Gaminator Promises a Mutant's Return to F3, Et Cetera

[The Dutch Ghost]

(think star trekish life support systems)

Probably more like those closed eco systems NASA was working on.

 

[Jubal Quintus]

I think that the raiders blew a chunk out of the door and pried it open from there. Not the easiest thing in the wold, I'd imagine, but the best I can think of.

 

[Nology5890]

On all of the speculation about the Vaults being closed from the outside world, and that's it; was it ever concluded that all of the Vaults were exactly the same? I mean, if they're doing a proper 'experiment', then they would, but it's possible that it's just something there differently in the blueprints, as it's not exactly the Vault 13 we all know and love.

 

[Dougly]

is everyone forgetting that the vaults were intended to be self-sufficient and sealed?

The entire reason you left the vault in FO is that the water purifying/recycling machinery was not working, and they had no alternate source of water. (a spring or aquifer)

Doesn't it follow that maybe they were recycling the air as well, as any air from the outside could bring harmful contaminants into the vault and negate its purpose?
(think star trekish life support systems)

They're not, though. I found the following from the Vault 13 entry at The Vault. If memory serves, this particular information is based on a data disk that you can pick up in the Hub:

The starting budget for the Vault was $400,000,000,000, and it eventually reached $645,000,000,000. It was equipped with a Think Machine supercomputer and the primary source of power was Geo-thermal energy. The secondary power source were the General Atomics Nuclear Power backup systems. The Vault stored complete construction equipment, hydro-agricultural farms, water purification from an underground river, defensive weaponry to equip 10 men, communication, and social and entertainment files (for total duration). It was also supplied with 2 Garden of Eden Creation Kits.

So - Vault 13 used geothermal energy for power. And, it got its water from an underground river. You had to go out to get a replacement water chip because the underground river was contaminated from the war, and the vault needed the chip to purify the water they were taking in.

Hardly sounds like they were operating a Star Trek-esq life support system.

I don't think that a second way out of the vault is necessarily a bad idea. Depends on how its handled.

 

[Kyuu]

Hardly sounds like they were operating a Star Trek-esq life support system.

I don't think that a second way out of the vault is necessarily a bad idea. Depends on how its handled.

You're right, but it doesn't really follow that there'd be a secondary entrance/exit because they get water from an underground river. However, I think it would make more sense for there to be air ducts connecting to the outside, and the air is simply filtered to remove contanminants. An air recycling system would be less reliable and more difficult to maintain for extended periods of time (in my decidedly non-expert opinion).

 

[whirlingdervish]

good find, on the underground river mention..

 

[Dougly]

Hardly sounds like they were operating a Star Trek-esq life support system.

I don't think that a second way out of the vault is necessarily a bad idea. Depends on how its handled.

You're right, but it doesn't really follow that there'd be a secondary entrance/exit because they get water from an underground river. However, I think it would make more sense for there to be air ducts connecting to the outside, and the air is simply filtered to remove contanminants. An air recycling system would be less reliable and more difficult to maintain for extended periods of time (in my decidedly non-expert opinion).

Agreed. Also, recycling outside air, in my opinion, would fit a little better with how we know Vault 13 operated - taking resources from outside the vault (water from an underground river) and using tech to filter them into something usable.

I was going to mention in my earlier post that Vault 15 - at least in Fallout 2 - had a second entrance that could maybe provide a precedent for there being a second entrance to Vault 101. However, I then remembered that the second "entrance" to Vault 15 was actually only a second way to get into the cave outside of the vault... so, maybe it's not such a good example to use.

good find, on the underground river mention..

Thanks for the compliment. I thought I remembered reading somewhere that Vault 13 used an underground water source, but I had to look it up to be sure. I'm glad we have places like The Vault to check on stuff like that.