Fallout: New Vegas [ Pics, Details, Discussion ]

[Ether]

Videogameszone.de has interviewed Obsidian's Chris Avellone about Fallout: New Vegas. Here's a translated excerpt:
“ "In New Vegas we put more emphasis on interaction with the various factions. Therefore, there are countless ways to mess up with a group, or instead ingratiate yourself with them. We also added customizable weapons, a more sophisticated followers system and new dialog options," responds Chris Avellone, Creative Director at Obsidian Entertainment, to our question, what most distinguishes Fallout: New Vegas from Fallout 3. He adds that the various characters would also respond differently to actions of the player. "Of course there are situations in which the player can tell in an instant if he screwed up, but sometimes you can only notice the consequences hours later. Our dialogue system functions similar to that," says Avellone. However, mistakes can be fixed later in the game. "At a later point, when you have improved a skill or stat, with which you can suck up, you can try your luck with them," concludes Avellone.


1 new wallpaper

[Mr. Fantastic]

TY!! Can't wait for this game!!!

[Ether]

[Oasis_Lad]

http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/108/1086462p1.html

[Ether]

Bethesda Softworks announces premium bundle for consoles and PC including illustrated playing cards, poker chips, graphic novel, and "making of" DVD for Obsidian-developed RPG spin-off.

Even in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, people will still have a need for fun and games. Bethesda Softworks today announced its collector's edition of Fallout: New Vegas, and the premium packed-in bonuses are all about providing just such diversions.

The only reason Vegas wasn't nuked is because it already resembled a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

To start with, the bundle will include Fallout-branded poker chips and playing cards. The "Lucky 7" chips will be themed around various in-game casinos (with an additional platinum "Lucky 38" chip), while the deck of playing cards will feature illustrations of different characters and factions found in New Vegas. When players tire of cards, they can kick back with Dark Horse Comics' Fallout: New Vegas graphic novel All Roads, written by the game's creative director, Chris Avellone. Finally, an included DVD will offer gamers a "making of" documentary about the development of New Vegas.

Though Bethesda didn't specify a price for the bundle, online retailer GameStop is currently listing New Vegas Collector's Edition as costing $80 for Xbox 360 and PS3, or $70 for PC.

Set in the Mojave Wasteland, New Vegas casts players in the role of a courier who gets shot in the head over a package and is left for dead. After recovering, players will be free to roam the desert, exploring new areas, modifying weapons, and getting wrapped up in the larger conflict between the New California Republic and the slave-trading Caesar's Legion.

[Ether]

Josh Sawyer, the project director and lead designer of Fallout: New Vegas, took some time to explain the new categorization of weapons (and a couple of other things) in the coming-soon follow-up of Fallout 3 on Bethesda Softworks' Fallout: New Vegas forum.

His words:
“

Gun chat.

In 1997, I played the original Fallout. Like the games that followed it, Fallout had Small Guns, Big Guns, and Energy Weapons. In F1, the gun skills were designed for phased obsolescence. If you tagged Big Guns or Energy Weapons early on, you would not be able to gain much, if any, benefit from it for a long time. Even back then, I thought this was problematic. Before playing the game, players could not know how content would limit the applicability of weapons. Ultimately, it came down to three weapons: the minigun, rocket launcher, and flamer. Large, with heavy ammo, and either burst or AoE only. In Fallout 3, the list of Big Guns was expanded to include the fat man, rock-it launcher, and gatling laser. In most situations, these weapons were all still at least mid-power at their weakest. In talking to people in person and online, and in reading online commentary, I found that people were also still unclear on what marked the clear division between Small Guns and Big Guns (and even Energy Weapons, in the case of the Gatling Laser). Certainly the UI could be improved to help with this (something we have already done for F:NV), but it conceptually was a sticking point.

When I was looking at Big Guns for F:NV, I considered that the list of weapons was small compared to any other weapon category and several of the weapons arguably belonged (or at least could be easily categorized) elsewhere. Moving the Big Guns to different weapon skills and dissolving the Big Guns skill would allow weapons like the minigun to remain as a powerful top tier weapon without needing to invent low-tier "Big Guns" that might further confuse the dividing line. Coming up with a wide power spectrum of Guns, Energy Weapons, and Explosives would not be hard at all. Since our skill point economy is more frugal (I'll delve into this another time) and since we do have Strength requirements on weapons (resulting in increased sway for firearms and a decreased rate of fire for melee/unarmed), where you invest your skill points and SPECIAL points is still pretty important. A fully upgraded minigun wielded by a character with high Guns and high Strength cuts down rooms of people like a scythe, even at relatively long range. In the hands of an unskilled, low Strength character, it sprays a lot of bullets all over the place.

The exact categorization of weapons in F:NV isn't rooted in the logic of transferable skills from real life, but it's arguable they never were previously, either (missile launcher/flamer/minigun, for example). The categorizations have more to do with being clear and consistent with definitions. It follows this basic pattern:

* Does it explode? It's an Explosive.
* Does it use Small Energy Cells, Microfusion Cells, or other energy ammo? It's an Energy Weapon.
* Does it use conventional bullets of some flavor as ammo? It's a Gun.

So while it's accurate to say that Big Guns no longer exists as a category, it's not accurate to say that Big Guns and Small Guns were combined. The weapons in Big Guns were divided among the other weapon skills.

I know not everyone will be happy with this re-organization, but those are the reasons for the change. I hope the reasons are clear, even if you disagree with the decision. Thanks.

[Grand Champ]

Josh Sawyer, the project director and lead designer of Fallout: New Vegas, took some time to explain the new categorization of weapons (and a couple of other things) in the coming-soon follow-up of Fallout 3 on Bethesda Softworks' Fallout: New Vegas forum.

His words:
“

Gun chat.

In 1997, I played the original Fallout. Like the games that followed it, Fallout had Small Guns, Big Guns, and Energy Weapons. In F1, the gun skills were designed for phased obsolescence. If you tagged Big Guns or Energy Weapons early on, you would not be able to gain much, if any, benefit from it for a long time. Even back then, I thought this was problematic. Before playing the game, players could not know how content would limit the applicability of weapons. Ultimately, it came down to three weapons: the minigun, rocket launcher, and flamer. Large, with heavy ammo, and either burst or AoE only. In Fallout 3, the list of Big Guns was expanded to include the fat man, rock-it launcher, and gatling laser. In most situations, these weapons were all still at least mid-power at their weakest. In talking to people in person and online, and in reading online commentary, I found that people were also still unclear on what marked the clear division between Small Guns and Big Guns (and even Energy Weapons, in the case of the Gatling Laser). Certainly the UI could be improved to help with this (something we have already done for F:NV), but it conceptually was a sticking point.

When I was looking at Big Guns for F:NV, I considered that the list of weapons was small compared to any other weapon category and several of the weapons arguably belonged (or at least could be easily categorized) elsewhere. Moving the Big Guns to different weapon skills and dissolving the Big Guns skill would allow weapons like the minigun to remain as a powerful top tier weapon without needing to invent low-tier "Big Guns" that might further confuse the dividing line. Coming up with a wide power spectrum of Guns, Energy Weapons, and Explosives would not be hard at all. Since our skill point economy is more frugal (I'll delve into this another time) and since we do have Strength requirements on weapons (resulting in increased sway for firearms and a decreased rate of fire for melee/unarmed), where you invest your skill points and SPECIAL points is still pretty important. A fully upgraded minigun wielded by a character with high Guns and high Strength cuts down rooms of people like a scythe, even at relatively long range. In the hands of an unskilled, low Strength character, it sprays a lot of bullets all over the place.

The exact categorization of weapons in F:NV isn't rooted in the logic of transferable skills from real life, but it's arguable they never were previously, either (missile launcher/flamer/minigun, for example). The categorizations have more to do with being clear and consistent with definitions. It follows this basic pattern:

* Does it explode? It's an Explosive.
* Does it use Small Energy Cells, Microfusion Cells, or other energy ammo? It's an Energy Weapon.
* Does it use conventional bullets of some flavor as ammo? It's a Gun.

So while it's accurate to say that Big Guns no longer exists as a category, it's not accurate to say that Big Guns and Small Guns were combined. The weapons in Big Guns were divided among the other weapon skills.

I know not everyone will be happy with this re-organization, but those are the reasons for the change. I hope the reasons are clear, even if you disagree with the decision. Thanks.

Good changes, I like that. Also I'll def be gettin the Collector's edition when released..!!

[Ether]

http://media.xbox360.ign.com/media/1...76/vids_1.html

first 60 second gameplay footage.

[Gojira]

wow that looks great. the map looks ****ing huge

[Earl-Hickey]

Video Games | Fallout: New Vegas | E3 2010: Exclusive Gameplay Trailer

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