A Love letter to Bethesda – Fallout 4ever Baby

Dear Bethesda,

I know there’s a vault under that big Hollywood sign. A vault given to that big Hollywood director, to oversee. Sure, the Vault-Tec guys might have been behind the scenes, producing, but too bad about what happened to them. I know they wanted to create that ideal vault they’d been selling everyone, somewhere. I know they wanted a top notch Hollywood cast, and top of the line facilities for the inhabitant’s comfort. Someplace to archive the culture and history of the world before, and a true poster child to showcase the wonders of Vault-Tec’s. Most importantly, I know that I’m the “Director”, because my predecessor thought Overseer sounded to sinister. I bet we have all the hits to, pumping out tons of Billy Holliday from our radio station. In fact, if she’s still out there, ghoul and all, from that shoot they flew her in to do, I bet she’d love to join our vault once we repair the broadcasting antenna and get her attention.

Here’s what I’m saying. You made to sweet games this time around. But they could have been so much better together. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely Love Fallout Shelter to death and would be devastated if it suddenly didn’t exist as a mobile option when I’m not at home. However, I Think we all know that Fallout 4 has pulled a little too far away from what it should be… and that’s magic. Now, there are a lot of wonderful new features, with the crafting and the settlements, but where’s the sense of choice that should go along with all that freedom to rebuild the Wasteland. Why can’t we rebuild the relationships, or find alternative solutions, where the true human interaction that come with being a leader. We should be able to manipulate the people as well as the other elements of the world.

The thing is you teased us with the possibilities of Fallout Shelter throughout the game, and that’s just not right. The institute claims they're still digging into the earth, building more rooms – just like another game we know, no not X Com... I think it’s called Fallout Shelter, you remember that one, fondly I bet, that was a great game. Vault 88 prides itself on having lived the Fallout Shelter scenario, maintaining a vault, having to send people out into the wasteland, or rather in their case trade with Wastelanders (semantics really). Now somewhere between the two is the ambition to realize Fallout shelter, but in many ways the game is already Fallout Shelter save for one little thing. I don’t have a working vault to run. Instead I run around building settlements, when I could be gathering those resources for my nice secure vault. I have to build walls to sort of protect from raiders, when I could be training dwellers to protect my vault. I have to work with others to accomplish goals that strength a relationship that ultimately doesn’t really get me what I want, because that ship has sailed, when I could be strengthening relationships to create an ecosystem of trade and poach talent (key/ special people) for my vault. I think you see where this is going.

The final piece to this puzzle, which could create the greatest game ever, if it gets us squads (versus a single companion, and I’m talking a 4-man team including the PC) let’s make so combat initiates turn based Vats style combat. In fact, let’s do that regardless, because unless you plan to completely rebuild the graphics engine I think the machines can handle a couple extra companions in rotation. Also, we should totally still be able to send dwellers out to the wasteland to scout (perhaps even in squads), to procedurally scavenge or trade for goods. What I’m saying is it’s just another job assignment... right?

With Love,

From Your Real Fans