[Lillian Cawfield]

Just pulled this up. I'm pretty sure the chances of that being the release date are slim, but maybe it gives an idea of an approximate time frame. I know Fallout 3 was released in October. Hopefully this one will be sooner.

http://m.bestbuy.com/m/e/product/detail.jsp?skuId=9701377&pid=1218152463953

Best Buy has No clue - its total speculation

[ZANEY82]

Compressed in what way? Wass there too much stuff packed into the play area, or was the play area too small?

How is breaking the area into chunks going to solve this problem for you?

The area was too small and so the spaces between the real-world locations that it contained were too small. If it was broken into chunks with world map travel, it wouldn't feel so much like a theme park attraction and more like the real thing.

[Alexxxxxx]

The area was too small and so the spaces between the real-world locations that it contained were too small. If it was broken into chunks with world map travel, it wouldn't feel so much like a theme park attraction and more like the real thing.

Although I've seen several folks argue that around here, I just don't get it. Won't it feel even smaller if you break it up into chunks? Is a graphic representation of a large area really worth it?

[Eliza Potter]

Does anyone knows anything about vegas or its like it was 4 months ago? Havent seen any pics/vids of it and i am starting to get angry =( but still i dont want obsidian to ruin fo3 rusching to release it ;d

New Vegas isn't Fallout 3, and it isn't Fallout 4 either. Fallout: New Vegas is a spin-off, and Fallout 3 has already been created.

[Chloe Mayo]

Having some of the original Fallout (and Planescape: Torment) designers working on New Vegas (Obsidian, with the remnants of Black Isle) is enough to get me wet.

and hopefully ZeniMax aren't ruthless slave drivers like LucasArts or Atari.

[Maeva]

The area was too small and so the spaces between the real-world locations that it contained were too small. If it was broken into chunks with world map travel, it wouldn't feel so much like a theme park attraction and more like the real thing.

You mean like dragon age? Please, NO!

[Nichola Haynes]

You mean like dragon age? Please, NO!

Actually, most of the suggestions about reintroucing the worldmapsystem have had the nodes being about the size of point lookout. But I agree with you, Dragon Ages nodes were too small, confined and corridorridden for me to want the system in that particular form in the next Fallout game.

[Gemma Flanagan]

You mean like dragon age? Please, NO!

No, I mean like Fallout.

[Joey Avelar]

if you ask me, the nodes or "map chunks" system only works well in a first person game environment if the areas are absolutely stunning visually...in other words, make you forget that you can't get to something you can see from where your standing. fable 1 & 2, for example, contain maps divided into many many 'chunks'...and yes, some are tiny....however, i would have to say they're some of the best-looking in any game.

i prefer the gigantic, open-world for that very reason. I love how in oblivion and fallout 3 you can spy something waaay off in the distance, and then hoof it all the way there. it has to do with anticipation/accomplishment i guess. take for instance, something like Tenpenny Tower (ahem)... it's largely noticable from anywhere south of the map's central lattitude. within the first two hours of playing fallout 3 for the first time, i spied this tower while fighting raiders. "wonder what that is..." i said, and pointed myself at it. 10-15 minutes of hiking/fighting and i was at the front door talking to a guard. if i had to wait through any load screens, no matter how short, this effect, for me would be ruined.

and besides, all of the interiors are their own "cells" and the overworld is the only cell that is as big as it is. for me, this works fine and it's one of the things i love most about Bethesda's games. it just makes a big world feel bigger.

[Richard Dixon]

Thing is, the open world is not "gigantic" enough in Fallout 3, and the areas feel too compressed, like a theme park, with too little space in between, too crammed. I'd prefer an open world maybe if the distances were actually anything like the real ones.

And I'd prefer for future games to cover more territory, like in Fallout 1 and 2 (the whole of California and parts of Nevada), as it allows for more variety in locations. In which case, the one, open world approach would not be feasible.

[Rob]

And I'd prefer for future games to cover more territory, like in Fallout 1 and 2 (the whole of California and parts of Nevada), as it allows for more variety in locations. In which case, the one, open world approach would not be feasible.

you can't see any location from any other location in Fallout 1 and 2 either...

what i'm trying to get at is that the rules of immersion are changed when the player can see so much with a first-person view.

[Claire Jackson]

you can't see any location from any other location in Fallout 1 and 2 either...

No, and you shouldn't be able to, since they are too far apart for that.

what i'm trying to get at is that the rules of immersion are changed when the player can see so much with a first-person view.

I don't see how it changes anything.

[Killer McCracken]

Might I suggest that the continuation of any in-depth discussion about map nodes, view distances, open world vs. closed map points or whatever else be speculated upon in the FO4 Speculation/Suggestions thread?

[Angus Poole]

you can't see any location from any other location in Fallout 1 and 2 either...

what i'm trying to get at is that the rules of immersion are changed when the player can see so much with a first-person view.

Well, how do you see the world in real life? Do you look down at your shoes all the time (FO1-2) or do you look straight ahead, and around you? (FO3)

I don't see why it would be a problem, if your character saw 'too much'. I mean if they expanded the maps like FO1-2, and gave you a first person perspective; that would be great. It would add hours of traveling, and wandering around looking here and there for shelter, gear, and what-not. Plus, your character wouldn't see 'too much' around them. Only a normal/average range of sight like any normal human.

I have to agree with Peter on this.

[Karine laverre]

Guys, this thread is for discussing New Vegas, not for comparing and contrasting FO3 to the original games. Broader discussions of the Fallout 3 engine and set up really need to be kept to more appropriate threads. Unless Obsidian announces that they've drastically changed things about the gameplay or game set up then such topics don't really apply to New Vegas.

I understand that we haven't really gotten any new information since this was announced but it looks like the game's unveiling is on the horizon - let's try and keep this thread together until then.

[Erin S]

i think vilicales should be in it just like fallout 1 or is it 2 or was that tatics

[Stephanie I]

Honestly I'm not expecting a world map system for New Vegas. As nu_clear day pointed out there's no real point to a world map system for such a small region (Las Vegas and its surrounding area). Fallout 3 covered not just Washington DC, but parts of several states like Fallout 2 so a world map would have certainly been nice to get an actual sense of scale, and an actual sense of a wasteland. For a game that probably won't cover even half of Nevada though? Nah.

i think vilicales should be in it just like fallout 1 or is it 2 or was that tatics

Fallout 2 had a car, but it only really served as a portable storage compartment, and as faster transportation between locations. Fallout Tactics is the only Fallout game with a developed vehicle system.

[Cat]

Fallout 3 covered not just Washington DC, but parts of several states

True, though DC is at the intersection of two states, so that sort of makes it easy. In terms of overall mileage it's still only showing tiny parts of Virginia and Maryland.

[Jason King]

Fallout 3 felt cluttered not because the size of the map but because of the absurd amount of small places to explore and being constantly attacked by monsters. There's not enough resources in the area to support so many animals, raiders and other enemies. With so many people it's amazing how there are so many places filled with loot for the player to take. It doesn't make sense and in an rpg things should made sense with the world setting we are immersed in. Gameplay should support the lore and the world and not the other way around (perhaps only bit). I'm glad Obsidean had a chance to work on this game and i expect they will bring the same good stuff in Fallout 3 and make it more rpg.

[Bek Rideout]

Actually, most of the suggestions about reintroucing the worldmapsystem have had the nodes being about the size of point lookout. But I agree with you, Dragon Ages nodes were too small, confined and corridorridden for me to want the system in that particular form in the next Fallout game.

What people are talking about is taking a pizza that fits in a 12" box, pulling it apart into slices and then throwing it all in a 36" box because THEY THINK IT LOOKS BIGGER.

[Everardo Montano]

what i'm trying to get at is that the rules of immersion are changed when the player can see so much with a first-person view.

I would argue that it changes for the better. I enjoy navigating with landmarks...I liked it in Oblivion, and I like it even better in FO3. I ahve a lot of fun picking my way through the terrain while maintaining some sort of tactical sense in the way I pick my path. There isn't anything like that in FO1/2 anywhere, and this style of exploration gameplay will be diminished (or destroyed) by breaking up the game into chunks.

[christelle047]

I prefer the world like in F03, but more "to scale." It doesn't matter if there's less content in a single cell. A big world is more immersive.

[Darlene Delk]

What about repairs? Will there be any repair kits, so you don't always need to destroy another object of the same type, if you want one fixed(weapon, armor, car).
Well, it would be fun to disassemble trofey cars..

Player with a choice is a happy player.

[Karen anwyn Green]

What people are talking about is taking a pizza that fits in a 12" box, pulling it apart into slices and then throwing it all in a 36" box because THEY THINK IT LOOKS BIGGER.

In a way, but no. What people are talking anbout, at least I am and if I've understood the debate, with using your pizza anology, is ordering different kind of slices of pizza and asking to separate them from each other so that your jalopenos and kebab in one slice don't get mixed up with the tuna and feta in the next one. Every slice is different from the other, offering a good amount of different flavors while still being one whole pizza in size. In this case, it looking bigger is just a good side effect.

[Elizabeth Davis]

What people are talking about is taking a pizza that fits in a 12" box, pulling it apart into slices and then throwing it all in a 36" box because THEY THINK IT LOOKS BIGGER.

Which isn't accurate at all, because the original Fallout games had a much larger scope and scale than F3. Plus there were the original random encounters on the world map to flesh out the "empty space" between major locations. F3's wasteland is dramatically scaled down compared to reality, too. It would be absurd to put half the state of california into a "world" the size of the capital wasteland and expect players to be able to suspend their disbelief when it's possible to walk from LA to San Francisco in 7 minutes in real time and a couple of hours in game time.