Today's most if-it-happened video: Fallout 3 footage

by Zack Stern { May 1st 2007 at 12:00AM }

No Mutants Allowed shows us footage of Black Isle's canceled Fallout 3 in today's video pick. The segment isn't flashy, but it gives a good sense of what Fallout 3 could have been (hint: similar to Fallout 2, in a good way). Bethesda currently owns the Fallout IP and working on its own version of Fallout 3, with a projected release to be determined.

So before you look forward to Bethesda's -- and possibly even Interplay's --- version of Fallout, take a moment to watch what could have been. See the video after the break.

Tags: bethesda, BlackIsle, fallout, Fallout3, HottestVideo, interplay

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

dirge @ May 1st 2007 12:06AM

Watching that hurt almost as much as when Dogmeat died.

Vince @ May 1st 2007 12:11AM

i'm going to cry if Bethdesa Oblivionizes the game.

Pope @ May 1st 2007 12:13AM

....*snif*

God..... it could've been beautiful....

I think I may sob uncontrollably now.

Snukadaman @ May 1st 2007 12:13AM

dam...i want this game now....exactly like this...no "oblivion with ray guns" please ...this sucks too show something we might not get joystiq...thanks alot

Acceptable Risk @ May 1st 2007 12:15AM

Very few things get to me as much as the memory of Black Isle's dissolution (losing Looking Glass wasn't exactly easy, either).

Bethesda (and 2K Games) better get it right when it comes following up some of the best games ever made. This is serious business. There will be a lot of very angry fans if things aren't treated properly.

zwarren69 @ May 1st 2007 12:31AM

Most of the fallout fans despise Elder Scrolls and have zero faith in Bethseda to do Fallout justice.

-Zach

Acceptable Risk @ May 1st 2007 12:36AM

"Most of the fallout fans despise Elder Scrolls and have zero faith in Bethseda to do Fallout justice."

Saying most is a bit unfair, I think. I love Fallout and I like the Elder Scrolls just fine. They're just two different games. I'd be interested in what an Elder Scrolls-type game would be like in the Fallout setting, but it's not what I want for Fallout 3.

Bethesda has some very talented people and I think it's a bit premature to completely discount them before we've seen anything at all, but I think it's clear that we're in for a much different game than we've known and loved for the past ten years.

Fuzzmosis @ May 1st 2007 12:52AM

Yeah, I too want this game. I also should not have watched the video.

Plus it's interesting how AP works now, for semi real time, actions still cost points, but they regen constantly, so use em wisely. You can run, but you may not have the action points to shoot instantly and will need to wait. Well, I'm speaking like that's guarenteed, but that's definately pretty cool.

Now I'm sad.

muppetmeth @ May 1st 2007 1:45AM

Never played either Fallouts, but this footage makes my heart thump in fear of a FPRPG that will make my computer explode if I tried playing it.

Noxat @ May 1st 2007 3:06AM

I've seen screen shots that are similar to this video. I can only hope F3 will be similar. Hopefully its not just Oblivion set in post-apocalyptic times.

XsTatiC @ May 1st 2007 3:20AM

Man, I miss Black Isle. They did everything right with their games.

Will Vercoutere @ May 1st 2007 4:31AM

*Bows head in respect* That video almost brought me to literal tears. I spent a good chunk of my early teens playing the first two, so the series has a special place near my heart. Never forget Fallout.

Breserk @ May 1st 2007 5:10AM

Wow... I've seen screenshots, but never videos. This actually looks like it could've been great.

2kings @ May 1st 2007 5:35AM

why all this hate towards beth

i think that they will do just find with this game

if they do not THEN we should riot!

Eric @ May 1st 2007 5:51AM

I am so sad that this game will never be finished, that I honestly almost cried. 3 of the Fallout games (1, 2, and tactics) are three of the best games ever created, and it is a damn shame the world will never see another one. I'm sure Bethesda will make a decent game, it's not like it's EA or anything, but let's be honest, it will be Oblivion with guns, and nowhere near the games that the old fallouts were. Sigh.

Wes @ May 1st 2007 6:40AM

What the?
I never played any games in the Fallout series, so can someone please explain to me why so many people are literally almost brought to tears over this? Were these games so emotionally engaging that everything just rushes back, or is it simply that the promise of a good sequel being taken away is that hard to bear?
It is just a game after all...

2kings @ May 1st 2007 6:50AM

wes, play the games now.

PapaChabre @ May 1st 2007 6:56AM

People are brought to tears by this because Fallout 1 & 2 are the most amazing games ever made. But I'm not sure if they're sad because the new one looks like crap or if they shed tears of joy in the light of this new hope.

Personally I'm going to cry myself to sleep tonight knowing that someone somewhere is butchering my favorite RPG. Real-time is real-crap. They don't get it - stick to the original, you jerks. Nobody wants /your version/ of Fallout, we just want Fallout!

kabes @ May 1st 2007 7:15AM

I love how people make assumptions about what Bethesda is doing with the game.

If Bethesda doesn't do the game up to your strict specifications, at least you still have the originals to beat off to, right?

It'll be OK.

Sinnix @ May 1st 2007 7:27AM

Meh. It looked alright... I guess. It will be way better in first person with all those silly floating numbers gone.

chenry @ May 1st 2007 7:38AM

;_;
I hope Bethesda saw this and is going "We need to be as awesome as this".

Tiremfej @ May 1st 2007 7:43AM

Maybe Bethesdas version will be first person exploration and switch to an isometric view when you battle, that could be very cool indeed.

gLitterbug @ May 1st 2007 7:44AM

Even if nothing much is known about the Bethesda Fallout yet, one thing we can count on is characters as ugly as they can be. And you'll be sure to have plenty of customization sliders, so you can make your character just the kind of ugly you like most.

felixlighter @ May 1st 2007 8:25AM

At this point, I hope Bethesda ruins the game for all the hardcore Fallout fans. I have never seen a fan base bitch and complain about a game so much when the developer has released virtually no information. I'm sure when Bethesda bought the IP they wanted to make the game fans were hoping for but there really is no pleasing these hardcore fans so why even try?

Say what you will, Oblivion was a critically acclaimed game and sold quite well. I loved it along with hundreds of thousands and even millions of others. If Bethesda replaces the small group of annoying hardcore fans with the Oblivion fans, they'd do just fine.

Boing! @ May 1st 2007 8:28AM

Ah what could have been.......

And I suspect the Bethesda haters are right, that this will end up being some forlorn lovechild of Oblivion and Fallout, with none of the charm of the latter and all of the bloated system requirements of the former.

A sad day.

Alex @ May 1st 2007 8:37AM

That song owns

There should be a DS version of Fallout

nithron @ May 1st 2007 9:08AM

Alex: Yeah, where are all the PC ports on DS?
The DS' touch interface would be perfect for PC style RPGs, yet there appear to be none. It'd also rock for RTS games... yet there are none. What we have lots of, are irritating minigames based on... cookery, or some crap. There's some serious potential squandering going on here.

Jack of No Trades @ May 1st 2007 9:31AM

DS version. lolololol

Ralod @ May 1st 2007 10:00AM

@24

Aww everyone wave at the little Bethsoft fanboy:) Isn't he cute?

Oblivion was a horrible game that literally raped what was fun and interesting about the Elder scrolls. It was a consolized mass market piece of trash.

If they even try to do that will fallout there will be a shit storm so big it will not be funny. So we will wait and see, but if you think it is bad now wait and see whats going to happen if they announce "Oblivon with gunz lololol".

Quakeulf @ May 1st 2007 10:03AM

I should so not have watched this. :(

This was almost like the final nail in the coffin for my hopes of a new, great Fallout-game.

The only hope I have left is that IF the current Fallout 3-creators make a borked game, it will flop, and because they have spent so much time and money on it (compare to DNF), they will lose all their money and declare bankruptcy.

heretrix @ May 1st 2007 10:05AM

No matter how great the game is going to be, The fanbase is going to ruin it with all of the whining that they are doing because it doesn't look or play exactly like the other versions.

These "people" have already decided that they are going to hate it. Fuck them. Fanboys really piss me off. I absolutely loved both Fallouts and hope I get a good game even if it is vastly different from the other 2. It's better than it being in development limbo like it's been in for the past several years.

That video makes me sad also because a great dev house was lost. But it's 2007 and it's time for this series to be revitalized..I'd rather hope for the best than bitch about something I haven't even seen yet.

I am hoping for them to retain the isometric viewpoint rather than going first person though. Consdering that the video's gameplay was pretty old, the advances to that particular type of game engine would be considerable.

felixlighter @ May 1st 2007 10:28AM

@29

Read your post. You do realize you sound ridiculous don't you? Bethsoft fanboy? I liked Oblivion... Apparently, you did not and I can completely understand how someone could have that opinion. But how does someone "literally rape" a piece of software?

It is so tiresome hearing the hardcore fanboys rant about a game they know nothing about. They haven't even released a screenshot. But My biggest problem with the insanely hardcore is the way they feel obligated to attack any game that has managed to reach some mainstream success. How dare a developer try to widen a games appeal, every game should be custom tailored for the small number of obsessive fans that feel they are owed something.

rory @ May 1st 2007 10:50AM

@ 29
did you mean figuratively? You have nerve calling felixlighter a fanboy.

Perhaps we should wait until we have more information on Bethesda's version.

CaptNink @ May 1st 2007 11:16AM

I think Beth will do a great job with Fallout 3.

Hey; at least we're getting a Fallout 3!

[5punk] buzzmong @ May 1st 2007 12:08PM

This video shows what happens when people projects get pulled, it looks like it would have been awesome.
Shame about Black Isle, but while the team as a whole is gone, I'm sure the staff are around, anyone know if some of the Fallout teams have worked on Oblivion?

Besides, Beth' have a fairly good rep, even if it's really different, I'll probably still get it, it would be quite hard to naff up the atomsphere, and I've been hunting up info on it, seems some people are quite impressed with the way Beth' are handling it.

I'll reserve judgement until the game comes out.

(and yes, I happen to love F1 and F2. Rather hard.)

Sesur @ May 1st 2007 12:37PM

A potentially bad fallout 3 is better than no Fallout 3. God, some of you guys just *love* to bitch.

lionzub @ May 1st 2007 1:20PM

Timeline (bad source: Wikipedia)

"In 2002, Interplay shed most of its publisher functions and signed a long-term agreement by which Vivendi Universal would publish Interplay's games."

"On December 8, 2003, in the midst of serious financial difficulties, Interplay laid off the entire Black Isle Studios staff."

"Blizzard Entertainment announced World of Warcraft on September 2, 2001.[9] The game was released on November 23, 2004. Published by Vivendi Universal."

"On March 7, 2007, Blizzard announced that the subscriber base for World of Warcraft had reached a new milestone, with 8.5 million players worldwide."

In case you're wondering why you don't have this version of Fallout 3.

Rami Selim @ May 1st 2007 1:27PM

Anyone know who sings this version of "Dream a Little Dream" ?

Vegan @ May 1st 2007 1:37PM

#16

Fallout 1&2 are shining examples of the "do anything, be anyone" RPG. A lot of people complain about RGPs that give you choices that make it seem like you're going down a particular branch, but in the end none of the choices you made mattered. Example: Deus Ex Invisible War. "You killed my friends, but I'm willing to give you another chance", ad nauseum. Fallout doesn't fall prey to this. Do anything, kill anyone... it's role-playing at its very definition.

Tannhauser @ May 1st 2007 1:40PM

J.E. Sawyer, lead developer of Van Buren, posted some comments about the demo video:
http://www.nma-fallout.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=388033&highlight=#388033

"Thanks for making that. There's a bunch of other stuff working in that demo, like the quest log, auto-map (you can toggle it by clicking on the text log in the corner, also viewable in the Lil' Pip 3000) and vault interior "quests", but most of that stuff isn't very spectacular to look at.

A few comments:

* Floating damage numbers were meant to be an option, thought it isn't in the options menu in the demo.

* The game was intended to be played either as turn-based or real-time. Because Jefferson was real-time, that was the first combat mode implemented for Van Buren. Even what's there is only partially working. There's no pause (super sucky) or called shots, but weapons did their proper damage types and values, armor resisted properly, and it actually did calculate hit location. In the combat log, it will say where the shots hit and the characters will float comments like, "GOD DAMMIT MY EYES!"

People who have played the demo may have seen a switch on the option screen for combat mode that reads "Ask Me". This would have prompted the player before every battle and asked him or her to select between the two modes.

* The female characters in the demo are on the male skeleton (whoops), which is why they look kind of... El Greco-ish and bizarre.

* True "Fallout-style" death animations were not in the demo because we had to figure out how to do them from a technical perspective. Jefferson wasn't going to have crazy death animations and 3D posed some new challenges for blowing out parts of creatures. It's one of the areas where T-Ray/Brian Menze's 2D work definitely had an edge.

* All males were on the same skeleton, which made it hard to pose the character correctly when he could be a thin character in a jumpsuit or a strong guy in power armor. That's why everyone's walking around "bow-armed" and only the PC's escort in power armor (Cpl. Armstrong) looks like he's in a proper stance. Chris Marleau was our sole animator. He worked really, really hard, but there was no way he could do full animation sets for two male skeletons for the demo deadline.

* The weapons in the demo were chosen either because they were traditional Fallout weapons or because their visual effects/sounds were appealing. The player wouldn't have started with any of that stuff in the actual game.

* Yeah calling Multiplayer "Play With a Friend" was kind of goofy.

Also, around 20 seconds or so, you might notice Cpl. Armstrong in the upper left corner standing with his minigun floating text. He's saying something similar to, "Move citizen, you're standing in my line of fire!"

Of course, this is the most important element of the entire demo: companions that don't shoot you in the back with an automatic weapon."