Fallout 4 — Boston Makes Me Feel Good

[Vasari]

One thing I liked a lot about New Vegas was how much the world made sense. I know that it's a little silly to talk about 'realism' in game with Fallout's tone and setting, but New Vegas felt a lot less constructed. Fallout 3 had some memorable locations, but they were memorable because they all had a spin on them. The tower filled with rich people, the city around a atomic bomb, the city on the aircraft carrier. I guess there's nothing wrong with that, but I never felt like I was exploring a world.

 

New Vegas just had towns. Cities of people. There were farms, sharecroppers, a power plant. The world felt like it existed for something other than my own amusement. 

 

I hope I don't sound crazy, I know a lot of these are just feelings and not quantifiable, but it's why I love New Vegas.

 

I absolutely agree. Fallout 3 had interesting locations but they weren't placed in a cohesive world. For example, the town entirely composed of children sends their adults to live in another town right next to the largest slaver organisation in the Capital Wasteland. New Vegas from start to finish made all its locations matter in relation to the larger story.

[chummer]

So, it seems like Bethesda is just looking at what the mod community is doing and saying "Let's just add it in!" Wasn't sure what to expect, but Fallout 3 with more systems wasn't it. This is not a knock against the game, just kind of baffled.

 

What I will knock is that new dialogue cross. I really like the multiple-lines option and I'm curious what the cross will mean for quest mods from modders who don't do voice acting.

 

I don't know, ya'll. I. Just. Don't. Know.

[Merus]

That said, if I had to choose between the two, I'd choose NV, but I don't think we're going to get that because Obsidian is out there making an MMO.

 

Oh god please don't let this be true. Obsidian hardly needs yet another pit to shovel money into.

[Cordeos]

Instead of paying $60 for a giant plastic Pip-Boy, I think I will spend $10 on a sport band for my phone.

 

http://www.polygon.com/2015/6/14/8780113/the-pip-boy-is-fabulous-in-fallout-4-and-its-real

[Dewar]

The Fallout 3 lunchbox edition was the last special edition I purchased and it was well worth the money.

 

I just might be crazy and get this.

[Badfinger]

I'm not saying I'm personally flipping out over Dogmeat. I am trying to get into a Dogmeat fan's head and suggest reasons why people might do that for Fallout as opposed to Call of Duty.

[Cordeos]

I'm not saying I'm personally flipping out over Dogmeat. I am trying to get into a Dogmeat fan's head and suggest reasons why people might do that for Fallout as opposed to Call of Duty.

 

People cheered for the mole rat. E3 is weird. 

[Dewar]

I'm not saying I'm personally flipping out over Dogmeat. I am trying to get into a Dogmeat fan's head and suggest reasons why people might do that for Fallout as opposed to Call of Duty.

 

Dogmeat has been around forever where it feels like Activision just said "Put a dog in it, that'll make them care." To be fair, I feel like Activision is that cavalier about a lot of their choices, so I'm not the best judge.

[Cordeos]

Hmmm the collectors edition looks ok, but not worth $120 IMO.

 

 

"Pip-Boy® Edition includes highly anticipated game plus:

• Pip-Boy Replica, Stand and Capsule Case. This wearable device faithfully replicates the in-game model and comes complete with RobCo Industries stand, custom-printed capsule, adjustable foam cuff, rotating knobs and lights. Designed to accommodate a variety of smartphone devices* with customizable foam inserts, the Pip-Boy is the ultimate accessory for the official Pip-Boy companion mobile app that allows players to manage their in-game inventory, perks, holotapes, and more.
   
• Physical Pip-Boy Pocket Guide. Featuring handy illustrations and chock full of Vault-Tec® approved tips, this manual is the ultimate how-to pocket guide for using and maintaining your new Pip-Boy.
   
• Physical Vault-Tec® Perk Poster. Keep track of your perks with your very own physical Vault-Tec perk poster, fully colorized retro fun for the quintessential Wasteland survivor.
   
• Power Armor Collectible Metal Packaging. Exclusive to the Pip-Boy Edition, this decorated metal case is the ultimate fan collectible.

* Requires compatible smartphone. Pip-Boy companion app available to download at game launch. Illustration only; actual device might differ."

 

http://store.bethsoft.com/fallout-4-pip-boy-edition.html

[elmuerte]

I often buy collectors editions, but this one doesn't look great at all. The pip boy looks horrible, cheap... I'd rather have a figurine.

And the rest... meh. Not even an art book .. sound track ... something besides just a poster.

[Architecture]

Finally playing through New Vegas. I had picked it up on PS3 a couple years back for $10 but never really sank any time into it. Picked up both FO3 & NV during the Steam sale and beautified them via NMC's texture packs.

[richardco]

Thumbs up for the thread title.

 

Can't wait to lose my winter to this game. Though I do hope the playable character's incessant yapping about literally everything they see was for demo purposes only. SUGAR BOMBS YAP YAP YAP. 

[Gwardinen]

Pretty good thread title indeed.

[Azniac]

I'm not sure if it's been posted before, but I thought this was a good series about a lot of what went wrong with Fallout 3: http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=27085

 

I think there's a lot of good points in there, and it surprised me how little I actually remembered from Fallout 3's main quest. Here's hoping four will be a little more internally consistent.

[Bjorn]

I'm not sure if it's been posted before, but I thought this was a good series about a lot of what went wrong with Fallout 3: http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=27085

 

I think there's a lot of good points in there, and it surprised me how little I actually remembered from Fallout 3's main quest. Here's hoping four will be a little more internally consistent.

 

That goes a ways towards explaining how I've long felt about 3.  If I had only played 3 for 10-20 hours, then lost my save or something, I would probably say it was one of the best games I had ever played.  Because I hadn't stuck around long enough in the world for it to all start falling apart around me.  But the longer I played 3, the less I liked it. 

[Dewar]

I don't have the time to read more than the first part, but I'd just like to say that much of the area that Fallout 1 and 2 take place in isn't a desert either, so complaining that the desert motif doesn't make any sense in Washington DC isn't much of a point. I wholeheartedly agree with the criticism about the comedy and the 200 year jump though. That's what I really miss about Fallout 1 and 2, the black humor.

[Cordeos]

I'm not sure if it's been posted before, but I thought this was a good series about a lot of what went wrong with Fallout 3: http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=27085

 

I think there's a lot of good points in there, and it surprised me how little I actually remembered from Fallout 3's main quest. Here's hoping four will be a little more internally consistent.

 

I feel like the authors critique are really built on trying to find anything wrong in the game and nit-picking the hell out of it. I agree the plot of Fallout 3 wasn't great, but this critique feels very lazy to me.

Maybe there is no rain because they didn't build a weather engine in the game. I don't remember any character commenting on the fact it doesn't rain in the DC wasteland. The lack of rain feels more like a dev oversight than a serious issue, ditto for farms. 

As for motivation to clean the water, I agree its weak in game, but how about its the right thing to do? Can't the player have purely altruistic motivations? Also reduces the rad load on the play from drinking random water in the game, so there is some personal benefit.

Maybe once the Potomac is clean more settlements will form around it, this is also related to game limitations, its very expensive to build large thriving communities in a FPS open world game.  

[Reyturner]

Pretty good thread title indeed.

[BusbyBerkeley]

I'm playing through the NV DLC currently and digging Old World Blues pretty well. I totally should grab some texture mods or something because Lord these games are ugly.

Also spending more time in the mojave made me remember how ridiculous this engine is. Most of the time if I can get on a rock or ledge I can take out pretty much anything easily, especially wildlife and melee dudes. Hopefully they fix that in 4 what with the jet pack and all.

[mikemariano]

Maybe there is no rain because they didn't build a weather engine in the game. I don't remember any character commenting on the fact it doesn't rain in the DC wasteland. The lack of rain feels more like a dev oversight than a serious issue, ditto for farms. 

 

 

It rained and snowed in Oblivion, so it was a deliberate choice to take weather out of Fallout 3.

 

I'm upset that sunrise and sunset are not modeled correctly in Fallout 3 or New Vegas.  I can give it a pass in Elder Scrolls, but when it's a nice, sunny evening at 8:15pm on November 30, 2277 in Washington, DC it doesn't feel right.

[Twig]

I'm playing through the NV DLC currently and digging Old World Blues pretty well. I totally should grab some texture mods or something because Lord these games are ugly.

Speaking of, Fallout 3 is going to be the next big game I play, so someone tell me all the necessary mods to make the game not look like beaver butt.

 

Thaaaaaanks!

[Cordeos]

It rained and snowed in Oblivion, so it was a deliberate choice to take weather out of Fallout 3.

 

I'm upset that sunrise and sunset are not modeled correctly in Fallout 3 or New Vegas.  I can give it a pass in Elder Scrolls, but when it's a nice, sunny evening at 8:15pm on November 30, 2277 in Washington, DC it doesn't feel right.

 

The environmental effects in FO3 were lacking, but I don't think technical failures can be used to criticize the plot. 

[Bjorn]

The environmental effects in FO3 were lacking, but I don't think technical failures can be used to criticize the plot. 

 

Well, except that we don't know that it was a technical failure, and not a design decision.  Skyrim, Oblivion and Morrowind all feature weather.  I don't think it exceeds expectations to say that AAA, multi-million dollar games with months long stories set in large open worlds should probably feature weather of some part of their world building, particularly when both the engine and developer are more than capable of weather effects. And that same philosophy extends to a lot of the other world building in F3.  The Elder Scrolls games routinely feature farmers, craftsmen, etc., as part of their world.  F3 just wasn't given the attention as a world as the Elder Scrolls was. 

 

I'm not sure that it's nit-picking to say that a game failed due to a death-by-a-thousand-cuts.  When you're expected to spend dozens or hundreds of hours in a world, all that detail stuff adds up to being a big chunk of the experience.

[Cordeos]

 

Well, except that we don't know that it was a technical failure, and not a design decision.  Skyrim, Oblivion and Morrowind all feature weather.  I don't think it exceeds expectations to say that AAA, multi-million dollar games with months long stories set in large open worlds should probably feature weather of some part of their world building, particularly when both the engine and developer are more than capable of weather effects. And that same philosophy extends to a lot of the other world building in F3.  The Elder Scrolls games routinely feature farmers, craftsmen, etc., as part of their world.  F3 just wasn't given the attention as a world as the Elder Scrolls was. 

 

I'm not sure that it's nit-picking to say that a game failed due to a death-by-a-thousand-cuts.  When you're expected to spend dozens or hundreds of hours in a world, all that detail stuff adds up to being a big chunk of the experience.

 

My point was that a lot of his criticism requires that you agree with his opinion about why the world of FO3 is the way it is. I personally find it far more believable that there were oversights or time/technical reasons for the lack of rain and farms rather than a deliberate decision.

Even if I agreed with his complaints, he only really talks about the main storyline which is a tiny part of FO3. The rest of those dozens of hundreds of hours are spent doing entirely different things.

[Architecture]

Speaking of, Fallout 3 is going to be the next big game I play, so someone tell me all the necessary mods to make the game not look like beaver butt.

 

Thaaaaaanks!

You're going to want to install NMC's texture pack and the hi-res weapon textures from the Nexus and install an ENB preset as well.

 

That goes a long way toward making the game look like how I remembered it looking seven years ago.