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10.10.10
Yes, yes, it's been a while. But better late then never; that Fallout: New Vegas Community Interview we did all the way back in May has been through hell, but finally arrived at our virtual doorstep brimming with exclusive information and only slightly burnt around the edges. A big thanks goes to the men and women at Bethesda and Obsidian, and without further ado, we present our community-driven Fallout: New Vegas interview, courtesy of Gamer's Guide to Life.com.
Have there been any graphical updates to the game engine? Did you always plan to use the Fallout 3 engine?
Fallout 3's engine was the natural choice for us, given the timeline we we had and what we wanted to accomplish with the game. While we haven't made direct changes to the engine to support enhanced graphics, we worked on the texture resolutions and made performance tweaks.Did you enjoy Fallout 3? Are you trying to improve upon it, or just make your own game of the Fallout universe?
I think pretty much everyone on the team enjoyed Fallout 3! I think the latter questions aren't independent of each other - we wanted to both make our own game in the Fallout universe, and improve upon what Fallout 3 did. I think we succeeded on both accounts.Can you modify and look down the sights of every single firearm? Are there any new types of weapon - we've seen flame, plasma and ray guns in Fallout 3, but will you add any new ones?
Yes, every firearm has 'true' ironsights (this is actually a mode that can be disabled, for players that prefer the 3rd-person shoulder cam). And as far as I can recall, every firearm has at least a couple of mods. Overall, we’ve got about double the guns that were in Fallout 3. Players will also be able to use different ammo types with weapons.Are gambling activities like Poker or Blackjack just mini-games, or will they sometimes play important roles in missions or game progress? Will lockpicking return?
I think enough of us complained about 'mandatory' mini-games that we shied away from the idea of forcing the player to play them. There's more to be won at the tables than just caps, though! Lock picking will definitely return in Fallout: New Vegas.Will there be any sort of multiplayer/online component? If not, why not?
There is no multiplayer or online component to Fallout: New Vegas. While there's a lot of potential there, that wasn't what we wanted for our game; it's definitely tailored to be a solo experience (though of course you'll have NPC companions). To have multiplayer or online components, I think it's important to decide what aspects you'll have and how to implement them very early on, and we decided against this.In Fallout 3, the most populated place was the slightly barren Rivet City, with only a small handful of NPCs. Will there be much larger settlements in New Vegas, with many more interactive NPCs?
Since the Strip (and a lot of the surrounding region) didn't get hit by nukes, you'll find more intact settlements, and more people overall. In fact, the first town you wake up in (Goodsprings) has a decent number of folk, and you'll find more populated areas as you explore the wasteland. Overall, we've got a ton of NPCs.Will there be any major differences between platforms? Are you planning to include exclusive DLC, and will the G.E.C.K. return for PC?
There shouldn't be any major differences, no. While we're tinkering with things here and there, we're trying to keep the differences minimal (they're done solely for performance reasons). There will be DLC but we can't talk about specifics yet, but PC modders should look forward to an updated GECK release.
Will there be new stealth systems?
No, but Sneak (like most skills) can be temporarily boosted by skill magazines, a new item that gives you a small temporary bump (as opposed to Books, which give you a permanent bonus).How long will Fallout: New Vegas be? Can you continue playing after the main storyline?
It's hard to give an estimate because of how many different ways you can play the game, but rest assured that there's plenty of content for the Fallout addict! You won't be able to play after you've finished the main storyline, but you'll be given clear warning before you pass that point, so you can go back and mop up any threads you left open.How many perks from Fallout 3 will reappear, and how many of your own are you adding? Could you possibly spill any examples?
The majority of Fallout 3's perks are back (some are modified, some were removed), and we've added quite a few of our own. We should have more information on that soon.Is there a new side-quest system, or ambient events like Red Dead Redemption, or are set quests only given to set people?
There isn't a new 'system,' but there are a number of side quests. There are also ambient events that you'll see occurring in the world around you, triggered by various things you've done. We're committed to making quests feel unique and "make sense" in the world, so we always associate quests with specific NPCs.Are there any sly hints at past Fallout games?
Maybe a few. ;)Will there be a weather cycle?
No. We did, however, completely redo the sky and times of day, so look forward to some scenic sunsets!Will it be possible to max out all skills in one playthrough? Will there be many different endings (not just variations on a few opposite ones as in Fallout 3)?
If it's possible to max out all your skills in one go, no one's done it yet! There is more variation to our endings, as they depend on your reputation with various factions, actions you've taken, and companions you've recruited.Will Dogmeat return, and will companions have more character, with detailed pasts, etc?
Dogmeat isn't around for this adventure, but the companions each have their own personalities, back story, and some of them have their own motives and quests they'll want you to give them a hand with.To round off, a few quick-fire ones from the community:
Can you play as a ghoul?Nope, you can't play as a ghoul. Sorry!
Will there be vehicles present?
You'll see different wrecked cars, but no vehicles you can ride or drive.
Are there destructible environments?
No destructible environments, but some stuff still blows up when you shoot at it.
Is there a Level Cap?
Yes, the level cap is 30.
Will the Metro play as important a role as Fallout 3 (ie. Will you constantly have to go down there to reach new places?)
We don't have the Metro. There's something similar, but you don't have to explore it at all if you don't want to.
We hope you enjoyed the interview, and you can pick up New Vegas on the 19th October 2010. Stay tuned (via Twitter) to Gamer's Guide to Life.com for more Communinty Interviews on upcoming AAA titles.
Labels: Bethesda, Chris Hawke, Community Interview, Exclusive, Fallout, Fallout: New Vegas, Interview, Obsidian
- Chris Hawke
UPDATE: That's it, folks! We've had almost 300 questions, and we've sent off as many as we could to the Fallout: New Vegas team. Thank you all so much for your questions, and stay tuned to GGTL for the full interview soon!
There seems to be a sort a nuclear mist surrounding Fallout: New Vegas. Not much is known about the upcoming Obsidian/Bethesda title, a spin-off from the popular - no, sorry, award winning - Fallout series. Gamer's Guide to Life wanted to know more.
'Course, we're not ones to leave you behind! We've secured an exclusive interview with the Fallout: New Vegas team, and since we forgot to send you a birthday present last year (sorry, it totally slipped our minds), we'll make it up to you by letting you ask your questions of the New Vegas boys and girls.
All you have to do is add a question you'd like answered about upcoming RPG/FPS hybrid Fallout: New Vegas is one of the following:
Pop it in the comments section.
Possibly the easiest way to ask your question from this page is via the comments system. You can login using your Disqus, Twitter, OpenID or Yahoo account, or can comment without an account too. It's quick and almost offensively simple. Just make sure to leave a name with any comment so we can credit you!
You could be all a-Twitter.
Have a Twitter account? Tweet us over your question. All you need to do is send us a message via @ggtl. Please use the GGTL hashtag - #ggtl - so your tweet shows up on the side of GGTL and you get five minutes of fame.
Old fashioned? Shoot us an electronic mail.
If you're not a fan of comments systems or social networking, then I'd advise you - other than telling you to join 2010 for crying out loud - to send an email over with your question to chrishawke@gamersguidetolife.com and we'll do our best to include it.
Ask questions that are as in-depth as you want, on any area of the game, development, or future of the series, and with any luck we'll squeeze as many as physically possible in the interviewee's inbox. It couldn't be easier!
So, get to it. We'll hopefully have the answers sometime before E3 this year. Speaking of which - check out GGTL's extensive E3 2010 coverage.
Chris
Labels: Bethesda, Chris Hawke, Exclusive, Fallout, Fallout: New Vegas, Interview, Obsidian
- Chris Hawke
You can choose between a stealthy, technical or all-out approach to missions. Does the game react to this by having specific rewards for sticking to each style, like better sneaking skills and silenced weapons for always being stealthy, or are players expected to use a mix of the three through the game?
MR: Obsidian tried pretty hard to reward people for sticking to a certain discipline. When you level up, you'll gain points that you can allocate to any skill that you like, such as Stealth, Assault Rifles, Technical Aptitude, or Martial Arts, and the proverbial "much, much more!" Specialising in a skill will unlock new abilities and tools that will make it easier for you to advance through the tougher challenges that come along later in the game. However, you're free to make a jack-of-all-trades character if you wish; you'll just be a minor badass in a lot of different areas, rather than a major badass in one or two skills.
There are certain unavoidable boss-battles with major baddies. Can you defeat them by using stealth or technical skills, or are you just meant to shoot them dead?
MR: We've tried to ensure that you can use any appropriate skills in the boss battles, including unarmed attacks, stealth, gadgets/grenades, or straight-up gunplay. While the gunplay is the most straightforward way of dealing with a boss, it's obviously frustrating to be forced to do something that you haven't been specialising in, or which doesn't feel right for your particular Mike Thorton character, so we've done our best to ensure that all options are valid for the boss fights.
CA: While there are similarities in interface presentation, the mechanics behind the visuals are where the player is going to feel the difference. As an example, although the dialogue wheel in Alpha Protocol appears similar to Mass Effect 2, the mechanics are much different - NPCs won't wait for you to make a choice, the dialogue continues along at real time, and there's no going back, which makes the conversations much more urgent. During focus tests, we found that we were getting an adrenaline spike from dialogues on a level comparable to that of a running gun battle. These game mechanic differences are echoed in the skills, powers, combat, and even the morality mechanics throughout Alpha Protocol.
Speaking of Mass Effect 2 - can love interests in Alpha Protocol lead to some hanky-panky? Are we talking PG13, or X rated scenes? (Sorry, had to ask)
MR: We do have a few lovely ladies that Mike can romance in Alpha Protocol, but we've decided to keep things pretty tasteful in terms of how those romances can be consummated. So you shouldn't necessarily expect bow-chicka-bow-bow music; discrete fades-to-black are the order of the day here. We've really focused on making these relationships believable, first and foremost, and making graphic sex scenes seemed like it would distract from that work.
MR: We can't really speak to the specifics of the delays, unfortunately; that's more a question for our publisher. Suffice to say that we think the game is well-positioned for a successful launch, and we hope everyone enjoys it when it hits store shelves.
The player has 'hub cities' acting as safehouses in Rome, Moscow, and other places. Will missions take place in these cities, or anywhere in the world?
MR: Our missions will generally take place in or relatively close to the hub cities, but we've managed to fit in a large variety of architecture and environments into the hubs that we've put into the game. Mike is going to fight (or sneak) through museums, archaeological ruins, embassies, mansions, secret government facilities, and even a yacht on the open water.
MR: This will depend on the mission - most are intended to be freeform, with a variety of paths through them for you to take, which we usually use to reinforce the type of character that you've created. For example, in our train station level, do you want to stick to the walkways above a firefight and attempt to sneak by the gangs that are shooting at each other, or get down to the killing floor and participate in the bloodbath? Do you want to sneak into the embassy via the side entrance, or persuade/kill the guards at the door and bust in that way?
As far as destructible environments go, it hasn't been a huge focus for our game, but we do use them in a few places to amp up the action.
How many endings are there? Are most just slight variations on a few set endings (good, bad, etc) or can you drastically change the outcome with each playthrough?
MR: It's somewhat difficult to estimate this in terms of numbers - how you experience the end of the game will rely heavily on whom you've met in the game, and how you treated them. If you've befriended someone, made them hate you, or killed them, we've tried to reflect that gamut of feeling in the end of the game as best we can. Since there are plenty of characters to interact with, the end of the game has a lot of variables to it. So it's not as simple a dichotomy as "Mike was a bad guy/Mike was a good guy" in terms of the endings. Suffice to say that it should be different each time you play so long as you vary your choices up a bit.
CA: Arresting an arms dealer in Saudi Arabia can cost you access to merchants and contacts in the region. Continual abuse of a mild-mannered asset can cause them to turn on you in surprising ways. In short, choices have plenty of immediate and long-term consequences in Alpha Protocol, and not just the people you talk to - they can open brand-new optional missions, new perks, loss of intel, gain of intel, new handlers, cause a boss character to say he has too much respect to fight you, cause another boss character to abandon his plans and pre-emptively change his tactics solely because you've pissed him off, and gaining new information on a seemingly shallow asset to discover that they've got far more depth than you thought possible... and then using that intel to turn them for or against you as an additional weapon.
Did you ever think about including multiplayer options, such as co-op?
CA: It was discussed, both for the original product and potential sequels. We had a lot of interesting mechanics we suggested for how co-op could work, which we think would have been a nice spin on a new form of cooperative play that would complement the spy genre. If we do a sequel, we'd love to speak to about those mechanics more.
MR: We've developed for all of the platforms simultaneously, so the differences should be minimal. The PC will have a custom control scheme for mouse and keyboard, and will look nicer if you have good hardware, but apart from that there shouldn't be any obvious differences.
What type of anti-piracy system, if any, are you using for PC (DRM, etc)?
MR: That's a question for our publishers. Sorry!
What's the coolest thing you've done in Alpha Protocol?
CA: Aside from telling various characters I meet to "fuck off" and not having it come across as juvenile; having two female handlers catfighting over my headset while I'm gunning down terrorists in the snow; the ability to toss grenades behind me as I run; unleashing a storm of bullets on an 80s obsessed mob boss until he's bleeding on the floor and offering me anything I want in his mansion - the coolest thing? Well, I convinced the secret shadow that monitors all global trafficking that I've inserted technical kryptonite into his eavesdropping system, and I pulled it off so technically smooth that this supposed "genius" was none the wiser. Who's the smart guy now, jackass? That's right: Me.
MR: My magic eight-ball says that the future is hazy... all I can say is that we're working on some really cool stuff here at the moment, but unfortunately, until projects are announced we can't comment on them.
Who would win in a fight; Bourne, Bauer or Bond? (hand-to-hand, obviously)
CA: It'd depend on whose love interest had died in the last 15 minutes. The one who suffered the loss most recently would win. If they've lost no one tragically, Bourne's got my vote. The hand-to-hand fighting sequences in the first Bourne movie was so blinding and frenetic, I think Bauer and Bond would be hard-pressed to deal with Bourne. If it was a running gun fight, it'd be a toss up between Bauer and Bond. If it was a poker match? Bond all the way.
So, there you have it. Thanks to Chris and Matt from Obsidian Entertainment, and be sure to keep updated on both Alpha Protocol and Gamer's Guide to Life.
Chris
Labels: Alpha Protocol, Chris Hawke, Exclusive, Interview, Obsidian, SEGA
- Chris Hawke
via source
Want to know something about the game, from the very conception of the project to the finest, smallest detail? Submit your query and you could be getting an answer from Obsidian Entertainment themselves. All you have to do is add your question to the comments section, or send an e-mail to the address at the bottom of this article. Ask about anything you want, but try and be as clear as possible.
The interview will be published in the coming weeks, so hang in there and keep checking back! We can't answer all your questions, but we'll try and send Obsidian as many as physically possible. Alpha Protocol is due out on PS3, Xbox 360 and PC in Summer 2010.
If you don't want to use the comments section below, send questions to chrishawke@gamersguidetolife.com.
Chris
Labels: Alpha Protocol, Exclusive, Interview, News, Obsidian
- Chris Hawke
Fallout: New Vegas will be released by Obsidian Entertainment - a company made up of developers that left Black Isle studios (the makers of much adored Fallout 2) - in 2010.The game was unveiled at a press event on Monday. The event was held under Bethesda's name - so presumably some of the Fallout 3 guys will have some input on what happens in the game.
According to Bethesda exec Peter Hines: "It's not a sequel to Fallout...It's simply another Fallout game in that universe". Hines also continued on to say that the game will not be DLC based and will be an action RPG.
This game will not disrupt progress on Todd Howard's project, which is rumored to be a new Elder Scrolls game or on Obsidian's Alpha Protocol - which is coming in October.
Matt
Labels: Bethesda, Fallout, Matthew, Matthew Meadows, Obsidian
- Anonymous
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