Bethesda to make Fallout 3

The Kernel · Post by **The Kernel** » 2004-07-12 07:05pm

Fallout fans can celebrate now, their license is in good hands.

Shack News wrote:Bethesda Softworks to Develop and Publish Fallout 3

July 12, 2004 (Rockville, MD) - Bethesda Softworks® announced today that it
will develop and publish Fallout® 3 -- a sequel to the highly popular
Fallout® role-playing game franchise. Bethesda licensed the rights to the
Fallout® franchise from Interplay Entertainment Corp. (OTC Bulletin Board:
IPLY) in a deal that awards Bethesda exclusive worldwide rights to the
Fallout® franchise on the PC, home consoles, handhelds, and other media,
with the rights to develop and publish additional sequels.

"We're extremely excited about this opportunity and what it means both for
Bethesda and for Fallout fans around the world," said Vlatko Andonov,
president of Bethesda Softworks. "Fallout is one of the great RPG
franchises. Millions of Fallout games have been sold worldwide, and fans
have been eagerly awaiting the release of a Fallout 3 title. Bethesda's
proven expertise in this genre, building on our experience and the
tremendous success we have enjoyed with our cutting-edge Elder Scrolls®
series, will enable us to create the next chapter of Fallout that is worthy
of the franchise."

Originally released in 1997, Fallout places a player in the role of a
Vault-dweller, who ventures from his secluded, underground survival Vault
into a post-apocalyptic world of mutants, radiation, gangs and violence. The
game has been widely hailed as one of the outstanding role-playing games and
video games of all time with its unique gameplay, style, and setting.

Commenting on this development, Interplay Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer Herve Caen said, "This is a good agreement for both companies and
for gamers. Although several parties had a high level of interest in
licensing Fallout, we are most impressed by Bethesda's execution of
role-playing titles. Bethesda is an ideal steward of the Fallout franchise."

Fallout 3 will be developed by Bethesda along with the next chapter of The
Elder Scrolls, both under the direction of Todd Howard, executive producer
of The Elder Scrolls. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind® won every national
and international award of note in 2002, including Game of the Year and RPG
of the Year, and is one of the best-selling games ever released on Xbox.

"We are overjoyed," said Howard. "Fallout is one of my favorite games, and
we plan to develop a visually stunning and original game for Fallout 3 with
all the hallmarks of a great RPG: player choice, engaging story, and
non-linearity."

Future announcements about the release of Fallout 3 will be made as work on
the title progresses.

About Bethesda Softworks®
Headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, Bethesda Softworks LLC, a ZeniMax
Media company, is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment
software. Bethesda has won every major national and international software
award for its titles, including The Elder Scrolls® series and the
TerminatorT series. Its product line spans the sports, racing, RPG,
strategy, and action genres. For more information on Bethesda Softworks'
products, visit www.bethsoft.com.

About Interplay
Interplay Entertainment Corp. is a developer, publisher and distributor of
interactive entertainment software for both core gamers and the mass market.
Interplay releases products through Interplay, Black Isle Studios and its
distribution partners.

The Elder Scrolls, Morrowind, Bethesda Softworks, ZeniMax, and their logos
are registered trademarks of ZeniMax Media Inc. Fallout is a registered
trademark of Interplay Entertainment Corp. Microsoft, Xbox and the Xbox
logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in
the United States and/or other countries. All Rights Reserved.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2004-07-12 07:40pm

I'm not a Fallout fan, but Morrowind is an awesome game, so we can expect at least something meeting expectations from Bethasda.

MKSheppard · Post by **MKSheppard** » 2004-07-12 10:53pm

I can always go downtown to bethesda to talk with them

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2004-07-12 11:29pm

Of course, since Interplay is busy sitting in a box, touching himself ... with rats.

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » 2004-07-13 12:06am

Bout time that spineless little worm at Interplay (Damn you Herve!) started vomitting intellectual property. Shame Troika didn't get it, though, since they've got most of Black Isle anyway. Anyway, anyone hear any news on if Bethesda's getting the already-done work on FO3 in the bargain? That game was most of the way done already, be a shame to have to start from scratch. Now, pass the Freespace lisence over to Volition and we're in business.

Comosicus · Post by **Comosicus** » 2004-07-13 03:10am

I dream already about a first person Fallout 3 ... something like Morrowind. Go Bethesda!

Marksist · Post by **Marksist** » 2004-07-13 04:10am

Wow! Fallout 3 is most definetely in great hands! Morrowind is one of my all time favorite games, and is my favorite RPG ever. Such a great, immense game. If they can even get close with Fallout 3 to Morrowind's greatness, then this should be a truly wonderful game.

I can't wait.

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-07-13 04:38am

Morrowind developers + Fallout? HE IS THE DESTROYER OF WORLDS!

Uber-cool.

Silver Paladin · Post by **Silver Paladin** » 2004-07-13 07:59am

White Haven wrote:Bout time that spineless little worm at Interplay (Damn you Herve!) started vomitting intellectual property. Shame Troika didn't get it, though, since they've got most of Black Isle anyway. Anyway, anyone hear any news on if Bethesda's getting the already-done work on FO3 in the bargain? That game was most of the way done already, be a shame to have to start from scratch. Now, pass the Freespace lisence over to Volition and we're in business.

I was kinda hoping Obsidian would get it. After all, it is founded by Feargus Urquhart and a bunch of other heavy hitters from Black Isle after they got folded.

Then again, Obsidian is working on KOTOR2, so I'm not mourning it THAT much.

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-07-13 10:02am

I'd rather have Obsidian working on Fallout 3 purely because of the history and have Bethesda work on KOTOR 2. But whatever!

Interview

Yes. We've licensed the rights to Fallout 3 as well as sequels -- Fallout 4, Fallout 5.

But not Interplay's rat-box MMO game.

GNPC: Can we expect something similar to the work done on Morrowind, in terms of that style of game experience?

Pete Hines: Again, it's early to say, but it wouldn't be a leap of faith to say that we plan to use technologies in development otherwise. You could make some fairly safe leaps of faith that it would be similar in style. We're not going to go away from what it is that we do best. We're not going to suddenly do a top-down isometric Baldur's Gate-style game, because that's not what we do well

Please oh please oh please oh please don't abandon the Fallout combat system. Yes, Morrowind is da shit when it comes to graphics, but Fallout isn't Fallout unless there is GORE. Big gore. Weapon context sensitive gore. Excessive gore. Did I mention gore? GORE!

PainRack · Post by **PainRack** » 2004-07-13 11:23am

You know, I don't give a damn who's developing, who got license, and who got shit.

Just tell me. WHEN IS IT COMING INTO STORES!!!!!!!!!

Faqa · Post by **Faqa** » 2004-07-13 02:13pm

Please oh please oh please oh please don't abandon the Fallout combat system. Yes, Morrowind is da shit when it comes to graphics, but Fallout isn't Fallout unless there is GORE. Big gore. Weapon context sensitive gore. Excessive gore. Did I mention gore? GORE!

Keep the system, at least in spirit! Let me remake my fave Fallout character of all time, the Diplo-Sniper! The Fallout CC system >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> all, including AD&D.

But Gore, too. Gore's important. Exploding heads with a .227 pistol and the Bloody Mess perk will always be important....

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2004-07-13 02:16pm

They need to fix AP Ammo, though, I found it nearly worthless.

Hrm. Gatling Gauss & Gatling Plasma

Faqa · Post by **Faqa** » 2004-07-13 02:38pm

*shrug*

I just had an enormous stockpile of normal .227 ammo saved up, so I never noticed.

Though wouldn't AP ammo be useful for those insane enough to try to slaughter the Brotherhood?

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2004-07-13 02:53pm

It would have been useful against our powersuited friends in Navarro.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2004-07-14 05:32am

hmm, Deathclaw liberation front unite!!!!!

Pablo Sanchez · Post by **Pablo Sanchez** » 2004-07-14 04:33pm

Faqa wrote:Keep the system, at least in spirit! Let me remake my fave Fallout character of all time, the Diplo-Sniper!

I preferred the "Fastest Gun in the West" for fallout 2. Fast-shot and one-hander traits, max agility and perception, and develop your skills and perks for pistol-use at every opportunity. Get him a Gauss pistol and he's damn fearsome, though I definitely missed the called shots to the groin.

SPOOFE · Post by **SPOOFE** » 2004-07-14 07:34pm

My dream for the Fallout game type:

I think it should be a blend of 1st-person and 3rd-person, like Morrowind was, but with heavier emphasis on 3rd than Morrowind had. To whit: Adventuring, solving puzzles, running around the wasteland... that should be 1st-person. That's what FP is good at... making things look fucking awesome. Party members will just follow you according to their AI, as was the case in the first two games.

For combat, it should switch to primarily 3rd-person, to better judge the battlefield, manage party-members, remain turn-based. During combat, the only time you'd re-enter 1st-person view would be when aiming, and then you'd get a zoom-in type of dealie, depending on how good your Perception, lighting, etc. are. That is, a better perception means you can zoom in even more onto your target...

Anyway, that's how I'd suggest to go about it. Frankly, I wouldn't mind all FPS without the turn-based combat, but then it would require some REALLY smart AI to manage party members. But, then again, game AI has pretty much gotten to that point already...

Exciting.

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2004-07-14 08:25pm

SPOOFE wrote:
For combat, it should switch to primarily 3rd-person, to better judge the battlefield, manage party-members, remain turn-based. During combat, the only time you'd re-enter 1st-person view would be when aiming, and then you'd get a zoom-in type of dealie, depending on how good your Perception, lighting, etc. are. That is, a better perception means you can zoom in even more onto your target...

A bit like Ring of Red you mean, which has macro scale turn based battles and resolves individual combat rounds in a 3D action style (quasi-turn based, as you have delays in reloading where you can't fire your main weapon) with similar concept first person aiming, though that's more strictly percentage based, not based on your skill in any way.

I'd rather see the combat functions of the game action based, with a close in third person action combat system for close up work like Ninja Gaiden and an expanded shooting system, with a good balance between letting you do 'quick draw' stuff up close, by simplifying close range shooting, and more patient aimed combat at range..

The core of an RPG should be in its' world and NPC interactions, not it's menu options, which is why the only forthcoming ones that really excite me are action RPGs like Jade Empire and The Bard's Tale. I couldn't care less about the fact that Fallout games were once turn based, they weren't remembered for their combat, they were great for their world design and the range of ways you could interact with it.

lukexcom · Post by **lukexcom** » 2004-07-14 10:24pm

Pro: Now I can look forward to another adventure in the Fallout world. I'm actually intrigued by the idea of a Morrowind-like fallout, even though we don't know for sure if that's going to be the game's style (although it's probably likely, less hard work for Bethesda).

I heard that Bethesda is going to implement the SPECIAL system (or at least has the rights to it), so that's a yay right there.

Con: I'll have to endure another few years of "hardcore fallouteer" bitching at nma-fallout.com about how "$TUPID BETHE$DA IS BUTCHERING TEH FALLOUT FRANCHI$E JUST LIEK INTARPLAY!!!1!shift+1"

Look at the petition they've got there on that site, they want 2d isometrics, turn-based, basically a near identical remake of Fallout 1 and 2. And a 1997-esque game will not sell. Sheer ludicrosity.

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » 2004-07-17 08:10pm

...Am I the only one who found that the weakest bit of Morrowind was the half-assed first-person real-time system? Bloody wonderful. Bloody fucking wonderful.

lazerus · Post by **lazerus** » 2004-07-17 08:52pm

There IS a god.