Fallout (DOS)

Genre: Role-Playing (RPG)

Perspective: Bird's-eye view

Visual: Isometric

Pacing: Real-Time, Turn-based

Interface: Point and Select

Setting: Post-Apocalyptic

Published by: Interplay Productions

Developed by: Interplay Productions

Released: 1997

Platform: DOS

The action takes place in a world that has survived a nuclear war. One of the most famous works of the post-apocalyptic genre. At the development stage, Fallout was supposed to be the actual continuation of the Wasteland game, but due to the lack of rights at Wasteland for Interplay, Fallout did not become its official sequel. The game has developed its own role-playing system, called SPECIAL and replacing the GURPS system, the use of which was originally planned.

The game's plot tells about the adventures of the Refugee Dweller - a resident of an underground bunker, who was tasked with finding a water chip for 150 days and delivering it to his refuge to save an isolated community from lack of water. The player can freely move around the world map, visit game locations, perform various tasks and fight with representatives of the surrounding world.

Approved by critics, the game marked the beginning of the Fallout series. Among the advantages of the game, commentators identified an innovative setting, openness of the game world and realistic gameplay. For several years, Fallout has been on the list of the best games from various game titles.

Gameplay

The main feature of the gameplay is that in the game world the player has complete freedom of action - he can travel, communicate, fight, complete tasks (basic and incidental), receive the necessary information. The time of the first story game task is limited to 150 days set aside to search for a water chip.

The main action takes place in separate locations (cities, dungeons, military bases, etc.) located in the game world. The transition between remote locations is carried out on the world map. At any time, you can stop moving and go to the current map location as to a location (depending on the terrain at this point, this may be desert, mountains, etc.). At the beginning of the game, the location of only two locations (the 13th and 15th Shelters) is known. In the course of communication with the characters or self-exploration of the global map, the player gradually discovers other locations.

All the plot information received during the game is entered into Pip Boy - the main character's PDA.

The game on the locations is in real time, if necessary, with the help of Pip-Boy, the player has the opportunity to skip any period of time. As you move around the global map, the passage of time accelerates. In Fallout there is a change of day and night. The player can save progress at any time. The battles take place in turn-based mode - the one who starts the battle gains the advantage of the first turn, then the sequence of moves is determined by the order of the character’s action (a SPECIAL derivative characteristic). The player is able to conduct a normal attack, or can aim at a certain part of the opponent’s body. Some types of weapons have several attack modes (for example, machine guns can shoot with a single shot or a burst).

The player has an extensive set of actions. You can search cabinets, tables, corpses of people and animals, open and close unlocked doors, try to steal from any character. You can also trade with characters by selling, buying and exchanging items. Any creature can be attacked with bare hands or with weapons, any character can be used a variety of objects with different consequences - for example, if you use an alcoholic drink on a person, then his perception will decrease, which facilitates the theft; You can also launch a time bomb and place it in someone’s pocket. With part of the characters you can have a dialogue. In the course of the game, the Bearer will have to break the doors, work with computers, detect traps, repair things, and for the successful implementation of all these actions, you must have the appropriate skills.

The development of the personality of the Wearer occurs as they gain experience. Experience points are given for completing quests, obtaining important information, successfully applying skills, and for any killing. When the accumulated experience points reach a certain indicator, the Wearer receives another level of experience, slightly increasing his life points and giving points, which can be discretionally distributed to increase the level of skills. After every three or four levels of experience, the player can choose an additional bonus (perk). Bonuses slightly improve the qualities and abilities of the character.

The game has a karma - a characteristic of the hero, which varies depending on the actions performed by a person (good or bad). At the beginning of the game, karma is neutral. When completing quests, the player makes a moral choice between how to pass them. Often, different ways to complete the quest give a different amount of experience. Karma includes a numerical reputation indicator and titles that a Commander can receive if certain actions are performed (for example, the hero receives the title “Child Killer” if at least one child is killed; if the reputation rate reaches 25 points, the character will "Champion").

Encounters

During moving around the global map from time to time (in proportion to the characteristic "Luck" and depending on the area of ​​the map) random encounters occur. The meeting takes place at the location corresponding to the current terrain. You can meet anyone in the desert: a trade caravan, a lone traveler, wild animals or bandits. Traders and travelers can be traded; with wild animals and bandits you can join the battle or try to escape.

There are also special Special Encounters, occurring quite rarely (the probability is largely dependent on the great value of Luck and the skill of the traveler). Some of them are dangerous, some allow to find something useful, and some are just jokes of the authors of the game or references to works of culture.

Characters

Interact with the surrounding characters in various ways. Conversation is possible only with a part of them; ordinary residents when referring to them will issue a standard insignificant phrases. A conversation with a character consists in choosing one of several suggested phrases, the number of which depends on the level of intelligence and the character's speaking skill. The interlocutor responds to what has been said, communicating new information with the skillful construction of a conversation, or completely stopping communication after an offensive phrase. In a number of cases, the attitude of other people towards the Wearer depends on his previous actions and the general level of reputation; under certain developments, some characters may refuse to speak with him at all, or they will immediately attack. Dialogues with the main characters of the game are voiced and equipped with an animated portrait image of the interlocutor.

The game has several characters that can become companions of the main character. They can transfer part of the cargo and equipment, as well as set their behavior in battle. The weight that a non-player character is capable of carrying is not limited by anything, and no penalty is imposed on him for exceeding the limit set by the SPECIAL parameters. In combat, comrades act independently. Their death does not affect the development of the main plot of the game.

Plot

Setting

The game takes place in the distant retro-futuristic future (the future, according to the ideas of the American generation of the 50s of the 20th century). The scene of action is the Wastelands, arising on the site of the western part of the United States. The war between the USA and China over the last oil sources ended with a mutual massive nuclear strike on October 23, 2077. Because of the war, the world was not only exposed to radioactive contamination, but there was also a leakage of a secret experimental technology to create post-humans - the VRE virus (the virus of man-made evolution), which even many years after the war is present in the atmosphere, although in very low concentrations. Most of the population of the world died out. Some Americans managed to escape in Vault, each of which could hold 1000 people. Watchmen in the shelters were supposed to keep the Overseer.

In addition to healthy people, the world of the game is inhabited by mutant people, among which are ghouls and super mutants. The ghouls, to which, in particular, come from Vault 12, look like dead or zombies. The game developers offered several versions of what turns a person into a ghoul. Tim Cain considered radiation to be the main cause of such a metamorphosis, and Chris Taylor and Chris Avellone believed that the transformation is influenced by a virus of man-made evolution. However, there was no final opinion on this issue. Supermutants are beings of tremendous growth and physical strength, but often with low intelligence. Both ghouls and supermutants tolerate radiation well and are long-lived. Both types of mutants live much longer than humans, but are sterile. In addition, almost all animals are mutants, among which two-headed cows, the Brahmin, are especially known. They harnessed the transport carts of caravans, they are used in agriculture and cut for meat.

Game developers have tried to convey the atmosphere of destruction, anarchy and death that occurred after a nuclear war. Machinery fell into disrepair, criminal groups seized power in many cities, many people run wild and returned to the tribal structure of society. One of the features of Fallout is the use of bottle caps as money.

The game begins in 2161 and covers Southern California. About the fate of the rest of the world almost nothing is known. The game begins in Asylum 13, a bunker officially designated to protect people during a nuclear war. To the east of Shelter 13 are the village of Shady Sands and Shelter 15. On the territory of the Wastelands are the city of Junktown, ruled by Mayor Killian; The commercial city of the Hub, the burial ground of the Los Angeles, and the Necropolis, is a settlement inhabited by Asylum guls. 12. The Fraternity Steel bunker is located south-west of Asylum 13, the Cathedral occupied by the followers of religion is located south of the Mohilnik. Children of the Cathedral. Destroyed after a massive point bombing by nuclear warheads, a military laboratory engaged in armaments and genetic research is located in the southeast of the map — this location is called Candle. In the northwestern corner of the map is the Mariposa Military Base, occupied by supermutants. It was there that the early experiments with the FEV virus were performed (Handmade Evolution Virus, F.E.V., the name “Forced Evolution Virus”, FEV) is mentioned in other localizations.

Leading characters

• Vault Dweller is the main character of the game. Three ready-made characters are also available.
• Overseer - Superintendent of Asylum 13, asks Vyhodets to find a water chip. At the end of the game expels the hero.
• Aradesh - the leader of the settlement Shady Sands. Dharma follower.
• Tandy - the daughter of Aradesh, who during the game, the main character rescues from captivity, she can later join him. By the time of the Fallout 2 events, Tandi (who by then was 96 years old) is the president of the New California Republic (New California Republic, NCR).
• Master, the name before the mutation is Richard Moreau, after being expelled from the City of Refuge, changed his last name to Gray, English Richard Gray - a man who was expelled from Asylum 8 (City of Refuge) for the murder he committed. Subsequently, together with Harold, he set off on an unsuccessful expedition to the military base of Mariposa, where he underwent a severe mutation. From that moment on, he settled near Mogilnik and created an army of super mutants. The aim of the Lord was the transformation into mutants of the entire population of the Earth. It is he who acts as the main antagonist of the first part of the game.
• Lieutenant - super mutant, leader of mutants at the base of Mariposa and second person in Unity after the Overlord.
• Killian Darkwater - Mayor Junktown and head of the local police. From him, the player can get the job to kill Gizmo.
• Gizmo - the owner of a casino in Junktown and the leader of the local mafia. The mortal enemy of Killian Darkwater, may ask Ghost to get rid of him. Initially, the following scenario was assumed: if the hero takes the side of Gizmo and kills Killian, then for Junktown there comes the era of prosperity thanks to the gambling business of Gizmo; if the player decides to kill Guizmo, then Killian begins to abuse power and establishes a totalitarian regime in the city. But this option seemed too immoral to developers and did not enter the game.
• Rhombus - former military commander of the Brotherhood of Steel. Trains recruits.
• Vree - the head of the Scribes and the leading scientist of the Brotherhood of Steel.
• John Maxson - the grandson of Roger Maxson and the head of the Brotherhood of Steel in 2161.
• Cabbot is a novice in the Brotherhood of Steel who meets travelers at the entrance to the Lost Hills bunker.
• Butch Harris - the owner of the company "Truckers" in the Hub in 2161.
• Decker - the criminal authority of the Hub. Under the cover of the Maltese Falcon bar (Maltese Falcon) operates an underground gangster group, also known as Dungeon, which it founded in 2140.
• Harold - a mutant living in the Hub. He participated in a joint expedition with Richard Gray and together with him suffered a mutation (after which they parted ways). Outwardly it looks the same as ghouls, but in fact it is not ghoul, since it has suffered a metamorphosis under the influence of the FEV virus, like Gray. Participates in the events of Fallout 2, where he heads the settlement of ghouls Gekko; in Fallout 3 is represented as a tree-idol in the settlement of Oasis. A small tree named Bob grows on its head, which jokingly calls Herbert (because then it gets offended).
• Loxley - the leader of the Thieves Guild. Living by the principles of Robin Hood.
• Jane or Mother Jain - High Priestess of Chad Cathedral in the Hub in 2162. Supervises the hospital open Chad Cathedral in the Hub.
• Set - the leader of the ghouls in the Necropolis (in Fallout 2 you can meet his son, who appeared before the war and also became a ghoul). Avid and power-hungry. Shows hatred towards super mutants who have taken possession of the watershed.
• Nicole - head of the Followers of the apocalypse - a group located in the library of Los Angeles. Punk. Kind and respectful and wants to contribute to help restore peace.
• Morpheus - leader of the sect Chad Cathedral. Impatient and therefore easily infuriated. Does not really believe in the Lord.
• Laura - one of the Chad Cathedral in 2161. In fact, the spy of the Followers of the apocalypse.
• Harry is one of the super mutant soldiers of the Army of the Creator, who seized the water distribution station in the Necropolis.

Companions

• Ian is a guard of caravans from the Hub who can join the Refuge from the Refuge at the very beginning of his adventures in Shady Sands. According to the official version of the game's developers, set out in “Shelter Memories from the Refuge” (from the Fallout 2 User Guide), Jan was killed in the Necropolis (but the game allows for another development).
• Tycho - A desert ranger who can be found in the "Cesspit" in Junktown.
• Katia is a “stalker” from among the "Followers of the Apocalypse".
• Dogmeat is a friendly dog ​​that can be found in Phil in Junktown. Having fed Psina with an iguana-on-a-stick, or wearing a leather jacket (thus pretending to be the owner), you can tame him. In the memoirs of the Refugee Dweller, it is mentioned that Psin died in Mariposa, crossing the force fields of a military base.

Story

The storyline of the game is based on the adventures of the Refugee Dweller (before starting the game, you can choose any name for him), resident of Shelter 13, who was instructed by the Asylum Ranger to find a water chip to save his native refuge from water shortages. Shelter 13 is supposed to open up only 200 years after a nuclear war, but under the threat of imminent death, it was forced to send Vyhodets to search.

The lack of contact with the outside world led to the fact that in Asylum 13 they knew the location of only one point in the outside world - Shelter 15. The caretaker advised to start searching there. However, Vault 15 is abandoned.

Vyhodtsa have 150 days to find the chip. This time limit can be increased by 100 days if the hero manages to negotiate with the water merchants about the supply of water to the shelter. After finding the water chip Voyager returns to his refuge. The superintendent, installing the chip in the system and after hearing the report of the Vyhodets, expresses alarm with the growing number of super mutants and instructs the main character a new task - to find the source of their distribution and destroy it.

A descendant must destroy the source of the spread of mutants at the Military Base and the leader of the mutant Master in the Council (with the developed “Eloquence” skill, you can convince the Master of the fallacy of his actions, or join the army of mutants). After completing all the instructions of the Superintendent, the Weeder returns to Vault 13 and enters into conversation with the Superintendent at the entrance. He thanks the hero for everything he has done for the Vault, but then expels him because of fears that other residents may follow the Ghost. The descendant goes into the wasteland.