Fallout 3: I'm getting old

[L.B. Jeffries]

Well, it looks like I can still launch a hollow point, full metal jacket, sub-machine burst at short range right into an innocent civilian's "Baby Maker". It still has old timey music, a sick sense of humor (Nuclear Blast Not Real!), and scathing social commentary.

I know people get fond of old game designs, but for me the content is what's important. I'll play a game in a new way so long as the story and spirit stay the same.

 

[MannPower]

I know people get fond of old game designs, but for me the content is what's important. I'll play a game in a new way so long as the story and spirit stay the same.

Thank you, sir. I was going to say the same; I enjoyed Fallout for its atmosphere, first and foremost. From what I've seen, that aspect is being honored. The change of perspective is of secondary concern to me, and it seems as though the freedom is still there (although, not to kill kids - but it was easier when they were just faceless sprites, anyway.)

 

[Saevus]

So you're just assuming that everything in the press releases is unrelated to the final game?

For fuck's sake, man, it's not like Peter Molyneux is involved.

Excuse me, but perhaps you've completely forgotten about how painfully underwhelming Oblivion was in comparison to everything Bethesda said it would be? It rivals Fable for disappointment. Even if the Radiant AI hadn't been such a failure, it's difficult to swallow that the capital of Tamriel's great empire consists of a population of 80 potato-faced, inexplicably identically voiced individuals.

Oblivion was not a terrible game, but Bethesda made dozens of very stupid, very disappointing mistakes in making it. It's a bit tricky to trust that they'll treat the good ol' Vault Dweller with appropriate respect.

 

[DoomyMcDoom]

I'm fine with it... mainly because Interplay was completely gone and by selling I think it was like fallout 3,4 and 5 to bethesda they got back up and running again... and with that we can expect to see a freespace 3 and possibly a descent 4... also heard alotta whispers about a fallout mmo... and the only real crapper about bethesda doin fallout 3 is they don't seem to believe in the concept of multiplayer support... the original design of fallout 3 included co-op multiplayer which woulda rocked hardcore... but yeah stuff changes and i believe that interplay getting rolling again is a good change even if it hasta mess up a few of the fallout games while it's at it.

 

[SargentToughie]

A friend of mine bought The original fallout on Steam, he's a year older than me and he is furious about the changes, so not every teenager enjoys the fact that Fallout is no longer... Fallout

 

[mwhite67]

Why they didn't go with tiny top down view characters and an antiquated RPG combat system I'll never know

 

[mjhhiv]

My favorite game of all-time is Fallout, but Oblivion wasn't half-bad either. I guess the thing that helped me come to terms with the fact that Fallout 3 was being done by Bethesda was the mentioning of how many endings there will be. In an interview, Bethesda said that there will be over 10,000 endings, and with that many, there is no way that they can't allow a lot of choice. Of course, they could have exaggerated, or just lied, but I don?t know, at this point, I'm not worried.

 

[ReepNeep]

How exactly are Morrowind and Oblivion like Halo? I see no recharging health bars, no pitched shootouts, no pink needles of doom...

Real time, twitch based combat from a first person perspective. Morrowind is less so because some actions are still determined by dice rolling. All the quests are strictly linear with the only real choices you have in their completion being which gun you want to use and how much time you spend exploring the map.

If you don't think it played like an FPS with stats (which I generally don't have a problem with), I'm going to have to question whether you've actually played a serious RPG before.

You didn't address the second paragraph so can I assume you are conceding the point as self evident? Thats one hell of a big paralel right there.

Sure it played like an FPS. On the other hand, a Cow is a Bovine, a Bovine is not a Cow. Just because you play it from a first person perspective doesn't mean it's like Halo.

A cow is a bovine, a bovine is LIKE a cow. Fallout was an RPG, Oblivion is an FPSRPG. Wizardry and Ultima Underworld were played from a first person perspective but didn't play like Halo(read: an FPS) because they had turn based combat based on a random number generator. Twitch skills, the core of an FPS game, were totally irrelevant.

This argument comes down to where you draw the genre lines, but if you can't admit that Oblivion played like an FPS with stats, I have to wonder whether you played that game either. Your head is more important than your hands in a game like Wizardry, and the same was true for Fallout. The opposite is true in both Oblivion and Halo. Insert Doom, Quake, name any fps if you so desire. I used Halo because it is generally recognized as the trend-setter in the current glut of samey FPS games.

I just realized that I'm getting bogged down in a discussion of combat mechanics when this is exactly the problem. Oblivion was nothing but combat mechanics and walking through the wilderness. Fallout had so much more to offer.

You mean like Daggerfall and Arena then?

ES3 Morrowind was the first one I played. I really liked it for it's interesting setting and classless, if flawed, numbers system and at times powerful atmosphere. I've been told that the older ones were actually well crafted RPGs, not action games pretending to be RPGs. Is that not true?

 

[Saevus]

Of course, they could have exaggerated, or just lied

If you poured similar amounts of time, effort, and money into a game, you'd certainly stretch the truth like a rubber band to make those pre-orders and first week sales go the distance. '10,000 endings' reeks of 'Oh, but you didn't pick up THIS broken bottle, so you see, it turned out differently!'

 

[Manic Depression]

Personally I'm just going to wait and see. I'm sure it will be a good game, however, will it be Fallout?

 

[ReepNeep]

Of course, they could have exaggerated, or just lied

If you poured similar amounts of time, effort, and money into a game, you'd certainly stretch the truth like a rubber band to make those pre-orders and first week sales go the distance. '10,000 endings' reeks of 'Oh, but you didn't pick up THIS broken bottle, so you see, it turned out differently!'

Fallout games have always had a summary of what happened after the game ends for all the major locations in the game. Generally there were 3 or so different outcomes you could get for each one, and there were somewhere around 10 different locations that got an ending. 3 to the 10th = 59049 permutations or 'possible endings'. I'm sure theres some NMA goon that knows the exact numbers for both games. If anything, Fallout 3 will be smaller than the other two.

Personally I'm just going to wait and see. I'm sure it will be a good game, however, will it be Fallout?

To the first question: probably. To the second: Unlikely.

 

[monodiabloloco]

I got depressed after reading through this. Not kid killing? Not nut shots? And Eye shots were the money killers. Deathclaws weak spot was right in the eyes.

Grr, I don't mind the 3D super duper change, but why does Bethsda have to butcher a good thing? If they don't keep the drugs like Jet, Buffout, etc, I'll be even more angry.

...Oh wait, it's not even comming to Australia. Damn.

That's what you get for being an Aussie!




JUST KIDDING! No flaming hate mail!
Aussies started this genre! Totally not fair for them to have to buy it overseas.

Seriously though. For all of you who are harping on the changes in grapic style, get over it. It sound like KOTOR meets the PIP boy and that isn't bad in my book.
The loss of murdering anyone you meet and shooting people in the eye-bulbs, now that I am not happy about. I still anticipate that it'll be a good game... unless they make everything 'leveled'. That'll be a deal breaker for me. That was one of the biggest issues I had with Oblivion and I would really hate to hear of it being in this as well.


PS: Dirty Aussies! HA!

 

[krysalist]

Seriously, this whining is small beans for a Fallout fantard. I've seen someone seriously argue that the game was obviously going to be shit because the shoulder pads looked wrong on the power armour in the first teaser.

Seriously. Fallout fans are that anal. They don't want a new game, they want Fallout 2 again. Not even with graphical updates, because those would be heresy as well...

Or that forum goon who claimed he hit his girlfriend because she said he should, "Give Fallout 3 a chance" ?

Yeah.

 

[J'aen]

I just said in the post you quoted that Oblivion played like an FPS. Learn to read.

 

[ReepNeep]

I just said in the post you quoted that Oblivion played like an FPS. Learn to read.

Ah, point taken. I was so spoiling for an argument that I didn't notice you agreeing with me. Apologies.

 

[J'aen]

It's alright. I was a little harsh myself.

 

[dekkarax]

A friend of mine bought The original fallout on Steam, he's a year older than me and he is furious about the changes, so not every teenager enjoys the fact that Fallout is no longer... Fallout

huh? but fallout isn't on steam :/

 

[BallPtPenTheif]

Why they didn't go with tiny top down view characters and an antiquated RPG combat system I'll never know

LOL

(oh, i laughed because i assumed you were being sarcastic. so i believe i was laughing with you)

 

[Scolar Visari]

I can see where the anal retentive people are coming from when they complain about these changes. I sometimes find myself just hoping to whatever god is listening that OPF: 2 doesn't turn out to be crap. I think we all need to realize that times are changing and so are our games. If you people want another Fallout like the originals then go play the originals. Bethesda is trying something new with the game play and as long as they don't butcher the atmosphere then we have another good fallout title.

 

[ReepNeep]

Why they didn't go with tiny top down view characters and an antiquated RPG combat system I'll never know

LOL

(oh, i laughed because i assumed you were being sarcastic. so i believe i was laughing with you)

LOLZ Because first person realtime games are inherently superior LOLZ

What is OPF: 2? Is gearbox making a sequel to Opposing Force? That was the best Half Life game to date.