Gaming Fallout 3

[Drizzt Do'urden]

I sort've regret listing this game in my thread about new shooters. I rented it yesterday, and after logging about 3 hours its apparent it's so much more. I hadn't went into detail about the game, and never realizd it was made using the same engine that Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion used.

While you may look at that with a raised eyebrow wondering how they could use the same style of game with a futuristic shooter, but they do and it works. The skills are basically the same but given a modern tweak. You have things like Melee, Big Guns, Small Guns, Energy Weapons, and Unarmed for combat skills.

Just like Oblivion you have you other skills as wel; bartering, speech, sneak. Then they throw Explosives and Science out there.

It really is a great game, so I ask what do you think about it? Do you have any questions about it, I could go into more detail but I would have to explain everything about the game in one post.

[Ellerby]

[FONT="Tahoma"][COLOR="DimGray"]This game has really caught my interest. I've never played a Fallout game before (I did play Oblivion and loved it) but when I saw a preview of the game on G4tv I nearly came when they started going on about the story.

A picture-perfect world with leave it to beaver sensibility that suddenly is under the threat of a nuclear war is an awesome idea. This company called Vault-Tec creates vaults for people to hide in until everything above ground is perfect again (which doesn't happen, of course) and I guess the story picks up as a few people are leaving the vaults.

I know that I will enjoy this game just because I love shooters, I love RPGs and I love Bethesda. What I'd like to know before I pick up a copy for myself is should I play the first two Fallouts before I try the third? The game seems very plot driven.

Also does it include any online?[/COLOR][/FONT]

[silpheedpilot]

[SIZE="1"][COLOR="SlateGray"]It doesn't include any online play, and you really don't NEED to play the previous Fallout games to enjoy this one. Though, you might want to just so you can experience the charm and understand some subtle references.

I'm not going to lie; This game IS Oblivion with guns but that's what makes it good.

I'm loving Fallout 3 the more I play it and it'll likely replace Oblivion as my 'Greatest Game Ever Made'.[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Carbon Series]

Well Fallout 3 i believe is available in the UK from the 31st of October and its definately a must buy for myself. I have a PS3 and am finding it difficult to find a release i can sit down with for more than 10 minutes without getting bored. The next couple of months or so hold exciting times for PS3 owners and Fallout 3, as i said, for me is a must.

I played Oblivion, then bought the GotY edition with the expansion and that was absolutely fantastic, in fact i still play it from time to time. (did you know that oblivions one of the PS3 platinum games now? shocking lol) But yeah when i heard Bethesda were involved with Fallout i was so happy and cant wait to give it a good seeing to.

[Gavin]

[quote name='silpheedpilot'][SIZE="1"][COLOR="SlateGray"]I'm not going to lie; This game IS Oblivion with guns but that's what makes it good.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/QUOTE]

[SIZE="1"]Well that's me set to buy this then, as soon as I can scrape the cash and time together. I figured with Bethesda behind the wheel this would be something similar to Oblivion and given how much time I've clocked in that game I'm sure Fallout 3 will earn similar playage. Oh and course there's fact it actually looks like an awesome game...probably should've had that at the start of the post rather than now.[/SIZE]

[Nessaja]

Well, I got this game and I was pleasantly surprised. It's a lot better than I was hoping it would be.

Just don't play it around anyone who is sensitive to game violence. You can do some pretty gruesome stuff in this game. :animestun (I'm sure there are games that are worse, but this has some stuff in it that I never thought someone would be allowed to put in a game.)

Oh and, so how have all of you guys made your character look? My character is a girl and I originally had some spikey mad max-ish armor on her and a welder's helmet, but I found something better. This might sound weird, but I have my character wearing a dirty green dress, that kind of mohawk hairstyle (I think it is called 'unladylike',) and biker goggles. It sounds a little odd I know, but it seems to fit with the Fallout world so far. Basically in the game I look like a post-apocalyptic 1950's housewife. XD
So have you guys found any good looks? And I hope you can grab a gas mask in this game. It would really fit the atmosphere.

Oh and so far, this game it's easy to just forget about all of the quests and go exploring. I find so many cool buildings and stuff. :o There's not many games where it is just fun to do nothing. Oh and speaking of fun, I've only tried it once but the black widow perk is great when it lets you get extra dialogue options.

[Doublehex]

I need to say it, but it has to be said.

This game is not Fallout. It is just a shooter trying to be an rpg. Just because it has the title Fallout in it does not make it one.

No choices and consequences? Poorly written dialogue? Slowmo for every shot with the VATS? Everything being solved with only violence?

This is not Fallout. This is just Oblivion with Guns - and that is the highest criticism I can give to any game.

This game is horrible. Just, bad. Really, really, bad.

Lrb, go to Gog.com and go buy Fallout 1 and 2 for $12. A much better purchase than the $60 you would spend on this pretty piece of trash.

And before I go: For the [URL="http://www.rpgcodex.net/"][U]Codex[/U][/URL]!

[Sephiroth]

[quote name='Matt']I need to say it, but it has to be said.

This game is not Fallout. It is just a shooter trying to be an rpg. Just because it has the title Fallout in it does not make it one.

No choices and consequences? Poorly written dialogue? Slowmo for every shot with the VATS? Everything being solved with only violence?

This is not Fallout. This is just Oblivion with Guns - and that is the highest criticism I can give to any game.

This game is horrible. Just, bad. Really, really, bad.

Lrb, go to Gog.com and go buy Fallout 1 and 2 for $12. A much better purchase than the $60 you would spend on this pretty piece of trash.

And before I go: For the [URL="http://www.rpgcodex.net/"][U]Codex[/U][/URL]![/QUOTE]

[COLOR="Red"]Strange, I think this is the only negative comment I have read for Fallout 3, everyone else seems to be going nuts over it.

I'll pick up my copy later today during my lunch break, I'm not sure whether to get the 360 version or the PS3 version though, from online screen comparisons it seems to look better on 360, it actually looks best on PC but my PC isn't quite monstrous enough[/COLOR]

[Doublehex]

[quote name='Sephiroth'][COLOR="Red"]Strange, I think this is the only negative comment I have read for Fallout 3, everyone else seems to be going nuts over it.

I'll pick up my copy later today during my lunch break, I'm not sure whether to get the 360 version or the PS3 version though, from online screen comparisons it seems to look better on 360, it actually looks best on PC but my PC isn't quite monstrous enough[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

You have never gone to the Codex then.

Or [URL="http://www.irontowerstudio.com/forum/index.php?topic=577.0"][B][U]Iron Tower[/U][/B][/URL] for that matter.

Save your money. Just go and buy Fallout 1 and 2. Those are the TRUE treasures.

[Drizzt Do'urden]

[quote name='Matt']You have never gone to the Codex then.

Or [URL="http://www.irontowerstudio.com/forum/index.php?topic=577.0"][B][U]Iron Tower[/U][/B][/URL] for that matter.

Save your money. Just go and buy Fallout 1 and 2. Those are the TRUE treasures.[/QUOTE]

Well you're assuming he doesn't already have those, also you're assuming that he cares that it doesn't fall in line with the others. Final Fantasy VII introduced new features into the world of Final Fantasy that was against the norm, but people went nuts over it. Just cause a game strays from the others a bit doesn't mean that its bad, but we're all entitled to our own opinions even if the rest of us don't agree with you.

[Doublehex]

[quote name='Drizzt Do'urden']Well you're assuming he doesn't already have those, also you're assuming that he cares that it doesn't fall in line with the others. Final Fantasy VII introduced new features into the world of Final Fantasy that was against the norm, but people went nuts over it. Just cause a game strays from the others a bit doesn't mean that its bad, but we're all entitled to our own opinions even if the rest of us don't agree with you.[/QUOTE]

There's a huge difference. Final Fantasy stayed true to the general philosophy of the Final Fantasy series. Beyond the name, you could tell it was a Final Fantasy game. It was a true sequel.

It was also one of the worst, and most overrated games ever made. More on that when I feel like it.

Fallout 3? It's a sequel in name only. It does not carry the game design philosophies that Fallout 1 and 2 possessed. If you removed the Fallout name, Fallout 3 could have easily been any other post apocalyptic game.

But it's not. It doesn't even [I]try[/I] to be Fallout. It's just an over glorified mod of Oblivion, a game that offers no real sense of roleplaying at all.

Essentially, Fallout 3 fails as an RPG. It barely succeeds as a shooter. It's a horrible game, and the only reason it has so much acclaim is because it is overly hyped, and Beth. has bribed the media to give it such acclaim.

[Korey]

[quote name='Matt']
Essentially, Fallout 3 fails as an RPG. It barely succeeds as a shooter. It's a horrible game, and the only reason it has so much acclaim is because it is overly hyped, and Beth. has bribed the media to give it such acclaim.[/QUOTE]

[FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"]That's a stretch. Why don't you just say "I don't like the game" ? Bethesda took the Fallout series and did their own thing with it and if it doesn't please you, then that's certainly your right to not buy the game. But you are telling us not to buy it for reasons I would obviously overlook. The game graphically is fantastic, the controls are spot-on, the game play features are interesting enough to keep me playing the game.

You are basing your naysaying on your own displeasure of the game and subjective opinion without giving any sort of objective review towards the game.

Concering FF7, tell that to Sqauresoft's big, fat pockets. I personally loved the game and would hardly call it overrated compared to some of the other RPGs that have been pumped out in the last decade or so. The game practically made people rethink how people did RPGs. Without FF7, there would be no Oblivion, no Blue Dragon, no Kingdom Hearts, no Xenosaga, no Star Ocean, no Dragon Quest 8...you get the point.[/FONT]

[Doublehex]

I have to disagree. You think that Oblivion wouldn't of have existed without Final Fantasy 7. Final Fantasy 7 is a JRPG. Oblivion is a WRPG - or, at least that is what it claims. The very first game in the Elder Scrolls series, Arena, was released in 1994, 3 years before Final Fantasy 7 finally hit stateside. CRPGs would still be alive today, even if Final Fantasy 7 never came.

Reason? Most CRPG fans [I]hate[/I] JRPGs. They are a direct contradiction everything they love about CRPGs. Let me give some examples:

1] CRPGs, more cases than not, give you the chance to create your own main character. There are usually different races, character portraits, and classes to choose from. JRPGs, on the other hand, the furthest they will ever go in terms of customization is the main character's name. Again, this is just generalities. There are exceptions in both - Planescape: Torment went the JRPG route, and had your main character already create, and there is surely a JRPG out there that allows you to make your own main character. The thing that should be noted was that the developers of Planescape: Torment were trying to make an videogame novel. There is little indication of that in JRPGs.
2] In CRPGs, you will affect the way your character advances. For example, you can multicalss (Fighter/Mage, for example), invest points in stats, etc. The character trully becomes your own. JRPGs rarely give you that option. The character evolves as the developers had decided. The latest Final Fantasies had changed this... to an extent. In Final Fantasy 10, you were limited to a advancement sphere. An interesting concept, but you were still limited in the way the characters could evolve, albeit with different paths. Final Fantasy 12 went the CRPG route. Your characters could become [I]anything[/I]. There was nothing keeping Vaan from being a mage. But the ridiculous grind made character advancement very slow.
3] [I]Roleplaying[/I]. In CRPGs, roleplaying is key. The story really drives the game, and you are to act out your character to the greatest extent the writers have given you. Want to be an *******? Do so. Want to be the good guy? You are more than welcomed to. The story may be set, but your character, background aside, is not. How he acts is up to you. You don't do that in JRPGs. You are an actor, reading from a script. You are told to do something, you [I]have[/I] to do it.

Why would they want to play something they hate? JRPGs had little influence on CRPGs.

The point of the matter is, I am comparing Fallout to the standards of the JRPG genre. I am comparing it to the CRPG genre. The dialogue is shoddy, the story is atrocious - if you want, I'll link you videos of the 4 endings. There is no 200 endings in the game. Just 4 endings with various different screen shots.

There is no choice and consequence. The humor doesn't carry the wit the old game had. The game doesn't have the moral ambiguity of the past titles. The combat is dull. You are FORCED to use the VATS system, and VATS is pretty much cheating. Why should it take me 7 shots to kill a dog, when I can otherwise use VATS to kill it in 3? And the slowmo got really old really fast. It did it after every shot.

Not to mention I actually broke the main quest a few times. I had to reload a save game several hours back in order to actually finish the game. Why should I be restricted to not being an enemy of the Brotherhood of Steel? Why do I [I]have[/I] to be their friend?

And look at this screen, and tell me with a straight face, that Fallout 3 is a good game.

[IMG]http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/3187/screenshot58nk1.png[/IMG]

[silpheedpilot]

[quote name='Matt'] You are FORCED to use the VATS system, and VATS is pretty much cheating. Why should it take me 7 shots to kill a dog, when I can otherwise use VATS to kill it in 3? And the slowmo got really old really fast. It did it after every shot.[/QUOTE]

[SIZE="1"][COLOR="SlateGray"]
Kind of like Called Shots in the previous Fallout games, huh?

Your logic is flawed and you're just butthurt because it's not an old-style isometric RPG.
Oblivion with guns? Why not call Icewind Dale; Fallout with swords?

Think what you will of the integrity of videogame reviewing sites, mags, blogs and such but I think the general concensus is that Fallout 3 is quite the GREAT game.[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[Doublehex]

No, I am afraid it is you withe flawed logic, sir.

Called shot was a good skill, yes. But it was not the only skill that was needed. I absolutely [I]had[/I] to use VATS to beat the game.

I have no problem with it being first person. I'm not so ignorant that I would call Fallout bad just because it went from isometric to first/third person.

And the biggest difference between Icewind Dale and Fallout is that Icewind Dale is what I'd classify as a team based RPG. The story and pathway was very linear, but the way you built your "party" and customized it, as well as used your characters many skills to beat the enemies. Sort of like Ghost Recon, now that I think about it.

Fallout is, in many ways, a single character experience. Yes, there are a few characters that would join you for a period of time, but the meat of the game was about YOU.

And so what if I don't agree with the general consensus of the community? If I think Fallout 3 is a stinking pile of turd, I have just as much a right to say it as you do of your praise for the game.

[silpheedpilot]

[quote name='Matt']And so what if I don't agree with the general consensus of the community? If I think Fallout 3 is a stinking pile of turd, I have just as much a right to say it as you do of your praise for the game.[/QUOTE]

[COLOR="SlateGray"][SIZE="1"]Then I have to know what YOU think isn't terrible. As it stands I'm not expecting much.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Sephiroth]

[COLOR="Red"]I picked up Fallout 3 today, and before I knew it 8 hours had passed

This is a truly brilliant game, I'm just having so much fun exploring and doing side quests, I've barely even touched the main quest. When you see the world for the first time the graphics are truly jaw dropping in HD. Everything is high quality, from the sound and music, down to the presentation. I'm completely in love with the atmosphere.

I haven't played the previous Fallout games, I'll probably pick them up sometime in the future, so I can't really make any comparisons between Fallout 3 and the previous games.

Matt, you are entitled to your opinion and I respect that. I myself didn't like Oblivion when everyone else did, I really tried to get into it but after a few hours I felt like bashing my head against the wall.[/COLOR]

[Doublehex]

[quote name='silpheedpilot'][COLOR="SlateGray"][SIZE="1"]Then I have to know what YOU think isn't terrible. As it stands I'm not expecting much.[/SIZE][/COLOR][/QUOTE]

It is very pretty. The score is also very good. And the slow mo was good the very first time.

[Korey]

[FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"]Silpheed and Matt, please keep this discussion civil. While you both have different views on the game and it is certainly fine to have your own opinions, let's refrain from telling each other our logic is flawed and we all have to agree with some consensus. Some people just don't like the game. The consensus is just that, an aggregate of similar opinions.

I did play a little bit of Fallout 3 and while it's not my type of game, I did enjoy it for what it was. Will I buy the game? Probably not, because many newer games are on the horizon (Gears 2, Street Fighter IV...etc), however this game is worth a look and holds up to what I expected it to. It is definitely a few bounds ahead of other games within this genre.[/FONT]

[Doublehex]

Sorry about the nerd rage there, Korey. Just, the whole Bethesda betraying the whole Fallout fanbase is all. It would do it to anybody, I swear it!

So, just so that I don't make this a two lined post, although the soundtrack is quite good, I do not think it fits the Fallout universe. I think it is too epic, too fantasyesque. Although it is very well composed, I do not think it fits the bleak life of Fallout.

Then again, Fallout 3's atmosphere isn't anything like Fallout 1 + 2, so I guess it does fit, in a way.

BTW, something I have been wondering - why is it that in a wasteland, the nearest town after Vault 101 is just a mere 5 minutes away? Wasn't it supposed to be at least a good 15 minutes? That's how I remember it in the old games... and it makes more sense, considering the scenario.

[Nessaja]

[quote name='Matt']
BTW, something I have been wondering - why is it that in a wasteland, the nearest town after Vault 101 is just a mere 5 minutes away? Wasn't it supposed to be at least a good 15 minutes? That's how I remember it in the old games... and it makes more sense, considering the scenario.[/QUOTE]

I never thought of that. Although some towns are a good 10-15 minutes away from each other. And there is a lot of stuff to explore in this game. That's one reason I liked it so much. I always felt like if I kept on going, I would find some cool old building and I almost always did.

Besides that though, this is one of the first games that has made me get involved with my character. It's partly because of the story and that makes me feel for the character you play as. But the other part is, I swear one time when I used VATS that my character let out a delighted smirk as it zoomed in on her face as she mowed down a super mutant.

I just wish they had put a lot of hours of music in the game though. I was hoping to be able to choose between more than one radio station to hear music, and I wanted to hear hours and hours of old swing, jazz, etc. songs that I haven't heard before. But at least the Xbox guide takes care of that.

[Vigilance]

Does anyone know how to get the Bloody Mess Perk? I don't know when your suppose to get it, any ideas how to get it?

[Drizzt Do'urden]

I had actually rented and been playing fall out 3 for the past two weeks (needed something to get me by till GOW2). I got relatively far and though I cannot remember at what level the bloody mess perk popped up. I do recall that some perks you couldn't unlock at the level they were supposed to be unlocked at.

Instead you had to use the...intense training I think....I can't remember but the perk that you could add a point to your strength, endurance, etc. Some perks required you have a certain trait at a certain level before it would unlock.

The next time you level up scroll down and look at the yet to be unlocked perks, the bloody mess will be in one of those, barring you don't unlock it when you level up.

Speaking of leveling up, that was the one major thing that bugged me. It was so easy to level up. I was at level 12 before I knew it, I was at level 14 in the two weeks I had it....that's only logging a couple hours a day.

Oh and one final thing, no arena. Though the arena in Oblivion was by far not the best feature in the game, a nice arena in this one would've been awesome. Something like the raiders would have had...

Not knocking the game, as I said when I started this thread I loved every second of it.

[Carbon Series]

I must say that before i played it I didnt quite grasp how much this game was going to resemble obvlivion, i mean i had an idea but it actually is just Oblivion with guns. From the menus right down to the droney music in the background. Not that im saying thats a bad thing, not having played the earlier Fallout titles so i wouldnt know how different they are. The one thing that did annoy me though, and this may well just be on the PS3 version but it seems to be full of little glitches. Like when i fast tracked to a place a burned out car flew across the sky and a few times dead bodies that have been there for a while just seem to fly off.

I suppose i should've expected it though, i seem to remember Oblivion have some tastey glitches as well. (I still love both Fallout and Oblivion though :P)

[Gavin]

[SIZE="1"]OK so I folded under the pressure last Friday and actually bought Fallout 3, unfortunately I'm still grinding away at Warhammer Age of Reckoning so I only started it last night for about ninety or so minutes.

That said all my first impressions of the game have been quite positive, I don't care a whole pile for the inventory system but with time I imagine I'll get over that. The graphics, voices and score on the other hand are all great so far, apparently Bethesda has learned that you need to hire more than 6 voice-actors for an entire game sans the main characters.

Probably post more on this later, after I figure out roughly what kind of character I want.[/SIZE]