DAC exclusive - interview with Todd Howard

Comment on events and happenings in the Fallout community.
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DarkUnderlord
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Post by DarkUnderlord »

Yar as Briosafreak said, when we say "isometric" we mean this as opposed to this. The astute observer will also note that both those shots come from the same game and that it would be awful hard playing that game in 1st person. A 1st person view is nice and makes pretty screenshots (in fact finding just that one isometric shot was pretty bloody hard considering the number of galleries I sifted through and that it's the game's main mode of play) but it's a different sort of gameplay.

Isometric is kind of like how they used to say "gay" in the 50's. It don't mean quite the same thing no more...
PiP wrote:Altogether, I think "bitching" about TB and view isn't really important, as long as they don't make a FPP hack&slash.
Shouldn't we, as a community, be more concerned about the storyline, NPCs, dialogues, combat-noncombat choices, good-bad choices, their consequences?I haven't loved Fallout for the TB and iso, but these things.
You really want to see the full list? Really? Gameplay is just as important as story. Though the comment has been made: Fallout not Deus Ex. Bloodlines had a great in-depth story, fantastic NPC's, brilliant dialogue, a few good-bad choices and consequences. It lacked the combat / non-combat option but even if it had it, would you really want to call that "Fallout"?

Then there are other things to consider. In-game jokes done ever so gently. That 50's setting. The list goes on and on and on. Fallout isn't just about one thing or perspective, it's all these things combined. Take anyone of them away though and what you've got is just that little bit less "Fallouty".

Bethesda have got to ask themselves the question: Why did they buy the Fallout license? Was it to make a proper Fallout sequel or was it just to make money? If it was for the latter, they've made a huge mistake.
Last edited by DarkUnderlord on Sun Feb 06, 2005 5:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Wolfman Walt »

S4ur0n27 wrote:The FFT on GBA wasn't a sequel, it was set in a different world, had different characters, and sucked.
Tell that to all the FFT boys I know, they'll chew your ass for ignoring the creators "Clear intent." As far as the official records go, it's a sequal and takes place in the same world apperantly. I say they're full of shit and then the day ends by them whacking off to dragon furry porn.
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Post by PiP »

DarkUnderlord wrote:Yar as Briosafreak said, when we say "isometric" we mean this
Oh ok, I thought it was not isometric, but I see your point - conceptually it's a conceptual blend and in terms of the graphic/phonological pole it's a metaphor. In other words, you took "isometric" to name what is the closest possible to it nowadays. Practical; I concur to this. However it might sometimes be slightly misleading, but what the hell.
You really want to see the full list? Really?
Maybe. For the time, I listed those that first came to mind mind as more important than TB and isometric (in the original meaning of the word, not your novel meaning)
Though the comment has been made: Fallout not Deus Ex. Bloodlines had a great in-depth story, fantastic NPC's, brilliant dialogue, a few good-bad choices and consequences. It lacked the combat / non-combat option but even if it had it, would you really want to call that "Fallout"?
No, that's why I pointed out a Fallout must have a top-down view, which now I know you call isometric, and also I insisted that I want to have the time to think my actions over during combat. Also if we're talking fallout here, it goes without saying that to call a game "Fallout" it's gotta have the proper setting (would-be post-atomic future as seen from the American 50s; preferably Northern America), the distinctive style in visuals, the feeling of desolation, dirtyness, worn-out look, mature themes, irony, <please continue/ammend if you feel like>
Then there are other things to consider. In-game jokes done ever so gently. That 50's setting. The list goes on and on and on.
Oh there you go.
Fallout isn't just about one thing or perspective, it's all these things combined. Take anyone of them away though and what you've got is just that little bit less "Fallouty".
you're an old sentimental ... person and, though I _largely_ agree with you, something like TB combat might just have to be compromised one day if we want the game to be ever actually produced and published. (I'm not saying I don't like TB combat)
Bethesda have got to ask themselves the question: Why did they buy the Fallout license? Was it to make a proper Fallout sequel or was it just to make money? If it was for the latter, they've made a huge mistake.
The point is, not all F fans are so hardcore as you (I'm not talking people at these boards, but fans among the 'general' audience). Todd says they in Bethsoft are fallout fans, all press guys are fallout fans, etcetera - do you think the majority of them wants TB? I mean they possibly ask themselves the question you want them to ask, but with differnt conclusions. Making a proper F sequel may mean a different thing for many people out there, who love Fallout in their own way. And although the "F fans" at Bethsoft may be willing to do an excellent game that suits us all, they are unlikely (reads: impossible) to sacrifice the goal of making money. Let me put it this way: making games is a business, not charity.
But fuck that, I want a good ol' skool Fallout, too!
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Post by Mismatch »

Though the comment has been made: Fallout not Deus Ex. Bloodlines had a great in-depth story, fantastic NPC's, brilliant dialogue, a few good-bad choices and consequences. It lacked the combat / non-combat option but even if it had it, would you really want to call that "Fallout"?
hay, hold your horses there chap.
Bloodlines dialogue was good, I can agree on that I sppose. Though there isnt much of it and the game is too short, too thin on interesting locations and quite flat.
Ok, it was one of the better RPG's last year, but that doesnt make it good, it was decent.
It had some interesting rlements, but well... it was flat and no mystary, you always knew what was to happen next, you were nevar confused over what to do... you were constantly being transported betwenn points.
It was playable, nothing more.
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Post by Mr. Teatime »

Just to remind everyone, this is how FO3 should look.

Image

BIS really got the look of the game right. That picture screams 'Fallout' to me.

People will bring up the viewpoint, which I think is the thing Bethsoft are most likely to change, and show GTA1 compared to GTA 3, or Metroid 1 to Metroid Prime. And yes, there is a very slim chance that changing the viewpoint may make the game better. But I'd much rather Bethsoft didn't take that chance, and stuck with what works.
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Post by Mismatch »

yaaah, that pic is one the right path...
though too lfew details and too clean.
but I supopse thats because its a pic of a unfinished game.

but otherwise I do agree.
the overall look is as it should be.
though I hope on could zook a tad there, I feel that the cam is a tad too far aweh. but that may be due to the fact that the pic is smaller than 1024*1280.
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Post by S4ur0n27 »

It screams "Fallout", yeah, but I'd still prefer the old engine or FOT's.
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Post by Kashluk »

Well, I would love that game to be 'zoomed' for like 200% or something. I want to see some detail of characters, Planescape and Fallout style, instead of watching ants running around and in between ruins.
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Post by Koki »

S4ur0n27 wrote:It screams "Fallout", yeah, but I'd still prefer the old engine or FOT's.
word.
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Post by S4ur0n27 »

It lacks the rugged and rusty feeling.
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Post by King of Creation »

It was also still not finished.
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Post by PiP »

S4ur0n27 wrote:It screams "Fallout", yeah, but I'd still prefer the old engine or FOT's.
or SStorm engine maybe? and the face customization shit - it makes me identify myself with the character so much more, plus you see the face all the time, so you no longer feel only like playing chess, but like being there on the battlefield.
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Post by Mr. Teatime »

Well thinking about <i>why</i> the viewpoint is important, aside from tradition, I'd guess it's because the game is supposed to capture that board-game feel, where you can see the other pieces and you move your piece(s) around.

I sent a mail to Tim Cain about this a few weeks ago, he hasn't answered yet, given the trouble Troika appear to be facing that's understandable. But I'm curious to know why they choce that viewpoint, aside from technical limitations.
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Post by Mimir »

Mr. Teatime wrote:Just to remind everyone, this is how FO3 should look.

<snip image showing how Fallout 3 should look>

BIS really got the look of the game right. That picture screams 'Fallout' to me.

People will bring up the viewpoint, which I think is the thing Bethsoft are most likely to change, and show GTA1 compared to GTA 3, or Metroid 1 to Metroid Prime. And yes, there is a very slim chance that changing the viewpoint may make the game better. But I'd much rather Bethsoft didn't take that chance, and stuck with what works.
Have you been stalking me? At some of the other forums I go to, I showed that image detailing how Fallout 3 should look. On one forum, they brought up Metroid to Metroid Prime, and on the other they brought up GTA1 to GTA3. The main difference, at least with Metroid, is that it still feels like the same game. A first person Fallout, will not feel like a Fallout game.

I disagree with the viewpoint being the most likely thing they will change. They will change the game to RT long before they change the viewpoint. If they decide to change the viewpoint, they will probably make the game real time as well. I can't really see them making a turn based first person Fallout game.

But it seems not many people can tell the difference between real time and turn based anyway. On a discussion at TTLG, some moron is arguing that Baldur's Gate would be TB even if they didn't have the option to pause the game, because it is based on D&D and D&D is turn based.
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Post by Megatron »

Mimir wrote: Fallout 3 should look. On one forum, they brought up Metroid to Metroid Prime, and on the other they brought up GTA1 to GTA3. The main difference, at least with Metroid, is that it still feels like the same game. A first person Fallout, will not feel like a Fallout game.
How do you know that? gta and metroid managed to do it pretty well. Some people even say better.

I will have to write an important article on this subject later ok guys jeez you got it all wrong I can't believe it.
:chew:
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Post by Mimir »

Megatron wrote: How do you know that? gta and metroid managed to do it pretty well. Some people even say better.

I will have to write an important article on this subject later ok guys jeez you got it all wrong I can't believe it.
I guess I don't know for sure, it's just how I feel. When I heard they were going to change the Metroid's perspective to first person, I knew that if they handled it well, it would still feel like a Metroid game, and it did. The game started as an action adventure game, and ended as an action adventure game. With Fallout, if they change it to FP, then they will most likely make it real time. A real time first person game with guns is going to feel like a FPS to me, no matter how much role playing they put into it. While combat isn't the most important aspect of Fallout and Fallout 2, I think it does play an important role in the game. I enjoy turn based tactical combat, something that would be very hard to pull off without an "isometric" point of view.
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Post by Kashluk »

And GTA3 wasn't first-person anyway D;
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Post by Araanor »

Ã? didn't think Metroid Prime was that good. Sure, it was good for what it was, but I enjoyed Super Metroid and Metroid Fusion more in their side-scrolling 2D glory. Gameplay was an odd mix of navigation and button-mashing with auto-aim. And this is with an action game; the issue of perspective becomes all the more important with a Fallout-style RPG.
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