I suspect I'm not the only one that's thought about the start of Fallout 4 and what it will be like when you first step outside the vault. I thought it could be cool to start the game in a in a storm at night this time round. Or perhaps one sweeps in shortly after you've exited the vault?

I know that from what we've seen already you start the game during a sunny day and the game is pretty much finished now and its extremely unlikely any changes will be made to the game unless its to do with bugs or glitches which obviously take priority. However I don't think it would be that difficult or time consuming thing to do.

Reasons for:

• Fallout 3 started on a hot sunny day with blinding light from the sun reflecting off the sand and dirt so it would be a nice change.
• Dynamic weather has been introduced so it could be nice to show it off straight away.
• Could be a nice way to explain the effects of weather on the player and the effects of radiation in general.
• The whole nuclear winter thing.

Reasons against:

• Wouldn't achieve the same sun blinding effect that is kind of a tradition/what people expect.
• having the weather explained so early could be too much for the player or simply unnecessary.
• The game is practically finished and perhaps (no one but the devs know) there are more important things to put the last few days into.
• You're bound to encounter bad weather any way and its not going to make or break the game.

Please no needless hate or loyalist abuse this is just me being curious as to what other people think and why I'm not saying they need to or should do this!

Considering that from Morrowind to Skyrim they've all been sunny upon exiting the starting place I think that would be a welcome change. Even New Vegas by Obsidian was sunny when you exited Doc Mitchels.

I think it's an insignificant detail.

I agree but the for the very first time it would be kinda cool.

Lets start with a bang! Imagine it we take about 30 mins or to explore the vualt everythings mildly peaceful then you head out and Boom! Lightning hitting the grounds winds blowing everything everywhere and in the distance a giant bipedal lizard staring at you with hungry eyes.....what a great way to start the adventure!

I totally agree!
But as Maximvs said it is also a rather small detail. Especially in comparison to things like the character now talking.

In regards to that I seriously hope there's the option to turn it off. If there isn't I'm sure some one will make a mod for it though.

Even though its been done before I kinda like the being blinded by the sun opening. To me it kinda feels like the calm before the storm, before all the madness starts in the game. Its a nice little intro to kinda drink in this rich new playground we are about to explore for the first time. For me starting the game during a storm or at night would feel too bleak of an introduction to the world. Even though I love the bleakness that follows later in the game like with Fallout 3.

It's not just that, it's always a part of some big reveal, starting at least as far back as Oblivion when they actually had LOD. Where you go through the intro sequence in a small and linear process, and then they reveal the big open world to you with a stunning view the moment you're officially free to explore it. It's always the high point of their introduction sequences.

Now, after using mods to add more weather to Fallout 3, I can say it did sort of take away from that reveal to escape Vault 101 on an overcast or rainy day. I think if they wanted to give the big reveal during a storm, or at night, they would have to have designed for it that way in the first place. It's a dramatic moment, kinda.

Like things aren't dramatic enough when you just leave the vault....

Its a good point. Walking out into just a rainy dreary day is somthing ill be able to achive by just stepping outside my house by the time fallout 4 arrives. I should have been more specific. When i say storm I mean thunder, lightning, torrential rain, geiger counter spiking every second etc. much like some of the levels in metro for those of you that have played that. We've already seen that this type of weather is in the game and its not like the mods for fallout 3 which aren't very good by todays standard. Id like to emphasise that last bit. Todays standards!
Prehaps that best thing to do would be have the storm roll in moments after the leaving the vault into a sunny hot new world to kind of signify that its game time now and things will be rough.

Your first look at the world should be a good look. Night, storms, and cloud cover might be atmospheric, but they obscure visibility and generally aren't suited for letting you see things. It also just adds confusion at a time that the player should be getting their bearings. Having 20 Deathclaws and Super Mutant Behemoths right outside the Vault the first time you leave it would also open with a bang, but it wouldn't be good design.

Plus, a violent storm utterly guts the contrast of fleeing for the Vault at the height of pandemonium, when you're being bombarded by sounds and screams and the ordinary peaceful day is suddenly becoming your worst fears realized with the subtle horror of stepping into the sun for the first time in 200 years and seeing that spot that was so lively and filled with screams of panic the last time you were there, now completely quiet and serene. That's a powerful moment in terms of narrative if done right, and putting a storm there isn't doing it right.

It would be nice if it was random

Thanks for explaining the characteristics of a storm but it really doesn't compare to 20 death claws.
Im interested as to how you know the vault will be chaotic? Correct me if im wrong but i thought no one other than the devs, who are keeping things on the hush, know what happens inside the vault?
You're right silent calm weather can be very powerfull but not so much you know exactly what to expect which will be the case for a great deal of players. Also i suggested that the storm came in a while affter exiting the vault thus getting the best of both.

It's a logical step forward. If you want to start with a bang, why not start with a bang? And besides, it's not like the player will expect it, right?

And you misunderstood. I'm not saying that the Vault is chaotic. But the time leading up to entering the Vault is chaotic. You go from a nice, ordinary day to running for your life. You get to the Vault, where people are clearly frantically trying to get into going by the trailer. The area would be a miasma of people shouting, begging, to be let into the Vault, and then they see the bomb go off? That entire ordeal is/should be one of chaos and confusion, and that should be juxtaposed with you coming out into the world to find that place of chaos and confusion now serene and quiet.

This isn't about playing with audience expectations. It's about illustrating the impact of the War. In terms of player gut punches go, the destruction and devestation caused by the nukes falling on Boston is severely lessened if the skeleton of that Rockwellian suburb the game starts out in isn't on full display in the clear light of day, but rather muted and masked by bad lighting and distracting sounds.

As for it coming in later, define later? 6 seconds? 42 minutes? 6 hours? 28 days? Does it trigger after a dialogue event? Upon discovering a certain area? How quickly does it set in?

Firstly i didnt say i wanted a bang i agreed with some one elses comment. Secondly i would have expected you to know that it was a metaphor but clearly you lack the inteligence.
Realistically a wasteland wouldnt be all quite there would be all sorts of noise and sights. Gunfire, sceams, explosions to name a few.
Silent surreal moods ARE all about playing with the players expectations. Thats why they are used, to create a feeling of whats going to happen next?/i dont know what to expect there are too many possibilities.
I wont and cant define when exactly the storm could come in because i havent played the game yet. I dont know how much time above groud will be tutorial if any or what your objectives are etc.

So you agree with someone who wanted to start with a bang but don't want to start with a bang?

By this point in time, you shouldn't be expecting gunfire, screams, and explosions all over the wasteland. That might have been the case in the immediate aftermath of the bombs dropping, but we're at least two centuries past that point. There's been a normalcy established, communities built, borders and boundaries established. From what we've seen, Sanctuary Hills is abandoned, so it's not like we would be entering a war zone. I also doubt that raider andslashor Super Mutant camps would be especially nearby, both from a game design standpoint, and also in-universe standpoint. Without nearby conflicts, we shouldn't be expecting those sounds.

Surreal moods, whether silent or not, tend to be used to play with expectations. That said, a silent area isn't inherently surreal. Silence has more uses than that, such as the use I'm arguing for in this case: juxtaposition.

Did you even read what i wrote? ITS A METAPHOR! Google what that is.
You clearly have no concept of how far the sound and flash of gunfire and explosions travel as wel as grinding of metal, loudspeakers just about anything. War torn or not there would be plenty of noise.
Exiting the vault would be and in previous games is surreal. Thats just a straight up fact.
Honestly this is redicliois. Theres always some loyalist on these forums that has to be right and agrees with and defends anything and everything the developers do and dont do endlessly and pointlessly arguing untill everyone is bored and submits.
Ron Perlman should be saying in new opeing scene. "Forums.....forums bever change"

Actually both Fallout 3 and NV start time (when you first see the outdoors) is whatever time you leave the vault or doc's house. I often emerged from the vault at sunset or night because I'd take a long time doing stuff inside. Doc's house would be the same although the wait would actually be you just standing there waiting until night for no reason. Weather is probably on some sort of randomized cycle that begins with clear weather.. but if you waited in the vault for a few days you might actually emerge during some bad weather (unless the cycle script doesn't start until you first step outside.)

No storm for me thanks.. Give me a chance to look around first.

I didn't reply to your insult about me not understanding metaphors because I thought that it was obvious I did given my language. I'm not sure where you get the idea that I don't know what a metaphor is. After all, it's not as if Deathclaws are literal bangs, are they? Nor do they cause literal bangs, unless they severely damage something that can explode (like cars) or step on a mine. If the examples I use when I talk about starting with a bang are not bangs in the literal sense, isn't it obvious that the bang I'm talking about isn't a literal bang, but a metaphorical bang? And if I'm using bangs in the metaphorical sense, wouldn't it be clear that I understand that the bang being discussed is metaphorical rather than literal?

Regarding sound and explosions. Sure, those can travel quite a ways, but you're never going to get that in a video game (or book, or movie), because it would cause sensory overload. It would bury the actually relevant information, disrupt the dialogue, and overall just not be good design.

I wouldn't describe exiting Vault 101 as a surreal experience at all.

As for the part of your post that I bolded and italicized...

If you think that describes me, you obviously aren't familiar with my opinions on this forum.

Where do i get the idea? Are you completely thick? You ask "so you want to to start with a bang but not with a bang?" After i had already explained it was a metaphor thats why i think you don't understand what one is because despite having one pointed out to you you still didnt notice.
Sensory overload? So when people see and hear explosions they can no longer communicate or function? No go join the army get some actual expirence then you can tell me that gunshots and cause sensory overload. Better still walk on the ouskirts of a city and tell me you ant hear anything or that what you can hear causes sensory overload you total moron.
Well then youre description of exciting 101 would be wrong. It a fact its surreal event im not going to humor you on that one.
Yes that is describing you to the letter.
I can absolutely guaranty you will reply to this doing your best pointlessly yo pick holes in my logic which is proof that you are as i described you.

I want storms but they can come later. It will be nice to savor the moment of emergence on a clear sunny day, knowing you're about to explore this vast post apocalyptic open world. A very exciting moment just like in Fallout 3.

Where do i get the idea? Are you completely thick? You ask "so you want to to start with a bang but not with a bang?" After i had already explained it was a metaphor thats why i think you don't understand what one is because despite having one pointed out to you you still didnt notice.
Sensory overload? So when people see and hear explosions they can no longer communicate or function? No go join the army get some actual expirence then you can tell me that gunshots and cause sensory overload. Better still walk on the ouskirts of a city and tell me you cant hear anything or that what you can hear causes sensory overload you total moron.
Well then youre description of exciting 101 would be wrong. Its a fact its surreal event im not going to humor you on that one.
Yes that is describing you to the letter.
I can absolutely guaranty you will reply to this doing your best pointlessly pick holes in my logic which is proof that you are as i described you.

I remember reading a comic about the killer puppet vault boy. There was a panel of the comic for when he first left the vault and as soon as he stepped out there was a massive radscorpion destructing cars. While ridiculous, I do like the idea that perhaps soon after leaving the Vault you are reminded why people wanted them

Not gonna lie. That would be cool coming out of the vault in the middle of a raging thunderstorm.