Remembering Fallout or "I'm in a writey mood"

[DarkUnderlord]

<strong>[Game -> Editorial]</strong> - More info on <a href="http://wikipocalypse.duckandcover.cx/in ... le=Fallout 2: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game">Game: Fallout 2: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game</a> | More info on <a href="http://wikipocalypse.duckandcover.cx/in ... le=Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game">Game: Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game</a>

Our <a href="http://www.duckandcover.cx/content.php?id=66">interview with Todd</a>
got me thinking about what I loved so much about the original Fallout
that made me do something crazy like end up working on a fan-site for
the game.


<a href="http://www.duckandcover.cx/content.php?id=67">This short content piece</a> tells you about my first Fallout game and what I think really matters when it comes to the end.


If anyone else wants to write their own "Remembering Fallout" piece <a href="mailto:darkunderlord@duckandcover.cx">send it in to us</a> and we'll put it up.

[Mr. Teatime]

I'm about to read the article so can't comment on that yet, but I was sent the complete FO and PS:T soundtracks yesterday to put up on DAC, and listening to them brought back so many memories of both the FO games and PST... reminded me how much of an impact each location and character had.

If you want to DL the FO1+2 soundtrack you can get it www.duckandcover.cx/mp3s/fallout.rar until we put it up on a page. For PS:T, it's www.duckandcover.cx/mp3s/torment.rar (thanks to porksoda for sending them)

EDIT: Just finished reading, it's a good article. I've been wondering that the 'three ways to complete a quest' thing might be kind of old now. When playing FO1 and 2, we didn't really know that technique and it just made us love the game. We expect it for (a good) Fallout 3. Maybe Bethsoft need to innovate, and new ways of completing quests alongside stealth, talk and combat. Maybe make each path open up quests that the other paths don't. Maybe add fourth and fifth ways of completing quests (BIS were doing the tech/science boy path).

[Megatron]

or perhaps not have specific 'paths' and just let the player complete the quest any way instead of relying on skills. Skills should just help you if you wanted to do things a specific way, it shouldn't be just one of the ways. You don't need to expand on other ideas, just come up with your own.

[Burnov]

Remembering Fallout, and that general period of time in PC gaming just makes me kinda sad.

The market is so saturated with shit these days.

I need a new hobby.

[Subhuman]

We all do. Personally, I've moved on to playing Baldur's Gate ironically.

Good piece.

[Blargh]

Personally, I've moved on to playing Baldur's Gate ironically.

You have my sincere sympathy.

[Koki]

Baldur's Gate is excellent game... for powergaming.

Well I'm finishing with Arcanum right now. God, if only the game had some kind of community, and unofficial patches...

[DarkUnderlord]

Well I'm finishing with Arcanum right now. God, if only the game had some kind of community, and unofficial patches...

Terra-Arcanum's not enough for you? Try Chris Beddoes Car Arcanum.

[Retlaw83]

Something I think is interesting is that, because Fallout has something for everyone, I didn't find any problems with the ending of Fallout 2. My characters are always combat-oriented, so it never occurred to me to find a way to NOT murderate Horrigan. What you wrote gave me something to think about.

[DarkUnderlord]

It's not only Horrigan, it's the entire base. Releasing the FEV, talking to the President etc... You'd think someone with a speech skill of 300% could talk a perfectly sane man into assinating the President. That's what you'd think the "300%" would be all about. You are teh uber-leet speech God. The "sell ice to eskimo's" type (though admittedly that would be more to do with the bartering skill but I think you get the point).

Horrigan can be killed with the President's card and getting the Enclave soldiers to join you (which from memory does require speech) but I'm pretty sure sneaky characters are screwed completely.

That was my one great loss in Fallout 2 (too many pop culture references aside). As I said in the article, I finished Fallout 1 twice and differently each time. Yet no matter how many times I finish Fallout 2, it's always the same ending.

I have to clarify something too. Getting the scientist to release the FEV *does* require a speech skill. However, there's little point as it only kills the useless civilians in the base and does no harm to the President nor anyone in Power Armour.

[Koki]

Well I'm finishing with Arcanum right now. God, if only the game had some kind of community, and unofficial patches...

Terra-Arcanum's not enough for you? Try Chris Beddoes Car Arcanum.

Terra-Arcanum has three(3) hacks at their site. Dimensions Of Arcanum has like 20, but it still isn't even close to such things like Near Ultimate Fallout Guide... eh, whatever.

[Spazmo]

I have to clarify something too. Getting the scientist to release the FEV *does* require a speech skill. However, there's little point as it only kills the useless civilians in the base and does no harm to the President nor anyone in Power Armour.

Actually, it is useful. There's usually three scientist dudes in the room where you need to plant the dynamite. If you plant it in front of them, they set off the alarm and all the troops come rape you, so it's useful if they all just die and gets them out of the way. Same thing with the President: if you want his access card, it's a lot easier if he dies, and the FEV gas will do that for you.

[DarkUnderlord]

Same thing with the President: if you want his access card, it's a lot easier if he dies, and the FEV gas will do that for you.

No it doesn't.

[Spazmo]

Yes, it will. Releasing the FEV gas WILL kill the President.

[Subhuman]

For me it wasn't the way you had to kill Horrigan, it was Horrigan himself. We have no emotional connection to him whatsoever - he just shows up at the end and we're supposed to kill him. Big whoop. In FO1 you spend the entire latter half of the game hunting down the Master, and he's the catalyst for the whole super mutant plan. He matters. Frank Horrigan is just some dude with a big gun.

[DarkUnderlord]

Yes, it will. Releasing the FEV gas WILL kill the President.

Play the game again. If you still want to say that getting the scientist to release the FEV kills the President, make a video beause it seems you have a special edition of the game.

http://user.tninet.se/~jyg699a/fallout2.html

Dr Curling in the northwestern corner of the map is something else entirely. When you talk to him about DNA, evolution, humanity and stuff you get plenty of chances to make a Speech check and thus awaken his (deeply) dormant conscience ("a big concept to swallow"). He'll release the FEV virus into the ventilation system, earning you 5000 xp and killing off most scientists and civilians in a few minutes (but not important ones like the President). This does not impose a time limit on you however (snoozing 10 minutes using the Pipboy to get rid of the scientists is harmless), and you, your NPCs and the prisoners will be protected from the effects of the virus. Dr Curling then tells you to go destroy the computer like the others did.

[boywoos]

Yarr, I had to use about six superstims on the president IIRC.

[Koki]

I shot his head off, grab the key and ran like hell downstairs dodging gunfire.

Yea, I never had a 'system' for Enclave.