Gimli Posted October 19, 2008 Report Share Posted October 19, 2008 I think that for all RPGs, the ability to choose and develop a different type of character is the most important thing. I think it is the "sine qua non" for RPGs. Under the condition that the different characters also play out different, otherwise it's just a gimmick.Or at least, this should be an ideal of some sort. I haven't seen a cRPG yet which did a completely fair system where all characters would be equivalent. That said, I think the problem here is with the design of Fallout. In particular, most people are not immediately aware that the design of Fallout (and other games for that matter) is not just the Fallout world. And to them it doesn't matter, because they like the world and some other things, but don't really care about things like perspective. It should be noted however, that the perspective does play a significant role in the design of a game, because it directly influences how you play the game. On the other hand there's those of us who do care. And personally it saddens me that Fallout 3 is not using the TB/ISO combination, not only because it was chosen deliberately (Fallout was intended as a sort of port of PnP RPGs to computers), but also because it was well thought out given the circumstances of its creation. It offered a lot both tactically and in the RPG sense. SPECIAL could still use some improvement in both areas, although its perceived flaws have more to do with Fallout than the system itself.I don't like the changes Bethesda is making to SPECIAL, but I'm not interested in the game anymore, so I most likely won't find out how the changes work in reality. Maybe if there was a demo... but buying a game that I most likely won't enjoy just to confirm my suspicions would be stupid. Oh, by the way, from the above two choices I posted, I would have gone for the second one, if only because it's easier to do. I think the first would be pretty hard to do, even impossible for most developers. Couldn't say if Bethesda would be up to the task. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knan Posted October 20, 2008 Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 I think that for all RPGs, the ability to choose and develop a different type of character is the most important thing. I think it is the "sine qua non" for RPGs. Under the condition that the different characters also play out different, otherwise it's just a gimmick.Or at least, this should be an ideal of some sort. I haven't seen a cRPG yet which did a completely fair system where all characters would be equivalent. How do you propose to do that? If all characters are equivalent, your choices don't matter - to be crass The perfectly balanced system doesn't exist and can't exist. You "balance" too much and your choices don't matter. Not enough and there is one overpowered trick that tilts the game. Not considering a Jack-of-all-trades versus specialized talker/warrior/scientist may break assumptions in another direction, making the dabbler underpowered. Scaling the opposition gently based on your skillset may be an option. If you're a sweet talker, your opponents may become cannier after a while because of your reputation. It's an interesting game design problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimli Posted October 20, 2008 Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 How do you propose to do that? If all characters are equivalent, your choices don't matter - to be crass The perfectly balanced system doesn't exist and can't exist. You "balance" too much and your choices don't matter. Not enough and there is one overpowered trick that tilts the game. Not considering a Jack-of-all-trades versus specialized talker/warrior/scientist may break assumptions in another direction, making the dabbler underpowered. Scaling the opposition gently based on your skillset may be an option. If you're a sweet talker, your opponents may become cannier after a while because of your reputation. It's an interesting game design problem. I keep forgetting about that problem from time to time for whatever reason. You are correct that you can't cover all characters. I guess my problem isn't that, but the fact that you have too few choices. Have you attempted going through the game without killing anyone? Far more difficult in my experience (and not as rewarding as using combat). The problem is that somehow combat is always given attention, but some other methods of getting through the world aren't. Did you try playing an engineer, a doctor, or a scientist? Not quite as rewarding, no? Shouldn't they be equivalent though? Meaning having equal chances to get through the game? Harder at some points, easier at other; being able to complete quests that others can't; or complete the same quest in a different way. I would like to see more of that, among other things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Voyager Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 The problem is that somehow combat is always given attention, but some other methods of getting through the world aren't. Did you try playing an engineer, a doctor, or a scientist? Not quite as rewarding, no? Shouldn't they be equivalent though? Meaning having equal chances to get through the game? Harder at some points, easier at other; being able to complete quests that others can't; or complete the same quest in a different way. I would like to see more of that, among other things.IMO combat gets the most attention because most people like it more than peaceful solutions in the game and it usually takes the least time to get through the game. It's a matter of pleasing most players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorondor Posted October 25, 2008 Report Share Posted October 25, 2008 About the Fallout 3 Official Strategy Guide (regular and 498 pages Collector's Edition[ !]) - word from the author, Mr.David Hodgson: "(...) Workload-wise, this guide took approximately 120 days to construct (And that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullAuto Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 My eyebrows are officially raised. Slightly less positive review here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slaughter Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Meta Critic has quite a few positive reviews. I like to look at the user feedback however, and that's lower than the review average. That being said, I guess I'll take the demo for a spin at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimli Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 There is no demo last I heard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullAuto Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 Games journalism. Integrity? No, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorondor Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 PlanetFallout has an interview with PCGamer columnist Desslock and collected his impressions some seven days ago. Here's a snip: "PF:After almost a decade waiting you surely had some expectations. What did surprise you the most? Desslock: I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimli Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 It's kind of a shame that there's no demo, I would have tried it out. This way I won't get it before it hits the bin, just to prevent the risk of being disappointed. :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorondor Posted October 31, 2008 Report Share Posted October 31, 2008 An even-handed review at Wired: "Fallout 3 is not the game that hard-core, longtime Fallout fans are hoping for. Gone is the series' trademark dark humor, elegant interface and turn-based combat. These have been replaced by a decidedly more serious tone, an unnecessarily complex menu system and combat that resembles a curious mutation of that found in Bethesda Game Studios' The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. But despite the changes grafted onto the game in its jump to three dimensions, Fallout 3 is an incredibly deep, engrossing title that easily ranks as one of the best role-playing games in recent memory.":: This rather lukewarm reception to the game eventually concedes 8/10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sorbicol Posted November 1, 2008 Report Share Posted November 1, 2008 I've got this on pre-order, fingers crossed it turns up today. Having just refreshed my memory after picking up fallout 1 & 2 on gog.com, I'm hoping it lives up to the hype. Most of the people I know how have already got it say that it is excellent - especially the first bit as you sort out your character - but most of them are too young to remember the originals..... That said someone I know how loves the originals is disappointed that there are no longer any traits and the perks don't appear to be dependent on any pre-requisites. This means that you don't have to think about what sort of character you want to be some much any more, you can pretty much be anything you like as the game progresses. He does like the combat though and concedes that an isometric game just wouldn't work in today's market. He also says that it's very noticeably Oblivion in a post-apocalyptic setting at times. Despite the initial disappointment that they have simplified the character formation, he's really enjoying it so far and does recommend it. Dunno if that helps anyone here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorondor Posted November 2, 2008 Report Share Posted November 2, 2008 "I've got this on pre-order, fingers crossed it turns up today(...)"Keep them crossed - I've just learnt a large number of people who bought the PC version are experiencing game-breaking crashes and reports are flooding in at Bethesda's Fallout 3 boards. Some are not even able to start playing the game due to a crash that happens precisely when the New Game option is chosen in the game's main menu. Some cases seem to be SecuROM related but many more are not and speculation abounds. By all accounts Bethesda is silent as a monolith, and indeed all I see on the game's site in lieu of updates are more flattering reviews. Even No Mutants Allowed appears to be oblivious to these facts, as they too seem content spewing review links... :: I'm surprised something of this magnitude hasn't spilled out to public attention. So now you know... "Prepare for the Future" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knan Posted November 2, 2008 Report Share Posted November 2, 2008 I'm taking the "OMG it no workie" reports with several truckloads of salt. Always happens with big games, no matter what. And there is an updated game launcher from securom fixing some issues, I see. It'll work out. Bethesda isn't especially evil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sorbicol Posted November 2, 2008 Report Share Posted November 2, 2008 Haven't noticed that thanks for the update. If it is a secureROM issue then fairly sure I can sort that out - I had similar problems with Mass Effect but got that sorted in about half an hour. Annoying but there you go. Other crashes I'll go read up on now. That said the guy who love the fallout games who is playing fallout 3 is playing the PC version and so far he's reported no problems at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thorondor Posted November 6, 2008 Report Share Posted November 6, 2008 "(...) the guy who love the fallout games who is playing fallout 3 is playing the PC version and so far he's reported no problems at all."Not all people seem to have been affected in equal measure. Yet some others only detect problems in certain areas or stages of the game. A patch is said to be in the works (at Micro$oft's prodding ! ) but no word on what it will fix or when it is to be released. Edit: the first patch is now out. There are issues it doesn't yet solve, though. You can find it over at Bethesda's F3 site here. :: Nonetheless, Fallout 3 is already a success ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azrael Strife Posted November 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2008 Been playing it for a couple of days now, it's a fantastic game so far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slaughter Posted December 11, 2008 Report Share Posted December 11, 2008 More Fallout 3 content... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slaughter Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 Fallout: New Vegas Revealed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimli Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 And it's made by Obsidian. I wonder if MCA is involved with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slaughter Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 More DLC Fallout 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FullAuto Posted September 11, 2009 Report Share Posted September 11, 2009 Fallout over Fallout. Fallout rights holder Bethesda Softworks has made good on its threat to sue developer Interplay for allegedly failing to hold up its end of agreements inked in April 2007. Bethesda filed a complaint -- obtained by Gamasutra -- in the U.S. District Court of Maryland on September 9 requesting a preliminary and permanent injunction against Interplay's manufacture, sale, and distribution of Fallout Trilogy, which includes the classic PC games Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout Tactics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matri Posted September 12, 2009 Report Share Posted September 12, 2009 Wow. That's just not right... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NKF Posted September 18, 2009 Report Share Posted September 18, 2009 Sold a few non-essential organs (like the brain, heart, my right hand) and bought myself the new PS3 slimline console (inevitable, been collecting PS3 titles for a while now despite not owning the console). As such, being able to play Fallout 3 is now well within my grasp. Haven't got it yet, but does anyone know if the console version is stable or would it require updates to play well? Dozens of questions I'd like answered about the game, but I think I'll just wait and see. - NKF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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