Crispy Gamer's 4 Hours with Fallout Pt. 2

[Anarchosyn]

Were their surprise attacks in previous games? They do make sense as they represent an enemy's inability to react to your presence/actions in TB or RTwP games but not so much in RT games.

It has been years since I played FO or FO2, but I hope they were. It would be lame for somebody with a high level of Sneak skill proficiency to not get some kind of benefit from initiating an attack while unnoticed.

 

[Outbreak]

It has been years since I played FO or FO2, but I hope they were. It would be lame for somebody with a high level of Sneak skill proficiency to not get some kind of benefit from initiating an attack while unnoticed.

I can't remember what bonuses (if any) occurred naturally, but what I do remember off hand was the "Silent Death" perk.

Description:
While Sneaking, if you hit a critter in the back, you will cause double damage using a HtH attack. Silent Death is that kind of Perk.

Number of Ranks: 1

Req'd: 10 Agility, 80% Sneak, Level 18

EDIT: I think the real bonus to sneaking up on an enemy, as close as possible, before attacking, was more of a natural thing than rewarded with a bonus like "2x". Like in Tactics, I often would sneak in close and right when I was on top of an enemy, then be able to get that shot to the head or eye with a powerful weapon. I might also use a burst. At those ranges, if it wasn't instantly deadly, it was close to it. I think it also caused the enemy to lose some initiative, but I might be wrong there.

 

[Kyuu]

It would be lame for somebody with a high level of Sneak skill proficiency to not get some kind of benefit from initiating an attack while unnoticed.

As Outbreak pointed out before me, the benefit was the kind of benefit that comes naturally: being able to sneak into close range and initiate an attack. Obviously this was most useful for melee characters, but it didn't hurt for those who liked shorter range pistols and the like either. Being able to get in close, initiate the attack (which, if you're initiating the attack, means you get to act first of course), and get in 2-3 good hits to the eye/head, is a pretty damn good benefit I'd say. I pretty much always got a good proficiency in sneak with my melee characters.

Also, there was the Silent Death perk, as Outbreak also pointed out. 2x damage on a critical hit to the eyes/head... not a bad thing.

Although, with the mechanics in FO3, it's not going to be nearly as useful (except that I'm sure there'll be the damage multipliers like in Oblivion, of course). No sneaking up to bash a goon in the eyes with my Super Sledge though...

 

[thefalloutfan]

Navigating around the burnt shells of cars, I come eye to eye with my first survivor -- a leather-clad villain straight out of "Mad Max."

It takes several attempts to snuff the guy before he gets within range. I kill them all, adding their sniper rifle and flamethrowers to my arsenal

That's quite fast, maybe too fast, to get these great weapons early on. Hopefully ammo is scarce (I know they said ammo is scarce, but I'll only know if I play it myself).

You've got to be careful about that, because it won't be there when you get back. You stick stuff in a Nuka Cola vending machine and come back 10 days later and it's probably gone. Don't leave stuff in containers that don't belong to you, because it may not be there when you come back.

Good.

You can find named folks all over the place. They're not necessarily quest targets; they're just named folks. There are scavengers wandering around the world. It's the same as in the school: When you go in that elementary school, there are a bunch of random raiders, but then you find a named guy -- a boss guy -- and he has the key that gets you down to the basement. But it's a self-contained [quest]. There's nobody who says, "Can you go to Springdale Elementary and get rid of this guy?" It's set up as its own self-contained little story. And if you look at a computer terminal, then the leader of these guys will talk about what they've been up to.

So is it: random names for random people, but a predefined name for the 'boss'?

The camera follows the bullet in slow motion as it extends from my barrel, through the darkness and into Briggs' unsuspecting back. My second salvo does the same. It's not long before Ryan Briggs is facedown in the dirt.

I cook up a slab of the stuff by combining one slice of mole rat meat
with a tube of glue. Sounds disgusting, but I'm low on health -- I
choke down the patty and make my way out of the tunnels.

:unsure: :bleh:

Megaton, not to be confused with Detroit.

We could have been very obvious. The game has numbers all over the
place for everything else; it wouldn't have been a big deal to just say
"karma" and a number. But it's not really what karma is. Karma is more
of an ambiguous thing; it's much easier for us to do without a number,
but still have it feel right for the player.

I think I like it this way, not knowing how much karma you get and have in total (I'm sure I read somewhere else that you can't view your karma number, but it might have been a mistake form the previewer's part).

You actually get to flavor what it is she writes, based on what you
tell her. She doesn't know whether you go to Minefield or Super Duper
Mart or not. You can go to the wasteland, come back and just lie.
"Yeah, there was nothing there." And the quests that you get are also
different based on what your responses are.

This is quite good.


Quoted from Parts 1, 2 & 3.

 

[aronsearle]

Down on the tracks, I am immediately beset upon by more Renegades who pick at me with firearms.

Do they not understand that they make VAT's sound like cheat mode, rather than some kind of tactical option?

 

[Mad Mantis]

Down on the tracks, I am immediately beset upon by more Renegades who pick at me with firearms.

Do they not understand that they make VAT's sound like cheat mode, rather than some kind of tactical option?

From reading the comments under various previews I am convinced the "casual gamer" WANTS this kind of cheat mode. Tactical for him is whether or not he will wait the minute it takes for the cheat mode to be at full power again.

 

[thefalloutfan]

It doesn't sound like a cheat mode to me. You'd think the previewers wouldn't need to reload a couple of times and try again or go on a different path if this was actually a 'cheat mode' eh?

 

[brambolius]

title made me think they would be playing fallout, not fallout 3..

 

[Outbreak]

It doesn't sound like a cheat mode to me. You'd think the previewers wouldn't need to reload a couple of times and try again or go on a different path if this was actually a 'cheat mode' eh?

In the beginning, it really did sound like a cheat, despite me wanting such a thing in there. It always sounded like as soon as VATS came on, the smallest weapon could take down 3 Super Mutants with ease. But, as you pointed out, in the last couple of previews here, they finally stated that they had died and had to reload quite a few times until they got it right. I think this was conveniently left out in the previous previews, making it sound as though there wasn't even a challenge. This puts it more on track, and it's likely that everyone has suffered through trial and error, just some didn't feel like articulating that.

 

[Ausir]

So is it: random names for random people, but a predefined name for the 'boss'?

More like generic names like "Raider" for generic raiders, and only the boss has a name.

 

[Mephestys]

More like generic names like "Raider" for generic raiders, and only the boss has a name.

Well that could be for the best. In Morrowind, I could never figure out how I knew every single persons name before I talked to them, especially people who attacked me without having the decency to introduce themselves first! I mean, did I meet every last one of them at some huge party before passing out drunk? Did they think it would be funny to just dump me in some mud-farming backwater hick town afterward and secretly laugh behind my back as I wandered the land suffering from some kind of selective booze-inflicted amnesia?

"Oh, hey there, 'OUTLANDER!!!!' *snicker*"
"What? What's funny?"
"How can I help you, 'OUTLANDER!' *heee*"
"Seriously, why do you keep laughing?"
"Looks like it might rain!"
"What? Are you even listening to me?"
*NPC wanders into a wall*

Those assholes...

 

[UncannyGarlic]

We could have been very obvious. The game has numbers all over the
place for everything else; it wouldn't have been a big deal to just say
"karma" and a number. But it's not really what karma is. Karma is more
of an ambiguous thing; it's much easier for us to do without a number,
but still have it feel right for the player.

I think I like it this way, not knowing how much karma you get and have in total (I'm sure I read somewhere else that you can't view your karma number, but it might have been a mistake form the previewer's part).

Yes and no. If they are going to tell you when you gain or lose karma (which they do) then they probably should show you the number but if they don't then they could just have it be internally tracked so that you would have to gauge your actions (if you care) and wouldn't find out until the end cinematic (which would be fine).

 

[Outbreak]

The downside I see to not having a gauge is that games still aren't mega reliable, and so you might end up getting, for example, a big heap of bad karma for something you didn't even see coming. (like scavenging goods or killing certain enemies) I know it pops up with, "good karma/bad karma", but still, you're not exactly going to keep track. As long as it's reliable enough that you can measure through common sense, it's OK to not have a gauge, otherwise, it may start to get frustrating.

Bounty Hunter: "We're here to kill you, sir."
Player: "For what??"
Bounty Hunter: "We found you Molerat poaching at reserve 6-B. Punishment is death."
Player: "What the...?! I thought that only knocked down my karma by a couple of points?? I was hungry!"
Bounty Hunter: "Sorry, sir. Our charts read you are at -500. Goodbye."
Player: "Wait!"

RATATATATATA....

 

[Mephestys]

Bounty Hunter: "We found you Molerat poaching at reserve 6-B. Punishment is death."

Who the hell would start a Molerat reserve? After the world is consumed in nuclear fire I don't think the few surviving people capable of producing anything of agricultural value are going to have to worry about PETA putting a stop to their wholesale slaughter of horse-sized vermin that maul crops in less time than it takes you to get a venereal disease in Thailand..

 

[Outbreak]

lol, oh c'mon. They're so cute! And there is always going to be a group who tries to protect animals. Even in FO2 or Tactics (can't remember which) a woman was trying to preserve Deathclaws, and they are not nearly as lovable! (hugs Molerat as it gnaws arm off) There is always someone who will choose the most dangerous and horrible of animals as a pet or protection worthy. I'm sure some crazy guy in the desert has a Centaur in a cage somewhere who he calls Lucy next to a Yao Gui named Snuggles.

But, it WAS just a half-ass joke. The point was to say that heavy bad karma might be tied to the stupidest of things in which you'd never realize. Example stated.

 

[Mephestys]

Well, Deathclaws might not be as lovable, but they have considerably more personality than Molerats

However, point taken. Example accepted.

 

[Outbreak]

lol, yeah. Can you imagine someone learning how to train them into being servants? They'd bring food to the guests, wear a nice suit, and when someone complained, they'd just eat them.

Master: "Oh my, you must stop that Mr. Claw."
Mr. Claw: Ug? (chewing face)

 

[Mephestys]

lol, yeah. Can you imagine someone learning how to train them into being servants?

I'd have three and their names would be Frolic, Dimples, and Pop.

 

[Outbreak]

Haha, and be sure to wear the Mr. Wonka outfit in your avatar to complete that image.

 

[aenemic]

I have no problem with not being able to see my total karma. I don't want to think too much about wether I'm good or bad, I just want to decide on the spot how to handle a situation, what would fit my character and my natural reaction towards the situation.

I don't want the game to be a grind for true good or true evil.