Hah...Considering the Vault Dweller of Vault 13 would be so old he'd make Mr. House look good, and FO2, you play his grandson, that would be a chore to have carry over across different parts of the nation over six games

Not to mention this becomes almost impossible to write for. The choices and consequences say in FO NV compared to a Mass Effect or Dragon Age game are astronomical. Now, FO 3 is different, it doesn't really have too many major C&C, but I imagine that this is going to change going forward, FO 3 being BGS first FO game after all. Eventually the branching paths based on player choice become almost impossible to write a good story with, or it fills the story with pseudo choices that really aren't choices after all and change nothing, which isn't good, either. Which is why for FO, I think it best, especially in the long run, to just decide upon canon events. The older fans of the series are used to it, other people will get used to it, too, and it doesn't hurt your experience.

This I agree with.

Games with save import systems always end up going to the way of Mass Effect 3, because the numbers of choices becomes so great its impossible to write a narrative that can accommodate them without making up some [censored] excuse about why every choice ended up with the same result in the end.

Any guess what happened to the Lone Wanderer? Surely he will have a small reference in 4.

that was my point exactly lol. so far only fallout 3 to nv can be carried over with a any chance of it being legit as far as the player goes. I remember at some point there being a forum based on the whole idea all vault dwellers were related. that was soon dismissed for obvious reasons. as I said the only carry over I can see happening from fo3 to fo4 would be Dr li since its well known she was going back to the commonwealth at the end of fo3. or some random rumor of water etc.. but even those would be few n slim nor would they have any effect on what we do. with said Dr li being a possible exception maybe a oh Christ not a another hero line from her if you save her lol.

Or she. Personally, I think BGS should make the LW female. I've played as both male and female in FO 3 and when I get that "what is canon" vibe, the LW being a female always feels like it is the right choice. The canon VD and Chosen One are both male, I think it is time one of the heroes be a female.

As far as what the canon LW did, I would say the good path, as the evil path isn't very good at all. Disarm the Megaton bomb, save the CW, not be a slaver(thus probably helping Harkness, too). Probably help Roy, thinking that is the good choice only to have all the Tenpenny residents get killed(one of the couple quests in FO 3 that actually had some C&C and was pretty good). Save Reilly's Rangers. Help Big Town. Obviously the LW did the Wasteland Survival Guide(FONV). I think that about covers the major quests in the game. Some things really don't need a canon ending, like the family or the antagonizer vs machine dude. Unless for some reason they want people involved in that to reappear in FO 4, then I guess they would have to decide what happened.

Probably the same thing that happened to the VD "Walked into the desert never to be seen again"

I would say the LW probably stayed in the BoS. At least for a few years.

Also, the VD didn't just walk into the desert never to be seen again. He founded a village, lived to old age, wrote his memoirs, and finally decided his time had come. I imagine a death fairly similar to the Survivor in HH.

Maybe, I was speaking of "eventually"

Random NPC: "Some say the VD went to Texas, I don't believe a word of it though!"

Well then say eventually. My mind reading skills haven't been used in awhile.

I disagree. I very much enjoy playing the game in runs that knowingly contradict the canon ending. They make for fun "what if" scenarios. "What if the Vault Dweller had gotten Tandi killed?" "What if the Lone Wanderer was a crazy who poisoned the water?" etc. Just because it's not what ultimately happened doesn't mean we shouldn't have the option to play it out and see what would happen. Having choices is what makes the ultimately canon decisions all the more impactful.

Agreed. My favorite "what if" is what if the Chosen One shoots Lynette in the face. I play that one a lot(which ends in Vault City pretty much being wiped out. lol).

I think the best example of this is the 'Good' ending to Metro 2033, as it highlights just how tragic the canon ending is.

canon is set by the books there, like Reading Metro 2034 gives canon to Last light >.<

Oh I know, doesn't mean the 'Good ending' doesn't make the Canon ending that much more tragic.

Fits so the world so much though, FOs catch phrase, "War...war never changes". Personally Fallout needs more of that type of story Mobius trailer was and still is brilliant.