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Fallout 3 DLC retail package spotted
Imagine our surprise when we woke up this morning to discover Electronic Theatre reporting that Fallout 3's 'Operation: Anchorage' and 'The Pitt' DLC would both be released at retail in a single package. We made a quick check on Amazon and, sure enough, there it is. According to Amazon, the packaged will be released for both PC and Xbox 360 on May 26 (Electronic Theatre is reporting May 29 for the UK) for $19.99. Both packs are currently $10 apiece, so the retail package won't save you any money, but the box says it comes with a free Vault Boy poster, so that's something, right?Curiously absent from the package is the upcoming 'Broken Steel' DLC. We would think a (presumably) $30 package that added 12-15 hours to Fallout 3 and made it open-ended would be a no-brainer, but apparently Bethesda has other plans.We've contacted Bethesda for further details and will update this post when we have new information.Source - Electronic Theatre: Fallout 3 Downloadable Content Retail Package RevealedSource - Amazon: Fallout 3 Expansion Pack (Xbox 360)Source - Amazon: Fallout 3 Expansion Pack (Windows)
Broken Steel DLC makes Fallout 3 endless on May 5
Click for bigger lasers. So, you've taken part in Operation Anchorage and visited The Pitt and you're still hungry for more Fallout 3 content? Luckily you don't have too much longer to wait for Broken Steel, the third -- and largest -- piece of downloadable content for the game, which will be made available on Xbox Live and PC on May 5. Not only does Broken Steel add a new main quest line which, at four to five hours, is longer than The Pitt, but it also removes a lot of Fallout 3 fans' major qualms with the game -- the ending. Broken Steel takes place after the original ending of the game, allowing you to continue to explore the world after the main quest line is complete. It also increases the level cap from 20 to 30 and introduces some new high-level perks, armor and weapons.The original Fallout 3 endgame has been changed, so that three companions will no longer refuse to aid you in your final task. The Broken Steel story picks up two weeks later, with you dealing of the consequences of your actions. Don't worry, completing Broken Steel won't end the game either. The folks at Bethesda haven't moved the finishing line -- they've dismantled it.%Gallery-50700%
Matthew Perry suffers Fallout 3-related injury, not radiation poisoning
Poor Matthew Perry. First, he gets trotted out on ABC's The View to promote the new movie 17 Again where he plays an old version of teen star Zach Efron. Second, he gets poked and prodded by the various deleterious hosts of the show. And finally, he gets quickly ushered offstage after admitting to playing so much Fallout 3 that he needed to see a doctor for his hands.As you'll see in the clip after the break, Perry quickly deflects the usual uninformed jibber jabber of View co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck, telling her, "This is something you know nothing about," and, managing to navigate the rest of the co-hostesses giggling, explains the hand pain he recently endured from hours spent patrolling the Capital Wasteland. Though Perry's latest film looks less like our cup of tea and more like a 'made for TV' movie, he just jumped up a few cool points in our books.
Functional Pip-Boy mod for BlackBerry
Okay, so our fully-functioning Pip-Boy is currently in development, and the iPhone version didn't exactly hit the spot. Thankfully, the BlackBerry skin is awfully close to fulfilling our Fallout dreams. Modder sadosdemetrios has created a functioning Pip-Boy homescreen for the Blackberry, available for free at Crackberry, in your choice of green or blue.The modder is currently accepting donations for his hard work -- please donate generously! The closer we get to inventing the real Pip-Boy, the closer we are to nuclear annihilation. And then, like EA Sports, we'll be in the game.[Via Kotaku]
Bethesda trademarks Fallout name for film and television
Spotted on the US Patent and Trademark Office website recently were two suspicious trademarks filed by Bethesda Softworks, the folks behind the Elder Scrolls series and, most recently, Fallout 3. First, a trademark staking claim on the Fallout name for "entertainment services in the nature of an on-going television program," hinting pretty heavily at the possibility of a Fallout-themed ... television program. Another filing secures the trademark for "motion picture films about a post-nuclear apocalyptic world." We imagine you get the gist of that one, eh?It looks as though Bethesda is thinking about the future of the Fallout IP and some interesting ways to expand upon it. With the possibility that the company has taken back the reins on a Fallout MMO, the future for Bethesda may hold a megaton more Fallout than we could have possibly imagined.
GreenWorld mod spruces up Fallout 3's wasteland
There are many accolades one can lay upon Bethesda's post-apocalyptic RPG Fallout 3, but it's impossible to commend the game for its lush, rich environments. Pools of standing, radioactive water? Yuck. Shelled-out buildings inhabited by sallow-skinned mutants? No thanks. Go ahead and say it was intentionally designed that way to create an unsettling, hopeless atmosphere -- we know a sorry excuse when we hear one.Thankfully, a modder by the name of Khyrin recently released "GreenWorld," a Fallout 3 patch that brings some much needed arboreal splendor to Washington D.C.'s unsightly landscape. You can download the mod here, then watch as Fallout 3's grotesque, sepia toned pallette is exchanged for something a little more viridian.[Via Ripten]
Bethesda on DLC: Keep it small, 'digestible'
Speaking to Gamasutra, Bethesda VP Pete Hines shared his company's philosophy regarding DLC. After crafting plenty of DLC for Oblivion ranging from small quest packs to the full expansion of Shivering Isles, Hines says that the team decided to focus on small, but still significant, pieces of downloadable content for Fallout 3. According to Hines, Bethesda decided to shy away from full expansions like Shivering Isles because "those things just take so damn long to do."The goal then was to create enjoyable DLC in "smaller, digestible chunks," which led Bethesda to use the Oblivion DLC "Knights of the Nine" as the model for Fallout 3. This model, said Hines, is "substantive and it adds multiple hours of game play and new items, but we can do it in a time frame that allows us to get it out without waiting forever."What say you, Fallout fans? Do you prefer the small, but frequent DLC packs, or would you rather see a full-blown expansion a year from now?
Fallout 3 dominates MI6 marketing awards
Critical acclaim is a swell bullet point for the back of a box, but, really, who bases their buying decisions on what the so-called "experts" have to say? Let's face it, we buy certain games because they're staring us down every which way we turn -- on the internet, on the TV, on the frickin' subway -- and because, well, sometimes we're just suckers for the ol' "Chotchkie" Editions. And, while we might curse the thought of marketing (and our powerlessness against it), the MI6 Awards celebrates this integral component of the game industry machine. So, just this once, let's all give a hand to the brilliant minds that so craftily offered us many, many valuable opportunities to ride their hype waves all the way to the checkout last year. View the complete list of awards and "Gold Winners" (no euphemism necessary, huh?) after the break.
Bethesda settles stolen games dispute with retailer
British retailer Awesome Games recently came under fire for some copies of Fallout 3 it had purchased. Believed to be imported stock, the fact that the title had yet to release did not clue in Awesome Games to the potential origins of these copies of Fallout 3, which developer Bethesda believed to be stolen. Now, the two have managed to settle the dispute out of court, with Awesome Games owner Ahnes Qureshi paying monetary damages to Bethesda and an injunction being placed that would prevent the retailer from infringing on Bethesda's properties in the future.It's a much more peaceful resolution than what we had in mind, really, which involved hanging chainsaws and dog whistles.
Modder crafts working Pip-Boy 3000 using iPod Touch
Many gamers were underwhelmed by the replica Pip-Boy 3000 digital clock that was included in the Amazon-exclusive Fallout 3 Survival Edition. Fortunately, a clever modder by the name of Otaku Joe had the presence of mind to rip out the gadget's chronometric guts and replace them with an iPod Touch, bringing us one step closer to a fully realized wrist-mounted health tracker, inventory manager, quest chronicler and, of course, old-timey radio. You can check it out in a hilariously awkward video preview after the break.[Via Kotaku]
Bethesda releases yet another fix for Fallout 3's The Pitt DLC
Like a broken record, we're obligated to inform you once again that Fallout 3's DLC "The Pitt" is available for download. Originally released back on March 24, many complained of freezes and glitches, causing Bethesda to take it down from Xbox Live. Soon after, Bethesda released a "fixed" version, but, actually, it wasn't fixed at all. Once again, Bethesda is reporting via the company's blog that The Pitt is available for download and is should be bug free.If you previously downloaded The Pitt, you'll want to go into your harddrive and delete the old, corrupted file before downloading again.
Fallout 3's 'The Pitt' still pitching a fit, Bethesda promises fix
It seems that Bethesda is still trying to dig itself out of the pit it fell into with the bug-filled initial release of Fallout 3's "The Pitt" DLC. After pulling the episode from Xbox Live, then releasing a "fixed" version of the content, it appears that some players are still experiencing issues, including freezes. Now the publisher is promising yet another fix."Since The Pitt went back up on Xbox LIVE last Wednesday, we've received feedback that some folks were experiencing freezing issues while trying to access The Pitt," reads an official statement on Bethesda's blog. "We're working with Microsoft to get a version of The Pitt up that corrects the aforementioned freezing issue. Once the content is up and available, we'll let you know."Bethesda thanks Fallout fans in its post for their "support, patience and feedback" -- or, as the latter is otherwise known, hundreds of angry forum posts.
Study finds 'action' video games can improve vision
So, we've got good and bad news for you. First, the good news: A study conducted by the University of Rochester has found that "the very act of action video game playing enhances contrast sensitivity." Rather, playing lots of Call of Duty might actually help keep your eyes in shape and the contrasts in color sharp as you age. But now, the bad news: Those 100+ hours you sunk into Fallout 3 may not have helped. The study explains that, of the "expert video game players" tested, the "VGP group" (group playing "action" games Unreal Tournament 2004 and Call of Duty 2) exhibited "enhanced contrast sensitivity" versus the "NVGP group" (the folks playing "non-action" game The Sims 2), especially in the light of the population differences' interactions with spatial frequencies. Wait, WHAT?! In so many words, majority percentages of the "VGP group" were clustering together on the high end of the scale while "NVGP group" numbers were clustering on the other end. Professor Gary Rubin, of the University College London Institute of Ophthalmology, sums up these findings rather nicely, saying, "This is a small study, showing a small effect, but it was carefully done, and merits further investigation."[Via BBC]
Overheard@GDC09: It's a small, small development community, be nice
Sure, the video game industry is a multi-billion dollar behemoth, but behind it all are people -- a few people ... really, not as many as you'd think. So, while discussing his career path to becoming lead designer on Fallout 3, Emil Pagliarulo gave some prudent advice to anyone trying to break in ... or people mouthing-off with an ego: "The game industry is very small. If you're an asshole, they'll remember that when your resume comes across their desk six years down the line." When you talk to enough developers at GDC, you learn how incestuous the industry really is.
GDC09: Fallout 3, LittleBigPlanet clean up at GDCA awards
In case you missed out on our liveblog last night (why do you hurt us so?), the list of winners from the GDCA awards is available for your perusal and, just as descriptive headlines would have you believe, Fallout 3 and LittleBigPlanet performed admirably. Fallout 3 walked away with the coveted Game of the Year award, whereas LittleBigPlanet took the "quantity over quality" route, snatching up various awards. Check past the break for the full list of this year's winners.
PSA: Welcome (back) to Fallout 3's 'The Pitt'
Tips are flooding in that Fallout 3 DLC pack 'The Pitt' has re-emerged onto Xbox Live Marketplace. Those of you haven't been following the story, here's the skinny: A corrupted version of the file was pulled from Microsoft's service yesterday, with Bethesda promising a correction today. And, just as promised, it's back right now, ready for you to download sans nasty bugs. Protip: make sure you delete the old file if you downloaded it yesterday.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]%Gallery-45395%
Fallout 3's Pitt pulled from Marketplace, back tomorrow [update]
Fallout 3 players have made the lives of uncreative and unnecessarily snarky writers into a living hell this morning, prompting internet blabbermouths to try their hardest not to describe the RPG's latest round of DLC as "the pits." Because it's called "The Pitt" and some people are quite unhappy about it, you see.Lodging complaints via emails to Joystiq and developer Bethesda's official forums, users who have downloaded the latest $10 add-on from Xbox Live are apparently experiencing numerous glitches in the game's environment, including freezes and texture errors. Another issue seems to be represented by ominous, floating exclamation marks invading the post-apocalyptic wasteland. Bethesda has told Joystiq that it is currently gathering information on the issue -- we'll update as soon as we know how widespread the problems are and what measures can be taken to avoid them. In the meantime, we suggest you adopt a stealthy approach and avoid being spotted by the malfunctioning landscape.Update: Bethesda is "continuing to look into the issues people are experiencing with The Pitt for Xbox 360." The company believes that the English version of the file on Xbox Live has become corrupted, and is working with Microsoft to remove and replace the file as soon as possible. Update 2: Bethesda expects the corrected file to be available for download tomorrow, March 25.Source -- Bethesda forumsSource -- Bethesda forumsSource -- Mattkellyshow.com [image]
Video: First look at Fallout 3's The Pitt
Screenshots can only show so much, which is why we recommend, no, insist watching GameTrailers' recently released Fallout 3 The Pitt DLC trailer. Look for it embedded after the break.As expected, The Pitt presents a dangerous, dirty and rugged atmosphere where steel construction is the norm and scaffolding wraps around buildings like an artificial highway. It's The Pitt, it's releasing March 24 and it's your duty as a fan to watch the first trailer.
Fallout 3: Motivations, enemies and perks of 'The Pitt'
GameSpy recently sat down with Bethesda senior producer -- lead producer of all DLC -- Jeff Gardiner to discuss The Pitt, revealing a host of interesting tidbits for Fallout 3 fans. The Pitt begins with the player encountering an escaped slave, named Werhner, from Pittsburgh, who claims the leader of The Pitt has discovered a cure for mutations. After disguising themselves as a slave, players will have to "find work, and figure out how to gain audience with raider boss." New quest lines, "stylized" Power Armor and weapons aren't the only things added to Fallout 3 with The Pitt DLC; new mutated foes will hunt down the player. Trogs (pictured above) are subhuman life forms, heavily mutated by the unique Pittsburgh radiation. "They scurry around on all fours, fear the light, and hunt in large packs," said Gardiner. The Pitt is expected to add the same amount of game time to Fallout 3 as Operation: Anchorage did; however, players will be able to return to The Pitt when their quest is completed. Three of the four achievements added for The Pitt will be obtained by completing the quest. The last is "much more difficult," involving the collection of one hundred steel ingots found in the area. Three new perks have also made the travel to Pittsburgh. One adds to the "killing efficacy" of the new Auto Axe melee weapon, another relates to the extreme radiation of the area, and the last is "rewarded after completing a Pitt fight." The Pitt DLC releases on the Xbox 360 and Games for Windows Live on March 24 for 800 ($10).%Gallery-45395%
Bethesda parent company looking for MMO talent
While Oblivion and Fallout 3 offer an MMORPG experience without all of the lumbering masses, Bethesda father figure Zenimax Media continues to eye the real MMO market. The company is looking for new talent to help its cause, announcing that it has entered into a second hiring phase at its MMO-focused ZeniMax Online Studios.Currently ZeniMax's online branch employs a team of 60, with former Gamecock and BradyGames exec Steve Escalante and Blizzard support guru Rich Barham making up the latest additions to the studio's roster. Studio president Matt Firor teases that devs of all disciplines looking to help "create the next great MMOG" should apply within. No specific project has been announced, but in this shrinking economy any sign of positive growth is cause for celebration.
