Fallout 3: DLC news and screencaps

[Tanasinn]

It appears they're actually making new resources for the Ancorage DLC, which is a relief. Of course, this is Bethesda, so I'll not rule out any pants-shitting stupidity quite yet.

[Darth Onasi]

Well I should be clearer, the 3rd person view in Fallout 3 works but there are numerous little faults that make it rather unplayable to me.
For instance, the animation looks a little stiff so it feels like I'm still in 1st person only with a paper doll in front of me. The Pipboy animation remains the same so it's a little immersion breaking to be in 3rd person then switch to 1st as the arm comes up. If someone were to mod the animation to instantly switch to the Pipboy screen while in 3rd person I'd love them forever
Then there's how you also switch to 1st person to talk to anyone, I personally hate that (in any case I've never liked the Oblivion/Bloodlines-esque zoom-in-to-the-face talking style).

Yes apart from the animation it's mostly a cosmetic preference, but I feel cosmetics are as important as anything else when it comes to a video game, whether it's 8-bit, 2D, isometric or full 3D.
Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy the game but like all Bethesda games it has some very nice features that fall short of greatness (along with some downright appalling design in some areas). I wish there was more to VATS for instance, dodging, tactical moves, using VATS to direct companions, enemies using VATS against you, etc.

[Covenant]

The run animations in FO1 and FO2 were no prize winners, I can assure you, so it seems somewhat unfair to let an RPG slide by with minimal animation and art design, yet to lump all first person games into the same catagory as a "next gen beauty shooter" simply because it shares a similar camera angle. It still has quite a bit to look at, and the animation is not that bad. I'm positive they used mo-cap for the walking animations, so the only thing they didn't do was more dynamic foot placement on odd terrain.

As for chatting, you do realize that the majority of important conversations in Fallout 1 and 2 were conducted, quite famously, first person zoomed in on their face? Sure, maybe that wouldn't apply for the "I talk to you all the time" people like Moira, but most of the notables were like that, and what's the alternative? Freeze the world and keep it third person? Would that look any better than just watching her talk?

Anyway, I didn't want this to be an endless war over nothing. But a lot of people have crapped over Fallout 3 for a huge length of time for a million stupid reasons, and it's incredibly unfair to the developers in this case, because many of these decisions were actually classic Fallout design choices or improvements on them, and some others are just irrelevent. It's reasons like this why people are terrified to try anything new, as well as why we also never get sequels to Fallout, a great game series rendered entirely useless because of moronic fans.

[Pulp Hero]

Although, he is right. FO3 would have benefited from a better 3rd person experience- ie, being able to swivel the camera area the character as in most 3rd person games, and having non-zoomed conversations. Not a deal breaker, but a bit "meh".

[Slacker]

I finally had the time over the last couple of weeks to sit down and play FO3. I beat it after about 50 hours played and the stupidity of 'go kill yourself when your big yellow buddy over there can do it with no ill-effects' really bugged the crap out of me. Nice to see they'll rectify that in the third 'expansion'.

[Covenant]

I finally had the time over the last couple of weeks to sit down and play FO3. I beat it after about 50 hours played and the stupidity of 'go kill yourself when your big yellow buddy over there can do it with no ill-effects' really bugged the crap out of me. Nice to see they'll rectify that in the third 'expansion'.

As Neph and I were saying earlier, the really most aggrivating part is that it's so hackeneyed anyway. Afterall, Autumn survived it. Why can't we?

[Darth Onasi]

For me the worst part isn't that you die in there, it's what your companions say.
I've looked through all the companion dialogues in the GECK and it's so damn depressing.
Cross and Fawkes tell you it's your destiny (i.e. the two most good and righteous people in the game tell you to go die, this after Fawkes says "I OWE YOU MY LIFE!!" and Cross says that she'd love to sacrifice herself for the good of all as James did).
Charon, Clover and RL-3 basically say "fuck off" even though they should be compelled to follow your orders.
The only one that actually sounds logical (and funny) is Butch, who's afraid of becoming a ghoul.

[PeZook]

Can you at least shoot them in the face?

[neoolong]

Yeah, you can off your companions.

What's even more hilarious is that after Fawkes tells you he can't do it for you, he goes in the chamber with you anyways.

[Covenant]

Well, even though Charon should be compelled to follow your orders regardless, he's also a Ghoul, and Ghouls aren't hurt by ionizing radiation anymore. So even if might resist an order to step into a giant molten pit or jump off a bridge, there's no reason for him not to just imput the code, since he's completely free of danger from the radiation. So he'll stand in the way of bullets for us, but won't just press three buttons? How does that make any sense to anyone?

[Darth Onasi]

Or the fact that Fawkes and Cross tell you "it's your destiny" and it's something only you can do to follow in your father's footsteps (because following one's parent into unecessary suicide is a dignified and intelligent thing to do) but have no problem with you sending Lyons in instead.

Oh and you can shoot their heads off, but it's strangely unsatisfying. On the other hand, prior to entering the memorial you can always fire your companion in the presence of Liberty Prime. Hilarity will ensue.

[chitoryu12]

I'm hoping that they'll at least release a patch so you can continue playing after the ending instead of having to pay for it. You'd expect them to have the foresight to not make you pay for the ending that everyone WANTS in the first place.