Fallout 3

[thegayhare]

YAY
they are making a new fallout game...

so frigun cool

I hope they don't screw this up
One of the best things aboutthe old fallouts was the fact that you could pretty much do anything you could be good or bad, you could talk your way out of sometihng or shoot your way out.  and that your Stats realy mattered Take a low intel nd people treated you like a moron, and your selection of dialog was limited too.

I realy hope they stick to that and don't make anouther tactics (though it was fun it didn't have the same soul as 1 and 2)

I also hope they add a little more stuff for gay players

In 2 there was lots of opertunity for girl on girl action even lesbian marriage It was more limited for guys there was the one guy you could marry and if you lost an arm wreastling match the supermutant would make you the gimp but thats it.  Still I was pleased to see that much ing a video game... a little more would be nice *chuckles*

Oh and according to the trailer... Ron Perlman's doing voice acting for it... so cool.. (loves Perlman)

[superluser]

I realy hope they stick to that and don't make anouther tactics (though it was fun it didn't have the same soul as 1 and 2)

I never played 1 or 2.  I wasn't gaming much in `97, and by `99, I was running Linux, and WINE was pretty crappy at that point.  The only one I played was Brotherhood of Steel, which was just a hack'n'slash for the XBOX.

I did, however, have the pleasure of watching others play Fallout, so I know what an awesome game it is.

Anybody know if Fallout (1,2) will work under WINE?  Also, is there any chance of a native Linux version for Fallout 3?

Oh and according to the trailer... Ron Perlman's doing voice acting for it... so cool.. (loves Perlman)

I dunno.  Perlman doesn't do it for me.  Gary Busey, on the other hand...doesn't really do it, either.  But more so than Perlman.

[TheDXM]

Never played it's predecessors, and up until now I never meant to. It seems like it draws a lot of ideas from Deus Ex and gives them a KOTOR feel in the mechanics with none of the bad leftover-taste. In otherwords: It's probably a total blast.

[Turnsky]

Never played it's predecessors, and up until now I never meant to. It seems like it draws a lot of ideas from Deus Ex and gives them a KOTOR feel in the mechanics with none of the bad leftover-taste. In otherwords: It's probably a total blast.

it's known as the "post apocalyptic role playing game"  Deus ex is Cyberpunk, KOTOR is Sci-Fi.. Fallout is post-apoc, and looks the part..  do yourself a favor and pick up the first two.

[superluser]

It seems like it draws a lot of ideas from Deus Ex and gives them a KOTOR feel

Sure, in the same way that Homer's Odyssey draws a lot of ideas from James Joyce's Ulysses.

Fallout (1997) and Fallout 2 (1998) were released way before Deus Ex (2000) and KOTOR (2003).  I've never plated Deus Ex and I have played KOTOR, but I really can't see many similarities between those titles and Fallout.

[Turnsky]

It seems like it draws a lot of ideas from Deus Ex and gives them a KOTOR feel

Sure, in the same way that Homer's Odyssey draws a lot of ideas from James Joyce's Ulysses.

Fallout (1997) and Fallout 2 (1998) were released way before Deus Ex (2000) and KOTOR (2003).  I've never plated Deus Ex and I have played KOTOR, but I really can't see many similarities between those titles and Fallout.

for you RPG fanatics, the "SPECIAL" system used for the fallout Series, is based on GURPS.

[Blazehawk]

Well, I have faith that Bethesda Softworks will do a good job with it.   If I remember correctly, they got the license when Interplay died because one of their founders is a huge Fallout fanboy.

[Turnsky]

i'll be happy if bethseda does the universe justice, no matter if the angle's Iso, first person, or third person.

[superluser]

i'll be happy if bethseda does the universe justice, no matter if the angle's Iso, first person, or third person.

I really hope it's isometric.  I've missed isometric RPGs, and the lousy isomorphic action `RPGs' (like Brotherhood of Steel or Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance) are worthless.

[Turnsky]

i'll be happy if bethseda does the universe justice, no matter if the angle's Iso, first person, or third person.

I really hope it's isometric.  I've missed isometric RPGs, and the lousy isomorphic action `RPGs' (like Brotherhood of Steel or Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance) are worthless.

whilst isometric would be nice, even if it's not, it'll still be fallout if they get the overall feel right.

[Paladin Sheppard]

*drools of the mere mention of Fallout 3* wantwantwant

[superluser]

whilst isometric would be nice, even if it's not, it'll still be fallout if they get the overall feel right.

Did I say otherwise?

I like isometric, but I'd rather have a first person game true to the Fallout legacy than an isometric game that isn't.

I always feel that isometric projection gives a game a more epic feeling, sort of like everything's already happened, and you just need to string it all together.

[Turnsky]

whilst isometric would be nice, even if it's not, it'll still be fallout if they get the overall feel right.

Did I say otherwise?

I like isometric, but I'd rather have a first person game true to the Fallout legacy than an isometric game that isn't.

I always feel that isometric projection gives a game a more epic feeling, sort of like everything's already happened, and you just need to string it all together.

offhand, i'd be very apprehensive of a FPS styled Fallout game, after all, STALKER was released not too long ago, albeit with its fair share of bugs and issues, it's still post-apoc in theme, and a lot of people are gonna compare it to that.
Offhand, however, i'd feel that the comparison would be along the lines of "like stalker, but MUCH MUCH better" there's several variations on the Isometric theme out there, however, don't forget neverwinter knights, while it's true that bethseda are good at doing RPG's in a first person perspective, i hope they do it right, no matter what the camera angle is, from the teaser trailer, they're off to a good start.

[superluser]

offhand, i'd be very apprehensive of a FPS styled Fallout game, after all, STALKER was released not too long ago, albeit with its fair share of bugs and issues, it's still post-apoc in theme, and a lot of people are gonna compare it to that.

That's pretty much all I'm saying.  Although instead of Stalker, it's going to get compared to Oblivion, since any FPS that Bethesda makes right now is probably going to be based on the Oblivion engine.

[Taerkar]

The Bethsoft website has a forum there for Fallout 3 and one of the ongoing threads there is an 'Ask the Bethesda guys questions' thread. Nothing directly involving Fallout 3 of course, but lots of stuff about them and their background. Lots of interesting things coming from it, namely:

- It sounds like they're definitely going to go for the M rating and possibly even push it as far as they can without hitting AO
- Some of them are completely nuts... in a good way.
- Quite a few of them are from Pittsburgh

[superluser]

- It sounds like they're definitely going to go for the M rating and possibly even push it as far as they can without hitting AO

Yeah, this is probably pretty much in keeping with the original Fallout games.

So long as they don't go the Brotherhood of Steel route where they stick in a lot of explicit stuff that's more juvenile than mature, the mature themed stuff will probably be very good for the game.

[Turnsky]

- It sounds like they're definitely going to go for the M rating and possibly even push it as far as they can without hitting AO

Yeah, this is probably pretty much in keeping with the original Fallout games.

So long as they don't go the Brotherhood of Steel route where they stick in a lot of explicit stuff that's more juvenile than mature, the mature themed stuff will probably be very good for the game.

i'll be happy if plasmas still melt flesh and the flamers still produce the "burning man dance" effect. 

[thegayhare]

i'll be happy if plasmas still melt flesh and the flamers still produce the "burning man dance" effect. 

LOL yeah but a little more variaty in the melting, buring and slicing effects rather then the same one over and over.

I'd like to see some more primitive weapons
The weapons jump from spears and knives to guns.  I think crossbows and bows would make sense too.  and I'd like to increase the number of melee weapons

Anouther interesting thing would be the Idea to make your own gear from junk.  Your skills would determine the level and type of items you could make.

Lets say your sience, and energy weapons levels are high enough you could take a lazer rifle and some nukocola bottles to create a crude beam spreader and turn it into a lazer shotgun

[superluser]

Lets say your sience, and energy weapons levels are high enough you could take a lazer rifle and some nukocola bottles to create a crude beam spreader and turn it into a lazer shotgun

I gotta say, that would be right up there with swordchucks in terms of good ideas.

[thegayhare]

What the Lazer shotgun Or the building your own gear?

Because I stole the lazer shotgun from starwars.  They called it a deck sweeper, the basic Idea was the energy would exit the weapon threw a wide angeled focausing lense basicly turning a lazer bolt into an expanding arc of energy.  But the range is drasticly reduced because energy defuses much faster.  I figured the nukocola bottles could be fashioned into crude lenses.  But hey it's just the first thing that came to mind

[superluser]

What the Lazer shotgun Or the building your own gear?

The laser shotgun.  That sounds as dangerous to the user as to the wielder as to the target.  Doesn't mean it wouldn't be fun. 

[thegayhare]

The laser shotgun.  That sounds as dangerous to the user as to the wielder as to the target.  Doesn't mean it wouldn't be fun. 

LOL

of course it would be dangerous to use, It would also be very no discriminating hitting freind and foe alike.  But then again your running a high powered energy weapon threw a soda bottle.

I realy like the ability to make modifications to existing gear and to create new items.  It would lead to  some interesting puzzle possibilities

[Taerkar]

What the Lazer shotgun Or the building your own gear?

Because I stole the lazer shotgun from starwars.  They called it a deck sweeper, the basic Idea was the energy would exit the weapon threw a wide angeled focausing lense basicly turning a lazer bolt into an expanding arc of energy.  But the range is drasticly reduced because energy defuses much faster.  I figured the nukocola bottles could be fashioned into crude lenses.  But hey it's just the first thing that came to mind

Diffuse a true laser that much and you'd probably do more damage throwing the bottle at your enemies instead.

Now, there's also the question of just how effective a laser is against a person, but we won't get into that, ok?

[Taerkar]

More information just came out recently from Gaming Insiders magazine (Or is it Game Informers?)

- Special system is used.
- It is real-time and first person.
- Third person is being reworked to be more useful
- A strange ap-using system allows for you to make aimed shots
- Graphic deaths, including reports of heads going pop and slow-mo
- Level cap
- Non-scaling enemies.

[Magic]

- Graphic deaths, including reports of heads going pop and slow-mo

Bullet time? Fallout? I sense comedy.

Character selection. I wish I could select that trait where you make every death extra bloody.

[superluser]

- Special system is used.
- A strange ap-using system allows for you to make aimed shots
- Graphic deaths, including reports of heads going pop and slow-mo
- Non-scaling enemies.

So in other words, Fallout.  Yes, I know the AP system isn't like Fallout's, I'll get to that...now:

- It is real-time and first person.
- Third person is being reworked to be more useful
- A strange ap-using system allows for you to make aimed shots

I didn't hear the but about third person.  I assume that they mean third person over the shoulder (since third person can also mean isometric).

What really bothers me is the combat system.  Fallout had a very distinctive combat system based on Action Points.  Every turn, you'd get so many points that you could use for various actions.  Once you used them, your turn would end.  I think there are a few tabletop games that have combat systems that are similar in some ways (Rifts, for one), so this should be familiar to most of you.

This was fun, and it made some sort of sense.  In combat, you're going to be moving around and doing various things at all times, so it made sense not to limit your actions to one thing per round.  Plus, it gave you time to think things over.  You could get up, grab some pop, draw a detailed flow chart of your possible actions, go to sleep, and when you returned, the game would still be at the same point in combat.

I would have been willing to go along with paused real time, like what they had in KOTOR, since that gives you time to think, as well.  But it looks like what they'll be giving you is real time combat with a dialog box for called shots.  Also note that if it's anything like the originals, called shots take an extra AP.

This probably has a lot to do with why I didn't like Morrowind, since hack and slash doesn't have the same feel.  It's more important to get more shots off than to get better shots off.

If you're curious about what Fallout would be like with a hack and slash combat system, go rent Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel (not Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel).  Then weep openly.  This isn't to disparage hack and slash--I still like Gauntlet--but it's not something that fits with Fallout.

No Mutants Allowed had a good write up on this by someone who has already decided that he's not going to like it:

http://www.nma-fallout.com/article.php?id=37054

I'm still reserving judgment, but it's got a major strike against it if it doesn't have turn-based combat, since that was one of the iconic features of Fallout.

(P.S. My Fallout1/2/Tactics DVD came in about a week ago.  That's why you haven't seen much of me)

[Turnsky]

the thing being, Turn-based combat wouldn't be a surefire winner in the more faster paced arenas of gaming these days..

what got me is the level cap... that hasta be a first for bethseda, and something i can live with.
fallout's style isn't the combat (save for the gore) it's the atmosphere, as long as that stays intact, i'll be happy.

[superluser]

the thing being, Turn-based combat wouldn't be a surefire winner in the more faster paced arenas of gaming these days..

But the point is that Fallout isn't like those other games.  It's supposed to be different, and better.  Not something that appeals to the lowest common denominator.  I enjoy playing first person shooters.  But sometimes, I want to step back and play something a little more austere.  Fallout is one of those.  Fallout always impressed me with a combat system that seemed so realistic.  You could do multiple things each turn.  That makes a lot of sense to me, and you lose that when it turns to real time.

what got me is the level cap... that hasta be a first for bethseda, and something i can live with.
fallout's style isn't the combat (save for the gore) it's the atmosphere, as long as that stays intact, i'll be happy.

I think every Fallout game had a level cap.  Fallout capped at 21, Fallout 2 capped at 99.

Personally, I like lower level caps.  They usually increase exponentially, so that the effort that you have to put in to reach the next level is always the same.  It also discourages level grinding, which I hate.  Actually, Fallout 1 appears to have a quadratic progression.  I can't figure out what it is for Fallout 2, but I'm playing it right now, and so far, it's been ridiculously easy to level.

As to style, some people have been pointing out that there are some elements that seem not too fallout-y, but I'm not sure.  It's much more the gameplay, to me.

[Turnsky]

well, truth be told, we'll see when folks actually get their hands on it, or more details show up, fallout as an FPS isn't like the previous fallouts, sure, but truth be told, it's rather natural progression in things, plus FPS style RPG's is what bethseda does fairly well so far, and i've seen those infamous magazine scans, looks pretty good so far.

http://www.n4g.com/News-45823.aspx get it while it's hot.

truth be told, i expected some pseudo 3rd-person/isometric hybrid like we've seen in NWN2, and the two KOTOR titles.
Graphics wise, it looks like it's gonna blow oblivion out of the water.. textures look far better for a start.

it seems a hell of a lot deeper than most of bethseda's titles to date, too.

[superluser]

well, truth be told, we'll see when folks actually get their hands on it, or more details show up, fallout as an FPS isn't like the previous fallouts, sure, but truth be told, it's rather natural progression in things, plus FPS style RPG's is what bethseda does fairly well so far

For the record, I didn't mean to suggest that Fallout 3 was going to be a first person shooter, or imply that its gameplay essentially made it one.

I meant that I enjoy various types of games, FPS and RPG being two.  One of my favorite old arcade games is Gauntlet, which is about as far from Fallout as you can get.  Sure, the levels repeat and there's no point.  But it's fun, and you know what to expect when you get involved.

You can have first person RPGs--Ultima Underworld showed us that.  The Elder Scrolls series also showed us that.

and i've seen those infamous magazine scans, looks pretty good so far.

http://www.n4g.com/News-45823.aspx get it while it's hot.

I don't know.  I'm looking at page 60, and there's a huge statue of some guy.  It looks like it would fit perfectly with Morrowind, but the style that I'd expect from Fallout would be more like the old statues of Stalin and Lenin, who are generally depicted as very friendly and open, looking towards the heavens and have some sort of active pose, instead of some downward cast introverted look.

On page 55, they've got a two story house that looks like it burned down when the stort order cook left the gas on.  I would have expected a different, more iconic house.



What we've seen is post-apocalyptic, for sure, but it's not the same post-apocalyptic style that we've seen from Fallout before.  It could just as easily come out of Mad Max, and at that point, I think we've lost something.

Edit:

On page 54, we see something that looks like it belongs on the medical bay of the Red October, crossed with CSI.  I would have expected something very different.  I'm trying to think of what I would have expected there, but all I can come up with is the infirmary from On the Beach, which isn't exactly what I'm looking for.