MSN Tech and Gadgets UK interviews Pete Hines

[Brother None]

MSN Tech and Gadgets UK interviewed Pete Hines to discuss the Fallout 3.<blockquote>Pete Hines: We’re really encouraging people to play the game through a few times and see what happens if you take a different choice at different points. With Oblivion you could do every quest line and end up being head of every guild in the same character, but in Fallout 3 you can’t play every outcome at the same time – you have to make choices that you cannot go back on.

Hines is aware that, by hyping the product a year ahead of release, Bethesda are taking on a huge burden of keeping people interested, but believes that the already enthusiastic community and a slow trickle of information and game footage will keep Fallout 3 at the forefront of people’s minds.

“We’re holding a while lot of stuff back. We’ve shown off gameplay footage to the press but not anywhere else yet. We have lots of stuff planned and, hopefully, we’ll be able to keep people interested and pick up a lot more fans as we get closer to launch."

Having seen the footage, it’s easy to see why the buzz is growing around Fallout 3. The character driven story seems well rounded, the action scenes looked exciting and the karma system should bring a real sense of consequence to the gaming arena; roll on Autumn 2008.</blockquote>Link: "Fallout 3: The game of 2008?" on MSN Tech and Gadgets UK.

Spotted on Fallout 3: A Post Nuclear Blog.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

Hi Brother None,

Thanks for posting this.

So Todd actually acknowledges that most choices in Oblivion were pretty pointless such as which guilds you could allign too.
While I haven't actually played Oblivion myself I have heard stories how you could end up as the head of the local magic users, thieves and what else even if you played the role of a full barbarian/knight.

While he performs his part of telling how choices actually will affect Fallout 3 and how making one choice will close up the others I wonder how long it will take before he falls back in his old habits.

As some posters already made clear before, one of the reasons why Todd hated all that 'hard core' RPG stuff like creating characters that are not good in everything is because he felt it limited player freedom.

All this talk about making choices seems so out of character for him.

 

[zioburosky13]

So Todd actually acknowledges that most choices in Oblivion were pretty pointless such as which guilds you could allign too...

Given that that game has been out for a while and plp are bitching it around, even a .. eh.. 'not-very skillful game designer' will acknowledge it and take note.

Todd hated all that 'hard core' RPG stuff like creating characters that are not good in everything is because he felt it limited player freedom.

While going back to playing Arcanum, I realise why this game is so freedom in a sense due to its Level limitation yet offers variety choices of how you customize your character, instead of throwing you a giant sand-box mode that might allow player to create a uber character that will not bring any chanllenge to the PC.

 

[Morbus]

the karma system should bring a real sense of consequence to the gaming arena; roll on Autumn 2008.

Stupid fucking shitheaded cocksuckers. OMGZ! Consequences?!=?!?!"?! Innovashun and immershun!!!1zorz.

What's up with these guys? Bringing a real sense of consequence to the gaming arena? I mean, there must be no real sense of consequence in gaming from the way they say it... What's the most stupid is that they haven't even played the game...

And I can't post this in a way that makes sense. There's no way this shit is ever gonna make sense. Bringing real conesquences to gaming, imagine that. It's impossible, no one has ever done that... -_- Stupid gits.

 

[Wooz]

Now now, Morbus. Don't go all Sorrow over this.

 

[spadthebad]

don't forget to rate the article

 

[PlanHex]

the karma system should bring a real sense of consequence to the gaming arena; roll on Autumn 2008.

Stupid fucking shitheaded cocksuckers. OMGZ! Consequences?!=?!?!"?! Innovashun and immershun!!!1zorz.

I think it's more interesting that they call a numerically based alignment system a "consequence".
OH NOES MY ALIGNMENT CHANGED FROM 500+ TO 200 IM DOOMED

Yeah, yeah, it's nitpicking.
But, hell, isn't that what we do?

 

[Witchlock]

the karma system should bring a real sense of consequence to the gaming arena; roll on Autumn 2008.

Stupid fucking shitheaded cocksuckers. OMGZ! Consequences?!=?!?!"?! Innovashun and immershun!!!1zorz.

I think it's more interesting that they call a numerically based alignment system a "consequence".
OH NOES MY ALIGNMENT CHANGED FROM 500+ TO 200 IM DOOMED

Yeah, yeah, it's nitpicking.
But, hell, isn't that what we do?

Well, considering computers can't really process feelings, I don't see much of an alternative to a number system... I mean, a more complex system would be nice, but on the base level, it would still be a number (or a combination of numbers)...

 

[Sorrow]

Now now, Morbus. Don't go all Sorrow over this.

I never called them "fucking shitheaded cocksuckers". I'm so softspoken that my words are printable in gaming tabloids.

 

[Morbus]

the karma system should bring a real sense of consequence to the gaming arena; roll on Autumn 2008.

Stupid fucking shitheaded cocksuckers. OMGZ! Consequences?!=?!?!"?! Innovashun and immershun!!!1zorz.

I think it's more interesting that they call a numerically based alignment system a "consequence".
OH NOES MY ALIGNMENT CHANGED FROM 500+ TO 200 IM DOOMED

Yeah, yeah, it's nitpicking.
But, hell, isn't that what we do?

It's NOT nitpicking, it's a very important design decision. By thinking numbers are role-playing, the entire industry has managed to doom, not me or the player, but the actual state of RPG's... Great achievement for something you say is nitpicking...

Well, considering computers can't really process feelings

Sure they can't, that's why you can't have games like so many games you (don't) have out there that actually process feelings and emotions from NPC's... You can't have them.

Fallout didn't exist either.

I never called them "fucking shitheaded cocksuckers". I'm so softspoken that my words are printable in gaming tabloids.

I'd call them even worse if I knew how. Thing is, my swearing is pretty restricted to half a dozen of words... Somebody needs to put up some tutorial on how to swear and curse in english or something...

 

[generalissimofurioso]

I'd call them even worse if I knew how. Thing is, my swearing is pretty restricted to half a dozen of words... Somebody needs to put up some tutorial on how to swear and curse in english or something...

I'd be glad to do it...

So long as you're all okay with the fact that if there is a God you'll most likely wind up in Hell as a result of my teachings.

 

[PlanHex]

Well, considering computers can't really process feelings, I don't see much of an alternative to a number system... I mean, a more complex system would be nice, but on the base level, it would still be a number (or a combination of numbers)...

Here's what I was trying to say:
Changing a bunch of numbers does not equal any form of ingame consequence (other than a new number to make you feel more evil/good, of course).
Simplified example: Say you have the lowest possible karma in Fallout or the lowest reputation in Baldur's Gate. It doesn't mean anything if the gameworld doesn't react to it, for instance by throwing bounty hunters/guards in your face at random intervals.


Also, Morbus:
It really is nitpicking because it all comes down to the wording of the article. And there are quite a few hints that point to it being written by someone who has never even heard about Fallout before.

Exhibit A:

Intriguingly, the game features a lovingly sculptured ‘karma’ system that will influence the way the game plays out.

This clearly states that he misunderstood what the hell the karma system really is.

And it's no wonder considering what Pete says:

Obviously if you do something like blow up Megaton you can try to work your way back up the Karma system

Exhibit B:

Bethesda – the software house behind the mighty Oblivion games

Ok, I just included this to demonstrate how little he knows/cares.


Are you following me now?

 

[goffy59]

boring..... more talk. Not enough results! Sorry for being cynical! Still waiting for a sequel. Not east coast BOS gang bang, with Mutant whores! I'll probably be vatted for this . I'm so sick of the PR bullshit, every time that man talks, he spouts out the same lies and beats around the bush when all he really has to say is: "we are creating fallout 3 how we want to make it, if you don't like it, TOUGH!". Makes me sad that such a great game is being treated like a clone. But thats what happens when video games go Hollywood. Most of the games today all have the same exact formula. And RPG's are becoming more and more less then an RPG. Maybe I'm way off. But thats how I feel. I don't see a point in paying for an FPS game because seriously, I already bought Wolfenstein and Doom 1/2. I already Bought Half life 1. Where is the diversity!?? Crysis.......your damn right its a crisis, when are they going to add more color to the picture? Oh, Portal is pretty dope, and Half life 2 has a really cool story. I hope Deus Ex 3 is anything like Deus Ex 1. I wouldn't mind if they bought a crappy engine and just created the same game play. After seeing what all these new games have to offer, I get very scarred of anything that says Nex-gen graphics. Too me its just, WOWOWW THAT LOOKS FUCKING SWEETS, then oh wait... hey this kind of looks like that,, wait is this the same challenge. I have to protect this object before these bad guys come and kill me. Wait you mean my friend is actually the bad guy all along and he was setting me up? Damn what a twist!

 

[Briosafreak]

The author of the article added a few things on my blog.

 

[Atomic Cowboy]

Game mechanics of the Karma system

Mind if I follow up on what you're saying there?

I've always thought there was something a little lacking in the karma/reputation systems of RPGs, and Hines summed it up perfectly when he said "If you blow up Megaton, you'll have to work hard to make up the karma points."

But here's the thing - if I blew up Megaton in the first place, then I'm one evil bastard. I'm not going to turn around the next day and start saving children for free. Instead of just adding or subtracting points (points which generally don't affect anything but barter prices), I'd like to see a game where it affected your dialogue tree - not just removing the overly noble options (Yes ma'am! Even though I just commited genocide last week, I'd love to rescue your poisoned farm for free!), but giving new dialogue options that you can only achieve through a sustained behaviour pattern.

Fallout - to the best of my knowledge - is still the best example of this. Some of you might remember the bar outside of Shady Sands in Fallout 2, where (if you're playing an evil character) you can respond to a supermutants taunt with "My name is X, and I'm one bad motherfucker."

This is the direction that RPGs ought to be moving in - *this* would be immersion. Ultimately I'd love to play an RPG where your character could have moral contradictions - a violent drunk and murderer, with a sense of justice, like Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven. Or a patriot, with a streak of ignorant racism - you're loyal and self-sacrificing to the vault, but you kill ghouls with impunity.

I don't understand why the game devleopers would rather create something with shinier graphics. Just think how much fun writing this would be - plotting it all out - what the hell are they doing with their lives?

 

[Morbus]

I'd call them even worse if I knew how. Thing is, my swearing is pretty restricted to half a dozen of words... Somebody needs to put up some tutorial on how to swear and curse in english or something...

I'd be glad to do it...

So long as you're all okay with the fact that if there is a God you'll most likely wind up in Hell as a result of my teachings.

I fear nothing. And I know everything there is to know about gods and shit. Ok then, I'll PM you one of these days if you're ok

Are you following me now?

It's still not nitpicking. You are explaining how the writer never played fallow, which is surely not a small thing...

 

[ivpiter]

The author of the article added a few things on my blog.

And from that snippet I took away two things:

PH: This demo serves us well internally because we have to make a big huge world and everyone on the team needs to understand where the bar is;

I take that to mean the demo is the bar... Oh boy...

PH: team to go off and say ‘I can build another part of the world but with the same kind of impact of say Megaton’,

The impact of megaton? That city will bomb in my humble opinion, no grey, no hard choices. This is a classic "Mother Teresa or baby eating" with nothing in between as Zero Punctuation coined.

 

[Madbringer]

... Fallout 3 you can’t play every outcome at the same time – you have to make choices that you cannot go back on.

THANK YOU PETEY, LIFE WITHOUT YOU WOULD BE SO BORING. HAIL.

I'm not judging the game yet, but something tells me that playing this game a second time would be kinda like being in one of those Max Payne'ish dream levels, where everything is fucked up and the walls are laughing, only more so.

Pokemon >

??

 

[quietfanatic]

I'm also worried that they are relying on the collapsing of proper writing and detailed consequences into karma score, resulting in few subtle affects. That might be much less work and less challenging, but would lead to a shallow game. I prefer more direct scripting and lovingly applied detail (and not just for shiny) even if it might delay the game.

The demo as a benchmark makes me wince, but I must remember that I haven't been able to fully explore and play it myself. However, what they have shown has been awful in a number of departments. I would be embarrassed to show it to the public.

 

[generalissimofurioso]

THANK YOU PETEY, LIFE WITHOUT YOU WOULD BE SO BORING. HAIL.

I'm not judging the game yet, but something tells me that playing this game a second time would be kinda like being in one of those Max Payne'ish dream levels, where everything is fucked up and the walls are laughing, only more so.

Pokemon >

??

I bet that playing through a second time will reveal that the murderer did it.