Fallin immersion

            Bethesda Softworks purchased the Fallout franchise from Interplay and immediately began working on a new Fallout game.  Interplay had begun a Fallout 3 under the name Van Buren and was in a tech demo stage when Interplay was forced to cancel the game as they ceased production temporarily and reshaped the company.  Bethesda, instead of using the original idea for Fallout 3, went with a more Elder Scrolls feel making it a first person RPG and revolving around immersion and choices having consequences.  In some ways this did not live up to my expectations, and in others it exceeded it.  I learned about the Karma in Fallout 3 as well as the reputations in the older Interplay-built Fallout games, but it was not added until Fallout: New Vegas.  I've played both 3 and New Vegas and can honestly say, I love the "Capital Wasteland" of Washington D.C. which I have spent many an hour in, but the "Mojave Wastland" otherwise known as the Mojave Desert, as not much has changed since the Great War held far more excitement.  With a FPSRPG, excitement is the delight of the day, it is what triggers the immersion initially, if you go into a game bored, you won't last long and not care as much about it in the short term.  Now to my point, Fallout 3 started with a tutorial that was played as though stages of your life in the Vault, but New Vegas begins with you being shot in the head and buried in the desert....which will grasp you better reader?

           I mentioned the original Fallout games by Interplay, because they too are immersive, but the thing is, they are a point and click adventure as opposed to the FPS that was used in Fallout by Bethesda.  This is a great example to talk about immersion with because of so many different forms addressed with these games under two styles, FPS and point and click.  This series has evolved in so many ways since the first PC game, Fallout: a post-apocalyptic RPG from Interplay up to the FPS console and PC based Fallout: New Vegas, that has added, more to the customizing of the game, with weapon mods, specialty ammo, and the all important seller to me, the Hardcore mode, where you must feed your character, give them water and sleep.  Now, Hardcore can be turned off but you lose a lot, it feels like they are really wanting this to be your own second life to escape too from stress or other things to put them on the back burner and relax some.  This option is something I have wanted for a long time, because this is taking the next step in innovation in RPGs.  This is making it as though your in-game player now has a life and you have to do more than fight to keep him/her alive in the world, gonna move on because I feel like I'm rambling.

           With the changes made up to New Vegas this great series is an example of how gameplay is using the technology available to give you a true experience that will stick with you better, problem with Fallout: New Vegas is the lack of depth in story.  If the game took a story similar to what was seen in Fallout 2 and Fallout 3 then you can only imagine the difference, more weapons, armor, ammo, and more areas.  I noticed that despite New Vegas going for better missions than the ever-common, "go here, kill them"; it adds more detective, one mission comes to mind about a canibal group at the Ultra-Luxe casino and a missing young man, plus more options for completion, help the young man, kill the young man, kill his father, join the Ultra-Luxe and keep it a secret, or kill all the White Glove Society.  If Bethesda will mix the elements from Fallout 1- New Vegas I guarantee Fallout 4 will become one of my favorite games of all time, right up there with 3, which was beaten by New Vegas, due to Hardcore mode.

Thanks for reading, it got a bit wordy, but I think it was ok and kind of enjoyable.  I began the idea of a Mass Effect but think now isn't the best time, probably a little further on unless its something someone really wants, otherwise its being put on hold to try and find one as good as my last one on "Genreblending"  I reread it and loved it, did a great job and am very proud of it and want to do more like it.  =^_^=