More Fallout 3 Info

PUBLISHER: Bethesda Softworks

DEVELOPER: Bethesda Game Studios

RELEASE DATE: Fall 2008

PLATFORM: Windows / Xbox 360™ / PLAYSTATION®3 system

GENRE: Post Nuclear Role-Playing

DESCRIPTION: Vault-Tec engineers have worked around the clock on an interactive reproduction of Wasteland life for you to enjoy from the comfort of your own vault. Included is an expansive world, unique combat, shockingly realistic visuals, tons of player choice, and an incredible cast of dynamic characters. Every minute is a fight for survival against the terrors of the outside world – radiation, Super Mutants, and hostile mutated creatures. From Vault-Tec®, America’s First Choice in Post Nuclear Simulation™.

STORY: Vault 101 – Jewel of the Wastes. For 200 years, Vault 101 has faithfully served the surviving residents of Washington DC and its environs, now known as the Capital Wasteland. Though the global atomic war of 2077 left the US all but destroyed, the residents of Vault 101 enjoy a life free from the constant stress of the outside world. Giant Insects, Raiders, Slavers, and yes, even Super Mutants are all no match for superior Vault-Tec® engineering. Yet one fateful morning, you awake to find that your father has defied the Overseer and left the comfort and security afforded by Vault 101 for reasons unknown. Leaving the only home you’ve ever known, you emerge from the Vault into the harsh Wasteland sun to search for your father, and the truth.

KEY FEATURES:

• Limitless Freedom! – Take in the sights and sounds of the vast Capital Wasteland! See the great monuments of the United States lying in post-apocalyptic ruin! You make the choices that define you and change the world. Just keep an eye on your Rad Meter!

• Experience S.P.E.C.I.A.L.! – Vault-Tec® engineers bring you the latest in human ability simulation – the SPECIAL Character System! Utilizing new breakthroughs in points-based ability representation, SPECIAL affords unlimited customization of your character. Also included are dozens of unique skills and perks to choose from, each with a dazzling variety of effects!

• Fantastic New Views! – The wizards at Vault-Tec® have done it again! No longer constrained to just one view, experience the world from 1st or 3rd person perspective. Customize your view with the touch of a button!

• The Power of Choice! – Feeling like a dastardly villain today, or a Good Samaritan? Pick a side or walk the line, as every situation can be dealt with in many different ways. Talk out your problems in a civilized fashion, or just flash your Plasma Rifle.

• Blast ‘Em Away With V.A.T.S.! –Even the odds in combat with the Vault-Tec® Assisted Targeting System for your Pip-Boy Model 3000! V.A.T.S. allows you to pause time in combat, target specific body parts on your target, queue up attacks, and let Vault-Tec take out your aggression for you. Rain death and destruction in an all-new cinematic presentation featuring gory dismemberments and spectacular explosions.

• Mind-Blowing Artificial Intelligence! – At Vault-Tec®, we realize that the key to reviving civilization after a global nuclear war is people. Our best minds pooled their efforts to produce an advanced version of Radiant AI, America’s First Choice in Human Interaction Simulation™. Facial expressions, gestures, unique dialog, and lifelike behavior are brought together with stunning results by the latest in Vault-Tec® technology.

• Eye-Popping Prettiness!* – Witness the harsh realities of nuclear fallout rendered like never before in modern super-deluxe HD graphics. From the barren Wasteland, to the danger-filled offices and metro tunnels of DC, to the hideous rotten flesh of a mutant’s face.

*Protective Eyewear Encouraged.

Fallout 3 Screenshots

I am really looking forward to Fallout 3. If it has any where near the amount of game play that Oblivion did, it will be well worth the money. I already have 140+ hours in Oblivion on the Xbox 360 and I have started up a new character on the PC. Chances are I will still be playing it when Fallout 3 is finally released this Fall. My only dilemma will be what system to get it for. These screenshots are from the PC version and will be a little higher resolution than the Xbox 360, but the Xbox is the lead development platform for the game so it will be optimized for that system.

Stephen King on Video Game Violence

Rikathos sent me this link to a post from Stephen King on violence in video games and the way politician's use it as a whipping boy. I have to say I concur.

Must resist...

Turbine is about to drop Book 13 for Lord of the Rings Online. I have to say it looks pretty darn good. Take a peek here.

MLB The Show 08

It has been a long time since I have been into Baseball video games or Baseball itself, for that matter. Bill Abner has a list of his top 10 baseball games over at Gameshark. That pretty much sums up my list too, except mine ended with RBI Baseball and Earl Weaver. Like many people, I have become disillusioned with the sport over the years with the high salaries and steroid issues. Wii Sports Baseball kind of rekindled my interest in the video game genre and now MLB The Show 08 has ignited it. This game is outstanding. The physics model, player models and gameplay are fantastic. One of the most addictive features is the Road to the Show option. You can create a player and sign him with a team and try and make it to the big leagues. I created myself as a first baseman and signed with the Yankees. Last night in a Spring training game, it was the bottom of the 9th with two men on and the score was tied. I came up to bat and worked my way to a 3-2 count. The pitcher came with some low heat and I jumped all over it for a home run. What a rush. If you have even the mildest interest in Baseball video games and own a PS3, you should give this game a shot.

One of the funniest videos I have seen in a while.

I don't know who made this video, if they are of a Creationist bent or more grounded in reality, but there can be no doubt it is hilarious.

The pull of the ring is strong...

Play reports:

Speaking at the Codemaster Connect 08 event in Birmingham today, Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online producer was on-hand to officially announce a new expansion pack for the popular MMO title.

Called "The Mines of Moria", the first official LoTR expansion will be released later this year, and promises wholesale improvement and expansion of the persistent world title.

The new add-on will see us entering new areas of Middle-Earth, specifically Moria and beyond this, Lorien. A third region was mooted but goes unnamed at present. 10 new levels will see the game's cap boosted to 60, with two new classes being offered: the Warden and the Runekeeper.

In the mine's we're promised epic environments and vast halls, with top-notch loot on offer. Balrog and the Watcher will count among the new bosses to counter, with world altering instances and stunningly rich dwarve cities offered by the producer.

Entering Lorien players will receive gifts from Galadriel, the pack also introducing Legendary Items (objects that will evolve as the player progresses), et al. Big raids were also mentioned.

Turbine also confirmed that they are planning annual expansions to the Lord of the Rings Online, another offering hinted for 2009.

In the short-term, MMO players will also be getting Book 13, 'Doom of the Last King', which will offer a new icy coastal region to explore, weather which impacts your character and the related gameplay... as well as, well, fishing.

War Mammoths and a new race, The Lossoth, will also be added, alongside new monsters, fellowship enhancements and more.The developers even confirmed that Book 14 will arrive later in the summer, which will carry players through to the expansion pack, and allow them to visit the Ring Forge in the process.


With Age of Conan coming out soon and now this, the temptation is growing deep inside the pit of my blackened gamer soul. Can I resist? Will I resist? Stay tuned.

Interplay is reborn!

Interplay is back! With the news of soul sucking behemoths like EA buying up everything in sight and ruining the sports game industry, little gems like this make me all giddy inside. All I have to say to Interplay is, "Baldur's Gate 3 please!"

Click here for there new website.

Where are the Western FPS games?

With the exception of Call of Juarez, the Western FPS sub genre has gone largely neglected. I think the subject matter is rife with possibilities. As my friends know, I am not that good at multi player FPS games. Part of the reason is that I am just not that into them. I don't enjoy getting sniped from 200 yards away or getting chewed up by modern firepower at close range. I was very excited about Call of Juarez when I first heard it was being produced. That excitement ended about a half hour into the game. I had expected something akin to the classic western FPS called Outlaws from Lucasarts. What I got was a poorly designed, uninspired crap fest.

It has been over ten years since Outlaws was released and there hasn't been one good western themed FPS (or other genre) game in that time. There have been a plethora of World War II games in that time. I'd like to see a AAA publisher use something like the Unreal 3 engine and give the western theme another go. I am skeptical that this will happen since you won't have huge explosions and guns that can shoot through schools, but I can dream. Hell, I'd even like to see a computer adaption of Kenzerco's Aces and Eights table top western rpg. Imagine, no flak jackets, scopes that let you shoot someone from half a mile away, frag grenades, or air strikes. It would be mano a mano with six shooters, rifles and bows.

Are there any settings that you think are being neglected?

Age of Conan Preview

PC Gamer has their preview of Age of Conan up. The only thing that I am mildly interested in is the idea of a new combat system. I have done the old standard MMO combat system to death. Funcom needs to make sure that isn't the only attraction to their game or it will go the way of recent titles like Tabula Rasa. Age of Conan is supposed to be coming out for the Xbox 360, but I have heard little about the console version. Does anyone know if it is going to be a simultaneous release or if it will come out some time later?