Comments on: Fallout 3: The Wasteland of Forking Paths http://theautumnalcity.com/criticism/fallout-3-the-wasteland-of-forking-paths/ Gaming from a writer's perspective Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:06:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Nels Anderson http://theautumnalcity.com/criticism/fallout-3-the-wasteland-of-forking-paths/comment-page-1/#comment-114 Nels Anderson Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:38:54 +0000 http://theautumnalcity.com/?p=310#comment-114 Below there be some mild spoilers. Yarr. To clarify, it wasn't the ending specifically (which I actually quite liked, at least the way it played out the first time). What I didn't like was the lack of epilogue that made the endings of Fallout 1 and 2 so satisfying. In the first two games, the epilogue was quite lengthy, taking its time to discuss your influence in each area of the game and what the consequences were. In Fallout 3, the epilogue is painfully short only barely touches on just a few areas. Had there been an epilogue like 1 or 2, I would have been totally satisfied with the ending. It's entirely possible you got that's what I meant to say, but in case you didn't, clarification presented. Below there be some mild spoilers. Yarr.

To clarify, it wasn’t the ending specifically (which I actually quite liked, at least the way it played out the first time). What I didn’t like was the lack of epilogue that made the endings of Fallout 1 and 2 so satisfying. In the first two games, the epilogue was quite lengthy, taking its time to discuss your influence in each area of the game and what the consequences were. In Fallout 3, the epilogue is painfully short only barely touches on just a few areas. Had there been an epilogue like 1 or 2, I would have been totally satisfied with the ending.

It’s entirely possible you got that’s what I meant to say, but in case you didn’t, clarification presented.

]]> By: Travis Megill http://theautumnalcity.com/criticism/fallout-3-the-wasteland-of-forking-paths/comment-page-1/#comment-113 Travis Megill Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:29:37 +0000 http://theautumnalcity.com/?p=310#comment-113 The illusion of choice is enough for me, usually. I still love playing Mass Effect and Bioshock, even though I know my choices aren't earth-shattering, at least they provide different content. I think the presentation of both of those games lets them get away with a lot, at least in my eyes. Too much choice is a problem for me as well. When I first started playing Morrowind it was too overwhelming for me, and I never ended up getting very far the first few attempts. There's definitely something to be said for the comfort zone that exists with a game you know isn't going to drastically alter depending on whether you take the left passageway or the right. For me, Fallout 3 works well because it feels very compartmentalized. You can access the content in any order you wish, but there aren't many opportunities to drastically alter the story in a way that can't be reversed. The ending, like Nels commented on, leaves something to be desired, but when the journey is so engaging I'm not looking forward to the ending anyway. The illusion of choice is enough for me, usually. I still love playing Mass Effect and Bioshock, even though I know my choices aren’t earth-shattering, at least they provide different content. I think the presentation of both of those games lets them get away with a lot, at least in my eyes.

Too much choice is a problem for me as well. When I first started playing Morrowind it was too overwhelming for me, and I never ended up getting very far the first few attempts. There’s definitely something to be said for the comfort zone that exists with a game you know isn’t going to drastically alter depending on whether you take the left passageway or the right.

For me, Fallout 3 works well because it feels very compartmentalized. You can access the content in any order you wish, but there aren’t many opportunities to drastically alter the story in a way that can’t be reversed. The ending, like Nels commented on, leaves something to be desired, but when the journey is so engaging I’m not looking forward to the ending anyway.

]]> By: Jorge Albor http://theautumnalcity.com/criticism/fallout-3-the-wasteland-of-forking-paths/comment-page-1/#comment-112 Jorge Albor Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:13:07 +0000 http://theautumnalcity.com/?p=310#comment-112 The idea of choice in videogames is very interesting to me, particularly the illusion of choice. I'm still on the fence about the implementation. The choice options in Bioshock regarding the little sisters is sometimes criticized because it doesn't ultimately have that much of an effect on the game. The same can be said for many of the choices in Mass Effect. But if, as I am playing the first time, I THINK they are significant, isn't that good enough? Also, even in an RPG, there are moments I can imagine where there could be too much choice. Beyond making a player feel overwhelmed, too many choices may dilute the character's motivations in comparison to the players and you could lose the sense you are role playing as a unique individual. There are also many interesting constrains on choices for individuals. But when choices are constrained in an RPG in which there is an expectation of free choice, it may frustrate the player. I'm not yet sure if that is the player's or creators fault, if it is one at all. The idea of choice in videogames is very interesting to me, particularly the illusion of choice. I’m still on the fence about the implementation. The choice options in Bioshock regarding the little sisters is sometimes criticized because it doesn’t ultimately have that much of an effect on the game. The same can be said for many of the choices in Mass Effect. But if, as I am playing the first time, I THINK they are significant, isn’t that good enough?

Also, even in an RPG, there are moments I can imagine where there could be too much choice. Beyond making a player feel overwhelmed, too many choices may dilute the character’s motivations in comparison to the players and you could lose the sense you are role playing as a unique individual. There are also many interesting constrains on choices for individuals. But when choices are constrained in an RPG in which there is an expectation of free choice, it may frustrate the player. I’m not yet sure if that is the player’s or creators fault, if it is one at all.

]]> By: Nels Anderson http://theautumnalcity.com/criticism/fallout-3-the-wasteland-of-forking-paths/comment-page-1/#comment-111 Nels Anderson Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:35:55 +0000 http://theautumnalcity.com/?p=310#comment-111 I just commented about this on Versus CluClu Land, but the only was I was able to cope with the myriad of decisions available in Fallout 3 was to plan for multiple play-throughs, making decisions based on how I thought the character I was trying to play would ask. I even went as far as "saving" some of the major side quests for the second go, so I'd still have some entirely new places to see and experience. While some of the consequences of your decisions didn't go as far as I'd hoped (especially in terms of the game's epilogue), the fact that there so many meaningful decisions that I want to play the entire game twice, even when there are so many other awesome games out there right know, is a testament to how much Bethesda really hit this one out of the park. I just commented about this on Versus CluClu Land, but the only was I was able to cope with the myriad of decisions available in Fallout 3 was to plan for multiple play-throughs, making decisions based on how I thought the character I was trying to play would ask. I even went as far as “saving” some of the major side quests for the second go, so I’d still have some entirely new places to see and experience. While some of the consequences of your decisions didn’t go as far as I’d hoped (especially in terms of the game’s epilogue), the fact that there so many meaningful decisions that I want to play the entire game twice, even when there are so many other awesome games out there right know, is a testament to how much Bethesda really hit this one out of the park.

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