So, who got into the Vaults?

[Anarchosyn]

I'm a little rusty on my Fallout 1 lore but was anything ever explicitly stated about the relative socio-economic positions of the people who got into the vaults opposed to those that were omitted?

Was it a rich / poor dichotomy or used for social commentary at all?

Anyhow, it's just a passing curiosity. I approach Fallout titles with a role player's perspective and - for FO3 at least - I'm planning on testing the mettle of Bethesda's development approach by playing a wide eyed and utterly non-combat gal descended from a line of thick, privileged gits. Basically what would happen if the Hiltons got into a vault and inbred for a few hundred years.

I "broke" Oblivion trying this, I'm curious to see if I'll break FO3.

 

[TheRatKing]

Officially, the vaults were used as social experiments, with people chosen by the government to test various things (e.g. V15 was multiple ethnicities). However, I never saw the vaults like that. I always saw them populated with the classic 50s families, blond, blue eyed, and perfect. The whole social experiment thing seemed like an add on that occured at the last minute.

 

[Ausir]

The social experiment thing was made up during the development of Fallout 2. When Fallout 1 was made, it wasn't part of the lore yet.

 

[taag]

Yeah, I too think social experiments thing sort of sucked. I tend to ignore it

When in doubt, I always remind myself...

Fallout is the ultimate canon. Everything in this game is taken as the truth about the setting.

Fallout 2, whilst often viewed as an inferior title by the hardcore fans, is also considered canon if it does not contradict Fallout. If this happens, Fallout's version of events is taken as the truth.

 

[TheGM]

. However, I never saw the vaults like that. I always saw them populated with the classic 50s families, blond, blue eyed, and perfect.

Thats Nazi Germany.

The U.S. of A loves their W.A.S.Ps.

 

[Wooz]

... Which were portrayed as blond, blue eyed and perfect, most of the time.

 

[Daemon Spawn]

What do you mean you "broke" Oblivion playing that way? As in it didn't work out at all?

I've played every type of character in a number of different RPGs, and some have been more fulfilling than others (depending on the game of course).

I've never played Oblivion, so how was it actually roleplaying something other than an ultimate badass in it?

 

[rcorporon]

If you don't have a combat-oriented badass in any of the TES games, you'll never finish it. That's how it's broken. You can't have a charismatic fast-talker.

 

[ByX]

If you don't have a combat-oriented badass in any of the TES games, you'll never finish it. That's how it's broken. You can't have a charismatic fast-talker.

if some highway mens ambush you in reality you can talk as long as you want they'll kill you anyway.

so i don't think it's not realistic that way to have to fight.

 

[rcorporon]

if some highway mens ambush you in reality you can talk as long as you want they'll kill you anyway.

so i don't think it's not realistic that way to have to fight.

No, but I should be able to tell him a funny joke, and then kick him in the balls when he laughs and run for the hills.

Besides, it's supposed to be a "role playing game" and it's not a "role playing game" if the only role is a Gears of War reject with a sword.

 

[TheGM]

... Which were portrayed as blond, blue eyed and perfect, most of the time.

Little Billy and Teenage Debbie for sure.

Pops had black hair and Mom smiled all the time, and baked pies too!

I know, I was there!

 

[Arash]

No, but I should be able to tell him a funny joke, and then kick him in the balls when he laughs and run for the hills.

that wont make the highwaymen laugh that'll mostly just piss them off. he might capture you and starts to tease you like "ok you piece of shit, tell us a joke and make us laugh or I'll decorate our hideout with your filthy guts."

a feral ghoul, however doesn't speak any languages and the only way to tell him/her to f*** off is to use our favourite gun language.

a super mutant, centaur and other enemies are the same.

but I DO get your point, you want to be a trader, speaker and still be able to finish the game without having to fight. you want to be able to solve everything with words, thats what I call an RPG...They dont really exist...(Fallout1,2 was something like that but still not 100% fully.)

 

[Ausir]

Yeah, I too think social experiments thing sort of sucked. I tend to ignore it

Unfortunately, looks like in FO3 it's a big part of the plot.

 

[Sorrow]

if some highway mens ambush you in reality you can talk as long as you want they'll kill you anyway.

so i don't think it's not realistic that way to have to fight.

Exactly. Also, it's not like Fallout allowed one to talk one's way out of a raider/highwayman ambush. It was more like an execution by 6 guys with accuracy of a terminator and general SFLfest.

 

[rcorporon]

that wont make the highwaymen laugh that'll mostly just piss them off. he might capture you and starts to tease you like "ok you piece of shit, tell us a joke and make us laugh or I'll decorate our hideout with your filthy guts."

a feral ghoul, however doesn't speak any languages and the only way to tell him/her to f*** off is to use our favourite gun language.

a super mutant, centaur and other enemies are the same.

but I DO get your point, you want to be a trader, speaker and still be able to finish the game without having to fight. you want to be able to solve everything with words, thats what I call an RPG...They dont really exist...(Fallout1,2 was something like that but still not 100% fully.)

My example was more of a joke, and not something that would really work in a game.

However, you did get my overall point, which is good.

I thought that it was possible to get through FO1 without having to fight, ever... although I may be wrong in this.

 

[Sorrow]

It probably involved using the "A" cheat to run away before the raiders pull out their Rangemasters/10mm Pistols and start two turns of shooting at you with 90%/75% accuracy thanks to their glorious 9 8 8 5 7 9 7 stats and great combat system where even a person with 25% small arms skill can get 75% with Hunting Rifle on medium range as long as their perception allows them to.