Peter Hines chats about Fallout 3

Apocalyptic new interview

Fallout 3 is out this autumn, and is already looking more than a bit good, hence our glee in sitting down to grill producer Peter Hines...

Hello there, thank you for talk with us. Bethesda has an illustrious pedigree. Why are you opting to buy-in an 'IP'?

Well, what we really wanted to do was make another Fallout game. And the best way to do that, and make sure you control your own destiny, was just to go buy the whole thing. So that's what we did. But from the beginning our goal has always been to make another Fallout game.

Is the timing right for a new Fallout game? Do you worry that the gaming world has moved on?

I think the gaming world is into big, sandbox games where you can go where you want and do what you want. When done right, there's a big audience for that type of experience. We certainly saw that with Oblivion. I think the potential for a game like Fallout 3 might be even bigger because it appeals to an even wider audience in terms of the setting, and having guns and explosives instead of swords and magic, and so on. Based on the level of interest we've had in the game to date, it doesn't appear the gaming world has moved on.

Reading feedback on our last Fallout 3 preview, fans seem concerned that the story will take a hit with this new RPG. What would you say to convince them that this isn't the case?

I don't know if anything I'm going to say is going to convince them of that. The story and characters and dialog and quests of the original Fallout games are a big part of what made them so memorable. We're fully aware of that and have spent years working on that aspect of the game to make it as good as possible. I imagine that if you need convincing then you probably won't be until the game comes out and enough people tell you that the story is really good, or you try it for yourself and decide.

Will the series' trademark dark humour survive the transition over from Interplay?

Absolutely. Another key element to the series. It wouldn't be Fallout without dark humour to offset the bleak reality that is life in a post-nuclear wasteland.

What have you learned from Oblivion and how important a release was this, in relation to Fallout 3?

Every game we make always helps us learn how to make these types of games better. There are lots of things we're doing differently in terms of quests and gameplay balance based on our experiences with Oblivion, but also realize that Fallout 3 is a different game in terms of scope. There are fewer people living in this post-nuclear world, and so that change alone makes it a lot easier to give everything more depth and meaning that when you make a game like Oblivion that has so many more characters living in this one place, and all these big, thriving cities to account for.

Another one based on community feedback. Why a first-person perspective? Is this game going to be a first-person action title, first and foremost?

We simply felt that first-person was the best way to totally immerse the player in the world of Fallout. Not looking down on it from above, but getting you right in there where everything is big and real and in your face.

Fallout 3 is true to the Fallout series; it's an RPG. That doesn't mean that we don't spend a lot of time on the combat and making it as fun and as good as possible. Most people spend a lot of time in RPGs exploring around and killing things. We want to make that as much fun as it can be. But just because that's important to us doesn't mean that's all there is to the game.

What can you tell us about the game's script, and the crucial role famous actors like Liam Neeson have played?

All we can tell you about the main quest is that when you're 19, you wake up one morning, and your father has left you and left the Vault you've lived in all your life. In 200 years, nobody has ever left that Vault. So you end up escaping as well and heading out into the wasteland to find your dad and what he's up to. Liam Neeson plays the role of your father and, as a result, is a big part of what the main quest is about.

How vast is the world of Fallout 3, and how hugely will our experiences change based on decisions made along the way?

It's a very big world to explore. There's lots of things to see and do along the way, but it will take you quite a while to explore the whole map (if that's what you're setting out to do). Your experiences do change based on the kind of character you want to play, the way you talk to people, and your own actions. If you want to be violent and feared, you can be. If you want to be helpful and kind, you can be. If you want to be neutral and just look out for yourself and not really help or hurt anyone, you can do that as well. The game changes based on the choices you make.

Do Bethesda own the Fallout 'IP' in its entirety? We hear noises of an MMO from Interplay.

We own Fallout. Period. We have licensed rights to Interplay, under certain conditions, to develop an MMO. But we still own the Fallout IP in its entirety.

Does number three have a conclusive ending?

Yes, it does.

What kind of DLC do you have in mind for the game? We're assuming something more concrete than a new sword or a shinier costume is on the cards?

We aren't looking at DLC at all right now. Our content folks are still focused on making the game. We'll have plenty of time to think about doing DLC later.

Are there any differences between the formats?

Other than some tweaks for interface, it is the same game on all platforms.

Do you think the PC is suffering as a cutting-edge gaming platform, beyond its MMO power-base?

In general I think PC gaming still suffers from the fact that it is one platform, and 10,000 platforms, at the same time. The fact that you could get 100 gamers together and every single one has a different PC config, whether it's the hardware they have, or the drivers they have installed for that hardware, is still a problem from a development standpoint and one that has never, really, been solved.

Dogmeat. Will our relationship with this canine companion help emotionally engage the player? Peter Molyneux's said he's using a dog in Fable 2 to help foster emotions in players.

I think that would depend on the player. If you don't want a dog, don't let him come with you. He's a memorable "figure" from the previous games and we felt that in doing Fallout 3 we really needed to have a dog, called Dogmeat, who would go along with you. How attached you get to him is really up to you, as is everything else in the game.

Thanks for your time!

By Luke Guttridge