Fallout 4

[Fragems]

I would say grab Fallout 3 GotY edition for PC during the upcoming steam summer sale if you have a good PC to run it on. It will probably only be $10 or so I have around 63 hours logged on my steam copy and probably a 100 or so on the retail copy I picked up when it released. While the lore isn't as good as the Elderscroll games it has a really nice atmosphere and the exploration/scavenging is top notch.

I might have to go back and replay a couple games in the series now. Never beat Fallout 1,2, or Tactics, and while I have beaten the base campaigns of Fallout 3 & NV I have never gotten into their DLC aside from Anchorage which was pretty stale.

[Exhuminator]

For the longest time I had trouble figuring out exactly what types of games these really were.

I did a piss poor job explaining what the games actually are.

The first three games are post apocalyptic free roaming RPGs with astounding moral freedom and gleefully gory combat. Your job in the games is simply to survive the wastelands and do whatever you think needs doing. The level up system is very cool, with tons of custom-ability, and a system of PERKS that let you give your character totally unique abilities. Each game has one overlying goal to finish in order to "beat the game", but how you get to that goal leaves a lot up to the player. In the meantime, there are tons of sidequests and side stories to get into that you can do, or not do. The first two games have some of the best NPC dialogue you'll ever see. All three games have a huge streak of dark humor going on at all times, especially the first two games though. You really can't go wrong with Fallout 1-3. They are the best WRPGs I've played.

[Fragems]

All Fallout games are 50% off on steam right now. Base copies of Fallout 3 & NV are $5 each or you can get the Complete versions with all DLC for $12 each. Also Fallout 1, 2, and Tactics are $5 each or all 3 for $12.

[Forlorn Drifter]

I'm bummed at a certain rumor, which seems to have some reliability, that suggests voiced player characters. I was hoping we might get better writing, which this could still bring, but I'm scared of binary good/bad options, and doubt we'll get low intelligence options. And will we still have options to be silent? That is one thing the Beth games brought that I liked, just being a mute to deal with a variety of situations.

[Forlorn Drifter]

Sorry for double post, did have to bump though, excited and somewhat confused about Fallout 4.

So, just watched the Bethesda E3 Conference, which had some pretty interesting stuff excluding Fallout, but Fallout is the point here. So, voiced protagonist. I'm not sure how that's going to go. It looks like four options per time you are given the chance the talk... so are we going to be somewhat more limited in options? Leaves a lot of questions. What if you can have an intelligence, perception, speech, etc check? Does that remove one of the original options? Or did they take speech checks out? It seems to be Mass Effect style, play male or female with a ton of customization on looks.

Graphics have jumped. Not amazingly, but they have jumped quite a bit, with lighting and foliage being the big thing I noticed. Animation looks pretty good from what is shown, though that stupid jogging animation is back in all it janky glory. I couldn't tell from what was shown too well, but methinks 3rd person camera has been made pretty well usable now. VATs is also very slo-mo rather than full stop now. Mole rats actually dig, which is kickass.

Tons of building and crafting. A whole crap ton of weapon customization, customizable power armor (appears that you can pick and choose various pieces of the armor, like mixing T-51b with T-45b or Enclave pieces, etc), and build-able settlements that will be able to populate with NPCs, along with being able to send caravans between settlements and such.

It appears melee with ranged weapons is in. There were scenes of butting with weapon ends, and bayonets are available for customization. Also, baseball bats covered in nails and razor blades and that.

Story wise, we didn't get much. You are one of the two family members seen in the first trailer, either the woman or the man, and somehow survive until after the apocalypse. How is not stated. The Brotherhood of Steel is back, but to what extent is unknown. Super mutant behemoths are in, which brings questions of what happened in the Capitol Wasteland post Fallout 3, seeing as it was heavily suggested East Coast super mutants would be wiped out. However, the mutants looked more green, which suggests West Coast super mutants, which leads to a ton of questions.

And release is 11-10-2015. (American style on the date their, change as needed if out of the US) So we aren't far away from release.

[Ack]

Hey man, when life gives you razors, you make a razor bat.

[Luke]

Ho-hum.

I can't seem to enjoy the Fallout series. And that's odd because it feels a lot like the KOTR series, which I love. Playing Fallout to me is the equivalent of what my wife sees when I play a game: a waste of time. It's not exciting, not engaging, heavy on the dialogue, and the fights are boring.

The beginning of Fallout 3 sets the tone as you play as a baby that can play with balls.

[Snatch1414]

I thought the first trailer was really safe, so I was glad to see the info last night that renewed my enthusiasm. I just didn't want it to be exactly like 3 and New Vegas just with a different story/setting.

[BogusMeatFactory]

I don't know. I am feeling more and more disinterested with this installment as information comes up. It isn't about the graphics for me at all, so that isn't really the issue. I have never been a fan of customization and optimization in games. I don't like pouring through menus and crafting in the sense of how modern game mechanics approach crafting. It never appeals to me to get an item or weapon and then get various attachments to pimp out that weapon.

I like it simple in that sense, I guess. I also don't find the addition of the dog as an interesting game mechanic. Clearly, the dog can't die, because it seems to be such an integral mode in the game, so what purpose does he serve? You have all these context sensitive actions you can have the dog make like grabbing wrenches and digging for stuff, sure, but I never felt like Fallout needed more complex dog mechanics.

Thirdly, I don't like having the veil pulled back on the past. There is always something intriguing about a world you don't know, but piece together from all the remnants from before. It lets your imagination run wild and makes the world seem more exotic and wild than it really would be. By having scenes in the pre-bomb era, you remove that imaginative force, because it is handed to you on a silver platter. Now, I know that the introduction could be the only instance where you see the past, but I still feel a bit disappointed in it.

I'm not trying to crap on the game at all, because I am sure that it will be an incredibly well made and entertaining game, but I feel like more and more of the features in the game are features that I will not use and that makes it not appeal to me as much.

[Snatch1414]

I have some skepticism about the dog as well. If it can't die then that kinda takes you out of the whole 'surviving the wasteland' motif. If it can die, I would probably just let him die at the beginning and get it over with. Either way the idea is a little fuzzy. Maybe if they made it clear early on that he was trained to hide from danger and just run away any time there's a confrontation it would still be a little odd but that seems the most sensible to me.

I don't think the parts in the past are going to be a big deal. I imagine you'll play just enough of the pre-nuke section to develop your character then the shit will go down. It'll just be like an extended version of the beginning of 3 when you're a baby. That's my guess.

As for the crafting, I admit I don't get off on that as much as some people. I do like the cities/buildings you can create though. I also think the graphics are passable for a game of this size, and the unique towns are a step up from what we had in 3 and NV. I will miss the landmarks in DC though. That was half the awe inspired by 3. Coming across those and actually going inside. I'm sure they will capture some of that in Boston but it won't be the same.