Linux

[Sander]

It's an idea for FO3. Make FO3 cross-platform/Linux-native. Valid topic in a valid place.

 

[Roshambo]

means backoff the 3D thing

I think it was the rampant ignorance involved with "swappable viewpoints". That works with SOME games - ACTION GAMES. When you have a character system in a P&P CRP that heavily relies on more than just mashing the buttons while twitching across a map or moving from modular room to another in square steps, changing the viewpoint will not work anything close to the examples that might have caused such delusions based upon ignorance, - UT2k4, DOOM3, NWN.

If anyone wants more reasons why it's a bad idea, they can be a good little newbie and learn how to lurk versus posting mental diarrhea. I've already pointed out the problems with this, at length, and I do hate repeating myself.

 

[Ashmo]

mental diarrhea

::giggles::

The one most significant reason to love you are your metaphors.


Anyway, I don't think rotating the camera would break much, although that should not ever be required by the gameplay (unlike other games where you are basically forced to reposition the camera every now and then because the level designers were too incompetent to make the maps usable without that). I'm not sure whether I'd draw the line at camera zoom or not, but I think that'd be the largest compromise I'd be willing to make.

 

[CtrlAltBackspace]

Lack of competition. I have four games I play on Linux, two via Windows emulation in Wine. I would snatch up a Linux - based (average or better quality) RPG in a second. (Actually I already did, NWN and both expansions, and yes it's *average*)

Commercially speaking this is uninteresting. The amount of people using Linux is 5% of the market, and the amount of Linux gamers is near to 0%, simply because any gamer knows that all interesting games are made for windows. The system, as with many things microsoft, is self-perpetuating. From the perspective of Bethesda, it's commercially uninteresting if it costs them time and money to train people to make the game cross-platform (teach them not to use the Windows API and teach them to use OpenGL)

I would be willing to bet that other Linux users would as well since a lot of them, unlike me, have a dual boot system and only go back to windows to play games instead of fooling around with Wine. They would jump at the chance as well to avoid the hassle.

This is true, I"m betting most people on my faculty will be doing that. But all of them would still run Windows because of the other games (and other problems). They won't pass for the game because it won't run on Linux, and it would therefore still be uninteresting for Bethesda to do this.

(Funny, I thought I said I would quit this topic, ha!)

I agree. I'm just a single user suggesting a feature (that it be cross-platform) it's still up to the game company to decide if it will provide the feature. Still, I have to make the request or the game company won't know that *anyone* wants the feature.

(off-topic)
I did learn something though, the 3D thing is a sensitive topic.

(The following isn't a new idea, just my opinion on the matter, if I had my druthers this is how I would like it to be)

Some are equating 3D with total 3D games like NWN, ut2k4, and whatnot.... there are games out there that use 3D on a rich 2D background that combine the best of both worlds IMO.

1.) Use 3D for heavily modified objects such as the PC's changing equipment and for it to automatically reflect that on the character.

2.) Use 2D for everything else.

Look at TOEE, not much of a story, but I think a really good job on the visual atmosphere. Now, use that same technique but with the Fallout look and feel (the artwork, dialogue trees, and other conventions of Fallout 1&2)

(I played through TOEE a few times before I went full on with Linux)

Too much is being made of the rotation issue, whether I would want to take it or leave it.... I would leave it and go for a rich 2D background.

Anyway, thanks for the responses and I hope Bethesda surprises everyone in a good way.

 

[Roshambo]

On that, I do have to agree. A good 2D backdrop with 3D elements upon it would be comparable in style to the previous Fallout games, but I believe that if they are going to use 3D, they might as well take advantage of some finer aspects while still keeping to the gameplay style (many tabletop games had height equastions in the mix, and AD&D had a pretty good supplement for caverns). Height would be a very valuable consideration, given that Fallout has many caves and craters.

I'm mixed on this issue. I see that the original presentation of Fallout is of a certain style, but I can see where there could be disagreements where the continuity of the previous flat style should be used (with boulders and other geography displayed in the backdrop), or should it be more 3D with object interaction akin to Jagged Alliance 2? A tough decision, but one that would lend towards more gameplay depth and area design depth.