Fallout 3

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Fallout 3 is an action role-playing game^[2], currently under development by Bethesda Softworks.^[4] It will be the third major game in the Fallout series, which has also spawned the spin-offs Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel and Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel.

Plot

Similar to previous Fallout games, Fallout 3 takes place in post-apocalyptic United States. The player character is a member of Vault 101, a fallout shelter serving Washington D.C. One day, the player wakes up finding that his father has left the vault and ventured into the wasteland for unknown reasons. Wishing to uncover the mystery behind his father's departure, the player leaves the protection of the vault as well in search of his father's whereabouts.^[5]

Development history

Interplay Entertainment

Main article: Van Buren (Fallout)

Fallout 3 was initially under development by Black Isle Studios, a studio owned by Interplay Entertainment, under the working title Van Buren. Interplay Entertainment went bankrupt and closed down Black Isle Studios before the game could be completed, and the license to develop Fallout 3 was sold for a $1,175,000 minimum guaranteed advance against royalties to Bethesda Softworks, a studio primarily known as the developer of the The Elder Scrolls series.^[6]. Bethesda's Fallout 3 however, was developed from scratch, using neither Van Buren code, nor any other materials created by Black Isle Studios. In May 2007, a playable technology demo of the cancelled project was released to public.^[7]

Bethesda Softworks

Bethesda Softworks stated it would be working on Fallout 3 in July 2004,^[8] but principal development did not begin until after The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was completed.^[9] Bethesda Softworks has announced their intention to make Fallout 3 similar to the previous two games, focusing on non-linear gameplay, a good story, and black comedy. Bethesda has also stated the game will be rated M for mature, and will have the same sort of adult themes, violence, and depravity that are characteristic of the Fallout series. They have also decided to shy away from the self-referential gags of the 2 predecessors that broke the illusion that the world of Fallout is real. Fallout 3 will use a version of the same Gamebryo engine as The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion,^[1] and is being developed by the team responsible for that game.^[10] Liam Neeson has been attached to the project as the voice of the player's father.^[11] In February 2007, Bethesda stated that the game was "a fairly good ways away" from release, but that detailed information and previews would be available later in the year.^[10] Following a statement made by Pete Hines that the team wanted to make the game a "multiple platform title",^[1] the game was announced by Game Informer to be in development for Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.^[3] A teaser site for the game appeared on May 2, 2007, featuring music from the game and concept art, along with a timer counting down to June 5, 2007.^[12] The concept art was commissioned before The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was released, and has been confirmed by the artist and developers that the images do not reveal anything from the actual game.[1][2] When the countdown finished, the site hosted the first teaser trailer for the game, and unveiled a release date of "Fall 2008".^[13]

Reaction to the rights transfer

Leonard Boyarsky, art director of the original Fallout, when asked about Interplay Entertainment's sale of the rights to Bethesda Softworks, said that he felt as though "our ex wife had sold our children that she had legal custody of." ^[14]

Teaser trailer

The iconic Vault Boy's teaser trailer cameo. The full sign reads "Sign up at your local vault, A Brighter Future - Underground!"

On June 5, 2007, Bethesda released the Fallout 3 Teaser trailer. The press kit released with the trailer indicates that Ron Perlman is on-board with the project, and cites a release date of Fall 2008. The trailer also features the Ink Spots song "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire", which the previous Fallout developer Black Isle Studios originally intended to license for use in the first Fallout game^[15]. The trailer, which was completely done with in-engine assets, closed with Ron Perlman saying his trademark line as the narrator of the first two Fallout games: "War. War never changes." The trailer shows a devastated Washington, D.C, evidenced by the partially crumbled Washington Monument in the background ^[16].

Gameplay

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A cover story in the magazine Game Informer ^[17] revealed that:

• The game can use both first-person and third-person perspective.
• Main character creation is implemented by specifying the character's childhood. The character's mother dies in labor in a Vault hospital, after which the player chooses the character's Traits and general appearance during the father's DNA analysis. Afterwards, the father removes his surgeon's mask to reveal a face much like the one chosen by the player for the character.
• As a child in the Vault, the character receives a book titled "You're Special", whereupon you'll set the character's 7 primary aptitudes. The character receives training weapons and a PIP-boy during childhood, and the player's performance in various tests determines the rest of the attributes. Additionally, there will be quests inside the Vault that influence the pc's relationship with his or her father.
• Skills and Perks are similar to those in previous games: the player chooses 3 Tag Skills out of 14 to be the character's specialties, and the character will gain a Perk every other level. 4 skills have been cut out from the game (Fallout and Fallout 2 had 18 skills) but it is unknown what skills have been cut off.
• Max level will be 20.
• There will be a definite end to the game, with many possible endings based on good/evil/neutral events you trigger.
• The Vault-tec Assisted Targeting System, or V.A.T.S. will be implemented. Various actions cost action points, and both the player and enemies can target specific body areas for attacks, inflicting specific injuries. While using V.A.T.S., real-time combat is paused creating a combat system that the Bethesda developers have described as a hybrid between turn-based and real-time combat.
• The game will maintain the same level of gore. While using V.A.T.S., the gory deaths in the game will be shown in slow motion. One of the featured screenshots is of a super-mutant's head exploding in great detail.
• The game will feature a new health and radiation system. The player can measure an object's radioactivity and gauge the effect it will have on the character.
• Karma titles, similar to those from previous games, will grant Xbox Live Achievements on that platform.

See also

• Fallout (series)
• Fallout (computer game)
• Fallout 2

References

External links

Official

• Fallout 3 Official website
• Fallout 3 Official Forum
• Bethesda Softworks to Develop and Publish Fallout 3

Fansites

• Fallout 3 Zone
• No Mutants Allowed - longest standing Fallout fansite ( NMA Fallout 3 preview)
• Duck and Cover
• Fallout 3 article at The Vault, the Fallout wiki

Interviews

• Interview with Todd Howard, Executive Producer of Fallout 3 by the Fallout Fan Site Duck and Cover
• Interview with the designers

Unofficial Coverage

• Fallout 3 page at Gamespot
• Trailers, Interviews and Gameplay videos for Fallout 3