Retcons you’d like (excluding Bethesda’s lore)

[The Dutch Ghost]

Add [more] exposition clearly stating that the Enclave only existed at the rig, and the new Navarro base, where they were only just getting a toe-hold on the mainland.

I also wish it had been made more clear in Fallout 2 that the Enclave presence on the mainland was limited and that they did not have an army in the thousands but in Fallout 2 itself I think it is mentioned a couple of times that the Enclave has a couple more outposts in the wasteland outside Navarro.
But I don't think these have the number of personnel that could possibly show up in Bethesda's Fallout 3.

For the rest a couple of suggestions for retcons I would suggest (or would have suggested if I remembered them) have already been posted here.

 

[Deleted member 98605]

Honestly if we're going to retcon ghouls so much they should just be replaced with general rad-victims; maybe 'Radders' or 'Radflects' to either be what Ghouls 'should be' or 'are' (though the Zombie analogue has...complications....

Maybe a 'Ghoul' is a 'Radder' who is simply infected with some weird FEV or whatever strain that keeps their telemeres working, e.g they become basically immortal - maybe this is what happened at Necropolis. While 'Radders' might come from anywhere and everywhere as people muck around with radiation; but generally a 'Zombie' archetype enemy should be axed. Rad vics aren't something to mow down....

These immortal ghouls (let's say Necropolis was a full vault) would have some reason to be around the wasteland - either fleeing persecution or just for the thrill of adventure like we see with calamity in NV. They may be a little risk-adverse, taking up mantles of teachers, mentors, leaders-when-needed, etc, but of course you might get the odd hot-blood or two. A Ghoul NCR ranger would be one of like, five overall, something big, or rad-area prospectors/explorers.

Basically turn them into a valuable resource than some cheap monster?

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

I am honestly divided on Ghouls and how they are created.
I agree with Gizmojunk that Ghouls should be unique but if Black Isle's Fallout 3 had been released I would have liked the Ghoul community at the Reservation and the Children of the Wasteland.

I think Ghouls should be an ultra rare mutation. Not just centered at Necropolis but so rare that the chance of it happening is one in a thousand or so. And it would be a gradual mutation, one that takes many years.

There would also not be any "running zombie" Ghouls or Ghouls that have the punch of a truck impact.
As others suggested, should Ghouls "loose" their minds they just become empty husks, similar to Romero style zombies. But more tragic cases than an undead menace as they can be easily put down.


Retcons. I would probably downplay the 20s Mobster stuff taking on in New Reno though it would remain a city of organized crime, but not emulative of old Hollywood movies.
And I would replace the Yakuza with the Chinese Triads or Tongs; Chinese Secret Societies which have their origin in San Francisco. Basically criminal Shi that were kicked out or came to New Reno because they also want a piece of the criminal pie.

Either the Huboglobists got "fixed" (made to make more sense) or I would cut them completely.
Like someone else here mentioned in a post I would make the Huboglobists a Pre War cult that managed to purchase their own Vault which is now their religious headquarters.
Another example of how some of the worst of the Pre War world managed to survive as the Huboglobists lack the skills and motivation to rebuild anything, all they can do is latch on to societies others have established.

 

[Gizmojunk]

Retcons. I would probably downplay the 20s Mobster stuff taking on in New Reno though it would remain a city of organized crime, but not emulative of old Hollywood movies.

It's an interesting case... I doubt this is the developer's intention, but I can see the criminal element of the 22nd century—stuck in a lawless post apocalypse— emulating what they see in old gangster movies for the very purpose of obtaining the life style and its benefits... not exactly 'cargo-cult' but not entirely unlike it.

In any case it would identify them as part of the crime culture, and establish a social hierarchy; even something aspirational to potential youth recruits.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

It's an interesting case... I doubt this is the developer's intention, but I can see the criminal element of the 22nd century—stuck in a lawless post apocalypse— emulating what they see in old gangster movies for the very purpose of obtaining the life style and its benefits... not exactly 'cargo-cult' but not entirely unlike it.

In any case it would identify them as part of the crime culture, and establish a social hierarchy; even something aspirational to potential youth recruits.

That I could understand, sort of adopting the culture like Edward Sallow did with the Legion, basing it on the ancient world Roman Empire and using its structure and workings to build an organization with.
I meant more the dress code and such.

Perhaps I would also have it mentioned in Fallout 2 that the families decided to emulate those old movies criminal organizations as they needed an example to structure their organizations after.

 

[Dr Fallout]

• Vaults were developed as Human Arks
• Brotherhood of Steel was integrated into the NCR sometime before Fallout 2
• The Enclave tried to take over the Wasteland (enslaving local tribes, subjugating local townships) to "rebuild America", but are defeated by a coalition of Wastelanders led by the Chosen One.
• Psionics is a thing that is occasionally expressed by few Wastelanders

 

[ElloinmorninJ]

• Vaults were developed as Human Arks
• Brotherhood of Steel was integrated into the NCR sometime before Fallout 2
• The Enclave tried to take over the Wasteland (enslaving local tribes, subjugating local townships) to "rebuild America", but are defeated by a coalition of Wastelanders led by the Chosen One.
• Psionics is a thing that is occasionally expressed by few Wastelanders

What do you mean by that first thing

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

What do you mean by that first thing

That they were genuinely intended to preserve a number of the American people and not just secretly petri dishes for the Enclave for various experiments for their space program, who believed themselves to be the only people worth saving. (also because it was impossible to build the number of Vaults necessary to protect every American man, woman, and child).

 

[ElloinmorninJ]

That they were genuinely intended to preserve a number of the American people and not just secretly petri dishes for the Enclave for various experiments for their space program, who believed themselves to be the only people worth saving. (also because it was impossible to build the number of Vaults necessary to protect every American man, woman, and child).

Oh yeah.

 

[Malpais Dominus]

I would either get rid of psykers entirely or have them fleshed out more so it's not this weirdly fantasy/magical thing that exists as a major component of one game and then is mysteriously never mentioned again.
Also I think talking deathclaws in some form or another shouldn't be totally extinct. I would have enjoyed seeing Goris with his own little clan of semi-intelligent deathclaws instead of another super mutant town in NV.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

Perhaps Psykers should not be mythological but very very uncommon and absolutely never a player class.

 

[Mr Fish]

Why does everyone forget about the Hairy Deathclaws from Tactics? We don't need the intelligent one's from F2. Just give a bit more lore as to why they work or retcon them slightly in Tactics and there you go, talking deathclaws. Kinda. I don't like the idea of hey we took a lizard dipped them in some rad juice and threw in some FEV and boom! Elder scrolls race.

And the only reason we got a lot of Psykers in F1 was because of the Master's experimentation. Since then there are been 2 other times when FEV has been used for experimentation (FO3 and 4 is not canon in my book) and that's whatshisface over at Mariposa in the ruins in FO2 and Enclave. We don't know if Enclave did the experiments right or not to find out if they could create Psykers. Maybe we need a sloppier experimentation method and they were too clinical? And the other one had a very very finite amount to work with so it's not like he got the pick of the crop.

Since then Psykers have been very very rare and they should stay that way.

...

Hang on... It just dawned on me, the alien shit with that Cabot house in FO4? Was that Psykers?

And that's why I don't want Psykers in the forefront. Cause stupid shit like that will happen eventually.
I'd be perfectly find with them all having died off and only existed for the first 150 years of post-war.

 

[Gizmojunk]

(FO3 and 4 is not canon in my book)

Maybe we need a sloppier experimentation method and they were too clinical?

This has happened in RL. The prodrug MPTP was discovered this way by a chemistry student trying to synthesize opiods. It was an impurity due to sloppy work. When a professional tried to replicate the results he —failed— at it because he was careful, and knew what he was doing... He had to repeat it with intentional carelessness to get the same result as the student.

 

[Malpais Dominus]

Why does everyone forget about the Hairy Deathclaws from Tactics?

I'd personally retcon them to be a separate species from deathclaws since they never made much sense to me at all.

 

[Mr Fish]

I'd personally retcon them to be a separate species from deathclaws since they never made much sense to me at all.

Hmmm, mutant apes maybe then? Could explain the humanoid shape, excessive strength and minimal linguistic capabilities as well as basic human mental ability of like a child.

 

[Gizmojunk]

I have read (not that I can point to it) that Deathclaws are a mix of various animal DNA that includes apes and Jackson's Chameleon.

 

[Mr Fish]

So hairclaws are a mixture of Apes and Sloths then.

 

[TorontoReign]

I want the retcon that kills all the creepy weird Fallout porn.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

It would come back eventually anyway.

Deathclaw R34. Well there are already scalies and dragon porn so this doesn't come as a surprise.

 

[TorontoReign]

Sure, but none of it existed until Fallout 3 retards came around. You have to connect the dots whether you jerk off to it or not. How many serious RPG's do you know have degenerate Deathclaws with tits skullfucking vault dwellers to death?



I'm of the opinion the more disgusting the porn of your fanbase is the worse off it is.