vampire: The Dark Ages books and role-playing games....
) and Dr. Aleister Grout (Malkavian
Malkavian
The Malkavians are a clan of vampires from White Wolf Game Studio's books, role-playing games Vampire: The Masquerade and, Vampire: The Dark Ages. In modern times, they are associated with the Camarilla. Their symbol is a broken mirror...
).
Anarchs
The Anarchs maintain a steadfast belief that the authoritarian control proposed by the Camarilla is unnecessary. The majority of Anarchs are BrujahBrujah
The Brujah are a clan of vampires in White Wolf Game Studio's World of Darkness books and role-playing settings. Their name is derived from Bruja, the Spanish word for witch....
, due to their idealistic tendencies. An Anarch who claims and keeps domain over an area is called a Baron. The only in-game Baron encountered is Isaac Abrams of Hollywood. Isaac, a Toreador, is far more civil than the typical Anarch, but nonetheless hates the Camarilla just as much. Therese Voerman, a Malkavian
Malkavian
The Malkavians are a clan of vampires from White Wolf Game Studio's books, role-playing games Vampire: The Masquerade and, Vampire: The Dark Ages. In modern times, they are associated with the Camarilla. Their symbol is a broken mirror...
, however, is not so loyal to the Anarchs and fancies herself the Camarilla Prince of Santa Monica. However, her 'sister' Jeanette, also a Malkavian, works alongside a Camarilla Nosferatu, Bertram Tung, to undermine Therese's attempts at becoming Prince of Santa Monica.
While Anarchs can be found in many North American cities, they are largely regarded as immature and foolish, unable to achieve anything on their own. However, an Anarch revolt in 1944 led to the slaying of Don Sebastian, the Toreador Prince of Los Angeles, and the establishment of the "Anarch Free States"—a zone on the West Coast where several large cities were put under Anarch control. This changed in the early 2000s, as a Kuei-Jin attack on L.A. weakened the Anarchs enough for Sebastian LaCroix to step in on behalf of the Camarilla. The fate of most of the previous Anarch leaders is unclear, but it is stated that the previous "leader" of the movement was slain by the Kuei-Jin.
The Last Round is a bar in downtown where the Anarchs Nines Rodriguez, Smiling Jack, Damsel, and Skelter gather.
Sabbat
Disliked by just about every sect, the Sabbat relies heavily on overwhelming force to achieve its goals. This unsophisticated tactic garners Sabbat members a reputation as brutish idiots, but their willingness to abandon what remains of their humanity for bestial fury and their strong blood ties to their packmates make them feared by all opponents. The Sabbat push into L.A. is part of a larger effort to encroach on Anarch and Camarilla holdings close to the West Coast and the Mexican border. The leader of the L.A. Sabbat is a TzimisceTzimisce
The Tzimisce are a clan of vampires in White Wolf Game Studio's books and role-playing games Vampire: The Masquerade and Vampire: The Dark Ages....
named Andrei, who occupies the Hollowbrook Hotel in downtown. While the Camarilla and Anarchs agree, in principle, that Kindred should keep a low profile, Sabbat members flaunt their supernatural power for all to see. The Sabbat also perform diablerie, a highly illegal act among Kindred that consists of draining a fellow vampire to death and taking on the victim's power.
Kuei-Jin
Vampire-like creatures native to Asia, the Kuei-JinKindred of the East
Kindred of the East is a role-playing supplement by White Wolf Game Studio to their Vampire: The Masquerade line. The vanguard of White Wolf's "Year of the Lotus" theme , this rich sourcebook is a stand-alone setting, requiring only secondary rules to be fully playable...
(also known as Cathayans) have gained a foothold in Los Angeles as part of a larger globalization drive spearheaded by their home authorities, and have taken the local vampiric population largely by surprise. The Kuei-Jin do not consider themselves Kindred in the Western sense, they consider themselves to be reborn for a purpose, but because of their similarities, they are referred to as Asian vampires. The locals look upon them as demons due to their wildly powerful abilities and differing worldview. Based in Chinatown, they are seen as dangerous invaders. The local leader, Ming-Xiao, resides in the Golden Temple.
Development and sales
Troika GamesTroika Games
Troika Games was a video game developer created by the key people behind the first of the critically acclaimed Fallout series of games. The company was focused on role-playing video games between 1998 and 2005, best known for Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura and Vampire: The Masquerade –...
officially began work on the game in November 2001
2001 in video gaming
-Events:* Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts the 4th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts John Carmack of id Software to the AIAS Hall of Fame...
, but the nearly three-year-long production cycle was plagued by many problems. Because Valve's work on opponent AI
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
was not completed in time for Troika to show Bloodlines at a press event, Troika wrote their own AI routines, which never worked as well as the code that Valve eventually developed. Early attempts by Troika to create a multiplayer mode and levels working were unsuccessful and eventually the feature was abandoned. The original writing team was replaced midway through the project, causing most game levels and dialogs to be completely revised.
When Troika had not completed a playable Santa Monica hub with combat and discipline usage that met Activision
Activision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
's satisfaction after more than two years of development time, the publisher took several steps to bring closure to the troubled project. First, Activision increased the budget to add Troika's second development team to the project in March 2004
2004 in video gaming
-Events:*January 20 — Wireds Vaporware Awards gives its first "Lifetime Achievement Award" to recurring winner Duke Nukem Forever.*March 4 — Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences hosts 7th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards; inducts Peter Molyneux into the AIAS Hall of Fame*March 22-26 — Game...
, after they had completed work on The Temple of Elemental Evil
The Temple of Elemental Evil (computer game)
The Temple of Elemental Evil is a computer role-playing game by now-defunct Troika Games. It is a re-creation of the classic Dungeons & Dragons adventure of the same name using the 3.5 edition rules. The game was published by Atari, who then held the interactive rights of the Dungeons & Dragons...
. Next, it sent the game's Activision producer and two testers to work on-site at Troika's offices until the game was completed. Finally, it set a deadline of September 15 for Troika to produce a Code Release Candidate.
Troika delivered the Code Release Candidate on the required date, though it left the development team in low morale
Morale
Morale, also known as esprit de corps when discussing the morale of a group, is an intangible term used to describe the capacity of people to maintain belief in an institution or a goal, or even in oneself and others...
. Due to the game's size and complexity, the Code Release Candidate took three weeks to test, but on October 4, 2004, Bloodlines went Gold as Version 1.0. Since contractual obligations with Valve would interdict Bloodlines to be released before Valve's debut of the Source engine in Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 , the sequel to Half-Life, is a first-person shooter video game and a signature title in the Half-Life series. It is singleplayer, story-driven, science fiction, and linear...
, Activision did not publicly announce that the game had gone Gold and instead gave Troika an additional week to polish the game, after which Bloodlines Version 1.1 underwent another three weeks of testing.
The second version of Bloodlines shipped on November 16, 2004, the same day that Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2
Half-Life 2 , the sequel to Half-Life, is a first-person shooter video game and a signature title in the Half-Life series. It is singleplayer, story-driven, science fiction, and linear...
was released. Valve's first-person shooter
First-person shooter
First-person shooter is a video game genre that centers the gameplay on gun and projectile weapon-based combat through first-person perspective; i.e., the player experiences the action through the eyes of a protagonist. Generally speaking, the first-person shooter shares common traits with other...
, a hugely successful sequel, sold four million units by 2006. The original Half-Life had itself sold 12 million units by then. Earlier release plans were to postpone until Spring 2005 so that Bloodlines would not compete against a sequel to a blockbuster, with a large advertising budget and ready made loyal following during the already competitive Christmas season.
Bloodlines sales underperformed in the first few weeks, selling 72,000 units ($3.4 million) despite generally favorable reviews.
After Troika's disestablishment, Bloodlines became available from online distribution systems like GameTap
GameTap
GameTap is an American online video game service established by Turner Broadcasting System . Dubbed by TBS as a "first of its kind broadband gaming network", the service provides users with classic arcade video games and game-related video content...
, Direct2Drive
Direct2Drive
Direct2Drive is an online game store offering PC videogames via direct download. On May 25, 2011, Gamefly acquired Direct2Drive from IGN Entertainment Group .- Competition with Steam :...
and later Steam.
Patches
There were still many technical and playability bugs in the released version of Bloodlines, but none were judged to be serious enough to further delay shipping the game. After Bloodlines was released to the public, Activision compiled a list of problems customers were reporting to its customer service department and on various Vampire websites. It then authorized Troika to spend a week creating a patch to address the most serious issues. However, Troika's inability to find revenue from another project had already forced the developer to lay off all its employees in two waves, except for the three owners: Jason AndersonJason Anderson (artist)
Jason D. Anderson, often credited as merely Jason Anderson, started out as a contract artist for Interplay on the USCF Chess project. He was later hired to design the engine, game world and interface for Fallout. After working on the prototype design for Fallout 2, Anderson left with fellow...
, Leonard Boyarsky
Leonard Boyarsky
Leonard Boyarsky is an American computer game designer and visual artist best known for being one of the key designers of the video games Fallout and Diablo III.-Early life:...
and Tim Cain
Tim Cain
Tim Cain may refer to:* Timothy Cain, major computer game developer for Interplay and Troika Games* Tim Cain, major recording artist for children and one of the founders of the Sons of Champlin* Tim Kaine, Governor of Virginia...
. Despite this, several employees continued to work without pay on the Version 1.2 patch
Patch (computing)
A patch is a piece of software designed to fix problems with, or update a computer program or its supporting data. This includes fixing security vulnerabilities and other bugs, and improving the usability or performance...
, which after three weeks was released on December 22, 2004.
Unable to find additional work, Troika disestablished itself in February 2005. As a result, direct support for the game ended. Community patches have been released as add-ons to the game, in order to fix errors and bugs that were not corrected by Troika due to the scope of the game and the subsequent closing of the developer, as well as to restore unreleased additional content found in the game files.
Reception
Tom McNamara of IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave the game 8.4 out of 10, saying that the visuals and in-depth RPG elements were of high quality but the combat and especially the AI were lacking, and called it a "grand RPG but a flawed gem of a game".
Computer and Video Games
Computer and video games
A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The word video in video game traditionally referred to a raster display device, but following popularization of the term "video game", it now implies any type of...
praised the game for its execution and flair, but resented it (and Activision) for the number of bugs and the discontinuation of technical support immediately after the game's release. They named it "the best buggy game ever".
Kieron Gillen of EuroGamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
admired the accomplished and "effortlessly intelligent" script, claiming that "no other game has come close. Nothing's even tried." However, he criticized the game for becoming repetitive in its final third, and for sporting a large amount of bugs on release, settling for a 7 out of 10 score.
But Lewis Denby of HonestGamers overlooked these flaws, stating that the game "may not be polished and may end with a sigh instead of a shout, but for its ambition alone it deserves stream after stream of compliments." He awarded the game 9 out of 10.
In the early months of 2009, the game experienced a significant revitalization, thanks in particular to its re-release on the Steam development service. Multiple sites (including Rock Paper Shotgun and Eurogamer) have done retrospectives praising the title as "a clever, multi-faceted RPG," and declaring that "it bristles with life and character." Writer Brian Mitsoda spoke with Rock, Paper, Shotgun regarding his work on the game, and his feelings regarding its rushed production and reception.
Soundtrack
A number of songs were licensed for the game. The song "Bloodlines" performed by MinistryMinistry (band)
Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen in 1981. Originally a synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to...
had lyrics written specifically for the game, it is a revised version of the song "So What". Some of the music in the game is not credited, including the main menu music.
The official soundtrack was released through Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
stores for customers who pre-ordered the game. The tracks are as follows:
| Music Track Title | Written by | Performed by | Record company | Plays in game location: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Swamped" | Marco Coti Zelati, Cristina Scabbia Cristina Scabbia Cristina Adriana Chiara Scabbia is an Italian singer, best known as one of the two vocalists in the Italian gothic metal band Lacuna Coil. She also writes an advice column in the popular rock magazine Revolver, alongside musician Vinnie Paul. Scabbia is featured in a Megadeth song, "À Tout le... and Andrea Ferro |
Lacuna Coil Lacuna Coil Lacuna Coil is an Italian gothic metal band from Milan. Formed in 1994, the group has had two name changes since being previously known as Sleep of Right and Ethereal and was inspired by the combination of gothic imagery and music... |
Century Media Records Century Media Records Century Media Records is an Independent record label with offices in the United States, Germany, Australia, France, Italy, Sweden, Finland, and the United Kingdom.- Background :... |
In the Asp Hole and at the end credits |
| "Cain" | Johan Edlund Johan Edlund Johan Edlund is a Swedish singer, guitarist and keyboardist who is the leader of the bands Tiamat and Lucyfire. He has also done remixes for some of Rammstein's and London After Midnight's songs. He was also a guest singer in the Dutch progressive metal project, Ayreon... |
Tiamat Tiamat (band) -Biography:Initially, the band played straightforward black metal under the name Treblinka. After having recorded the album Sumerian Cry in 1989, vocalist/guitarist Johan Edlund and bassist Jörgen Thullberg parted ways with the other two founding members, and subsequently changed the name to Tiamat... |
Century Media Records Century Media Records Century Media Records is an Independent record label with offices in the United States, Germany, Australia, France, Italy, Sweden, Finland, and the United Kingdom.- Background :... |
In Asp Hole (Hollywood) |
| "Bloodlines" | Al Jourgensen Al Jourgensen Alain David Jourgensen , is a Cuban-American musician best known as the founder and frontman of the industrial metal band Ministry. He is sometimes credited as Alain Jourgensen, Alien Jourgensen, Hypo Luxa , Dog, Alien Dog Star and Buck Satan... |
Al Jourgensen / Ministry Ministry (band) Ministry is an American industrial metal band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen in 1981. Originally a synthpop outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to... |
Megaforce Records Megaforce Records Megaforce Records is an American independent record label which was founded in 1982 by Jon and Marsha Zazula to publish the first works of Metallica. It has offices in New York and Philadelphia. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony Music Entertainment/RED Distribution... |
In Club Confession (Downtown) |
| "Needles Eye" | Written by F.G. Reiche | Die My Darling Die My Darling Die My Darling is an industrial rock/trance band formed in 2000 by vocalist Sean D and bassist F.G. Reiche. Other members have included Lance Duber , Entropy , Vulgar , and Anthem . They self-released an EP, Sleep, which led to them being signed by Trisol Music Group in 2001... |
||
| "Come Alive" | Daniel Ash Daniel Ash Daniel Gaston Ash is the guitarist for Bauhaus, Tones on Tail, Love and Rockets, and solo projects.-Life and work:After going to concerts in his teenage years, Ash made a decision to be on a stage in some way... |
Daniel Ash | In Glaze (Chinatown) | |
| "Pound" | J. Blackwell, H. Cummings, S. Smith, C. McCall and M. Wolfe | AERIAL2012 | ||
| "Isolated" | Emileigh Rohn Emileigh Rohn Emileigh Rohn is a solo artist who produces the electronic music project Chiasm sold by COP International records. She has released three albums; Disorder, Reform and Relapse and her music has featured on 12 compilation CDs, in the PC video game Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines by Troika Games,... |
Chiasm | COP International (License) | In The Asylum (Santa Monica) |
| "Lecher Bitch" | Jennifer Vincent, David Vincent David Vincent David Alexander Vincent , also known as Evil D, is an American musician who is best known as the lead vocalist and bassist for the death metal band Morbid Angel as well as the bassist for Genitorturers... and Vincent Saletto |
Genitorturers Genitorturers The Genitorturers are an industrial metal/industrial rock band from the United States, with influences extending into the 1990s hardcore punk and electronic music. They proclaim themselves to be "The World's Sexiest Rock Band".-History:... |
In The Last Round (Downtown) | |
| "Smaller God" | C. Elen, J. Thomas, and S. McManus | Darling Violetta Darling Violetta Darling Violetta is a dark pop band based in Hollywood, California. Their name is taken from the salutation used by Bela Lugosi in letters to his mistress, Violetta Napierska. The band released their first EP Bath-Water-Flowers in 1997, though this work is commonly considered an album by most... |
Opaline Records | In the Empire Hotel (Downtown) by a human singer, and on the Thin Bloods' radio at the Santa Monica Pier |