Fallout

[Penfold]

I don't often get excited in anticipation of a new tv series, but being a big fan of the Fallout games, I'm very much looking forward to this one. From the brief clips I've seen, it does look like they're staying pretty faithful to them.

 

[RathDarkblade]

Dang. All the best shows come to Amazon Prime. =(

I've never played Fallout, but then, I've never a big fan of science fiction (except for Asimov, some Heinlein, and Doug Adams). I also tried Starcraft, which I didn't enjoy as much as Warcraft. *shrug* Potato, potah-toe. =P

So, I never played Fallout. What's it like? I know it's by the same people who made the Elder Scrolls games, which I enjoyed. So, is Fallout basically Elder Scrolls -- but with futuristic guns instead of swords and bows?

 

[Penfold]

Sort of, but think post apocalyptic with a mixture of futuristic weapons and armour mixed in with traditional guns and knives. Fallout New Vegas has a very 'Wild West' feel to it.

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

I don't often get excited in anticipation of a new tv series, but being a big fan of the Fallout games, I'm very much looking forward to this one. From the brief clips I've seen, it does look like they're staying pretty faithful to them.

Thanks penners I will watch that.

 

[RathDarkblade]

Sort of, but think post apocalyptic with a mixture of futuristic weapons and armour mixed in with traditional guns and knives. Fallout New Vegas has a very 'Wild West' feel to it.

Post-apocalyptic, hmm? Yes, I've seen some videos showing the setting as irradiated, etc... but wouldn't that make the landscape barren? *shrug* It'd be just dirt and sand on top of more dirt and sand. Or am I reading this the wrong way?

If there are trees, how come they're not affected by the nuclear fallout? (Sorry to be so logical)

What kind of landscapes are there here? Just curious.

 

[Penfold]

Mainly desolate with tumbledown buildings. Plants and trees did survive in areas not destroyed by the nukes, so when the radiation died down, the surviving fauna and flora moved back in.

BTW, you can sign up for the Amazon Prime 30 day free trial and watch the series for yourself; just remember to cancel before the time is up. All episodes are going to be available from 11th April, and they still have Good Omens available as well.

 

[RathDarkblade]

I would much prefer to find a DVD (or even Blu-ray) of Good Omens. They did it for Season 1, so what happened for Season 2? Please don't tell me Bezos ran out of money. =P

 

[Quatermass]

Penfold forgot to mention that the Fallout games, at least from the third game onwards (can't speak for the first couple of games), are also somewhat satirical and darkly humorous in nature, taking the mickey out of 50s America, as the style of society in the Fallout timeline prior to the nuclear holocaust is somewhat like 50s USA, despite said nuclear holocaust taking place some time in the mid-21st Century, if I recall correctly. Witness these promotional videos for the fourth game, relating to the SPECIAL feats system...

And then, there's Liberty Prime from the third game. Imagine a giant robot, but spouting pro-American and anti-Chinese Communist slogans. I am not making this up...

 

[Penfold]

Thanks, Q, you definitely summed it up better than I could. Have you played 'The Outer Worlds' where they take capitalism to the extreme with some not very subtle satire?

 

[RathDarkblade]

I haven't, no. But I know about those black-and-white pro-American/anti-communist videos from Fallout, so that's no surprise. I've seen some of the original 1950s cartoons, which is why I thought the Fallout ones are hilarious, which is one reason I'm considering this game.

 

[Quatermass]

I've only played part of the fourth game. It was fairly good, though the open world can get overwhelming, and some of the enemies can get too hard too quickly.

BTW, avoid the MMORPG like the plague. While Bethesda is notorious for having buggy games, they also apparently screwed the pooch with Fallout '76, with it proving to be a textbook example of how not to do an MMORPG.

And yes, Penfold, I HAVE played part of The Outer Worlds. Only the first part, up to discovering that ship with the AI on it, but I noticed the satirical elements, but I will go back to it eventually. I just have so many games demanding my attention. Many of which have satirical elements anyway, like the Borderlands games, Genshin Impact (seriously, the Sumeru arc includes a lot of satire towards academia, Wikipedia and the internet, I reckon), Persona 5, etc...

 

[RathDarkblade]

I've only played part of the fourth game. It was fairly good, though the open world can get overwhelming, and some of the enemies can get too hard too quickly.

Isn't that what cheat codes are for? Granted, it's not playing the game. But if some of the enemies get too hard too quickly (and hey, it's a Bethesda game!), you can always turn the cheat codes on and back off again.

BTW, avoid the MMORPG like the plague. While Bethesda is notorious for having buggy games, they also apparently screwed the pooch with Fallout '76, with it proving to be a textbook example of how not to do an MMORPG.

Ah yes, Bethesda and their buggy games ... which results in things like guards in The Imperial City running down the street in the Docks District, jumping (as if from a TRAMPOLINE) into the bay, swimming a bit, and then asking me: "Have you seen Armand Christoff?"

Not to mention Dragons in Skyrim flaming -- and flying -- BACKWARDS.

Don't get me wrong, Oblivion and Skyrim are fun games. But little oddities like this ... wow.

Oh, and what about the conversations in Oblivion? I understand it's programmed, but ... oh, the inanity.

"GOOD TO SEE YOU!"
"What's going on with you?"
"I saw a mudcrab the other day. Nasty creatures."
"I've heard others say the same."
"So long."
"See ya."

No further comment, m'lud ...

 

[Quatermass]

Isn't that what cheat codes are for? Granted, it's not playing the game. But if some of the enemies get too hard too quickly (and hey, it's a Bethesda game!), you can always turn the cheat codes on and back off again.

Except many games these days don't have cheat codes. So there. They often have easter eggs along similar lines, but these days, the only cheat code is to 'git gud, you filthy casul', as some corners of the Soulsborne fandom would put it. And those games make Fallout 4 tame by comparison.

Ah yes, Bethesda and their buggy games ... which results in things like guards in The Imperial City running down the street in the Docks District, jumping (as if from a TRAMPOLINE) into the bay, swimming a bit, and then asking me: "Have you seen Armand Christoff?"

Not to mention Dragons in Skyrim flaming -- and flying -- BACKWARDS.

Don't get me wrong, Oblivion and Skyrim are fun games. But little oddities like this ... wow.

Oh, and what about the conversations in Oblivion? I understand it's programmed, but ... oh, the inanity.

"GOOD TO SEE YOU!"
"What's going on with you?"
"I saw a mudcrab the other day. Nasty creatures."
"I've heard others say the same."
"So long."
"See ya."

No further comment, m'lud ...

I can add an addendum to that, though. Have you ever watched Team Four Star's Glitch Dubs videos? They have one on Skyrim, naturally...

Actually, the guy behind Mr Bean in Cyberpunk 2077 did a number of Fallout 4 videos. Warning for spoilers in the Garfield one...

 

[Penfold]

I finished watching last night and thoroughly enjoyed it.

My spoiler free opinion:

Firstly, they kept pretty faithful to the game world in looks. It was quite dark, especially the final episode, but the Fallout humour kept that from being too depressing.

The characters were all engaging and the acting exceptional for the most part. I never realized Ella Purnell, for example, was English rather than American until around the sixth episode (I stumbled across her in another article somewhere). She was also able to convey a whole range of emotions with just her eyes. Walton Goggins, in my opinion, would also make a passable Sam Vimes if they ever did a genuine DW Watch film, or series. Aaron Clifton Moten also deserves a mention. The character growths over the eight episodes were also satisfying and logical.

The sets were also faithful to the feel of the game, and although quite graphic with the violence, it didn't feel out of place. The special effects were also top-notch, although maybe the gory scenes might put some people off.

The storyline kept my attention and on a par with the main quest line from the game, along with interwoven side quests. They went into the history behind the apocalypse more than the games did, often taking a swipe at an extreme version of corporate America, but that was all quite subtle rather than being 'in your face'. The history behind the vaults was also an important element of the storyline, so wasn't just there as filler.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable watch and I wouldn't be surprised to see several nominations at the next round of awards ceremonies. The second series has already been given the green light and I, for one, can't wait.

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

It's on my to watch list Penners. as long as it does not become as long as MTB pile, it should be OK.