Briosafreak
Lived Through the Heat Death
There`s a very interesting article on RPGDot about Computer Role Playing Games in general, that has a few thoughts on Fallout and Fallout2:
<blockquote>So what do I mean? Removing Baldurs Gate from the equation for a moment, look at the games I mentioned, starting with Fallout and its sequel, Fallout 2. Incredibly enjoyable tactical turn-based combat, a huge gameworld to be explored at your leisure, mature but realistic themes, and endless and often surprising design creativity.
You could get married in a shotgun wedding (and it made no difference what sex you were - my first time through, I played a woman and married one as well…ah, male fantasies), and sell your spouse into slavery, or just leave them for dead in a poisonous cave (oops…). You could truly role-play, finishing quests however you felt best - and all roads led to a viable solution. And it did two things that no game I've played since has featured: first, once you had finished the game (which, it is also worth mentioning, had two main goals), you could continue playing, finding random encounters, or just enjoying the fruits of your labor, as everyone recognized you as the hero you just spent 100+ hours becoming. I've been disappointed by nearly every game I've finished since, after the credits roll and I find myself on the main menu screen, instead of back in the game world.
And second, it gave you a detailed rundown of the consequences of your actions for nearly every quest you undertook during the game. To me, it was a revelation to hear that the small city I rid of slavery went on to enjoy a thriving democracy, or that since I hadn't assassinated a certain mob boss, he took over the city in an orgy of organized crime. Both of these features combined to make the game more satisfying - to make it seem that there were real consequences of your actions, and that the world actually changed as a result of what you chose.</blockquote>
Sure brings back good memories...
Thanks to Greenlantern from the Interplay boards for pointing out this.
<blockquote>So what do I mean? Removing Baldurs Gate from the equation for a moment, look at the games I mentioned, starting with Fallout and its sequel, Fallout 2. Incredibly enjoyable tactical turn-based combat, a huge gameworld to be explored at your leisure, mature but realistic themes, and endless and often surprising design creativity.
You could get married in a shotgun wedding (and it made no difference what sex you were - my first time through, I played a woman and married one as well…ah, male fantasies), and sell your spouse into slavery, or just leave them for dead in a poisonous cave (oops…). You could truly role-play, finishing quests however you felt best - and all roads led to a viable solution. And it did two things that no game I've played since has featured: first, once you had finished the game (which, it is also worth mentioning, had two main goals), you could continue playing, finding random encounters, or just enjoying the fruits of your labor, as everyone recognized you as the hero you just spent 100+ hours becoming. I've been disappointed by nearly every game I've finished since, after the credits roll and I find myself on the main menu screen, instead of back in the game world.
And second, it gave you a detailed rundown of the consequences of your actions for nearly every quest you undertook during the game. To me, it was a revelation to hear that the small city I rid of slavery went on to enjoy a thriving democracy, or that since I hadn't assassinated a certain mob boss, he took over the city in an orgy of organized crime. Both of these features combined to make the game more satisfying - to make it seem that there were real consequences of your actions, and that the world actually changed as a result of what you chose.</blockquote>
Sure brings back good memories...
Thanks to Greenlantern from the Interplay boards for pointing out this.