Preview Fallout 3 hits E3!

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Bethesda Softworks; Fallout 3

Here is what professional gaming journalists - the ancient guardians of quality and design excellence - think of the Fallout 3 E3 show:
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<blockquote><a href=http://www.joystiq.com/2007/07/11/joystiq-impressions-fallout-3/>Joystiq's impressions</a>:
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As a fan of the original franchise, we're impressed by Bethesda's ability to retain the core elements of the franchise and improve upon mechanics. ...
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The violence and humor are still very much a part of the Fallout universe. ... a sign outside of the vault that read "Let us in motherfuckers".
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The atmosphere of the game (and its soundtrack) is very akin to the 1950s look of the first two Fallout titles, yet as Ron Perlman explains, the nuclear destruction happens in 2077. According to Howard, we're dealing with the future as envisioned from the past ... </blockquote>It's so great to read a preview written by the fans of the series. I also like this Howard fella, who invented this "future of the 50's" concept. He sounds really smart.
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<blockquote>Action points, used for the turn-based combat mode V.A.T.S., are being designed to regenerate fast enough so that gamers can use it almost exclusively for fighting.</blockquote>*nods with approval* Good idea. Turn-based combat shouldn't slow people down.
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<blockquote><a href=http://pc.ign.com/articles/803/803937p1.html>IGN's impressions</a>:
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We're still convinced that Bethesda is on the right track to bring Fallout to a new generation of gamers while also staying true to the spirit of the franchise.
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To begin with, we learned a bit more about the Tunnel Snakes, the gang of bullies who inhabit the Vault, and the object of their attention, <b>the young girl with whom you've had a lifelong friendship</b>. We won't spoil the details of the story, but the connections definitely add some weight to the story.</blockquote>Wow! Not only do I get a dad - played by Liam Neeson!, but I also get a lifelong girlfriend, hopefully played by Monica Bellucci. Is that a great storytelling or what?
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<blockquote><a href=http://www.actiontrip.com/features/e32007fallout3.phtml>Action Trip's impressions</a>:
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The RPG elements in Fallout 3, naturally, play a big role...</blockquote>Great! I like shooters with well developed RPG elements.
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<blockquote>As you know, the old Fallout series was turn-based, and Fallout 3 sort of continues that spirit.</blockquote>I suppose one can put it this way...
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Courtesy of <a href=http://www.nma-fallout.com/>NMA</a>

 

[Kotario]

I like this quote from the Joystiq article myself:

War never changes, but the way you play it can certainly be improved.

 

[Section8]

Hey ya! It's me, the young girl with whom you've had a lifelong friendship.

Guh. Is it just me, or do Bethesda seem to be coming up with more new and inventive ways to turn away Fallout fans than new and inventive design facets?

Fallout Fans: Man, you guys just don't get Fallout at all, do you?

Bethesduh: You don't even know the half of it. Listen...

The sad thing is, they'll give you an option to ignore the girl and pretend she's not your friend, even though the narrative clearly establishes her as such. Because that's role-playing, right?

 

[MF]

"Fans of the franchise"? Right. Fallout was a franchise, not just one game with a fucked up sequel and a bunch of retarded spin-offs, I forgot.

And your character is being railroaded into being a supplicating geek? A lifelong friendship with a girl and no sex? Did the model the storyline on themselves or something? Of course the climax is either going to sex, death or "OMG my father is gone". We already know it's going to be the last one.

You know, in Fallout you could roleplay a 65-year old geezer leaving the vault. Now, you're forced to be an angsty teenager with queen-bee frustrations and a papa-I-can't-live-without-you attitude.

Edit : I just thought of something. If you could play as a female, the lifelong relationship would be more logical, or downright retarded depending on how they narrate the relationship. Then again, you probably can't create a lesbian character anymore.

 

[Fallout_Fan_VII]

Guh. Is it just me, or do Bethesda seem to be coming up with more new and inventive ways to turn away Fallout fans than new and inventive design facets?

Fallout Fans: Man, you guys just don't get Fallout at all, do you?

Bethesduh: You don't even know the half of it. Listen...

Actually, that conversation would go like this:

Fallout Fans: Man, you guys just don't get Fallout at all, do you?

Bethesduh: What are you talking about? We invented Fallout! And the First Person View! This technology did not exist 10 years ago! Oh, and the internet... Al Gore didn't invent it, we did! In fact, we invented computers, too! Yeah, that's the ticket!

 

[psycojester]

To begin with, we learned a bit more about the Tunnel Snakes, the gang of bullies who inhabit the Vault, and the object of their attention, the young girl with whom you've had a lifelong friendship.

So Bethesda are taking their lead from that epic tale of loss and redemption we know as double dragon?

 

[Baphomet]

I think lifelong friendships would be the norm for people who spend their entire lives in an underground vault. I see some of you have never lived in a small town. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

[Rina]

A lifelong friendship with a girl and no sex? Did the model the storyline on themselves or something?

That would seem to be logical explanation.

 

[MF]

I think lifelong friendships would be the norm for people who spend their entire lives in an underground vault. I see some of you have never lived in a small town. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I have, and lifelong friendships with the opposite sex are rare. As soon as people reach a certain age, it either becomes a sex relationship or it bleeds to death. If you're talking rural Christian town, then the friendship either becomes marriage, "I married someone else but really want to fuck you" or bleeds to death. I think if you're talking Vault, you have some sort of controlled partnership and marriage issues anyway, so you'll either have a community too small to have something as preposterous as gangs or a community large enough to warrant selective partnership.

Edit : That picture sure looks 'professional'.

 

[Fat Dragon]

Five bucks says that this lifelong friend of ours will eventually get kidnapped, and we'll be forced to save her.

 

[Baphomet]

I have, and lifelong friendships with the opposite sex are rare. As soon as people reach a certain age, it either becomes a sex relationship or it bleeds to death. If you're talking rural Christian town, then the friendship either becomes marriage, "I married someone else but really want to fuck you" or bleeds to death. I think if you're talking Vault, you have some sort of controlled partnership and marriage issues anyway, so you'll either have a community too small to have something as preposterous as gangs or a community large enough to warrant selective partnership.

Thought provoking. There are also alternatives that add to the verisimilitude of the situation. For example, she could be ugly.

 

[Texas Red]

I was never the one to bash these storyline elements but Jesus Christ, this is just too damn stupid. A gang in a vault? A daddy and a girlfriend? This sounds like something Bioware would develop except dumber.

 

[crakkie]

Here is what professional gaming journalists - the ancient guardians of quality and design excellence - think of the Fallout 3 E3 show:
snippity

They were obviously bewildered and blinded to criticism by the stage presence of the game's promoters.

 

[Edward_R_Murrow]

Nothing about Radio Free Enclave in this newspost? I guess blowing up their base of operations just wasn't enough to stop them from being crammed into the game along with mutants and the Brotherhood.

 

[Micmu]

She has that "what a jerk" expression on her face. Nice shot

 

[Oarfish]

So Bethesda are going to try and introduce Bioware style forced relationships into fallout? Almost certainly involving a character more annoying than bloody Imoen. And I'm also guessing this means you won't get a choice of gender either.

 

[Briosafreak]

There are a gazzilion more previews now,check this.

And why are people getting offended with the pic I placed on the top, if you follow the link? I thought it was a funny caption, but I'm getting messages that make it seem I'm a follower of satan or something, geez...I'm sincerely dumbfounded by that...

Edit: there will be a choice of gender, that was already confirmed.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Breaking news!

"Poor INT will NOT affect your dialogue choices."

 

[Castanova]

Ten dollars and twenty seven cents says that this lifelong friend girl is a relative (daughter? brother?) of the final boss.

 

[Micmu]

Also, looks like Alien Blaster is back as a common energy weapon

 

[Kotario]

Breaking news!

"Poor INT will NOT affect your dialogue choices."

You also get percent chance feedback on your dialogue options, apparently:

So, we walked around. For the demo, we tried to lie to our father, but with only a 29 percent chance of succeeding, it was a failure, and he ordered us to go take the G.O.A.T.

 

[Fat Dragon]

Breaking news!

"Poor INT will NOT affect your dialogue choices."

The SPECIAL stats seem to become more useless in this game every time we hear about them.

 

[Oarfish]

"Poor INT will NOT affect your dialogue choices."

But.. that was actually one of the most amusing things about the fallouts, bumbling through a replay as a dribbling idiot getting exploited left and right. I Hope they are not also implying that high int will not effect dialogue choices either.

 

[Castanova]

Dialogue is never amusing. Signposts that have naughty words on them are.

 

[EliotW]

Having dumb dialogue would require not just another layer of writing but another layer of voice acting.

Expensive.