Polityka, that well-read Polish weekly magazine, published an article with the proposition that computer game developers are now making more convincing worlds than authors or filmmakers. Here's the excerpt dealing with our favourite game plus a conclusion:<blockquote>The makers of another game that recently hit the stores - "Fallout 3" - give us a different vision of the future. The future is painted with dark colors. When in several decades Earth runs out of natural resources, an atomic war will break out. Very few people will survive the apocalypse, hidden for decades in underground vaults. When in the 2200s they emerge to the surface, they encounter a new reality where the player has to find his way.
The area of the United States after a nuclear apocalypse - where all "Fallouts" are set - is mostly a barren, radioactive wasteland, full of mutated predators. On every step we encounter remnants of former glory of our civilization - skeletons of buildings, devastated highways, deserted military bases, and even whole ghost cities. During his progress through the game, the protagonist finds human settlements, but their inhabitants, ridden with radiation sickness, are mere shadows of former citizens of America (sometimes with a third eye on their forehead).
The "Fallout" series fascinates most importantly with its detailed attempt at showing a society that might emerge after the end of the world. We have a return to a hunter-gatherer culture, clan hierarchy of power, barter, domination of rule of the fist. Human settlements you encounter somewhat resemble scenery from Western epics about the conquest of the Wild West, but in a post-apocalyptic version (two-headed cows etc.). In each such town there's place for the sheriff's office, church, gun store, gambling den, representatives of the oldest profession in the world, and even defenders of mutated animals' rights.
The financial success of the "Fallout" series inspires many imitators. "Afterfall", a game being made in Poland, is set in a similar world. It can be said that the makers of computer games have taken over as visionaries from their tired film and literary colleagues.
(...)
The time of increasing influence of games on popular culture is coming. Generally speaking, it is about creating a so-called universe, a vision of the world so complete that it can live its own life and develop in different kinds of media. Such universe is e.g. the world of "Star Wars". First created for cinema, it now encompasses TV series, comics, computer games, novels, toys. Hollywood, after delivering such complete alternate worlds for centuries, is recently drying out. In literature, since the appearance of "Harry Potter" it's also hard to find a big hit.
Computer games are a branch that, like no other, feeds on the works of its predecessors. For years their makers have been using the pop-cultural treasuries of plots, stories and motives. Now, however, the situation is starting to go the other way around. It is the computer and console screens where visions of the world that will inspire directors and writers are being made.</blockquote>An untiring source informed rapidly. And translated too, probably.
The area of the United States after a nuclear apocalypse - where all "Fallouts" are set - is mostly a barren, radioactive wasteland, full of mutated predators. On every step we encounter remnants of former glory of our civilization - skeletons of buildings, devastated highways, deserted military bases, and even whole ghost cities. During his progress through the game, the protagonist finds human settlements, but their inhabitants, ridden with radiation sickness, are mere shadows of former citizens of America (sometimes with a third eye on their forehead).
The "Fallout" series fascinates most importantly with its detailed attempt at showing a society that might emerge after the end of the world. We have a return to a hunter-gatherer culture, clan hierarchy of power, barter, domination of rule of the fist. Human settlements you encounter somewhat resemble scenery from Western epics about the conquest of the Wild West, but in a post-apocalyptic version (two-headed cows etc.). In each such town there's place for the sheriff's office, church, gun store, gambling den, representatives of the oldest profession in the world, and even defenders of mutated animals' rights.
The financial success of the "Fallout" series inspires many imitators. "Afterfall", a game being made in Poland, is set in a similar world. It can be said that the makers of computer games have taken over as visionaries from their tired film and literary colleagues.
(...)
The time of increasing influence of games on popular culture is coming. Generally speaking, it is about creating a so-called universe, a vision of the world so complete that it can live its own life and develop in different kinds of media. Such universe is e.g. the world of "Star Wars". First created for cinema, it now encompasses TV series, comics, computer games, novels, toys. Hollywood, after delivering such complete alternate worlds for centuries, is recently drying out. In literature, since the appearance of "Harry Potter" it's also hard to find a big hit.
Computer games are a branch that, like no other, feeds on the works of its predecessors. For years their makers have been using the pop-cultural treasuries of plots, stories and motives. Now, however, the situation is starting to go the other way around. It is the computer and console screens where visions of the world that will inspire directors and writers are being made.</blockquote>An untiring source informed rapidly. And translated too, probably.
