BREAKING NEWS: NEW EXCLUSIVE FALLOUT 3 TRAILER

[Tigranes]

Ever read this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7070201743.html

 

Yep, and that's part of the reason I think. Some (not all) journos love to interview them more than they want to be interviewed...

 

The consensus is that Fallout 3 will be good. That's not surprising, the consensus was that Oblivion was good and so was Morrowind. So I don't know why anyone is surprised by the positive hype.

 

Exactly, it's not surprising. What is surprising, however, is how few people highlight the fact that Bethesda refuse to release informaiton about roleplaying/dialogue/C&C options.

[Kelverin]

So I don't know why anyone is surprised by the positive hype.

Is there such thing as negative hype?

 

What is surprising, however, is how few people highlight the fact that Bethesda refuse to release informaiton about roleplaying/dialogue/C&C options.

That's what is keeping me from getting overly excited about this game, it does not seem at least to me that anyone on this board anyway has said they have seen enough to make a purchase.

[Jaesun]

http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/07/hands-on-fallou.html

 

If the Fallout universe were only an aesthetic, Bethesda would have completely nailed it with the upcoming Fallout 3.

 

Unfortunately, as my half an hour with the game a few moments ago demonstrated, all the external pieces are there, but the charm that made the series such a classic is almost entirely lacking.

[Volourn]

"Exactly, it's not surprising. What is surprising, however, is how few people highlight the fact that Bethesda refuse to release informaiton about roleplaying/dialogue/C&C options."

 

Meh. I doubt they are 'refusing to'. They just have decided not to.

 

It was just a few days ago people were whining that BIO weren't releasing any game play videos.. and, now we have one. *shrug*

 

Bethesda will release it when they feel it's time.

[Hurlshort]

I don't think we are getting dialogue videos for the same reason movies don't show a 30 second conversation as a trailer. They are sticking to the fireworks, it's not a conspiracy, it's just standard advertising.

 

I think if someone is really worried about dialogue and RP, they will probably have to wait for folks who have played through the entire game.

 

Also, they've given some pretty decent information on the character creation and life in the vault. That doesn't seem like they are avoiding RP information to me.

[Tigranes]

Really? Because even Oblivion showed dialogue and AI. The Witcher had massive videos showing dialogue, quest solving and C&C. Even Diablo 3 showed dialogue. You have a point that most trailers will *focus* on the fireworks, but Bethesda has been unusually evasive, and I don't think it can apply.

 

The only examples they've really given are Megaton, the ONE conversation with a bully in the Vault and... a single screenshot of a generic conversation node which is apparently not representative.

[Jaesun]

15. You can find 20 "Bobble Head's" in the game that increase your character stats. WAT?

Edited July 17, 2008 by Jaesun

[Guest The Architect]

Sounds like this game is heading for a fallout.

[RangerSG]

Indeed, I recall the hype for Oblivion, where they showed off the dialogue system in detail and promised Radiant AI would revolutionize RPGs. It seems that they are playing things far too close to the vest this time. Either they have something truly stellar they're really afraid of being stolen, or they know they're playing a shell game. Given that BethSoft is typically only stellar when it comes to graphics (particularly atmospherics) I'm not betting on the first.

[Xard]

"However, among fanatics of the "good era", it seems rather unlikely that Fallout 3 could manage to make them forget what could have been if Black Isle did not fall at the end of 2003."

 

And there you have it. Something that never was, and of which very little is known, is better than something that *is*. Yeah, I think I'll let this guy do my thinking for me.

 

Lol gaming "journalism"

 

 

Actually there's a lot info about Van Buren around or at least used to be.

 

More than about FO3 up to this point.

[Pop]

I don't really find that a far-fetched suggestion. I think many such journalists really did think Oblivion was a fantastic and sophisticated role-playing experience (albeit with flaws), and don't shudder upon hearing 'Oblivion with Guns'.

 

Ever read this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7070201743.html

That's not really... an argument? Is it a big revelation that the gaming PR industry tries to sway reviewers? It's the path of least resistance. Game development isn't punk rock. Neither is medicine for that matter. Drug companies will send you to Europe to drink free sangria and attend the Opera if they think it means you'll buy their product. This can be a problem, certainly (though even if you say no, they'll still foot your bill) but if you're looking at any old doctor who prescribes any drug as a shill than you're being not just a bit paranoid (or, more likely, you're in denial of how how the system is supposed to work) If you're going to comb through a reviewer's travelogues, go ahead, but unless you can find a guilty pattern of sycophantic behavior you've only got circumstantial evidence for dishonesty.

Edited July 17, 2008 by Pop

[Sand]

15. You can find 20 "Bobble Head's" in the game that increase your character stats. WAT?

 

Is that so strange compared to finding a crashed Starfleet shuttle, the TARDIS, or an alien saucer with the alien blaster and a velvet Elvis?

[random n00b]

Actually there's a lot info about Van Buren around or at least used to be.

 

More than about FO3 up to this point.

As far as I know, Van Buren was never shown in detail. A skimpy tech demo and a few design docs is all we have to compare (and I'm not sure if those things are still available). I could be wrong, though.

 

 

I don't really find that a far-fetched suggestion. I think many such journalists really did think Oblivion was a fantastic and sophisticated role-playing experience (albeit with flaws), and don't shudder upon hearing 'Oblivion with Guns'.

 

Ever read this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7070201743.html

That's not really... an argument? Is it a big revelation that the gaming PR industry tries to sway reviewers?

I'm giving Jaesun the benefit of doubt in this one - I don't think he was actually trying to make the point that FO3 (p)reviewers have been persuaded into praising the game regardless of its actual quality.

 

"Spoiling" the press with that sort of thing is not just restricted to the game market. IBM is happy to treat journalists to a weekend at a ski resort to showcase their latest Notebook, and nobody raises an eyebrow or questions the reviewers' objectivity. That's how it's done with consumer products all across the board.

Edited July 17, 2008 by random n00b

[Pop]

I don't think Bethsoft has tried to restrict access to any VB documentation, even though it's legally theirs. It's still up at NMA.

[random n00b]

Yeah? I thought I read somewhere (FO wiki probably) that the tech demo was no longer available. It's entirely possible that I just brain farted, though. ☺

[Xard]

We europeans are THE BEST THE BEST THE BEST

 

Visually, Fallout 3 is unremittingly bleak. So it should be, although you have to wonder if there will be enough variation in this vast wasteland to sustain interest. But let's give Bethesda's artists the benefit of the doubt on that count, because unfortunately the game has much more tangible shortcomings to take them to task on: the flat, sterile lighting, the excessive contrast, the feeble effects (excepting the mini-nuke explosions of wrecked cars' power units) and, worst by far, the hilariously, embarrassingly wooden animation.

 

This was a weakness of Oblivion's, too, but it's even more jarring in Fallout 3. The game presents itself in the first-person perspective, but you can pull the camera out to quite a distant third-person viewpoint and move it in full 3D. This means you can examine your character's Gerry Anderson jerking and flailing from any angle; we'd recommend you don't. Unfortunately, you can't help but observe the erratic path-finding, motionless trances and limp movements of the few enemies you encounter this early in the game. You simply can't invoke the visual style of an action game and get away with this stuff.

 

But beyond that, there are simple questions of quality that it's impossible to avoid: characterless art, cold visuals, wonky animation, weak real-time combat, off-kilter writing. As it stands, Fallout 3 just doesn't feel right, and it will leave many players shivering for warmth in its nuclear winter.

 

 

Linky to Eurogamer

 

 

Bwahahahahahaa

[Jaesun]

Source

 

According to Todd PEOPLE ARE STUPID!

 

Well, here

[Morgoth]

Watching this E3 gameplay demo leaves me unimpressed. I get the feeling F3 could turn out bland and boring. Same with STALKER. A good start with some entertaining first 5-10 hours gameplay, but then I loose interest. If dialog and roleplaying isn't the real focus there, what could keep my interest up in these wastelands? Where's the variety?

[aries101]

I won't say the obvius here, because contrary to popular belief, most console gamers are not stupid and dumb. They are just casual players who like to have a good time playing games, not thinking too much about what they're doing. However, I still think they're perfectly able to understand that you get a perk every other level - this also gives them something to strive for, a reason to make progress in the game. Todd H. reason for dealing out 1 perk/level up seems to be that people often mistakes traits for perks.

 

I don't think Todd H. understands how leveling works in The Elder Scrolls game or he probably would have it streamlined. If there is one thing that needs to be streamlined in the TES universe, it is the leveling process. I mean, everything is dependant on something else. There 21 classes....which could easily by streamlines to about 7-8 classes.

But I digress...alrhough, yes, it probably would make Todd's head explode...at least mentally... if he, as the decider, were to make a D&d game.

 

In Fallout, you don't have classes, instead you use skill points to determine how your character plays the game. Want to play the game most-ly noncombat...then put skills into science... Bethesda seemed to have grasped and gotten that concept. After seeing the E3 demos and interview, I'm cautiously optimistic about this game...

[Tigranes]

I don't really think it's a big deal to make perks 1 per level. It probably means that they are now not as significant as before (or the game is simply easier, I'm thinking both), but it's not necessarily a bad move.

 

What is silly and ignorant is how they merged perks and traits. Again, thatm ove itself isn't a problem: but they reasoned that they couldn't really see why they needed to be separate. Maybe because traits often have both positive AND negative bonuses, whereas perks dont? Maybe because for balance reasons, traits allows you to design bonuses that might be OP or exploitative when taken cumulatively? Hrmm.

 

I don't think Todd H. understands how leveling works in The Elder Scrolls game or he probably would have it streamlined. If there is one thing that needs to be streamlined in the TES universe, it is the leveling process. I mean, everything is dependant on something else. There 21 classes....which could easily by streamlines to about 7-8 classes.

But I digress...alrhough, yes, it probably would make Todd's head explode...at least mentally... if he, as the decider, were to make a D&d game.

 

In Fallout, you don't have classes, instead you use skill points to determine how your character plays the game. Want to play the game most-ly noncombat...then put skills into science... Bethesda seemed to have grasped and gotten that concept. After seeing the E3 demos and interview, I'm cautiously optimistic about this game...

 

I'm not really sure what your point is, because TES was effectively classless as well. Its 'classes' were about as 'classey' as Fallout's premade characters. There's not much to be optimistic or pessimistic about that, is there?

[GhostofAnakin]

I wasn't a big fan of the demo they showed, where the guy was sniping enemies in real time. It seemed too much like an FPS than even an Action-RPG. Of course, the footage wasn't all that long, and didn't encompass the entire game. So hopefully the rest of the game, such as dialogue and the sort, will make up for what I saw.

[aries101]

Maybe I got my wording wrong? then ?

 

I 'm referring to the 21 choices in TES where you can choose between being an acrobat, an archer, and some rogues etc. etc. I'm not sure if this is what classes are meant to be in other systems? I mean, in Mass Effect playing as a sentinel or as soldier is choosing a class? or have I misunderstood this ?

[Moatilliatta]

Tigranes is just saying that the TES "classes" are more pre-set packages than actual classes.

 

Classes presume that the system is class-based i.e. that you can only choose certain classes, in TES you can mix and match your abilities in any way that you would like and as such it is a class-less system. The difference is mostly semantic.

[Tigranes]

Tigranes is just saying that the TES "classes" are more pre-set packages than actual classes.

 

Yep. TES classes aren't classes at all, they're things like... those pre-built Skill selecitons you have in the NWN series. You will note that with TES, choosing a class doesn't make certain skills or proficiencies inaccessible. All 21 of them and all usermade ones can sneak and bow and magic and whatever however they want. So it is in fact a similar system to Fallout to begin with - though with the important distinction that in TES you learn by doing, and in Fallout you learn by levelling. Anyway, the point is that it wasnt really a big jump.

 

Still really waiting to see dialogues and quests. It might change so much of what we think about the game (or so little).

[RangerSG]

A TES class is simply a template to try to show you how the skill system works to enable you to level. That's why you can make a custom class for any adventurer you put together yourself.

 

TES is a classless system that used the term class to refer to "character building template." That's one advantage Bethsoft had in adapting Fallout, the two systems were fairly similar.