So I snagged the latest copy of Computer Games For Windows today at work for something to look through, and they had a two page Fallout 3 Article within, complete with Screenshots. First off, the Official stuff:


- Fallout 3 is being built upon a Modified Oblivion Engine.

- The game is Default First Person. HOWEVER, Bethseda is also giving the option of the typical over-the-shoulder Third Person and a more zoomed out view that resembles the original games. The reasoning for the first person is so that players will be able to really explore the wasteland, and the inclusion of a "psuedo-Isometric" (Can't achieve true Isometric Camera in 3D) camera is for fans that prefer their Fallout be traditional.

- Executive Producer Todd Howard (I believe that's correct) says the core of the new game's inspiration is from the original Game. Expect a darker, more gritty tone to the overall story then in Fallout 2. Also out are the almost-belief shattering Pop Culture References that littered Fallout 2. Expect more built upon the foundation of a 1950s Paranoid Optimistic Future gone Post-Apocalyptic.

- Bethseda is, for all intents and purposes, completely ignoring Tactics and Brotherhood of Steel ("The same way I ignore Aliens 3 and 4." quotes Howard.)

- While a default First Person game, Combat will have more to do with Weapon Skill and Proficiency then Twitch Gaming. Also Combat comes in two flavors: Real Time and Turned Based. Both are built upon Action Points like the previous games.

- You will be able to hire on Mercenaries to assist you (But not be able to control them to the degree you could in Fallout 2).

- The game is set 30 years after the events of Fallout 2 and take place in and around Washington D.C. Not only that but you start off inside a Vault: Number 101 to be exact. Appearently, so as to not conflict with Fallout 2's storyline, Vault 101 is unique in that no one leaves the vault - EVER. The reasoning behind this is unknown at this time, but the basis for the story (At least the initial part - we all know Fallout Storylines come in two parts: Getting out into the world, then the real meat and potatoes) is that your Father leaves the Vault for some reason, and your out to find out why and catch up to him.

- To hammer home the point you've lived in the Vault all your life, Bethseda's taken a creative twist to Character Creation. You obviously create the look of the character you desire (A la Oblivion), but then experience a number of "flashbacks" of your life in the vault. For example: you aquire your Pip Boy (3000!) at your 10th Birthday Party, and when you're 14 you take a skill apitude test that determines your base Stats and skills. Essentially the flashback sequence will double as the game's tutorial and character creation. Also note your Father's appearance will be based upon what your own character's features will look like.

The only downswing to this is we've lost the ability to command what our Age will be. The story specifies the character will be 19 years old.

- The various areas of the game will be connected via Washington D.C.'s old Subway system. Thus allowing you access to various parts of the bombed out Capital. Think of the Subway kinda like the old Overmap - or Oblivion's Insta-Travel.

- Bethseda's focusing more on Characters for this game. Instead of Oblivion's 1500 NPCs, Fallout 3 will have a few hundred. The upswing to this lower character count is more uniqueness between NPCs, and less chance of bumbling in on the almost akward moments in Oblivion where a Husband and Wife talk about the increasing population of Mudcrabs with almost bland familiarity. Do note this is for NPCs, and not Enemies. I'm sure there's plenty of bad guys to go around.


- Bethseda's saying the main storyline will take about 40 hours with nine to twelve different Endings.


- Morality Choices will factor heavily in Fallout 3. While Bethseda is saying you won't be able to break the main storyline with your choices (Expect more "Important" NPCs to be Unkillable, a la Oblivion. *grumble*), you will be able to affect the kinds of quests you can obtain and how it will affect your ending.


- In the Demo shown to CFW, there is a small town built around an undetonated bomb. You can get a quest in the local saloon from a shady character to detonate said bomb - thus destroying the town while you look on at a safe distance, or report the shady character to the local sheriff, deactivate the bomb permenently, and become the hero of the town.


- Overall, Bethseda has stressed that the company is committed to respecting the property they've been given stewardship over. To paraphrase the Executive Producer: "Fallout fans have been promised a worthy successor to the Fallout franchise for almost a decade. It is our goal to finally deliever on that promise."



And now onto my personal observations....

- The combat system is gonna be strange Turn Based, but they had a screen shot of a fight vs a Super Mutant, and sure enough all the little indicators which had percentage to hit were included. It looks odd seeing it from a first person prespective, but the option to blast a Super Mutant in the junk is still in the game.

- Skip on the Mercenaries, if Bethseda's Companion A.I. is any indication. Seriously, in both Morrowind and Oblivion I wound up killing my companions more then monsters, and I really doubt that'll change here. BRING BACK DOGMEAT, though.

- No discussion on Random Encounters, save for the off mention of Pop Culture references in Fallout 2 (Which also occured in-game, as well). I suppose in a persistant world you couldn't really do Random Encounters. *sigh*

- The Subway connection system is brilliance in terms of future expansion, without making it feel like it was forced into a game world. Seeing as how I've visited the D.C. Subway system myself, it should make the experience a bit more entertaining. Also it's possible they could work Random Encounters via the Subway system. The car arrives at a mysterious platform and all that.

- 30 years after Fallout 2 isn't that long a stretch, but at the same time it does allow Bethseda to bring in old faces, despite being across the country from the other Fallout games. Honestly, I'd be sad if Harold the Ghoul doesn't show up in the game.

- Bethseda using Fallout 1 as their base model for the world's feel appeals to me. Fallout 2 seemed like it was more organized and also getting a tad goofy. Fallout 2's the superior game experience, don't get me wrong...but the Pop Culture references were getting annoying by the end of the game. Fallout 1 had them too (Skynet/H.A.L. at the bottom of "The Pit"), but they weren't quite as reality bending as the Scientologist Spoofs, or meeting up with King Arthur and his Knights looking for the Holy Hand Grenade. Or the numerous Star Trek parodies. (The Guardian of Forever, come on!)

- While I'll be playing the game from the first person prespective, it's great that Bethseda understands the fanbase enough to give those that want it the option of playing from a near-isometric perspective. And on that, their commitment to respecting the Franchise and it's history.

- The Ignoring of Tactics and Brotherhood of Steel doesn't bug me, but the way Howard used the example of how he personally ignores Aliens 3 and 4 seems to indicate that Bethseda isn't going to write those stories out of continuity, but they aren't going to actively reference them either. Fine by me.


All in all, while there was only a handful of screenshots (Some from within the Vault too - digging the redesigned look on the Vault Suits. No, don't panic - they're still Blue and Yellow, but they've got more detailing on them now (ZIPPERS!).), it got the point across rather well and it was a familiar look to it. The Elder Scrolls style "Zoom in Close to their face and present dialgoue options" meshes beautifully with Fallout's old Portrait system, and the Super Mutants still look like the mindless scavengers they are (Part of a Tire as a shoulder guard, with a car grill as a breast plate). Though the one in the screen shot was Orange, not Green/Off-Green. Wonder about that.


So from one Fallout fanatic to another - take heart. Change in is the air, but it's a good change and is familiar to us. Like in the Before Time, in the Long Long Ago. With Captain Interplay. His Wife. And the Franchise Fallout.

Is Fallout 3 going to come out on the 360?

As long as I can push the SOB's out of the way, I don't care where I get the extra hands.

Yeah its due for PS3, 360 and PC.

Hmmn, it still sounds interesting to me. I look forward to hearing more about this game.

A little bit more info (From PC Gamer this time around):

- Fallout 3 won't utilize Oblivion's "Level Scaling" system...to a point. Now the game is divided into invisible "zones", that when the player enters will then "lock" at that difficulty level. So you'll be able to be constantly challenged or able to come back at a later date and lay waste. However it was pointed out that the monsters won't level once the zone's been "locked", but they will scale in level in accordance to not only their zone's rank, but also the player's level. So multiple play throughs can see the same area with varying degrees of difficulty depending on the player's level.

- Some loot is Hand placed in the world (a la Morrowind), but the majority of it is randomly generated.

- Traits will exist in the game (Bloody Mess Trait is confirmed)

- Utilizing VATS (Vault Assisted Tactical System aka The %-to-Hit Turned Based Combat engine), you'll be able to Cripple and incapacitate enemies and they will react accordingly. Shoot someone in the leg, and they'll drop. Cripple their gun arm and they won't be able to shoot and drop their weapon.

- Like previous Fallouts (And Elder Scrolls Games), your various accomplishments and achievements are recorded in record. Such as Humans Killed, Creatures Killed, etc. One mysterious stat Bethseda would not go into was: People Eaten.

Man that's gonna draw Thompson's ire.
HAW HAW!

So, can we in fact say that war HAS changed? Significantly?

At least, this war?

Not really. All the gaming mags I've read have pretty much echoed the sentiment that Fallout 3 feels like Fallout 1 with prettier graphics and a First Person Perspective.


Course, right now Bethseda's got another problem beyond getting the Fallout Universe right. In the Fallout Mythos, the End of the World occured in 2077. First game took place in the mid 2100s and the second game in (if I recall correctly) 2243.

Given this game takes place 30 years AFTER Fallout 2, that'd put the year at 2273. That's almost 200 years after the wipe. Humanity - by this point - has to be getting back on its feet, and really I think that's why Bethseda moved the series to the other side of the Country. Fallout 2 showcased how California at least was getting organized with Vault City and the New California Republic. If they'd stayed in California, it sure wouldn't have looked like a Post-Apocalyptic Society to a newcomer to the series.


Still, Bethseda and the series is fast approaching the time frame where the survivors would begin to rebuild civilization. Here's hoping the gang at Bethseda has a plan for that eventuality if this Fallout revival is successful.

Actually, there's two very good reasons why society hasn't pulled itself out of the ground yet. First: Serious lack of infrastructure. There's no means of building the machines that they need. Second: They don't HAVE the resources to rebuild the machines. It was almost all used up before the bombs fell. California got its jive together because it was using vault city as a starting point, they had a reliable source of power, old world knowledge, and probably even the industrial power in the vault itself. No one else had that.

But thats just my take on it.

You have to also remember that for every faction trying to make the world a better place, there are 20 trying to tear it all back down again. Without government, anyone can rise to power and take what they want... and that's an appealing notion to a lot of people in the Fallout world.

All in all, it sounds like great stuff. Can't wait to see what they do with it.

Even though it seems more like a shooter than a true RPG... it really does seem true to the concept of the original Fallout games.

And the special edition comes with a Vault Tec lunch box





I just wish I knew whether to get it on PC or 360

I had a conversation with a friend today about the reasons I disliked Oblivion (He loves it), and I realized for the first time that a big reason I got pulled out of the game was the fast travel system. It had a lot of other things going against it, like stiff, puppet-like character models (which I worry about in fallout as well), but the fast travel system was a small alteration software wise that took a lot from the game. Whats the point of a huge expansive world if you don't have to explore it? I know the fast travel system in Oblivion is optional, but when you have to force yourself to overlook a major aspect of a game, something is wrong. Apparently, this won't be a problem, with the subway system, but I do hope Bethesda doesn't repeat their mistake with another "fast-forward" approach to travel.

I'm just glad that they didn't do that scaling enemy levels in Fallout 3. I hated that in Oblivion.

From everything I've read, the shooting isn't handled like actual twitch gameplay - your success of hitting still is determined by stats and proficiency, it's just that's handled in the background.



I'm gonna have to go Pre-order the special edition now.



I'm going to make the effort to go PC. Fallout 1 and 2 are PC, it's only right Fallout 3 be PC too.

Go read the new PC Gamer right now.

Big, big hands-on article with the game in the current issue.

I'm going for the 360 version so I can get achievements and I don't have to upgrade my PC anytime soon. Plus, my 19" LCD monitor versus my 42" 1080p Sharp LCD, and my 2.1 PC speakers versus my 5.1 Surround Sound system. No contest.

Aw, hell naw.

The Survival Edition is an Amazon Exclusive and its 130 dollars! But its the only way to get the Pipboy 3000 replica clock/wrist thingy.

Dammit all to hell! As much as I am a fanboy of Fallout, I can't justify 130 smackers.

and that's not a reseller on Amazon.com? Geez, video games are expensive enough without crap like that.
Must be that Pipboy 3000 that's taking up the majority of the cost. I guess it's not something they could have sold on it's own.

Incase no has seen it on Live, the E3 trailer is up and it is rather fun.

Love the Bing Crosby "Kind Hearts and Gentle People" song too.

I hate that I have to buy a game without getting a discount, much less a 130 game, but I MUST have Pipboy 3000.

You know there is a $70 version that is coming out with Every thing but the Pipboy. That is what I am planning on getting.



Well, then start saving.

I didn't get the pipboy. Mostly because I'm in the process of moving and needed to use trades to cover the bulk of the cost.

Still, I got it.. been playing it for a few hours. Pretty fun so far, with lots of choices to be made.

Mine is en route now to my door and should be waiting for me when I get home from work today. I can't wait to play it!

I just got it this morning, and the art book and bobble head ALONE qualified the cost. I haven't played yet as I need to get lunch and go to work soon. But damnit, it looks fantastic, I cannot wait for tonight.

From the start of Ron Pearlman's opening narration "War. War never changes..." I knew I was in for a treat.

So far, I have to say Betheseda has crafted a tale worthy of the name "Fallout", and has evolved the brand to a brand new height. The character creation alone is fantastic, it's absolutely mind blowing to "watch" your character grow up in environments that are new and at the same time, completely familiar.

The V.A.T.S. system is a worthy successor to the old combat engine, and I'll freely admit I've not tried to tackle the game like an FPS at all - having too much fun blowing off limbs and crippling opponents. It's oddly satisfying to shoot a person in the leg and have them go down screaming. And then, of course, there's the point blank Headshots that are gorey in that over-the-top way that makes it Fallout.

I had a little trouble getting out of the Vault at the start of the game, but that's old programming. I was trying to go *down* a level or two, where this Vault's layout makes you go UP a level. I'm sorry, but as an old school Fallout geek, the Overseer's office is DOWN, not up.

But what I'm really tickled about is a total fluff feature - the radio built into your Pipboy. It just makes exploring the ruins so much more entertaining when there's background chatter - and Malcom Macdowell's delightful portrayal as the Enclave President (Especially when he goes on about his idealistic childhood in Rural Tennessee - riiiiight).

And speaking of exploration, the new first person view makes a guy like me WANT to go searching every nook and cranny. The futuristic cars, the bombed out houses, the abandoned playground equipment...


Ladies and Gentlemen, make no mistake - Fallout has returned. And War never changes.

Is male and female like in Morrowind or just male characters?

Male or Female, your choice.

Traded in five games at gamestop and got an amazing $51 in credit! If I was thinking clearly I should have upgraded to the collectors edition. Oh well. I can't wait to get into this game. I've never played any of the old Fallout games, but this looks like its going to be amazing.

Anybody located the password for the Robot in the Super-Duper Mart?
The Raiders in here are chewing me up (Well, till I found ammo for my Chinese Rifle, that is), and I could use some backup.

I cannot wait to get this, but I need to sell some of my other crap first.

Okay, the traits are gone, that kinda pissed me off, then I saw the wastelands for the time... Bethesday is redeemed.

Traits are still there, just rolled over into Perks.
And really, given Character creation, I shudder to think what would be required of you as a child in order to obtain the "Blood Mess" trait.

This game continues to impress, and I love the fact you can stumble onto missions. Exploring a school building, I came across a plot by Raiders to tunnel into my Vault! I ran low on ammo, so I couldn't complete the quest but hell...the things you find in the Wasteland.

I'm addicted to doing the crazy Fargo Lady Shopkeep's quests to help her write a book.

I find that I'm having a very hard time being evil in this game. I'm afraid of screwing myself over so that I miss out on something great.

I've had this game for the past 4 and a half hours, and I have still not had a chance to play it yet! I think that might be illegal.

Here are some pics from my Opening of the Collectors Edition:

















That Fallout Boy itself is worth the Extra $20! The Wife loves the Lunchbox, and I think I might have to hide it from her.

Weee! Just got through rampaging around a Super Mutant infested Police Station. Fun times, fun times. Now it's off to the town of Minefield for loot, plunder, and many, many mines.


Also exploring the metro tunnels I came out on a platform with a Brotherhood of Steel Paladin fighting Super Mutants. The Paladin fell, I mopped up the rest, and scored myself some Brotherhood Power Armor to boot!


...a pity I can't wear it. Need training. I suppose I can understand that, still...BAH!

Had my first encounter with Super Mutants. Eeesh. There were two of em and I tried to run. One caught up to me quickly and I VATargeted his leg. Two shotgun blasts and kablammo! No more leg! So, I think, "These guys aren't gonna be so hard."

At this point I notice the stream of hot lead spewing from the other Super Mutant's mini gun. I run for cover behind a billboard, soften him up with a few grenades, then finish him off with the assault rifle. Woo! I win!

I start to loot that sweet, sweet minigun when all of a sudden BLAM. I get shot in the back by a group of three raiders that were sneaking up on me while I was distracted. Rage! I exhaust what little Flamer ammo I have just to watch the insolent Raiders BURN.

I love this game so much.

Heh, my first encounter with a Super Mutant came when I fast traveled to a previously visited location while on assignment, and BOOM - he was right there in front of me.

Combat Shotgun + Point Blank Range + V.A.T.S. to the Head = Pop!


But what was even sweeter was in the Police Station, sneaking up on two Super Mutants who had their backs to me. Pop up from behind cover, as they turn - unload a VATS on one's head and get a Critical Sneak Attack Bonus...turning his head into red mist on the first burst.


I have a unhealthy fixation with headshots. But I love the way the camera goes into cinematic slowdown during a VATS shot - especially the victory shot.

What's hilarious is I've been getting heads blown off at the neck and rolling away with 10mm Pistol + Long Range + VATS to the head

I have to say despite all my worrying that the game would be too much like the Elder Scrolls games, this actually feels like Fallout.

Ok, I think 7 hours straight is enough.

Incredible game, the freedom is just mind-boggling as any nook and cranny is not closed to me, I've gone those 7 hours without even touching the main story as all I've done are sidequests and the like, I just finished blood ties with a peaceful resolution.

I also found the scrapyard and dogmeat by pure chance, its nice to have a doggy companion with me, he seems to regenerate his health after every fight but things can get hairy if you're fighting multiple enemies as they tend to focus on him, he actually died on me when I was like an hour in against these 2 fish things that would not stop attacking him but I reloaded and he's all fine and dandy now.

hugged up on the SPECIAL thing perk and got it at level 6 but eh, I'm not worried nor do I care.

Really looking forward to diving deeper into the game tomorrow.

Oh and I HIGHLY suggest the strategy guide, its a 500 page montrosity that has all the info you need, it divides main quest and side quests as well as give you maps and a very detailed skill section. Well worth the 25 dollars.

I swear I take care of dogmeat better than myself, everytime I finish a fight I check his health.

Heheh, that's Dogmeat. I did the same thing is Fallout 1 and 2. The Mutt grows on ya damn quickly. Though now I'm eager to find the scrapyard and claim Dogmeat. It gets lonely wandering the wasteland.

I'm liking how the moral absolute don't lead to exactly what you think. I got Lucas Simms killed by doing the right thing.

Are you in Megaton yet? There's a quest for a wasteland survival guide there and I found the scrapyard while doing one of many things the quest requires.

Eyup. If we'd just kept our mouths shut and just quietly defused the bomb, Lucas Simms would still be alive. It's those little pieces of morality that make Fallout memorable.



Hm. Must be the current length I'm on then - Scoutting out the town of Minefield. I already did the Super Duper Mart, and unless I arched around it I never found a Scrap Yard. I did, however, find one terrified little boy begging for help.

Fire Ants are one of the most annoying enemies in the game.

I tried to roll a new character today based on what I've learned (and to choose the evil path), but I found that once I got out of the vault, I just wanted to play my old character. Also, being evil in this game isnt nearly as fun as it is in Bioware games. I guess I have hard time picking on these people struggling to survive.



If it has a crunchy shell, use the shotgun to give it hell. VATarget the torso or head before they get in flaming range and they should go down pretty quick.

Theres a nice reward for taking care of the fire ant problem.
HIGHLIGHT to view:
Either +1 to Strength to Perception AND +25% Flamer Resistance

I just ran the Super Duper mart. Took me three tries, and all the fuel for my flamer, I was mostly done for till I realised that I have the ten mil SMG and enough ammo to make it worth while. So far, I've done all of moira's quests with all the optionals as well. I sat on that damn bomb for ten minutes soaking up two rads a second till 600. Scored me a nice mutation while I was at it.

Decided it was time to move on with the Main Quest, specifically "Following in his Footsteps".

Without spoiling anything, lemme say this: When you meet up with the Brotherhood Patrol, follow the Captain up to the roof and STAY THERE. You stay there even when it appears it's all clear, and you wait.

Trust me, you'll thank me for it.

man wth.. the game seems to work fine.. but right after gender selection it just.. sits there. the camera jerks around a little bit but its not frame rate lag bcause i can see the lights on the machines blinking on and off smoothly and see they guy in fron of me move smoothy. It just.. dosnt do anything.