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{{Story}}
 
{{Story}}
   
[[File:BOB.jpg|thumb|right|A group of BOBs as they appear in Marathon 2: Durandal.]]
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[[File:BOB.jpg|thumb|right|Group of BOBs (simulacrums) from ''Marathon 2: Durandal'']]
 
A '''BOB''', or a "Born On Board," is, as the name implies, someone who was born on board a vessel. In the [[Marathon Trilogy|''Marathon'' series]], all of the encountered [[human]] characters, besides the [[Cyborg]], are BOBs.
 
A '''BOB''', or a "Born On Board," is, as the name implies, someone who was born on board a vessel. In the [[Marathon Trilogy|''Marathon'' series]], all of the encountered [[human]] characters, besides the [[Cyborg]], are BOBs.
   
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
[[File:Bob-evolution.jpg|left|thumb|180px|The evolution of BOBs]]BOBs wear different-colored suits, but, due to technical limitations, they all have the same face in-game. In [[Marathon (Game)|''Marathon'']], most are harmless and generally ignore the player, as well as occasionally announcing "They're everywhere!" In [[Marathon 2: Durandal|''Marathon 2: Durandal'']] and [[Marathon Infinity|''Marathon Infinity'']], they carry weapons and fight for [[Durandal (AI)|Durandal]] with the player. If the player attacks them often enough, they will consider him a traitor and eventually return fire.
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[[File:Bob-evolution.jpg|left|thumb|180px|The evolution of BOBs]]BOBs wear different-colored suits, but, due to technical limitations, they all have the same face in-game. In [[Marathon (Game)|''Marathon'']], most are harmless and generally ignore the player, as well as occasionally announcing "They're everywhere!" In [[Marathon 2: Durandal|''Marathon 2: Durandal'']] and [[Marathon Infinity|''Marathon Infinity'']], they carry weapons and fight for [[Durandal (AI)|Durandal]] with the player. If the player attacks them often enough, they will consider him a traitor and eventually return fire.
   
 
When first encountered in ''Marathon'', all BOBs were unarmed and helpless. The BOBs of ''Marathon 2'' were tougher, and carried the [[.44 Magnum Mega Class]] pistol. ''Marathon Infinity'' introduced the "Vacuum Bobs," who wore vaccuum-enabled armor, and were armed with [[Zeus Class Fusion Pistol]]s.
 
When first encountered in ''Marathon'', all BOBs were unarmed and helpless. The BOBs of ''Marathon 2'' were tougher, and carried the [[.44 Magnum Mega Class]] pistol. ''Marathon Infinity'' introduced the "Vacuum Bobs," who wore vaccuum-enabled armor, and were armed with [[Zeus Class Fusion Pistol]]s.
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<blockquote>''"The original crew of the Marathon consisted of 50 senior staff, 1150 officers and 24,000 civilians all of whom were citizens of the Mars colony or Earth. Some individuals were placed in stasis for the interstellar journey, but most civilians lived and worked on the ship and raised families there. As the crew aged, a new generation of humans were born and raised on the Marathon. By some, these children were looked down upon and called "Bob," short for born on board. These citizens grew to run the ship... It is your sworn duty as a security officer to protect Bob."<br>- from [[Marathon]] manual''</blockquote>
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<blockquote>''"The original crew of the Marathon consisted of 50 senior staff, 1150 officers and 24,000 civilians all of whom were citizens of the Mars colony or Earth. Some individuals were placed in stasis for the interstellar journey, but most civilians lived and worked on the ship and raised families there. As the crew aged, a new generation of humans were born and raised on the Marathon. By some, these children were looked down upon and called "Bob," short for born on board. These citizens grew to run the ship... It is your sworn duty as a security officer to protect Bob."<br />- from [[Marathon]] manual''</blockquote>
   
 
[[File:M2.04.1.1.1.gif|thumb|200px|Bob anaylsis]]
 
[[File:M2.04.1.1.1.gif|thumb|200px|Bob anaylsis]]
   
<blockquote>''"There were many humans in stasis on the Pfhor ship which the S'pht and I captured at Tau Ceti, destined for slavery in the Pfhor Empire. When I saw the colony was about to be destroyed, I did not restore them before we left. I also realized they might become useful.<br>"I have been reviving these colonists and asking for volunteers on the following terms: assist us and control your own destiny, refuse and face indefinite return to the unreliable Pfhor stasis chambers.<br>"Few are refusing."<br>- ''[[Marathon 2]]'', [[What About Bob? (Level)|What About Bob?]], first terminal''</blockquote>
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<blockquote>''"There were many humans in stasis on the Pfhor ship which the S'pht and I captured at Tau Ceti, destined for slavery in the Pfhor Empire. When I saw the colony was about to be destroyed, I did not restore them before we left. I also realized they might become useful.<br />"I have been reviving these colonists and asking for volunteers on the following terms: assist us and control your own destiny, refuse and face indefinite return to the unreliable Pfhor stasis chambers.<br />"Few are refusing."<br />- ''[[Marathon 2]]'', [[What About Bob? (Level)|What About Bob?]], first terminal''</blockquote>
   
 
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Revision as of 02:36, 20 September 2010

This article is about the Marathon Story.


BOB

Group of BOBs (simulacrums) from Marathon 2: Durandal

A BOB, or a "Born On Board," is, as the name implies, someone who was born on board a vessel. In the Marathon series, all of the encountered human characters, besides the Cyborg, are BOBs.

Description

Bob-evolution

The evolution of BOBs

BOBs wear different-colored suits, but, due to technical limitations, they all have the same face in-game. In Marathon, most are harmless and generally ignore the player, as well as occasionally announcing "They're everywhere!" In Marathon 2: Durandal and Marathon Infinity, they carry weapons and fight for Durandal with the player. If the player attacks them often enough, they will consider him a traitor and eventually return fire.

When first encountered in Marathon, all BOBs were unarmed and helpless. The BOBs of Marathon 2 were tougher, and carried the .44 Magnum Mega Class pistol. Marathon Infinity introduced the "Vacuum Bobs," who wore vaccuum-enabled armor, and were armed with Zeus Class Fusion Pistols.

Simulacrums

Pfhor-constructed imitation of the BOBs, simulacrums (sometimes referred to as "assimilated BOBs" or "sim-BOBs") are actually android bombs. Upon seeing the player's character, they will run directly towards him, usually shouting things like "I'm out of ammo!", "Thank God it's you!", or the infamous "Frog Blast the Vent Core!" When close enough (less than 3 meters [1]) they will explode and inflict severe damage to anyone nearby. This is especially a problem on levels where a certain number of BOBs must be protected to succeed. Simulacrums exist in civilian (M1), pistol-toting (M2/MI), and vacuum variations (MI).

There are other differences between human Bobs and simulacrums: apparently the assimilated Bobs have red eyes, only two toes, no genitalia and malformed teeth, but these differences also do not appear in-game.[2] Assimilated Bobs also run directly towards the player, whereas humans will move somewhat erratically. Assimilated Bobs also never fire actually their weapons, and bleed yellow instead of red when shot.

Another point worth noting is that all simulacrums wear green suits, which amusingly led to some of the real green-suit-wearing human BOBs on the UESC Marathon to take their own clothes off and run around the ship naked to avoid being mistaken for simulacrums [3]

Appearance

The color of the BoB uniforms represent the following classes:

Green - Civilian CrewBobprojectGREEN

Blue - Civilian ScienceBobproject5555555

Red - Civilian SecurityBobprojectSALMON

Other - Vaccum Bob Thvacbobproject-1

Quotes

Bobs-three-M2

BoBs relaxing


"The original crew of the Marathon consisted of 50 senior staff, 1150 officers and 24,000 civilians all of whom were citizens of the Mars colony or Earth. Some individuals were placed in stasis for the interstellar journey, but most civilians lived and worked on the ship and raised families there. As the crew aged, a new generation of humans were born and raised on the Marathon. By some, these children were looked down upon and called "Bob," short for born on board. These citizens grew to run the ship... It is your sworn duty as a security officer to protect Bob."
- from Marathon manual

M2.04.1.1

Bob anaylsis

"There were many humans in stasis on the Pfhor ship which the S'pht and I captured at Tau Ceti, destined for slavery in the Pfhor Empire. When I saw the colony was about to be destroyed, I did not restore them before we left. I also realized they might become useful.
"I have been reviving these colonists and asking for volunteers on the following terms: assist us and control your own destiny, refuse and face indefinite return to the unreliable Pfhor stasis chambers.
"Few are refusing."
-
Marathon 2, What About Bob?, first terminal


Trivia

  • It would seem that Bob abuse is encouraged by Bungie:
    • The name of the M1 level, "Bob-B-Q."
    • Map text on M2 level We're Everywhere: "hey you, the bob carrying my 2nd pistol! - let's go!"
    • Map text on M2 level God Will Sort The Dead...: "Q: How do you tell the difference between the good Bobs and the bad ones? A: Good Bobs?"
    • The final piece of the "Vidmaster Oath" is "...to never, ever, leave a single Bob alive."

Sources

  1. Marathon - Level 12: Shake Before Using... second terminal
  2. Marathon 2: Durandal, Level 28: All Roads Lead To Sol..., second terminal
  3. We're Everywhere, first terminal, 2nd message