GameBanshee Forums

Wohoo.

I just read a press release and wanted to share the news .... only to find this forum just created

(also read the news from the GB site here)

Sounds wonderfull that Fallout 3 will be made, I just hope they keep (somewhat) true to the former 2.

I dunno, I really have a bad vibe when another company makes games in a series they didn't create. Just look at the Command & Conquer series. Generals was pretty much bargain bin crap.

Whoohooo Fallout 3. I have faith in Betesda!
@Psi. Generals was done by the same team as RA2. And i thought that one was rather good.

holla, wait a second

When Bethesda starts working on Fallout 3, who the hell is working on TES4 then!?

Intrplay

Monolith wrote:holla, wait a second

When Bethesda starts working on Fallout 3, who the hell is working on TES4 then!?

simultaneous projects

Fallout 3 will be developed by Bethesda along with the next chapter of The Elder Scrolls, both under the direction of Todd Howard, executive producer of The Elder Scrolls

More mention of news about Fallout 3 at GB News Forum

Anybody interested should read the interviews, but here are some interesting tid bits:
(take from the GameSpot interview)

GS: Will Bethesda's Fallout 3 retain any elements of the "Van Buren" game that was in development at Black Isle Studios? Reports are it was nearly complete.

TH: No, we're going to start fresh.

So - basically - all currently known will be void, and unusable. Good or bad is hard to tell, before we see a beginning of production and possible released information... but:

GS: Fallout had many unique elements for an RPG, including its extensive (and iconic) perk system and darkly comic tone. Will those be present in the sequel?

TH: Oh yes. Most definitely. "Bloody Mess" is the best perk ever, where your enemies die in ultra-violent ways.

Which sounds like at least something of the Fallout feel will be present.

But there are also things I didn't like from the interivew:

GS: Your release said that Fallout 3 will be developed alongside the next Morrowind. Will they be based on the same engine?

TH: We've been developing some new technology for a long time now that could be used in many games, so we plan on using that. It is not the Morrowind engine.

GS: Morrowind was a first-person, real-time action-RPG. Fallout and its sequel were isometric-view, third-person turn-based RPGs. What will Fallout 3 be?

TH: To early to say, we're looking at many options.

I do hope they hold true and keep it isometric view - something similar to what NwN managed with the new camera controls in HotU wouldn't be bad, but I don't really like the idea of Fallout in first person view.

But as T.Howard also answers in most questions - it is to early to say....


This tidbit was taken from the GameGestapo Q&A (also linked in the news forum).

Q. So is it safe to say that we can count on the more mature elements remaining intact?
A. I would hope so. We don't plan to strip out important elements that made Fallout what it is. We want to remain true to the experience that made Fallout, well, Fallout

I dunno. I'm a little iffy on Bethseda's Fallout 3 for a few reasons:

--> Morrowind-like perspective, if implemented would kind of change the feeling of what Fallout was. For me it just wouldn't feel right not being in an isometric view.

--> Can Bethseda make a good turn-based RPG?

--> And lastly, it's hard to match what Black Isle did as far as humor, environment, and mood.

Many people worry about the excat same thing. I've been reading around over at No Mutants Allowed, and many "devoted" fans feel the same.

Basically it is mostly in the planning stages, but here are some of the general fears of people.

So to take up your fears:
Many seems to fear that it will be First Person, or maybe Third Person. But not Isometric.
Personally - I could live with Third Person view (I would prefere Isometric), if performed decently. However - after an interview I've seen, I think it would be likely it becaue a First Person view. (But since intiviews are pretty chaotic at the moment, and the statements from the developing team is likewise, there is no hard data yet. We will have to see).

Turn Based: There seem to be a general fear that Turn Based combat will be eleminated in favour of real time. Turn Based is something I think is importent in Fallout, also because turn based directly connects to the Perception ability.
However, with good a autopause, one can mask Real Time as more Turn Based.
I personally want Turn Based the most ... this is Fallout - a roleplaying game - not an action game.

Humor: Also a fear. Morrowind was bland and almost void of humor (except for a few semi-nude Nords that had lost their way). The NPCs didn't have life in Morrowind (and neither in Daggerfall) and were much alike with eachother. Many feel that it is unlikely that they can create the sort of humor that helped make Fallout a great gameexperience. This is based on track record.

One thing that is "scary" also - is that they plan a dual-release for various platforms. This means that the game will be made to (likely) PC and X-Box simultanious.

However - it is early in the process yet, and untill screenshots, diaries and more interviews starts comming out - it is guesswork.

However - I'm currently pleased (glad) that Fallout 3 is comming out - but if Bethseda dosen't hold true to the concept, many Fallout fans will be dissapointed. And this is where my biggest fear comes in - they could make it "Morrowind with Guns" , because that would attract the rather large Morrowind fan-group, and likely some of the Fallout fangroup and potential yield much money. However - it would seriously scorn the "deeper" Fallout fans, but as we all know - in an industry that is here to make money, the broader the game - the more potential money can be made.

Has anybody thought that even if Fallout 3 is not like 1&2, it can still be good in its own ways? Who knows, radical changes can even make it better, even if it isn't the same Fallout anymore.

Even if Fallout 3 is ( and BIG IF!!!) I'm still going to buy it

Of course it can be good, there is no denying that. But Fallout fans (myself inclusive) has waited a very long time for the followup and been dissapointed several times. (especially due to Interplay )

That is likely why people are worried that it will not become a Fallout game, but simply a game carrying the name "Fallout". (big difference).

That's true, and as a Fallout fan myself, I also would like to have FALLOUT, not just a game with that name.

But maybe just good game is enough for me, 'cause at least we get Fallout 3.

An excerpt from the GameGestapo-Interview:

If I had to venture a guess and add up all this information, it sounds like Bethesda is planning on adapting as much of their Morrowind technologies as possible. Gavin Carter (Associate Producer) explains on the Bethesda forums "We're not making Morrowind with guns! People who think we will never progress beyond Morrowind are going to be in for one hell of a wake-up call."

Also, if Pete's answers to questions 2 & 3 are any hint, we can expect all the grim, grit, and dark humour that made the Fallouts so great. This is good news, indeed.

Sounds nice. Hmm...

I first found out from penny arcade, I was overjoyed. I've never played morrowinds or any of Bethesdas games (AFAIK), so I don't know what to expect.

I'm a huge fan of the Fallout games, especially the absolutely non-linear chaotic randomness of the first part.
It's obvious that Fallout 3 would have turned out best if BI could have finished the game, but ah well, that's life.
Now we will, probably, have a different Fallout 3 entirely, but I'm not fussed.
I absolutely loved Morrowind as well, so even if Bethesda completely runs amok with the licence, I still know I'll like the game.
Personally, I think that most hardcore Fallout fans are going over the top with their flaming, whatever Bethesda does, it's not going to be another FO: POS.

What do you mean chaotic, non-linear part?


Also I think that the Fallout would have been an, imo, aweful 3d thing.

I really didn't read all through everybodies' posts because I'm lazy, but I think s few things would be ionteresting.

I think that if they change the game play a lot, as in making it third person, or Real Time it would be very important to not call it Fallout 3...Fallout 3 in general gives it the feel that it should be similar in gameplay and appearance to the original...I think some sort of subtitle would be more appropriate if it was to be changed significantly...Another possibility would be some sort of MMPORPG...

I would definitely like to see a better developed engine that the BOS one...I had way too much trouble with that one not changing screens and views..obviously it will not be the same engine, but I'm trying to say that I'd rather wait a long time and have a well developed game than have a shody game released before it was ready (Especially since I need time to play Kotor 2!)

I would definitely like to see a way to design or build your own weapons...For instance, if you have high enough repair skill you can use certain tools to upgrade weapons (My KOTOR experience is showing here...)

I would also really like to asee a more hgihly developed animation...Bloody mess is a totally thrill, but it grows old kinda fast. This is one reason I like the idea of a third person perspective view...although at the same time I love the classic isometric view too. The fact remains that I'd like to see more advanced animations for combat and such.

I'd also like to see the return of piloting, this was something I really liked In BOS.

Similarly, I would like to see positioning again, I really liked to take advantage of crounding and prone positions, although those are a little more conducive to a Strategy environment, I think that they are still something that can add to the combat in FO3...

I'd also like to see special attacks and weapons only available or useable by a particular npc..say there is a robot in your party, he could have night/infrared vision. Or a mutant who can break through walls...perhaps someone who is very skilled in martial arts who can have a one hit kill under certain conditions...

Finally, I'd like to seeless linear play...Not so mcuh in the plot, but as far as weapons and armor and the like go. I I find that as you progress you make the same progressions through the same armor, I would like to see less dependence on the same type of armor, there was some of this in BOS, with the environmental armor

The only thing that I am truly worried about is that Bathesda will want to set themselves too far apart from the originals that they lose support from the hard core fans.

[QUOTE=alpha_hazard]<snip>
Finally, I'd like to seeless linear play...Not so mcuh in the plot, but as far as weapons and armor and the like go. I I find that as you progress you make the same progressions through the same armor, I would like to see less dependence on the same type of armor, there was some of this in BOS, with the environmental armor
<snip>
[/QUOTE]

This would be very difficult.
Getting high powered weapons early to low level characters will unbalance the game significantly, because then there will be no difficulties in killing off "lower level" enemies also. Unless you want that to be non-liniar also, so you risk running into an enemy 20 times stronger then you after you have taken your first few steps

Imagine in Fallout 2 if you had the Pulse Rifle early (or Gauss for thoese heretics out there, whom only want medium damage ), you could blast your way through anything withouth even thinking twice.

Weapons and equiptment will almost always have to be placed in regards of the level of the character, if nothing else then for game balance.

[QUOTE=Xandax]This would be very difficult.
Getting high powered weapons early to low level characters will unbalance the game significantly[/QUOTE]


I did not mean you should be able to get high powered weapons early on, I just meant that I felt too dependent on finding the powered armor and a heavy weapon. My character often only had a small guns or large guns skill, but most guns under those categories required high ammounts of time and smmunition to take down even a mid level enemy. Similarly, the power armor was often the only thing that could protect you from the more ruthless baddies, making you vulnerable until you go some, furthermore, most of the armor tends to impare you if you are a more melee/unarmed character, but going without armor is seriously damaging too. what I am suggesting would be more types of armor and more types of small guns with a higher power. Not neccesrily allowing you to get a gauss minigun the second you step to the pavement (Although, that would be sorta fun for a while)

What yopu really want is equal levels in guns, base energy weapons that do similiar damage to small guns and up. That'd be dificult to pull of, suddenly the only difference between the three (if they still exist! ) is the animation when they die.

I'd also want bloody mess to A) not only effect enemies, walls explode not crumple, vats or acid explode not tip over, nuca-cola explodes no give you nuca cola B) not just equal the highest setting on the Gore knob in preferences.