Florida. I want to explore post-apocalyptic Magic Kingdom, especially when you consider Disney has it's own "Underground City"
Where you want the next fallout setting?
- Thread starter chuckman1
- Start date
Recommended Videos
I'd go for Alaska, the "nuclear winter" look is pretty cool and post apocalyptic games tend to go for rubble or desert most of the time.
Or is asking for something other than mainland US is a ridiculous request (I'm not even going to bother suggest somewhere not American because that's clearly insane) then how about Buffalo and/or Toronto. I'd love to see an irradiated Niagara falls.
Does "Disney land" or "Universal resort" exist in the fallout universe (or license-free equivalents anyway) because an Orlando wasteland with ruined theme parks could be nice and weird.
Or is asking for something other than mainland US is a ridiculous request (I'm not even going to bother suggest somewhere not American because that's clearly insane) then how about Buffalo and/or Toronto. I'd love to see an irradiated Niagara falls.
Does "Disney land" or "Universal resort" exist in the fallout universe (or license-free equivalents anyway) because an Orlando wasteland with ruined theme parks could be nice and weird.
I hereby second London.Silentpony said:
Seriously, Bethesda: Imagine a Fallout game set in the ruined seat of an ancient empire, the Big Ben still faithfully striking the hours (maintained by a small group of loyal ghouls)! Toxic mist rising from the Thames at night as a new Jack the Ripper stalks Whitechapel! Junkyards made from gigantic steam locomotives! Buckingham Palace inhabited by ghoulified Royals, guarded by roaming packs of their beloved pet Corgis which have gone feral and mutated into orange Yao Guai! Raiders wielding weaponry looted from the British Museum!
Number one healing item: Mirelurk and chips!
I wouldn't mind seeing what happened in other countries.
Canada: watch out for Rad snowstorms and don't make snowmen out of it because they might come to life and kill you.
The new healing item? Hot cocoa made with dirty water. Hmmm, how would that taste?
It will also answer the question: did the other countries of the world avoid or got hit in the war?
Canada: watch out for Rad snowstorms and don't make snowmen out of it because they might come to life and kill you.
The new healing item? Hot cocoa made with dirty water. Hmmm, how would that taste?
It will also answer the question: did the other countries of the world avoid or got hit in the war?
Well, I wouldn't mind seeing how Australia's wildlife would become even more deadly.Hawki said:I dunno - Australia's already a wasteland without the need for a nuclear apocalypse.distortedreality said:
Though it DOES allow the Fallout universe to have its own Mad Max equivalents I suppose.
On the other side... Maybe they'd all become cute and cuddly?
I'd like to see China, though. Just to see how the other side in that war turned out. Also Europe, for similar reasons.
Absolutely, imagine running though a radioactive everglades. Getting to fight giant mutant alligators, and hill billy ghouls.SaneAmongInsane said:
Heroin sells well, but it doesn't make it good and people tend to regret getting involved in afterwards.
People bought it off the strength of Skyrim. I doubt the next Bethesda game will sell nearly as well after how much of a lukewarm reception FO4 got from fans after the novelty wore off.
Also, you can't honestly expect moving the game to another location will improve the lore as long as Bethesda is writing it. They've shown no competance at all at writing a consistant setting. All their success in the last few years has been off the back of work by much more talented writers.
People bought it off the strength of Skyrim. I doubt the next Bethesda game will sell nearly as well after how much of a lukewarm reception FO4 got from fans after the novelty wore off.
Also, you can't honestly expect moving the game to another location will improve the lore as long as Bethesda is writing it. They've shown no competance at all at writing a consistant setting. All their success in the last few years has been off the back of work by much more talented writers.
I think I'll join the chorus that thinks Bethesda is the bigger problem. They are truly the God of Dead Worlds and until they go a change of scenery is unlikely to fix much, but that's also not entirely Bethesda's fault.
It's not just that the US is played out, it's that aside from some landmarks every location is kind of doomed to look similar. The US is a really young country, and so most cities you could pick have strong grid layouts and a predilection for skyscrapers. Add to that the fact that the 50's were a time of extreme, and often enforced, cultural homogeneity, and you're kind of hamstrung by sticking in the US. The characters may have snapped out of it, but one bombed out suburb really will look like every other bombed out suburb.
That said, I would really love to see Shanghai. It's rare for games to take place in mainland China. It's old enough to avoid the grid problem and it has some really cool, and markedly different, architecture.
It's not just that the US is played out, it's that aside from some landmarks every location is kind of doomed to look similar. The US is a really young country, and so most cities you could pick have strong grid layouts and a predilection for skyscrapers. Add to that the fact that the 50's were a time of extreme, and often enforced, cultural homogeneity, and you're kind of hamstrung by sticking in the US. The characters may have snapped out of it, but one bombed out suburb really will look like every other bombed out suburb.
That said, I would really love to see Shanghai. It's rare for games to take place in mainland China. It's old enough to avoid the grid problem and it has some really cool, and markedly different, architecture.
It doesn't seem to matter because Bethesda is going to paint the whole area like a big desert no matter where it takes place because Fallout 1 was a desert. You know, even though that was because it took place in one.
That said, I'd rather move out of the United States entirely to somewhere with a much different atmosphere. Preferably somewhere where nature was overtaking everything. Definitely another country. Screw the US. Now before you say that it'd all be dead. That can't be true because if there was no plant life for 200 years, EVERYTHING would be dead. Bethesda just likes to copy the most superficial stuff from Fallout 1 without actually understanding it.
That said, I'd rather move out of the United States entirely to somewhere with a much different atmosphere. Preferably somewhere where nature was overtaking everything. Definitely another country. Screw the US. Now before you say that it'd all be dead. That can't be true because if there was no plant life for 200 years, EVERYTHING would be dead. Bethesda just likes to copy the most superficial stuff from Fallout 1 without actually understanding it.
Nobody wants to have to fight radiation and FEV mutated drop bears.distortedreality said:
Honestly, I don't care where the next one is set, just pry the setting from Bethesda's zombie hands and let people do fun things with it like New Vegas's weird Western style setting that Obsidian fused with the main Fallout aesthetic. It doesn't even have to be Obsidian, just make it so that it's not Bethesda. And then hammer Michael Kirkbride's works into the eyes of every member of The Elder Scrolls team there until they can actually understand the metaphysics that underpin Nirn.
Plus that whole section around Kissame, which is just hotels and resturaunts...chaser5000 said:
God I loved vacationing in florida. Nights by the pool. Endless buffets.
The mist would be a slightly different, scarier color. And maybe more toxic or something.Gordon_4 said:
I was always of the thought process that Fallout needed to be set in the US, but I'll be the first to admit: it does start to feel like it has run it's course.
There is only so many times we can see the 1950's aesthetic before it all starts to look sort of the same, and at this point I honestly would be interested in transferring the game to a different country and seeing a whole new set of lore, factions, etc. I mean, shit, if Far Cry is willing to transfer itself to the damn Caveman era, I have no issue with Fallout trying something totally different.
However, if it does have to be in the USA:
-As someone mentioned earlier, make Fallout: Tactics canon and set it near Chicago and the Midwest. Just adding all the various Factions from Tactics alone can lead to tons more content (the Beastlords, Robots, the new Brotherhood, the Reavers, etc.).
-Set it in the Southeast. Swamps, oceans, crazed hillbilly cannibals, giant mutant alligators. It would lend itself to a much greener and more wildlife oriented look than the last few games.
There is only so many times we can see the 1950's aesthetic before it all starts to look sort of the same, and at this point I honestly would be interested in transferring the game to a different country and seeing a whole new set of lore, factions, etc. I mean, shit, if Far Cry is willing to transfer itself to the damn Caveman era, I have no issue with Fallout trying something totally different.
However, if it does have to be in the USA:
-As someone mentioned earlier, make Fallout: Tactics canon and set it near Chicago and the Midwest. Just adding all the various Factions from Tactics alone can lead to tons more content (the Beastlords, Robots, the new Brotherhood, the Reavers, etc.).
-Set it in the Southeast. Swamps, oceans, crazed hillbilly cannibals, giant mutant alligators. It would lend itself to a much greener and more wildlife oriented look than the last few games.
Tl;dr: This is a serious answer. Don't read if you just want light forum entertainment. No story spoilers in my text, but there may be in the linked video.
1. Let the old team do their thing:
Let the people who made Wasteland, Fallout 1 and Fallout 2 do their thing again. For all of those not in the know, many of them where the ones who made Fallout: New Vegas. Consider the thematic things that were introduced in these four games and compare them to their sibling releases. The whole premise of post-apocalypse coupled with the naive atomic age aesthetic, FEV, BoS, NCR, the majority of enemies, the SPECIAL system, Pip-boy, vaults, Vault-Tec, Deathclaws, killing children, having sex, Buffout, Mentats, Jet, severe addiction, the majority of weapons, the Enclave, the stimpack design, ghouls, Followers of the Apocalypse, caps - the list goes on.
2. Bethesda's involvement was a step in the right direction:
I want you all to know that Bethesda is not completely inept. Say what you will about their engine, but they brought a lot of focus in game design, technology and polish to the games. They made the whole VATS system, which is just one example of all the engine components that made up the 3D-era of Fallout games.
The F1 and F2 skill systems ware horribly implemented in that you could sink a lot of skill points into skills without tangible value. What meaning does the skill Explosives have if there are no mines to disarm? (Novelty is a good answer, but my point is that the skill is pushed so far back from the spotlight in the actual gameplay that it is too hard to make a focused character about it.)
Bethesda brought the setting into a stable 3D release. For comparison, see the game "Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel". For their first attempt (Fallout 3), they also explored a small portion of the Fallout setting which is 1950:ies naive Americana (the kind you see mostly hinted at in the intro of F1, but then left in the background of F1 and F2). They also simplified and focused the skill system - a good change in my opinion.
3. A good way forward is a mix that lies somewhere in-between:
Fallout: New Vegas is the result of what happens when Bethesda lays the technical ground-work and the original team makes the world building. Caesar's Legion was not a new idea, but had existed in the minds of the designers since somewhere after Fallout 2. The "fresh direction" that New Vegas took was actually a lot of the original team's ideas realized.
From the engine of F3 they further improved the skill system with great ideas such as Damage Threshold, the use of cooked food as a viable item, alternative and craft-able ammunition - and more.
Bethesda supplied them with an engine that advanced enough to support a big 3D world with loads of small items, while also being simple enough to add content to. I imagine that this was exactly what the original devs needed to be able to focus on content.
Bethesda:
+ Has a ready-made engine that, so far, has been good enough for the scope.
+ Makes few game design and engine improvements each incremental release.
+ Makes bigger worlds.
- Makes more shallow worlds.
- Is probably a big corporate blob that is reluctant to stray too far from their established intellectual property.
- Tends to lack a bit of soul.
- Their engine seems to be hard to add new features to.
- Was extremely petty and unfair towards original devs when it came to the payment for Fallout: New Vegas.
The original team:
+ They practically ARE the essence of the intellectual property ("Fallout") in all but name. Bethesda owns the trademark, but not the creative energy.
+ Makes great and innovative gameplay changes each instalment.
+ Explores the setting in novel and often satisfying ways.
+ Makes deeper worlds.
- Worse history with bugs than Bethesda.
- Seems to not as skilled with introducing polished engine features. (This point is more moot at this time, since obviously Bethesda devs know their own engine best and others can't be held responsible for if that engine is hard to change.)
- Has a history of intending a larger scope for their game without being able to get there (time, money, ambition), resulting in a lot of cut content.
Conclusion (a naive guess for a recipe for success):
Let Bethesda do the engine work and heavy lifting, while the orignal devs do the game world. Mix and match between teams as needed. Aid the original devs and help them out with the scope so they do not get stuck. Take Quality Assurance seriously. Smack the management (especially upper management!) over the fingers when naughty, and let them shepherd when nice. Do not feed egos of marketing nor management. Keep things rolling to a reasonable degree and compensate all devs handsomely after project completion. Compensate management modestly, and if they are really good they get the same level of pay as the devs. Reinvest earnings into a serious engine overhaul and pre-production for the next game, while still limiting the scope. (That is, no new MMO:s please. Add simple co-op to existing titles first. I'd rather play F4 with a single friend than WoW with 20.)
As for settings in different parts of the world...
Sure, why not? At first glance it may seem that it clashes with the idea of Americana, but remember that American culture has a lot of global influence that can still tap into the theme. However I don't really like the idea of "please pick my city next!!" that seems to be pervasive here. Instead, think outside the box. China is a nice example, though that could be tricky due to IRL politics (the Chinese government is awfully touchy). Why not Africa? Indonesia? Take a part of the world which things actually go well in? What happens AFTER the post-apocalypse? What is the next stage of civilization after the state the world was in F4? How about a game where you take the settlement building even further? A city-sim?
What feelings did Fallout tap into? (naive Atomic age, corruption, fall of civilization, tragedy, exploring a foreign sci-fi world, the futility of it all as the vicious cycle begins anew)
What activities have we explored in this setting? Are there activities that fit here, that do not fit in other settings? (treasure-hunting that leads into management simulation, building, vices like drug addiction and child killing, wild-west morals, defeating the big bad ? la Mad Max, combat, character building, novel ways to act through the wasteland)
I took some ideas from this video. Story spoiler warnings!
"Review: Fallout 4" by Super Bunnyhop [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dejO6aiA7bs]
Edit: Upon re-watching the above video, I realize that I was probably too lenient on Bethesda. The studio is lagging behind severely in the technical department by today's standards.
1. Let the old team do their thing:
Let the people who made Wasteland, Fallout 1 and Fallout 2 do their thing again. For all of those not in the know, many of them where the ones who made Fallout: New Vegas. Consider the thematic things that were introduced in these four games and compare them to their sibling releases. The whole premise of post-apocalypse coupled with the naive atomic age aesthetic, FEV, BoS, NCR, the majority of enemies, the SPECIAL system, Pip-boy, vaults, Vault-Tec, Deathclaws, killing children, having sex, Buffout, Mentats, Jet, severe addiction, the majority of weapons, the Enclave, the stimpack design, ghouls, Followers of the Apocalypse, caps - the list goes on.
2. Bethesda's involvement was a step in the right direction:
I want you all to know that Bethesda is not completely inept. Say what you will about their engine, but they brought a lot of focus in game design, technology and polish to the games. They made the whole VATS system, which is just one example of all the engine components that made up the 3D-era of Fallout games.
The F1 and F2 skill systems ware horribly implemented in that you could sink a lot of skill points into skills without tangible value. What meaning does the skill Explosives have if there are no mines to disarm? (Novelty is a good answer, but my point is that the skill is pushed so far back from the spotlight in the actual gameplay that it is too hard to make a focused character about it.)
Bethesda brought the setting into a stable 3D release. For comparison, see the game "Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel". For their first attempt (Fallout 3), they also explored a small portion of the Fallout setting which is 1950:ies naive Americana (the kind you see mostly hinted at in the intro of F1, but then left in the background of F1 and F2). They also simplified and focused the skill system - a good change in my opinion.
3. A good way forward is a mix that lies somewhere in-between:
Fallout: New Vegas is the result of what happens when Bethesda lays the technical ground-work and the original team makes the world building. Caesar's Legion was not a new idea, but had existed in the minds of the designers since somewhere after Fallout 2. The "fresh direction" that New Vegas took was actually a lot of the original team's ideas realized.
From the engine of F3 they further improved the skill system with great ideas such as Damage Threshold, the use of cooked food as a viable item, alternative and craft-able ammunition - and more.
Bethesda supplied them with an engine that advanced enough to support a big 3D world with loads of small items, while also being simple enough to add content to. I imagine that this was exactly what the original devs needed to be able to focus on content.
Bethesda:
+ Has a ready-made engine that, so far, has been good enough for the scope.
+ Makes few game design and engine improvements each incremental release.
+ Makes bigger worlds.
- Makes more shallow worlds.
- Is probably a big corporate blob that is reluctant to stray too far from their established intellectual property.
- Tends to lack a bit of soul.
- Their engine seems to be hard to add new features to.
- Was extremely petty and unfair towards original devs when it came to the payment for Fallout: New Vegas.
The original team:
+ They practically ARE the essence of the intellectual property ("Fallout") in all but name. Bethesda owns the trademark, but not the creative energy.
+ Makes great and innovative gameplay changes each instalment.
+ Explores the setting in novel and often satisfying ways.
+ Makes deeper worlds.
- Worse history with bugs than Bethesda.
- Seems to not as skilled with introducing polished engine features. (This point is more moot at this time, since obviously Bethesda devs know their own engine best and others can't be held responsible for if that engine is hard to change.)
- Has a history of intending a larger scope for their game without being able to get there (time, money, ambition), resulting in a lot of cut content.
Conclusion (a naive guess for a recipe for success):
Let Bethesda do the engine work and heavy lifting, while the orignal devs do the game world. Mix and match between teams as needed. Aid the original devs and help them out with the scope so they do not get stuck. Take Quality Assurance seriously. Smack the management (especially upper management!) over the fingers when naughty, and let them shepherd when nice. Do not feed egos of marketing nor management. Keep things rolling to a reasonable degree and compensate all devs handsomely after project completion. Compensate management modestly, and if they are really good they get the same level of pay as the devs. Reinvest earnings into a serious engine overhaul and pre-production for the next game, while still limiting the scope. (That is, no new MMO:s please. Add simple co-op to existing titles first. I'd rather play F4 with a single friend than WoW with 20.)
As for settings in different parts of the world...
Sure, why not? At first glance it may seem that it clashes with the idea of Americana, but remember that American culture has a lot of global influence that can still tap into the theme. However I don't really like the idea of "please pick my city next!!" that seems to be pervasive here. Instead, think outside the box. China is a nice example, though that could be tricky due to IRL politics (the Chinese government is awfully touchy). Why not Africa? Indonesia? Take a part of the world which things actually go well in? What happens AFTER the post-apocalypse? What is the next stage of civilization after the state the world was in F4? How about a game where you take the settlement building even further? A city-sim?
What feelings did Fallout tap into? (naive Atomic age, corruption, fall of civilization, tragedy, exploring a foreign sci-fi world, the futility of it all as the vicious cycle begins anew)
What activities have we explored in this setting? Are there activities that fit here, that do not fit in other settings? (treasure-hunting that leads into management simulation, building, vices like drug addiction and child killing, wild-west morals, defeating the big bad ? la Mad Max, combat, character building, novel ways to act through the wasteland)
I took some ideas from this video. Story spoiler warnings!
"Review: Fallout 4" by Super Bunnyhop [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dejO6aiA7bs]
Edit: Upon re-watching the above video, I realize that I was probably too lenient on Bethesda. The studio is lagging behind severely in the technical department by today's standards.
I agree. Add the ideal-60's-holiday-location of the Florida Keys, get all old-school Miami up in it too. Mutated tropical jungle and swamps. Extremely different from what we've seen so far, but we can still get Americana turned to 11.SaneAmongInsane said:
Oh and give it back to Obsidian again, but with some of Bethesda's environmental designers. And give ' em extra time so it won't be awfully buggy.
