Playing the long game

[Death Machine Miyagi]

No, not talking about the game's length. I'm talking about strategy.

 

Looking back, one of the things I liked most about Fallout: New Vegas was the sense that I was pursuing a certain end, a vision of how I wanted the Mojave to look when all was said and done. When I went for the Wild Card ending, for example, I did so by deciding on my view of the various factions of the Mojave and then dealing with them accordingly.

 

I didn't like the Legion, so I did everything in my power to dismantle their war effort. I killed both Caesar and Legate Lanius, despite having stats high enough to talk him into leaving, because I wanted as much of a power vacuum as possible so as to see the Legion destroy itself from within as quickly as possible. I was aware that this would likely make life in Arizona much worse in the short term, but considered destroying the Legion worth that price.

 

I was ambivalent about the NCR, realizing they would eventually be my enemies (at least in the short term), so I also subtly undermined their war effort by, for example, not turning in Hanlon. I persuaded the Khans to head north into Wyoming rather than assist the NCR or Legion, reasoning that the Khans being allowed to regroup and rebuild would provide an excellent future distraction against any NCR efforts to reclaim the Mojave from me. I saved NCR's president, following House's reasoning that he would serve me better as a scapegoat for the lost war than a martyr. I wanted to ease my way back into friendly relations and trade with California as soon as possible after my little coup, so I resisted the temptation to have General Oliver hurled off the dam and tried to remain as cordial as possible when I told him and his men to get the hell out. 

 

Many of these decisions had little or no in-game impact, not even in the ending slides. There is no word of what happens to the Legion, for example, if you beat them and kill all their leaders. Yet all through the game the set-up had me approaching quests in this way. I was playing strategically. I was thinking of the long game. 

 

We don't yet know what the story of PoE is going to be about. It may be on too personal a scale for that same kind of approach. Yet, on whatever scale, I kind of hope we'll see more quests that have me focusing not just on the immediate objective, but how that quest and my approach in resolving it fits into and changes the bigger picture. I would like, at some point in the game, to realize what my larger goal is and be able to manipulate people and events accordingly. 

[Bryy]

I like the cut of your jib.

[Karkarov]

While I can't even guess at whether or not Obsidian will factor things in that deeply... I can say word of mouth from E3 seems to indicate faction/NPC reactivity in Eternity is really really up there.  Additionally there is a ton of methods for effecting reputations and stuff as well, conversation system is rumored to be very robust for example.

[Osvir]

Does this OP have spoilers? I read "Fallout: New Vegas" and noticed more references in a quite skim (I pretty much try to avoid getting spoiled here).

If it has spoilers, could I get a spoiler-free synopsis of the general idea of the post?

[Death Machine Miyagi]

Does this OP have spoilers? I read "Fallout: New Vegas" and noticed more references in a quite skim (I pretty much try to avoid getting spoiled here).

 

If it has spoilers, could I get a spoiler-free synopsis of the general idea of the post?

 

Spoiler-free synopsis is pretty much the last paragraph: 

 

We don't yet know what the story of PoE is going to be about. It may be on too personal a scale for the same kind of approach. Yet, on whatever scale, I kind of hope we'll see more quests that have me focusing not just on the immediate objective, but how that quest and my approach in resolving it fits into and changes the bigger picture. I would like, at some point in the game, to realize what my larger goal is and be able to manipulate people and events accordingly. 

 

Not sure how much the rest of the post needs to be marked for spoilers. I mention at least two of the big factions in the game, who you'll hear about in the first town you start in, and allude to the outcome of some quests and the potential fate of a smaller faction. There's an allusion to something that happens at the very end of the game, which is probably what needs to be covered up the most. 

 

I'd edit in spoiler tags, but I guess the edit button disappears after a while. Sorry.

[Osvir]

Oh it's no worries, it doesn't sound like massive spoilers to me.

 

I'm pretty far into the game (though, I'm avoiding the main quest at the moment)

 

 

I've killed Ceaser, and I'm currently exploring the Divide. I also activated the Mk II's for House.

.

 

My post was just a pre-caution, whenever I read something like "Fallout: New Vegas" somewhere I look away, close my ears and eyes type of thing. Though, I did fast-forward a bit and looked up a guide to get all the companions (I found Boone and ED-E on my own, and knew that those are the ones I'm gonna finish the game with so the rest were more or less just "collectibles").

Thanks for the explanation, and that's also a cool idea man
 

Edited June 14, 2014 by Osvir

[Sensuki]

There's an example Jeff Husges gave in the Red Bull interview that if you have like a max reputation score with a faction, the faction leader will ask your advice on an important issue concerning the plot or something.

 

 

 

Make a faction hate you enough and they'll send an elite squad of assassins to take you out. Make them love you enough, and the faction leader will turn to you when he needs to make a decision that has long-term consequences for the faction and the region as a whole."

Edited June 14, 2014 by Sensuki

[Nonek]

Splendid idea, that knowing Obsidians track record, will most likely be implemented. Personally i'm also hoping for a power behind the throne role, as a visble head of state is far too visible, and vulnerable. Of course not everything can go to plan, even when the plan is almost foolproof, and events have a way of wriggling free of even the most determined grasp.

[Lephys]

I like the cut of your jib.

Aye. Well-said, indeed, Miyagi.

 

Now let's get some Neosporin on that jib cut.

[Death Machine Miyagi]

Splendid idea, that knowing Obsidians track record, will most likely be implemented. Personally i'm also hoping for a power behind the throne role, as a visble head of state is far too visible, and vulnerable. Of course not everything can go to plan, even when the plan is almost foolproof, and events have a way of wriggling free of even the most determined grasp.

 

Oh yes, I'd very much like to see your attempts to manipulate a situation blow up in your face sometimes. The problem with trying to play the chessmaster is that the pieces don't always move the way you intend. Nor should they. 

 

Still, the ability to even try and play the master strategist is something missing all too often from RPGs, where you often feel like a helpless pawn of whatever random NPC you're meant to listen to. Allowing the player to feel like they can be in control of events, rather than at their mercy, is difficult but extremely worthwhile. 

 

Here's hoping Obsidian makes the attempt. I have a good feeling about it from what we know.