Fallout 3
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Fast travel, and why it's hard to find in MMO games
Rock Paper Shotgun has an interesting piece up looking at travel in massively multiplayer games, and while the analysis is really about travel in all MMOs, of course World of Warcraft gets placed front and center -- with the notable exceptions of Mages and Warlock summons, it's a game that squarely places you in its vast world, and asks you to make some solid decisions about where you want to be. While travel has certainly gotten easier (and will continue to do so), it's still an important part of the world -- sometimes, when you're in a backwater zone and your hearthstone is down and there's no summons available to you, you've just got to get on a griffon and put the time in to fly around.Why is that? Why can't we just teleport around at will to places we've been before (a la Fallout 3 or Fable 2, if you've ever played those games)? Why does Blizzard make us traverse the wide world? RPS lands on two solutions: either they just want you to play the game more (certainly possible, especially since big worlds with long travel times and subscription fees are a trademark of the MMO genre), or they're just being jerks about it. But their panelists, and Blizzard, have offered one more suggestion: they want this world to feel vast, and one way to do that is to make you move around it rather than warp anywhere you want at a moment's notice.Then again, that's some deep psychology, and sometimes you just want to get in an instance with your friends and fight (hence the recent changes to summoning anywhere, queueing from anywhere, and so on). Travel definitely serves a purpose in MMOs, but the genre has shown in the past few years that while instant travel all the time might shrink the world a little too much, sometimes you just need to get to where you want to be.[via Slashdot]
Bethesda says first Fallout 3 PS3 DLC almost done
Bethesda has already released several DLC packages on other platforms hosting its post-apocalyptic RPG, Fallout 3, but not yet on PS3. Bethesda's Peter Hines, speaking to Eurogamer, says this will all change very soon as the company is nearly done coding Operation: Anchorage for PS3 usage. Unfortunately, Hines did not reveal a specific release date for the DLC.It's interesting to note that, while Xbox 360 and PC owners have already enjoyed Operation: Anchorage and other such DLC, these DLC packs have encountered numerous problems in the past. Hopefully, these issues will not arise again in the PS3 versions, given the extra amount of time put into them.%Gallery-39191%
Fallout 3, GTA and Team Fortress 2 as seen through Fauvism
Listen, we don't know what Fauvism is, but we know cool art when we see it. Artist James Barnett's oil paintings of scenes from Fallout 3, Grand Theft Auto 4 and Team Fortress 2, are done in the early 20th Century style known for strong lines and color.We asked Barnett, who has spent more hours in those games than he cares to admit, what inspired him to create images from those games in the style of Les Fauves. He told us, "I really liked the idea of turning on its head the idea of PC 3D video games that had been trying so hard to get everything as close to reality as possible. You have teams of super-talented artists and designers, and you just try and imitate normal old reality? Come on, people! Do something weird! There are enough overmuscled, gritty space marines in brown-grey hallways. I'm less annoyed about this than I used to be thanks to games like Braid and Super Mario Galaxy, and cel shading, etc."Barnett, who has also done woodcut pieces depicting the Space Invaders, added that the idea of using an age-old process to depict something that couldn't exist at the time was a nice experience. If you've got the cash, you can always purchase Barnett's work from his site. If you've got more cash, you can commission a piece.%Gallery-66679%
Ride the ferry to Fallout 3's Point Lookout now
Fallout 3 fans, it's time to get aboard the Duchess Gambit and visit the the beautiful seaside town of Point Lookout. Take long walks on the beach, absorb invigorating rays of sunshine and sip cocktails poolside. Yes, it's just another gorgeous day in the Wasteland, when you download the latest expansion to the post-nuclear apocalyptic epic for 800 ($10).Who are we kidding? Point Lookout is a freak show. There are going to be creepy quest lines, nasty swamps and likely some inbreeding, based on the images we've seen. [Add Point Lookout to your queue]%Gallery-64851%
Steamboats and body parts in new Point Lookout screens
(click to Megaton-size) In an act that can only be defined as 'terror gifting,' Bethesda recently dropped a handful of new, extra creepy Fallout 3: Point Lookout screenshots for your approval. Between the trailer (after the break), the few screens we got before and the handful of screens below, the creators of the "Capital Wasteland" have remained fairly tight-lipped about even the existence of the DLC from the get go.Of the little we know from Bethesda about the game -- the swamp setting and promise of new weapons/enemies -- it looks as though the company is set to take even more of our money in the coming months. And considering this is the same developer that once created horse armor, we're going to say things have come a pretty long way.[Via Evil Avatar]%Gallery-64851%
XBLM Deal of the Week: Operation: Anchorage 30% off
How about that, this week's XBLM Deal of the Week is actually a deal. This week, you can snag the Fallout 3 "Operation: Anchorage" DLC for 560 ($7), 30 percent off the usual price of 800 ($10). Granted, you can pick up a used copy of the recently released "Operation: Anchorage" and "The Pitt" combo pack for about $15 at GameStop, but this download-only deal is still pretty decent. At any rate, it certainly stacks up better than most of the "deals" we usually see.Add Operation: Anchorage to your Xbox 360 download queue
Many find Fallout 3 similar to Philip K. Dick's 'The Penultimate Truth'
Written by sci-fi superstar Philip K. Dick in 1964, The Penultimate Truth follows people living in underground shelters, for fear of a World War III that they are told is being waged on the surface above them. We could go into more of the similarities between the book and Bethesda's Fallout 3, but then that would mean venturing into dangerous, radiation-strewn spoiler territory.Of course, if one wants to say that Bethesda plagiarized The Penultimate Truth, then one must look to previous titles in the Fallout series, as well. Vaults were featured in previous games, and upon exiting these vaults, hubs of civilization were also found among what was thought to be a post-apocalyptic barren wasteland. So does that mean Interplay plagiarized The Penultimate Truth or that, perhaps, the idea isn't entirely unique in the first place?
E3 2009 highlights: The Xbox roundup
E3 was brütal! If you blinked, for a split/second, you missed something. Even if you were trine to keep up, it was a blur -- staying a.wake like that, you only pushed yourself to the brink of your own dark void. That's where Joystiq comes in; to crackdown on the madness; to reach out ... with conviction -- phew! Crysis averted. We've scoured the dark corners and survived the inferno to piece together this roundup of all things Xbox at E3. Why? Just 'cause we love you. So, draw nier and shift your eyes past the break.
Bethesda has designed iPhone versions of Fallout 3
So, there's good news and bad news for those of you who'd like to carry the apocalpyse in your pocket. Bethesda wants to bring the Fallout series to smaller screens ... they just haven't figured out how to pull it off yet."I think that the world of Fallout is unique enough that it could work on any platform. I think some of the things we do like VATS, I think that could translate to any platform, particularly the iPhone," Todd Howard told us yesterday. "We've looked into those things, we just haven't found the thing that supports the brand well. I wouldn't be surprised if it does happen one day. The iPhone versions that we've designed and said 'Ehh, we don't think we're going to do that right now,' there are ... there are a lot of them."Could we maybe just have one?
Bethesda drops Point Lookout trailer, screens
We know we might be be approaching Point Lookout overkill here, but we didn't want that to keep you from missing out on the video and screens that Bethesda just dropped for Fallout 3's creepy visit to a Deliverance-esque port town.OK, now we're going to go take the time to write up some more about what we saw. Well, we're going to find the time. Somewhere. Hey, why are you laughing at us, we will!%Gallery-64851%
Fallout 3's Point Lookout coming June 23
We just got our mitts on the new Fallout 3 DLC Point Lookout, and we'll be giving you the full rundown on what we saw soon. But we thought you'd be interested to know that the pack's late June date had been narrowed to June 23, according to a Bethesda rep at E3.Is it something you'll want to grab on day one? Keep an eye out for our impressions to find out.
The Digital Continuum: Summertime MMO alternatives
You, much like myself, may have had summer MMO plans a month or so ago. But like many things in life, circumstances changed and both Champions Online and Jumpgate Evolution were met with delays in their schedules -- making any plans to play them over the summer null.It's a bummer, but not all is lost. Another thing I'm certain we all share is our love of gaming in general. I've been thinking of a list of games I plan to play through this summer in lieu of shiny new MMOs to delve into, with an emphasis on filling the void left by a lack Cryptic's and NetDevil's still forthcoming titles. I'm sure I'll play more than just three, but these are the ones I'll definitely play the most of overall.
Fallout 3: Bill Clinton could have been President Eden [update]
That's right, the sax man himself was considered by a casting agency for the role of everyone's favorite Fallout 3 radio host/President of the United States, John Henry Eden. Bill Clinton wasn't interested in the role -- or any role in gaming, for that matter -- as Lev Chapelsky, general manager of Blindlight, a company that secures Hollywood talent for voicework in games, recently told Edge. Clinton's attorneys responded to the request for him to play President Eden pretty harshly, actually: "The former president will not participate in one of your videogame products, thank you very much."Hey, as cool as Clinton would have been as President Eden, we still appreciate the fine performance of Malcolm McDowell. The man may have not been a president, but he's certainly helped in giving the world one of its most beloved Halloween costumes. That's worth something, right?
Fallout 3 DLC coming to PS3 beginning late June, two new multiplat packs announced
Bethesda has announced that those Fallout 3 DLC packs that Xbox 360 owners have been enjoying for the last few months will be heading to the PS3 starting with Operation: Anchorage in late June. The other two DLC packs, The Pitt and Broken Steel will be released four to six weeks apart. A patch will be released for the game in order to make these DLC packs work with the PS3 version of the game. All release dates are yet to be nailed down.In addition, two new DLC packs have been announced and will be heading to both platforms. Point Lookout, as revealed by retailers earlier this month, will feature a massive swampland area to explore and in Mothership Zeta you'll suffer through an alien abduction. These packs will be available on Xbox 360 and PC starting late June and on PS3 once the first three have been released.If you don't have an internet connection (huh?) these packs can still be obtained through two new disc-based packages for Xbox 360 and PC. The first -- containing Anchorage and The Pitt -- will be available in June in Europe and May 26 in the US, with the second containing the rest of the DLC in August worldwide. A GOTY version of Fallout 3 will be available in October for PS3, 360 and PC, which will include all five add-on packs.
Xbox Live Top 10: Halo 3 and the usual suspects
It's time to check in with the Xbox Live Top 10 again, and Major Nelson informs us folks were pretty much playing the same stuff they've always been playing last week. Snagging the top spot again was none other than Halo 3 (big surprise there), however folks set aside some time to head into the Wastes with a bit of Fallout 3 (thanks to Broken Steel, no doubt). Resident Evil 5 managed to hold onto last place, with the UFC 2009 Undisputed demo also being a hot item for gamers last week.On the XBLA side, people have been enjoying the colorful Space Invaders Extreme, as well as the usual amounts of Hasbro Family Game Night and Castle Crashers. Invading the list (rather surprisingly, we might add) in last place is Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, which we guess can be attributed to people needing a fix after seeing the new version.
Bethesda talks Splash Damage game, confirms E3 reveal
Bethesda Europe's Sean Brennan made a few comments to GI.biz regarding the super-secretive mystery title that Splash Damage has been working on. We've known about its existence since May of 2008, yet we've not been able to get any kind of details on the game. Well, Brennan says that's all going to change at next month's E3.But, even before the show has had a chance to start, Brennan was kind enough to drop a few small details. First of all, we now know the game is going to be a first-person shooter. Brennan describes it as a "genre-breaker" and real "killer app," and compares the game's quality to Bethesda's last title, Fallout 3. He says the game will feature some innovative features and that the company has spent considerable resources on creating this game. From our end, it would seem most of those resources went into keeping a lid on it.
Fallout 3 'Broken Steel' DLC no longer broken for PC users, back online
Those who purchased Fallout 3's latest DLC, Broken Steel, with the intention of actually using it with the Games For Windows version of Bethesda's post-apocalyptic role-playing game, can now do so. As we reported yesterday, purchasers found themselves unable to even install the add-on because of what we now know to be a GFWL digital rights management-related issue.We are unable to confirm reports from the field that Liberty Prime has succumbed to DRM issues and is now targeting friendlies it believes to have illegally downloaded MP3s.
Broken Steel Achievements not showing up on Live, fix incoming
Perhaps not realizing that the real achievement is the fun you have along the way, posters on Bethesda's forums are in an uproar about not being credited for the Achievements they earned in the newly released Fallout 3 DLC, Broken Steel.If you experience the same problem, take heart! Bethesda tells us, "The Xbox Live servers don't seem to be fully synched yet with the additional Achievements. Microsoft is looking into it right now so that the Achievements folks have gotten will show up properly on Live (the game awards them, they just aren't showing up right on Live for some reason). People won't lose any Achievements."Patience, friends. Sounds like this will be resolved soon.
Users report that Fallout 3 Broken Steel DLC is, yes, broken on PC [update]
[Update: Bethesda tells us "We're seeing the same error, which is a Games for Windows Live DRM Install error. Microsoft is working on fixing it, and we'll let everyone know once we've verified it."]The last Fallout 3 DLC didn't exactly launch smoothly -- users reported issues with the Xbox 360 version of "The Pitt," requiring Bethesda to release an updated version. The latest DLC, "Broken Steel," came out today, and it's also causing problems for players -- this time on the PC.Would-be "Broken Steel" players are reporting on the Bethesda forums that installation of the DLC isn't working. After the files are downloaded through the Windows Live Marketplace, the installation stops and displays the message "Not a cryptographic message or the cryptographic message is not formatted correctly. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x8009200D)."Bethesda is aware of the issue -- "Dermont" from the company commented on the forum, "I am even getting the same issue." The team is "looking into it."%Gallery-50700%[Thanks, Nick G]
Retailer listings suggest fourth Fallout 3 expansion
Itchin' for more wasteland scouring? According to retailer listings spotted this morning, another piece of Fallout 3 DLC may very well be in the works, known as "Point Look" (by eStarland) or "Point Lookout" (by DeepDiscounts). Much like the recent packaging of Fallout 3's Operation Anchorage and The Pitt DLCs, this one comes bundled with the third currently announced add-on, Broken Steel, and is listed at $19.95. Shacknews asked Bethesda marketing VP Pete Hines about the retail listings and got this in return, "We have said there will be three DLCs for Fallout 3, for PC and 360. Beyond that we have no announced plans for additional DLC." The site points out the caginess of Hines' "announced" claim, though we'd add that he specifically notes "for PC and 360." While Bethesda has said the PS3 version of Fallout 3 won't be receiving this DLC, this wouldn't be a bad way to do it, eh?Source - ShacknewsSource - eStarlandSource - DeepDiscounts
