Fallout 2 mod Fallout: Yesterday

hexer

hexer

It's PJ!
Modder
Older NMA members will remember how I started creating Van Buren using FOnline engine way back in late 2013. After working like a maniac for one year on it, I put the project on hold because we had serious technical issues with FOnline, we couldn't afford 3D cinematics and professional voice actors/musicians, I moved to another country, etc.

But now the time has come to continue the work and resurrect Black Isle Studio's legacy! Van Buren is back! :D

With that being said, there have been a few changes:
  1. I changed the name from Van Buren to Fallout: Yesterday. Read more about why on the Patreon page.
  2. I changed the game's engine from FOnline to Fallout 2. I'll make a post about why I decided on that sometimes next week.
  3. I setup a Patreon page where I post news and in case someone wants to donate me a euro or two so I don't go bankrupt if I cover all the expenses by myself. The final 1.00 game remains free for everybody of course!
Here is a wallpaper for you I made with Ursa's loading screen.

enX3ZAQ.png


See you in the wastes, prisoner!
 
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Golbolco said:
Those screenshots look promising. How far along are you in this work?
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Thank you Golbolco!
I would say about 40-50% of the game is done.
Almost all new artwork has been produced in 3D and is currently undergoing adjustments to seamlessly fit with the existing Fallout art. The amount of new art is staggering - about 6000 pieces as some locations required artwork never before seen in a Fallout game.

I'll keep you posted for any news on my blog and here.

Black Angel said:
On a more serious note, is there some significant difference between the Black Isle's envisioned Van Buren?
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No significant difference between BIS' Van Buren except for the engine change and additional plot info from Chris Avellone.
Actually, I even met a few ex-BIS legends in person in 2017. and got their blessing for going down the old-school road!
You can read about it here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/fallout-or-how-i-35680686
 
Already that much work? I'm very excited. New Fallout 2 mods are always welcome, and Van Buren getting its due is now 17 years late. Looking forward to learn more about that additional plot info, so long as it's not a spoiler.
 
Golbolco said:
Looking forward to learn more about that additional plot info, so long as it's not a spoiler
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It is a spoiler, he gave us loads of new background stories and lore.
You will get to see all of it in the game of course!
:vatted:
 
Well hot damn ... Never thought I'd see an official announcement from you this soon. Van Buren seems so close yet so far away. To be honest, the only reason why I made an account this site was to post my own version of the canceled Fallout 3. I've never created mods before but I'm writing a design doc in the theme of a mod so that's its easier to follow. I figured since no one has yet to recreate and release this ambitious undertaking and as long as I don't promise people that I'll actually make it, my fan fic would be in good taste. I never really recorded when I began it because I've only recently discovered the classic games and the Van Buren legend even later than that. I'll just say I began writing it mid '19. I'd be lying to say that part of why I'm writing isn't for the attention but if either you or Hard-boiled Wanderer consider my fan fiction disrespectful to your projects then I won't post it. I'm not stubbornly arrogant to think I could create something of this magnitude with no experience, or worse, beg those who do into doing my bidding or bait them into incorporating my ideas into their work.

I'm not that guy anymore.

Questions:
Why are you switching back from FOnline engine to Fallout 2's engine? I thought FOnline's engine was superior and more capable for handling Van Buren. Is this switch because of people's easier access to Fallout 2?

Does this switch mean that we don't need Fallout: Tactics anymore to play your mod?

You said earlier in this thread that your mod won't be significantly different from what Interplay would have done. Does this mean that your project will be a complete, word-for-word recreation of the original design documents, as apposed to Hard-Boiled Wanderer's adaption to fit modern lore?
 
Other questions:

Are you going to remake the skills system? I'm honestly glad Van Buren's skills system never saw the light of day, and I think Bethesda made the best version of the skills. Don't know why they ditched it in Fallout 4.

It's probably a given, but: Does your new, over 6,000 pieces of art include new sprites for NCPs, armor, and outfits?

Do any unique items planned include vehicles?
 
StopSigntheVendingMachine said:
Questions:
Why are you switching back from FOnline engine to Fallout 2's engine? I thought FOnline's engine was superior and more capable for handling Van Buren. Is this switch because of people's easier access to Fallout 2?
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Huh, where to start... my next blog post will cover this question in detail but let's just say it seemed like the right choice at the time but about a year down the road, the main FOnline developer cvet was pushing the newer versions in a different direction that didn't work for us anymore. He was helpful in everything I asked him but he wanted to use the engine for his own game and was focused on engine features exclusive for his own game. FOnline is in great deal open source, but not entirely.

StopSigntheVendingMachine said:
Does this switch mean that we don't need Fallout: Tactics anymore to play your mod?
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Fallout Tactics is no longer needed to play the game! :D

StopSigntheVendingMachine said:
Does this mean that your project will be a complete, word-for-word recreation of the original design documents
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Of course, imagine if BIS started working on this game in 1998. right after they shipped Fallout 2.
That's the goal.

StopSigntheVendingMachine said:
Other questions:
Are you going to remake the skills system?
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I'll talk more about this topic on my blog.
You can follow me on Patreon for free to get updates, just press the Follow button.

StopSigntheVendingMachine said:
Other questions:
It's probably a given, but: Does your new, over 6,000 pieces of art include new sprites for NCPs, armor, and outfits?
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No, I didn't count art for NPCs and outfits into that number :)

StopSigntheVendingMachine said:
Do any unique items planned include vehicles?
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Of course!

Dude101 said:
I'd be interested in the details. I spoke to Chris Avellone years ago (on myspace lol) and tried to get additional texts and failed.

Good luck!
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Thank you, Dude101! I know that as a veteran Fallout fan you're curious, but I can't spoil anything before you see it in the game. The wait will be worth it. Soon!
 
Hello.
I wanted publish sources much earlier than 2018 but I couldn't did it for some circumstances.
In next few month I want do important step of stabilization engine public api and continue development with it's backward compatibility.
Firstly online and then singleplayer (i.e. scripting api will be tuned for coding as singleplayer game without distinguish between server and client sides).
Currently engine is in unusable state due to heavy refactoring and some of new important improvements made but as I said before these things will be solved in next few months.
So if your development doesn't very coupled with f2 engine then you can check engine state after some months and maybe change decision, because engine needs some singleplayer project for understanding of correctness of decisions made in context of singleplayer evolution.
 
Hi cvet! Thank you for dropping by and shedding light on the circumstances!
You've always been very helpful to me :)
I'll keep track of your progress and see how things resolve in the future.
It's good to know things are moving in the right direction!
Take care bro and see you in the wasteland!
 
@hexer my mom has corona, my family is in debt, I’m also in debt, and all in all life is shit.

But this thread?

This thread made my day and I hope you know how much it means to me that you’re doing this. It’s a literal dream come true for me (and I’m sure, for others), and I’m thankful that there are people like you bringing Van Buren (or should I say Yesterday) to life.
 
KingArthur said:
@hexer my mom has corona, my family is in debt, I’m also in debt, and all in all life is shit.

But this thread?

This thread made my day and I hope you know how much it means to me that you’re doing this. It’s a literal dream come true for me (and I’m sure, for others), and I’m thankful that there are people like you bringing Van Buren (or should I say Yesterday) to life.
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Hey bro! Sad to hear you and your family are going through tough times!
I hope you come through the storm soon! <3

I'm happy to hear I can bring a smile to your face - this is one of the main reasons I'm making games.
After more than 20 years of being disregarded, we deserve happiness!

:brofist:

P.S. I bring more good news in a new blog post :)

https://www.patreon.com/posts/latest-news-work-35919614

All the best,
hexer aka PJ
 
Proletären said:
Cool! I made a news post. Please correct me if I got anything wrong and also if you would like to add some.
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Haha, on the frontpage again! Last time that happened was years ago on fodev.net with Lexx's interview.
The info is fine, precise and to the point, wouldn't change anything!
Thank you so much bro :)

Proletären said:
edit:
Will you start using you social media again?
https://twitter.com/f3vanburen
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I'm not sure I'll start using that Twitter account again because when I left in 2014.,
I gave all the passwords for our accounts (Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, IndieDB, ModDB...) to Zoom, the only dev from our team that wanted to step in on my position back then. Sadly, we haven't really kept in touch over the last 4 years so
right now, I'm trying to get in touch with him again so he can pass on the passwords and access back to me.
I do keep in touch with other lead developers from the old team though.

But since I changed the name of the game, I opened new accounts for Fallout: Yesterday here:

Discord: https://discord.gg/UW36Ms7
https://twitter.com/fallout_y
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0fjMYe0qGBJ5fVZhRacdvQ
twitch.tv/falloutyesterday
https://www.instagram.com/fallout.yesterday/

No Facebook page so far, I want to rename the old page!
 
You have no idea how histerical in happiness about returning to classic F2 engine I was. The classic engine modding scene now looks healthier than 3D one with all released and upcoming total conversions, upcoming from oblivion and radio silence that is in case of 1.5 and MR.
 
Off topic but I still would not mind a new 3D engine with the Fallout 1, 2 possible those of Fallout Yesterday, and new assets fitting the universe being made, capable of isometric view and with turn-based/realtime with pauze combat.

[/fan wishing over]
 
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