That's not known, that's claimed. It's plausible that Emil and Pete played Fallout (without proof), but I was speaking of the 3D artist for FO3.

The 3D model I made was going for approximate accuracy. A serious effort by a studio could be far more refined, and cool, while keeping the recognizable appearance of the original.... Just look at the vault suits they've made; and some of the power armor.

*I can attest from experience, that making the ADV Mark 2 helmet was tough, and I've wondered if they didn't just pass on it, for something easier.
(There are only about five different images of it, and none from profile.)

I think it was Adamowicz (concept artist) who mostly came up with the changed design: https://www.flickr.com/photos/47857688@N08/6877196071/in/album-72157629320774861/

It's a nice design too; but not clunky enough IMO. There should be an air of impracticality about it that makes it stand out as a little jarring.

*This is well represented in the film Brazil; (as an example).
(...and the Fallout http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Loading_screen?file=Fo1_OfficeDesk_loading_screen.png.)

Its claimed by the people who made the game, and they have offered nothing to suggest they lied about it.

No one I knew who played Fallout 1 and 2 before 3 didn't recognize the Mr Handy robots immediatly in Fallout 3, despite the redesign.

I think the PA was more a callback to Tactics then anything else. It was also probably done to try to make them look more menicing, as the preying mantis Fallout 2 PA looks silly goofy in 3d, and done to fit more with the angels vs. demons theme the game had in it.

Haha.. you have a hard time watching cartoons don't you?

More like this?: https://www.flickr.com/photos/47857688@N08/6877195779/in/album-72157629320774861/

Doesn't capture the original look at all. But arguably more goofy.

The rocket propelled robot butler with a circular saw and flamethrower attachments doesn't have an air of impracticality about it?

Is it at all conceivable that a spokesperson would have stated that they hadn't played it before, but thought it was cool?

It had the name on it.

No... The minimalist slender design has too much practicality about it.

Even when they were first shown in gameplay vids without being named people still recognized them.

I like them because they have that "what somebody in the 1950s imagined a robot would be like" look about them.

I think the impracticality adds to the retro-futuristic charm.

3D models can look pretty crap until you put a good texture on them.

Actually I wouldn't mind having a go at that model and stick it in Custom Robot Followers 3.

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj125/Gizmojunk/Gizmojunk001/Handy_little_reference_zpsmscqd9nl.png

http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj125/Gizmojunk/2x2.jpg

It seems to me that Bethesda and Black Isle have differing ideas about what sort of 50s vibe they wanted to go for. Bethesda seems to like the sleek designs and minimalistic lines of the 50's future, while Black Isle seems to have liked more of an extension of the actual 50s aesthetic.

http://hydra-media.cursecdn.com/fallout.gamepedia.com/4/41/Fo4_Mr_Handy_Fuel.png

Going by this image, I guess fuel isn't unlimited

And my thoughts turn to the http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MST3KMantra, and it's variants.....

Thanks, I'll pop him on the to do list.

They must get good miles to the gallon, no reason why they couldn't fuel themselves. Maybe they're even good at scrounging?

According to lore, two or more Mr.Handy robots can effectively maintain themselves.

(...and they don't take fuel (or didn't ); they are nuclear; unless that 'Mr. handy Fuel' is a power-cell.)

Maybe the fuel is just for the flamer.

This is what I would suspect.

The nuclear battery could keep the robot active, but what is it burning to produce flames to lift it off the ground, and what is it using for the flamer as well?

I agree with this. It's just looks so "50ish".

They may not 'burn' anything. The nuclear battery may generate heat to expand air, and electricity to drive intake fans drawing air in to be heated. A bit like a Harrier Jump Jet burns fuel to heat and expand air and to drive the intake turbines.

However, such a Mr. Handy would either set fire to the floor (small volume of air at high velocity and temperature) or produce staggering volumes of noise and blow all the furniture over (large volume of air at high velocity but low temperature). Or something like that. Oh, and you wouldn't see any flame below them, just heat distortion.

But I'm pretty sure however you look at it, hovering Mr. Handy's are physically impossible as depicted

Then again, how did eyebots and floating eyes hover?

Hahahaha, OK, I'll stop nitpicking on how and why Howard and Nora would allow what's essentially a dangerous, sentient machine with a pincer, saw, and a blowtorch for arms, and never mind the open flame at the base, within 100 miles of their newborn son. Thanks.

Could be so.

That is where the idea of flying robots ~sort of makes it possible [impracticality and all].

Oh, I agree that it's completely nuts.... just like most of the other "safe consumer products" that are lying around in FO3. (Drink Refreshing Nuka Cola Quantum! It.... probably won't kill you! )

Anyway, it really is probably a reactionless hover motor, like in the Eyebots. They just stuck that decorative flame jet on the bottom because a marketing guy's focus group thought it looked cooler.