Fallout 3: Bad to the Bone

[sonicblastoise]

i agree with most of the sentiment here. choice and consequences this game is NOT. except perhaps in the short-run, facade, pre-fab shingles sort of way.

but, these gameplay videos of slow-mo deaths are entertaining to watch. that and the clip of the guy getting powerfisted (despite the powerfist being clunky and not at all the way i remember a powerfist looking) was satisfying.

pay for it, i will not.

play it, perhaps.

 

[Beelzebud]

I remember a couple of weeks ago calling them the most lazy developers ever. I still stand firmly behind that statement.

The fact that you can go on a rampage in a town, step outside and rest for 24 hours to make things better, is just more proof of lazy game design.

 

[fedaykin]

Jesus fuck, I just noticed Vault Boy's face when you cripple someone. AHAHAHA. It's like he gets high on violence. Oh, and apparently when you're completely engulfed in flames it just cripples your head (whatever the fuck that means).

 

[TheGM]

"You talk to somebody and your gun accidentally goes off..."

Are these guys for real? They get a paycheque for this type of crap?

That only happens if you are driving anyway.......

But the run and wait thing is just is dumb. really really drug baby dumb.

 

[Cimmerian Nights]

but, these gameplay videos of slow-mo deaths are entertaining to watch. that and the clip of the guy getting powerfisted (despite the powerfist being clunky and not at all the way i remember a powerfist looking) was satisfying.

What kind of shelf life does slo-mo deaths have?
How many times until the the shock wears off and it's just ho-hum?

Because let's face it, it's not like the old pnp RPG foundation of Fallout is there anymore.

Once the novelty fades, what of any substance can this game offer to sustain itself?

 

[Anarchosyn]

Wait 24 hours and go back in and the townsfolk will have forgiven (or forgotten) your deeds. This may not be realistic, but if you go on a little killing spree for fun, you can still salvage your game in the long run.

Ah. AHAHAHAHAHAAHAH!!

Bethesda's shitty design back in full swing? Looks like.

Fallout 2, at least, used a similar mechanism. Perhaps it was longer than 24 hours, but wasn't it pretty much a reset?

Granted, it would be nice to see some kind of residual reference - it is 2008 after all. However, it's not unheard of in Fallout (or am I miss remembering?)...

 

[Ausir]

Emil's comment about feeling like he killed someone real really blew me away. Drugs and sex in video games are are bad, bad, bad, but a combat system that's supposedly realistic to that point that you genuinely feel as if you have killed real people is a-ok!

Unless it's children, of course.

 

[Anarchosyn]

Oh, and apparently when you're completely engulfed in flames it just cripples your head (whatever the fuck that means).

I think It's just a qualification for getting on the design team at Bethesda., nothing for us to worry about.

I wonder if you still get cave-man dialog if your INT is below a certain threshold. Probably not.

 

[bonustime]

Wait 24 hours and go back in and the townsfolk will have forgiven (or forgotten) your deeds. This may not be realistic, but if you go on a little killing spree for fun, you can still salvage your game in the long run.

Ah. AHAHAHAHAHAAHAH!!

Bethesda's shitty design back in full swing? Looks like.

Fallout 2, at least, used a similar mechanism. Perhaps it was longer than 24 hours, but wasn't it pretty much a reset?

Granted, it would be nice to see some kind of residual reference - it is 2008 after all. However, it's not unheard of in Fallout (or am I miss remembering?)...

It would depend somewhat on the area/people that were attacked if I remember correctly. I believe in most places they would become instantly hostile as soon as they saw you again.

 

[TheGM]

Emil's comment about feeling like he killed someone real really blew me away. Drugs and sex in video games are are bad, bad, bad, but a combat system that's supposedly realistic to that point that you genuinely feel as if you have killed real people is a-ok!

Unless it's children, of course.

All those little kids the reflect bullets.

I had to go through hell to be able to do that and here this kids have it off that bat.

I guess becuase I am real and they ain't.

And Emil sure loves killing Old folks. Called it black humor once. Yeah.

 

[Outbreak]

Wow... I really have to agree with a lot of what Raytracer said, and most of you as well. I try my best to be completely moderate and give everyone a chance, but even though there are some decent things here, how this thing is put together is so chaotic. Absolutely chaotic. IMO, this is proof to NEVER just 'wing it' while your making a game. Plan it...from the frakking start and know what you're doing. What a mess. For every good thing, some idiot put in a counter, just like the 24 hour forgiveness. Give me a break. That's just as bad as killing 100 cops in GTA, spray painting your car and being forgiven. I'm not for or against Beth; never had a lot of experience with their products, but what I am seeing here tells me they need to get their sh*t together. I feel bad for anyone who truly put their heart into this game to only have it frakked up by some other guy who wanted a nice cheat. Crap...

Developer: "Well...I want to kill everyone in this town, but this whole consequence thing is annoying, so let's everyone be friends after a while. I like killing. Killing makes me happy."

Developer 2: "Hey, that looks like a really cool idea. Have it ready for me in the morning so I can take it to the 'Let's Make it Sh*t' department."

It's all like one big cheat code. Damn...I didn't think I'd be this annoyed. What a wonderful surprise.

As for the strange little comments by Emil; some of these guys, like players, just get really involved in the characters/immersion. I'm sure he wasn't thinking "OMG this is real!!!" Probably more like when you see something emotional or terrifying in a movie and react deeply. He just got a little overly involved there. Todd was actually the least creepiest though. lol... You go, Todd!

 

[Anarchosyn]

But no matter how much I stole and lied to gain some caps, the form of currency in Fallout 3, it never seemed to be enough. I bumped into a mercenary who at first wouldn't talk to me because I was too good. A few murders later and we were talking business. The jerk wanted 1,000 caps for his services as a sidekick. I told him to bug off and left him to die in the mushroom cloud that was soon to come.

Wait... wait... Is the classic Fallout bartering system gone?

:: takes the safety off his revolver. ::

 

[TheGM]

But no matter how much I stole and lied to gain some caps, the form of currency in Fallout 3, it never seemed to be enough. I bumped into a mercenary who at first wouldn't talk to me because I was too good. A few murders later and we were talking business. The jerk wanted 1,000 caps for his services as a sidekick. I told him to bug off and left him to die in the mushroom cloud that was soon to come.

Wait... wait... Is the classic Fallout bartering system gone?

:: takes the safety off his revolver. ::

Aww hell NAW!

*Rips off shirt to reveal giant GM on chest*

I liked Bartering.

 

[mandrake776]

Remember Ian in Fallout? They guy who says he wants 100 caps to join up with you? And you can't barter with him about that? Why does this sound different?

 

[Outbreak]

Bartering Wonder: I think after this lovely display, no one knows what the hell to expect anymore.

 

[TheGM]

Remember Ian in Fallout? They guy who says he wants 100 caps to join up with you? And you can't barter with him about that? Why does this sound different?

No since I talked him into it.

THANKS MENTATS! *Big Smile with a thumbs holding up a roll of Mentats*

 

[Anarchosyn]

Remember Ian in Fallout? They guy who says he wants 100 caps to join up with you? And you can't barter with him about that? Why does this sound different?

You're right, it doesn't.. However, something about the passage implied to me that the bartering system was out and, come to think of it, I've not heard a single reference to it in this firestorm of media coverage.

'Course, implications exist solely in the head of the person deducing it - this I know. You must admit the bartering system has been conspicuously under referenced.

 

[mandrake776]

Remember Ian in Fallout? They guy who says he wants 100 caps to join up with you? And you can't barter with him about that? Why does this sound different?

You're right, it doesn't.. However, something about the passage implied to me that the bartering system was out and, come to think of it, I've not heard a single reference to it in this firestorm of media coverage.

'Course, implications exist solely in the head of the person deducing it - this I know. You must admit the bartering system has been conspicuously under referenced.

Don't take this as an attack, but who looks at the previews for a game and says "ooh this looks like it has a rich bartering system, I have got to have that!" I'm not saying no one does it, but it's not a big enough portion of the userbase that they're going to market to it.

 

[Anarchosyn]

Don't take this as an attack, but who looks at the previews for a game and says "ooh this looks like it has a rich bartering system, I have got to have that!" I'm not saying no one does it, but it's not a big enough portion of the userbase that they're going to market to it.

Granted, but there are reams of minutia about a title that get referenced which fall into this grey area of potentially inconsequential color or flare. In this instance, much is made of the unique post apocalyptic setting. I could see a bartering system, if included, get referenced to breath color into the description of the setting.

Sure, the lack of references doesn't mean it's not in. However, it's fairly unique in game design to not have a singular money system (like Oblivion) and the lack of a "oh, hey - check out this novel element which fleshes out the setting" strikes me as conspicuous.

Fair 'nough?

 

[mandrake776]

Absolutely. I for one will be happier if the system is closer to Fallout's than to Oblivion's if only because in Oblivion I always felt like I was being taken advantage of.