Ron Burke answers Fallout 3 questions

[quasimodo]

I know the game is probably being developed on a shoestring budget, but I feel it stands a much better chance of having what I want out of a sequel.

I can certainly see both of these games failing to live up to my expectations.

With JA3 I feel they are trying to make the game I want.

With FO3 I feel I am trying to want the game they are making.

Don't get me wrong, I prefer gameplay over graphics any day - it is exactly why it is rated double in all of our reviews at Gaming Trend. I'm not sure what your expectations are, but on the surface they seem to be *only* for something that looks exactly like Van Buren. In that regard, prepared to be dissapointed.

Well I of course would love something that looks like Van Buren, but I know not to expect that. What would be nice, however, would be something with gameplay like FO1&2.

So the question becomes:

Can bethesda's FPP/RT with VATS and their "improved 3rd person view" successfully meet my expectations for a FO sequel?

so you see I too am concerned more about gameplay than graphics.

 

[junkevil]

btw: the q&a he did at the bethsoft forums was actually pretty good and yielded a nice amount of relevant info.

It's still somewhat boggling that a journalist should hold a Q&A session about what he's trying to remember on the developer's own forum.

Further proving the "Can't please some of the people any of the time" mentality. Would you rather just have questions and no answers? I'm doing my best here...

no really, i appreciate what you've done thus far, please don't stop what you're doing due to a few people that might criticize. the article that you wrote was without a doubt the most detailed that i have read, and the fact that you're doing q&a with the fans when not even bethsoft will do so is simply astonishing.

 

[Briosafreak]

Further proving the "Can't please some of the people any of the time" mentality. Would you rather just have questions and no answers? I'm doing my best here...

Per is refering to the bizarre secrecy policy of Bethesda regarding fans, they talk and talk to the media, but then when fans need just some clarification, even with things that would make them look better they keep a tight lip.

Which forces people to operate based on assumptions, as you are watching happening here. The irony is that it's someone from the outside giving valuable information on their own forum, and still they keep quiet it's a bit silly isn't it?

 

[Per]

It's still somewhat boggling that a journalist should hold a Q&A session about what he's trying to remember on the developer's own forum.

Further proving the "Can't please some of the people any of the time" mentality. Would you rather just have questions and no answers? I'm doing my best here...

I'm sorry; that was not meant as an attack on you. You are doing us a service by answering questions here and a service to the people on the Bethboard by posting there, and you're entitled to your opinions on what you've seen. It's just that on that board you'd expect the developers themselves to be open to some kind of communication. They ought to be able to answer direct questions about things they have already shown. It's like they want this endless speculation and stewing that's going on; I don't know what kind of a PR decision that is. Maybe they're just counting on a lot of people saying we don't know anything so we can't be critical, but that it could also be the best game in the world so we should blithely look forward to that. Because we're seeing a lot of that now, but based on past experiences it just doesn't fly well here.

If im not mistaken, there was zero scalling in FO1/2 just equipment scailing.

Fo1 had no scaling of any kind. Fo2 had scaling for certain specific random encounters.

why don't you quite the insesent bitching b/c it dosent change anything

And here's a strike to you for telling us to shut up.

BG 1/2 was pretty much on rails

Not really (as said).

The fact remains that the vast majority of people don't finish the games they buy. If a compass gets people moving enough to actually finish the game, I'm ok with that.

Um, why would that even matter to you or anyone? If someone chooses not to spend more than X time with a game, how it is helping them to add something to make them stick with it rather than do something else?

 

[GamingTrend]

GamingTrend I have only one question:

Overlord review / Controls - 80/100 /Cons: Cumbersome controls when not using a gamepad - gamepad is standard controller use by PC players ?

btw.
Maybe TES:Fallout ,too, will be customized for Xbox 360 controller Just kidding

I'm sure it is an oversight on your part that you missed the two paragraphs that describe the PC controls above your quote. The point is that the controls are cumbersome. The way to overcome it and make the game more playable is to use a controller. Not sure what your point is....

 

[Sander]

Some might say putting anything turn based in a 1st person / 3rd person world is rediculous. Until you guys see beyond the screenshots, you'll have to either take me at my word that it is *kinda* turn based, or not. *shrug* Not a lot I can do with that.

Not a lot you can do about it, but you'll forgive us if we don't consider a real-time with pause system even *like* a turn-based system. Perhaps reading this article would clarify our position a bit more.

But besides that, there have been a lot more previews than just yours and a few that go in on VATS in much greater detail. Judging by that information, VATS can't be considered anything like turn-based.

 

[jfreund]

btw: the q&a he did at the bethsoft forums was actually pretty good and yielded a nice amount of relevant info.

It's still somewhat boggling that a journalist should hold a Q&A session about what he's trying to remember on the developer's own forum.

Further proving the "Can't please some of the people any of the time" mentality. Would you rather just have questions and no answers? I'm doing my best here...

I think that was a shot at Bethesda's lack of communication rather than at you. You're on Bethesda's forum using your memory and notes on Bethesda's game demo to answer questions about Bethesda's game. Meanwhile, the Bethesda developers/PR staff who have the actual hard info are doing a poor job of answering gamers' questions.

 

[Ausir]

One more question, Mr. Burke. Why are you trying to blow up Megaton?

 

[Sytxferryman]

Just one thing about the demo I was wondering... Did it appear that after destroying Megaton it would be revisitable some day, perhaps with radiation meds and proper protection to loot around the place, or just a memory from the past with a invisible wall now?

Thanks in advance

 

[Per]

What if you take the detonator, knock Mr Burke down and lock him into a closet, retrace your steps all the way to Megaton, and then <s>tell everyone to do your bidding or fucking else</s> press the button? Would you <s>see the same explosion that was in the demo, but maybe somewhat pixellated because you're really close up</s> die in a mushroom cloud?

 

[ComradeNu]

A quest compass is actually plausible in Fallout. An NPC would mark a location on the map (That is, if there is a map) with your PipBoy and thus it shows up on your "quest compass" However, not all quests should be marked... that would make it interesting.

I mean, if someone wants you to find something, they're not going to tell you exactly where it is and pay you money simply for getting it.


However, if Beth decides to impliment a quest compass for every single quest in the game, that would be awful. It just shows that they're too lazy or uncreative to integrate in-game hints, such as asking people around until you find someone that knows something, or at least has one piece of the puzzle.

 

[Killzig]

What if you take the detonator, knock Mr Burke down and lock him into a closet, retrace your steps all the way to Megaton, and then <s>tell everyone to do your bidding or fucking else</s> press the button? Would you <s>see the same explosion that was in the demo, but maybe somewhat pixellated because you're really close up</s> die in a mushroom cloud?

the quest sounds a lot like the GECKO power plant quest. There must be some solution where you can make Burke think the place has been ka-boomed but not really. Some amicable arrangement where both parties can coexist? There hasn't really been any set up as far as why Burke would want Megaton blown up. Like radiation leaking into your ground water.

 

[Dougly]

the quest sounds a lot like the GECKO power plant quest. There must be some solution where you can make Burke think the place has been ka-boomed but not really.

"What's that you say? You say you blew up Metagon? Well, despite the fact that I have no real reason to take you at your word, and despite the fact that it would be reasonably easy for me to check, I'll just assume you're telling the truth, and give you your money."

Some amicable arrangement where both parties can coexist? There hasn't really been any set up as far as why Burke would want Megaton blown up. Like radiation leaking into your ground water.

That would certainly give the quest a Fallout feel. But, as you point out, we really don't know his motives, or who he represents. So, it'd be tough to say what kind of solutions would work best for that particular quest.

 

[Slicerdicer]

Further proving the "Can't please some of the people any of the time" mentality. Would you rather just have questions and no answers? I'm doing my best here...

For what it matters I'm glad you're here. Thanks for sharing your experience with the F3 demo. You the only person that I know that posts here that has actually seen the thing.

How was the various camera views. Does it seem as you could play the who thing "over the shoulder" or even in full "3rd person view"?

 

[janjetina]

1. I've tried playing Oblivion a few years ago and that moronic compass replacing standard quest log (like the ones in Arcanum or Baldur's Gate 2) was one of many things that made me stop playing it after a few hours. As Fallout 3 should be a role-playing game, a player is expected to read the dialogues and know what's expected of him. As a reminder, player's character would enter quest details into his PipBoy, so a player could (and should) check his PipBoy if he's unsure where he needs to go to do what he wants to do next. I'd like more details about quests available in Pipboy than in two original games (Arcanum is a good example of a detailed log available). Which do you think is more appropriate for Fallout 3 - an RPG approach that requires reading the dialogues with the quest giving (and other relevant) characters and using your Pipboy as a reminder, or an obnoxious compass that essentially says "go west, kill spider"?

2. Regarding exploding fusion powered cars (which is really bad - they wouldn't put it in a car if it were able to destroy a city block in a case of a malfunction) leaving residual radiation (which is even more ludicrous - both fuel and all products of all feasible nuclear fusion reactions are non-radioactive, and there is only an initial neutron burst after the explosion that causes radiation damage, but the area would be safe from radiation in a second. Given that, how do you justify exploding cars that leave residual radiation after the explosion.

 

[ComradeNu]

Reading over the Q&A again, I don't like how you start off the game telling you the "chance to hit" of something you say when convicng the person you're talking to.

I would not mind, however, if that was a perk. In fact, that would be a great perk.

 

[Kyuu]

an RPG approach that requires reading the dialogues with the quest giving (and other relevant) characters and using your Pipboy as a reminder, or an obnoxious compass that essentially says "go west, kill spider"?

It's worse than that, because the compass doesn't even say something that rudimentary. You just follow an arrow that points you directly to the spider.

Janjetina's right. Whatever happened to reading a quest log, exploration? Mr. Burke's explanation of "well people who are too impatient and/or simple-minded to do anything but have their hands held all through the game must be catered to" just doesn't cut it. Besides, what does it even matter if they finish the game? Beth gets their money whether they buy it and throw it away after 5 minutes or play all the way through. Dumbing your content down seems worse to me than not having some people play through it all.

Given that, how do you justify exploding cars that leave residual radiation after the explosion.

Because it's just so goddamned cool and funny that they don't need any justification!

 

[Black]

Janjetina's right. Whatever happened to reading a quest log, exploration? Mr. Burke's explanation of "well people who are too impatient and/or simple-minded to do anything but have their hands held all through the game must be catered to" just doesn't cut it.

Haven't you heard? Reading is last-gen. Everyhing has to be voiced, short and simple.

 

[globbi]

I'm sure it is an oversight on your part that you missed the two paragraphs that describe the PC controls above your quote. The point is that the controls are cumbersome. The way to overcome it and make the game more playable is to use a controller. Not sure what your point is....

Funny, PC Oblivion was unplayable when using a joypad. In addition a plugged pad made controlls glitchy and turning it off by modyfing a file added some fps. It was amazing how much could controlls be screwed and there is no reason to think it will be better in Fallout.
It's nothing aganist you, I just don't believe there will be any good in controlls and I'm sure of it now as you call basic controlls cumbersome.

 

[GamingTrend]

Did it appear that after destroying Megaton it would be revisitable some day ------- It looked like the end of days for Megaton, but it was also the end of the demo. We didn't get to see the carnage to see if there was anything left to visit.

How was the various camera views. Does it seem as you could play the who thing "over the shoulder" or even in full "3rd person view"? --- Todd popped back and forth between 1st and 3rd person quite a bit so both seemed pretty viable. From higher perspectives? We only saw that for a moment so who knows how good it'll turn out.

they wouldn't put it in a car if it were able to destroy a city block in a case of a malfunction ------ As was said in the official thread, this is closer to the explosion seen in Rambo First Blood Part 2 when he nails the trucks on the bridge with an explosive arrow. We aren't talking Hiroshima here. People are REALLY overreacting to this I think.

It's nothing aganist you, I just don't believe there will be any good in controlls and I'm sure of it now as you call basic controlls cumbersome. ---- No, I call cumbersome controls cumbersome. You fight the minion controls quite a bit in Overlord if you try to do it with a keyboard - it was clearly not well balanced for that interface method. As for Oblivion not running well with a gamepad, you'll note that I said: "The end result is a control scheme for the Xbox 360 that allows for mouselike-control using the analog sticks, and a surprisingly easy to mod PC system that was simply too console-like. " I wouldn't exactly call that high praise.