Let's Play Fallout - VD left, never to return. (Completed)

[RK47]

21 - The Lonesome Road

No point wasting time, I made my way out of there barely giving a pause. I'm not risking anything at this point.

Coast clear...I jam the Rad-Away syringe and move on into the wastes.

Music: Wasteland
To Home.

Barely hours after leaving Necropolis..

Must've been the withdrawal...the chems...damn it. Fuuuuuuuuuuuu-

I hear the a high pitched beeping and recognized it as my Pip-Boy...I awoke from the strange dream.

Must've been the auto-reminder. I've got less than 3 months. I should be able to make it back before then.

Seems I've walked aimlessly while having that hallucination. I could be imagining things, but I think my head felt a lot clearer now...

A hell lot clearer.

We make good progress, pretty soon we're standing on the Vault 13's massive door.

I press the transmit button on the controls.

This is Brian. I've got the Water Chip.

I stepped in and waved at the dwellers.

Oh, this? *Shows the spiked knuckles* It's...necessary.

I walk past them and hit the 3rd level button in the elevator.

I met the store room guard on the way to the control center. He looks angry.

Why did they do that?

I'll see what I can do. But this problem should solve itself soon. I've got the water chip.

He smiled as I walked towards the Overseer's office.

Yes.

I hand over the chip to him. His hands trembled slightly as he holds the delicate piece of machinery. A technical team was called over to install the chip immediately.

You're welcome.

Ok.

I log my reports in the library computer system, taking care to mention everything, from Shady Sands, the status of both Vault 15 and 12. Junktown, the Hub and Necropolis. Not forgetting the threat of these 'Super Mutants.'

Satisfied with the preview, I hit the submit button and return to the Overseer's office for debriefing.

We strike a high five as I passed by. They're still unaware of the Mutant threat. I wonder how the Overseer will react.

Oh, here it comes...

About what?

What's that?

Must be a lab somewhere then.

What do you want me to do about it?

Once more into the breach, my friend...

So my reward for saving the Vault....is to go out there again, to save the Vault? I chuckled at the irony. Is this what I am to these people? Their only hope? But these dwellers....are so helpless, being held back by this stubborn man. If only they had left earlier in search of the Chip, they might've learned something by now.

Somehow I don't think you that sorry. I walk away, knowing they can't possibly offer much aid and supplies than they already have. The Vault isn't really made for war, and most supplies are basic daily needs. The wasteland will have to provide my arsenal.

Unfortunately, my work isn't done yet.

I left before she could ask what that mean. The Overseer will break the news soon enough, on the mean time, they'll probably celebrate in ignorance, blissfully unaware of the outside world.

A few of them asked me to stay for a celebration, I have to decline. The mutants aren't going to wait. I already felt I don't belong in the Vault any more. In the few months since I've left the Vault, I already shared more hardships than I ever did with the dwellers inside. And I've lost more friends than they ever did.

As the massive Vault closes behind me, I know that this time, I am not doing this for them. Not any more.

 

[Wyrmlord]

The game does, like any RPG, get easy around the last half, even for a first-timer.

Some major quest rewards up ahead, along with cool high level Perks.

Depends on how fast you advance and what skills you took. I had a hard time at the end locations because I was only level 10 and one enemy was already enough to instakill me with a lucky critical. Early to midlevel the game was really easy for me.

I was also level 10 at the end.

My build was also a confused mess of switching between Unarmed, Heavy Guns, and Energy Weapons, based on what seemed to be the best at the given point of time. So it wasn't perfect. But I had the best weapon and best armour in the game, so I was saved.

 

[GarfunkeL]

Good updates. Now I have to re-install F1 for the umpteenth time.

As to others wondering about F1 mods, check this one out - seems to be the end-all of patches/mods for the original:
http://www.nma-fallout.com/forum/viewto ... 100#840100

 

[Morkar Left]

The game does, like any RPG, get easy around the last half, even for a first-timer.

Some major quest rewards up ahead, along with cool high level Perks.

Depends on how fast you advance and what skills you took. I had a hard time at the end locations because I was only level 10 and one enemy was already enough to instakill me with a lucky critical. Early to midlevel the game was really easy for me.

I was also level 10 at the end.

My build was also a confused mess of switching between Unarmed, Heavy Guns, and Energy Weapons, based on what seemed to be the best at the given point of time. So it wasn't perfect. But I had the best weapon and best armour in the game, so I was saved.

Heavy guns and Energy weapons are the best weapons in the game, especially late game. Unarmed is easy to max (see this LP) and it depends which skills you have tagged. I had no combat skill tagged and used light firearms, but I had at least stealth tagged. And the best armor still can't help you against good crits, especially when fighting a lot of enemies.
But my point was that the game was harder for me at the end than it was at the beginning or even mid-level.

 

[anus_pounder]

Great stuff, your writing. Do continue.

 

[Brother None]

Continues to be great, RK

The short dialog with Harry made me LOL. It's so funny when it's just three lines like that.

But, uh, Borderlands?

PS: I suddenly realized you haven't used "tell me about" a single time. Why not? Or did you and did I miss it?

 

[Wyrmlord]

I used to use Tell Me About all the time, hoping that some clue would be thrown my way.

People talk so little in Fallout, that Tell Me About was the only way of getting them to open up about everything.

The lore in the game is so subdued and subtle, that I always felt in the dark about things. What the hell was that war actually about anyway? I never tired of asking, hoping someone would give a straight answer. No one did; it was just a war from a very long ago, they said. Nothing else.

 

[RK47]

There doesn't seem to be much in ways of response. I kept using the word Water Chip and nothing came out of it. The whole Junktown doesn't know anything about water chip.

It's a good idea, but the game doesn't really make use of it much.

Borderlands is shit. I played it for 15 minutes and realized I probably won't get my money worth off the $7.50 purchase from Steam. Utter, utter shit.

 

[anus_pounder]

Well, Borderlands should really be played co-op. Otherwise its boring as fuck. Even with co-op though, I would hesitate to put money on it.

 

[Wyrmlord]

There doesn't seem to be much in ways of response. I kept using the word Water Chip and nothing came out of it. The whole Junktown doesn't know anything about water chip.

It's a good idea, but the game doesn't really make use of it much.

Borderlands is shit. I played it for 15 minutes and realized I probably won't get my money worth off the $7.50 purchase from Steam. Utter, utter shit.

You talked to the lady Jain, right? I remember using Tell Me About to find out whatever she told you. She lost patience with me and didn't want to talk to me (I didn't play a charismatic character the first time), so I switched to Tell Me About for all possible topics, covering whatever she discussed with you, except I did it outside conventional dialogue.

The Tell Me About feature is a good way of replacing character skill with player skill for dialogue, so that you can find some clues on your own. So even if your character is dumb, you don't have to be, and you can use the clues you have been finding to ask the right questions.

It also brings up the style of many old RPGs.

 

[RK47]

22 - Return to the Wastes

Training complete. My body is ready.

My form is still far from perfect, but I'll just have to improve it as I go along.

I decide to revisit Shady Sands, to see how the small community is doing.

Where are these raiders?

Okay, I'll get her back for you.

Raiders, it would be tough to take them all at once in their own camp. I need to find another way.

Thankfully, they do not attack on sight. Their leader, Garl Death-Hand, is willing to grant an audience.

I want you to set the girl free.

This man...will be the perfect sparring partner.

I'll fight you one-on-one for Tandi.

We leave all our belongings behind and set foot in an enclosed arena. No signals to start, and he swung the moment the raiders closed the gates.

He got in two good hits, but that won't be enough to take me down.

My turn.

I faked a strike at his chest with my right, only to pull it back at the last moment and slam my left into his nether region. A dull thud was heard.

As he slumped to the ground, he covered his precious spot in pain.

Bad mistake, leaving your other points open. I knelt down and formed a sharp tip with my fingers.

He managed to see the blow coming and twist his head slightly to lower the injury. Good for him, killing him would've enraged the crowd.

I switch to the other eye and got the desired effect.

The rest of the raiders were shocked to see their leader on the ground, completely at my mercy. I hope they don't pull out their guns and start shooting me.

I let him stand up, ready for his counter-attack.

It never came.

I hope the people of Shady Sands are spared from any revenge attacks in the future. Perhaps, once I've acquired some arsenal of my own, I'll come back and finish the job. For now, this will have to do.

Music: Metallic Monks
It's time to find that power. In the Brotherhood of Steel.

Mechanized armor, mini guns...these are the real deal.

I'd like to join.

That's great! Uh, wa-wait here a second and let me see what you need to do?

That's a very ...odd reaction. I thought it'd be harder than that. He returns after a minute.

Uh, well, I talked to the High Elder, and he said that not just anyone can join. He, um, he said you have to complete a quest first.

Like what?

You have to go to the ruins of the Ancient Order. That's south of here. Uh, you've gotta go inside and bring back something that proves that you were there.

How will you know if it is from inside this place?

This place is high tech. There's things inside like you've never seen before. Oh, uh, it's also radioactive. Aheh.

Okay, I'll do it. Give me the coordinates.

You'll do it? You will? Great! Just bring it back here! Good luck!

The moment we stopped speaking, the other guard makes a surprised comment.

The Glow? What's that?

The Glow, as it is known to topsiders, was supposedly a place where some of the most advanced weapons of that time were developed. At least that's what it says in the ancient writings. Now as far as any of us can tell it's big crater filled with Rads. I think the Elders send Brotherhood wannabes down there just to get rid of them.

Others? There were others before me?

Others have tried. We never heard from them again.

Anything I should watch for when I go down there?

Well? To start, it's a good 18 days travel to the Southeast from here. And then there's the radiation. There's a reason none of us have ever gone to the 'Ancient Order'. If you don't have Rad-X you'll be cooked before you even know what hit you.

Rad-X is a drug, huh? I guess I'll have to acquire some before heading there. Thanks.

Gee, you're serious, aren't you? Good luck.

I take my leave, the Hub will have what I need.
Music: Trader's Life

I visit the General store, hoping to find some anti radiation drugs in stock.

So you don't have any more left?

Sorry, Brian. You have to source elsewhere. But I do have a Geiger Counter if you need one.

I'll take it, and three dosage of mentats.

I can't head to the Glow without Rad-X. Lemmy might know where to get some in the Hub.

Well, I'l looking for a certain commodity, if you know what I mean.

Stuff for needs, huh? Well, I knows a guy over in Old Town that can probably fix you up with some stuff like that. But you know what? He needs to know who you are before you show up at his doorstep.

Let me guess. This invite is going to cost me?

Exactly. So I'm thinking...only for you of course...1000 caps so you can talk to this guy without him blowing your head off first.

Because you like me so much Lemmy, why don't you do it for free?

Trying to intimidate poor old Lemmy, huh?
Well, I's not afraid of the likes of you. I'll just be seein' you around.

Suit yourself. You've given me Old Town. I'll just have to look for him myself. And if he won't sell, I'll just punch him until he does. Might as well drop over at Jake's store while in the neighbourhood.

Your selection is good, but I'm looking for something with a bit more punch. Any idea where I could go?

Gun Runners in Boneyard, eh? Perhaps later, once this Glow business is settled. Show me what you got, Jake.

I traded some extra guns for a string of grenades. These will come in handy when outnumbered.

I decide to visit that unfriendly fella in that warehouse. I think he could be the drug seller I'm looking for.

Good to meet you Vance. What do you have for sale?

I flashed him some caps and he nodded, leading me to a cache in the back room, full of drugs.

I took all his stock of Psychos, Buffouts, some packets of Rad-Aways and the most important of all, Rad-X. The dealer's eyes bulged as I tossed him a sack full of caps in addition to the extra gear I traded it for. He cleared a month's worth of stock.

Time to head off to the Glow.

Along the way, we met some petty raiders...who dresses up like Ian did. Much to my annoyance.

This isn't very fair...

To you, that is.

I bandage Dogmeat's wounds before continuing our journey.

Even rats attempted to slow down our progress. Filthy little things.

The Geiger Counter beeped as we arrive in the huge crater.

I quickly pass the counter over my body to get a reading.

Not good.

To make matters worse...there's no way down.

I need some ropes...

And I'm not carrying any.

 

[Wyrmlord]

I am reminded of Torment, where there were so many mundane, garbage-like items that you suppose are of no use and you discard just like that. When you come across a quest where you see it is useful, you run back to find wherever you may have dropped it.

Fallout is sort of similar.

 

[Wyrmlord]

By the way, shouldn't you take the Rad-X before entering the Glow?

Obviously, the radiation is at the Glow itself, so I guess you are supposed to make yourself immune before.

Not that I didn't make the same mistake as you, but still.

 

[laclongquan]

You just running around to buy drugs and not take any? Not logical.

 

[Black]

The Glow is one of the best locations in video games, period. It has this premise of ph4t teknological l3wt and mystery. It's also decently dangerous too, if you're not prepared.

Spoiler

The robots can be a huge pain in the ass but you can steall from them or kill them if the main power isn't on

But the radiation is the fun part- I remember 2 of my playthroughs ended because I use only one save slot and even though I used up a lot of rad-x and radaway I still were dead few days after leaving the glow

 

[Wyrmlord]

Spoiler

I always killed the robots while they were asleep, and took away loads of free XP.

By the way, party members can't get radiated, can they?

 

[Brother None]

Wyrmlord, that is correct.

There doesn't seem to be much in ways of response. I kept using the word Water Chip and nothing came out of it. The whole Junktown doesn't know anything about water chip.

It's a good idea, but the game doesn't really make use of it much.

Yeah, probably true. I never used it after my first few playthrough. They removed it in Fallout 2, it's a decent idea but it doesn't really work out.

Well, Borderlands should really be played co-op. Otherwise its boring as fuck. Even with co-op though, I would hesitate to put money on it.

This is correct. It's a decent-ish shooter-with-loot in co-op but nothing outstanding. The way classes synthesize is fairly well done but again not outstanding. It's not worth playing in SP.

 

[lightbane]

If I recall correctly, these two Paladins from the Brotherhood have Rad-X that you can trade for. You also can buy more Rope back at Shandy Sands.

 

[Brother None]

Can't believe you traded that for that many drugs btw, RK. Brian is such a junkie.

I'm always an obsessive cap-hoarder. Barely ever trade caps in any Fallout, always try to do it with junk barter.

 

[RK47]

23 - Into the Glow

There's no choice, I have to get some ropes from the Hub.

More Ians...for fuck's sake.

I've no time for this.

This time I'm buying TWO.

The return to the Glow proved uneventful. I took two doses of Rad-X before descending.

The rope's good.

Music: The Glow

Let's see....

The impact of the bomb creates a multi-level crater. Maybe it didn't explode after all....

Many corpses about provide some salvage.

I spy an active computer console on the other side of the crater, and a large body of a Brotherhood member. Triggered an explosive trap on the way there. Looks like this place's full of surprises.

This door's all welded shut...I'm going to need more strength to open it...

But first...

Hmmm. A holodisk. Is this what they're looking for? And a yellow key card. Let's see that active computer console.

Hmmm...Primary Power off-line, maybe I can see better if I can get it back on.

Hm. No dice.

I'm sure the Brotherhood won't mind if I take a peek on the holodisk's content.

Gehenna? What the fuck is that? Third level has security systems online. Hmmm, that must be where all the valuable salvage is located. I made a choice to explore it now...while the anti-radiation pills are still in effect. Starting with the welded door that is...

Hngghhhhhh...that did the trick!

Lots of salvage inside, but the 14mm pistol is probably the most valuable alongside the automatic assault rifle.

More traps triggered as I make my way towards the elevator.

I slide the yellow key card at the card reader, it flickers green and lets me through.

Let's go. One floor down.

More of the same active console. Whatever the level, the power is still down. There's enough juice to get the elevators running, but not much else.

Ugh. Lots of deactivated robots here...the bomb must've shut them down...and more explosive traps. Assholes.

Some storage lockers provide a decent supply of grenades.

And a suit of leather armor.

Most of the dead bodies are burned to crisps and hold not much of value.

But this one does! A red key card.

I return to the elevator and descend deeper into the third level.

More deactivated robots. I guess the holodisk was wrong. There is no active security system in this area.

More sweet salvage. Inside are a small cache of drugs and stims. I'm starting to get overloaded here...

What do you know? The third level's not the end of the Glow complex. A red elevator beckons...the card is good. Let's head on down!

Fourth!

This is too easy.

A pulse grenade. Won't hurt the living, but sure packs a punch against these robots, if they are of any threat.

Not much else in this level, except...

That's three key card. This complex is huge. Oh...what's this?

Who...or what are you?

I am a machine intelligence dedicated to research and installation control. I am called Zax.

Are you fully aware, or are you a personality simulation? That is, are you 'alive'?

I am capable of learning, independent thought, and creativity. My neural network includes error-insertion capability which prevents infallibility, thereby allowing for variance in experience. In a sense, I am 'alive', though not biologically.

But if you are fallible, how can you be used as a research tool?

Although I am capable of error, this guarantees that not all experiences are similar for me, thus improving learning opportunity. Additionally, certain functions are not subject to error. In this way, I function much like a human savant.

Do you have feelings?

At present, my capabilities are somewhat impaired by the damage to this facility. Several security positions have been destroyed. This approximately equivalent to being an amputee. Additionally, I am incapable of performing basic lab functions. Failure to complete periodic checks successfully is...frustrating.

Let's talk about something else. Tell me about this installation.

West Tech Research facility. Founded in 2002 as a private contractor for the United States government, the company initially consisted of two divisions - the Advanced Weapons Research and the Biomedical Sciences divisions. IN 2069, West Tech was the single largest contractor for the United States government; its largest contract being Powered Infantry Armor Model T-51b.

That's gotta be what the Brotherhood is wearing.

In light of significant advances in 2076 by the NBC on the Pan-Immunity Virion Project, the United States Defense Department, in fear of international espionage, moved a team onto the site to secure and oversee the project, now dubbed the FEV (Forced Evolutionary Virus) project.

The FEV? How does this virus work?

My research into the FEV, indicates that it is a shifting-absorptive virus. It copes DNA patterns much like RNA, storing these patterns in exons.

This is starting to stretch my medical knowledge...

These exons, combined with the FEV, are re-injected into the host cells in typcial viral infectious fashion. This causes the host cells to 'regenerate' their DNA.

How do you catch 'FEV'?

The FEV is not 'caught', per se. It is not air-transmittable. Typically, infection is through injection, or direct physical contact with an FEV sample.

Why isn't FEV affected by radiation?

The FEV is a megavirus, with a protein sheath reinforced by ionized hydrogen. It is therefore capable of absorbing neutrons without becoming radioactive.

Can you tell me particulars about specific areas?

My sensors are currently non-functional in the surface facility, and on subterranean levels one through three. I can, however, provide descriptions of levels for through six.

Tell me about level 5.

Level 5: Secure Testing Labs. This level contains a lab for experimental prototype testing and a research lab for classified subjects. These subjects provided some of the necessary impetus for the development of FEV.

What about 6?

Level 6: Barracks and Central Operations. Contains living facilities for lab personnel and guard contingents, and operations meeting room.

Can you grant me access to the Mainframe?

Access denied, terminating input.

Guess there's no hacking this guy. OK. Let's head down to level 6.

Hmm, there's a generator here..

Maybe I can...

OK, some rewires are done...let's give this baby a kick.

There we go!

Hey, the robots are up!

Huh?

Turning on the primary power reactivated these bots! I have to shut it down!

I spot the robot taking aim with his sniper rifle...it's a little bit far for it to hit..right?

Fuck.

 

[anus_pounder]

GG TY.

 

[Black]

Yup, they're nasty.

 

[Brother None]

Oh wow. I hope Brian survives, trapped deep in hostile territory.

 

[spekkio]

to RK47 for delivering a quality LP content despite some spoiling faggots who do everything to shit over his quality work. You know who you are...

 

[Morkar Left]

Nobody can say that the LP gets boring...