[Official] Fallout 3 - DLC for 360/PC released!


Recommended Posts

fallout3_teaser_poster.jpg

Game Info:

Platforms: PC, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3

Release Dates:

Japan - December 4th

North America - October 28th

Europe - October 31st

Developer: Bethesda Game Studios

Publisher: Bethesda Softworks, ZeniMax Media

Engine: Gamebryo engine

Genre: Post-apocalyptic Action RPG

Mode: Single-player

Hands-on:

Hands On - 25 July 2008

by Oli Welsh

Perhaps it's just bad timing. Perhaps it's unfortunate juxtaposition. Fallout 3 made its E3 debut in a demonstration at Microsoft's Xbox 360 briefing in close proximity to Gears of War 2 and Resident Evil 5. All of a sudden, in that context, this very special follow-up to some of the most revered properties in role-playing gaming - venerable Interplay classic Fallout, and developer Bethesda's recent smash hit Oblivion - didn't look so special any more.

The barren, broken landscape, the deformed mutant enemies, the muted brown colour scheme, the developers enthusiastically detailing the myriad options for amusing dismemberment, gore, explosions and carnage. It all became a bit of a blur. Then EA showed Dead Space and Left 4 Dead and Rage, and Sony showed Resistance 2, and Take-Two showed Borderlands, and on and on for the rest of the week until - despite the quality of several of these games - the blur became a huge, ugly, indistinguishable smear across the whole of E3. A smear that Fallout 3, of all games, really shouldn't be getting lost in.

So, yes - it was bad luck. After all, you can hardly expect a Fallout game to be about anything other than a post-apocalyptic world beset with mutants, and it isn't Bethesda's fault that the current commercial and political landscape has given the games industry an unhealthier-than-usual obsession with that subject matter. You can, however, expect Bethesda to approach it with polish, sophistication and a unique sense of humour - and this is exactly where we found our half-hour hands-on demo lacking.

Fallout 3, as detailed by Kieron, concerns our young hero's search for his father in the wasteland that was once Washington DC, before a nuclear holocaust 200 years ago. At the start of the demo, we emerge from the hermetically-sealed 1950s utopia of the Vault, via a vast and elaborately clunking airlock door, into Washington's sepia-toned ruins. No doubt, it's a dramatic, heart-in-mouth moment, very well handled.

As is Fallout tradition, the game's RPG interface is tidied away into a PIP-Boy 3000 personal terminal, which your character wears on his wrist. It's actually very stylishly and economically done, giving easy and logical access to all the stats and options you could need, and graced with wryly funny drawings of Vault-Boy - the ironic, grinning, cow-licked mascot of the Fallout universe - on every screen.

Wandering forth, we're struck by the extreme openness of the landscape, characterised, as was Oblivion, by rolling inclines and carefully arranged vistas of dramatic architecture. It's several worlds away from the lush, pastoral fantasy of the Elder Scrolls, though. It's one thing to look down on destruction from an isometric viewpoint and coo over the details - it's another to look out across it, all the way to the horizon. (It's also another thing to navigate jagged, messy piles of rubble in 3D, and more than this pre-release version of the game can cope with, as our avatar descends, juddering, up to his waist in the ground.)

Visually, Fallout 3 is unremittingly bleak. So it should be, although you have to wonder if there will be enough variation in this vast wasteland to sustain interest. But let's give Bethesda's artists the benefit of the doubt on that count, because unfortunately the game has much more tangible shortcomings to take them to task on: the flat, sterile lighting, the excessive contrast, the feeble effects (excepting the mini-nuke explosions of wrecked cars' power units) and, worst by far, the hilariously, embarrassingly wooden animation.

This was a weakness of Oblivion's, too, but it's even more jarring in Fallout 3. The game presents itself in the first-person perspective, but you can pull the camera out to quite a distant third-person viewpoint and move it in full 3D. This means you can examine your character's Gerry Anderson jerking and flailing from any angle; we'd recommend you don't. Unfortunately, you can't help but observe the erratic path-finding, motionless trances and limp movements of the few enemies you encounter this early in the game. You simply can't invoke the visual style of an action game and get away with this stuff.

Continues at Eurogamer..

Videos: (All in HD unless stated)

E3-

E3 2008: Perfect Life Trailer

E3 2008: Microsoft Press Conference Direct Feed Walkthrough

Gameplay:

PAX 2008: Escape Gameplay

PAX 2008: Megaton Gameplay

PAX 2008: The Wasteland Gameplay

PAX 2008: Super-Duper Mart Gameplay

PAX 2008: Tenpenny Tower Gameplay

Images:

1282_0004.jpg

1282_0006.jpg

1282_0011.jpg

1282_0013.jpg

1282_0010.jpg

1282_0002.jpg

1282_0001.jpg

1282_0002.jpg

1282_0003.jpg

1282_0003.jpg

1282_0004.jpg

1282_0005.jpg

1282_0007.jpg

Links:

Game Trailers Game Page

Eurogamers Game Page

Official Fallout Site

Thanks to DrunknMunky for his help on making this topic.

Edited by .KICK

The other fallout games were fantastic and from what i see this is going to be even better. Pre-ordered already and ticking off the days on my calender. Just hope they have kept to the old style of play.

You should not need to play the old ones to know whats going on as the story is independant of the others. Might be worth a play though to get the idea of the game, if you can put up with the terrbile graphics of the old ones ofc.

It's been leaked on the net (ironically with all the crying about PC piracy the 360 leaked it first). Peoples general impressions are underwhelming. Some people have gone so far to say it's Oblivion in a nuclear waste zone.

Looks like I'm going to drop my PC collectors edition for a regular now. :(

It's been leaked on the net (ironically with all the crying about PC piracy the 360 leaked it first). Peoples general impressions are underwhelming. Some people have gone so far to say it's Oblivion in a nuclear waste zone.

Pretty much, the first mission is almost an exact clone of Oblivion's escape from the sewers, except in Fallout's universe obv.

I'm a pretty fanatical Fallout fan. I've played through both 1&2 as everything from slayer to arms specialist etc. I absolutely love the franchise and played its various incarnations like Tacticts and BoS. I have the Survival Edition from Amazon pre order for my PC as well.

I have put about 18hrs into Fallout 3 on the 360 and I'm happy to report that it is an incredible game. While it doesnt quite live up to the gritty, groundbreaking, ethically questionable games there were F1&2, it is the very best revival that we could have hoped for.

The V.A.T.S. combat is the best translation of turn based fighting to modern real time FPS I've ever seen. It captures the spirit of the original turn based fallouts without breaking the pace of combat. The slomo death scenes are brutal and bloody much like the originals. The mutants and NPC's 3d models stay true to form and pay homage to the original. I got to my first Slaver's camp and was instantly transported back to F2's slaver base in the Den, they really did their research and delivered and experience for returning fans.

With that said the game isn't perfect. Alot of the problems with Oblivion make a return in F3. The interior's of homes, caves, and bases are far to dark. Half the time I dont even realize there's and enemy in the room until I'm hit or jump into V.A.T.S. I've also haven't found a flashlight, or any other source of portable light for that matter. The 3rd person perspective really destroys the immersion for me. It's a minor complaint, but the way your toon walks around the world in 3rd person is ridiculous. He looks as if hes skating/gliding along every rocky surface he comes in contact with. I also dont really care for the lack of flavor text in the entire game. Half the fun of the original fallouts was all of the random things your pip boy would churn out during combat, or the descriptions of various items you collected in your adventures. All of this is absent in this version.

With that said, I'm taking the graphical problems with a grain of salt right now. I am playing this on the technically inferior 360 and understand that certain things need to be scaled down or cut back due to the limited capabilities of the machine. I'm hoping for a world of difference on my 280 but I'll have to wait and see.

I'm a pretty fanatical Fallout fan. I've played through both 1&2 as everything from slayer to arms specialist etc. I absolutely love the franchise and played its various incarnations like Tacticts and BoS. I have the Survival Edition from Amazon pre order for my PC as well.

I have put about 18hrs into Fallout 3 on the 360 and I'm happy to report that it is an incredible game. While it doesnt quite live up to the gritty, groundbreaking, ethically questionable games there were F1&2, it is the very best revival that we could have hoped for.

The V.A.T.S. combat is the best translation of turn based fighting to modern real time FPS I've ever seen. It captures the spirit of the original turn based fallouts without breaking the pace of combat. The slomo death scenes are brutal and bloody much like the originals. The mutants and NPC's 3d models stay true to form and pay homage to the original. I got to my first Slaver's camp and was instantly transported back to F2's slaver base in the Den, they really did their research and delivered and experience for returning fans.

With that said the game isn't perfect. Alot of the problems with Oblivion make a return in F3. The interior's of homes, caves, and bases are far to dark. Half the time I dont even realize there's and enemy in the room until I'm hit or jump into V.A.T.S. I've also haven't found a flashlight, or any other source of portable light for that matter. The 3rd person perspective really destroys the immersion for me. It's a minor complaint, but the way your toon walks around the world in 3rd person is ridiculous. He looks as if hes skating/gliding along every rocky surface he comes in contact with. I also dont really care for the lack of flavor text in the entire game. Half the fun of the original fallouts was all of the random things your pip boy would churn out during combat, or the descriptions of various items you collected in your adventures. All of this is absent in this version.

With that said, I'm taking the graphical problems with a grain of salt right now. I am playing this on the technically inferior 360 and understand that certain things need to be scaled down or cut back due to the limited capabilities of the machine. I'm hoping for a world of difference on my 280 but I'll have to wait and see.

How about the plot?

I've seen it getting played in person for a few hours, and tried it myself for what it's worth.

At first it's basically Oblivion with a lick of paint and guns, but the quests/story line missions I watched seemed pretty strong.

However if you didn't like Oblivion, DO NOT expect to see things drastically changed.

Aiming/using guns without VAT as well is pretty crappy.

Graphics are good, but 3rd person view/some animation work is awful.

I can't wait to dig in myself, didn't do much of the game as not to waste things for myself (I also didn't see the beginning segment which is pretty much suppose to be a 1:1 copy of Oblivion's tutorial).

I've seen it getting played in person for a few hours, and tried it myself for what it's worth.

At first it's basically Oblivion with a lick of paint and guns, but the quests/story line missions I watched seemed pretty strong.

However if you didn't like Oblivion, DO NOT expect to see things drastically changed.

Aiming/using guns without VAT as well is pretty crappy.

Graphics are good, but 3rd person view/some animation work is awful.

I can't wait to dig in myself, didn't do much of the game as not to waste things for myself.

What if I liked Oblivion, loved Morrowind and TOTALLY LOVED the past Fallout games? I really dont want to be dissapointed.

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Meh, just another dongle-haven downgrade compared to my Surface Pro 7+. Whenever I decide to upgrade in the next decade or so, it certainly won't be another microslop Surface with this enshitification trend they've been having after the Surface Pro 7+. Hopefully a future generation of the Framework 12 will be a real upgrade...
    • This could exactly be how our Sun ends but it's not as simple by Sayan Sen Image by Drew Rae via Pexels An international team led by Université de Montréal (University of Montreal) PhD student Érika Le Bourdais has found that the ancient white dwarf star LSPM J0207+3331 is still pulling in planetary debris, even though it has been cooling for about three billion years. White dwarfs are dense, Earth-sized stellar remnants left behind when Sun-like stars exhaust their nuclear fuel and shed their outer layers. The star, located 145 light-years away in the constellation Triangulum, is the oldest and coldest white dwarf known to have a surrounding disk of dust. The star was first spotted in 2019 by a citizen scientist through the Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 project. Its cool temperature immediately suggested that it was very old, since white dwarfs gradually lose heat over time. Using the W. M. Keck telescopes in Hawaii, astronomers later confirmed that the star shows infrared signals consistent with dust rings formed by asteroids breaking apart under its strong gravity. Such infrared excesses occur when a star emits more infrared light than expected, often because warm dust surrounding it absorbs and re-radiates energy. “This discovery challenges our understanding of planetary system evolution,” said Le Bourdais. “The fact that we still see planetary debris being accreted three billion years after the star became a white dwarf suggests that asteroids, comets, and even planets can remain in orbit around these stars for a very long time.” Spectroscopic analysis—a technique that studies light to identify the chemical elements present in an object—revealed thirteen heavy elements in the star’s atmosphere: sodium, magnesium, aluminium, silicon, calcium, titanium, chromium, manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, and strontium. Normally, heavy elements sink quickly in hydrogen-rich white dwarfs, making them hard to detect. “We expected to see only a few elements, but we found dozens!” explained Le Bourdais. The research paper adds more detail. The absence of carbon features suggests the debris came from a carbon-volatile-depleted source. The abundance pattern shows slight deficits of magnesium and silicon compared to iron but otherwise resembles Earth-like material. This points to a differentiated rocky body—one whose materials have separated into distinct layers such as a metallic core and rocky mantle—with a metallic core fraction higher than Earth’s. In other words, the star is accreting the remains of a large rocky object, similar in structure to Earth or the asteroid Vesta. “White dwarfs offer one of the only ways we can directly measure the composition of exoplanets,” said Patrick Dufour, co-author and professor at Université de Montréal. “When planetary debris come too close, they are torn apart by the star’s gravity and end up polluting its atmosphere, leaving a detailed chemical fingerprint of its composition.” The team also detected weak Ca II H & K line core emission, making this only the second known isolated polluted white dwarf to show this feature. These are specific spectral signatures produced by ionised calcium and can indicate unusual physical activity in a star’s upper atmosphere. The finding suggests that extra physical processes may be happening in or above the star’s upper atmosphere. The study stresses the importance of including heavy elements in model atmosphere calculations, since leaving them out can distort the inferred structure and lead to inaccurate stellar parameters. Earlier work suggested the star’s infrared excess came from two dust rings. The new analysis shows that a single silicate dust disk—a ring composed largely of rock-forming minerals rich in silicon and oxygen—can explain the observed signal at 11.6 μm, simplifying the picture of the system’s structure. The question of how debris ended up falling into the star so late remains open. One idea is that giant planets in the system slowly destabilised smaller bodies over billions of years. Another possibility is that a passing star disturbed the orbits of debris. “Future observations with the James Webb Space Telescope or archival data found in the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission could help distinguish between a planetary rearrangement and the gravitational effect of a close stellar encounter,” said John Debes, co-author and researcher at the Space Telescope Science Institute. Dufour noted that hydrogen-rich white dwarfs are the most common type, and the coolest among them are the oldest stars in the galaxy. “We didn't have the habit of looking for signs of accretion in them. This unique case motivates us to expand our search to more of these stars.” The findings show that even after billions of years, planetary systems can remain active and complex. Substantial accretion events—the gradual accumulation of surrounding material onto a celestial object—can still occur long after a star’s death, offering a rare window into the composition and fate of distant worlds. Source: University of Montreal, IOPScience This article was generated with some help from AI and reviewed by an editor. Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, this material is used for the purpose of news reporting. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing.
    • Doesn't DDG mainly use Bing?
    • Given the hefty price tag this thing will likely have I doubt many everyday home users will be in the market for one especially given the current climate.
    • ESET 19.1.14 by Razvan Serea NOD32 for Windows is the best choice for protection of your personal computer. Almost 20 years of technological development enabled ESET to create state-of-the-art antivirus system able to protect you from all sorts of Internet threats. ESET Internet Security boasts a large array of security features, usability enhancements and scanning technology improvements in defense of your your online life. ESET Internet Security ESET Internet Security keeps your computer or laptop safe with intelligent multi-layered protection combining proven antivirus, antispyware, firewall, anti-rootkit and antispam capabilities. Based on ESET NOD32 Antivirus, it protects you from viruses, worms, spyware, and all Internet threats. It conserves resources and improves computer speed. You are protected at the highest level while you work, social network, play online games or plug in removable media. ESET NOD32 Antivirus Your best defense against viruses, trojans and other forms of malware—and the top choice for IT professionals. Powered by the ThreatSense® engine with advanced heuristics, which blocks far more unknown threats than the competition. The latest generation of the legendary ESET NOD32 Antivirus takes your security to a whole new level. Built for a low footprint, fast scanning, it packs security features and customization options for consistent and personalized security online or off. ESET Smart Security Ultimate protection for everyday web users, thanks to ESET’s trademark best balance of detection, speed and usability. Stay safe from viruses and spyware. Stay protected from ransomware - Blocks malware that tries to lock you out of your own data. Receive free support by email or telephone in your local language, wherever you are. Bank and shop online more safely - automatically secures transactions on internet banking sites, and helps to protect you on online payment gateways. Stop hackers from accessing your PC - Personal Firewall prevents hackers from gaining access to your computer and keeps you invisible when you use public Wi-Fi. Keep your kids safe online - block unwanted internet content by categories or individual websites and keep your kids safe online with Parental Control. Safer webcam and home router - Get an alert when anyone tries to access your webcam, and check your home router for vulnerabilities. Safely store passwords, and encrypt your data. Safely store, generate and prefill your passwords, and encrypt your files and removable media (USB keys). Includes protection for smartphones and tablets. Protect all of your devices - mix and match security protection for up to 3 or 5 devices. ESET Security Ultimate ESET Security Ultimate offers all-in-one protection with antivirus, anti-malware, and anti-phishing features. It includes a personal firewall, secure online banking, and a password manager for enhanced security. Parental controls and data encryption keep family and sensitive information safe. It also provides regular updates to ensure you're always protected against the latest threats. It's user-friendly and ensures comprehensive digital security, perfect for those seeking reliable protection without complexity. ESET 19.1.14.0 changelog: Fixed: GUI crahes Fixed: IPM issues Download: ESET NOD32 Antivirus 64-bit | NOD32 Antivirus 32-bit | ARM 64 | ~ 80.0 MB (Free Trial) Download: ESET Internet Security 64-bit | ESET Internet Security 32-bit Download: Eset Smart Security Premium 64-bit | Eset Smart Security Premium 32-bit Download: ESET Security Ultimate 64-bit | ESET Security Ultimate 32-bit ARM64: Antivirus | Internet Security | Smart Security | ESET Security Ultimate Link: ESET Home Page Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
  • Recent Achievements

    • One Year In
      MadMung0 earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Week One Done
      jefred earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Apprentice
      JoeyNeo went up a rank
      Apprentice
    • Week One Done
      oliviaexpo earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      eurospharma62 earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      484
    2. 2
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      229
    3. 3
      Skyfrog
      65
    4. 4
      monterxz
      56
    5. 5
      FloatingFatMan
      56
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!