Super Mutant TERRIERS! : Fallout 4

» Sat Nov 28, 2015 6:32 am

In my Skills & Perks thread, seen http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1529102-skills-perks-revised-edition, I posted some important information regarding a connection between two neighboring perks on the now famous http://media2.giga.de/2015/07/Fallout4_Perks-rcm640x0.jpg. The 'interaction' between the two perks was first mentioned on http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1526182-what-are-those-perks-and-what-do-they-do thread.

After further investigation, I have discovered a link that could suggest an important in-game rivalry, between the residents of Diamond City, formerly Fenway Park, and a possible nearby Super Mutant Stronghold located at the old site for Boston University. If I am right, then this would explain the source of the mysterious Super Mutant Dogs as seen in concept art (see the last link at the bottom of this post). Below is an extract from the post, specifically the descriptions I posted for the Melee Weapons and Far Sighted perks:

Melee Weapons (requires 2 Strength)

Allows you to use all hand held weapons, including baseball bats and many others, more effectively. Ranks 1-4 gradually increase the speed and damage of individual attacks. Note that increasing Ranks also unlock new mod types, including Barbed Wire, Razors, and Saw Blades. This perk comes with it's own bobblehead hidden in the game world that will unlock the next available rank when found.

Note: the icon shows Vault Boy about to hit a baseball, pitched by his neighbor, using the baseball bat raised up to his side. This would seem to be a reference to Fenway Park, the location now known as Diamond City. See the description of Far Sighted for more information. The direct connection between this and the neighboring icon was first identified by The Leprechaun in the thread linked at the top of this post.

Far Sighted (requires 2 Perception)

In this image, Vault Boy is seen looking through a telescope. This means that the perk will most likely allow us to briefly 'zoom in' on distant objects or locations in order to get a better lay of the land, and may also allow us to identify distant enemies. This would most likely require us to be standing still. Increased ranks would allow for a greater level of 'magnification' when using this ability.

Note that the use of a telescope in this image is most likely a reference to Astronomy at Boston University as seen http://www.bu.edu/astronomy/about-us/early-department-history. Note also that VB in this image appears to have pitched the ball to his Melee Weapons neighbor with the baseball bat. This would make sense given the close proximity of Boston University and Fenway Park, as seen https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Boston+University/@42.3504997,-71.1053991,14z/data=http://forums.bethsoft.com/topic/1529468-super-mutant-terriers/!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x2b346e00e0a3bec8. This would also make Boston University a prominent in-game location. The direct connection between this and the neighboring icon was first identified by The Leprechaun in the thread linked at the top of this post.

So there you have it. And it was right in front of us the whole time! This reference could well have a massive impact on gameplay, as it suggests that there is some significant rivalry going on between Diamond City, and whatever is now at the nearby Boston University. I think it may be time to expand my theory a little... possibly starting http://www.goterriers.com/trads/bost-trads.html and then perhaps http://i.imgur.com/N6yqGfI.jpg.

So what do you guys think. Could Boston University now be the home of the terrifying (or terrier-fying) Super Mutant Dogs we have seen? And if so, what impact would this have on the story, given how close it is to Diamond City...

» Sat Nov 28, 2015 12:38 pm

One thing that I noticed in a certain image pertaining to the new customization feature is the little "Science Rank 3" in the bottom right corner. At first I immediately thought "Oh Science skill" but quickly realized if it were indeed a skill, it would have a much higher value. Sudden grave thought; What is this is a skill but now they have changed it to be like Skyrim in which all skills are improved by use and eventually can be maxed just by playing? Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Next came optimism and I thought perhaps its a perk since perks can have multiple ranks. Honestly I am at a loss on what to think.
What do you guys think? Perk or Skyrim style skills? Would it be a good or bad thing if this game handled skills like Skyrim?

» Sat Nov 28, 2015 9:45 am

I have already posted up a skills thread, shown http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1529102-skills-perks-revised-edition, in which I have covered this point in some detail. But it is still a very good question that has confused a large number of people :smile:

In the meantime, what do you think of the possible connection between Fenway Park and Boston University as detailed above? Could be a very interesting setup if I'm right!

» Sat Nov 28, 2015 8:19 am

Or you know, because looking through telescopes helps you see better.

It's these kind of highly tenuous links presented as "likely references" that really means I can't take your theories seriously. Not everything is a reference to something else, especially something this minor.

For example the "Little Leauger" perk in Fallout 3 was a Vault-Boy in baseball gear - it had absolutely no connexion to anything baseball related in the entire game.

» Sat Nov 28, 2015 11:05 am

Well ....they're scaled down in a very specific way that preserves the relative positions of these landmarks while reducing the distance between them.

» Sat Nov 28, 2015 5:28 am

This is exactly why I think there could be something to this due to the very close proximity, especially considering map scale :smile:

Look at the outside of http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/fallout/images/4/41/DiamondCityEntrance.png/revision/latest?cb=20150608161605 compared to http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/fallout/images/a/a5/Online_megaton_exterior_original.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120731103427. For a 'regular' settlement, it actually looks closer to the http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/fallout/images/a/a2/Citadel.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20121124171503, which was a literal fortress! Don't forget that the Citadel was also under constant attack from Super Mutants, hence one of the reason why it was so heavily reinforced. Now consider the similarity to the exterior of Diamond City, which has clearly also been very heavily fortified.

Note also that we have already seen the Super Mutant Dogs in concept art, and so they had to have come from somewhere, so why not Boston University? There could have been an entire network of labs underneath the university, and the Super Mutants could have seized an opportunity to set up home there, and then reinforced the site over time. Also, the presence of an R&D facility could even explain how the SM Dogs came into being.

Finally, the connection between these ideas is actually very strong when you consider Boston's rich history, something we know the developers have already done. That, and the fact that both of these sites already have a strong association with sports, which has clearly had a massive influence over the design of Diamond City.

EDIT: just to add one more point about 'Little Leaguer', Fallout 3 didn't have an entire city built out of a baseball park.

» Sat Nov 28, 2015 8:50 am

Diamond City does seem to be a more well established and fortified settlement than the ramshackle Megaton, perhaps because like the Citadel it is built on a existing structure rather than from scratch......which never made much sense anyway, why not just build a settlement at the airport, but anyway Diamond City looks like it built with defence in mind.

I've no idea about the dog, what happens to a dog dipped in FEV?

» Sat Nov 28, 2015 11:52 am

I'm really hoping that we get to find out during gameplay.

In the meantime, the 'dog dipped in FEV' could be an entirely new take on the idea of the toffee apple! And much more terrier-fying to boot

» Fri Nov 27, 2015 10:52 pm

Only impact is have on me is the confirmation that my first character will need a weapon to deal with close range X3

» Sat Nov 28, 2015 1:39 pm

Centaurs are a mix of human, dogs and cats I believe thrown into a vat of FEV and you get a randomly mutated creature. But I don't know of any actual mutated dog in Fallout, it will be fun finding out this new use of FEV in the Fallout Universe.

» Fri Nov 27, 2015 10:50 pm

I would imagine that, being a university, the site would actually have an extensive R&D department that could aid the process of designing a very specific mutagen. Perhaps somebody has been aiding the Super Mutants, possibly by force, so that they can increase their effectiveness by using these mutated attack dogs.

Also, what are your thoughts on the reference between this site and Fenway Park? They would literally be a 'stone's throw' away from each other, and a direct rivalry between the two sites would make for some very interesting gameplay opportunities. We could even see an entire questline based around eliminating the threat on behalf of the Mayor, in order to make Diamond City a 'safer place'. This could even tie in to Piper's dialogue and interaction as a companion.

» Sat Nov 28, 2015 3:47 am

Well Diamond City appears to be well fortified at the same time as being a trading hub for Boston, people generally do not invest a lot of time and funds into such fortifications unless there is some need for them, beyond the threat of raiders and creatures. Most settlements, even those under threat don't seem to go beyond more limited defences, such as Rivet City and their 'drawbridge'.

I'd say the University is a very likely choice as the location of a pre-war FEV lab and would allow for some interaction between the two sites, eliminating the Super Mutant threat again could be reason the CWBOS are in the Commonwealth.

» Sat Nov 28, 2015 10:25 am

Terrier- fying is quite good.

The thought of Fev mixed animal is something (was it 2 that had the super mutant "magician" who was dipping molerats). This would be a heck of a time to bring floaters back like maybe there Radroach dips (or the new bloodbug). Boston Terriers as Dips (or exposed) is downright an awesome thought. (Pretty sure centaur is just human despite how nasty they look). Well except for show breeders since they would kinda loose the ability to mate, might be tricky getting a bloodline of prize show Mogs (mutant dogs). But hell with a little Fev spray and your choice of all the feral mongrels running about........ Hummmm there is money to made here says 2-caps.

ALso I saw (forgive me no link) a vid showing a crap ton of ghouls coming out of the woodwork in an area. ( I always thought, i may be wrong its a bit of Fev and Rads that made ghouls as well, Hehe i looked it up no one knows?) I wonder if this is a sign that maybe there is indeed Fev to be had and maybe Boston has a bit more than its share of ferals because of there supply. Might be super Mutants are not the main worry, its all the old townies wanting to see a game oh and eat people!

» Fri Nov 27, 2015 11:11 pm

The originial Centaurs were a mix of human captives dropped into a FEV tank with a selection of animals, I'm not sure Bethesda have ever stated if their Centaurs are created differently.

» Sat Nov 28, 2015 7:06 am

This is why I'm convinced that this is a new breed of some kind. They look like they have been engineered, which is why I think they were made at the university. For the record, we haven't been properly shown any enemy strongholds yet, or at least not any that we can identify. And so I think this may actually be the first one.