So, here it is, the deciding factor for whether or not I'll buy Fallout 3: Is it or is it not reasonably true to the lore of the previous games?

Being 20 hours into the game, i can say. Yes it does.
The story, sorry, stories you will encounter feel fallout-ish.
Not only that they have a good view on the whole "wasteland"
issue, but there also COOL stories, great characters and great
environments. When you step outside it's littered with crap. It
will feel like fallout fast. Even the first moments of the game
trapped in Vault 101 you can smell the fallout... you can smell
it right from the vents...... ( run tot he store and get it NOW)

I agree. I was somewhat concerned about how Beth would do. I don't like Oblivion. I'm a huge fan of fallout 1/2, and Beth did a nice job w/Fallout 3 in relation to the original two Fallouts. I have about as much time in FO3 as Gameaholic does and I agree completely w/him.

It vaguely fits with established Fallout lore. Some bits clash (some clash rather spectacularly, like T-51b Power Armor not enhancing strength at all), while some fit quite well.

The Vaults are generally good looking, but their layouts are completely different from those that were on the West Coast. Most of the stuff dealing with the Vaults fits well in the lore, too.

The DC super mutants, and their source, aren't really explained well enough to justify the clash between the lore and what is presented. Maybe I just missed reading some things in the super mutant's home, though. Why the DC super mutants became stupider instead of smarter when dosed in FEV is also never explained.

For some reason, the Chinese had infantry in DC. I haven't seen a single explanation for that one yet.

The Brotherhood of Steel is annoyingly inconsistent with the original Fallouts - they're much too altruistic in this one, though that's explained by Elder Lyons being a wuss and everyone else following him.

The Enclave generally fits well with established cannon, but you have so little information-exchange between you and them that it's difficult to tell.

There's zero explanation for why a high-tech research project was being done underneath the Pentagon, though. I'm not sure if that clashes with the lore or if it just clashes with reality.

The visual style of things has changed considerably, and with absolutely zero reason why - Enclave power armor (which is, for some reason, worse than Brotherhood armor even though the Brotherhood people specifically state Enclave power armor is better) looks more like Tactics power armor, super mutants don't look the same at all, weapons look completely different, etc. The Sentry Bot has changed from a walking bipedal robot to a giant tricycle.

The Vaults also have guards wearing armor and such, which is a pretty big change from the originals.

The storyline is just a mashup of the plots of Fallout 1, 2, and Tactics, which makes it rather annoying if you're too familiar with them. Way too many plot points were reused, though most were altered in some small way. I'm not sure if that qualifies as 'lore' though.




Besides all of these things, it fits reasonably well in Fallout lore. Most of these changes aren't too annoying, and even with them I enjoyed the game.

I gotta stop readin this forum. Too many spoilers.

Well, thank you guys. Lore is my big thing for TES which is why I kinda poke at Oblivion a lot, so I was kinda worried the same thing'd happen w/ Fallout. If it didn't, then as soon as I get some money I'm buying it.

easy on the spoilers........just a heads up before the goods will suffice..... thanks. oh yeah, the game represents the series greatly .i for one am enjoying my times in this vast game.bethesda software has done an outstanding job well done.

i have to agree, beth did a nice job on fallout 3, i mean fallout 3 is nothing compared to fallout 1 and 2 but i got the chills the first time i went out from the vault... so yeah go buy it

Warning in advance, spoilers galore, don't read my post if you haven't played the game.


It was a modified strain of FEV, so it had a different effect, basically these mutants usually get bigger and dumber as they age. It also sort of works to help explain why the centaurs are a bit different.


The Chinese had invaded Alaska and had a submarine in San Fransisco, it's not entirely outlandish to assume that before the bombs fell there was a small incursion attempted in DC.


Like you said, Lyons is the reason why the Brotherhood is so different. Those who disagreed with his un-Brotherhood like policy were outcast.


The Fallout universe's US government was very secretive and paranoid, there's no reason why there wouldn't be something like that under the Pentagon.


The power armour doesn't look exactly the same, but it's pretty close, and the look of the super mutants can be explained by the modified FEV. As for the weapons looking different, I seem to remember reading something in the game on there being different versions of the laser and plasma weapons, but still, the weapons from the old games did look pretty cool. The 10mm pistol and sub-machine guns look pretty close to the originals. Overall in the visual department, I think they pretty much went with what they felt fit the look and style of the game better, I don't think it really has any bearing on Fallout canon, but it's definitely bound to rub some hardcoe fans the wrong way.


True, but it makes sense that they would have armour. You can't really lock a bunch of people up in a vault for a couple hundred years and expect that there wouldn't be any problems that couldn't be handled by just wearing a blue jumpsuit. And really, the original games were working with somewhat limited resources, if they could have made a ton more character sprites, you probably would have seen some sort of vault security uniform.



I thought the bits that were similar to the old plots were meant more as a way to make the game feel more in line with the originals, and give fans of the series a little bit more than a subtle nod. Still that's more a matter of opinion than anything, regardless, it seems to fit with canon perfectly.

Not trying to argue anything, you made a lot of very valid points, just stating my own views on things. After so many years since a true Fallout game, and also taking into account a completely different team making it, I think Bethesda did an incredible job making things fit and feel right.

Yeah you're right, the moment th vault door opened i felt the same feeling when Vault 13 door was opening back in 1996. IMHO this game doesn't have the depth of the previous ones, maybe it doesn't last as long as them, or maybe turn based battles were better, but the true thing is that after NINE years we fans have at last a Fallout game to enjoy.

Actually, they mention how each one has a purpose and these ones have been designed around that purpose. Every Vault, of course had a purpose, but these ones reflect it in being purpose-built.

I always had the impression that the Super Mutants weren't very smart in FO 1 and 2 with the exception of a few, the sherrif of Redding for example (except when he shoots me in the back).
And the spread to DC, as I recall FO:T indicated that Super Mutants had spread as far as the Midwest at that point, if not further. That said, there is SOMETHING else going on for why the Super Mutants are so numerous. It IS explained.

Chinese Special Forces were deployed before, during, and after the nuclear exchange to the DC area to try to screw up the US. As things fell apart both here and in China, they were stuck. It isn't hard to imagine them here. WW2, Germans had spies in the US. US deployed Special Forces to Iraq and Iran and Pakistan in the real world.

I don't think it is inconsistent since the Outcasts are there. They obviously don't like what Lyons has done.

Why? There was no mention of the Pentagon in lore outside of it being a decision center. The idea of there being sublevels? I bet there are sublevels and many to it. The idea of a lab there? Why not? If there isn't a research lab there, certainly elsewhere nearby. Why not move the biggest defense projects underground (after all schools did it, if you notice from exploring!). Move into the largest underground space the government has!

I am not sure why this is a problem? Vault 101 has a special role and it needs to enforce that role. Consequently, they are better equiped.
I though enclave looked pretty similar to FO2, except the suits aren't as bulky, which is nice and better looking.

I think the idea is for it to be a mashup. We WANT the story to be built from FO 1 and 2. We want some ideas to be reused (BOS helps character in taking down some really [censored] faction.



Obviously, I think the game fits in very well. A lot of the lore and historical records you find are directly taken from previous games. It trusts FO1 and 2 over FO tactics with what is canon. In story and style it is more like FO1 than 2.

Additionally, when I gained access to 'Minefield' I found lots of houses. Some had notes from Vault-tec saying they won't be getting into the Vault of their choice. I went in one house, I found the husband and wife skeletons in bed with some stims of Med-X. They killed themselves. The skelton of their child was outside next to a tricycle.
Awesome atmosphere.

I'll have to dig it out to be 100%, but I'm pretty sure the manual for the original fallout mentions the vaults carrying weapons and equipment for 10 men; which would imply some form of body armor. The only reason we didn't get to see it in the previous games was as someone mentioned, probably a lack of time for sprites to get made; or it simply wasn't thought of.

i just dug out my Fallout 1 instruction manual with the specs on Vault 13.

under stores its says:

"complete construction equipment, hydro-agricultural farms, water purification from underground river, defense weaponry to equip 10 men, communication, social, and entertainment files (for total duration"

so your memory is correct.

Coming from a Fan of Wasteland, Fallout, Fallout2, FOT-BOS I'm just going to say this: BUY IT! You won't be disappointed. It is very close, but not 'exactly' the same. There are more than enough similarities for it to feel very familiar and be a VERY satisfying experience. And the learning curve will be limited to the new interface and VATS+realTime (* kinda like FOT-BOS) play styles that are available. I'm also pleased that Bethesda stuck to the SPECIAL+Perks+Karma+conversation systems Fallout players are familiar with, and they ABSOLUTELY NAILED the gloomy post-apoc mood of depsair, survival and destruction. There are a few technical / small differences, but they have a minor impact for those familiar with the full Fallout history.

Oh and did I mention...the number of locations to explore is HUGE!

In Fallout 3, there is proof that China invaded DC. In one of the buildings somewhere(i forget which) there are hostile Ghouls that are "Chinese Remnant Soldier", although it is not explained

And the game is awesome, i reccomend it to anyone mature enough to play it. (Anyone who plays Halo 3 cannot play Fallout 3. They are too immature )