A Fallout 3 Conversation

In a kind of preview-esque feature, NMA published a conversation between one of their previewers and PC Gamer columnist Desslock. They show both sides of the coin of the debate on topics like combat, BoS/super-mutants, celebrity voice acting and the media reaction.

Brother None: I think we’re asking the wrong question, tho’. Try to make a list of how two combat systems are identical and you’ll always end up with a big wad of differences, does that mean every combat system is innovative? I think the key question is (considering the above) what exactly is so innovative about this combat system? A different angle; not what are they doing that’s exactly the same, but what are they doing that’s significantly different?

Desslock: The combination of features: real-time/stats-based (as opposed to twitch-based) combat which can be stopped in order to initiate targeted shots using action points. Sure, at some level you can point to aspects that you feel are derived from other games, but the overall package is not just “different”, it feels original.

Anyway, I think this argument is distracting from the more substantive issues of (a) whether this combat system actually works well in practice, and I think we both agree that we have reservations/questions that need to be addressed as more details are revealed by Bethesda; and (b) whether it feels like Fallout 1/2, and I think we both agree that it’s definitely different, so fans hoping for something closer to the turn-based combat of the original games are likely disappointed, while gamers who thought it would be just like Oblivion’s combat are probably pleased that it’s something different – it’s an original, hybrid combat system, which I think looks promising, although I have reservations.

Hell, Bethesda could unveil the melee combat and it’ll have “super-smash; spinning lightning attacks”, in which case I’ll agree with your “supermoves” description, and be disappointed by Bethesda’s design decision. But for now, I’m cautiously optimistic about the combat system.

Brother None: Is my description 100% accurate? Probably not, but I made a clear judgment call, and I feel it’s at least as fair as calling it “innovative”.

Again, there was never a game that featured exactly the same combat as its predecessors. Every combat system is different in some way, and it’s odd to put down arbitrary lines at which something is “innovative” or not.

However, when I remember what I saw play out, and when I then look at this Mass Effect combat video, they’re functionally the same. You can argue that the details are different, but the difference between the two is the interface and the replacement of biotic attacks with aimed shots. The biotics are stat-based, not twitch-based, and depend on the amount of energy you have for it, i.e. action points. That’s functionally identical, right there.

I’ll gladly accept the fact that you can differentiate Mass Effect and Fallout 3’s RTwP from Infinity Engine’s RTwP because the underlying mechanics are different, but that doesn’t go for differentiating Mass Effect from Fallout 3.

I’m not going to accept that anything that isn’t done before is innovative per definition. Innovation should be more meaningful than that (even if it is currently as useless as meaningless terms like “next-gen”), it shouldn’t just be taking RTwP and including Fallout’s aiming system.