Fallout 3 LGC: MTV Multiplayer

[Brother None]

MTV Multiplayer had 90 minutes with Fallout 3 at GC. I know because they mentioned they had quite some time with it half a dozen time, apparently unaware that before E3 others had much more time. Anyway, on to the preview.<blockquote>I chose a different path, a path that left me securing my very own house in Megaton with my very own robot butler. I could get a haircut from this butler. Or I could get amusement. That’s what I selected, and he/she/it told me a joke. It was about two electrons walking into a bar. One saying it lost an electron. The other asking: “Are you sure?” Response: “I’m positive.”

I asked my robot butler to tell me another joke. The robot butler replied: “My humor emitter ray needs recharging.”

And then I — accidentally — shot my robot butler, who chased me out of my own house, shooing me with his/her/its small flamethrower.

Theoretically, when you accidentally misfire into their torso or their two-headed cow, you can calm the people who shoot back at you if you holster your weapon. This didn’t work against my robot butler. He ran me out of town.
(...)
On the other side of the river I found myself in a gun battle between two factions, armored humans and some scrappy, muscular Super Mutants. The fight took place near a radio station — a station whose frequency I had tuned into and was listening to the whole time I was playing the game. If I ran ahead of the human forces, I got shot a lot. When I waited for the humans to advance, they picked off most of the mutants. They used rifles and machine guns. I just had a pistol.

When the battle seemed to be over, I proceeded to the radio station’s doors. That’s when a Super Mutant Behemoth showed up. This double-tall enemy easily killed me as he rampaged to the front of the building. After I revived from a checkpoint I tried fighting him again. I found a Fat Man mini-nuclear-weapon launcher. I used VATS and aimed for the torso. He survived the awesome shot, barely. And he killed me again. I reluctantly tore myself from the game.</blockquote>Checkpoint?

 

[thenightgaunt]

Perhaps an autosave function? Or maybe something set up for the demo they were showing off? I know I'm being optimistic but I'm only hoping they didn't actually include a damned checkpoint system in the game. Even oblivion wasn't that stupid.

 

[oihrebwe]

"checkpoint" could also mean that you respawn after getting killed although that may be even worse

also, haircuts? maybe NMA has had this wrong all along it's not oblivion with guns it's GTA with mutants

 

[PaladinHeart]

Maybe it's just me but I'm still laughing over the robot running him out of town.

 

[Brother None]

"checkpoint" could also mean that you respawn after getting killed although that may be even worse

That would certainly be a monumentally stupid thing to do. Quick and auto-saves basically replace that kind of handholding already, and BioShock got shot to hell and back for it.

So I'm hoping it's just bad choice of words by the previewer.

Maybe it's just me but I'm still laughing over the robot running him out of town.

Yes, Bethesda's broken RAI keeps coming up with hilarious scenarios.

 

[Matt K]

Well, on the positive, at least there are some consequences for shooting a friendly. Then again, holstering immediately after calming people down sound bad.

For some reason I keep thinking of H.E.L.P.E.R. from Venture Brothers reading about that scene.

 

[Beelzebud]

So you can get a robot butler for your house! Great! Sounds like Fallout to me!

Honesly, back in the early days, I really didn't think they'd be raping the series as hard as they are. Teddy Bear Launchers for weapons, and our very own robot butler to go with our own house!

/me pukes.

 

[Dourvas]

damn did he just said he killed some mutants with a pistol?
please i beg you tell me i didnt understand well...

 

[Southpaws]

I wonder what the humans vs. mutants RAI battle looked like. Did they take cover? Did the humans try to flank the mutants?
Or did they just stand infront of eachother and unloaded their guns?

 

[generalissimofurioso]

I like how it's confirmed that you can get your hands on the Fatman within 90 minutes of starting the game.

So much for it being an "Easter Egg, End of the game, only a few shots type of gun".

Also don't like the idea of being run out of town by my own robot butler whom should swear fealty to me and me alone!

 

[Beelzebud]

Not only does the Fatman seem like a common item, but it doesn't even kill his target in one shot.

I know it's a video game but give me a break! There is no such thing as a "small" nuclear explosion!

 

[BowserJesus]

Not only does the Fatman seem like a common item, but it doesn't even kill his target in one shot.

I know it's a video game but give me a break! There is no such thing as a "small" nuclear explosion!

The fat man has to come up sometime during the game, that and I doubt you'll be able to use it effectively at the start to do enough damage to kill a high level mob.

 

[Southpaws]

The fat man has to come up sometime during the game, that and I doubt you'll be able to use it effectively at the start to do enough damage to kill a high level mob.

Sounds about right, since Beth said that weapon skills will also raise the weapon damage...

 

[Lexx]

They used rifles and machine guns. I just had a pistol. [...] That’s when a Super Mutant Behemoth showed up. [...] I found a Fat Man mini-nuclear-weapon launcher.

Lets see:
- First he has just a pistol
- Then he found a Fat Man mini-nucular-weapon launcher.

Ok.

 

[Jim Cojones]

It doesn't matter how high is your skill with big guns. Even the smallest nuclear bomb should be more than enough to destroy entire town (for town's as big as this in Fo3). If a bomb is to small there won't be a chance for a start of uncontrolled chain nuclear reaction so it wouldn't explode.

And what your skill has to do with damage from explosion? It will give you an ability to shoot in vital parts?

 

[aenemic]

They used rifles and machine guns. I just had a pistol. [...] That’s when a Super Mutant Behemoth showed up. [...] I found a Fat Man mini-nuclear-weapon launcher.

Lets see:
- First he has just a pistol
- Then he found a Fat Man mini-nucular-weapon launcher.

Ok.

Lets see:
- First I had no armor at all and only a spear
- Then I got a Power Armor Mk II
- I then went to NCR and got a Bozar

Ok.

 

[alec]

They used rifles and machine guns. I just had a pistol. [...] That’s when a Super Mutant Behemoth showed up. [...] I found a Fat Man mini-nuclear-weapon launcher.

Lets see:
- First he has just a pistol
- Then he found a Fat Man mini-nucular-weapon launcher.

Ok.

Lets see:
- First I had no armor at all and only a spear
- Then I got a Power Armor Mk II
- I then went to NCR and got a Bozar

Ok.

But you didn't get those within the first 90 minutes of gameplay, did you?
Weapon progression can be a beautiful thing if done right, but going from a lousy pistol to a mini-nuke launcher is quite a different thing, wouldn't you say?

If those checkpoints are in, and are the actual way to save your game, then FO3 is fucked. No one likes checkpoints.

Also: I wonder if we'll get to decorate that house we seem to own. Choose the wallpaper and furniture and such...

 

[Lexx]

Like alec said, he found it while playing the preview version and I don't think, that he played it that long. Sure, in Fallout 2 you can get a big armor early too, but not if you never played the game before (and if you don't cheat or use walkthroughs).

 

[ookami]

I know it's a video game but give me a break! There is no such thing as a "small" nuclear explosion!

Agreed. And I think a 'small' nuclear explosion in a Fallout game is particularly stupid due to the enormity of what nukes are supposed to represent in the world of Fallout. The use of nuclear explosions in Fallout 1 and 2 were both matters of large consequence and they were very few. I think using the Fatman anywhere near populations should result in karma and reputation penalties (as I'm sure all the normal humans living in the area really appreciate some numbskull vault dweller spreading fresh radiation around just to knock out a few mutants or raiders).

Unless it's 2077, any more than ~2 nuclear explosions in a Fallout game is too many. And even those should be events of great importance and consequence like the explosions of Mariposa, the Cathedral, and the oil rig, and perhaps the meltdown of the Gecko reactor.

The Fatman does nothing but trivialize the 'big bad thing' role of nukes in Fallout. Say what you will about mobsters with large casinos, anthro-raccoons, talking Deathclaws, or even pop-culture reference special encounters but at least none of those things trivializes a major impetus for the condition of the world of Fallout.

Lets see:
- First I had no armor at all and only a spear
- Then I got a Power Armor Mk II
- I then went to NCR and got a Bozar

Wow, really? You just happened to go straight out and stumble upon Navarro, picked up the PA II then happened to run directly into NCR from there and grab a Bozar on your first playthrough? Hm. Your luck must be 10 in real life.

 

[Zeld]

Also: I wonder if we'll get to decorate that house we seem to own. Choose the wallpaper and furniture and such...

They actually confirmed that, sooooo..... It's Sims with Mutants.