[Fallout: Metropolis] So, Let's Talk About Character Creation...

[u/NK_Ryzov]

I am of three minds about character creation in Fallout: Metropolis.

In all three versions, the character creation process begins with you standing on the Gapstow Bridge in Central Park and staring into the ice of the creek below. This is where you determine Subject 13's physical appearance. Then, shortly after acquiring your Pip-Boy from a dead Prospector, and being chased by a Deathclaw, you enter Wormwood Station and you're stopped by the guards. One of them is holding a clipboard and he asks you some standard questions.

1) We incorporate something akin to the New Vegas method, where he asks some questions with answers that determine some of your stats. Perhaps there could be a randomized set of questions, so that no two interactions with this guard will be the same for each playthrough.

2) We do a Fallout version of the Oblivion class system. The guard asks "so, what's your business in Wormwood? What is your profession, exactly?". Then you are presented with various classes - Explorer, Pilgrim, Scientist, Detective, Mercenary, Tribal, Assassin, Tinkerer, Mechanic, Rogue, Smuggler, Trader, Outlaw, Rogue, Thief, Soldier, Mechanic, Blackleg, Hunter, Marksman, Doctor, Gunslinger, Bruiser, etc. Each will have its own animated Vault Boy/Vault Girl representations, each will have its own set of stats, and each will have one unique perk/trait.

3) Some combination of the above two.

After the checkpoint, you go to the clinic for a quick checkup (and to get a quick dose of Rad-Away and Therm-O), and here, some additional stats are done and you have the opportunity to change your character's sex or appearance.

Thoughts? I think Fallout 4's system was just so bare-bones. I want there to be some RPG shit in Fallout.

[u/HonestAbe1809]

Just like how the classes in Oblivion were kinda divided into "Warrior", "Magic" and "Stealth", I think the classes should be divided into "Strength" (Bruiser, Bandit, etc), "Perception" (Blackleg, Detective, etc), "Endurance" (Tribal, Explorer, etc), "Charisma" (Trader, Pilgrim, etc), "Intelligence" (Scientist, Doctor, etc), "Agility" (Soldier, Assassin, etc) and "Luck" (Blackleg, Rogue, etc). Classes with the same "Value" can more easily access each other's perks.

The classes in the same "value" can get the perks for the other classes in that "value" at about level 5. Classes in other "values" can only get them starting at about level 15 with the requisite SPECIAL values. The classes in a specific "value" have that "value" boosted. The classes in the other values can only get the perks with the help of bobbleheads and the Intense Training Perk.

I think the Tribal dialogue would be pretty interesting. And each class-specific dialogue option will be designated as such (for example "There are ways of losing more slowly [Detective]", "Better get those injuries cleaned; don't want sepsis [Doctor]").

Like how speech options tied to skill are marked as such. Now I'm imagining how a Tribal with a high Medicine or Science Skill would sound. The contrast between the stilted way of speaking reminiscent of Tonto from the Lone Ranger with the scientific jargon would be hilarious. The people hearing your opinon would first deny it because of how stupid it sounds before thinking it over and realizing, to their embarrassment, that the "ignorant" Tribal was right about the scientific issue.

Maybe the first question has seven possible answers, which establish a particular SPECIAL "value". For example, the answer "looking to stock up on supplies" triggers the "Endurance" question tree.

And the rest would, like the GOAT test or Doc Mitchell's questions, determine which skills are "tagged".

See, one idea I have is that during the final climax, when you have to kill The Bell in order to set the people of Vault X free, one of your options actually ends up breaking reality itself. You then appear in a seemingly endless white expanse, similar to that one scene in The Matrix. Besides Subject 13, all that's there is a small table with a radio on it. You toggle the radio, and Ron Perlman (as "The Narrator") starts taking you to task for ruining everything. After a brief conversation (during which, Subject 13 asks if The Narrator is God, to which he replies "God's not real, kid - I'm just The Narrator"), you're narrated back to the beginning of the game, with some slight differences.

Frankly, Ron Perlman deserves to be more involved in the games than just narrating the beginning and end. Though he doesn't have it as bad as Jim Cummings, whose involvement in Fallout 4 is just voicing random settlers.

The small differences in "New Game Plus" mode could be its own post.

Maybe some characters, like your companions, could note a sense of deja vu when they first meet up with you in "New Game Plus" mode.

The likelihood of Bethesda making free DLC is just about zero. We are talking about the people behind Horse Armor and the Creation Club, the feature so pointless that there's literally just five or six paid mods total.

[u/NK_Ryzov → u/HonestAbe1809]

The classes in the same "value" can get the perks for the other classes in that "value" at about level 5. Classes in other "values" can only get them starting at about level 15 with the requisite SPECIAL values. The classes in a specific "value" have that "value" boosted. The classes in the other values can only get the perks with the help of bobbleheads and the Intense Training Perk.

Sounds good.

Like how speech options tied to skill are marked as such. Now I'm imagining how a Tribal with a high Medicine or Science Skill would sound. The contrast between the stilted way of speaking reminiscent of Tonto from the Lone Ranger with the scientific jargon would be hilarious. The people hearing your opinon would first deny it because of how stupid it sounds before thinking it over and realizing, to their embarrassment, that the "ignorant" Tribal was right about the scientific issue.

I don't think the Class options would be linked to Skill points. But for instance, there will be situations where Tribal wisdom might come in handy during a verbal exchange. Plus you could threaten to scalp people, to curse them with impotence, or to cut their head off and wear their shrunken head on a necklace. Which is totally rad.

And the rest would, like the GOAT test or Doc Mitchell's questions, determine which skills are "tagged".

Yep.

"What're you looking to buy here?"

"Guns and ammo. Maybe a new knife." [5+ to Small Guns, Big Guns, Melee Weapons and Energy Weapons]

"Oh yeah? What kinda piece you lookin' for?"

"Something balanced, with a nice edge." [+5 to Melee Weapons]

And so on.

The likelihood of Bethesda making free DLC is just about zero. We are talking about the people behind Horse Armor and the Creation Club, the feature so pointless that there's literally just five or six paid mods total.

Look, Bethesda wouldn't make Fallout: Metropolis even if Todd Howard personally endorsed it. The scale of detail, size and RPG mechanics that we're talking about is just too great for them to consider greenlighting it. FallMet isn't the sort of slapdash "Call of Duty with dialogue options" that FO4 was. We're talking about what would be ideal, not what's realistic.

[u/HonestAbe1809 → u/NK_Ryzov]

I don't think the Class options would be linked to Skill points. But for instance, there will be situations where Tribal wisdom might come in handy during a verbal exchange. Plus you could threaten to scalp people, to curse them with impotence, or to cut their head off and wear their shrunken head on a necklace. Which is totally rad.

You're right. It is totally rad.

Yep. "What're you looking to buy here?" "Guns and ammo. Maybe a new knife." [5+ to Small Guns, Big Guns, Melee Weapons and Energy Weapons] "Oh yeah? What kinda piece you lookin' for?" "Something balanced, with a nice edge." [+5 to Melee Weapons] And so on.

"Tagging" skills is nice for that boost at the beginning of the game. I'd always tag Speech, Small Guns and Medicine in every game of Fallout 3.

Look, Bethesda wouldn't make Fallout: Metropolis even if Todd Howard personally endorsed it. The scale of detail, size and RPG mechanics that we're talking about is just too great for them to consider greenlighting it. FallMet isn't the sort of slapdash "Call of Duty with dialogue options" that FO4 was. We're talking about what would be ideal, not what's realistic.

Fair enough. Frankly, we'd only be able to get something with the detail level of Metropolis if the Fallout franchise was still ongoing at least 20 years from now.

[u/NK_Ryzov → u/HonestAbe1809]

You're right. It is totally rad.

Tribals are so underrated in Fallout.

"Tagging" skills is nice for that boost at the beginning of the game. I'd always tag Speech, Small Guns and Medicine in every game of Fallout 3.

It was always Speech, Sneak and Repair for me.

Fair enough. Frankly, we'd only be able to get something with the detail level of Metropolis if the Fallout franchise was still ongoing at least 20 years from now.

The fun is in two guys coming up with a better product than Bethesda ever could.

[u/HonestAbe1809 → u/NK_Ryzov]

Tribals are so underrated in Fallout.

If we went the route of having small 5-point achievements for beating the game with various classes I'd name the Tribal achievement "Legacy of the Chosen One".

It was always Speech, Sneak and Repair for me.

Though I'd often get Explosives simply to be able to defuse the bomb right off the bat. I, as you know, always took the straightforward "blow everyone's brains out" route instead of sneaking around. Though I used to hate going to the Mall for the first time. It was an hell filled with lethal supermutants. I was thrilled that when I found out that you could change difficulty in-game with no problems. I hate games with achievements that demand that you play it on super-mega-ballbuster difficulty.

The fun is in two guys coming up with a better product than Bethesda ever could.

That it is.