Fallout 3 - Todd Howard demo @ Gametrailers

Fallout 3 gameplay from E3. Strange choice of music…
More information.

Meh. Feel very much like a shooter. And I don't see how that VATS is supposed to replace the turn-based system.

The first most annoying thing about the trailer was the voice of the narrator. When thinking about post-apocalyptic fallout, droning nasal banter is not something that comes to mind.

Second, all that lush environment better be full destructible. Nothing anaesthetises the feeling of immersion more than coming across a shelf, computer, or squishy whatever, that you can't blow to bits with your fat-boy tactical nuke. If I can't make a hole in a building with it, then the world is static. Fully destructible environments, IMHO, are the next holy grail of immersion. For those that played the Silent Storm series, will know of what I speak.

Third, and I really hope this doesn't apply, the world may be large but is it varied? This trailer shows a lot of drab and grey burned-out car hulks, shelves, and rubble. Sure, I expect this after the apocalypse, but let's not make it the same car hulk, the same shelf, and the same rubble around every corner.

Overall impression - meh.

Originally Posted by danutz_plusplus
Meh. Feel very much like a shooter. And I don't see how that VATS is supposed to replace the turn-based system.

It's not. I think it's more of a marketing feature, than anything. I don't see why I would want to give up hands-on FPS gameplay for a point-and-watch-the-cutscene system.

I think its purpose is mainly to add variety to demos.

Abysmal. I was willing to give the game the benefit of the doubt and must confess that some features sounded pretty neat, but this presentation is just utter crap. The animations are rough, a hostile NPC gets stuck behind a barrel during the first VATS killcam scene (utter bollocks), plus all we've seen is bland combat. What about NPCs and stuff?

Really, I think this was really cool. Reminds me a lot about Mass Effect's combat system where you also pause to launch special attacks. I will probably play it mostly in FPS though. I loved S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and this looks like that game but with more RPG in it. I liked the marsh music in the background.

That was unimpressive. A sea of grey. Lousy animations. Horrible enemy AI. The last scene with the fatman and the exploding car seemed like a special kind of FUCK YOU to NMA. That made me laugh a bit.

Launching special attacks is useful when the standard run-and-shoot methods is ineffective. I can see that for some tricky boss battles, or against large enemies, the system can be useful.

On the other hand, if the enemies don't have the ability to use a correspondingly effective VATS system, then VATS is overpowered and basically a built-in cheat that can be used to by-pass any realistic combat.

For example, if I am sniping at a distant mob, whould VATS really tell me what their armour is for each body part? Is having such knowledge useful in making meaningful choices? Does such omniscience take away from the tension of having to make decisions on incomplete information? Why would I care if I can always go for a head shot?

In the trailer, the combat was bland and encounters were too rare. Just like in Bioshock. Do you want to walk and walk and walk and then kill a mob and then walk and walk and walk… For the first few minutes, taking in the artwork is nice. But after that, everything becomes scenically repetitive and the game either offers you engaging game play or, the alternative, is the fate of Flagship (first a strong marketing campaign, buzz and excitement, confused initial response [is this it?], disappointment, unrealized expectations, and then the onslaught of the wrath of the community).

Originally Posted by DocAtomic
The last scene with the fatman and the exploding car seemed like a special kind of FUCK YOU to NMA.

I doubt it. They honestly think that's impressive.

You have to admit the mini-nuclear cloud is quite pretty, tho'. You don't get the best view here, but it's really well-rendered.

Anyway, Gametrailers now also offers the E3 trailer. Quite charming.

Originally Posted by Brother None
Anyway, Gametrailers now also offers the E3 trailer. Quite charming.

Wow, the trailer was indeed cool. Especially the live action part, with the guy advertising Vault-Tec.

Originally Posted by Brother None
Anyway, Gametrailers now also offers the E3 trailer. Quite charming.

Very nice - captures the mood and paranoia of the 50s just swell.

The art direction is great. Let's hope the same level of quality and immersion is embedded in gameplay.

Demos and trailers of FPS ultimately never capture what it will feel like to play it. They generally always look better and I can only recall one example (Crysis) in which the game play was actually as exciting as the trailer reels.

Originally Posted by martink
Demos and trailers of FPS ultimately never capture what it will feel like to play it. They generally always look better and I can only recall one example (Crysis) in which the game play was actually as exciting as the trailer reels.

The whole problem is that Fallout isn't supposed to be an FPS. It's supposed to be an RPG.

Looks ok for a fps I suppose, if a little generic.

I now have no interest at all in this… abomination. Sure hope DA is good. :/

Originally Posted by danutz_plusplus
The whole problem is that Fallout isn't supposed to be an FPS. It's supposed to be an RPG.

Well, then, we do have a problem, don't we.

The whole thing about the game reacting to me being a good, bad, or in-between (whatever that means, and I'm assuming chaotic), is a tall order to fill.

Do they mean that if I am good and come across a zombie, it'll bite, but if I'm bad, it will give me a hug?

Originally Posted by woges
Fallout 3 gameplay from E3. Strange choice of music…
More information.

It is supposed to be nothing more then a slide show of Screenshots I have already seen?

Originally Posted by Eisberg
It is supposed to be nothing more then a slide show of Screenshots I have already seen?

Looks like the link changed. Here

Ah yes. Jumping the gun. My favorite past time hobby. So what have we got so far:

1) Diablo3 will only have 2 classes and everything is a shade of blue.

2) Dragon Age will be about massive armies clashing together. Sort of an RTS more than an RPG.

3) Fallout3 will be a shoot'em up with no NPC, story, dialog or the like. Just plain old FPS action.

… OR we could hold off on the whole "Oh No, the End is Nigh" rhetoric and remember that this was just an E3 appetizer. It is like the Booth Babes: The purpose is to catch your eye by any means necessary.

Originally Posted by Brother None
You have to admit the mini-nuclear cloud is quite pretty, tho'. You don't get the best view here, but it's really well-rendered.

If mini nuke-launcher is too much to handle then you could always think it as a "portable" fuel-air bomb - its effect is similar to tactical nuke. "Fatman" could just be a fancy nickname for it (even though its not a real nuke).

Seems to me the original Fallout games were basically 256 shades of brown and grey already.

Wait for more hands-on reports to see details on the dialogue and quest aspects of the game. This was just a producer running through a quick demo for the press. E3 is primarily a gaming press and marketing even, not a gamers' convention. Nobody in the audience wants to watch the producer spend three minutes talking to some dude in a town. Hell, *I* love those aspects of these games, but they're still boring to watch.

Once the journalists have some one-on-one time with the game over the next couple of days, we'll see some previews that focus on more than just the combat.