Sunday, January 04, 2009

The Evolution Of Fallout 3

The decision to hand development of the much loved Fallout PC game to the good folks at Bethesda as a 3D console port for it's 3rd outing, caused much consternation amongst the PC massive, (Gnome included!) Fears seem to have been allayed somewhat however, as the game has been acclaimed with both critical and commercial success.

Expect a video review soon, before I cast my own verdict on the game, which is likely to be heralded with tears and other body fluids... Until then, here's a quick visual run down showing the graphical evolution of the game from the good folks at IGN. BTW, the music which forms a constant backdrop to the gameplay, is by the Inkspots, and I absolutely love it! Like Bioshock, there is a fabulous retro-future atmosphere that adds tremendously to the overall feel of the game... Enjoy!

11 comments:

NebachadnezzaR said...

You know the PC massive (I certainly do, being one of them for a long time), they bitch about anything, specially when it comes to porting what is seen as an exclusive game/franchise to the consoles or making a stupidly complicated game more accessible to anyone who's not willing to spend hours learning how to fucking play the game.

In the end it looks like Bethesda did an awesome job, and I can't wait to play it.

gnome said...

Lovely video Father, though despite Fallout 3 apparently being a good game with some great music, visuals and atmosphere, I stubbornly stand by my earlier appraisal. It's the writing that matters in Fallout and Bethesda simply can't come up with anything decent in that field.

fatherkrishna said...

OOERR!! Lawdy chaps, I didn't mean to diss anyone here... Nebacha, you know that as a man of more youthful aspect, your wisdom on the whole world of gaming far exceeds my own... But as a consumer of every conceivable gaming format, you have a pretty unique and universal understanding on the whole world of gaming.

As a virgin to the franchise dear Gnome, I can only accept your very valued and wise opinion . I was impressed at the visual evolution, that is all...

Whilst you too are an expert on the whole genre of gaming in it's many forms, my esteemed Gnominess, after the old roll a dice board game varieties, I would have you pegged as favouring the PC as the best electronic gaming format.

I'd actually like to find an article from a loyal veteran of the first two, that has played the third.

I'd like that, but where could I find such a creature?

I suppose that I am biased towards console gaming. My very limited experience of PC gaming is Mr. Robot, Sam and Max: Abe Lincoln must die and a few arcade to PC ports such as HOTD II & III, Sega Rally etc. -and then, bizarrely- PC to console ports of PC games like the Scumm VM Dreamcast version of Monkey Island...

So I'm definitely not trying to provide an informed opinion on the whole subject, or trying to suggest that those sceptics about Bethesda's ability to try and continue the legacy were wrong.

I realise the two communities have lived as very separate cultures, until recently. One perhaps more cerebral, humourist or story based than the other.

What do you think? Is the homogenisation of console and PC gaming (in the mainstream) a good or a bad thing?

Unknown said...

The game is fun, but I think Oblivion has much more to offer and its a better game at that!

gnome said...

Interesting subject you got us into oh fatherly Father. And oddly at a period when I've been looking quite a bit into Guy Debor's and the Situationist International's outlook at gaming...

What I distinctly dislike about consoles is the rampant consumerism. The very mainstream, reactionary, corporate controlled to a ridiculuss extent, Disney-like aspect of things. For all I care you see Nintendo, Microsoft, Sony, Atari and Ubisoft can all go and drown themselves in a pool of shitty games, while the great Hollywood studios commit sepuku.

They are intentionally dumbing down everything for "consumers" and produce quasi-fascist pop-corn turd after turd. Fallout 3 is a prime example. Off with the political satire, off with the gritty yet sarcastic realism, off with Python references, off with innovation, off with great writing, on with big shiny guns, big shiny graphics and "easy" gameplay. Oh, and I'm pretty sure that "No Mutants Allowed", the greatest Fallout fansite around, would definitely agree with me.

At least the PC -and before that the Amiga, C64, Speccy, ST, etc- were opoen platforms, where anyone could -and can- produce anything one wants without paying any sort of corporate pimp.

As for homogenization, well, don't really like it in any social strata. Less so when it comes to gaming...

Frankly, the time to destroy the traditional (capitalist) games industry (at least) is almost here. Art -any art- cannot be nothing more than a merely pleasant commodity, that brainwashes apathetic slaves....

NebachadnezzaR said...

Father, and specially dear gnome, even though I forgot to add smiles, my post wasn't really meant to be taken seriously, more than a rant than anything else :)

Really interesting subject you touched there, Father, specially since little more than a month ago I presented a work at university were for a little bit I talked exactly about that.

My opinion is that, as with everything else in this world, there are good and bad things about it.

The good bit is that the two communities are closer than ever and overall the games are more accessible. I love this, because there are a lot of old pc games that I would love to play but simply can't because they're just too fucking complicated.

On the other hand I kind of understand the "pc massive" on that subject, because to this day I'm still waiting to see a worthy successful to the brilliant Operation Flashpoint, probably the most realistic combat simulator ever, and I certainly wouldn't like to see a dumbed down sequel made for the masses.

But still, talking specifically about RPG's, the old pc ones are so fucking obtuse and ridiculous (sorry gnome), with all those statistics and dice rolling. More recent games, on the other hand, are much more "organic", fluid and even realistic in a way, which for me is a benefit from this homogenisation.

Still, this subject is a lot more complicated than this, these are only a couple of thoughts that came to me after reading your comments.

The Sports Satirist said...

It has been a remarkable year for role playing games. Crisis Core, Valkyria Chronicles, Fable 2, Persona 4, and Fallout 3. They just keep on coming.

Junlee said...

Valkyria Chronicles is turning out to be one of the best games I've played this gen.

blondejon said...

brought it, completed it, disappointed in it. not as open ended as oblivion, full of bugs and graphical errors.

Brought a PSP 1000. Modded it. LOving it

Got engaged on xmas day

turned 40 30 minutes before writing this

fatherkrishna said...

Happy Birthday/Engagement BJ! Congratulations!

You truly are the Ronnie Wood of our little community... Champagne anyone?

blondejon said...

lol, that made me laugh :D