Van Buren (Fallout 3) tech demo released!!!

http://www.nma-fallout.com/article.php?id=35970

 I'm hesitant to download it, it will be upsetting to know I'll never get to play this game....      *sigh*   RIP Fallout....

I'm gonna download this even though I know I'll probably never get to play it.  I really am mixed about what to think about Bethesda making Fallout 3.  Given the humdrum and superficial storylines and lackluster characters I've seen in their products so far, I really don't know if they really have the talent and potential to capture all the spirit and life that made the Fallout series so fun.

I guess it'll be over month before I'm able to really say for sure, but if it turns out that Bethesda's Fallout 3 is just Oblivion with mutants, and just as superficial, then I'll be quite upset, and you can bet that I won't be buying it.

 I still don't get why they just didn't hand the license over to Obsidian or Troika (back when it still existed) or hell, a special team made out of the veterans of both companies that were the same people that made the first two.  If they really were "big fallout fans" like they said they were, they really ought to have given the development over to the people who made it great so that fans everywhere could rejoice.  Doing it themselves (and possibly messing it up horribly like some kind of fanfiction writer who's making a game instead) was probably one of the worst options they could've considered.

I hope very much that I'm wrong and the Fallout 3 is a good game that's true to the gameplay and the spirit of the previous games, but my gut instinct tells me otherwise.  I still really, -really- hope I'm wrong though.

Holy crapgibbons! :shock:

Downloading now! 

come on dudes... we've all seen the few screenshots of how Fallout 3 (as Van Buren) was coming up, and you are really saying you wanted to play that s***?prowler666

.... 

don't get me wrong, i was waiting for that game too, but now that Bethesda bought it, i really think it might become something.prowler666

.... 

those old Van Buren pics show nothing more than a little updated (yet outdated) Fallout 2.prowler666

.... 

i'm a fallout fan afterall :)prowler666

I have trouble believing that. 

[QUOTE="prowler666"]come on dudes... we've all seen the few screenshots of how Fallout 3 (as Van Buren) was coming up, and you are really saying you wanted to play that s***?Lilac_Benjie

....

don't get me wrong, i was waiting for that game too, but now that Bethesda bought it, i really think it might become something.prowler666

....

those old Van Buren pics show nothing more than a little updated (yet outdated) Fallout 2.prowler666

....

i'm a fallout fan afterall :)prowler666

I have trouble believing that.

you don't think it's time to move on in Fallout series? you wan't it to be stuck right where it's been 10 years? why don't you just play Fallout 1 & 2 then?

you don't think it's time to move on in Fallout series? you wan't it to be stuck right where it's been 10 years? prowler666

What makes a game great? Is it the graphical engine? I worry that Bethesda will remove the tactical combat and roleplay-centric gameplay in favour of commercialism, don't you?

Fallout is nigh dead.

why don't you just play Fallout 1 & 2 then?prowler666

I have done, several times. I want a new story with improved graphics, but I don't want the gameplay to change. 

[QUOTE="prowler666"]

you don't think it's time to move on in Fallout series? you wan't it to be stuck right where it's been 10 years? Lilac_Benjie

What makes a game great? Is it the graphical engine? I worry that Bethesda will remove the tactical combat and roleplay-centric gameplay in favour of commercialism, don't you?

Fallout is nigh dead.

why don't you just play Fallout 1 & 2 then?prowler666

I have done, several times. I want a new story with improved graphics, but I don't want the gameplay to change.

no it's not the graphical engine that makes a great game, but after 10 years i would be expecting a little more than what i've seen in Van Buren.

i also want to keep the good old gameplay elements (meaning all that RPG stuff) in fallout 3, but as far as i can see it, it's very much possible to have them even in first person point of view. i'm ready to give up the turn based combats, wich i know many fallout fans disagree with.

commercialism, yes, but it's Bethesda afterall. i'm pretty confident with them, as i've been with all their previous games.

If fallout 3 is in no way similar to the previous fallout games, then its hardly a continuation of the series, if it doesnt have:

SPECIAL

Turn based combat or at least the option to have combat in this way (FO3 was originally going to have this as an option kinda like Arcanum could switch between the two)

Isometric viewpoint

Dialog with multiple branches linked to your characters abilities

More than one way to solve a quest

Choice and Consequence (eg fallout 2 modoc)

Then it'll hardly be a fallout game, better perhaps for Bethesda to come up with its own PA setting

I fear Fallout 3 by bethesda will be first person, have real time combat only and ....level scaling.

Looking aswell at the new site the concept art looks good, its a wasteland but the music was horrible , it would have been good in a fantasy themed RPG like oblivion, baldurs gate or icewind dale but Fallout had much darker sad music to fit the atmosphere of the game, the music by Mark Morgan was brilliant in this respect.

http://www.falloutvault.com/index.php?title=Fallout_1_soundtrack

for anyone interested.

well it's obvious, that every fallout fan wanting isometric view and turn based combat, are gonna be disappointed (or i mean already are disappointed) by bethesda.

i'm staying open minded about this thing, and hoping the best and fearing the worst at the sametime.

well it's obvious, that every fallout fan wanting isometric view and turn based combat, are gonna be disappointed (or i mean already are disappointed) by bethesda.

i'm staying open minded about this thing, and hoping the best and fearing the worst at the sametime.

prowler666

Yeah, same here, although I'm not really "fearing the worst." Bethesda is a solid developer. I think F3 will turn out just fine. Maybe not Black Isle fine, but it could be worse. Just think, Microsoft could have bought the license for Lionhead or something. Brrrr.

well it's obvious, that every fallout fan wanting isometric view and turn based combat, are gonna be disappointed (or i mean already are disappointed) by bethesda.

i'm staying open minded about this thing, and hoping the best and fearing the worst at the sametime.

prowler666

 The problem is, the target audience for Fallout 3 isn't going to be the die-hard Fallout fans.    Bethesda is going to make it geared towards the mainstream public so they can sell 10X more copies compared to what the sales would be for a *true* Fallout 3.   Bethesda is in the business of making money these days, so long as they make a game that is going to appeal to everybody they're going to consider their game a success.   Of course if we to buy some iguana-on-a-stick we're going to have to pay $5 extra in a DLC they offer later on.   :roll: 

If fallout 3 is in no way similar to the previous fallout games, then its hardly a continuation of the series, if it doesnt have:

SPECIAL

Turn based combat or at least the option to have combat in this way (FO3 was originally going to have this as an option kinda like Arcanum could switch between the two)

Isometric viewpoint

Dialog with multiple branches linked to your characters abilities

More than one way to solve a quest

Choice and Consequence (eg fallout 2 modoc)

Then it'll hardly be a fallout game, better perhaps for Bethesda to come up with its own PA setting

master_blue

Oh, and thanks to OP for the link, I'm in the queue now and despite the warnings I can't wait to check it out. :D 

I hear to many people complaining about a loss of turn based combat (although at this point we dont know but assuming tis first person...yeeeeah) I was never able to put to much time into fallout 2 (although im trying to get it borrowed from a friend so i can finally run through it) However I used to play fallout tactics A LOT. Honestly If they made the game play for like tactics I would be in heaven. I still play that game today with my buddies online It was a blast. However this may just be me seeing as i almost never hear anyone even mutter mention of the game.Orlandun

I'm gonna download this even though I know I'll probably never get to play it. I really am mixed about what to think about Bethesda making Fallout 3. Given the humdrum and superficial storylines and lackluster characters I've seen in their products so far, I really don't know if they really have the talent and potential to capture all the spirit and life that made the Fallout series so fun.

I guess it'll be over month before I'm able to really say for sure, but if it turns out that Bethesda's Fallout 3 is just Oblivion with mutants, and just as superficial, then I'll be quite upset, and you can bet that I won't be buying it.

I still don't get why they just didn't hand the license over to Obsidian or Troika (back when it still existed) or hell, a special team made out of the veterans of both companies that were the same people that made the first two. If they really were "big fallout fans" like they said they were, they really ought to have given the development over to the people who made it great so that fans everywhere could rejoice. Doing it themselves (and possibly messing it up horribly like some kind of fanfiction writer who's making a game instead) was probably one of the worst options they could've considered.

I hope very much that I'm wrong and the Fallout 3 is a good game that's true to the gameplay and the spirit of the previous games, but my gut instinct tells me otherwise. I still really, -really- hope I'm wrong though.

arc_salvo

Ya, obsidian, troika, or bioware should have been one of the companies to pick this game license up as they have either

A. Worked on the original fallout or fallout 2(Troika and Obsidian)

B. Had a great relationship with the original black isle studios (Bioware) 

[QUOTE="Lilac_Benjie"][QUOTE="prowler666"]

you don't think it's time to move on in Fallout series? you wan't it to be stuck right where it's been 10 years? prowler666

What makes a game great? Is it the graphical engine? I worry that Bethesda will remove the tactical combat and roleplay-centric gameplay in favour of commercialism, don't you?

Fallout is nigh dead.

why don't you just play Fallout 1 & 2 then?prowler666

I have done, several times. I want a new story with improved graphics, but I don't want the gameplay to change.

no it's not the graphical engine that makes a great game, but after 10 years i would be expecting a little more than what i've seen in Van Buren.

i also want to keep the good old gameplay elements (meaning all that RPG stuff) in fallout 3, but as far as i can see it, it's very much possible to have them even in first person point of view. i'm ready to give up the turn based combats, wich i know many fallout fans disagree with.

commercialism, yes, but it's Bethesda afterall. i'm pretty confident with them, as i've been with all their previous games.

I don't know how you can dare to call yourself a fallout fan and at the same time say it could be good as a FPS. I guess if there ever was a baldur's gate III or planescape torment 2 we should make those an FPS as well.  

Apparently, Massive Black is the company responsible for Fallout's 3 concept art.  From what I've seen from them, they're pretty competent in their doings and are great for post-apocalyptic stuff. The co-founder, Jason Manley previously worked on Black Isle.

They have their own forum, which is conceptart.org, where I happen to have my modest sketchbook (not 56k safe) in the middle of so many talented people:

 http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=83236 

I fear Fallout 3 by bethesda will be first person, have real time combat only and ....level scaling.master_blue

I assume you're joking, but only half joking... I mean, really. Bethesda is a big studio, but some of you guys make it sound like the Elder Scrolls games are all they produce. Actually, some of you guys make it sound like Oblivion is the only game they produce.

I don't think it makes much sense to anticipate or fear Fallout3 looking or playing like an Oblivion knockoff.

[QUOTE="master_blue"] I fear Fallout 3 by bethesda will be first person, have real time combat only and ....level scaling.lokstah

I assume you're joking, but only half joking... I mean, really. Bethesda is a big studio, but some of you guys make it sound like the Elder Scrolls games are all they produce. Actually, some of you guys make it sound like Oblivion is the only game they produce.

I don't think it makes much sense to anticipate or fear Fallout3 looking or playing like an Oblivion knockoff.

i agree they do make good games, im just hoping its not a oblivion in the fallout world. I guess we will see in June when they release the preview.