Fallout: New Vegas art interview

Brother None

This ghoul has seen it all
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GameBanshee's Brother None interviews art director Joe Sanabria and lead concept artist Brian Menze about New Vegas' art direction. The interview was sent in before the game's release so some relevance is lost, but it's a good read.<blockquote>GB: Fallout: New Vegas' backstory tells us Vegas was not hit as hard as other places, which explains how so much of the city was left standing. However, with the bright architecture and pristine interiors, how do you keep the game from veering away from retro-futuristic post-apocalyptic into retro-futuristic science fiction?

Brian: The answer is found partially in the question. The concept of "not hit as hard" gave us a lot of freedom to lighten up on destruction without completely doing away with it. In other words, even Fallout's most pristine areas still have a gritty aesthetic.

Joe: It was important to use color because it gives the game character and mood. It allows us to make areas more memorable. When used correctly color can enhance an experience and ultimately that's why it was so important that we stay away from muddy colors.

GB: When I think 50's world-of-the-future architecture, art deco and googie come to mind. We've seen both throughout the Fallout franchise, but titles like Fallout 1 and Fallout 3 had more art deco than they did googie. Am I right in thinking The Strip will feature primarily googie architecture? Is that Vegas heritage showing?

Brian: FNV does indeed have a Googie-style influence. We wanted to give the audience a real sense of Vegas and the time period, so we felt it was important to go that route and partially it's what anyone would expect Vegas to be. We pulled (just a little) from the 60's here and there as well, but Googie is what influenced us most.

Joe: The Art Deco movement started in the early 20's, during a period when many of the eastern cities were prosperous and growing. As a result it really influenced the skylines and the design movement moved to other areas, vehicles, furniture and appliances. So in many ways it captures the optimistic 50's period for which the Fallout franchise is known for, it nicely contrasts against the dystopian wasteland.

The west coast development really expanded during the automobile revolution and so not only was it a different time period, the nuclear age, but cities where now designed for folks traveling by car rather than by foot.

Since the real strip didn't really get fully developed until the early 50's, most of the hotels where designed in the Googie architecture style, a futuristic "Meet the Jetsons" type of architecture. In older cities, buildings are the visual focal point and building signs are small in comparison and more aesthetic then functional in their purpose. On the strip, the sign is the focal point and in many cases is as big if not bigger than the building itself. With folks now moving at fast speeds it was important for casino operators to catch people's attention well in advance to lure them in.

This is what we based all of our visual designs on for the hotels, so yes the heritage of Vegas is indeed reflected in the Strip of New Vegas.</blockquote>
 
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edit1: Would it be legal to scan/ upload FNV art from the prima collectors edition guide?

edit2: the link works now
 
PainlessDocM said:
edit1: Would it be legal to scan/ upload FNV art from the prima collectors edition guide?

No. People will do it anyway, but keep it away from here. At least until a ways out when no one cares anymore. For now it's for the people who paid for it. Including me, when I finally get my CE.
 
Brian: I've done so many Vault Boys for FNV. I feel so lucky to be tied to such an iconic part of the Fallout universe. To answer your question though, there are many Vault Boys that re-use a pose, but for quite a few I did draw unique poses for or even added additional props and characters.

I don't understand why he didn't redraw the icons for the FO3 perks, though.
 
Also sad day for Fallout fans everywhere

GB: The RobCo Pip-Boy mascot from the 2000 model was often confused with the Vault-Tec Vault Boy mascot in Fallout 1 and 2. The Pip-Boy mascot did not make an appearence in Fallout 3, but will he appear in New Vegas? If not, was he retired due to the confusion caused by his similarity to Vault Boy?

Brian: No, I'm afraid that little guy seems to have been retired.

:(
 
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