Fallout 4 Obsidian Petition

[Lysen]

That petition thing is silly, of course, but I understand why people want Obsidian to develop F4 instead of Beth. It won't happen though:

 

As much as I preferred New Vegas to 3 I doubt Bethesda are going to let anyone make the main game of the franchise.

 

Is it a bad thing or not? I am actually looking forward to F4, but it will be obviously something like Skyrim - good exploration, bad quests, bad characters, bad dialogue and boring story. I think they will also dumb down the role-playing system as they did in Skyrim. If you like a sandbox game in Fallout-inspired universe, you will like it, if not, it's better not to bother.

[anubite]

If Bethesda were smart, it would at least hire some writers who can make dialogue which isn't painful to hear over and over (mudcrabs, arrows in knees, et cetera). But knowing Bethesda, we'll get an even more streamlined Fallout for FOIV.

 

If we're INCREDIBLY lucky, we'll get Obsidian on FOIV's expansion.

 

But you can be sure FOIV will have vampires, fart jokes, absolutely insane logical paradoxes, pointless explosions, idiotic conflict resolutions, and suspension-of-disbelief-breaking nuclear reactions just like the last game.

Edited November 5, 2012 by anubite

[Gorgon]

And motorcycles. Skyrim had horses, there is no way FO4 will not have hogs.

[anubite]

Wouldn't put it past me. If FOIV doesn't have motocrycles, FOV will.

 

And if FOIV doesn't have multiplayer of some kind, I will be shocked, frankly. FOIV is ripe material for someone over at bethesda to go, "Hey, what if we make a game to challenge call of duty with?!" They're crazy enough to think they could pull it off. Zenimax is already gearing up to challenge WOW, so don't put it past them.

Edited November 5, 2012 by anubite

[WastelandShadow]

I said this earlier but I'll say it again. Even if this doesn't work, it would still show Zenimax that a lot of fans out there want better writing and such. From Skyrim we can gather that they obviously think none of that matters.

[alanschu]

Even if it is, getting heard can still be beneficial as it would show that there is a large fanbase that wants the game as close to the originals as possible.

 

If the loud people screaming for the game to be like the originals didn't make much of an impact during Fallout 3's development, it sure as heck isn't after the stupid amount of success both FO3 and FONV have had since.

[quantum_freak]

Wouldn't put it past me. If FOIV doesn't have motocrycles, FOV will.

 

And if FOIV doesn't have multiplayer of some kind, I will be shocked, frankly. FOIV is ripe material for someone over at bethesda to go, "Hey, what if we make a game to challenge call of duty with?!" They're crazy enough to think they could pull it off. Zenimax is already gearing up to challenge WOW, so don't put it past them.

 

I doubt that. If they make a Multyplayer version, it will be a boring standalone MMO. Fallout Online or some crap like that. First quest, kill 10 roadscorpions.

I like Bethesda games (so far), the one thing bugs me is the writing. I really hope they do a better job with the new Fallout.

[AGX-17]

I'm pretty sure Fallout 4 is already in development...

 

very early development they were last seen getting location shots so still a long way off.

 

As much as I preferred New Vegas to 3 I doubt Bethesda are going to let anyone make the main game of the franchise.

I would think they would contract someone to do another New Vegas style game. After Obsidian got screwed by Bethesda over 1 lousy meta-critic point I don't think they will be interested without some sort of guarantee going forward.

 

Obsidian's NV leads (Sawyer, Avellone, etc.) when asked, repeatedly, said they would love to work on another Fallout game if Bethesda would have them.

 

 

Is it a bad thing or not? I am actually looking forward to F4, but it will be obviously something like Skyrim - good exploration, bad quests, bad characters, bad dialogue and boring story. I think they will also dumb down the role-playing system as they did in Skyrim. If you like a sandbox game in Fallout-inspired universe, you will like it, if not, it's better not to bother.

 

Uh... But Bethesda already dumbed down/eliminated RPing systems with Fallout 3. SPECIAL attributes actually mattered in F1 and 2, skill point investment mattered, perks were strategic choices, dialogue and speech were much more robust, etc. And F3 was everything you described Skyrim as, but with better combat.

 

Fallout 3 is designed, like all Bethesda games, for minmaxers and powergamers who want to be the best at everything and max out every statistic (despite SPECIAL being nerfed, not that any of F3's minmaxers know or care about that.)

Edited November 8, 2012 by AGX-17

[Farbautisonn]

Well, personally I rather liked FO3 ( /duck). It wasnt optimal and I sometimes cringed at the lore and insetting conversion to gamemechanics, but it could have been alot worse. It could have been ME3.

 

The storywriting bit I have higher hopes for than when I first saw FO3. First of all, the best DLC in the series was made by Bethsoft (The Pitt beats everything, even the NV DLC), and Bethesda prolly looked over the shoulder of Obsidian when they did NV and realized that a harder focus on storytelling would be a preferable Idea.

 

Id love for Obsidian to be coproducing the game or for Obsidian to do a standalone game again, but Im not desperately worried about FO4.

[AwesomeOcelot]

Fallout 3 would have been fine if it hadn't been called Fallout 3, it's not a sequel, it's an insult to the previous games to call it that. It's on the level of Tactics or BoS, some developers that didn't understand the franchise failing hard with a spin-off. Should have been called Fallout: Oblivion. People really like shallow sandbox games with pretty graphics, Oblivion, Fallout 3, and Skyrim are really successful games, they do those types of games well if you like that sort of thing. The only good thing to come out of Fallout 3 was Fallout: New Vegas. They didn't even need to buy the Fallout franchise, they could have just gone with generic post-apocalyptic and most Fallout 3 fans would have been happy, because they're not Fallout fans, so they should STFU. Many companies could have just imported the visual elements into their game engine, most FPS developers could have done that, and fans of that developer would like those games.

 

Bethesda can't write dialogue, they can't write plot, they can't create characters, they don't use voice actors well, they don't do choice, they don't do humour, they love ****ty mini-games, they use incredibly bad level scaling, and while technologically their graphics are great, artistically Oblivion and Fallout 3 are terrible. They could have hired people capable of doing those things, but they're not interested. That Bethesda are doing the main line sequels is ridiculous, the way they shoe horned elements from the previous games into Fallout 3 was a stretch, their main story lines have always been bollocks. It's probably for the best if no one does Fallout 4.

Edited November 8, 2012 by AwesomeOcelot

[NOK222]

Well, personally I rather liked FO3 ( /duck).

 

Hit the deck.

[WastelandShadow]

I've added the petition page to Stumbleupon with various Fallout 1,2, and New Vegas tags. I noticed some new signatures so thanks for signing . If you have a Stumbleupon account please check out the petition on there and like it so it will spread around to more fans.

[Hormalakh]

If I worked at Bethesda and read these comments I would probably drink myself to a severe depression...clearly some gamers absolutely HATE the devs over there in Maryland.

[Farbautisonn]

If I worked at Bethesda and read these comments I would probably drink myself to a severe depression...clearly some gamers absolutely HATE the devs over there in Maryland.

Considering they can laugh all the way to the bank in the gaming industry, I really wouldnt concern myself too much. Besides. You cant please everyone and Bethsoft hasnt been voted "worst company in america" by disgruntled users yet. What once set the industry benchmark for excellence in storytelling also set the benchmark for utter disaster. And at least we are rather sure that bethesda will continue to listen. They did after all outsource their game to Obsidian for a good story. Shows good will. There is no "DAO DLC crap disaster" (everything in between) ME3 pattern to judge them on. So. Im going to be optimistic.

[HorseFD]

Fallout: NV was good, but Fallout 3 was good too. I have no problem with Bethesda making the game. No matter who makes it, it's not going to be Fallout 1 or 2. That's what Wasteland II is for.

[NOK222]

If I worked at Bethesda and read these comments I would probably drink myself to a severe depression...clearly some gamers absolutely HATE the devs over there in Maryland.

 

It was much much worse during 3's development and their relation with No Mutants Allowed...it was...it was bad.

[alanschu]

Fallout 3 would have been fine if it hadn't been called Fallout 3, it's not a sequel, it's an insult to the previous games to call it that. It's on the level of Tactics or BoS, some developers that didn't understand the franchise failing hard with a spin-off. Should have been called Fallout: Oblivion. People really like shallow sandbox games with pretty graphics, Oblivion, Fallout 3, and Skyrim are really successful games, they do those types of games well if you like that sort of thing. The only good thing to come out of Fallout 3 was Fallout: New Vegas. They didn't even need to buy the Fallout franchise, they could have just gone with generic post-apocalyptic and most Fallout 3 fans would have been happy, because they're not Fallout fans, so they should STFU. Many companies could have just imported the visual elements into their game engine, most FPS developers could have done that, and fans of that developer would like those games.

 

As someone that enjoyed Fallout 3, I think that it being set in the Fallout Universe is ultimately a net positive. I enjoy the setting, and little things like bumping into my first BoS patrol was the type of thing that made me smile.

 

While I don't disagree with your point that it's a lot like previous Elder Scroll games, I do find it interesting that I am not a fan of Elder Scrolls, but I greatly enjoyed Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas (I greatly prefer New Vegas).

[NOK222]

Most of these so called "plot discrepancies" made sense if you did some digging.

One thing that did piss me off was the obvious aborted storyline with the super mutants. PC: "Hey, Vault 87 is their home." Lyons: "Cool"

 

Edit: If the rumors on the next game are true, expect Dr. Li to show up again.

Edited November 9, 2012 by NKKKK

[redneckdevil]

im problemly gonna get flamed here but tbh I want bethesda to do the next fallout.

 

Now hear me out and I got very valid reasons. The reasons is is bethesda can creat some very nice worlds and textures and meshes and so forth. So with the gamebyro engine version whatever it is right now after been tacked on by so many other stuff, can basically use fallout 4 to create the landscape and buildings and etc etc. that way when obsidian does the very next fallout on the new game engine, obsidian already has most of the world fluff already created and they can spend most of their time with story and whatnot, but mainly have more time for story and getting it incorporated into the world.

 

Because lets be honest, a newer version of an engine and only gonna get a small time frame to develope and make the game, I rather there already be stepping stones in place so that obsidian can ne able to do and pack more into the game world with a great amount of fluff already created for them to use.

[AGX-17]

Well, personally I rather liked FO3 ( /duck). It wasnt optimal and I sometimes cringed at the lore and insetting conversion to gamemechanics, but it could have been alot worse. It could have been ME3.

 

I liked F3 in spite of its flaws, but its flaws are many and glaring. The atmosphere and world design really carried it. The combat was... passable as an FPS (sniper rifle scope still bugs me, you have to aim high with a hitscan weapon,) but gained a lot more novelty fun through VATS, albeit in exchange for challenge.

 

But, ME3 was an original IP in the hands of its creators, creators who had already fumbled narratively on the second outing, so it was to be expected. F3 was one company buying up another IP they had no history with and changing it irrevocably. Now, I learned from Oblivion was that whatever writing talent they had at Bethesda during the Morrowind dev cycle is long gone or suffered severe brain damage, but I was still surprised by just how bad the writing got at points in F3.

 

If I worked at Bethesda and read these comments I would probably drink myself to a severe depression...clearly some gamers absolutely HATE the devs over there in Maryland.

 

I wish they would read what people say, and learn from their mistakes, because it seems as though Bethesda is an echo chamber of bad designers and writers supporting each other without criticism. That or they are flat-out delusional. They constantly hype "freedom" as the defining aspect of their games, but it's geometric freedom to proceed in any direction not blocked by mountains, cliffs or invisible walls, not freedom as in player agency and choices.

 

See the Thieves' Guild questline in Skyrim if you want to see just how twisted their idea of "freedom" is. It's merely the freedom to not pursue a questline, the narrative within is entirely linear and the player has no say in what happens beyond whether or not to proceed, and the NPCs will wait patiently for the player's return forever. NPCs make all the major decisions for the player, and when the player actually does have some say, they're literally limited to one "BUT THOU MUST!" type of dialogue option.

Edited November 9, 2012 by AGX-17

[WorstUsernameEver]

As someone that enjoyed Fallout 3, I think that it being set in the Fallout Universe is ultimately a net positive. I enjoy the setting, and little things like bumping into my first BoS patrol was the type of thing that made me smile.

 

It just felt like a missed opportunity to me. Bethesda tried, but it simply wasn't enough, it still was a simplified representation of the Fallout setting and.. judging by Skyrim and Morrowind, they *can* do better in terms of lore.

 

That said, with all its flaws Fallout 3 is still a decently enjoyable game, there's certainly a lot worse out there.

[alanschu]

From a writing/dialogue aspect it was quite a step up from Morrowind/Oblivion in my opinion.

 

I'll agree that it's strengths are things I didn't so much consider strengths in the original games (wandering the wasteland without a necessarily specific purpose), but I still sunk a lot of time into it. I fast traveled everywhere in Oblivion, but not Fallout 3.

 

Plus, what I thought they did very well, was the idea of telling a narrative without using any words. Walknig into a burnt out house and being able to piece together what it must have been like before the world went to **** was pretty well done IMO.

 

Never did finish main narrative. FONV though has 160ish hours invested, and is basically the typical iterative process (with some excellent creative design behind the process) of keeping what I liked about FO3 and improving on all the stuff I found lacking.

[WorstUsernameEver]

I found that Morrowind had much more interesting writing compared to Fallout 3. The way the lore in the books intertwined with the main quest, the political situation in Vvardenfell, the meta-aspects of Kirkbride's writing.. I don't think there's anything in Fallout 3 that matches that, thematically Bethesda's post-apocalyptic take was very heavy-handed.

[HoonDing]

Most of these so called "plot discrepancies" made sense if you did some digging.

One thing that did piss me off was the obvious aborted storyline with the super mutants. PC: "Hey, Vault 87 is their home." Lyons: "Cool"

 

Edit: If the rumors on the next game are true, expect Dr. Li to show up again.

It's likely going to feature the Commonwealth/Institute (MIT) and an uprising of androids against humans. Main character might even turn out an android.

[AwesomeOcelot]

Plus, what I thought they did very well, was the idea of telling a narrative without using any words. Walknig into a burnt out house and being able to piece together what it must have been like before the world went to **** was pretty well done IMO.

 

Bethesda and Valve do this well.