New Fallout 3 DLC Increases Level Cap

[ThaBenMan]

But why only cap it at 30? Why not just open it up to 100 or something? Let people become gods of the Wasteland if they're so inclined. It's like Bethesda wants to make sure we enjoy the game, but not for TOO long. What, is there an expiration date? Do we have a doctor's appointment we don't know about?

As neat an idea that is, I think you'd get really bored waaaaay before you got anywhere near level 100 without the actual quests and content to keep you going that long. I think 30 is just right.

I can't wait to get this DLC. I think Operation: Anchorage looks the most interesting since it lets you explore the setting more in a really cool way. There aren't many details so far, but the Pitt sounds mediocre - just another ruined city to have shootouts with raiders in. And Broken Steel sounds like it could be really cool, even just for raising the level cap and allowing you to keep playing after the end.

 

[Andy Chalk]

I wasn't too happy when I first heard about the level 20 cap, I think mainly because I'd grown so used to Bethesda games being completely open-ended and letting you become literal supermen if you felt like playing long enough. But after I hit the cap I grew to appreciate it, precisely because it didn't let you become that superman: As much as possible (which, admittedly, wasn't much in most cases) the challenge was maintained because you could progress this far, and no farther. As an unarmored stealth character, I was forced to exercise caution even in the very late stages of my game because I was completely unequipped to stand toe-to-toe with anything - unlike Oblivion and Morrowind, which I began as thief-style characters and ended able to *****-slap to death anything and everything I saw without breaking a sweat.

So Fallout 3 is a different approach, but one I like. I think Bethesda will also find it facilitates future DLC, as they're able to more closely control what players can and cannot do within the game, and thus better control the narrative as well. Obviously it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea (see above) but if you look at it that way, it's at least a little more understandable.

I did EVERY side quest available. Some were destroyed or I killed the people who woulda gave me a quest, but I did at least 75 quests.

You're missing something. Level 20 is super-easy to hit. I maxed out long before I even considered wrapping up the game.

 

[mikoyan]

NOt going to be on the PS3....They can go to hell. I'm not going to buy a PC copy just so I can get downloadable content.

 

[Damolition]

"Broken Steel not only extends the game to level 30, it alters the core ending," he continued. "It allows the player to continue exploring the ashen Wasteland and see the fruits that are born, or that die, from their decisions. It will reprise several main characters, and conclude some of the story threads left dangling."

That is not an improvement, that is a re-do.

 

[0over0]

So Fallout 3 is a different approach, but one I like. I think Bethesda will also find it facilitates future DLC, as they're able to more closely control what players can and cannot do within the game, and thus better control the narrative as well.)

I don't think Bethesda needs to "find" that out--I think that's exactly why they're doing it. As you say, it facilitates future content that they can continue to sell. A smart move from a business standpoint and perhaps one we'll see other games take advantage of.
So much effort is put into a big game like this--if the players like the game, they want to continue. So instead of putting more effort into a sequel, why not allow additional content for the original instead? It's basically the mmo system translated to single-player games.

Just wish that had been the case for KotOR I and a bunch of others in the past....

 

[Autohellion]

Well as a PC gamer i cant say Im too excited because...
1 We removed the level cap by like 5 days after the release
2 We can play after the main quest.
3 That cool stealth boy on crouch suit...we got one a week ago
4 We have (rather crude at this time) mods that let us summon and organize/order around troops from a drop ship.
5 By the looks of it you need a Microsoft live account witch i REALLY dont want
But.. If the story aspect is as good as that are chocking it up to be it might overcome the downsides, but i doubt it.

 

[Jennacide]

5 By the looks of it you need a Microsoft live account witch i REALLY dont want
But.. If the story aspect is as good as that are chocking it up to be it might overcome the downsides, but i doubt it.

No you won't, that's just for 360 owners.

@ps3 players: Did you NEVER read the like million places it was posted Microsoft bought exclusivity rights for the DLC on consoles? This is like the 5th time they've done it in a year. PS: Meant to be played PC, so hah.

I'm pretty psyched for some of it, but they'll need to fix the stat allocation bug cause there are people that at 20 have maxed all skills as is, and will lock you up at the level screen.

 

[ProjectileVomit]

curses! Why did Bethesda ignore the players at PS3?

 

[Lanowar]

curses! Why did Bethesda ignore the players at PS3?

It's not a case of ignoring its more the fact that Microsoft have a large amount of income to buy the rights to these things. Sony doesnt charge for its online service which is cool in theory but it also means that they don't have extra funds to buy the DLC. That money we pay a year for Gold most of it goes into buying DLC and securing new games (Ie FF13). So a double edged sword if you will.

 

[ProjectileVomit]

curses! Why did Bethesda ignore the players at PS3?

It's not a case of ignoring its more the fact that Microsoft have a large amount of income to buy the rights to these things. Sony doesnt charge for its online service which is cool in theory but it also means that they don't have extra funds to buy the DLC. That money we pay a year for Gold most of it goes into buying DLC and securing new games (Ie FF13). So a double edged sword if you will.

Oh, I never look at the subscription fees that way. At first I loathed it for charging players to play online when PC has had free online for years.
Now I see the money Xbox Live subscribers aren't going into the hands of fat corportae pigs. And some of the money is actually used to buy DLC royalties? So maybe Xbox Live IS worth while after all...

 

[Honkifyoulovepeaceandquiet]

I've played the damn game and beat it so many times, I've lost interest. Free DLC might spice it up a bit, but I doubt that there are too many more hours left for me on that series.

 

[Reaperman Wompa]

I need to get Live. I need that DLC. I hated the ending/level cap in Fallout 3, and the other stuff sounds great.

 

[Somian]

5 By the looks of it you need a Microsoft live account witch i REALLY dont want
But.. If the story aspect is as good as that are chocking it up to be it might overcome the downsides, but i doubt it.

No you won't, that's just for 360 owners.

sure, u need a LIVE account for downloading the content on the PC. It was widely known before. The Fallout 3 DLCis one of the reasons, the LIVE standalone client was released.

 

[AceDiamond]

So wait, people complained about the ending, Bethesda decides to fix it, and there is STILL complaining?

EDIT: Unless of course you're a PS3 owner, it does suck you're being shafted like that.

 

[PhoenixFlame]

Another Fallout3 PS3 owner here. D'oh!

I can only imagine it's the result of one of two things - funding (as was mentioned before) or development/coding issues. It'd be nice to get some more life out of Fallout 3 - I'm now playing through on "Very Good" which I am finding is much more difficult when you can't use a shot to the face as a solution to all your problems, so I have a little bit of life left on it, but if the DLC won't be available on the PS3 anytime soon, I'll probably be dropping it on a game trading site for something else.

 

[mattttherman3]

still no official release date for any of it though, and it is starting to aggrevate me