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Fallout
A critically acclaimed role-playing game developed by Black Isle Studios and Tim Cain in 1997, Fallout established itself as a prominent post-apocalyptic universe with a dark sense of humor.
Overview
Fallout is a 1997 post-apocalyptic PC/Mac RPG from Black Isle Studios and Interplay. A vault dweller - a descendant of the people who took to one of the enormous fallout shelters before the nuclear apocalypse - is forced to head out into the toxic wastelands to find a water chip: a vital piece of Vault technology that keeps water purified and drinkable.
Fallout focuses on an open-world approach: though the player is tasked with finding the water chip as soon as possible, following leads from settlement to settlement, they can actually head in any direction and see what awaits them. Often, they must rely on their wits and charisma than brute force and firepower. They can recruit AI-controlled helper NPCs along the way, who will assist in combat and provide other benefits.
The game was well-received enough to lead to multiple sequels. Fallout 2 (Game) directly follows from the first, with an eighty year gap, and the other sequels take place in other parts of the United States.
Story
The Overseer of Vault 13
Taking place in the year 2161, the story of Fallout begins 84 years after a short but disastrous world war devastates the Earth and human society. Atomic war was occasioned by "Resource Wars" for petroleum and uranium. The game puts the player in the shoes of the Vault Dweller (Character), an inhabitant of one of a series of government fallout shelters referred to as Vaults. This particular Vault, #13, is located in Southern California, and was intended to remain shut for 200 years. Unfortunately the water purification system of Vault 13 failed, and the Overseer sent out the Vault Dweller to find a new water chip. The vault has enough water in reserve to last them a 150 days, which means that the Vault Dweller must find and return a water chip in that time frame.
Eventually the Vault Dweller finds the water chip in the ghoul city of Necropolis, but also learns of the existence of Super Mutants. When he returns to the Overseer, the Vault Dweller gives him the new, working water chip, and also makes a report on Super Mutants. The Overseer views their presence as a threat, and asks the Vault Dweller, to once again go into the wastes, and find and destroy the source of the mutant army. (prior to version 1.1 there was a time limit of 500 days for eliminating the mutant threat, if the player failed to do so, the mutants would find Vault 13 and destroy it)
The one, the only, the Master himself
The Vault Dweller finds that the Mutant leader, The Master (Character) is located in Boneyard (Los Angeles) in the Cathedral, the headquarters of a secretive cult that unbeknownst to most, works to further the cause of Unity and therefor, The Master. When speaking with the master it is revealed that he seeks to unify humanity by creating a new race of mutants. He believes that in order for humanity to prosper and for peace to be obtained, everyone must be forced to undergo an evolution, this is core of his plan, Unity.
The way new mutants are created, is the same way the man known as Richard Moreau was turned into the master. Richard Moreau was a scientist and doctor in The Hub (Location) and was hired by a caravan master named Harold (Character) to uncover the source of the mutants that were attacking Harold's caravan. Their travels eventually led them to the Mariposa Military Base (Location), where a pre-war virus, created by West-Tek at the orders of the U.S. Army was located. Somehow both of them were exposed to this pre-war virus, known as the FEV (Forced Evolutionary Virus). Harold was rescued by his Caravan, but Richard was never found. Moreau was pushed into a vats filled with FEV, he remained in it for a month. After, as he gained consciousness he realized that he was transformed into a blob-like creature. He discovered that he could absorb biological creatures, as well as computers. As he absorbed his intelligence increased greatly and he formulated a plan for unification of the wasteland. The Master began dipping other humans into the vats, but they came out horribly wrong, as mutants that were barely able to speak. The Master absorbed them, rather than letting them live. In the early years of the 22nd century, the master perfected the creation of Super Mutants. He created a super mutant army with a single goal in mind. The forcing of every human to evolve into a super mutant and the unification of the wasteland.
The Vault Dweller defeated the Master and ruined his plan, after which he traveled to Mariposa Military Base to destroy the mutant army, by destroying the vats and therefor the creation system of super mutants. After all of these events, the Vault Dweller returns to Vault 13 and the Overseer. His reward for securing the water chip, destroying the Master and his mutants and saving the vault, was exile. The overseer argued that if the Vault Dweller was to return to the vault, everyone would want to leave, and follow in his footsteps. It would be better for the vault, and everyone in it if the Vault Dweller simply left. He did, and wandered the wastes for a while before founding Arroyo (Location).
Gameplay
Character Creation
Fallout is a turn-based role playing game, featuring a customizable character with basic attributes that can be improved over time using a system designed specifically for the game called SPECIAL (Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Luck). The player can also learn from 18 individual skills (which are partly derived from the SPECIAL configuration of the character), governing aspects of social interaction, healing, weapon use, and so on. Additionally, the game also tracks the moral/ethical qualities of the player through karma, and the game will react to the player differently depending on how the player has acted throughout the course of the game. For example, if the player has killed two or more children, a group of tough bounty hunters will be set loose to find and kill the player.
S.P.E.C.I.A.L. (Primary Statistics)
The S.P.E.C.I.A.L. system is basically the attributes system of Fallout (the attributes are referred to as primary statistics). It stands for Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility and Luck - S.P.E.C.I.A.L.
Fallout was originally supposed to use Steve Jackson Games's system called GURPS (Generic Universal RolePlaying System). The early working title for Fallout was "Vault 13: A GURPS Post-Nuclear Adventure" and later "Fallout: A GURPS Post-Nuclear Adventure". Due to licencing problems the developer was forced to create the Special system. There are some similarities with GURPS, but it's largely an original creation.
No primary statistic can be raised beyond 10, or below 1 (if the Gifted trait is taken, primary stats can't be below 2). Many of the perks in the game require a certain level of each statistic and/or skill. Apart from that, each statistic modifies and effects the player character in some way. Strength, for example, determines the weight one can carry and the damage someone can do with melee attacks. Agility modifies action points, which are used in combat. Each action requires a certain amount of action points, and so on.
There are also ways to increase primary stats in-game permanently or temporary. The "Gain" perks increase an attribute by +1 permanently, for example Gain Strength increases strength by +1. Power Armor also increases strength, but by +3. Mentants increase Charisma by +1, Intelligence and Perception by +2, etc.
For more information on primary statistics see below.
| Name and Image | Description and Use |
|---|---|
Strength (ST)
Modifies: Hit Points, Melee Damage, and Carry Weight. Perks that require Strength
Strength also determines the effectiveness of using a weapon depending on its strength rating. Ways to increase:
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Perception (PE)
Modifies: Sequence and ranged combat distance modifiers. Perks that require Perception
Ways to increase Perception:
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Endurance (EN)
Modifies: Hit Points, Poison & Radiation Resistance, Healing Rate & hit points gained per level. Perks that require Endurance
Ways to increase Endurance:
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Charisma (CH)
Modifies: NPC reactions, and barter prices. Perks that require Charisma
Ways to increase Charisma:
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Intelligence (IN)
Modifies: the number of skill points gained per level, dialogue options and many skills. Perks that require Intelligence
Ways to increase Intelligence:
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Agility (AG)
Modifies: Action Points, Armor Class, Sequence, and many skills. Perks that require Agility
Ways to increase Agility:
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Luck (LK)
Modifies: Critical Chance Perks that require Luck
Ways to increase Luck:
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- Each skill can also be raised in game with the exception of Charisma and Luck.
- The numbers in the brackets specify the level of the attribute required to take a perk.
Derived Statistics
Derived statistics, or secondary statistics, are directly influenced, modified and tied with primary statistics. There are several derived stats, and each one is linked with a primary stat. For example, carry weight, which is a derived statistic, is directly influenced by Strength, where as action points are influenced by Agility. There are also ways to increase or decrease derived statistics by traits, or perks. Strong Back raises the carry weight statistic, Action Boy raises action points by 1 point etc.
| Name and Image | Descriptions and Use |
|---|---|
Action Points (AP)
Every action, from shooting and reloading a weapon, to walking, to opening a door or container and accessing the inventory has a certain action point cost. The number of maximum points is calculated using the following formula. 5 + Agility / 2 Ways to increase the number of maximum action points in game, or decrease the required AP for completing an action.
| |
Armor Class (AC)
Armor class determines the ability to dodge attacks. It does not decrease the amount of damage received. All armors increase AC, but generally speaking, heavier armor doesn't increase armor class as much as light weight armors. Every point of agility increases natural Armor Class by 1. Perks and traits that increase/decrease AC,
| |
Carry Weight
It is directly influenced by Strength. Every character starts with 25 carry weight +25 per point of Strength. So 25 + Strength x 25. Unless the Small Frame trait in which case the formula is 25 + Strength x 15. Ways to increase carry weight, or decrease the weight of items.
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Critical Chance
Critical chance is directly modified by luck. Each point of Luck increases the critical chance by 1. Critical hits obviously increase the damage done by a certain amount. Ways to increase critical chance, or the damage done by critical hits.
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Damage Resistance (DR)
Damage Resistance is directly influenced by the armor a character wears. There are several types of damages, and therefor several types of resistances. These types are
10 DR in any of the damage types decreases the damage received by 10% Ways to increase DR
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Healing Rate
Healing rate determines how quickly a character recovers from wounds by waiting. It is directly influenced by Endurance, 1/3 of endurance = healing rate. So 9 endurance means that the healing rate will be 3. Ways to increase Healing Rate
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Hit Point (HP)
Hit points are a statistic that determine how much damage a character can take before death. Initial hit points = 15 + Strength + 2 x Endurance. Each level a character gains 2 + Endurance / 2 hit points. Ways to increase hit points
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Melee Damage
The amount of bonus damage done with melee or unarmed attacks, in addition to the damage done with the weapon. Initial level is equal to every point above 5 Strength, 7 Strength equals 2 Melee Damage. Ways to increase Melee Damage
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Perk Rate
Every character gains a perk every 3 levels, which means that the perk rate is 3. There is no way to decrease the perk rate in Fallout, only increase it to 4 by taking the skilled trait. | |
Poison Resistance
The damage reduction is percentage based. It also decreases the chance to be poisoned. Initial level = Endurance x 5. Ways to increase/decrease poison resistance
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Radiation Resistance
As said, this stat decreases the amount of radiation taken. Immunity is granted at 100%. If a character reaches a radiation level of 1000 they will die after a few days. Initial level = Endurance x 2 Ways to increase/decrease Radiation Resistance Rad Resistance perk increases it by 10% for each rank. Rad-X increases it by 50%. Taking 2 increases the resistance above 100, effectively making the character immune to radiation. (temporary) Fast Metabolism decreases Radiation Resistance (along with Poison Resistance) to 0. | |
Sequence
After the surprise turn, sequence determines who will go the turn after. The higher the sequence value, the better. Initial level = Perception x 2. Ways to increase Sequence
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Skill Rate
Each time a character gains a level, he/she gains skill points. The amount is determined by 5 + Intelligence x 2. Tagged skills are increased by 2 for each skill point, where as other skills are increased 1:1. Ways to increase Skill Rate
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Skills
Combat Skills
| Skill and Image | Description |
|---|---|
Big Guns
Base Skill: 10% + Agility | |
Energy Weapons
Base Skill: 10% + Agility | |
Melee Weapons
Base Skill: 55% + (Agility + Strength) / 2 | |
Small Guns
Base Skill: 35% + Agility | |
Throwing
Base Skill: 40% + Agility | |
Unarmed
Base Skill: 65% + (Agility + Strength) / 2 |
Active Skills
| Skill and Image | Description |
|---|---|
Doctor
Base Skill: 15% + (Perception + Intelligence) / 2 | |
First Aid
Base Skill: 30% + (Perception + Intelligence) | |
Lockpick
Base Skill: 20% + (Perception + Agility) / 2 | |
Repair
Base Skill: 20% + Intelligence | |
Science
Base Skill: 25% + (2 x Intelligence) | |
Sneak
Base Skill: 25% + Agility | |
Steal
Base Skill: 20% + Agility | |
Traps
Base Skill: 20% + (Perception + Agility) / 2 |
Passive Skills
| Skill and Image | Description |
|---|---|
Barter
Base Skill: 20% + (2 x Charisma) | |
Gambling
Base Skill: 20% + (3 x Luck) | |
Outdoorsman
Base Skill: 5% + (Endurance + Intelligence) / 2 | |
Speech
Base Skill: 25% + (2 x Charisma) |
Traits
Optional traits describe the player character in more detail. All traits will have positive and negative effects. Players may choose up to two traits during creation.
Chems last half the normal amount, but the chance of getting addicted is also lowered by half.
| Trait and Image | Description |
|---|---|
Bloody Mess
Violent death animations, affects the ending of the game. | |
Bruiser
Gain +2 strength at the cost of -2 action points. | |
Chem Reliant
Recovers faster from addiction, but also increases the chance of becoming an addict. | |
Chem Resistant
| |
Fast Metabolism
+2 healing rate, poison and radiation resistances start at 0%. | |
Fast Shot
Eliminates the ability to make aimed shots, but firing a weapon costs 1 action point less. | |
Finesse
+10% critical chance, -30% normal damage. | |
Gifted
+1 to each S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attribute, -10% on all skills and -5 skill points per level. | |
Good Natured
+15% First Aid, Doctor, Speech and Barter, but -10% Small Guns, Big Guns, Energy Weapons, Melee Weapons, Throwing and Unarmed. | |
Heavy Handed
+4 melee damage, -30% critical chance. | |
Jinxed
Both the player character and enemies experience more critical misses. | |
Kamikaze
Armor rating bonus from Agility set to 0, but +5 to sequence. | |
Night Person
+1 Perception during nighttime, -1 Perception during daytime. | |
One Hander
+20% to hit with one-handed weapons, -40% to hit with two handed weapons. | |
Skilled
+10% to all skills, perk rate increased to 4. | |
Small Frame
+1 Agility, but carrying weight reduced to 25 + 15 x Strength. |
Perks
Perks are similar to Traits except that they do not have any drawbacks. Players get to choose one every three levels - unless players have the Skilled Trait - and some can be chosen multiple times. There are a total of 53 perks available to the player in the game. Here's a list, displayed in alphabetical order.
| Perk | Required
Level||Overall Requirements||No. of Ranks||Description | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Action Boy | 12 | - Agility 5 | 3 | Adds additional Action Points (AP) in combat turns |
| Animal Friend | 9 | - Intelligence 5
- Outdoorsman 25%||1||Animals will not attack the player character unless provoked | ||
| Awareness | 3 | - Perception 5 | 1 | Examining any given target displays Hit Points, weapon and ammunition count |
| Better Criticals | 9 | - Perception 6
- Agility 4 - Luck 6||1||Adds a 20% bonus to the critical hit damage | ||
| Bonus HtH Attacks | 6 | - Agility 6 | 1 | Hand-to-hand and melee attacks cost 1 less AP |
| Bonus HtH Damage | 3 | - Strenght 6
- Agility 6||3||Adds 2 points of damage for hand-to-hand and melee attacks (including Melee attacks!) | ||
| Bonus Move | 6 | - Agility 5 | 3 | Adds 2 extra APs per turn, which can only be used for movement |
| Bonus Ranged Damage | 6 | - Agility 6
- Luck 6||2||Adds 2 points of damage for attacks with ranged weapons | ||
| Bonus Rate of Fire | 9 | - Perception 6
- Intelligence 6 - Agility 7||1||Ranged weapon attacks cost 1 less AP | ||
| Cult of Personality | 12 | - Charisma 10 | 1 | People will always view the player character in a favorable light, no matter their reputation and/or their alignment |
| Dodger | 9 | - Agility 4 | 2 | Adds 5% to the player character's Armor Class |
| Earlier Sequence | 3 | - Perception 6 | 3 | Adds 2 to attack sequence |
| Educated | 6 | - Intelligence 6 | 3 | Adds 2 skill points at level up (permanently) |
| Empathy | 6 | - Perception 7
- Intelligence 5||1||Reaction levels are shown when in an indepth conversation | ||
| Explorer | 9 | 1 | Higher chance of finding special places and people in random encounters | |
| Faster Healing | 3 | - Endurance 6 | 3 | Adds 1 bonus point to the healing rate |
| Flower Child | 9 | - Endurance 5 | 1 | 50% less likely for the player to become addicted to chems; the withdrawal period is also cut to half |
| Fortune Finder | 6 | - Luck 8 | 1 | Additional money is found during random encounters |
| Friendly Foe | 6 | - Perception 4 | 1 | Characters on the player character's team are highlighted green during combat |
| Ghost | 6 | - Sneak 60% | 1 | Adds 20% to Sneak in dark conditions |
| Healer | 3 | - Perception 7
- Intelligence 5 - Agility 6 - First Aid 40%||3||2 to 5 more hit points are healed whenever using First Aid or Doctor skills | ||
| Heave Ho! | 6 | 3 | Adds 2 points to Strength when determining the range of any thrown weapon | |
| Lifegiver | 12 | - Endurance 4 | 3 | Adds 4 hit points |
| Master Thief | 12 | 1 | Adds 10% to the Sneak, Lockpick, Steal and Trap skills | |
| Master Trader | 9 | - Charisma 7
- Barter 60%||1||25% discount when purchasing items from stores and traders | ||
| Medic | 12 | 1 | Adds 20% to the First Aid and Doctor skills | |
| Mental Block | 15 | 1 | Resistance to Master's psychic attacks | |
| More Criticals | 6 | - Luck 6 | 3 | Adds 5% to the critical hit chance |
| Mr. Fixit | 12 | 1 | Adds 20% to the Repair and Science skills | |
| Mutate! | 9 | 1 | Allows players to change one traits | |
| Mysterious Stranger | 6 | - Luck 7 | 1 | Gives players a chance temporarily gain an ally in any given random encounters |
| Night Vision | 3 | - Perception 6 | 3 | 10% reduction in darkness level |
| Pathfinder | 6 | - Endurance 6
- Outdoorsman 40%||2||Cuts the travel time on the world map by 25% | ||
| Pickpocket | 9 | - Agility 8
- Sneak 80%||1||Size and facing modifiers are now ignored whenever the player character is stealing from someone | ||
| Presence | 3 | - Charisma 6 | 3 | Adds 10% to the initial reaction of any given NPC |
| Quick Pockets | 3 | - Agility 5 | 3 | Inventory access during combat costs 1 AP less |
| Rad Resistance | 6 | - Endurance 6
- Intelligence 4||3||Adds 15% to Radiation Resistance | ||
| Ranger | 6 | - Perception 6 | 3 | Lowers the chance of hostile random encounters |
| Scout | 3 | - Perception 8 | 1 | Exploration/Visibility is increased by 1 square in every direction on the world map |
| Scrounger | 9 | - Luck 8 | 1 | Doubles the amount of ammo found in random encounters |
| Sharpshooter | 6 | - Perception 7
- Intelligence 6||2||Adds 2 points to Perception whenever determining range modifiers | ||
| Silent Death | 18 | - Agility 10
- Sneak 80%||1||Sneaking Hand-to-Hand attacks from behind inflict twice the damage | ||
| Silent Running | 6 | - Agility 6
- Sneak 50%||1||Running no longer affects the Sneak skill | ||
| Slayer | 18 | - Strenght 8
- Agility 8 - Unarmed 80%||1||All Hand-to-Hand attacks inflict critical hits | ||
| Smooth Talker | 3 | - Intelligence 4 | 3 | Adds 1 point to Intelligence (during dialogue only!) |
| Snakeater | 6 | - Endurance 3 | 1 | Adds 25% to Poison Resistance |
| Sniper | 18 | - Perception 8
- Agility 8 - Small Guns 80%||1||Increased chance to score a critical hit with any ranged weapon | ||
| Speaker | 12 | 1 | Adds 20% to the Speech and Barter skills | |
| Strong Back | 3 | - Strenght 6
- Endurance 6||3||The player can now carry an additional 50 lbs. of equipment | ||
| Survivalist | 3 | - Endurance 6
- Intelligence 6 - Outdoorsman 40%||3||Adds a 20% bonus to Outdoorsman during survival checks | ||
| Swift Learner | 3 | - Intelligence 4 | 3 | Adds a 5% bonus whenever XP is earned |
| Tag! | 12 | 1 | Pick an additional Tag Skill | |
| Toughness | 3 | - Endurance 6
- Luck 6||3||Adds 10% to damage resistance |
Combat
The battle system in Fallout is turn-based, but certain factors determine the amount and type of actions that a player is able to perform per turn. When combat mode is entered, a player's actions per turn are limited by their AP
(Action Points). The number of AP a player gets per turn depends on their Agility attribute. Certain weapons use more AP than others, but the player can also choose to take a targeted shot with their weapons, using one more AP but potentially causing more damage or inflicting conditions onto the enemy. Other actions that consume AP are walking, accessing the inventory, and interacting with items in the game world (such as doors).
Non-Combat Skills
Although the combat system is usually a large portion of Fallout's game play, what is often said to set the game apart is the fact that players can explore the entire game rarely (if ever) fighting anything, should they choose to do so. Skills such as Speech (which allows the character to have more dialogue options and a greater influence on NPCs) and Science (which allows the character to interact with computers throughout the game world) allow players a greater freedom in how they interact with their environment.
Weapons
Ranged
Small Guns
Pistols
| Name | Range | Damage | Strenght
Required||Ammo Type||Clip Size | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .223 Pistol | 30 | 20-30 | 5 | .223 FMJ | 5 |
| 9mm Mauser | 22 | 5-10 | 3 | 9mm | 7 |
| 10mm Pistol | 25 | 5-12 | 3 | 10mm | 12 |
| 14mm Pistol | 30 | 12-22 | 5 | 14mm | 6 |
| Desert Eagle .44 | 25 | 10-16 | 4 | .44 Magnum | 8 |
Submachine Guns
| Name | Range | Damage | Strenght
Required||Ammo Type||Clip Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMG | 25 (single shot)
20 (burst shot)||5-12||4||10mm||30 |
Rifles
| Name | Range | Damage | Strenght
Required||Ammo Type||Clip Size | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assault Rifle | 45 (single shot)
38 (burst shot)||8-16||5||5mm||24 | ||||
| Hunting Rifle | 40 | 8-20 | 5 | .223 FMJ | 10 |
| Red Ryder LE BB Gun | 32 | 25-25 | 4 | BBs | 100 |
| Sniper Rifle | 50 | 14-34 | 5 | .223 FMJ | 6 |
Shotguns
| Name | Range | Damage | Streght
Required||Ammo Type||Clip Size | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat Shotgun | 22 (single shot)
18 (burst shot)||15-25||5||12 Gauge||12 | ||||
| Shotgun | 14 | 12-22 | 4 | 12 Gauge | 2 |
Big Guns
| Name | Range | Damage | Strenght
Required||Ammo Type||Clip Size | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minigun | 35 | 7-11 | 7 | 5mm | 120 |
| Flamer | 5 | 40-90 | 6 | Flamethrower Fuel | 5 |
| Rocket Launcher | 40 | 35-100 | 6 | Rockets | 1 |
Energy Weapons
Pistols
| Name | Range | Damage | Strenght
Required||Ammo Type||Clip Size | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alien Blaster | 10 | 30-90 | 2 | Small Energy Cell | 30 |
| Laser Pistol | 15 | 10-22 | 3 | Small Energy Cell | 12 |
| Plasma Pistol | 20 | 15-35 | 4 | Small Energy Cell | 16 |
Rifles
| Name | Range | Damage | Strenght
Required||Ammo Type||Clip Size | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gatling Laser | 40 | 20-40 | 6 | Microfusion Cell | 30 |
| Laser Rifle | 45 | 25-50 | 6 | Microfusion Cell | 12 |
| Plasma Rifle | 25 | 30-65 | 6 | Microfusion Cell | 10 |
| Turbo Plasma Rifle | 35 | 35-70 | 6 | Microfusion Cell | 10 |
Throwing Weaponry
| Name | Range | Damage | Strenght
Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frag Grenade | 15 | 20-35 | 3 |
| Plasma Grenade | 15 | 40-90 | 4 |
| Pulse Grenade | 15 | 100-150 | 4 |
| Molotov Cocktail | 12 | 8-20 | 3 |
| Rock | 15 | 1-4 | 1 |
| Flare | 15 | 1-1 | 1 |
| Spear | 8 | 3-10 | 4 |
| Throwing Knife | 16 | 3-6 | 3 |
Melee
Common Melee Weaponry
| Name | Damage | Strenght
Required |
|---|---|---|
| Knife | 1-6 | 2 |
| Combat Knife | 3-10 | 2 |
| Club | 1-6 | 3 |
| Crowbar | 3-10 | 5 |
| Sledgehammer | 4-9 | 6 |
| Super Sledge | 18-36 | 5 |
Powered Melee Weaponry
| Name | Damage | Strenght
Required||Ammo Type||Clip Size | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ripper | 15-32 | 4 | Small Energy Cell | 30 |
| Cattle Prod | 12-20 | 4 | Small Energy Cell | 20 |
| Powered Gloves | 12-34 | 1 | Small Energy Cell | 25 |
Unarmed
| Name | Damage | Strenght
Required |
|---|---|---|
| Brass Knuckles | 2-5 | 1 |
| Spiked Knuckles | 4-10 | 1 |
Explosives
| Name | Damage | Strenght
Required |
|---|---|---|
| Dynamite | 20-50 | 1 |
| Plastic Explosive | 40-80 | 1 |
Armor
| Name | Armor
Class||Normal Resistance||Laser Resistance||Fire Resistance||Plasma Resistance||Electrical Resistance||Explosion Resistance||Weight (in pounds) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robes | 5 | 20 | 25 | 10 | 10 | 40 | 20 | 10 |
| Leather Jacket | 8 | 20 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 30 | 10 | 5 |
| Metal Armor | 10 | 30 | 75 | 10 | 20 | 0 | 25 | 35 |
| Leather Armor | 15 | 25 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 30 | 20 | 8 |
| Tesla Armor | 15 | 20 | 90 | 20 | 80 | 80 | 10 | 35 |
| Brotherhood Armor | 20 | 40 | 70 | 50 | 60 | 60 | 40 | 25 |
| Combat Armor | 20 | 40 | 60 | 50 | 60 | 60 | 40 | 25 |
| Hardened Power Armor | 25 | 50 | 90 | 60 | 50 | 50 | 60 | 100 |
| T-51b Power Armor | 25 | 40 | 80 | 60 | 40 | 40 | 50 | 85 |
NPC Followers
In Fallout, the Player was able to recruit a couple of NPCs, who helped in his journey. Special requirements were needed to make them join. Charisma also played great role in number of available companions.
Many criticized Fallout's team system, because of the teammates' poor AI and clunky system of inventory management. Despite that, gamers and critics alike praised the fact that NPCs in Fallout were characters worth remembering.
Here's the list of all available NPCs:
- Ian - Found in Shady Sands. Skilled with knives, pistols and sub-machine guns (well, in theory, as giving him SMG often resulted in couple of bullets in player's back). Joined, if the player paid him.
- Tandi (Character) - daughter of an elder in Shady Sands, kidnapped by Raiders. She followed the protagonist until he returned her to her father. Not very skilled in combat.
- Dogmeat (Character) - Dog found in Junktown. Joined if the player character fed him or showed up in Mad Max style leather jacket. Considered by many as one of the best NPCs in video games history, not only for his surprisingly good combat skills, but also for his lovable loyalty to the player. According to Fallout canon, Dogmeat died in Mariposa Military Base, but he can be befriended again during one of the Random Encounters in Fallout 2 (Game) and returns again as a recruitable character in Fallout 3 (Game).
- Tycho - Shotgun specialist from Junktown. Joined the team to get rid of scums in his city and followed the character after the quest was finished.
- Katja - member of the Followers of the Apocalypse, found in "Blades" Section of Boneyard (ruined Los Angeles). Character had to have pretty high speech skill and Charisma to make use of her talents. Her weapon of choice was spear and a pistol (and she was better at shooting than Ian)
Communities
Fallout's towns and communities are quite memorable, each displaying unique types of social organization and economic development as a response to life after a nuclear apocalypse. Some communities are more like factions that are major players in the storyline and game universe. The way each community is structured in turn affects the attitude of the town's inhabitants towards outsiders and what kind of quests the player can take on.
Vault 13
The Vault in which the protagonist has been raised and is compelled to leave could be considered a utopia. Compared to the rigours of the Wasteland, the vault is well-ordered, able to provide for the needs of its inhabitants, free of radiation and typically lacking in social problems. If anything, the vault dwellers have a tendency towards hostility towards the outside world, wishing to have nothing to do with it for fear of contamination. As the Vault Dweller spends more time outside the vault, the less he is able to continue to fit in to this closed society. Technology has a vital role for sustaining those who live inside the vault. Computers transmit and preserve information, and take care of essentials like water supply and food production. Every inhabitant has a role that contributes to the good of the whole under the benevolent guidance of the Overseer who provides direction. The jumpsuit, the iconic uniform of Vault 13, indicates that it is (at least in principle) a classless society.
Shady Sands
Shady Sands well
Shady Sands (Location) is a struggling agricultural community and it is generally the first settlement the player encounters on his or her travels. The community has not reached a particularly high state of technological advancement; although they farm, which provides their subsistence, they have not even heard of crop rotation. Besides farmers, the town is inhabited by a town leader, guards, and a doctor. Due to the low degree of social stratification the community appears relatively unified and harmonious. However, because of their peaceful ways and technological inadequacy, Shady Sands is quite vulnerable to outside threats. This leaves them slightly on edge when it comes to interacting with outsiders, although they are not entirely unwelcoming if one's intentions are peaceful. The player can if desired help the town deal with its two main problems: the Khan raiders and radscorpions.
The Raiders
Not much is known about the Khans, a clan of Raiders, as they are extremely hostile to outsiders unless they prove themselves to be as psychopathic and violent as they are themselves. Borrowing from films such as Mad Max, this group represents a regression into tribalism and lawlessness. They are led by a patriarchal leader who commands based on strength and fear. Except for a few female Raiders, women are enslaved as prostitutes, showing the contempt they have for those they capture. Instead of producing anything for themselves, the Raiders pillage from others to satisfy their wants. The interaction that the Vault Dweller can have with the Raiders is unsurprisingly limited, short of challenging the leader or wiping them out entirely.
Junktown
Welcome to Junktown
Although still a relatively small town, Junktown is considerably more advanced than Shady Sands. Social differentiation is more obvious: a bar, casino, doctor, sporting bouts, trading, a hotel and so on indicate the beginnings of a capitalistic economy, particularly leisure industries. However, agriculture remains important. With increased size and prosperity also comes social problems. Killian, as mayor of the town, is struggling against the organized crime boss Gizmo as well as the gang violence of the Skullz. Junktown has something of a Wild West feel to it, showing some signs of technological advancement but still with an element of lawlessness. The player can decide to tip the balance towards lawfulness or crime, however.
The Hub
Iguana Bob, meat seller in the Hub
The Hub (Location), as suggested, is the center of trade in the region. The city is mostly under the rule of law, and its prominent bodies are various merchant guilds. These are mostly trading companies that send guarded caravans to transport goods throughout the wasteland, but also providers of services such as the Water Merchants. The Hub has a sophisticated trade in books, pharmaceuticals, weapons, loans, and other such essentials. Although The Hub still has a strong agricultural base, it has much more severe social differentiation. Besides the prosperous merchants there are also drug addicts, slum-dwellers and other such signs of class division. There is also a much more well-organized crime boss, Decker, who attempts to maintain some control over the Hub's affairs. The Hub is extremely well-policed, indicating that the rule of law is still quite strong, in order to defend the interests of the various capitalistic organizations.
Boneyard
Similarly to the Hub, the Boneyard displays a considerable degree of technological advancement. it has knowledge of chemistry and smithing, and is able to grow crops hydroponically. However, it is is a police state. Surrounded by a cage, farmers are forced to work are forced to work for the benefit of the armed soldiers ruling them and the mayor, a figurehead for the oppressive social order. The Razors just outside of the city proper are a gang, but one based on mutual support rather than criminality. They wish to see the soldiers overthrown and the Boneyard freed of their tyranny. Unsurprisingly, the rulers do not view outsiders in a friendly fashion, wishing to keep things as they are and monitoring closely for signs of dissent.
Followers of the Apocalypse
Akin to a monastic order, the Followers wish to preserve the knowledge that has been mostly lost since the war. Their goal is primarily to spread enlightened ideas throughout the region and prevent the recurrence of such conflict. They are closely monitoring the Brotherhood, as they do not take their religion at face value. Although they have a matriarchal leadership structure, there seems to be no rigid social divisions to speak of; like Vault 13, the Children could be considered a utopian community based on the mutual pursuit of knowledge.
Brotherhood of Steel
The Brotherhood's insignia
As indicated by their ranks (knight, scribe, and paladin) the Brotherhood combine a medieval social structure with a religious fervor for technology. A militaristic order, besides preserving technology they also devote significant resources to training, weapons R&D, medical research for physical enhancement, and so on. Although they are by far the most technologically advanced community in the wasteland, they jealously preserve their knowledge and do not willingly share it with others. They are also simply not interested in having dealings with outsiders except for merchants. They send the Vault Dweller on what is presumed a suicide mission if he wishes to join their order. The medievalism of the Brotherhood is reflected in its rigid command structure. The leader of the Paladin, Rhombus, and the Elders command lower ranking members under military discipline. They also have a head librarian, Vree, dedicated to the preservation of knowledge and research. The Brotherhood is a strictly regimented military organization, and this is reflected in how their base is laid out. Although they are not self-sufficient, the Brotherhood trades some of their technology in return for the necessities of life.
Children of the Cathedral
Like the Followers, the Vault, and the Brotherhood, the Children value order highly. However, they also happen to be religious fanatics that seek to impose unity not just on their own community but also on everyone else. They have a typical religious leadership structure. This community is the most actively hostile towards the others in the region, demonstrating a medieval level of tolerance (or lack thereof) for differences of opinion.
Special Encounters
In the barren wasteland the player can discover special encounters, depending on the Luck skill. These range from rare items to amusing (but useless) sequences.
Bob's Used Car Mart
Bob's Used Car Mart
Bob has, unfortunately, had a little too much radiation for his own good. He will try and sell the player a "used car" that has gone through his patented "100 point service"; these cars are all junk and useless. But if the player explores Bob's hut they will discover two BB guns and ammo.
Crashed Alien Spaceship
Crashed Alien Spaceship
Half buried in the sand, two alien skeletons lie beside the ship. On these bodies can be found the "Alien Blaster" arguably the best weapon in the game; although it is not the strongest, it is lightweight and so is its ammo.
The Giant "Three Pronged" Footprint
The Three Pronged Footprint
A single large three pronged footprint imprinted in the sand. In the center is a squished mass of body-parts; on this unrecognizable body can be found "the stealthboy."
The Wild Brahmin
Wild talking Brahmin
A random herd of Brahmin (two-headed cows), as the player gets closer they speak phrases like: "Moo" and "Moo, I say." Amusing, but utterly useless.
The Over-Turned Nuka-Cola Truck
The Nuke-a-Cola truck
Depending on the Luck skill, the player can find in a crate, up to 10,765 caps (the currency of Fallout). With a low luck skill players may only find 1 cap.
The Police Box
The Tardis
In a reference to the "Tardis" from "Doctor Who," as the player gets closer it disappears leaving a motion detector in it's place.
Voice Acting
The Game features the iconic voice talent of Ron Perlman (Person) as the narrator. One of Perlman's lines from the prologue became a catchphrase for the series: "War. War never changes." Many other well known actors appear in the game, such as: Clancy Brown (Person) as Rhombus, CCH Pounder (Person) as Vree, Tony Shalhoub (Person) as Aradesh, Richard Dean Anderson (Person) as Killian, Keith David (Person) as Decker and Tony Jay (Person) as The Lieutenant (Character).
Critical Reception
Although Fallout came out more than a decade ago and is thus hard to find many reviews for, a Gamerankings average of 91.92% and Metacritic of 89 suggests a high degree of critical acclaim (both from a sample of 12 reviews). According to Desslock's review on Gamespot, Fallout "oozes style", is destined to become a classic, and is easily one of the best role-playing game of the past few years (8.7/10). This opinion is echoed by other gaming sites that consider Fallout a standout for RPGs in the '90s (PC Gamer 90/100, Electric Playground 90/100).
Though the game received near-universal praise, one common point of criticism was leveled at the main quest, which could end the game prematurely if not completed within a certain number of days. Many reviewers found the time limit on the main quest, as well as the possibility of failing the game outright, to be unnecessarily restrictive. Due to the number of complaints, a later patch removed this time limit, allowing the player more freedom to approach the game at their own pace.
Soundtrack
The original score for Fallout was written and composed by Mark Morgan (Person).
| Track No. | Song Title | Running Time |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Metallic Monks | 03.24 |
| 02 | Desert Wind | 03.20 |
| 03 | A Trader's Life | 04.03 |
| 04 | The Vault of the Future | 04.01 |
| 05 | Industrial Junk | 03.24 |
| 06 | Moribund World | 03.03 |
| 07 | Vats of Goo | 03.18 |
| 08 | City of the Dead | 03.24 |
| 09 | Second Chance | 04.03 |
| 10 | Underground Troubles | 03.53 |
| 11 | City of Lost Angels | 03.46 |
| 12 | Follower's Credo | 02.59 |
| 13 | Radiation Storm | 03.57 |
| 14 | Acolytes of the New God | 03.17 |
| 15 | Flame of the Ancient World | 03.07 |
| 16 | Khans of New California | 03.18 |
PC System Requirements
- CPU Type: Pentium
- CPU Speed: 90 MHz
- Hard Disk Space: 80 MB
- OS Version: 5.0
- RAM Required: 16 MB
- Graphics Type: SVGA
- Graphics Resolution: Multiple Resolutions
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- Name
- Fallout
- Release Date
- September 30, 1997
- Platform
- PC (Platform)
Mac (Platform) - Developer
- Publisher
- Genre
- Role-Playing (Genre)
- Theme
- Sci-Fi (Theme)
Post-Apocalyptic (Theme)
Alternate Historical (Theme) - Franchise
- Fallout (Franchise)
- Aliases
- Fallout: A Post-Nuclear Role-Playing Game