Paste Magazine interviews Todd Howard

[Brother None]

Paste Magazine interviews Todd Howard, with some fairly interesting questions in there.<blockquote>P: Was there a fundamental question or filter that you used to determine whether or not a gameplay feature or story element belonged in Fallout 3?

TH: Art-wise, design-wise, we typically have a design aesthetic for why would they build this and how would they build it. And then when it comes to story stuff and the people, our big themes were sacrifice and survival. What are these people sacrificing to survive? How are they surviving in a unique way so that each town or settlement has their own kind of belief system? Each one has to be bent in some way, they need to be sacrificing something to survive at the level they are and we hope that the player feels the need to make similar choices in what they're going to do to survive.

P: Also, you have the quest of trying to figure out your father’s motivations for abruptly leaving the vault, which takes the narrative from a massive scale and makes it very personal.

TH: That's the hope, yeah. Because the game is so wide open, we wanted to try to do something that is personal to you and not just deliver this or go here. We wanted to make it, you know, a really kind of driving curiosity. Like ‘why would he leave me? Why would he do that to me?’ The player can have different emotions about that. You know, curiosity, anger or wanting to help their father, assuming there was a very good reason he left.</blockquote>Spotted on Planet Fallout.

 

[Sicblades]

What irks me is that his ideas aren't all that bad but they are so poorly executed...

 

[syllogz]

I wanted to say the same thing.

This 'what would you sacrifice to survive' theme for each community sounds really good.
And if it isn't pushed into your face, but you have to "inquire" around a little, then it is excellent.
I guess I will see soon which one they managed to do.
(I haven't read/seen any of the leaks or p/reviews, as I decide to play it first, even against my own doubts.)

 

[sonicblastoise]

to be honest, i'm not really feeling the whole "why did my father leave me" type of motivation for the main story plot. i always felt that the first two fallouts were much more coercive in their motivation for venturing into the wasteland, unlike this one, which is in a sense already instilling a sense of "guilt" or rather "subjective emotion" into the player before even beginning.

i would much rather have a motivating factor such as pure survival for the beginning impetus of a character in the wasteland. i mean, they very well could have had a "your father leaves first, which is strange, and then a week later mutants come and destroy your vault, but you manage to escape, the lone survivor of your 'supposed' impenetrable prototype vault" scenario.

man. i should make a game

 

[shihonage]

i mean, they very well could have had a "your father leaves first, which is strange, and then a week later mutants come and destroy your vault, but you manage to escape, the lone survivor of your 'supposed' impenetrable prototype vault" scenario.

man. i should make a game

I agree, your version is more appealing. What seems to be lost on many game developers is that games shouldn't mirror the blandness of real life.

It's okay to use broad strokes to paint chains of dramatic events and unrealistic characters... it should be even encouraged... a game should jolt the player into being interested .... as long as it doesn't paint itself into a corner by violating the rules of its universe whenever it becomes convenient.

 

[sonicblastoise]

now that i think about it, the scenario i described is precisely that of mutants rising, minus that pesky "having a dad" part

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

I have been thinking of plotlines that start of sort of like Van Buren or Baldur's Gate 3: The Black Hound/Dog (I believe).
Rather that the player is chosen for some mystery mission, the player is more of a bystander who is dragged into the story, perhaps against his her will because of some plot device.

In Van Buren the player was infected with a variant of the New Plague, attracting the attention of ODYSSEUS which was out to collect all infected.

In The Black Hound/Dog the player had the unfortunate luck of running into the said pooch and the nuts who want to kill it, associating the player on the spot with the dog.

 

[sonicblastoise]

yes, i like the feeling of happenstance rather than destiny in games like these. it fits the setting.

 

[Artisticspaz]

to be honest, i'm not really feeling the whole "why did my father leave me" type of motivation for the main story plot. i always felt that the first two fallouts were much more coercive in their motivation for venturing into the wasteland, unlike this one, which is in a sense already instilling a sense of "guilt" or rather "subjective emotion" into the player before even beginning.

....i mean really?

in fallout 1, you told that if the vault doesn't get a water chip in x amount of days everyone there will die
-your instilled with the fact that you've been chosen by fate to save your home or finally free yourself from the shackles of the vault and discover a better life
*you could feel you don't care about them, you want to good/bad in the world, you want to explore this wasteland

in fallout 2, you have to go through trials to see whether your ready and sent out on a quest for G'O'E kit, being told that without it your village will die
-your instilled with the fact that you've been chosen by fate to save your home or finally free yourself from the shackles of the tribe and discover a better life
*you could feel you don't care about them, you want to good/bad in the world, you want to explore this wasteland

in fallout 3, you find out your father has left the vault and follow after him
-your instilled with the knowledge that your are curious as to why your dad left
-* actually many possibilities=you could want to know why he left, want to help him, hate him and think he deserted you, feel your the reason he left, or think that he went out there for a better life and want that same oppurtunity

they are all about the same flexibility level, each sending you off on a search....none of them more or less coercive than the other

and if van buren and baldur 3 had those stories, those could be considered real you just happened to be at the wrong place at wrong time and are no better than anyone else.

however

-In fallout 1 your chosen because your the best/ most trusted,

-fallout 2 you pass a mandatory trial that proves you the most skilled to complete the task

-in fallout 3 your an ordinary person whose curious as to why his dad left

See when you look at it, fallout 3 is closer to van/bal considering your just some dude who gets caught in a situation where his father leaves the vault, something no ones done before, for a reason no one knows and because your his son your curious as to why?

Don't have to be S.P.E.C.I.A.L. to miss and worry about your dad...

good idea sonic, i like it as much as the original though

 

[EnglishMuffin]

Fallout 1 and 2 were about saving your entire community from certain death. Fallout 3 is inquiring as to the whereabouts of your dear old dad.

It is on a much less significant scale than the first two.

 

[MrSambuka]

Fallout 1 and 2 were about saving your entire community from certain death. Fallout 3 is inquiring as to the whereabouts of your dear old dad.

It is on a much less significant scale than the first two.

Doesn't mean it can't work.

 

[Rev. Layle]

Also, doesn't meant it will work... In fact, all we have are the previews that have been filtered through Bethesda or the press.

There are a few reviews out there, but still not enough, IMNSHO.

 

[Phil the Nuka-Cola Dude]

Also, doesn't meant it will work... In fact, all we have are the previews that have been filtered through Bethesda or the press.

Not quite.


Can't go into details without running it past the mods though, but the information is interesting to say the least.

 

[shihonage]

I believe the distinction between F1 and F3 is:

F1: circumstances throw you (and your character) into this.

F3: your character's wishes throw you into this.

F2 held no appeal for me but that's a different story altogether. No pun intended.

 

[Rev. Layle]

Also, doesn't meant it will work... In fact, all we have are the previews that have been filtered through Bethesda or the press.

Not quite.


Can't go into details without running it past the mods though, but the information is interesting to say the least.

Ok.. all that MOST of us have .. or at least.. ME

 

[Artisticspaz]

Fallout 1 and 2 were about saving your entire community from certain death. Fallout 3 is inquiring as to the whereabouts of your dear old dad.

It is on a much less significant scale than the first two.

i know the signifigance is diff't, i was mainly commenting on your motivations being more implemented.. fo1/2 u were chosen to be savior of ur peoplez and in fo ur some dude looking for his dad...both basically tell you why ur char. started this journey or trek from ur home.


i mean i'd be more interested in the dad story than saving the world because im done caring about saving the world....i really am...i've saved hyrule, mushroom kingdom, and the universe more times than i need to...

 

[GoChanceGO!]

I don't really have a problem with the general idea for the motivation in FO3. Honestly I was a little ambivalent about the whole GECK business in FO2. If FO3 can manage to give me an emotional connection to the ole paterfamilias then it could be a pretty good motivator. Problem is, Oblivion has made me a bit skeptical of Bethsoft's narrative skills.

 

[Jacen]

P: Was there a fundamental question or filter that you used to determine whether or not a gameplay feature or story element belonged in Fallout 3?

TH: Art-wise, design-wise, we typically have a design aesthetic for why would they build this and how would they build it. And then when it comes to story stuff and the people, our big themes were sacrifice and survival. What are these people sacrificing to survive? How are they surviving in a unique way so that each town or settlement has their own kind of belief system? Each one has to be bent in some way, they need to be sacrificing something to survive at the level they are and we hope that the player feels the need to make similar choices in what they're going to do to survive.

Uhuh, cause exploding cars are totally believable...
How the **** that gameplay feature passed the believability check is beyond me.
Then again, maybe I'm the one missing the point here...

Good questions though...

 

[Wazza]

Fallout 1 and 2 were about saving your entire community from certain death. Fallout 3 is inquiring as to the whereabouts of your dear old dad.

It is on a much less significant scale than the first two.

From what I've read/heard it's more along the lines of:

* Dear Old Dad leaves 'Cement and Steel Paradise' for reasons unknown;
* Crackpot Overseer royally hacked off upon hearing such a tale;
* Paranoid Overseer considers your character to be the reason or part thereof for DOD departing;
* Overseer Goons try to arrest you for a little heart-to-heart with Vengeful Overseer and his friends Mr. Pliers and Mr. Blowtorch;
* Character screams like a little girl (could actually be a little girl...) and flees the Vault, under-equipped and unprepared.

So all in all, the plot's not really about finding your old man - it's more a case of your character finding that exile from home is the only way to keep his/her skin intact, and THEN deciding to track him down, be it to get answers or with the intention to put a cap in his ass for being a gorm and leaving in the first place. Sure, it's not as epic or heroic like the first two, but still significant for your own character - the whole starting from scratch thing with making friends/home-sweet-hovel appeals to me I must admit

A few of my mates are wanting to find out if you can actually get back into the Vault later after collecting a few fun toys...

"Hi kids - I'm HOOOOME, and it's time for your spanking!!!"

*sigh* Children...

 

[Josein]

P: Also, you have the quest of trying to figure out your father’s motivations for abruptly leaving the vault, which takes the narrative from a massive scale and makes it very personal.

TH: That's the hope, yeah. Because the game is so wide open, we wanted to try to do something that is personal to you and not just deliver this or go here. We wanted to make it, you know, a really kind of driving curiosity. Like ‘why would he leave me? Why would he do that to me?’ The player can have different emotions about that. You know, curiosity, anger or wanting to help their father, assuming there was a very good reason he left.

This is one of the things I dislike the most about how the story is driven. So, the motivational tool the PC must rely of is emotions? I don't like that design, where my character must have a determined behavior because the devs wants that. If it is truly a cRPG wouldn't be me the one who decide what is the behavior of my PC? What if I want to play a cynic bastard which only care about him/herself? That cynic don't care a shit about the father!

Maybe the main story of the fallouts is not a brilliant piece of literary art but the way it was made it's perfect for me. You start from a social quest (not a personal, not saving the world ones) and then you see yourself in the wasted desert, lonely and without a clue. But you feel you have to survive and achieve your goal because your people depends on you. Not because a silly spoiled brat cannot stand the disapearence of his/her dad.

I hope you get what I mean.