Eh, well...I guess if you're going to think Vampires are stupid, you can think they're stupid. I mean, as far as I go, I'm a pretty basic thinker and it isn't a stretch for me that there would be anything that crazy out in the wastes. As Battlestar Galactica states quite well, people always seem to find themselves being stupid, getting involved in strange cults and finding ways to rebel against society, even when their entire race is on the verge of extinction. So, in that regard, imagining that a group of disturbed people has decided to feed on human blood in a post-apocalyptic setting isn't a stretch to me. In fact, strange behavior like this in THAT setting seems even more likely to happen, just as murderers are more likely to kill outright due to the lack of civilization and need for conformity.
As far as their survival, I personally don't see the conflict, so I agree with sai | GLYPH. There are one of two images I get. You either have the vampires as shown in The Forsaken where you are technically a group of raiders who hunt down random people, kill them, drink their blood, but then also loot their bodies to guarantee survival. The main differences from a true raider being that the 'vampire' would be more manipulative and sadistic and probably only do his thing at night. Instead of vampirism, it could just as easily be someone who enjoys hunting/kidnapping victims for torture.
The other version is something as seen in Stargate: Atlantis. There, you would have a group of dangerous, strong and well armed people who actually use blood as a partial food source. Instead of hunting individuals in the dark, they threaten/rule a town who then are forced to provide blood to the 'cult' out of fear. I am sure that along with the blood, in this case, food, water and loot is also extorted. (but c'mon, blood IS really a food/water source, especially in some 3rd world countries. You just probably shouldn't really on it solely. Hell, in an irradiated world, blood is probably a better source of water than a lake.) The 'vampires' just have to sit back and look bad ass, holding their thumb over the helpless people. The people though probably go along with it as long as they are not being slaughtered, secretly wanting someone to save them. This was the same kind of relationship that was seen in Stargate. (yes I know that the Wraith don't actually drink blood, but it's the society/relationship I'm talking about)
Anyway... Sorry for such a long winded answer, and again, if you hate the vampire idea, you hate it, and it's true that Beth, or any company, could blow it, but the basic idea does not seem stupid to me. Also, look at most modern vampire movies...to think that one cannot be a vampire and still function like a human is incorrect to me. Whether it's emo kids or supernatural realities, they have to do all/most of the normal things of survival, the only difference being that instead of maybe having a beer after work, they drink a cup of blood and hunt people in their free time instead of animals. Again, I think this is something Beth will get flak for just because they are Beth.
Finally, as far as not seeing the raiders live their daily life... That's a little much. Even in Fable, you can't follow the monsters around to watch them eat and go to the bathroom, and uh...I don't really care? I know how a raider lives. They raid and plunder like pack rats and survive on what they loot. I don't need to see it.
This isn't an attack, BTW, just my opinion.
@UncannyGarlic: From what I heard before, I think if the Rocket Launcher still worked, the mutant would have gone for it, but... If he just kept going for a dropped weapon, wouldn't that make it easier to kill him in his constant fumbling for it? (since he was alone) The other reason might simply be that the A.I. is programmed not to pick up the weapon that was disarmed.
I agree too; I think with the right skills, being an intelligent fighter really might make this game easier, but I think the same rules apply as in the old games. If you were strategic and had the ability to shoot through an eye at 100 yards, you could take out a lot of stuff with the right weapon. I did really well in Fallout 1 by sneaking and being well skilled with the Desert Eagle. Also as I stated before, I think with a 10mm pistol, skilled or not, if another Super Mutant had been there to back Rocky up there, then I think the player would have had to turn tail or be annihilated. That's also what would happen to me in Fallout 1. I had to make sure I picked them off one at a time. (referring to trying to escape the Mutant Army Base)
As far as their survival, I personally don't see the conflict, so I agree with sai | GLYPH. There are one of two images I get. You either have the vampires as shown in The Forsaken where you are technically a group of raiders who hunt down random people, kill them, drink their blood, but then also loot their bodies to guarantee survival. The main differences from a true raider being that the 'vampire' would be more manipulative and sadistic and probably only do his thing at night. Instead of vampirism, it could just as easily be someone who enjoys hunting/kidnapping victims for torture.
The other version is something as seen in Stargate: Atlantis. There, you would have a group of dangerous, strong and well armed people who actually use blood as a partial food source. Instead of hunting individuals in the dark, they threaten/rule a town who then are forced to provide blood to the 'cult' out of fear. I am sure that along with the blood, in this case, food, water and loot is also extorted. (but c'mon, blood IS really a food/water source, especially in some 3rd world countries. You just probably shouldn't really on it solely. Hell, in an irradiated world, blood is probably a better source of water than a lake.) The 'vampires' just have to sit back and look bad ass, holding their thumb over the helpless people. The people though probably go along with it as long as they are not being slaughtered, secretly wanting someone to save them. This was the same kind of relationship that was seen in Stargate. (yes I know that the Wraith don't actually drink blood, but it's the society/relationship I'm talking about)
Anyway... Sorry for such a long winded answer, and again, if you hate the vampire idea, you hate it, and it's true that Beth, or any company, could blow it, but the basic idea does not seem stupid to me. Also, look at most modern vampire movies...to think that one cannot be a vampire and still function like a human is incorrect to me. Whether it's emo kids or supernatural realities, they have to do all/most of the normal things of survival, the only difference being that instead of maybe having a beer after work, they drink a cup of blood and hunt people in their free time instead of animals. Again, I think this is something Beth will get flak for just because they are Beth.
Finally, as far as not seeing the raiders live their daily life... That's a little much. Even in Fable, you can't follow the monsters around to watch them eat and go to the bathroom, and uh...I don't really care? I know how a raider lives. They raid and plunder like pack rats and survive on what they loot. I don't need to see it.
This isn't an attack, BTW, just my opinion.
@UncannyGarlic: From what I heard before, I think if the Rocket Launcher still worked, the mutant would have gone for it, but... If he just kept going for a dropped weapon, wouldn't that make it easier to kill him in his constant fumbling for it? (since he was alone) The other reason might simply be that the A.I. is programmed not to pick up the weapon that was disarmed.
I agree too; I think with the right skills, being an intelligent fighter really might make this game easier, but I think the same rules apply as in the old games. If you were strategic and had the ability to shoot through an eye at 100 yards, you could take out a lot of stuff with the right weapon. I did really well in Fallout 1 by sneaking and being well skilled with the Desert Eagle. Also as I stated before, I think with a 10mm pistol, skilled or not, if another Super Mutant had been there to back Rocky up there, then I think the player would have had to turn tail or be annihilated. That's also what would happen to me in Fallout 1. I had to make sure I picked them off one at a time. (referring to trying to escape the Mutant Army Base)
No, it was some of your points I was agreeing with and trying to back up! You made a good argument. Thanks for clarifying though. Anyway...I think someday we might see that level of A.I. control, (such as Fable as dabbled in it) but not quite yet. 
