Interview Interesting Fallout 3 interview at Spong

[Vault Dweller]

Tags: Bethesda Softworks; Fallout 3

<a href=http://spong.com>Spong</a> has posted a 4-page long <a href=http://spong.com/detail/editorial.jsp?eid=10109624&cid=&tid=&pid=&plid=&page=1>Fallout 3 interview</a>, featuring Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel concept art for extra awesomeness and instant "we are Fallout fans too!" credibility.
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<blockquote><b>What’s the whole deal with rabid Fallout fanboys desperately worried that Fallout 3 is not going to be a proper RPG?</b>
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Pete Hines: Well, at its core Fallout 3 is definitely a role-playing game. <u>If you are of the opinion that any Fallout RPG has to be exactly like the games that came out in 1997 and 1998 down to every feature and detail, that’s definitely not the game we are making.</u> We are trying to make a true successor in the Fallout franchise, something that is a true role-playing game that immerses you in this world, and hopefully brings out the best of what that series is about – which is great tone and setting and themes and characters and player choice… You know, it’s a really interesting, special role-playing system.
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If folks are interested in a new Fallout game (as opposed to being slavishly interested in a specific list of demands relating to Fallout or Fallout2); or [they] are just interested in role-playing in general but may not have played the original games; or they are just looking for the next big RPG or the next big RPG coming from Bethesda… we certainly hope all of those folks are interested in what we are up to with Fallout 3.</blockquote>Or they don't really care what to play next as long as it's shiny. In other words, Fallout 3 is a game for everyone but Fallout fans.
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<blockquote>You have no idea why he [dad] left. You expected him to be there and he’s not. So this is kind of the jumping off point. The overseer’s thugs are out to get you and you basically figure out a way to break out of the Vault like your father did to go in search of him.
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“What was so important? Why did he leave me behind? What did he need to go and do? Where is he?” These are the questions you ask yourself and these are your reasons for leaving the Vault and venturing out into this post-nuclear wasteland.
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Whereas in this game Liam Neeson is the impetus for the majority of the main quest – it’s about finding your father, finding out what he is up to, finding out if you can help him.</blockquote>I really, really dislike games where I'm supposed to find missing relatives, especially when it's "the majority of the main quest".
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<blockquote>Your biggest foes in the game are these super-mutants that are invading the world and are in a constant battle to push humans out.</blockquote>Invading the world, are they?
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<blockquote><b>Do you have any of the guys from the original Fallout or Fallout 2 teams involved?</b>
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No, it's our team. Mainly the Oblivion team.
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<b>How many guys do you have working on the writing side of things?</b>
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Pete Hines: Probably about the same size team we had working on Oblivion.</blockquote>The Oblivion "talent". Sounds promising.
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I saved the best quote for last:
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<blockquote>If you choose to play the game violently, then so be it, but it is in the context of this much larger role-playing game where you are talking to people and solving problems and buying and trading things.
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The same thing could be said for Oblivion...</blockquote>
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Thanks, Briosafreak

 

[puppyonastik]

I hope that one day, some where out there... Pete Hines has an encounter with Major Blackheart, who by chance is equipped with a rusty cheese grater.

 

[Elhoim]

So we are roleplaying a emo kid with daddy complex?

 

[don_tomaso]

Ooh more pictures of Pete Hines.. lovely!!

*wank*wank*

 

[cutterjohn]

If you choose to play the game violently, then so be it, but it is in the context of this much larger role-playing game where you are talking to people and solving problems and buying and trading things.

The same thing could be said for Oblivion...

WTF?!

That's it! It's going to be Oblivious with gunz, and a $2 car download, and $5 download for armor for the car and $10 for a teh big e-penis gun for said armored car.

 

[Elhoim]

Things to do in Oblivion apart from combat:

1- NPCs to talk to
2- Potions to make
3- Flowers to pick
4- Lots of other stuff!

I pick the combat, thank you very much.

 

[xedoc gpr]

Your biggest foes in the game are these super-mutants that are invading the world and are in a constant battle to push humans out.

Reminds me of this other game I played.....

 

[Rei]

Can somebody please ask this guy...

Does Fallout 3 have anything in common (at all) with it's prequels other then, you know, the "true RPG spirit."

Because it seems like they have plenty of influences but none coming from Fallout.

Seems like I'll be fully aware that i'm playing a video game throughout fallout 3.

 

[Amasius]

I walked out of the E3 demo of Fallout 3 shortly after conducting the interview below, and I had a sh*t-eating grin on my face the likes of which I seriously cannot remember since I first saw Half Life 2 some years back.

Yes, he is obviously part of the target audience. Unlike us rabid Fallout fanboys.

If you choose to play the game violently, then so be it, but it is in the context of this much larger role-playing game where you are talking to people and solving problems and buying and trading things.

The same thing could be said for Oblivion. You could do nothing but run around and fight things with swords if you wanted to. But that’s not the entire game – there’s loads of other stuff to do, NPCs to talk to, potions to make, flowers to pick, lots of other stuff! It’s very important that violence within our games is seen in the context of the overall game.

Yes, I desperately want to pick flowers in Fallout. Its like a long suppressed dream coming true.

 

[Claw]

Does Fallout 3 have anything in common (at all) with it's prequels other then, you know, the "true RPG spirit."

Of course it does!

It has a third-person view like in Fallout, and the nextgen turn-based VATS mode. Also, it draws heavily on Fallout's lore and you will see many old aquaintances like the BoS and Supermutants. Last not least, the Vault will look surprisingly familiar.

 

[Joe Krow]

What's with the "at it's core" all the time? "At it's core it's a rpg." What the fuck does that mean? "At it's core it's an rpg. We then encased the core in eight layers of first person shooter seperated by alternating layers of shiny graphics and handholding. It's kind of like a Gobstopper made of shit. Enjoy."

 

[gc051360]

These folks at Bethsoft aren't that bright. They aren't creative, talented, or imaginative....they cashed in on the console market, and really. These interviews are hard to read. It's like listening to Michael Bay director commentary.

How can someone so dumb....be so successful?

And their entire argument is based on a straw man, and a false choice. The straw man is that people want a carbon copy of the originals. The false choice is that we either have to have the exact same game as FO1, or a FPS with RPG elements. You can update the elements of the original without having to throw them all away and replace them with stolen parts of Halo.

 

[Rei]

What's with the "at it's core" all the time? "At it's core it's a rpg." What the fuck does that mean? "At it's core it's an rpg. We then encased the core in eight layers of first person shooter seperated by alternating layers of shiny graphics and handholding. It's kind of like a Gobstopper made of shit. Enjoy."

"When do I get to the RPG?"

*snicker* "Oh you'll get there. Keep sucking."

 

[sabishii]

“What was so important? Why did he leave me behind? What did he need to go and do? Where is he?” These are the questions you ask yourself and these are your reasons for leaving the Vault and venturing out into this post-nuclear wasteland.

Yes, please force me to roleplay a certain way in a roleplaying game.

 

[Micmu]

It's funny how these fuckheads always contradict themselves.

 

[Koby]

I have come to the conclusion that that 'game journalists' are the highest form of hardcore RPGers. It is evident that they are nothing but RPG fans LARPing as journalist (by far the best class) on the best online LARP community - the internet, while the game companies PR representatives assume the role of NPCs quest givers ("hype this game for me"), complete with a quest 'award' after the quest has been accomplished.

 

[Nedrah]

Doesn't sound like we'll be able to decide daddy had better sort his own shit out in order to pursue bigger and better things, huh?

Think I'll pass.

 

[Hümmelgümpf]

We are trying to make a true successor in the Fallout franchise, something that is a true role-playing game that immerses you in this world

Immersion. I hate this word. Every bloody game that is promised to be "immersive" sucks. And yet journalists keep praising the shit out of such games, people keep buying them, developers keep earning/buying various awards for "innovation" and "revitalizing the genre".

 

[GhanBuriGhan]

"Every one but fallout fans" - who decides who is a fan? What you mean is "not for me and my friends at the Codex and NMA"

"The Oblivion talent": Well we will see, they have several new writers, I think, and Emil actually did a decent job in Oblivion.

"Same could be said for Oblivion" - Well you can't expect them to diss their own game. Also I could contrast that with several statements that stress the differences to Oblivion in the quest design goals, but you all read them. Check the latest dev diary, e.g..

"Immersion": it IS important, to me at least. And I DO prefer FP games because of it. The problem is that its become a buzzword, is too often equaled to shiny graphics, and is used by PR of almost every single game. You should focus on hating that misuse, not the actual goal of immersion in games.

"Dad" - I agree, I don't like the story set up either.

 

[Rei]

Immersion is nice. It's also really fucking rare. The only time i've been lost in a world was (clearly in memory) in Fallout, some time after i realized i can get away with things.


Immersion is not something I identify with the first person genre. I am fully aware I am playing a game in games of these types.

 

[GhanBuriGhan]

Immersion is nice. It's also really fucking rare. The only time i've been lost in a world was (clearly in memory) in Fallout, some time after i realized i can get away with things.


Immersion is not something I identify with the first person genre. I am fully aware I am playing a game in games of these types.

It certainly varies from gamer to gamer. For me its easier in first person, because I am of the "becoming one with the character" type. VD, and I guess others here clearly stated somewhere recently that he is not doing that, but is kind of considering what his character would do - that would seem to be more suited to a more distant 3rd person / iso view. I am happy to concede that I was pretty immersed in Fallout and even jagged alliance, despite the view, but its a different type of immersion.

 

[Rei]

Yea well no matter what the view is I find it hard to become immersed when there are orcs and fairies about, no matter how good the game is (temple of elemental evil).

I dont think immersion can be advertised. Immersion can't even be an intention i dont think. What works for you might not work for me, like you said.
I think to a more commonly humanoid level...

maybe once you can express yourself without thinking to an interface immersion becomes easier ... hm

 

[Sodomy]

Fallout really cut against the fantasy grain and did some pretty unique things: with full facial animations, lip-syncing and that kind of thing.

Yep, Fallout's biggest advancement was the graphics during the conversation scenes.

I guess Beth couldn't be bothered to pay attention to the text.

 

[Micmu]

I got "immersed" in Arcanum, got immersed in Ultima 7, got immersed in Fallout, got immersed in Gothic, etc...
I certainly didn't get immersed in oblivious, which felt as "immersive" as any arcade game to me.
Hearing those fuckfaces talking about "being immersed into the world" again just made me chuckle. Especially when they infested the world with downright braindead stuff like tossing around nuclear grenades that make miniature mushroom clouds (and can't kill a creature with one blast), portable nuclear shelters, toilet water as Healing Fountains, barbie doll launchers... etc etc

 

[Volrath]

This game is allready well beyond being fucked up, it's embarassing really