Talk:A Crack in the Slab/@comment-36170398-20180712204232/@comment-16533050-20180716203151

I like your insight and I understand what you're saying about Karnaca on the brink as well, but I see that as rather the city falling apart as opposed to utter annihilation.

Each aspect seemed less severe:

Overall there were tens of thousands dead due to the plague alone. The bloodfly issue seemed much more contained. I mean some places were closed off, but I didn't notice entire districts walled off for it.

Additionally, elixirs were needed to survive. People could grow their own food, make clothing, steal or earn coin, or hunt things to eat... but elixirs had to be specially brewed. This wasn't something the common person could acquire so easily. Yes they could be stolen or bought, but only from select sellers.

The church and local government were at odds as you said, whereas in Dunwall, the leaders (at least) were together. Yes, there were soldiers still opposing the draconian measures of the Abbey, but they mostly fell in line.

Paolo, while a criminal, could also be seen almost as an anti-hero by the common people and even wanted to help rule. The gangs in Dunwall fed off the people. Even Slackjaw, though I liked him, and his Bottle Street Gang were a terror upon the populace.

Delilah and her witches were nowhere near as organized nor disciplined as Daud and his Whalers. They were at times lollygagging about, whereas Daud's people were persistent, quiet and observant.

The ports of Karnaca were open. People could leave at nearly any time. Yes, it would be a shame to lose your possessions, but people could escape. In Dunwall, the Navy controlled the waterways, and beyond that was a blockade of ships from the other countries. The people were trapped.

...

Again, I see what you are saying, and agree that Karnaca was damaged. But the people could revolt, they could leave, they could escape. And probably find shelter somewhere anew. Conversely, in Dunwall, the people had no power to gather a sizable force, couldn't escape anywhere, and even if they did manage to escape, they would be seen as pariah and likely cast out again or hunted down as potential carriers of disease.

I guess I see Karnaca as broken, corrupt, oppressed, yet fixable, while Dunwall seemed it was diseased from within and literally dying. This could have been the color palettes the devs used, or atmosphere. Maybe even mechanics, the "Hostile" or "Safe" warning signs above my head in D2 kinda drew away from the constant oppressive atmosphere of D1 where you never knew if you were safe or not just walking down the street.

The Ramsey thing and Corvo's lack of insight to noticing these things I still question though. Ugh.