a Fallout game I'd like to see

[Kalessin]

Obviously I'm new and I apologize if this is the wrong forum or if someone has already suggested this.

I guess I should first say I love Fallout Tactics, even though I've read some people that would disagree with my opinion. What I would really like to see some day is a Fallout Tactics game that's kind of a cross between Fallout Tactics and Brothers In Arms. I think it would be interesting to maintain the style of Brothers In Arms that you control your squad with orders rather than as directly as in Fallout Tactics, but with the flexibility of the squad like in FT where the orders can be given to any individual member or to any combination of members. It'd be cool to also see some of the BIA type AI for enemies, especially since the FT enemies didn't usually seem too concerned about suppression fire. I'd also like to see basic fireteam formations added like column, wedge, echelon left and right, and skirmishers. It always pissed me off in FT when I would deliberately put my guys into echelon and my automatic rifleman decides to fall in directly behind one of my other guys when I move them and then proceeds to blow my squadmember's brains out when an enemy is spotted.

 

[Role-Player]

The thing that initially sets me against any kind of idea is not so much the base gameplay issue but how well it integrates into the PC and NPC dichotomies. Including this kind of system risks causing some levels of incosistency with the notion that NPCs are are non-controllable entities with simulated behaviors and traits that exist primarily to define themselves rather than serve the PCs whims.

If this kind of control setup was to be implemented the only way I can think of to lessen the discrepancy would be to make the PC have an influence on NPC behavior during combat through the use of some suggestion tied with a skill or statistic, rather than being a generic set of commands that NPCs would always abide to. It would make sense from a design standpoint - as well as use of the SPECIAL system - to have PC attributes influence interactions with NPCs and as such to have a more charismatic PC, or one that's more inclined to leadership, to be able to influence some NPC behaviors in combat (though never to the point of having NPCs blindly following his or her every command).

 

[Kalessin]

I definitely agree about having various factors contribute to leadership ability. That would add a little bit of realism that could make for some interesting possibilities. Different little things like your squad being more likely to follow certain commands after you've proven yourself capable. Maybe something also that they are more willing to carry out orders from a leader who goes into the fray rather than sitting behind the lines and barking orders. Also perhaps have some squad members inherently a little more willing to follow your orders and some who may question your command (probably quite rarely as that would seem grounds for either at least a week in the box). As far as this system creating problems with PC and NPC dichotomy, I think it would actually help to preserve it considering the way the Fallout Tactics system handled it. At least this way instead of basically having 6 PCs you would have 1 true playable character and then the 5 that are trained to follow your orders.