Best Fallout Intro (Cinematic)?

[CerberusGate]

Wow... so much tryhard hate towards NV. Trying to be some new kind of edge-lord, Someguy? Because none of your points actually work

The city of Las Vegas was not directly hit by nukes. Therefore, the game does not quite qualify for being "post nuclear".

It's still set in a world ruined by nukes. It's just that Vegas fell apart due to complete societal collapse and anarchy as a result of said nukes destroying all form of conventional civilization. It's still post-nuclear but only because society fell apart as a result of nuclear war, not directly due to nuclear war.

More people speak out: Post-apocalyptic "feel"

Does it look like F: NV has lost that post apocalyptic feel?

[. . .]

I just watched the interview from G4tv.com, and saw them go into a swanky hotel covered in lights... with people inside who look like their from 1940s-50s vegas - YES thats the mentaltity but shouldn't they look a bit bedgraggled?

The sky is blue - yea I know a lot of people actually got the fellout mod, but way more didn't. Having a polluted sky just makes the game feel bombed out.

The whole thing just seems way too organized to me, there's army sized factions in control of vast areas. . . .

They may have gone a bit too far with the whole "cowboy" thing. Almost every shot I see someone has a cowboy hat on.

[. . .]

If you ask me the game looks like it's set in a parallel world in the 1950s but with an 1870s "Wild West" twist and all the animals are different. It doesn't look like there's been a horrible nuclear war and everyone is eeking out their survival.
From another discussion:

The cowboy elements mentioned make me angry, I . . . hate westerns, and everyones recent fixation with Red Dead has further put me off, if its too cowboy-y I may just return it.
And another discussion:

my one concern is i hope it's not too cowboyish
To me, this just doesn't *feel* right:

It feels more like a western, with dotted [dilapidated] farms/huts [scattered] about rather than bombed ruins inhabited by desperate scavengers. . . .
What New Vegas lacks:

It doesn't feel very post-apocalyptic.

Vegas wasn't hit directly, and it's been 200 years since the War, so people have moved on and established new societies. . . .

Enough said.

EDIT: Nope, you did not cite proper sources (discussions and forums, really?) and uses Wikipedia of all things for definitions. It does not prove anything except for your love of cherry-picking points that suit their agenda (and willfully ignoring others who disagreed in said discussions and forums) which anyone could do but knows better to not do.
Assessment: "Enough said" is too preemptively .

EDIT: In fact, I can copy your MO too except I will pre-face it and acknowledge it as a discussion rather than conclusive proof; here is a link to a discussion on Reddit on post-post apocalyptic world building and examples of it:
https://www.reddit.com/r/worldbuilding/comments/3b01i2/postpostapocalyptic_is_that_right/

I like how you purposefully ignored other people who disagreed with those headlines/topic titles and argued back against it but go ahead and maintain your narrative for your own agenda. It is clearly 'not' disingenuous and not misrepresenting the truth but go ahead and keep lying about it.

The world is a post-post-apocalyptic world like @R.Graves said. The world has recovered from the nuclear apocalypse and some of its consequences (not all, like lawlessness and hostile environments) to rebuild. Keeping it post-nuclear after 200 years has passed keeps the franchise and setting quite stale and underdeveloped.

the "New" Vegas was rebuilt and is not in ruins.

You clearly did not read the part where it was mentioned how Mr House forcibly united the tribes and had the New Vegas aspect of Vegas rebuilt and restored to astound newcomers like the NCR.

Plus look at Freeside; that area is in ruins with a few buildings restored and some completely rubble.

It wouldn't be accurate to call a throwback to the Wild West as "evolving", considering what people of Nevada have already been chronologically exposed to; it's closer to a regression. Besides, however you interpret it, it ends up looking and sounding like a Western, which is a different genre from "post nuclear" or post-apocalyptic. Furthermore, the ambient music from Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout: Van Buren is more modern than that which represents the Wild West.

Finally, they've already changed the location; there is no need to jump so far forward in time as an excuse for a setting that doesn't quite pull off "post nuclear".

The world was reset by the Great War and recovered since then to the point of new nations forming. Nations in need of new lands and resources. The Mojave region is mostly untapped (with Hoover Dam in mind) and since the world is a post-post nuclear apocalypse one, the Mojave is a new frontier like the rest of unexplored America.

Why else would there be expansion towards new territories if not for similar reasons to what led to the kind of emigration that created the American Old West? Plus it would be time to get new tracks to fit the new elements and shift with old tracks still in it to make some kind of post-post-apocalyptic Western. A hybrid of post-apocalypse and Western with a touch of concept advancement since the world is clearly no longer a fresh post-apocalyptic one anymore (plus the whole Bethesda wanting their timeline and all).

Also, the actual areas hit with nukes in the base game begs to differ since they do have substantial levels of radiation for a setting that seems to not pull off 'post nuclear'. In addition, there is a lore reason for the region being different than others; an excuse perhaps but a pretty good excuse all things considered.

A western frontier is the only place a series like this has left to go set so far after the apocalypse what you're asking for would ruin what makes new vegas interesting. You're asking for the world to stay broken and for the universe to have no future. That's horribly nonsensical in universe and limiting creativity.

That does make me wonder where the series can go after New Vegas (and discounting 4 which did not go anywhere but merely wallowed in one spot). New energy and/or food crisis for the NCR? Legion lands in civil war? Expansion to lands beyond the North American continent?

 

[R.Graves]

That does make me wonder where the series can go after New Vegas (and discounting 4 which did not go anywhere but merely wallowed in one spot). New energy and/or food crisis for the NCR? Legion lands in civil war? Expansion to lands beyond the North American continent?

Well one set in the territory of a proper raider dictatorship could be interesting. That or a whole game set in an inhospitable area similar to the pitt. Either way you could have rebels (in the case of the raider scenario) or an outside force trying to fix the inhospitable location (where maybe only natives can live) via drastic measures for colonization the outside force developed a special breather or drug and sent you in to negotiate. There's your conflict in either case. Either idea could be tweaked and fleshed out to make for a great fallout experience I think.

 

[CerberusGate]

That or a whole game set in an inhospitable area similar to the pitt.

an outside force trying to fix the inhospitable location (where maybe only natives can live) via drastic measures for colonization the outside force developed a special breather or drug and sent you in to negotiate.

I get the feeling that this is what Bethesda would do to New York minus the whole colonization part. You'd probably be a vault dweller again and inexplicably be immune to the low level radiation in the region (yet be affected by normal radiation hotspots) without any special breathers/drugs.

 

[Cobra Commander]

For a while, the page even listed Fallout: New Vegas as a spin-off

ok, so take it to the letter and do not bother anymore.

FNV is a spin off with a Western theme. Good enough for you? Or the problem is that many (myself included) find NV the best game in the franchise?

 

[CerberusGate]

ok, so take it to the letter and do not bother anymore.

I think the problem for Brycen here is that NV is listed under main series now and probably wants to convince others it is a mere spin-off while having issue that so many (myself as well) like NV as well despite its flaws and limitations.

 

[Lexx]

Why would it be the only place to go? They've already changed the location, why is there a need to jump so far forward in time? Besides, it isn't about the "explanation", it's about the writers' choice.

Bethesda doesn't go back in time. They said that multiple times. Just like TES6 will never be set before Skyrim and Co. new Fallout titles won't take place before the older ones.

I don't comment on the rest, because I am too lazy and it's kinda pointless.

 

[Cobra Commander]

Oh yeah, and we have 4 dlc´s, all of then suits really well in a post-nuclear scenario.

 

[R.Graves]

minus the whole colonization part

Then what would be the plot? Itd have to be somewhere with resources. Where in anerica is abundant in resources? Invading army from mexico? Is baja in mexico? They've mentioned baja... Idk.

 

[naossano]

Still think this discussion should be in another thread.

 

[CerberusGate]

Then what would be the plot? Itd have to be somewhere with resources. Where in anerica is abundant in resources? Invading army from mexico? Is baja in mexico? They've mentioned baja... Idk.

Like I said if Bethesda was handling the plot, they'd ignore logical ways for the story to develop (like colonising viable resource-rich lands for resources etc.) in favour using places they consider 'cool' no matter how illogical it may be.

 

[Brycen]

If you read the early discussions on this very forum, you'll notice people felt that the Fallout franchise started veering off the "post nuclear" tone set by the original since as early as Fallout 2.

This is a quote from one of the early (year 2000) discussions:

[T]hey turned Fallout . . . into 'pop poop' - random encounters are really a bit too often, and sometimes too crazy (crashed whale? Startreck shuttle? Mad cows? Knights? 'Tin Man'?), . . . and most of all, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore - that is, I don't feel like this is a world after nuclear war. More like one of these multiple fantasy RPGs that flooded the market. . . .​

This is from the E3 2010 interview: "[Fallout: New Vegas] is not a direct sequel."—Senior Producer of Fallout: New Vegas. Combined with it feeling more like a Western than "post nuclear", it's closer to being a spin-off.

 

[CerberusGate]

If you read the early discussions on this very forum, you'll notice people felt that the Fallout franchise started veering off the "post nuclear" tone set by the original since as early as Fallout 2.

This is a quote from one of the early (year 2000) discussions:

[T]hey turned Fallout . . . into 'pop poop' - random encounters are really a bit too often, and sometimes too crazy (crashed whale? Startreck shuttle? Mad cows? Knights? 'Tin Man'?), . . . and most of all, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore - that is, I don't feel like this is a world after nuclear war. More like one of these multiple fantasy RPGs that flooded the market. . . .​

This is from the E3 2010 interview: "[Fallout: New Vegas] is not a direct sequel."—Senior Producer of Fallout: New Vegas. Combined with it feeling more like a Western than "post nuclear", it's closer to being a spin-off.

So your point is that games starting from Fallout 2 onwards are spin-offs rather than sequels?

All because the setting shifted from post-nuclear to post-post apocalypse does not negate it as a sequel since a good sequel is capable of advancing the setting and leaps off from the sequel while a bad sequel wallows too much in the original. If the series remained stuck being all miserable and not advancing the setting past nuclear devastation, it will become stale and unoriginal which is why 2 and New Vegas were different from 1. Also, it is good that the game labelled as a spin-off is popularly regarded as a direct sequel, meaning it did something right.

Also, nice archive dig there. If you haven't figured it out yet, 2 is not the prized cow of the series here (it's 1 or NV btw). For the most part, 2 gets a lot of flack despite how much love it gets for those pop-culture references.

Meanwhile, I wonder why Brycen is still trying to deviate topic from best intro cinematic.

For the record, 1 wins for me for setting up the setting and the main task so summarily. I do like 2 (summarily explains the main task and the brutality of the new antagonists) and New Vegas (summarily explains the current conflict, the advances of the setting and your predicament) though not as much as 1. 3 was not too bad when I first saw it but not good on the re-watch either.

4 was simply dull (plus no Ron Perlman narration so it fails on a fundamental level to boot and implied that the female PC is not the canonical choice since she does not get to narrate).

 

[Prone Squanderer]

Wow... so much tryhard hate towards NV. Trying to be some new kind of edge-lord, Someguy? Because none of your points actually work

What are you talking about? He has very good points, he's made good ones in the past such as:

•Getting shot twice in the head is potentially a reference to the twin towers.
•Benny is potentially a reference to bin Laden.
•Great Khans are potentially a reference to Taliban.
•Courier 6 is potentially a reference to SEAL Team 6 that went after bin Laden.

I mean how can you think he's not being serious?

 

[CerberusGate]

I mean how can you think he's not being serious?

When he started using forum posts to justify his points and cherry-picked a few while ignoring the other points raised in those posts, Brycen lost me as a serious speaker.

That and posts like these from his other thread:

• Getting shot twice in the head is potentially a reference to the twin towers.
• Benny is potentially a reference to bin Laden.
• Great Khans are potentially a reference to Taliban.
• Courier 6 is potentially a reference to SEAL Team 6 that went after bin Laden.
• "Don't Tread on the Bear!" is potentially a reference to "DONT TREAD ON ME" on the Gadsden flag.
• The "Ace of Spades", also known as the "death card", is potentially a reference to the following:
  
  In the Second World War, the soldiers of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the American 101st Airborne Division were marked with the spades symbol painted on the sides of their helmets.
  
  [. . .]
  
  Some twenty years later, a folk legend about the ace of spades being used by American soldiers during the Vietnam War was popularized. Supposedly, US troops believed that Vietnamese traditions held the symbolism of the spade to mean death and ill-fortune and in a bid to frighten and demoralize Viet Congsoldiers, it was common practice to mockingly leave an ace of spades on the bodies of killed Vietnamese and even to litter the forested grounds and fields with the card. This custom was said to be so effective that the United States Playing Card Company was asked by Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment to supply crates of that single card in bulk. The crates were often marked with "Bicycle Secret Weapon". However, no evidence of this practice actually being used during the war exists. The ace of spades, while not a symbol of superstitious fear to the Viet Cong forces, did help the morale of American soldiers. It was not unheard of for US soldiers and Marines to stick this card in their helmet band as a sort of anti-peace sign.
  
  NCR Ranger concept art:
  
  
  
  
  
• The NCR's practice of cutting off their enemies' ears is also potentially a reference to Vietnam.

EDIT: I totally fell for that bait, didn't I? I'll accept flack for not reading @Prone Squanderer's post properly.

 

[Jogre]

LOL! Even Wikipedia: Fallout (series) mentions nothing about the franchise being a Western. So much for the "themes".

Of course, because not the entirety of the Fallout series is a western.

If one specific game in a franchise that wasn't originally a western decides to adopt mild western themes, it really isn't the end of the world.

You are confusing elements with a theme.

Fine then.

I don't see why a Fallout game is incompatible with a western theme.

It's entirely possible to keep the Fallout spirit alive even with western themes.

Doesn't sound like the definition of the "post nuclear" or post-apocalyptic genre.

It's set after a nuclear war, which destroyed most of the known world, and is about factions fighting over a perfectly preserved dam in an otherwise desolate waste filled with apocalyptic monsters.

That is as post-apocalyptic and as post-nuclear as you can get.

Fallout is supposed to be a reference to a nuclear fallout and accompanying fallout shelters. The original game set the tone as "post nuclear". Western is a different genre altogether. It's really that simple.

It is possible to be both genres.

Post Apocalypse are generally about hostile lawless wastelands.

Westerns are generally about hostile, lawless deserts.

The two are very compatible genres.

If you read the early discussions on this very forum, you'll notice people felt that the Fallout franchise started veering off the "post nuclear" tone set by the original since as early as Fallout 2.

There is always going to be at least one person who thinks a game doesn't handle the genre correctly.

Just because some people agree with you about Fallout, doesn't make you right.

"[Fallout: New Vegas] is not a direct sequel."—Senior Producer of Fallout: New Vegas.

That's only because Bethesda had taken over the franchise, and lost of casual fans were expecting the East Coast Fallout 3 to be the main series. It's not a direct sequel to Fallout 3, and the Fallout Bethesda established.

It is very much a sequel to Fallout 1 and 2.

 

[Ben Soto]

@CerberusGate I always thought F2 was the sacred cow of the franchise.

 

[Lexx]

Some say it is, some say it isn't. You find voices for both sides. Me personally, it can't top Fallout 1. Guess it depends on which of the two you've played first.

 

[Jogre]

I'd say Fallout 2 is pretty much on the same level as New Vegas, and is almost able to capture the atmopshere of Fallout 1.

Not perfect, and has lots of flaws, but is definitely a brilliant game.

 

[joevonzombie]

LOL! Even Wikipedia: Fallout (series) mentions nothing about the franchise being a Western. So much for the "themes".

For a while, the page even listed Fallout: New Vegas as a spin-off, until someone edited it in May (2017), which may get edited back. That's because the main Fallout games are released with a number.



You are confusing elements with a theme.



It's too blurry; it just looks like it has some of its light off. Besides, the game's narrative confirms that the "New" Vegas was rebuilt and is not in ruins. I guess if you are really desperate, you could pretend there is a "ruined" building in there but it is nothing like the first game's box cover and main menu art where it's clearly visible.



Why would it be the only place to go? They've already changed the location, why is there a need to jump so far forward in time? Besides, it isn't about the "explanation", it's about the writers' choice.



Doesn't sound like the definition of the "post nuclear" or post-apocalyptic genre.



The whole game is named after and revolves around the city that was not directly hit by nukes. That's not what defines the "post nuclear" or post-apocalyptic genre.



That's why I said "somewhat" ironic, considering the supposed "post nuclear" setting. There were no nukes involved with Las Vegas. It should have been clear.



No, I'm not kidding. The game is called Fallout: New Vegas. The city of Las Vegas was not directly hit by nukes. Therefore, the game does not quite qualify for being "post nuclear".



It wouldn't be accurate to call a throwback to the Wild West as "evolving", considering what people of Nevada have already been chronologically exposed to; it's closer to a regression. Besides, however you interpret it, it ends up looking and sounding like a Western, which is a different genre from "post nuclear" or post-apocalyptic. Furthermore, the ambient music from Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout: Van Buren is more modern than that which represents the Wild West.

Finally, they've already changed the location; there is no need to jump so far forward in time as an excuse for a setting that doesn't quite pull off "post nuclear".



Fallout is supposed to be a reference to a nuclear fallout and accompanying fallout shelters. The original game set the tone as "post nuclear". Western is a different genre altogether. It's really that simple.

The images speak for themselves.

More people speak out: Post-apocalyptic "feel"

Does it look like F: NV has lost that post apocalyptic feel?

[. . .]

I just watched the interview from G4tv.com, and saw them go into a swanky hotel covered in lights... with people inside who look like their from 1940s-50s vegas - YES thats the mentaltity but shouldn't they look a bit bedgraggled?

The sky is blue - yea I know a lot of people actually got the fellout mod, but way more didn't. Having a polluted sky just makes the game feel bombed out.

The whole thing just seems way too organized to me, there's army sized factions in control of vast areas. . . .

They may have gone a bit too far with the whole "cowboy" thing. Almost every shot I see someone has a cowboy hat on.

[. . .]

If you ask me the game looks like it's set in a parallel world in the 1950s but with an 1870s "Wild West" twist and all the animals are different. It doesn't look like there's been a horrible nuclear war and everyone is eeking out their survival.​

From another discussion:

The cowboy elements mentioned make me angry, I . . . hate westerns, and everyones recent fixation with Red Dead has further put me off, if its too cowboy-y I may just return it.​

And another discussion:

my one concern is i hope it's not too cowboyish​

To me, this just doesn't *feel* right:

It feels more like a western, with dotted [dilapidated] farms/huts [scattered] about rather than bombed ruins inhabited by desperate scavengers. . . .​

What New Vegas lacks:

It doesn't feel very post-apocalyptic.

Vegas wasn't hit directly, and it's been 200 years since the War, so people have moved on and established new societies. . . .​

Enough said.

It's adorable that you clearly know how to do a google image search, but you should probably actually watch The Road Warrior because it's very much a western. George Miller was quite deliberate in that. Also a good portion of the quests throughout the entire series derive their structure from A Fistful of Dollars.

 

[R.Graves]

I'd say Fallout 2 is pretty much on the same level as New Vegas,

I'd say not even close.