I've seen quite a few comments regarding Three Dog's broadcasting that only seems to be exclusively centered around the Lone Wanderer's actions, and seeing this as a rather negative and shallow execution.
I've seen such reaction more than few times in this forum and I always wanted to address that, but since most of them are in abandoned topics I figure might as well address this in a new one, since I'm not sure how popular it is to dig up old topics around here, especially when its for the sake of discussing a subject that isn't the most pleasing ...
The thing is I don't understand why was it so much of a bother that Three Dog 'only talks about the Lone Wanderer'.
Sure, that's what Three Dog does as you progress through the game, but it should be well noted that until the Lone Wanderer performs a task and finishes a quest, Three Dog Does first talk about the various events that occur in the wasteland: when settlements such as Big Town and Grayditch lost contact with traders, he talks about it. When ghouls are banned from having refuge in Tenpenny Tower, he talks about it. When strange sightings such as freaks in super hero costumes and tree vegetation in the north occurs, he talks about it. When the rangers disappeared, he talks about it.
None of these news broadcast concerns the Lone Wanderer, it's only Until the player completes these tasks that he, well, updates on the news he himself broadcasted in the first place. It's only logical for Three Dog to update on the news stories he introduced to his listeners, no?
And then there's also Three Dog's function as a gameplay mechanic: aside from the trophy/achievement list, and the oracle woman at Oasis, and some occasional random events, the game itself doesn't have a 'list' of side quests to inform the player where else he may pursue new activities. Three Dog's broadcast acts as a intuitive invisible compass to guide the player in to know where the places of interest are located at.
Therefor, since his functioning is as a tool to guide players into side quests, wouldn't it be confusing if Three Dog suddenly begins telling stories about events that the players can not see or intervene at? If Three Dog starts talking about other wastelander's adventures and everyday life, wouldn't the player believe that there Might indeed be something new to interact with, even if there isn't? wouldn't the player feel confused that he just 'missed' a unique event, or perhaps even believe that nothing Three Dog reports ever actually 'do' physically occur within the game world?
How then, will the player differentiate between actual interactive side quests and mere in-universe background flavors? by testing out and exploring each and every location Three Dog mentions?
This is not a game engine problem either; suppose indeed that the game's engine Does allow for the creation of complete random events and interactions in the game between NPCs, and that not only can the player see it and discover it and interact with it, but Three Dog will also report about it.
Suppose then that the player does get himself involved into one of these random situations that Three Dog updates on, now, wouldn't you also remark that "Three Dog is only talking about the Lone Wanderer" even if the player's interaction wasn't an obligation?
And if the player decides not to perform a single main or side quests, then Three Dog will simply never comment on the Lone Wanderer, it's only fair.
So I don't understand the criticism against it. Is it because of other things then? such as how Three Dog remains biased and shower endless praises to the Brotherhood of Steel? well wasn't that pretty much suggested that he simply had to in order to keep the Brotherhood around for protection?
Maybe it is the character's design then? instead of operating in a fully functioning news station, he should have been a lone solitary reporter operating in the sewers, travelling alone, and occasionally bump into your way as you both explore the Capital Wasteland?
I will say that the short length and thereby repetitive nature of Galaxy News Radio's broadcast are very intrusive, but that's an very unfortunate issue with sandbox games in general; the radio songs selection and voice acting and original score never seems to be enough compared to the sheer length the gameplay offers, so the loops are more frequent, and you reach for the mute button more instinctively.
Also it's nice to see that there is an option to make Three Dog shut up for good, it's not like the game designers never considered the option.
I've seen such reaction more than few times in this forum and I always wanted to address that, but since most of them are in abandoned topics I figure might as well address this in a new one, since I'm not sure how popular it is to dig up old topics around here, especially when its for the sake of discussing a subject that isn't the most pleasing ...
The thing is I don't understand why was it so much of a bother that Three Dog 'only talks about the Lone Wanderer'.
Sure, that's what Three Dog does as you progress through the game, but it should be well noted that until the Lone Wanderer performs a task and finishes a quest, Three Dog Does first talk about the various events that occur in the wasteland: when settlements such as Big Town and Grayditch lost contact with traders, he talks about it. When ghouls are banned from having refuge in Tenpenny Tower, he talks about it. When strange sightings such as freaks in super hero costumes and tree vegetation in the north occurs, he talks about it. When the rangers disappeared, he talks about it.
None of these news broadcast concerns the Lone Wanderer, it's only Until the player completes these tasks that he, well, updates on the news he himself broadcasted in the first place. It's only logical for Three Dog to update on the news stories he introduced to his listeners, no?
And then there's also Three Dog's function as a gameplay mechanic: aside from the trophy/achievement list, and the oracle woman at Oasis, and some occasional random events, the game itself doesn't have a 'list' of side quests to inform the player where else he may pursue new activities. Three Dog's broadcast acts as a intuitive invisible compass to guide the player in to know where the places of interest are located at.
Therefor, since his functioning is as a tool to guide players into side quests, wouldn't it be confusing if Three Dog suddenly begins telling stories about events that the players can not see or intervene at? If Three Dog starts talking about other wastelander's adventures and everyday life, wouldn't the player believe that there Might indeed be something new to interact with, even if there isn't? wouldn't the player feel confused that he just 'missed' a unique event, or perhaps even believe that nothing Three Dog reports ever actually 'do' physically occur within the game world?
How then, will the player differentiate between actual interactive side quests and mere in-universe background flavors? by testing out and exploring each and every location Three Dog mentions?
This is not a game engine problem either; suppose indeed that the game's engine Does allow for the creation of complete random events and interactions in the game between NPCs, and that not only can the player see it and discover it and interact with it, but Three Dog will also report about it.
Suppose then that the player does get himself involved into one of these random situations that Three Dog updates on, now, wouldn't you also remark that "Three Dog is only talking about the Lone Wanderer" even if the player's interaction wasn't an obligation?
And if the player decides not to perform a single main or side quests, then Three Dog will simply never comment on the Lone Wanderer, it's only fair.
So I don't understand the criticism against it. Is it because of other things then? such as how Three Dog remains biased and shower endless praises to the Brotherhood of Steel? well wasn't that pretty much suggested that he simply had to in order to keep the Brotherhood around for protection?
Maybe it is the character's design then? instead of operating in a fully functioning news station, he should have been a lone solitary reporter operating in the sewers, travelling alone, and occasionally bump into your way as you both explore the Capital Wasteland?
I will say that the short length and thereby repetitive nature of Galaxy News Radio's broadcast are very intrusive, but that's an very unfortunate issue with sandbox games in general; the radio songs selection and voice acting and original score never seems to be enough compared to the sheer length the gameplay offers, so the loops are more frequent, and you reach for the mute button more instinctively.
Also it's nice to see that there is an option to make Three Dog shut up for good, it's not like the game designers never considered the option.
