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The Mystery of Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham City Demo

Backmasked dialogue somehow doesn't instruct us to worship Satan in Batman's name (or vice versa).


Well, this Hugo Strange guy appears to be totally well-adjusted and normal. 
Well, this Hugo Strange guy appears to be totally well-adjusted and normal. 
When it comes to games that have been recently shown to the assembled press over the past few of weeks, two games are battling it out for the top topic of discussion: Battlefield 3 and Batman: Arkham City. BF3 was shown off at an event during the Game Developers Conference last week, and the Batman demo made its first appearance at a Microsoft event the week before that. I caught the demo there, and was pretty impressed... so much so that we went back to see the demo a second time during GDC (and shoot an interview that you'll see in a few days).

Along with that interview, you'll get a bit about the last bits of the GDC week demo, which weren't shown last week and I've apparently signed away my ability to talk to you about the new bits until Friday. But let's talk about one of the more interesting "old" bits. In the demo, Batman has an exchange with Catwoman. He's just saved her from Two-Face and he's about to save her again from Joker, who's rigged up a sniper rifle in a nearby bell tower. But between those two attempts on her life, there's time for a brief interrogation.

Batman asks about what the Joker's up to and what role Hugo Strange is playing in all of this. But he also asks about something--and this is the part that is presented as backwards audio in the demo--called "Protocol 10." Catwoman claims she's never heard of it, but speculates that Strange, as the guy that's in charge of Arkham City, has something big planned for Batman... and that maybe that's what this Protocol 10 is all about.

What's it mean? It means that Warner and Rocksteady still have plenty of things to reveal about the particulars of Arkham City. That shouldn't surprise you, but I have to admit that I was a little surprised by this weird little quirk in their demo... it's definitely the first time I've seen anything like this, and it made for a fun little game for me and my rudimentary audio editing skills. Of course, "Protocol 10" doesn't seem to turn up anything related to Batman online, and the Comic Vine team had nothing to add, either, so it's safe to assume that this is something new for the game and not something directly plucked from the books. So I suppose the mystery is still a mystery?

We'll have more with Rocksteady's Dax Ginn on Friday.    
Jeff Gerstmann on Google+

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jeff

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Edited By jeff

Well, this Hugo Strange guy appears to be totally well-adjusted and normal. 
Well, this Hugo Strange guy appears to be totally well-adjusted and normal. 
When it comes to games that have been recently shown to the assembled press over the past few of weeks, two games are battling it out for the top topic of discussion: Battlefield 3 and Batman: Arkham City. BF3 was shown off at an event during the Game Developers Conference last week, and the Batman demo made its first appearance at a Microsoft event the week before that. I caught the demo there, and was pretty impressed... so much so that we went back to see the demo a second time during GDC (and shoot an interview that you'll see in a few days).

Along with that interview, you'll get a bit about the last bits of the GDC week demo, which weren't shown last week and I've apparently signed away my ability to talk to you about the new bits until Friday. But let's talk about one of the more interesting "old" bits. In the demo, Batman has an exchange with Catwoman. He's just saved her from Two-Face and he's about to save her again from Joker, who's rigged up a sniper rifle in a nearby bell tower. But between those two attempts on her life, there's time for a brief interrogation.

Batman asks about what the Joker's up to and what role Hugo Strange is playing in all of this. But he also asks about something--and this is the part that is presented as backwards audio in the demo--called "Protocol 10." Catwoman claims she's never heard of it, but speculates that Strange, as the guy that's in charge of Arkham City, has something big planned for Batman... and that maybe that's what this Protocol 10 is all about.

What's it mean? It means that Warner and Rocksteady still have plenty of things to reveal about the particulars of Arkham City. That shouldn't surprise you, but I have to admit that I was a little surprised by this weird little quirk in their demo... it's definitely the first time I've seen anything like this, and it made for a fun little game for me and my rudimentary audio editing skills. Of course, "Protocol 10" doesn't seem to turn up anything related to Batman online, and the Comic Vine team had nothing to add, either, so it's safe to assume that this is something new for the game and not something directly plucked from the books. So I suppose the mystery is still a mystery?

We'll have more with Rocksteady's Dax Ginn on Friday.    
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OllyOxenFree

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Edited By OllyOxenFree

WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN, BATMAN?!?

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Doctorchimp

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Edited By Doctorchimp

Good luck have batman

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isles

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Edited By isles

good to know.

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Cerogravian

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Edited By Cerogravian

Still longing for those last ten seconds...

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Animasta

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Edited By Animasta
@OllyOxenFree said:
" WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN, BATMAN?!? "
When does batman get sunglasses though
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ThePhantomnaut

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Edited By ThePhantomnaut

DEM 10 SECONDS!

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Doctorchimp

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Edited By Doctorchimp
@ThePhantomnaut said:
" DEM 10 SECONDS! "
Batman calls it a night and you drive the batmobile back to Wayne Manor and walk around as Bruce in the full blown bat cave...
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ch3burashka

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Edited By ch3burashka

It's actually Protocol 2, but they're trying to be all secretive by using binary code.

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bucky

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Edited By bucky

Mystery!

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BD_Mr_Bubbles

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Edited By BD_Mr_Bubbles

Looking foward to the game.
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Edited By Skald

" When it comes to games that have been recently shown to the assembled press over the past few of weeks, two games are battling it out for the top topic of discussion: Battlefield 3 and Batman: Arkham City. "    

The solution: Battlefield: Batman Company
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JJWeatherman

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Edited By JJWeatherman

Protocol 10. Sounds ominous! I hope I get to knife a mastodon and wear its fur for warmth. 
 
(Snider reference)

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sparky_buzzsaw

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Edited By sparky_buzzsaw

Beats the shit out of Protocol 7.  Man, I hated that protocol with a passion.  And don't even get me started on Protocol 12.  We'll never get the smell of maple syrup out of the shag carpet.

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InsidiousTuna

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Edited By InsidiousTuna
@Doctorchimp: Batman Batman Batman.
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MisterMouse

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Edited By MisterMouse

that is pretty cool that they put that in there.

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deactivated-5b43dadb9061b

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@extremeradical said:
"

" When it comes to games that have been recently shown to the assembled press over the past few of weeks, two games are battling it out for the top topic of discussion: Battlefield 3 and Batman: Arkham City. "    

The solution: Battlefield: Batman Company "
I'd buy five.
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Whizbang

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Edited By Whizbang

Protocol 10 allows Batman to have stealth gameplay by literally turning invisible, but gamers forgive its garbage programming because of the excellent dialogue system.

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RE_Player1

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Edited By RE_Player1
@extremeradical said:
"

" When it comes to games that have been recently shown to the assembled press over the past few of weeks, two games are battling it out for the top topic of discussion: Battlefield 3 and Batman: Arkham City. "    

The solution: Battlefield: Batman Company "
You sir are a genius. 
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Xeiphyer

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Edited By Xeiphyer

Why reverse audio on something with absolutely no known significance until we play the game? Doesn't really make sense other than a way to build hype over nothing.
 
Which really, is pretty dumb in itself. People be ready to trade their kids for this game.

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EgoCheck616

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Edited By EgoCheck616

Protocol 10 is the prototype name they use for Portal Gun. 
That's right. Batman: Arkham City will have portals. 
 
Because everything needs portals. 
And hats. 
 
Hatman. 
 
Where am I?

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MarkWahlberg

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Edited By MarkWahlberg
@EveretteScott said:
" @extremeradical said:
"

" When it comes to games that have been recently shown to the assembled press over the past few of weeks, two games are battling it out for the top topic of discussion: Battlefield 3 and Batman: Arkham City. "    

The solution: Battlefield: Batman Company "
I'd buy five. "
Batmen: Vietnam.
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ajamafalous

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Edited By ajamafalous
@OllyOxenFree said:
" WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN, BATMAN?!? "
Lol'd.
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Edited By Special_K

Protocol 10 is obviously a method of destroying all gargoyles in the city in an instance.

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Edited By Little_Socrates
@OllyOxenFree said:
" WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN, BATMAN?!? "
lmao
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Edited By OsvaldoMoreno
@extremeradical said:
"

" When it comes to games that have been recently shown to the assembled press over the past few of weeks, two games are battling it out for the top topic of discussion: Battlefield 3 and Batman: Arkham City. "    

The solution: Battlefield: Batman Company "
Win
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woodroez

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Edited By woodroez
@OsvaldoMoreno said:
" @extremeradical said:
"

" When it comes to games that have been recently shown to the assembled press over the past few of weeks, two games are battling it out for the top topic of discussion: Battlefield 3 and Batman: Arkham City. "    

The solution: Battlefield: Batman Company "
Win "
YES!
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MordeaniisChaos

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Edited By MordeaniisChaos

Seems like they just wanted to get everyone all excited. You'd think they would be better at marketing. Seems a bit stupid to put something backwards when it's about as fucking nondescript as a grey box in a gray room in a gray house, and is a totally original thing that never really existed until the game came out. 
Oh and also like 2 days after the show, everyone knew what it was. 
I would expect better from them considering how bananas the marketing for the original game was.
 
@Woodroez said:

" @OsvaldoMoreno said:

" @extremeradical said:
"

" When it comes to games that have been recently shown to the assembled press over the past few of weeks, two games are battling it out for the top topic of discussion: Battlefield 3 and Batman: Arkham City. "    

The solution: Battlefield: Batman Company "
Win "
YES! "
I will be your fourth sir.
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Edited By gabeq224
@OllyOxenFree said:
" WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN, BATMAN?!? "
win
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Edited By buft

im sick waiting to see this video

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Edited By fourby
@Special_K said:
" Protocol 10 is obviously a method of destroying all gargoyles in the city in an instance. "
Sad gargoyle isn't ready to die. 
Sad gargoyle isn't ready to die. 
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Edited By Alphazero

I don't know about Protocol 10, but:  

Protocol 1: Call up Poison Ivy and see if she wants to go get a churro  
Protocol 4: Rearrange seating at dinner so you can only see Two Face's good side.
Protocol 7: Realize that being a billionaire ninja playboy is pretty awesome and cheer the fuck up. 

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Edited By twillfast

Protocol 10 is the secret documents on how to create Russian Martian Batman and Green Lantern Batman with the DNA of Regular-ass Batman.

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AmishCellPhone

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Edited By AmishCellPhone

Which is your favorite - Batman, Batman, or Batman?

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rmanthorp

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Edited By rmanthorp  Moderator
@buft said:
" im sick waiting to see this video "
This is the greatest post.
 
HYPE!
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LOZZAT

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Edited By LOZZAT
@OllyOxenFree said:

" WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN, BATMAN?!? "

Batman's name is Viktor Reznov, and he will have his revenge!

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Edited By LOZZAT
@OllyOxenFree said:

" WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN, BATMAN?!? "

Batman's name is Viktor Reznov, and he will have his revenge!    
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MrKlorox

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Edited By MrKlorox
@BadFeelingAboutThis said:

" Protocol 10 allows Batman to have stealth gameplay by literally turning invisible, but gamers forgive its garbage programming because of the excellent dialogue system. "

I get it. Because 10 in hexadecimal is A, which is of course Alpha in the Greek alphabet. I feel smarty ding dong.
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deactivated-6418ef3727cdd

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@MrKlorox said:
" @BadFeelingAboutThis said:

" Protocol 10 allows Batman to have stealth gameplay by literally turning invisible, but gamers forgive its garbage programming because of the excellent dialogue system. "

I get it. Because 10 in hexadecimal is A, which is of course Alpha in the Greek alphabet. I feel smarty ding dong. "
Ooooh nice one there!
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Yanngc33

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Edited By Yanngc33

DANANANANANANANANANANA BATMAN

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Edited By woodroez
@LOZZAT said:
" @OllyOxenFree said:

" WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN, BATMAN?!? "

Russian Martian Batman's name is Viktor Reznov, and he will have his revenge!     "

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Edited By capt_ventris
@Alphazero said:
" I don't know about Protocol 10, but:  Protocol 1: Call up Poison Ivy and see if she wants to go get a churro  Protocol 4: Rearrange seating at dinner so you can only see Two Face's good side.Protocol 7: Realize that being a billionaire ninja playboy is pretty awesome and cheer the fuck up.  "
Protocol 3: Profit! 
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deactivated-64b8656eaf424

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That's really weird that they would reverse that bit, since it doesn't actually mean anything to anyone who knows anything about Batman anyway.

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bungalowbill79

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Edited By bungalowbill79
@Yanngc33:  Well put
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Edited By MooseyMcMan  Online

Neat.

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kalmis

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Edited By kalmis

Any Batman news is good news

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fillmoejoe

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Edited By fillmoejoe

Battlefield and Batman are all I want to play right now.