Strategy Informer interviews Pete Hines

[Per]

Which of these games have these combat characteristics?

1. You shoot things out of guns.
2. There are enemies that you try to hit.
3. Life units are lost when you take damage.
4. Creatures that run out of life points fall down dead.
5. Healing stuff is available.

Answers:

a. Fallout
b. Quake II
c. Fallout 2
d. Unreal Tournament
e. Fallout 3
f. Halo
g. All of the above

Wonder how far we can take this. Civilization had a world map?

 

[BowserJesus]

Which of these games have these combat characteristics?

1. You shoot things out of guns.
2. There are enemies that you try to hit.
3. Life units are lost when you take damage.
4. Creatures that run out of life points fall down dead.
5. Healing stuff is available.

Answers:

a. Fallout
b. Quake II
c. Fallout 2
d. Unreal Tournament
e. Fallout 3
f. Halo
g. All of the above

Wonder how far we can take this. Civilization had a world map?

I described Oblivions/Fallout 3's and Fallout1/2's dialog system completely, you described just about anything you do in games, whether they be FPS, RTS, or MMORPG. The only possible difference is that Oblivion has 1 word dialog options while fallout1/2/3 do not.

 

[Ausir]

The only possible difference is that Oblivion has 1 word dialog options while fallout1/2/3 do not.

That and all the underlying mechanics. And the lack of 1-word options where they should be (dumb characters). And your point 4 is false for most dialogues in FO1 and FO2.

 

[Eyenixon]

Except Bowser, I can name five hundred RPGs in existence that have the same dialog system you described.

 

[BowserJesus]

Except Bowser, I can name five hundred RPGs in existence that have the same dialog system you described.

Feel free to post examples.

The only possible difference is that Oblivion has 1 word dialog options while fallout1/2/3 do not.

That and all the underlying mechanics. And the lack of 1-word options where they should be (dumb characters). And your point 4 is false for most dialogues in FO1 and FO2.

The underlying mechanics? Oh you mean that spin the wheel thing? I forgot that was there, to be honest.

Point 4 is perfectly right, because if Interplay/Black Isle had had the time to make every character into a talking head, they probably would have just for the "wow" factor.

 

[Eyenixon]

Uh, the mid Ultimas, Baldur's Gate, Vampire Bloodlines, Planescape, Temple of Elemental Evil, Icewind Dale, Wizardry, Wizards and Warriors, Might and Magic, so on and so forth.

 

[Ausir]

The underlying mechanics? Oh you mean that spin the wheel thing? I forgot that was there, to be honest.

Or the fact that in FO1 and 2, you got new dialogue options depending on how high your intelligence was (not in FO3 anymore, neither for dumb nor for smart characters). I never played Oblivion - did the success in persuasion depend in any way on the equivalent of Fallout's skill checks?

 

[BowserJesus]

Uh, the mid Ultimas, Baldur's Gate, Vampire Bloodlines, Planescape, Temple of Elemental Evil, Icewind Dale, Wizardry, Wizards and Warriors, Might and Magic, so on and so forth.

Then just imagine he said the the dialog system was similar to any of those games if it'll make you sleep better at night.

The underlying mechanics? Oh you mean that spin the wheel thing? I forgot that was there, to be honest.

Or the fact that in FO1 and 2, you got new dialogue options depending on how high your intelligence was (not in FO3 anymore, neither for dumb nor for smart characters). I never played Oblivion - did the success in persuasion depend in any way on the equivalent of Fallout's skill checks?

That is not the point. Aesthetically, both systems are alike, but everyone here seems to like twisting up words and making up their own meanings.

 

[Brother None]

Aesthetically is not the right term, but yes, you're right, superficially they are very similar. Both follow the staple that most RPGs follow, so that shouldn't be a point of contention anyway.

Don't ask me why people keep bringing it up and getting confused about it. It's been that way since the first time some journalist said the dialogue system looks like Oblivion. Panic struck.

 

[Anani Masu]

Or the fact that in FO1 and 2, you got new dialogue options depending on how high your intelligence was (not in FO3 anymore, neither for dumb nor for smart characters).

I don't believe this is correct. Caveman dialogue is gone but in FO3 the system can run checks based off of stats, skills and perks. I believe they cited int specifically during this bit.

 

[Scare]

So we might take you out to this part of the map knowing that you’re going to come across all this stuff here. And then we know that you’re probably going to go over here, and then go to this point of the map. So we’re kind of smart about using the map as a setting for different parts of the main quest, and how you’re going to get there and what you’re going to cover along the way.

My mind is officially blown now.
These guys need to do like the Bush administration and just have hot chicks speak for them. Shit's not so bad coming from hot chicks.

 

[Ausir]

I don't believe this is correct. Caveman dialogue is gone but in FO3 the system can run checks based off of stats, skills and perks. I believe they cited int specifically during this bit.

There are some dialogue options based on INT, but most of the extra dialogue options in the game are due to high CHA, as opposed to INT in FO1 and 2.

And I wasn't listing only differences between FO3 and FO1/2, but also between Fallout games and Oblivion (as BowserJesus claims that his list was a complete descriptions of both).

 

[Zeld]

I don't believe this is correct. Caveman dialogue is gone but in FO3 the system can run checks based off of stats, skills and perks. I believe they cited int specifically during this bit.

There are some dialogue options based on INT, but most of the extra dialogue options in the game are due to high CHA, as opposed to INT in FO1 and 2.

So what does INT do in Fallout 3? Does it just boost you with more skill points and science? I thought that they said it affects dialog also.

 

[Eyenixon]

No, but skills like Medicine and Repair and what not will give you extra dialog options apparently. So intelligence indirectly affects dialog, instead of being a simple prerequisite I guess, although you most likely don't need high intelligence to improve those skills - but if it's anything like old SPECIAL it probably helps.

 

[Black]

I don't believe this is correct. Caveman dialogue is gone but in FO3 the system can run checks based off of stats, skills and perks. I believe they cited int specifically during this bit.

There are some dialogue options based on INT, but most of the extra dialogue options in the game are due to high CHA, as opposed to INT in FO1 and 2.

So what does INT do in Fallout 3? Does it just boost you with more skill points and science? I thought that they said it affects dialog also.

It's a dump stat so you can put more points in Endurance and mawr hp keekekee

 

[Ad Astra]

I described Oblivions/Fallout 3's and Fallout1/2's dialog system completely [snip]

Well darn, here I thought that Fallout's dialog system was based around meaningful, branching dialog influenced by your character's attributes and skills. Thank goodness that Generic Bethsoft Fan #655321 came around here to educate us all about a game most of us have been playing for more than a decade.

 

[Per]

I described Oblivions/Fallout 3's and Fallout1/2's dialog system completely

You were serious? Hm. Well, allow me to differ about the "completely" thing. By the way, here's a "complete" description of the diplomacy screen in Civilization:

* Time pauses around you while you have a conversation.
* You have a list of options of what you're going to say.
* You never hear what your character just told the NPC.
* Every time you enter into a conversation, you are stuck looking at that person's torso/face.

 

[HummaKavula]

He doesn't really answer any of the given question. He just talks and talks without actually making a point. There is no firm yes or no, it's just a bunch of evasive bullshit. But that's Bethesda for ya, I guess.

 

[Ghostsauce]

I think he does, he's pretty informative without giving away anything specific. Obviously he can't because that would ruin the surprise and the fun of actually finding it in the game. He just gave you a run down of what the game will feel like when venturing out into the unknown, and it sounds exactly as if he was describing one of the previous fallout games, the main difference being that you can actually experience the setting in a more immersive way.

 

[whirlingdervish]

and it sounds exactly as if he was describing one of the previous fallout games, the main difference being that you can actually experience the setting in a more immersive way.

please elaborate.

explain for us how Fallout 3 is intrinsically more capable of immersing the player into the setting of Fallout, than Fallout actually was.