Interview Pete Hines on Fallout 3

[MF]

The setting as a whole teetered between kitsch and grit in a way that never really clicked with me -

That's actually very well-put. You should really hold Fallout to the bar and ignore Fallout 2, though. The balance in the original game was kept firmly within the boundaries of being too kitsch or compulsorily gritty. Fallout 2 just plain sucked. I hate it the more I remember it. I played Fallout again sometime last year, and tried Fallout 2 after that. After that terrible Temple of Trials, I quit playing when I saw those stupid tribals again.

You know, I really, really wish Fallout never had any sequels or spin-offs. The game has this place in my mind, where it sits among Asimov and Herbert's writings (not because of the writing, that sucked in places), it was an admirable piece of art in its own way. I don't quite know how to explain it, but Fallout 2, and especially the spin-offs, tainted this place in my mind. I think it's because if some cheesy sci-fi author writes a series, the only one he has to worry about keeping his work consistent is himself.

Game development is teamwork, while writing is not, but that doesn't keep someone like Vogel from keeping his work (Geneforge) consistent. Art and Design direction should have tight control over art and design and basically do all the design themselves. It should be a fascist process, too. With Bethesda, I don't trust the gargantuan teams to come up with a game that is consistent with itself, let alone consistent with its prequels.

 

[Anaglyph]

The most worrying aspect of Pete Hines' comments is how he's already predicting mixed reactions before the game is even out. This means Bethesda is very set on doing things their own way rather than making a true Fallout 3.

There's nothing worrying about it at all. It's a foregone conclusion that Bethesda are "going to do things their own way rather than make a true Fallout 3". The only thing to be revealed is whether they can make a reasonably entertaining post-apoc game.

I just don't understand how anyone can still be under any illusion that there's the slightest chance that it will be Fallout. :/

 

[stargelman]

The most worrying aspect of Pete Hines' comments is how he's already predicting mixed reactions before the game is even out. This means Bethesda is very set on doing things their own way rather than making a true Fallout 3. Another Xbox 360 first-person shooter with stats. Sigh.

This shocks you? What on earth do you expect? If you liked Oblivion, Fallout 3 is for you. If you didn't like Oblivion, if you thought it was silly, plain, uninspired, dry, shallow and soulless, then please, for the love of Davros, do not expect anything good from Fallout 3.

On a personal level, I still do like some of the Beth developers (like Smiley), but I have to admit I don't think they could make a decent Fallout 3 even if their ideas for it weren't as horribly twisted as they are. I'm expecting at best a decent post-apoc FPS, but definitely not more.

I don't even care what any of them say anymore. In the recent fan interview, I asked them where they are going with their stuff, and Toddles answered. I've since given up even the last tiny bits of hope for them. In the few instances I still follow this, it is only for my amusement - or should I say bemusement?

If you still have hope for Fallout 3, then I really really pitty you, because I know perfectly well what you will feel like once you know what they did to/with it.

 

[gc051360]

If you still have hope for Fallout 3, then I really really pitty you

I have no hope.

But I have lots of questions. Lots and lots. The most important one being WHY??? Why is Bethesda making Fallout 3? why do they even want to? It makes no sense.

 

[Ladonna]

But I have lots of questions. Lots and lots. The most important one being WHY??? Why is Bethesda making Fallout 3? why do they even want to? It makes no sense.

Why does a rapist do what they do?

Any psychologists in the house?

 

[Section8]

I'm a house inside a psychologist.

 

[Cimmerian Nights]

But I have lots of questions. Lots and lots. The most important one being WHY??? Why is Bethesda making Fallout 3? why do they even want to? It makes no sense.

To make Fallout more accessible to the masses. The drooling, ritalin besotted, mouth-breathing, troglodytic masses. Not that I'm an elitist or anything.

 

[Ladonna]

I'm a house inside a psychologist.

for fucks sake

Never again, never....I should have known

 

[doctor_kaz]

The most worrying aspect of Pete Hines' comments is how he's already predicting mixed reactions before the game is even out. This means Bethesda is very set on doing things their own way rather than making a true Fallout 3. Another Xbox 360 first-person shooter with stats. Sigh.

This shocks you? What on earth do you expect? If you liked Oblivion, Fallout 3 is for you. If you didn't like Oblivion, if you thought it was silly, plain, uninspired, dry, shallow and soulless, then please, for the love of Davros, do not expect anything good from Fallout 3.

On a personal level, I still do like some of the Beth developers (like Smiley), but I have to admit I don't think they could make a decent Fallout 3 even if their ideas for it weren't as horribly twisted as they are. I'm expecting at best a decent post-apoc FPS, but definitely not more.

I don't even care what any of them say anymore. In the recent fan interview, I asked them where they are going with their stuff, and Toddles answered. I've since given up even the last tiny bits of hope for them. In the few instances I still follow this, it is only for my amusement - or should I say bemusement?

If you still have hope for Fallout 3, then I really really pitty you, because I know perfectly well what you will feel like once you know what they did to/with it.

I actually enjoyed Oblivion for a while and I don't have any hope either. I liked Elder Scrolls IV for what it was but I wouldn't want to play it again and I wouldn't want to play another game like it.

 

[stargelman]

If you still have hope for Fallout 3, then I really really pitty you

I have no hope.

But I have lots of questions. Lots and lots. The most important one being WHY??? Why is Bethesda making Fallout 3? why do they even want to? It makes no sense.

Considering that you must be daft, let me spell it out for you:

The Reason Why

 

[Jasede]

Don't draw Uncle Scrooge into this. Uncle Scrooge is a great comic figure. You soil his sacred name by mentioning him in one breath with The Firm That Must Not Be Named. I jihad you!

:evil:

 

[taxacaria]

"We've said this before and we'll say this again: not everybody is going to agree with the game we are making: it's a solid-gold lock,"
...
Few developers have been so honest in regard to a game's potential reception...

Well, Pete Hines has many attributes, but honesty isn't one of them.
So "Not everybody is going to agree with the game we are making" could mean "Nobody is going to agree...".

...but then again few developers have had to face a fanbase quite so rabid, rigid and (sad to say) repeatedly screwed over as those of the post- nuclear role-player.

And the evil fans are trying to prevent poor Beth from fuckin' the franchise. That's a problem, indeed.

I have it on my laptop here, I play it on the road. We're all big fallout fans, we play Fallout, Fallout 2, we play the non-RPG ones, I mean, I play Fallout: Tactics, I played Brotherhood of Steel (the abysmal Xbox 'action' game) because I felt I had to give it a look.

It doesn't matter what kind of games honest Pete has on his Laptop - the question is what kind of games Bethesda is developing.

But we also want to stay true to the stuff people remember and took to heart in Fallout, which was the kinds of quests you did, the choices that were laid before you, the way the game would play differently depending on how you were role-playing and the setting...That sort of stuff."

Same great role-playing as in Oblivion, I assume.

Whatever the case, the smart bets are for Fallout 3 to be a free-roaming, first-person action/RPG with more dialogue, violence and grit than the Elder Scrolls has ever seen.

First person, action, violence. The true nature of the Fallout franchise - or is he speaking of Oblivion? And even more topic-click-dialogue? Where can I preorder?

Well some folks just aren't going to give it a chance out of the box. And you know what? That's your choice. If you don't want to give it a shot, there's nothing we can do about that..."

You've fucked the fans with Oblivion and Legacy - so your shitty developement and your crappy production are the reasons for your bad reputation. Why should people buy your shit to become your victim again?

 

[geminito]

You've fucked the fans with Oblivion and Legacy - so your shitty developement and your crappy production are the reasons for your bad reputation. Why should people buy your shit to become your victim again?

Actually, the majority of their fans are very happy with Oblivion. (Legacy?) They didn't make it for you or the small number of the RPG Codex babies.

 

[Data4]

You've fucked the fans with Oblivion and Legacy - so your shitty developement and your crappy production are the reasons for your bad reputation. Why should people buy your shit to become your victim again?

Actually, the majority of their fans are very happy with Oblivion. (Legacy?) They didn't make it for you or the small number of the RPG Codex babies.

Your comments are uninspired and not surprising.

 

[taxacaria]

Actually, the majority of their fans are very happy with Oblivion. (Legacy?) They didn't make it for you or the small number of the RPG Codex babies.

The majority of their three fans - oh, I forgot the great 'adult' geminito - four fans.
Fact is that the replay value of O is very low - and some modding can't repair the shitload of flaws the game has. So it's a play-and forget-game, and the casual gamers can't be counted as fans.
btw - if you don't know about the ST:Legacy scandal, make your homework before posting.

 

[Lumpy]

Bullshit. Oblivion has plenty of fans who replay it over and over (hence the DLC and expansion), and Legacy wasn't even developed by Beth. Face it, Bethy are a successful mainstream developer, no matter how you look at them.
You can be sure that Fallout 3 will sell one million copies and have plenty of DLC.
And, geminito, that picture was hosted on the Codex first anyway.

 

[GhanBuriGhan]

I don't know about majorities or not. It's a fact that a good number of the people I knew on the boards in the old days are now critical of Oblivion. By far not all of them, though. And it's blatantly obvious that there is a ton of new fans who love the game as is and defend it against all criticism. The review scores and sales numbers are also a fact. So lumpy is right, Oblivions success and fanbase are a fact, it's something one has to accept. That does not invalidate the criticism of the game, though.

 

[Cimmerian Nights]

Lumpy you are a fellow traveller.

Whatever fans they have now will be isolated by how shallow and vapid the next ES game is (which will probably shatter sales records too!).

As far as replay value, it's not even 2 years old yet. Wait until 5 years down the road and see who still plays it. Here's a news flash: they don't want you to still be playing it in 5 years, for the same reason auto parts companies don't make lifetime brake shoes. The problem with games that are dependant on graphics and gimmicks, is that they don't age well at all.

 

[Kingston]

Exactly. Ten years from now people will still remember (perhaps even play) Fallout, but nobody will remember Oblivion. I think that sums up nicely the difference between the two.

 

[GhanBuriGhan]

I wouldn't even count on it. A lot of you guys said the same thing about Morrowind, and that is certainly still very alive and played by many. I hope you are right, but I am not convinced.

 

[Zomg]

A lot of the fresh dorks on the Codex haven't grokked that they have genuinely weird tastes and reactions.

 

[Section8]

Ghan: Morrowind had about 10x the substance of Oblivion too. I've actually grown to like Morrowind much more in retrospect. At least it's fun to explore and play dress ups.

 

[Bradylama]

Quite. There's also no real indication that Oblivion fandom will translate into sales for Fallout 3.

 

[Jasede]

Quite. While I consider it somewhat boring, Morrowind is a work of art compared to Oblivion, but we've established that quite often. Especially the melange of artwork, architecture, lore and music elevate it to the status of a good "B", or even a "B+".

 

[GhanBuriGhan]

Ghan: Morrowind had about 10x the substance of Oblivion too. I've actually grown to like Morrowind much more in retrospect. At least it's fun to explore and play dress ups.

I'm glad. When I first came here and outed myself as a Morrowind fan (and based on that, being hopeful for Oblivion), the reception was a little harsher, as you may recall. I agree with your evaluation of the two games, however I am just not sure that Oblivion is bound to historical insignificance, despite what you and I may think about it or want. I don't get it, but I can't help noticing that there are many many people that truly love the game. And contrary to Codex wisdom, a good number of them are neither illiterate nor idiots. Oblivion may not be a RPG, and a sad development in the TES series, but it may become a classic just the same. For action fantasy gamers.