Todd Howard on DLC

Per

Per

Vault Consort
Staff member
Admin
Kotaku interviewed Todd Howard on the subject of Fallout 3 DLC, noting that he's "offered gamers an unprecedented amount of content for a single-player game".<blockquote>The creation of the DLC is the fun part, Howard said as the designers are freed from having to wrestle with technology and have fun. That liberation produced the early suggestions to throw aliens in, but Howard delayed that desire until Mothership Zeta. "That one kept coming up: 'We should do alien abduction, we should do alien abduction.' I thought it was hilarious, and I said, 'We should wait. That isn't like the classic Fallout. You kind of want to keep the footprint of aliens in Fallout small.'

"But once we got to the fifth one, it's like: It's really funny. It's a cool concept. We should do it.' And the reason I like it is I do like the DLC to feel like something new. And that one, just on the surface, is instantly: this is different. It's not more of the same, I'm out in the wasteland."</blockquote>Yeah, you kind of do want to keep the footprint of aliens in Fallout small. You kind of do.
 
I thought it was hilarious
Click to expand...

Yes you thought the same about that stupid cult or some of the other terrible ideas in Fallout.

The setting is a PA wasteland with elements of a retro 50's futuristic America, not a retarded theme park you and your cronies turned it into the end.

Best would be if you stick to the organizing parts and not actual game design.
 
The Dutch Ghost said:
Best would be if you stick to the organizing parts and not actual game design.
Click to expand...
Game design isn't "here's an idea for a fun plot". That's called content design, and, if you ask me, that's all most "game designers" are these days: they don't design the game, that's what marketing departments and market surveys are for! Design by committee, It's in all the books.

You kind of figure this all out when you learn the first thing about game design: it's not nearly as kawaii as writing a fantasy story in highschool.
 
Morbus said:
You kind of figure this all out when you learn the first thing about game design: it's not nearly as kawaii as writing a fantasy story in highschool.
Click to expand...

Still, I would call Bethesda's game design 'school level' game concepts, you know, first grade.
 
Um yea

I always wonder a few things when he talks about Fall Out.

1. Has he even played the first two games?

2. What kind of humor does he actually have? I watched my buddy play Zeta and didn't see one damn thing that was funny. Not one. And ya know what through out most of Fallout 3 there really is no comedy.

3. Does he realize what he is saying most of the time? Or does he just speak and hope for the best.


Those 3 things always bug me about Howard. Like who put him in charge over there. God damn he has got to have the driest sense of humor ever. Oh man Aliens, holy cow that's so funny. Does he realize Fallout and Oblivion are two different things or what. Friggin moron. Anyways just a rant from an old Fanboy.
 
Re: Um yea

neohunter1884 said:
Like who put him in charge over there.
Click to expand...

Zenimax. While he can't make a decent speech to save his life, like Michael Bay he knows what makes the mainstream tick.
 
Mainstream

Yea and thats the damn problem, mainstream on some levels is ok but how about getting some "creative" people in there to just throw some of the old school comedy in there. Honestly thats really my own problem with the game, it feels like it doesnt have a soul.
 
Toddy said:
And the reason I like it is I do like the DLC to feel like something new. And that one, just on the surface, is instantly: this is different. It's not more of the same, I'm out in the wasteland."
Click to expand...

Sure its different! Instead of mindlessly going round shooting heads off, your are, uh, mindlessly going round shooting GREEN heads off.

Oh, wait, supermutants are already green...
 
'We should wait. That isn't like the classic Fallout. You kind of want to keep the footprint of aliens in Fallout small.'
Click to expand...

This strikes me as schizophrenic, on the one hand, Todd sounds like he wants to respect the Fallout franchise, but the company ends up doing the completely opposite.

Guess the marketing department as part of the development process is a bad idea.
 
Do you think he goes to sleep hating himself, or is he oblivious to the damage he does?
 
More like powerless to change any decision made by the marketing department or Emil.

To be honest, I think he's more of a figurehead than anything else.
 
Mikael Grizzly said:
'We should wait. That isn't like the classic Fallout. You kind of want to keep the footprint of aliens in Fallout small.'
Click to expand...

This strikes me as schizophrenic, on the one hand, Todd sounds like he wants to respect the Fallout franchise, but the company ends up doing the completely opposite.

Guess the marketing department as part of the development process is a bad idea.
Click to expand...



doublethink
Noun
The power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.
 
Tool said:
"But once we got to the fifth one, it's like: It's really funny. It's a cool concept. We should do it.' And the reason I like it is I do like the DLC to feel like something new. And that one, just on the surface, is instantly: this is different. It's not more of the same, I'm out in the wasteland."
Click to expand...

And isn't that what Fallout is all about: superficial differences? And weren't we all sedately satisfied by the "out in the wasteland" experience and yearning for something new? Some of you guys over here... you're just cynical.
 
Mikael Grizzly said:
More like powerless to change any decision made by the marketing department or Emil.

To be honest, I think he's more of a figurehead than anything else.
Click to expand...
I think Todd definetly had a lot to say inside of the development process and I do make him somewhat (not alone of course) responsible for the course the TES setting was going after morrowind. I mean important is to remember from where Todd got his experience. THe Terminator "first person" shooter games (which might not have been bad just for itself). And If you ask me that kind of experience really shows in all of his designs and work.

Someome said once that Bethesda is a company making RPGs for people that dont like RPGs in the first place. And it really fits Todds character in my eyes as well (without the intention to insult him). But from many of his comments which some are more or less serious and honest I think one has to try to read between the lines I am inclined to believe a game like Fallout 1+2 in general appeals a lot to "him" (personaly) but he feels while playing no fun. For the same reason as why many others dont like(ed) Fallout. Cause it was a "Role Playing Game" where certain decisions you did in the game might potentialy cut you off from many parts of the game, killed that NPC? Well deal with it. Went to far from your position? Be sure to get your ass handed on a plate. Made a stupid answer to a NPC? Well forget about that quest and dialogue ... of course that does not appeal to everyone. Particuilarly not to those that hate the feeling to be cut out from quests and dialogues cause something like "inteligence" of the player is in the way which hurts their skills as fighters.

Thinking about of course I dont have to be right since I dont know it for sure that Todd is Executive Producer and Game Director of Zenimax (at least he is listed as that) I would imagine that he also has to say something. Probably hes definetly not the person who has the last word. But I think he has some power in decisions nontheless. Probably when it comes to the details and the execution of certain tasks like in which way a game should go and evolve.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top