Fallout 3 discussion

[LeftEyeNine]

Ladies and gentlemen,

FALLOUT 3 !!!

I think I'm gonna faint.

[Papewaio]

Sweet, a game genre where you can get a trait in shoveling manure!

[Sasaki Kojiro]

That guy does not know how to throw a football.

[LeftEyeNine]

Sweet, a game genre where you can get a trait in shoveling manure!

I was once a gravedigger.

[Lehesu]

Here's hoping Bethesda doesn't butcher it like they did TES.

[LeftEyeNine]

Hit your Jets, grasp your Miniguns, gear up your Power Armors, stack up your RadAways, and most important of all, don't forget your protective eye wear, 'cause sunlight can penetrate through your eyes after so many years down in the vault !



READY ?

[LeftEyeNine]

Here's hoping Bethesda doesn't butcher it like they did TES.

Yeah they are bunch of buggy-coders, but assuming you referred to The Elder Scrolls with that "TES", I can be sure that it won't turn out something less than "good".

[LeftEyeNine]

Fallout for Dummies (as best as an intro could be by 1998)

Fallout 2: Advanced Courses

God, I'm coming home.

[Fragony]

Don't get too exited, this isn't going to be a classical isometric Fallout game.

[Leet Eriksson]

All i hope for is they retain the fallout style from previous games, i really couldn't care less what genre the game will be so long its fallout.

[TinCow]

The style will definitely be there. I have several friends who work at Bethesda and they have assured me many times that they're doing justice to the franchise. I would be sceptical if that came from corporate press releases, but these are my friends and I believe them. They have a pretty hardcore NDA, so I have no info whatsoever about most of the actual execution of the thing, but from everything they have told me, we'll at least feel like we're in the Fallout universe. I specifically demanded that my friends make sure that the 'porn star' feature of Fallout 2 be included, and the response was "This time, we're earning the M rating."

One positive side to Bethesda working on Fallout 3 is that they have been committed to making their games mod-friendly for a very long time. Hopefully what they produce will open the doors for a whole Fallout mod community, something I would definitely love.

I personally wish that Fallout had been remade on the Infinity Engine. These days it's all 3D, and most of the top-down view 3D engines haven't been much to my liking. The idea of first-person Fallout makes me cringe initially, but it's workable enough that I'll give it a chance before complaining, if that turns out to be the path that Bethesda takes.

[TevashSzat]

I'm personally disappointed with Bethesda working on Fallout 3 since that means that they will spend less time working on any potential expansions for Oblivion or TES V.

[Lehesu]

Thing is, if Fallout 3 follows the same corporate principals as Oblivion is founded on, things will get crappy real quick. Oblivion is a sore replacement for Morrowind.

[econ21]

Thing is, if Fallout 3 follows the same corporate principals as Oblivion is founded on, things will get crappy real quick. Oblivion is a sore replacement for Morrowind.

Nah, I incline to opposite point of view: Bethesda needs to move further away from Morrowind, in some of the directions Oblivion took, for them to pull off a Fallout 3.

What the Fallouts had in abundance was character - they had a great atmosphere (which granted Morrowind does too), but also had excellent sidequests, powerful slow burning central story arcs and some memorable characters.

Morrowind has no memorable characters (the only one I remember is Caius somebody, who is only memorable because he was half naked and naff). The sidequests were uninvolving, by the numbers affairs. The central story arc is optional, desultory and easy to miss.

Oblivion still has not shown evidence of an ability to create interesting or memorable NPCs, but made some progress with the spoken dialogue. The sidequests were a distinct step up from Morrowind's IMO and there was some atempt at making a compelling main story arc (everything up to and including Kvatch was a blast).

I guess the bottomline for me is that Bethesda really needs to hire some writers or game designers who understand dialogue and story telling.

[Lehesu]

The spoken dialogue in Oblivion is a joke. Three voice actors a believable world do not make. Pretty graphics a deep game do not make.

[frogbeastegg]

I haven't played either Fallout Heard so much good about them, and been tempted many times over. I'm always put off by the age: I am unsure if they will work properly on my computer. I admit that I'm also unsure I'll like them ... I loved Planescape: Torment and can like dark provided it is done well and not there for the sake of being 'adult', but there's a lot about the Fallout setting I don't tend to like. The post nuclear setting, for a start.

Ok, here's an idea Amazon have the Fallout collection (fallout, fallout 2, fallout tactics) for £4.98. It's a 1-2 week wait. I'll place an order for one. I'd appreciate it if people would warn me if they aren't likely to work on a modern PC, or if those who know my gaming tastes think I'm not going to like them. In that case I'll be able to cancel the order with nothing lost.

[Vladimir]

My tattoo of the Torment icon started to itch, and I found the source (really, no tattoos, but if I were to ever get one ... ). I'm not too thrilled about the setting either, seems too Cold War to me. Been there done that.

I'll have to read the reviews on this one though.

[AntiochusIII]

Do the Fallout games have similar value to those that are absolutely worth going retro for, like, say, Baldur's Gate(I, II) and PS:T? I never played them and is quite curious of the series' reputation.

For me, PS:T is wicked awesome in the gripping story plot...and the eerie sense of detachment from your average elf-and-dwarf settings of these RPG's despite sharing the same universe: the same reason I prefer Morrowind's strange blue peoples over Oblivion's knights and demons.

Mind you, I sort of cheat my way through them because the AD&D rules and Infinity gaming style -- mages at least, how annoying -- and me aren't exactly comrades, but the gripping story/good RPG is totally worth it. I suspect I'll be doing the same with Fallout, if I ever get it.

I trust Bethesda on this one. Except one problem: I heard rumors that they won't do any non-spoken dialogue in their RPGs anymore, not sure if it's true or not. If true, that's one crappy policy; very limiting to a big, immersive game world full of history and life that they strive for.

[econ21]

I'd appreciate it if people would warn me if they aren't likely to work on a modern PC, ...

I play those games on a modern computer - I've not found a problem. There was an issue about FO2 having the kids taken out, breaking some quests(there was a panic about being able to shoot kids - not that you ever have a reason to do so in the game). There's a user made patch to put them back in. I think I've had to download and use that.

The games have aged very well IMO - I find the graphics and gameplay etc perfectly acceptable.

...or if those who know my gaming tastes think I'm not going to like them.

I suspect you'll like it. The closest comparator for me is the BG series. It is the same basic idea: create a massive gameworld, populate it with interesting sidequests, have a slow burning epic main plot. Obviously, the setting's different: it is darker in tone, perhaps similar to PST in that respect. I found it more compelling and immersive than BG. The character creation system (SPECIAL) is perhaps the best of any role-playing game I've played. The combat is less tactical - and much less frequent - than BG but provides such a visceral pleasure when it occurs that it left me wanting more.

In that case I'll be able to cancel the order with nothing lost.

Don't do that - best fiver you could spend on a gaming, IMO.

Be sure to play FO first, then FO2. FOT is a whole other thing - a squad level tactical combat game. It's ok, but Jagged Aliiance 2 does the same thing much better and above all, it always hurts that it is not FO3.

[Rilder]

Ladies and gentlemen,

FALLOUT 3 !!!

I think I'm gonna faint.

Why does the guy on the right look like Hitler?

[Fragony]

The spoken dialogue in Oblivion is a joke. Three voice actors a believable world do not make. Pretty graphics a deep game do not make.

There is a lot wrong with Oblivion, mostly a lack of personality, but it does more right then it does wrong. Compared to Morrowind and Daggerfall it sure is an improvement, it's just not very compelling

[Master_Thief]

Frankly I don't see why so many people have it in for Oblivion. I understand why the voice acting is irritating, but really its still a massive leap in the right direction. Hopefully fallout 3 will be take all of the best innovations of TES and then improve the bits that didn't work so well. I've never played any of the previous fallout games, but this has got me very interested.

[TinCow]

One of my friends at Bethesda is annoyed with the voice-acting requirement as well, but apparently it's mandated by the publisher. From now on, all dialog must be voiced in all games, so I would expect the same in Fallout 3. He said that in Oblivion, they tried to expand the lore that was lost by doing this by increasing the number of in-game books. Perhaps something similar will be done for Fallout.

[Spino]

<Cue intro video>

Maaaaayyyyyyybeeeeeeee you'll think of me
When you are aall aloooooone...

Frankly I don't see why so many people have it in for Oblivion. I understand why the voice acting is irritating, but really its still a massive leap in the right direction. Hopefully fallout 3 will be take all of the best innovations of TES and then improve the bits that didn't work so well. I've never played any of the previous fallout games, but this has got me very interested.

Well so long as games allow you to read subtitles in addition to the spoken dialogue I have no problem with it. The idea that a fully fleshed out 3D world has to grind to a halt just so you can read a slew of text in a window puts a serious damper on a game's immersiveness. I thought Morrowind was terrible in that regard and I'm so glad they changed things for Oblivion.

Bioware's Mass Effect looks to put a brand new spin on dialogue trees, you can actually participate in the middle of a conversation between two npcs. They even allow players to participate in cutscenes so they keep the flow of interaction going. That's much better than the usual fare where you butt in and chat npcs up or have to sit through a non-interactive cutscene. I can't wait for the eventual port to PCs.

[Spino]

Frankly I don't see why so many people have it in for Oblivion. I understand why the voice acting is irritating, but really its still a massive leap in the right direction. Hopefully fallout 3 will be take all of the best innovations of TES and then improve the bits that didn't work so well. I've never played any of the previous fallout games, but this has got me very interested.

I think most rpg fans that had it out for Oblivion were very frustrated with the fps style gameplay. Hardcore RPGers and FPSers are two entirely different beasts. It's one thing to require you to engage a monster letting your skills and stats do the work while you sit back and watch (unless you're a caster), another thing entirely to expect you to engage in half fast melee combat that consists entirely of silly swings, thrusts and blocks, none of which look or feel particularly 'real'.

Personally I could take either Blizzard's approach to combat in WoW or Bioware's approach in KOTOR.

In WoW all that is required of the player is placement, leaving you free to pick and choose which attacks or spells; basically you're alleviated of the minutae of melee combat and are free to pursue your favorite tactics. It's not completely static but even with melee characters running around like mad casters can still kick ass. Critics of this gameplay design prefer to call it 'button mashing' but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

KOTOR's system might work really well for FO3 and keep hardcore rpg'ers happy while entertaining the fps or console crowd; realtime fps movement up until the point where combat is initiated and then a turn based system takes over.

[LeftEyeNine]

One of my friends at Bethesda is annoyed with the voice-acting requirement as well, but apparently it's mandated by the publisher. From now on, all dialog must be voiced in all games, so I would expect the same in Fallout 3. He said that in Oblivion, they tried to expand the lore that was lost by doing this by increasing the number of in-game books. Perhaps something similar will be done for Fallout.

What goes around in Fallout forums is that Fallout fans (I can count myself one) want voice-acting rather than reading.

Above this, I'd never buy a Fallout without Ron Perlman's intro speech.

War...War never changes.

Man, nothing can be more spectacular. That's a masterpiece.

[LeftEyeNine]

As much as it seems this thread is turning off topic, I just can't help associating my favorite game with Satchmo, after all it was how I had met my "grandpa".

A Kiss To Build A Dream On from Stockholm 1962. Music can't be any better. It couldn't be any better choice for such a game as Fallout.

[frogbeastegg]

I play those games on a modern computer - I've not found a problem. [...] I suspect you'll like it.

I shall let the order stand. Thanks

[LeftEyeNine]

I shall let the order stand. Thanks

Another one smells the dust.

[econ21]

I think most rpg fans that had it out for Oblivion were very frustrated with the fps style gameplay. Hardcore RPGers and FPSers are two entirely different beasts. It's one thing to require you to engage a monster letting your skills and stats do the work while you sit back and watch (unless you're a caster), another thing entirely to expect you to engage in half fast melee combat that consists entirely of silly swings, thrusts and blocks, none of which look or feel particularly 'real'.

But did that change between Morrowind and Oblivion? I thought that series had always been a bit "action" oriented, so that the player's manual dexterity mattered unlike the Kotor/NWN type game where it was just the character's stats. I think the particular dislike expressed for Oblivion comes from disaffected Morrowind fans who have a number of grievances, notably the scaling of monsters and loot to your level. (I disagree with them on that, but then I was never a Morrowind fan).

I am definitely an RPG fan and am pretty useless at FPS games, but I thought Oblivion pulled off the combat really well. To me, it does look and feel 'real'. It is less hectic and feels more authentic than the comparable combat in Morrowind and, dare I say it, Mount and Blade. (Mount & Blade does some things very well - the archery and the riding - but suffers when you melee more than one enemy at a time and their frenzied attacks mean you are almost inevitably overpowered, being constantly knocked back.)