With rumors and sadly fake trailers circling the web about an upcoming sequel to Bethesda’s new age take on PC gaming’s best RPG series ever, it’s hard not to speculate what might or might not make the cut in the final edition of the fabled Fallout 4. Though no company has made any official claims that a third installment to the Bethesda Fallout line is or will be in the works, Bethesda was quite clear in 2008 when they told TVG that they intend to make several Fallouts. Now, with Fallout: New Vegas losing its steam, and Skyrim still generating new DLC, but beginning to slow down, Bethesda turns its attention to other projects. Their website currently only lists Prey 2 and Dishonored as their current titles in the works, but as fans of the company know, Bethesda doesn’t abandon successful properties. They let them sit for a few years, and then announce to the world that they have been quietly working on a new installment, presumably while flying around in a magic sleigh pulled by flying reindeer. That’s how I envision Bethesda, by the way.
So, if an eventual sequel to the now world famous series does get made (whether it be by Bethesda or a company which purchases license to produce the game), what massive improvements would we, the audience, need from it? How can a great game be made better? What mistakes could be fixed? Why am I typing questions to myself? Well, ladies and gentlemen, you’ll find the answers to all these questions (except one) if you read on………
9. Increased Customization
I know that’s a pretty broad request to make, but don’t worry, I’ve got plenty of ink and paper with which to flesh out the details. Some people might say that Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas already had a decent amount of customizable options, what with all the beards and perks. Grant it, the recent additions to the Fallout series have had so e level of customization, but with a game as expansive as the Fallout series the character’s options must be as daunting as the options the rest of the world presents. If the character feels limited, then the limitless game universe feels like it has artificial restrictions in it. Enough complaining on my part. How about some examples of how it could be improved.
A) Stats
One of the only true complaints I’ve had with the new Bethesda made Fallouts is the stat system. Every character I made felt streamlined into one of two roles. A lot of that had to do with the companion system limiting players to a simgle buddy (not including the dog) and the lack of chances to talk your way out of trouble. But an expanded stat system would give players more options, such as specializing in a certain weapon, lying/bullying/offering sex instead of just a speech skill, or using poisons to tip their melee weapons.
B) Clothing
There is absolutely no doubt that the clothing options in Fallout 3 (F3) and Fallout: New Vegas (FNV) looked awesome. The raider clothes made of old tires and other junk not only pleased the eye, but offered tangible products of a post apocalyptic fight for survival. But when I learned I couldn’t fashion my own makeshift armor from refuse lying around in the derelict landscape, I was heart broken. I wanted to nail a tire to my shoulder myself, damnit. I wanted to wear combat boots, pink panties, and a bunny mask. But alas, I could only wear that amazing outfit in my room while playing.
There are obviously rendering/clipping, memory, and programming time issues to take into account. However, ideally in Fallout 4 the player would be able to build makeshift armor pieces one at a time. That means they could fashion gauntlets, shoulder pads, a chest piece, a helmet, boots, and pants that were all to their liking and combine them into whatever pattern they felt fit their fashion needs. That said, I would hope that Bethesda would at least include a few pre made craftable armor sets for us to enjoy searching for.
D) Race
Plain and simple. I want to be a friggin super mutant. I’ve been waiting for he opportunity for years. Do it, Bethesda. Do it, right now. Need a few extra years to develop the skins for armor for a mutant? I don’t care. Do it. Need to charge me 5% more on top of the price so you can afford to render 50 selectable ghoul faces? I don’t care. Do it.
C-7) Weapons
One of my favorite parts of Fallout 2 and F:NV was the ability to add pieces to your weapons. The hunting rifle could be equipped with a better scope, you had the option of obtaining an extended clip for the 9mm, etc. With the modded weapons available, my rifle was no longer just a rifle; it was Betty. And Betty didn’t take any crap from anyone. Period. Unfortunately, the system was limited to a few specific modifications for a few specific weapons. That’s not to say the system was bad, it just felt a bit hollow. Adding a few dozen more mods would be the obvious answer to the problem, but why stop there? If Bethesda were to add an increased number of craftable mods, or even better, allow the player to customize their weapons extensively, then Betty and I could really get down and dirty. And then….then I would be truly happy.
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13 Comments
3 and vegas were bad enough
I am so happy that i am not the only person who blew up megaton
WOW, that’s a comment.
I’m really glad to know there are people out there that agree with at least some of what I said. If enough people like you go out and make noise, maybe we can get some of those changes in the next game. After all, it’s us they want to buy the game, so it’s us that they want happy.
As for your beef with article #1, 1) I know people still go out and buy those M rated games. It’s a fact. But companies still want to skate by with as much as they can on the lowest rating possible. Just like a movie maker will cut a few F bombs and maybe an exploding head in the hopes that they can still pull off pg-13. It’s not something that’s quite as important in gaming industries, but it’s still a factor.
2) If I can’t get my dirty sex cravings satisfied in Fallout, where else is there? I mean, when I play Sim City, I’m not building brothel on top of brothel, but in Fallout I want total freedom. I guess it’s just nostalgia for the older days of gaming, where it was assumed that no one under 25 was going to be playing a PC game so why bother pulling any punches.
As for your thoughts on the off/on switch for the timer and acid rain…hell yeah. Those would both be great ways to improve the game with pretty much zero negative affect.
Fact: whilst there are individual M rated games that sell very well, something like 60-70% of videogame sales are from games rated PG or under. We often forget that high-income 30-somethings with energy-rabid 5 year olds actually buy quite a few video games.
I thoroughly enjoyed this wish list. Couple of things… I don’t know that you have played through the expansion for NV… Dead Money, for example, added in an acidic cloud that slowly, and rather effectively, destroyed you. It was probably the hardest expansion, with the biggest pay off, that you had to go through in all the expansions. Medicine was limited, weapons were even more limited (at least until you got inside the casino), even food and water were tough to come by. It was a very tactful expansion to play through and was easily the hardest part of either FO: 3 and FO: NV. In the next expansion Honest heart they added in rain effects in part of the Map in Utah. So they have already started experimenting with the special effects you talked about having in a future FO game. I love your ideas on #1, especially the kid killing part… Not that I harbor this deep desire to eradicate children, but in FO 3, when you came across Little Lamp light, you couldn’t help but want to steal their cache of medical supplies. Yet as soon as you got caught, they open fire on you and there was no way to defend yourself… That was insanely annoying. So I agree that an open/lawless world should in fact be open and lawless… Including sex (which they somewhat included in NV with the hookers at Gomorrah and that chick at the thorn, but only partially) I mean if you want your character to be a whore and sleep his/her way through everything, then why not ya know? Sex is just as much a part of the wasteland as violence lol… Completely agree with that thought process…
Also you do know that in fallout 3 you could work for the slavers? There was actually a quest for it and everything called “strictly business” … and then you could continue to enslave random folk for cash…
One thing as a #10, and maybe I’m the only one with this thinking, but the overall main story line of NV was pretty boring. Especially in the character development. FO 3 had a compelling story with characters that you actually gave a damn about. You wanted to find your dad so you could get the purifier going and save the wasteland… I honestly could have cared less about anyone in NV, MR house was a Jerk, The legion were insane, and the NCR was militant… There was no real connection to any of them… If they’re going to take the time to make this insanely large expansive world, they should make a story that is worth playing through…
And maybe last, something you touched on and I would like to add too… Why on earth does it cost the same karma points for stealing a Nuka-cola as it does for killing the owner of said Nuka-cola? Seems like that they somewhat addressed that in NV but only partially. And why is there no counter anywhere? I mean you have 5 finite levels and that’s it. There’s no counter on how close or far you are from being good, bad, or indifferent.
If you haven’t played through the Dead money expansion I thoroughly recommend it. Reviews will say it is annoying, but it’s actually really complex and very tough to play through, especially in HC mode. Not to mention it has a very compelling story line that is seriously lacking in NV…Just a thought though…
Ive never played 1 or 2 but they sound like they were good. I was looking at them on steam and might try one. They tone the games down now because there selling them on consoles. Thats where the money is. Ive been mostly a console person myself. I just got a gaming computer in jan 12. Its way better then the console versions. Pretty much do anything with the mods. You proably already know this. It would be nice if they could do a adult version but at least we have nexus mods. When they do things on the pc everybody doesnt get pissed off. Just think if they had mods on xbox or ps3 and some parent saw there kid having sex on the game. Look how crazy it got when the hot coffee mod came out for gta. Ive played skyrim on ps3 and the pc is the way better version. Plenty of mods. The game should be harder at least on hard core mode. Games are way to easy now. Dark Souls is suppose to be a real hard game. I have it for the ps3 but havnt played it yet. Ive been to busy playing skyrim on the pc. A better story would be great. Better and smarter companions. I would like a better karma system. I remember playing ultima with there karma system. I dont think there really was good or bad side in fallout nv. It would nice if the word would get out if u were good or bad. I want ppl to know im a badass. I pretty much agree with the article. I do understand why they dont make it rated x. At least they give u the option with mods if u have pc.
That’s a great article! I think the only major improvement I would like to see in F4 is a graphical facelift, which would obviously be coming if they use a modified Skyrim engine. The texturing and facial animation look dated but luckily Fallout has enough depth and gameplay value that graphical quality can afford to take a bit of a hit. As far as the M rating goes… there are some things that have to be left out as to not get an “A” rating, which most stores would not even stock. I don’t care about the sex stuff and wouldn’t be bothered if it was cut from the game to make more room in the rating for gore. THe bloody mess perk is awesome and some more dynamic gore and bullet-collision events would add to the experience.
I like the idea of joining other factions but I would rather spend 300hrs on 1 playthrough than 3 playthroughs of 100hrs each. Some weapons/armour are tough to find and it’s tough to throw it all away and start from scratch just to play through with another faction. I’m not sure how this issue would be addressed in terms of storyline but it’s just a thought.
The radio in NV wasn’t near as good as GNR. When playing I actually prefer the cinematic score anyways as it makes the game feel more dramatic and dark. The atmospheric music is chilling and adds to that feeling of desolation. The oldies are good once and a while but I didn’t like the country sounding song selection in NV as much as the more urban music in F3.
The levelling up in NV was way too fast as well. I maxed out my character about a quarter of the way into the game. I think we need more levels and a perk every level like F3.
I was bummed that there was no Fallout 4 info at E3 this year but I don’t mind waiting for a bigger game. A simple teaser from Bethesda would be nice just to know that there will in fact be another game but it doesn’t have to reveal location or anything.
Now that the Capitol Wasteland and Mojave Wasteland have been explored does anyone have any ideas as to where the next installment will take place? I would guess that F4 would need a large overworld/dessert, a major city, and a major recognizable landmark or two. Does anyone have any ideas as to other locations that fit this criteria?
my only complaint with fallout 3 and fallout nv is the combat.
in 3, it is impossible the kill anything without vats and though new vegas’ combat was better, that’s not saying very much.
and most of the guns didn’t feel powerful enough.
i know that fallout isn’t meant as a fps, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t have a decent combat system. if bethesda made fallout 4′s combat a little more like rage, it would be perfect!
I liked the list, and I agree with all of it. I would like to expand on a few things though.
1.) Hardcore was not hardcore enough. While in the early levels it added some challenge, mainly in how quickly limbs were damaged, it failed to really add that much realism and difficulty in the long run. It added weight to bullets, which ultimately wasn’t that restrictive thanks to how much weight can be carried due to Strength and Perks. Maybe with the next hardcore mode (if there is one), there can be a setting for “realistic carry weight”, which would mean that most characters could only carry on average 50 pounds before being burdened. In truth, a real world soldier only carries about 30 to 60lbs worth of gear (pack, armor, weapons, ammo, etc.). Carrying more then that will really cut into stamina, speed, and mobility.
This would help add to the difficulty, as you could no longer carry around an entire arsenal of weapons and ammo. It would also increase the difficulty of eating and drinking, as now you would really have to make sacrifices (i.e. Do I carry around that rifle, or drop it and carry around it’s weight in consumables?).
2.) FNV really added a lot of detail to weapons, but something that really irritated me was some balance issues among the weapons, some weakness in them, and the ease with which they could be acquired. First, the 50MG shouldn’t have as much difficulty killing Deathclaw’s as it does. The real world 50BMG round was created for (originally) Heavy Machine Guns as an anti-material round, with the purpose of knocking aircraft out of the sky, and later for engaging armored vehicles and fortifications. I realize the Deathclaw is a super creature, genetically engineered, but the 50BMG can punch through a half inch of steel and kill multiple people unlucky enough to be behind it and lined up. That’s not even an AP round, just a regular FMJ. Don’t make the weapon and ammo so weak, just make the weapon very rare and difficult to obtain.
Then the ease at which a person can buy a powerful weapon was a bit much. I think they need to make powerful weapon acquisition harder, rather then just simply going to visit Gun Runners.
First, fantastic article, great ideas, and I loved San Fran and Prequel Fallout Ideas on the newer article. I really think the former is the most likely bet for #4. I realize this is as far as 90% of the people reading this comment will get, and that I would need to be handing out money for anyone to get all the way through.
Next, I’m not all out against a more adult oriented BGS Fallout, but I am against the marketing of one. If it’s sold as a game where you can rip a kid apart and sex your way through the wastes, it’ll turn into an exclusive field trip to the human dark sides. I’ve never played the GTA games, but I get the feeling it’s difficult in the series to play a good guy. That’s probably a horrible example. You obviously have a better grasp on the impossibility of solving this problem than I do, but I hope you see my point. They’d have to be careful to introduce anything new, or else being the bad guy would become the game.
Besides, as I’m writing this I can’t help shake the feeling that the harm to children issue is legislated, and devs including that material would face criminal charges. But I really don’t know.
Setting aside in game actions, I’m all in favor of darker writing and developing undertones, sadistic humor etc. Neither 3 nor NV was really able to nail the writing and I’m pretty sure the PG-13 wall was one of the issues.
Nothing else I’ll say is really relevant, just idea comments. I wish there was a shorter way to say all this. The numbers aren’t by the articles or anything, just how they come to mind.
1) The largest customization choice in fallout is stealth. On one end is unseen, lightly armored single shot loner and on the other is the blasting, mini gun toting juggernaut with a companion. You can try to customize all you want but you’re going to somewhere on that line no matter what. A fallout game built for this would be more balanced in both combat and leveling.
2) I hate when people can’t separate two different games, and want fallout to be call of duty and Skyrim to be WoW. However, if Fallout really wants to have customization they should scrap “common” weapons altogether and break it all down into components. Every weapon will be a combination of a receiver, barrel, stock, sight, etc. (or lack of). I think I’d put in an extra 200 or 300 hours of game time with a system so deep. And thinking about it, if I were in a wasteland I’d probably spend just that much time making sure my gun was as good as I could get it, and each component fit exactly what I needed. All the better with three or four main guns, each for different situations. And even more so when you’re working with rusted parts and issues like that. I honestly pray that the devs consider something like this.
3) Equipment needs more balance than in previous games. I want a gun like the hunting rifle to be balanced with the sniper rifle. And a sub machine gun. And an Assault Rifle. And even a pistol. And not just by availability of ammo. No more shooting a guy with a scoped weapon when he’s 3 feet away and running at you. And no more sniping out a guy at 500 yards with my handgun.
That should go for armor too. I should get ripped to pieces by a short guy with a .22 if I’m seen wearing stealth armor, and there shouldn’t be any possible way to sneak in power armor. Which also means no more instant armor changing. Especially not in combat.
4) This might be too far, but I’d like to see ballistics in Fallout 4. At least the higher caliber rifles (.308 and .50), (or combination of components) would have a bullet path, range, and speed. Sights could be adjusted for the range you want, and you’d have to compensate for whatever difference when you’re actually taking aim. Automatic weapons and handguns at the very least need a maximum range, and paths if they wanted to get serious.
My idea of fallout immersion is feeling like I’m not just shooting lights on a screen, but real lead (..or lasers, I guess) with a real target. I don’t think anything would help the feel of wasteland survivalism more than having to know your weapon before you can use it.
5) I wouldn’t do hardcore mode out of sheer frustration when given the option, but if I were forced I think it’d be the thing I’d hate to love and love to hate. Besides, a game that’s made solely for hardcore mode is going to have a better hardcore experience than one that isn’t. BGS would take crap for it, but it’d be a better game. Let the modders deal with taking it down.
6) The way I see it, after Skyrim (whether they use the same engine or not) the chances of the weather NOT being a big deal in Fallout 4 are slim to none. Other things that we can rest easy on include sprinting, semi-attractive NPCs, and balanced companions.
7) As far as karma, I don’t see the big deal. I think realistically people know who you are only when you do something huge. Not everybody should see me as a “bad” person because I steal from time to time. Or even if I decide someone out in the wastes is better off headless for whatever reason. Interpersonal karma should be constrained to the big stuff. Like the nuke in Megaton. And when that big choice is made, is should change NPC interactions way more than BGS seems to realize. I don’t want to be the head of every guild and organization in Skyrim and be able to walk into a shop as a normal customer. The same applies to Fallout. Which is why….
8) Karma should be intra-personally focused. This still leaves a can of worms to deal with as far as grey areas of karma, but makes a lot more sense to me how your entire play-through can be summed up.
9) Speaking of grey area, if we’re doing good-evil spectrums where the player is found somewhere between either point, the devs should bring back the DnD separation of Lawful-Chaotic. This would still be pretty straightforward, but solve a ton of “grey area” problems in the karma system.
10) The game needs an fps engine, not just a Skyrim engine where the bows are metal and shoot light speed arrows.
…….I have unreasonably high standards for this game don’t I?
Everything else in the game is dependent on the dev’s writing. I really hope they pull it off.
Another thing that would make Fallout 4 better would something from Skyrim: the concept of earned skills,instead of given skills. i can prove my point with a skill from both games: sneak. its a good skill, but in new vegas, who has the time to put points in sneak when they have to go in guns and medicine so you don’t get killed by every deathclaw you see? In skyrim, one could sneak up on little crap A.K.A. radroach or legionarre, and earn the ability to walk by deathclaws undetected.one should get good guns or energy weapons by getting sneak shots or winning firefights as apposed to just moving the right key under guns every time you level up this allows one to be able to max all skills if they EARN it,as opposed to just buying the DLC’s and maxing it. earnig your stuff is better because it shows more of who the character is. for example, if you were in new vegas, you would often put points into skills you dont like just to get a good perk. after you get that perk, you find those points wasted. if you earn them your skill set will determine who you are.like if you have high sneak and guns, people will know you are a sniper as opposed to just wanting the sneak skill perk.
Very interesting article and i agree with all but one thing and even then i agree. You said something along the lines about an Adult-content DLC while that would be very cool indeed the fact that Sony doesn’t And wont publish adult rated content for their systems really sucks so that probably played a big role in what Fallout 3 and Fallout New Vegas turned out to be because Bethesda and Obsidian realized that they cant release a game on multiple platforms and have them all or even one different.
You’re asking Bethesda to add depth and immersion to their games instead of stripping them down so that anyone with half a brain and two left thumbs can play? Well, we can all dream can’t we. I’m expecting Bethesda to remove all attributes, get rid of a few skills, and simplify everything else.