Here are a few tips regarding the endings below. I think it's important,
however, that Titanic players recognize they CAN alter the future, and
the potential futures are intriguing -- if, in reality, impossible fictions.
But then again, who knows, maybe if Hitler had been recognized for his
art he may not have made the world a pretty miserable place.
FUTURES:
Depending on the combination of items you have in inventory when the ship
sinks, you might alter future history. There are three key objects that
can change the future. They are:
* Georgia's necklace -- not the fake one Georgia mistakenly gives you, but
the REAL one hidden onboard.
* The painting -- the plans contained in it are a red herring, the real
importance of the painting is it's creator, a frustrated Viennese artist
named Adolph Hitler [this is factually true, Hitler was painting mediocre
street scenes in 1912 and the painting is authentic]. As the only painting
to survive the Titanic's sinking, it - and it's author - become famous.
Hitler, no longer frustrated, fulfills his original destiny, as a painter.
World War Two would have been avoided.
*The notebook -- Willie's notebook contains a list of Russian
Revolutionaries that Germany supported prior to World War One. Lenin,
Stalin, etc. are all there. The supposition is that had the Russians got
the list they would have "eliminated" these Bolsheviks, thus preventing
them from seizing power in the Russian Revolution.
Changing nothing.
If you have left behind all three major objects - notebook, Rubaiyat, or
diamond necklace - nothing has changed. You return to the same bedsit
during World War Two, your life still a failure.
Preventing World War One
To prevent WW I, Vlad must not get the real necklace or the Rubaiyat.
This will keep him from financing the terrorists that would have started
the war. If the necklace and Rubaiyat go down with the ship or leave with
anyone else WW I doesn't happen.
Preventing the Russian Revolution
To prevent the Russian Revolution you must leave the ship with the
notebook. The Czar will get the list of names and crush them before they
can overthrow him. If the notebook goes down with the ship, or leaves with
anyone else, the Russian Revolution happens.
Preventing World War II
To prevent WW II, you must leave the ship with the painting. Hitler
becomes the famous painter of the only objet d'art to leave the Titanic
instead of leading the Nazi Party to war. If the painting goes down with
the ship or leaves with anyone else WW II happens.
Possible Futures:
(The quotes are the voice-overs from the game's epilogue.)
Each future unfolds as a series of photographs in the "Memories" scrapbook
on the mantel that held only the sinking ship in the prologue)
1. Best Possible Future
"With no wars or bloody revolutions, wealth grew as never before, bringing
people a prosperity known only to a few before the Titanic....seen from
the vantage of a peaceful London street, the world is a far better place
since that April night. One can only imagine how different it could be if
we had failed."
How this future is generated - This is the "winning" future. In retrospect,
once the player gets here, he may realize that this is the REAL reality.
All that has gone before [including our history with WWII] has been mere
daydreams, musings on possible outcomes had the agent "failed" in the
Titanic mission.German Marxist Future.
2. Nazi Future
"With no Russian Revolution to disrupt it, the Romanov Dynasty held on to
its empire. When the Nazi's came to power, the feeble Czar proved no match
for Hitler..... With Russia neutralized, a tired Britain capitulated and
took her place behind Germany in a Europe ruled by hate and National
Socialism. They hung Churchill, yesterday.
How this future is generated - Leaving the ship with the notebook. This
posits a strong Hitler would have toppled Russia first, making it easier
to dominate Western Europe.
3. Nuclear Future
"...In 1927 Hitler toppled the Kaiser and channeled the power of German
science and industry into weapons production. When the World War began,
the Nazis held a six year lead in the race to develop atomic weapons. "The
democracies, lulled by decades of uninterrupted peace and prosperity,
ignored the Nazi machine."
How this future is generated - This combination results from stopping WWI
(getting necklace) but not getting the painting (stopping WWII).
4. Soviet Future
"Reeling from the Great Depression, the German Empire collapsed at Russia's
feet. With no strong check against the Communists, Europe, including
Britain, was eventually united in a Soviet Socialist Republic.
How this future is generated -: This is a bad combination that results from
no World War One (player succeeds in getting diamonds) and a Russian
Revolution (player fails to get notebook).
5. German Marxist Future
"Following Germany's defeat in the War, Communists seized power in Berlin.
They organized. They waited. Then came the Great Depression. First
France, then Britain fell to a Soviet Germany. Now, we work unceasingly,
building Communism.
How this future is generated - This comes from a failure to get the
notebook and diamonds.
6. Unchanged
"With Germany in ruins, Hitler rose to power promising to avenge his
country's defeat. So, here we are: another war, a second World War. And I
keep wondering, was there something I did, something I could have done to
stop it?"
Note: This is if the player exits the ship without getting a thing.
7. No Future/Death.
The player stays on the ship and drowns
Tip for shorter conversations:
Skip a conversation, or exit one, by using the "command/period" combination
on your keyboard. This will stop conversation and exit you from any
encounter with any character should you so desire.
