GB Feature: Fallout 3 Interview

With only days left until Fallout 3 hits store shelves, we fired over a set of questions to Bethesda’s Gavin Carter in order to get some last-minute details.

GB: You’ve talked about giving players “second chances” for a lot of choices. Other than game-changers like blowing up Megaton, does this mean the player can diligently move between good/neutral/evil during the course of the game without reprecussions? Additionally, can a player leave a faction to join another without consequence, or will the player wind up being alienated by either faction?

Gavin: The player is not locked into any course of action, so a good player can commit an evil act whenever they choose, or vice versa. It is up to the player to decide how their characters would react to certain situations. Each individual good, evil, or neutral decision can carry its own rewards or consequences. These all add into your karma level, which is an overall value that can also affect people’s reactions.

There’s no Oblivion-like factions in Fallout 3 that the player can join. The player is free to take quests and tasks from anyone they choose, though many choices (blowing up Megaton for instance) can cause repercussions down the line, locking you out of certain quests or rewards, while opening ones you may not have been able to obtain otherwise.