Video games - Fallout

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	Video games - Fallout

Fallout is a computer role-playing game produced by Tim Cain and published by Interplay in 1997. Although set in the late 22nd century, its story and artwork are heavily influenced by the post-World War II nuclear paranoia of the 1950s. The game is sometimes considered to be an unofficial sequel to Wasteland
, but it could not use that title as Electronic Arts held the rights to it, and, except for minor references, the games are set in separate universes.

Storyline

The background story of Fallout involves a "what-if" scenario in which the United States tries to devise fusion power resulting in a hegemonic United States that has less reliance on petroleum. However, this is not achieved until 2077, shortly after an oil drilling conflict off the Pacific Coast pits the United States against China. It ends with a nuclear exchange resulting in the post-apocalyptic world the game takes place in—although it is said in Fallout 2
that nobody knew who sent the first missile. In Fallout 2
, one conversation train with the Skynet computer results in Skynet stating that the war may have started because computers with Artificial Intelligence may have grown bored. However, as the Skynet computer was a parody of the computer system of the same name in the movie "The Terminator", Skynet's claim may not be true.

The protagonist of '"Fallout is an inhabitant of one of the government-contracted fallout shelters known as the Vaults. The game takes place in 2161 in southern California. The Vault's Water Chip, which controls the water recycling and pumping machinery for the vault, has malfunctioned, and it is the player's role to find a new one. A portable, computerised notebook ("PIP-Boy") keeps track of mapmaking, instructions, and various book-keeping aspects.

If the player character returns the chip within an initial time limit of 150 days, he will be told of a greater threat, and will be sent out on two additional quests. A mutant known as "The Master" (previously known as Richard Grey) has begun using a pre-war, genetically engineered virus to create a race of "Super-Mutants". The player can defeat either The Master or destroy the Super Mutant base first. When both are rendered harmless, a cut-scene ensues in which the player automatically returns to Vault 13. There he is told that he has changed too much, and that his return would negatively influence the citizens of the Vault. Thus he is rewarded only with exile into the desert. It is extremely important for all players to note that after 500 days the mutants will find Vault 13, overrun it, and cause the game to end. The limit is shortened to 400 days if you send the water caravan, located in The Hub, to the Vault (it ups your time to get the water chip by 70 days). The v1.1 patch deleted this limit, but kept the water caravan option. A neat cinematic of mutants overrunning the vault can be seen after the limit, but the same cinematic can be seen if you agree to be turned into a mutant at the military base (this ends the game if you do it).
The Locations of Fallout
While most of the towns in Fallout are not present in the real world (Junktown, Shady Sands, The Hub, etc), Los Angeles is in its correct place. However, the town of Necropolis is described as being the city of Bakersfield, although hardcore fans have compared it to maps and found that it more accurately resembles Barstow.

There are many references to post-apocalyptic science fiction, such as Mad Max. One of the first available armors is a one-sleeved leather jacket that resembles his. A player wearing this jacket can get a dog, named "Dogmeat" for Mad Max’s dog, to join the party in Junktown (in Fallout 2 if the player character damages dogmeat an NPC with the curious name of Mel will show up to defend the dog). Like Fallout 2, many of the references to other material can be found in random encounters, which include a vanishing British Police Call Box à la Doctor Who complete with sound effect, and a massive footprint that resembles Godzilla's, referring to the short animation "Bambi Meets Godzilla". Another reference comes in the form of a quote; in the Old Town district of The Hub, an insane man named Uncle Slappy wanders in perpetual circles calling out non-sequiturs, one of which is "Let's play Global Thermo-Nuclear War!", a reference to a similar line in the 1983 film WarGames. References to other pieces of fiction, such as Robin Hood, are also present.
Influences
Fallout draws much from 50s pulp magazines, science fiction and superhero comic books. For example, computers use vacuum tubes instead of transistors; energy weapons exist and resemble those used by Flash Gordon. The Vault Dweller's main style of dress is a blue jumpsuit with a yellow line going down the center of the chest and along the belt area, though the main character's appearance changes while wearing armor. The number on the back might differ from the Vault the dweller represents, but it's usually "13", or in other cases, missing.
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Video games - Fallout

Storyline

The Locations of Fallout

Influences

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