It's certainly setting appropriate and, I agree, it wouldn't be unreasonable to see included. Having prostitution as a settlement feature, however, that might be a bit more exploitative than I think anybody would take a risk on, let alone a major publisher.Smilomaniac said:If you haven't come across it in 60 hours, I'd say it's safe to assume that it's not there - good to know.Conrad Zimmerman said:I can't confirm prostitution, as I haven't run across it (and I wouldn't say the inclusion of it makes a game mature; hate it when used as a catch-all for sexual content, as sexual content can be totally juvenile) but the game does feature some romance options that can develop with companions, and you can be in a polyamorous relationship, so it's really kind of progressive in some ways.
To me it's part of the setting, it's something that belongs in a dystopian world where your survival hinges on what's available to you. It's not unreasonable to include at all and the absence of it is telling.
I don't see how it can't be mature because we know that there wouldn't be any porn included anyway, which was never the point - none of the previous games had sexual content in them (any that you'd see anyway).
The potential sexual visuals don't interest me, but I do care whether building a settlement and having prostitutes would have an effect, such as heightening morale and making settlers work harder.
I think that's a pretty simplified view on how game development works. It isn't necessarily just a money/time budgeting issue. It could simply be the developer putting effort where it thinks efforts are best applied. I certainly wouldn't want to assume anything about that process.Smilomaniac said:Technically, you're right. In practice however, the time spent making the shooter portion work (which you wrote it didn't in many cases) means less money for the other departments.Conrad Zimmerman said:Believe it or not, Fallout is still an RPG, and Fallout 3 was too. The application of first-person shooting in combat doesn't invalidate the RPG elements of a game.
Besides that, there's certainly something to be said for immersion and how playing it as an FPS has a large influence on how you perceive the world.
If you're an old school Fallout fan and hated what happend with Fallout 3, you'll probably hate this too. It goes further in directions established by that game. There are too many games out there, in my view, to waste time on something that you no longer like.Smilomaniac said:The entitlement of my fandom is very strong, I agree. Too bad it's often seen as all negative, when there are several very valid points to the grumblingConrad Zimmerman said:If you hated the direction Fallout 3 went, then I wouldn't even bother. Just go No Mutants Allowed and grumble with the other people who have been left behind.
It's interesting that you say I shouldn't bother at all though, I take it the story and setting is that bad?
Indeed, but other elements do seem to have that effect. What I loved about Fallout: New Vegas was the pretty decent variation of quest resolutions it gave us. Reading now that the dialogue system has been so dumbed down makes me fear that the game has also become more linear. Is that true? And are there really only a few Charisma checks in dialogue now, instead of the myriad of skill and attribute checks we're used to?Conrad Zimmerman said:Believe it or not, Fallout is still an RPG, and Fallout 3 was too. The application of first-person shooting in combat doesn't invalidate the RPG elements of a game.
I can't help it but:Smilomaniac said:Look, I don't care that you enjoyed Fallout 3, but I hate what you represent - a new generation of people that probably screwed up the entire IP forever.
It's not *entirely* linear, in that you can have some quest lines closed off based on actions you take. But, yes, there is a more noticeable lack of alternate resolutions. Persuasion in dialogue seems solely based on Charisma, likely down to the merging of Skills and Perks as much as the decision to move to a more Mass Effect style interface. That's my biggest sticking point with the game and, while it doesn't ruin the experience of playing it, it does have an impact on potential replay value.Cowabungaa said:Indeed, but other elements do seem to have that effect. What I loved about Fallout: New Vegas was the pretty decent variation of quest resolutions it gave us. Reading now that the dialogue system has been so dumbed down makes me fear that the game has also become more linear. Is that true? And are there really only a few Charisma checks in dialogue now, instead of the myriad of skill and attribute checks we're used to?Conrad Zimmerman said:Believe it or not, Fallout is still an RPG, and Fallout 3 was too. The application of first-person shooting in combat doesn't invalidate the RPG elements of a game.
Factions will still cut you off from quest lines and their resources if you act in a manner not befitting membership. Settlements have their own "happiness" rating, which really only seems to impact their productivity.Cowabungaa said:[Also, I heard that the Karma system has been largely replaced by likes/dislikes by companions. That's fine with me. But does that also include settlements and/or factions? Or is the world largely indifferent to your exploits this time around?
Nonsense, it was OK in New Vegas. We had a Ghoul dominatrix, FFS. If it isn't ok now, then only because the publisher is a bloody coward.Conrad Zimmerman said:Having prostitution as a settlement feature, however, that might be a bit more exploitative than I think anybody would take a risk on, let alone a major publisher.
So you're getting mad at people who bought and liked Fallout 3 and New Vegas, for them not making games in the style of the originals? That's fair and rational.Smilomaniac said:Yes it does (edit - it does mean you should revoke your fandom card). I'm not joking.erttheking said:Oh don't pull that No True Scotsman ploy. I got into the series on Fallout 3, loved New Vegas, tried to go back to 1 and 2 and thought they were boring as sin. Do I have to revoke my true Fallout fan card?Smilomaniac said:The real fans
It's like people who were introduced to Star Wars through chapter I-III and want more content to revolve around Jarjar Binks.
Look, I don't care that you enjoyed Fallout 3, but I hate what you represent - a new generation of people that probably screwed up the entire IP forever.
Yes, you might be like one of my friends, just as old as I am and just didn't happen to play the originals when they came out - It doesn't matter, because it comes down to the absence of appreciation of the work - in your case you don't even know the REAL work.
It's not a no-true-scotsman fallacy when we're two very different fans of two very different kind of games. The difference is that your fandom is based on a sandbox game with little to it.
I'm not talking about the existence of prostitution. I'm referring to the idea of the player performing essentially the role of a pimp by making it a commercial aspect of settlements built by the player. It's just a step I can't see any game taking.urishima said:Nonsense, it was OK in New Vegas. We had a Ghoul dominatrix, FFS. If it isn't ok now, then only because the publisher is a bloody coward.Conrad Zimmerman said:Having prostitution as a settlement feature, however, that might be a bit more exploitative than I think anybody would take a risk on, let alone a major publisher.
Fine. Though if that's what it means to be a true fallout fan, my true fallout fan card doesn't really seem to have much value. That's a strawman fallacy, considering Jar-Jar was never really the focus considering he had a reduced role in II and never spoke in III. Even his role in I was just a supporting character.Smilomaniac said:Snip
I would say taht the move to the ME style dialog interface is the main culprit here. DA:Origins had huge complexity in it's dialog options and the impact those had on the progression of the story, and it only had a Stat + Perk system just like Fallout 4 does now (correct me if I am wrong).Conrad Zimmerman said:It's not *entirely* linear, in that you can have some quest lines closed off based on actions you take. But, yes, there is a more noticeable lack of alternate resolutions. Persuasion in dialogue seems solely based on Charisma, likely down to the merging of Skills and Perks as much as the decision to move to a more Mass Effect style interface. That's my biggest sticking point with the game and, while it doesn't ruin the experience of playing it, it does have an impact on potential replay value.
You're probably not wrong (I have never had any interest in Dragon Age and can't speak from experience regarding its mechanics), but I think the statistical range of Fallout's prior Skill system was really conducive to allowing those interactions. By merging them with Perks, it would have required a new approach to it. Reducing the range would represent a path of least resistance.urishima said:I would say taht the move to the ME style dialog interface is the main culprit here. DA:Origins had huge complexity in it's dialog options and the impact those had on the progression of the story, and it only had a Stat + Perk system just like Fallout 4 does now (correct me if I am wrong).
Pity. That does indeed effect its replay value, at least for me.Conrad Zimmerman said:snip
Well said, and now only 13 hours to go on my end before I can play it. I literally cannot wait too much longer.erttheking said:Oh don't pull that No True Scotsman ploy. I got into the series on Fallout 3, loved New Vegas, tried to go back to 1 and 2 and thought they were boring as sin. Do I have to revoke my true Fallout fan card?Smilomaniac said:The real fans
The review is predominately based on the PlayStation 4 release, informed with some light play from others on staff playing the other platforms. I can't speak to the PC UI specifically, as I didn't play that version, but I will say that there have been some across the board UI improvements. The HUD is much cleaner and less intrusive, scavenging is vastly improved. Inventory and information management remains much as it was.Weaver said:What platform was this played on? The FO3 UI on PC was utterly abysmal, wondering how this is on PC.
This is false. Black Isle was working on the third Fallout game and much of the game was already completed. It was cancelled when Interplay (under management of Titus, makers of the lovely Superman 64) sold the rights to the franchise to Bethesda, cancelling the game and closing down the studio. The missteps of the franchise, Fallout Tactics and Brotherhood of Steel, weren't actually developed by Black Isle themselves. Tactics was made by Micro Forte and BoS was made in-house by Interplay. The only reason for the series having been screwed up was due to mismanagement of the IP by Interplay.erttheking said:PFT! Oh please. The IP was DEAD before Fallout 3 came out. It was either Fallout 3 or no new Fallout games at all. So either you were expecting a type of Fallout that wasn't going to happen or the existance of 3 somehow (Oh and please tell me how Brotherhood of Steel didn't screw up the franchise)
I loved the score. Hits the right mood without being intrusive. Much of the licensed music is the same stuff it's been in prior games. Would have been nice to get some more variety in that. I have to admit that if I never hear Butcher Pete again, I can die happy.Cowabungaa said:One more minor question though; how's the new soundtrack? More glorious 50's songs this time? More stations even? Is Inon Zur still on the top of his game in terms of the environmental music?