sábado, 22 de junio de 2013

Mysterious Vault Girl

Race: Human, Caucasian
Sex: female
Affiliation: Vault 54 (formerly)
                     Player character.
Occupation: Beggar
                       Cook   
                       Mercenary
                       Companion.  
Karma: Neutral
SPECIAL: 6 ST, 5 PE, 5 EN, 5 CH, 8 IN 6 AG, 6 LK
Skills: Survival 59, Melee weapons 51, Sneak 50
Level: 8 →
Personal Perks: Cannibal, Travel light, Silent Running, Super Slam, 
Special Perk: Gourmet (Given to the player for having The Mysterious Vault Girl as a companion).
This perk allows the player to create Campfire items through Mysterious Vault Girl dialogue without the need for a Campfire. The same skill and item requirements apply. It is a companion perk that requires actively speaking to the companion to use.

Vault 54 (The cow)

Vault Tech inoculates women of the vault 54 with a new fertilization drug (barley tested) that make then produce more ovules. Overpopulation provoked food to run out very fast and people start to starve. At some point, someone just snap and a whole new system was established in the vault. Everybody must prove them self-useful at something relevant or become the next meal. Women start to give birth a minimum of 3 children. As they grow old have to pass many and very difficult test, those who fail becomes food.
A huge paranoia starts to growth in everybody because almost any excuse was valuable enough to be cooked. Nobody trusts anybody, you could not love your brother, you parents, any relative, and you just couldn’t have one single friend because of the fear of some treason or just the fact that in some point you will be eating they.
One day, the air-filter broke up. The heat was unbearable, air was so thin we couldn’t breathe, blur vision, some even start to hear voices. A revolution exploited inside the vault, and so many was murder… A nightmare, you can make a picture by yourself, I won’t get in any detail.
Was a scam, one of the dweller broke it on porpoise and hides; when the massacre stops, fix the damn system and the “fresh” air calm down the moods. Corpses were everywhere and a big fucking banquet was given. We get all fat but soon the cheers stop. Corpses star to rot and decay and the smell to spread. Some rooms were “sacrifice” as “storage”. You could not imagine the fear, the grotesque that things start to becomes inside the vault. If things was bad before, then just get worst. Women keep giving multiple births and the population of the vault increase very fast, again. “The old ways” was implemented again and the competitions for survival restart.  
       
One day, the door of the vault just open. We were afraid at first, really scare and shock. We didn’t know what to do, what to think; until one of the guys snap and start running, cross the vault door and never was seeing again. He fails some of the test and knew he was the next meal, so just took the chance. Many of us did the same, took what we can carry and escaped. Many die in the wasteland for different reasons, other organized and adapt, many stay put in the vault too afraid of go out. Even some of those who when out, comeback inside very quickly, with palpitations and sweat; I learn from an old book its call Agoraphobia, many of the inmates of the vault suffers of that and don’t dare to go outside.       
 That is part of the story the player can learn from the mysterious vault girl. Some details must be work it out, but as I say before, I am Not a writer, this is just a small plot for a companion background. Some details should be learn by the character by travel to the vault, hack some computers, read some notes, talk with the inhabitants, etc.

 In the vault, everybody will treat the player character in a very polite way; welcome him/her as “family”.
 Some quest ideas:
 Some of the inhabitants that Can come out but didn’t resign to their “old ways” hunt, seduce, convince travelers and people to go to “visit” a Real pre-war Vault to never be seeing again (obviously those people becomes food). Even the vault dweller can be negotiating with slavers.

 The player character can:
-Show them “new ways”,
.Help they to get more “food”,
-Kill everybody inside,
-Lock the vault door again and forever,
-other thing you can think about it (I’m tire, didn’t sleep yet).

 Many if not all of the above can be part of the Personal Quest of the Mysterious Vault Girl.
The personal quest of the companion can also be what to do next. How to establish her, how to keep going; what “ways” will she follow; basically: What next for the Mysterious Vault Girl?

Equipment and belongings of The Mysterious Vault Girl:
-Mysterious Vault Girl outfit: DT 13, Effects: +1 AG +1 EN, weight: 15, value: 150 caps Item HP: 170 (Unique)
-Mysterious Vault Girl Fire Axe
-Mysterious Vault Girl Butcher knife
- Mysterious Vault Girl cleaver
.Strange meat pie x3
-Strange meat x8
-Purified water x5
-Stimpaks x3
-Cooking pan
-Fork
-Spoon

Other interactions with the player character:
 By dialogues, after gain the Mysterious Vault Girl trust the character can learn the recipe to make Strange Meat Pie but without gaining the small amount of radiation.

Notable Quotes:
-“We were encouraged in our education to learn and be smarts. Somebody thought that will make our brains more “Tasteful””.
- “So much rads make people taste funny”.
-“Hide and kill, always like that game”,
-“I’m starting to get hungry”,
-“I wouldn’t mind a bite of that piece”,
-“Things with sharp teeth gives me the creeps”,
-“You look like a toasty piece of meat”,
-“And I thought that things was fuck up in the vault. Look at the wasteland”,
-“If I die, please burn me or buried me, but please ¡¡¡¡For the love of everything is sacred for you, do Not eat me! Ok? Yes?”, (When is low on health).
-Do I look like a wagon? Don’t carry me with much; I need to keep light and fast”.

-“What is that? And that? And that? So many wonders, so many horrors. Fascinating”.



jueves, 20 de junio de 2013

Companions on Fallout 4

Where do I start? So much about the subject.
 Let start with what I didn’t like about the companions in previous fallout games and in Skyrim.

-The limit. I play Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas with some mods that allows you to travel with several companions, and my only complain about that is the fact that in small places things get messy, but in general works really well a big group.
 A solution for that can be given through the Charisma Stat, as it was use in Fallout 2.
 That determinate how many companions you can have.
LIMIT=CHARISMA/2
When the charisma stat is an odd number, the result is rounded down. Ergo, a character with CH 9 will only be allowed 4 NPCs. Since SPECIAL imposes a strict cap of 10 on all stats, a player can have, at most, five "normal" NPC followers.
 If the Nerve Stat for companions will by apply, that works like in Fallout: New Vegas.

 -How they block doors.
 Some characters just step in front of some place and there is no way of move they. Skyrim add the command to grub something, or to sit in a chair and stuff like that, still there is places where the companion can’t interact with anything and still step in front of a door blocking the way.
 Fallout 2 have the same problem and a very functional and practical solution to it: The Hand. In the next Fallout game could be add that command to the companions wheel. The Hand that basically say to then: -“Move of the way”. Something fast and functional without have to get into a dialogue with they.
 The Hand option should be available of be used with some NPCs to.

-How they get in the way.
 I get it with Lily for how “protective” that particular character is even tells you she will step in front of you, but I can’t count how many times I kill Charon by accident because the psychopath just jump in front of where I was shooting, (the same for Veronica). A better AI for the companions that evade those kinds of situations.
 I like the option of ask they to fight at range or up-close.

 Things I like and would like to see again plus some suggestions.

-That every companions have to be recruited in a particular way. With a previous quest and/or through some dialogue line that involves perks/skills/stats.  

-Their reaction to the environment, places that are visited, other NPCs and certain situations.

-That all of they have a personal quest, I would really like to see more about that in the next Fallout game.

-More variety of companions that in some way complement among each other; like, Melee/unarmored characters with stealth characters; firearms characters with energy weapons characters; so one can go with a “little gang” of characters that will shoot or punch; but obviously, that still exist the chance of mixing they up (shooter plus melee character, etc.).

-That one can choose they equipment. Many times they change clothes, armors, accessories, weapons to some that are not that good or “convenient” in certain situations. So, that one can place in the inventory what weapons wants the companion to use (according to what tag skill have, and/or preference). When that weapon broke, that change to next better, but (as happens with Raul) when you give they a plasma rifle that do more damage that a shotgun, and are skill in firearms, they equip the plasma rifle. Those thing should be consider as a “defect weapon”, a second choice when bullets run off or the gun broke.

-That the companions consume items. Need to drink, eat and sleep plus being heal. If they are hurt, that use stimpack, food or any other thing that helps to heal, but that don´t be something “magical” that’s happens at the end of every fight.
 If they don’t have it in the inventory, that the player character can administer it or just give it to they.

-Give the order to do something like open a door, take stuffs, and more. If a player character have a low Science Skill and can’t hack a computer, but a companion do have the requirement, that be available the option that the player character can give the command to the companion of doing it, the same for lockpick, explosives, repair and any other skill require in the moment.    

-That they have personal perks and companion perks. Give something to the character besides their own skills.

_More slide-scenes at the end of the game depending in the action, karma, etc. even if the companion dies, and not just one that overwrite all the other slide-scenes saying something like: -“…but at the end dies in an anonymous grave”._ that could be the final one, but also being show the accomplishment of that particular character (if there was any).

-A larger variety of companions that includes: A Dog (must be a dog), a Super-Mutant, a Ghoul, a Robot, a Replicantmen, and many different other character with “specializations” like a melee character, an unarmored character, and energy weapon character, a sniper, a medic, a repair, a science, a stealth, etc. All following the characteristics previous mentioned.


I can’t thing in anything else right now.









lunes, 17 de junio de 2013

Taxi Service



About a vehicle in Fallout 4.

I like the idea of one be in game in a functional way.
In Fallout 3, in case of being a car, the landscape allows you to have access to some locations without much trouble, for example from Megaton to Tempenny Tower, Big Town, Canterbury Commons and many others, but not to River City for example. You only could get there by walking the road (and in a part take a short-cut through water swimming across the river if you want).  
In Fallout 4 could be a “Taxi service” that take you to some places in a secure way, and/or let you close to some place in the map you want to go.
 Implement some change in the Fast Travel system where you can have all kind of random encounters when you use it, from dangerous things that cross your road, to nonsenses, but when you use the “Taxi Service” no special encounter happens, no threat cross your path.  You can travel secure from one place to another.
 Some places would not have access through this system and you still going to have to walk your way to there.  Explore the surroundings area.
 Could be a combination system (like in TES: Morrowind), that from one place you can go to other three but many stay out of your reach, so if you want to go there or to another really far in the game map, you are going to have to hire another delivery service. Combine with the Fast Travel system from Fallout 2 with random encounters in your way.

 Some of the benefit will be that: You can fast travel secure; carry more weight, discover some location early in the game and play it different every time by exploring and doing quest in the order you want/can.
 When Hardcore mode applies: Will not consume water, food bullets non add much sleep neither.

Some of the counters will be: you lost special and or unique encounters when using the car, had a limit space, so if you have to many companions, not all could travel with you, the driver could refuse to take a Super-mutant, ghouls, dogs, robots or any other creature because of fear, space or whatever excuse he/she gives, still will be places that you cannot have access because are on the top of a mountain, in the other side of some ruins, guarded place, a river, etc. Some obstacles only can be cross by Walking (and face whatever is in the way) because the landscape does not allow a vehicle to transit through it.
 And, of course, Always will cost you money (bottlecaps).

Obviously, you still have the “normal” fast Travel chance, but should be add something to it, as mentioned before, random encounters (Good, Bad, Neutral, or just weird).

In normal Fast Travel you:
·         Consume water, food, bullets and add sleep. Farther you travel (square in the map)more consume;
·         Depending of your character Luck special encounters could happens;
·          Depending of your character Luck evade problems (like cross your path with a wandering Deathclaw or some riders), as higher the Luck stat, less probability of danger, as lower the Luck Stat, higher the probability of dangerous encounters when fast travel;
·         Higher your survival skill less food and water is consumed when fast travel;
·         Higher your sneak skill less dangers you face, less problems cross in your way;
 
With the “Taxi service” (Fast travel with a car):
·         Do not consume water, food and bullets, still add sleep but a lot less;
·         Is Safe, you can evade dangers and special encounters;
·         Will cost you money and/or some trade.

 With the car you also can have some random encounter like land mines in the road, ambush from riders, and stuff like that as consequences of things (quests) you did or you did not concrete. Even could have to “clean” some road before could hire the transport services; get some special material for the car start functioning, make “A favor” for the driver, etc. Many thing, many quest could be relation it to the use of a car in Fallout 4, an always with a limit use as the ones mentioned before and any other you could think.  


Some ideas for quests relation it to the Taxi Services.
·         After some travels, the car will stop working and let the characters in the middle of the road. Will be needed some special items to fix the car and/or a high level in Repair Skill to fix it. That particular car won’t work again until being repair.
Some examples of the item need it will be: a Fission Battery, scrap metal and a wrench. Depending of the kind of car, some micrifusion cells, energy cells, or some other material that makes the car works.   
·         The driver loses the key. One of the drivers get drunk and lose the car keys in a bet, and can’t recover it, so ask to the player character that do it for him/her:
The player characters have many options to resolve the quests:
_Pay the bet,
_Steal the keys from the new owner,
_Kill the new owner and just take it;
_Negotiate a deal between the new owner and the previous one;
_Convince the new owner that gives the keys away to the player character,
_Seduce the new owner and reclaimed as “token of his/her appreciation”,
_Intimidate the new owner to give the keys to the player character;
_Make a new bet and gains it back.

As reward, the character can get:
_A discount on all upcoming trips you make with that particular vehicle;
_A free ride;
_Greatest disposition from part of the driver/company and access to something that didn’t have before (like that now could travel with a companion that wasn’t allowed before, etc.);
Depending of how the quest was resolve, new problems and/or quest can be active it, reputation with some particular faction gain, etc.
·         Get a bigger vehicle. Some companions won’t get into the cars because of their size (A Super-mutant or a big robot for example), so the player character has to go out to find a new and bigger car, and or some complement (as a container) to the car so his/her companions can travel with.
·         The Taxi Company can’t have access to some places for several reasons: Raiders, hostile Super-Mutants, wild creatures or any other threat that block the path. The player character can “fix” this particular problem of several ways (depending of the threat):
_Can go and convince that is good for they that the taxis pass by the territory;
_Killing everything and remove the threats;
_Negotiate some arraignment between the Taxi Company and the threat (pay a toll or something),
_Gain the approval of the leader of the threat so the taxis can cross by;
_Make some quest and “favors” for “the threat” and as reward (among other things) gains permission so the taxis can cross by.
 As a general reward from the Taxi Company, the player character gain: One free trip anywhere he/she wants, a discount of the fee from now on, higher predisposition from the drivers and other people, access (with the car) to areas that wasn´t enabled for that particular way of fast travel before.

 Also, any quest and resolution should have some kind of repercussion in the world.
For example, if a new road is open, caravans can past through it too and take supplies to places that didn’t get it before, some people can move and towns grow, and many other things that an “open road” and new ways of communications brings.
 
 This post assumes several things:
_That there is in fact a Taxi Service;
_That you can have several companions (something like Charisma/2=amount of companions allowed*),
_You don’t get your own vehicle.
_That Fast Travel affects Hardcore mode,
_That there is a Hardcore mode,
_That exist special encounters when Fast Travel,
_That the taxi Service reassemble something like the Silt Strider service in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.

*See post about Charisma and companions.

 Another series of characteristics for the “Taxi Service”:
_Only works between settlements and not inside cities/towns,
_If a driver dies, another will replaced in some days, but the services for that particular vehicle will not be available until the new driver arrives (Maybe a quest where to convince someone to becomes a driver could be add);
_Should be consider an individual Faction (And no as the Crimson Caravan that belongs to the NCR for example), but still, the player character actions relation it to the Taxi Company should affect his/her Reputation with other factions too;
_Have some kind of boss, secretary and pertinent staff besides the drivers.   
_If the move over the map is display on scene when a trip is made, that also appears a counter of the fee and the character player have the chance to get off the vehicle in the middle of the trip and explore that particular area, and/or move on from there. When the character get off the vehicle, the car returns to where it departure.
_ There should be something like 4 or 5 drivers in total working at the same time, one for settlement, maybe some more can be add through new quests, or after finishing some (like open a new road to a new settlement).
_Each driver only take the player character to 3 other places, that way, the PC must make some combination between the services.
_All drivers provide information about the settlements they travel to, and maybe about some places in between and surroundings.
_All company members should be involved in some minor and/or mayor quest.
_All company members should have some background history.
_The taxi Company should be something completely optional, characters take it or not, do the quest involving it or not, and definitely should not be part of the Main Quest, just something to show that civilization can be rebuild and grow even after and nuclear apocalypse and its consequences.
_That a character can go to wherever the player wants to take it, by walking, facing the roads, exploring, etc. The Taxi Company should be just an addition to the “normal” gameplay.  

Some Threats



This are some ideas i being having for the next Fallout game. How i can't upload images to the official forum, i create this blog to show them.