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I've been noodling this topic for a while.

We're all aware that the developers didn't include a significant amount of content because of time and budget constraints. Some of that stuff, never found its way past the conceptual or planning stage. I have no problem letting that stuff go, although I would have liked to have seen it (most of us would have liked to have seen more legion content, more "dungeons" to explore, etc).

Where I'm stumbling, regards content that is present in the game, with full sound, mesh, texture, and dialogue, but is simply not active. It just sits there, and because of bugs or whatever, it doesn't work. My favorite example regards a conversation that the courier may have with Mr. House, wherein he may avoid the destruction of the brotherhood of steel by passing a speech check. The content is fully voiced, scripted, etc. Without a PC, and mods, this option remains lost to us.

Of a similar vein, although decidedly minor in importance, we have dialogues such as one that occurs in the Silver Rush, between Gloria VanGraff and her former lover.

So, here are my questions, and discussion points.

1. Is the missing conversation with House canon (a valid part of the Fallout lore), or not? (would House have permitted himself to be convinced to let the brotherhood survive?)

2. In general, how shall we consider broken, buggy, or otherwise inactive content? Should we consider it part of the lore, or just let it go?

3. Do you consider the game lore as presented, discounting the missing and buggy content, complete, from a canon perspective?

I'm of two minds regarding the situation, but here's what I think:

I would have liked to have seen an option to spare the brotherhood, as it would have made House unique in his particular quest line. He would have been the one faction that did not explicitly instruct the courier to kill people. Sure, he said recruit or neutralize the Boomers, but he provides the courier with an option. We may choose to resolve the situation in any way we desire.

Also, we must consider the situation with the Omertas — don't know if a peaceful situation is possible there. Maybe if we destroy the weapon caches and convince both employees to desert them...

Your thoughts? Is the game game as delivered canon, or should we consider the broken/buggy content as well?

Cheers

I'd say it's non canon unless stated otherwise. Like how JE Sawyer gave some minor details about the Legion on his formspring account.

Bugs can be canon (FO1 bug involved the Followers always dying off, yet here they are), but cut content cannot. House's Brotherhood dialog was specifically cut because they both considered it highly illogical of him and it painted him as being too good.