My Fallout 3 Review

When I say “mine,” I mean this is how I feel about FO3 after completing over 90% of the game. It took me this long because I first went out and leveled to 20 before watching the twisty story parts. When I finished the game, I hadn’t gone to the Capital Building yet (which was a shame, because when I reloaded and went there, there was a huge freaking 3 way fight between the Enclave, the Talon Mercs and the Super Muties).

So let’s get the score out of the way first:

8.5 out of 10

Lots of people have been giving it higher scores. For reasons I can understand, they having never played the Fallout games and having never played something open-ended like Oblivion before. I bought Fallout on day one and played it non-stop for two whole weeks. Those two things factor into my rating (quite highly I might add):

1. Fallout Continuity: If I had one LOLcat picture for my feelings, it would be “SO CLOSE YET SO FAR!” It’s not 100%, but it’s not less than 70%. There was a lot of Fallout in Fallout 3, but there was an equal amount of Fallout not in Fallout 3. It’s a sequel following in the footsteps of movie sequels – it could have had more. Subtract a few points.
2. Open-Ended RPG: Okay, Fallout 3 has this in spades. I spent most of my time wandering around avoiding the main quest just so I could try to see everything. And while some of it doesn’t make sense, I have to say this – it’s fiction. Not awesome fiction, granted, but I expect fiction not to be so true to life that I get bored of it. But I felt like I was really there. I could smell the wasteland. Add a few points.

And now, the best moments of Fallout 3 (highlight to read, cuz I don’t want to spoiler it for you):

• The random Vaults scattered in the Wasteland. Vault 112 was really interesting. The Gary Vault was highly amusing (“Gaaarrry … oh, hello, Gary!”), the sound Vault was weird, and the hallucinagen gas Vault was odd. But they all made the game that much better!
• The fight inside the Capital. I left my Fatboy at home so I had to chip away at the Behemoth while avoiding fire from his buddy up on the scaffolding. It eclipsed the battle for the GNR building by a mile.
  
• The Chinese infiltrators. They have a whole freaking food plant full of ghouls! And a hidden bunker. And a radio station somewhere.
• Deathclaws. Fucking Deathclaws and their silent gait as they close in behind you (turning around, seeing one jumping on me and going, “HOLY SHIT! VATS! VATS!”)
• SatCom stations. I got a woozy feeling being way up in the air while standing in the dish. One even lets you drop nukes on the surrounding countryside from a satellite. A dead Yaoi Gui hit the wall next to me and my Super Mutie escort from Vault 87.
• President EDEN. If you don’t get the reference (about the ZAX AIs and the name EDEN), then you never played Fallout 1 and 2. Because it is a direct kickback to giant talking holographic head).
• How nothing stays completely scripted. One save, I go to the Dairy, and the Raiders are comfortably waiting for me. The next save, I drop into the Dairy, and it’s a six way fight between Super Mutie Brutes, four Yoai Gui, some radscorps, the raiders and a Protectron.  Winner: The Yoai Gui, but then I quickly turned the last one into goo with my plasma rifle.
• And finally, Arlington Cemetary. It was sad to see it falling apart and empty. No guards, no flame, no tourists. Well, except me. Who stood on the hill and sighed.

Bad things (nigglings) that I hated about Fallout 3 (and NMA can suck my ass if they just quote this bit):

• Fucking glitches that send dead bodies/robots flying when I come into draw distance. That glitch tossed the robots out of Big Town, so I never did finish that quest (I chose to fix the robots – I’m an idiot).
• The drab indoors. It’s endless wandering in circles wondering if I missed a fucking bobblehead or key (so many fucking locked doors I can’t get past that ‘require a key.’). I can’t do whatever it is I wanted to do in the Fort up north because I don’t have a GOD DAMN KEY!
• The confusing subway system. It took me a few hours to get to the GNR building. It should not take me 2 hours to navigate a maze of subway tunnels.
  
• The dialogue is HORRIBLE. There’s some good moments, but they are rare. The voices all sound the same, and I think the only explanation is that they wanted the dialogue so cheesy that I got constipated. Good God.
• Little Lamplight … I sorta liked it, but little kids running around spouting fuck and shit is not as humorous as it should have been. I seriously wanted to kill the little shit that they made mayor because he swore at me and called me names. >_<
• Music score. Turned it off. Turned on the radio. Once you get GNR all over the wasteland, there’s no reason to change the station. The Enclave station is nice for about … an hour, then I gotta stop because repeated 18th century drum and flute will drive me fucking bonkers. Threedog … Awwwwooooo!

And that’s about it. I didn’t have my hopes up like some did, and I wasn’t as depressing skeptical as the No Mutants Allowed fuckwits were. And they are still fuckwits about the entire thing, as well. Dur dur, I’m Brother Noone, I fucking hate anything that isn’t Fallout 1! Waaaah, where’s Interplay??? Get over yourself and go do something constructive instead of running a message board driven on obsession over a 10 year old game.

The only reason it also didn’t get higher than 8.5 is because the main story was really short and the ending was mostly anti-climatic. Yay, we win, but I don’t win no matter what I do. War never changes. Apparently, neither does the plot (I felt it was pretty crappy in the original, too – yay, fuck me for helping you fucktwats).

I’m out until next week. Have a good Thanksgiving.

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Turkey Recess

Wheee. I only work one night this week. It will be nice to have more than two days off in a row this year. I still have 56 hours to use before the New Year. Say hello to Christmas vacation. lolz. So Happy Thanksgiving.

Obama didn’t waste any time getting his teams together. First his staff, then his Cabinet, and now his economic people. He’s also asked Gates to stay on as Secretary of Defense, and invited most of the Pentagon heads to stick around. And it looks like they will, because they’re feeling optimistic. Any chance to influence Obama not to draw the military down to stupidily low levels.

A gunman in an Iraqi uniform shot and killed 2 US soldiers giving out humanitarian aid in Mosul. This is slowly becoming a bigger problem with each month. Mosul’s always been pretty problematic itself. Now we have alleged Iraqi soldiers killing their American allies.

The UK is working to put tasers in the hands of their front line police officers (they call them firearms officers). However, the MET in London is boycotting the move, saying that using tasers will make their already tenuous reputation even worse. (Hattip Sam and JLP)

And finally, a watchdog group said the ESRB and video games developers are doing significantly better to keep games with strong content out of the hands of children. Of course, they also reported that the parents are being just as stupid as ever, since they don’t seem to be paying attention to the revised ratings or their kids playing these games. Sorry, Timmy – Fallout 3 is not a game for kids under the age of 16. Seriously. Every other word coming out of the NPCs’ mouths in this game is either fuck or shit. Even the kids in the Little Lamplight are extremely vulgar.

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On-Course Discourse

Skype Conversation w/ Gabe and Tycho (while on IRC with #battleforum):

McClaud: God I’m beginning to love Fridays. I can go home right now!
Gabe: it’s like … i’ve never had to really do anything about it, but i want to. you know?
Tycho: It’s apparent that you lack – how do they say it – le balls?
Gabe: fuck you
McClaud: I just said this over on the #battleforum:
McClaud: “It’s like I’ve been licking the corporate Tootsie Pop for 10 years and now I’ve reached the carmel Friday center and can ENJOY it for once.”
McClaud: And suddenly, I came to the realization that I’m channeling Tycho.
Tycho: Oh shit, don’t do that. You’ll lose friends and piss off acquaitances.
Gabe: you tapped your brahe lore skill
McClaud: While I chuckled, I’m thinking what you just said would have been funnier if I play WoW.
Gabe: its not WOW its 4e d&d
McClaud: Which would explain why it’s still not as funny as it could be.
Tycho: Trust me – he’s never as funny as he could be.
Gabe: this is becoming a nasty habit, but i must once again say
Gabe: in all caps
Gabe: FUCK YOU
Tycho: Ah, so poetic and so lucid, these two amble words of solidarity.

And so I go home.

But before I do so, I’d like to mention that next week, I’m only here Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, so there will be only ONE entry next week on Tuesday night.

I figure, since the news has been so fucking repetitive lately, no big loss.

Have a great weekend.

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Short Entry Tonight

Two points:

• American automakers are getting what they deserved. The fact that they blame the problem on the unions when it’s their fucked up business decisions and bad choices at the executive level just goes to show you they don’t live in reality like a lot of other people *cough*Bush*cough*. The only problem is if they die, so do thousands of blue collar jobs.
• Opinion of the Republican party is at an all-time low. When only 34% still like the present GOP, it’s time to fix the problem. Or disband the party. Whatever they decide, it’s going to take a lot to bring someone like me back into the fold.

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Obama is Not Exempt

Even Obama is the enemy of terrorist groups such as Al-Q. He is a threat to their power, since he represents hope to Middle East lower classes. I suspected that a change to the American image in the Administration would throw a kink in the way power plays out over there. It’s hard to portray the West as a devil when someone who understands your culture is in power.

There was a “scuffle” over the US security deal in the Iraqi parliament. Amusing as that is, it’s just re-enforcement of what I said earlier – there’s no way this deal is going to be 100% supported by the Iraqi government to meet the Dec. 31 deadline.

The US military continues to make surprise missile attacks in Pakistan. On one hand, it’s hard to warn anyone what we’re doing without alerting the militants. On the other, it’s really, really bad PR for the US. The everyday citizen of Pakistan went from loving the US to hating our guts in less than 6 months.

The Dow Jones is now lower than 8000. Mostly because the Fed gave a grave assessment of our own economy and is looking at cutting interest rates again. Top that with China owning nearly $600b in US Treasuries and things do look like a recession/depression.

Even though this writer is rather harsh in her use of words towards the religious Right, she is correct in her assessment – the US is full of moderate Conservatives who believe in the separation of Church and State. When people like Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin talk about taking God’s direction for their next move in government action, it makes 70% of Americans (and 65% of Republicans) nervous and uncomfortable. It’s one thing to have faith – it’s an entirely different thing to drive with your eyes closed.

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Spirit One Christian Center in Wichita, Kansas

They have a big marquee sign saying the country’s sinning since Barack Obama – who is a Muslim! – is president. In the words of the pastor, everyone but his parish are sinning. Everyone. When confronted with the fact that Obama is a Christian and goes to a Christian church, he says that other denominations are not Christian, and that’s the point of his sign.

That’s not the funny part. The funny part is that my friend’s brother who lives in Kansas City said that in 2005, lightning struck the center, blowing out all the windows and destroying the electrical system in the building. The pastor made it a point to say, “This was not God – we have not sinned, and God is happy with us. These things just happen.”

I LOL’ed. Everything’s an act of God, until something bad happens to you. And then it’s everyone else’s fault.

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Ted Stevens Loses to a Series of Tubes

And that’s that. Ted Stevens lost his Senate seat to his opponent in Alaska. So the Republican party doesn’t have to argue over whether he should stay or go. Adios, Mr. Internets.

The Iraqi parliament is presently debating the US security deal. Of course, the Prime Minister is trying to rally support around ratifying it before December 31st, but it looks like they aren’t going to make it. Over half the representatives want the US out ASAP.

There was another car bomb in Iraq on Sunday.

Well, things are looking up for Obama. He’s got General Mullen and the military on his side, and with McCain working for middle ground in the Senate, it appears that there may be some. Now, if he just keeps Gates on as SecDef, and makes a wise choice about Secretary of State, things will be less stressful in January.

I never thought that idiots in California would fall prey to the stupidity of e-mail spam rumors. But then again, this is the desperate Conservatives we’re talking about.

The UK is looking at making prostitution illegal for the entire kingdom. Man, them Brits really crack me up sometimes. It is illegal in most places in the US, and it’s still one of the top 10 money-making jobs.

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Despite Their Campaigns

Obama and McCain are meeting and working together to find middle ground so they can effectively do something in the next four years. Obama’s also meeting with Hagel and Nelson later, and I already know what’s on Ben Nelson’s talking points – don’t be stupid with gun control and don’t support free abortions. It’s a good, optimistic start. Don’t (you the reader) listen to the detractors who have nothing better to do than try to make you worry yourself to death. Whatever happened to the patriotic spirit of not giving up until we’re dead?

Couple of things to note on the economic side:

- If you didn’t get a stimulus check because you made too much money the previous year, you may still get it in 2008. Check it out.
- The risk of foreclosure and how it may be more beneficial for the bank to let you keep your house than take it away.

The Taliban is at it again – killing mullahs who speak out against violence. We know these people are the enemy, and so does everyone else. Yet, Pakistan doesn’t seem to care at all. Awesome ally we have there.

I’m not sure how long Blackwater is going to be around. It’s like one legal issue after another. Lawsuits and fines are lining up around the block to give the private firm a black eye and take their lunch money. Granted, their fault for not being overly cautious in the field, but JFC.

And heeeeeereeee we go in Nebraska with the rewrite of the Safe Haven law. It’s going to be one helluva ride.

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I’d Like to Remind Democrats and Republicans Alike

That belonging to your political party is not the automatic game of saying the exact opposite thing the other party said.

Somehow, the fringe groups are taking over. The ultra Conservatives think they are the traditional Republican party, and the extreme Liberals think they are the traditional Democratic party. When in reality, the majority of people fall closer to the middle, more moderate belief.

When I was growing up in the 70′s and 80′s, I remember the two parties being mostly separated by a few fundamental ideals but mostly agreeing on various important issues. Like diplomacy, education and American principles. Neither party was at war with each other, and we survived by not trying to distance ourselves with extremes. Older Republicans definitely did not lower themselves to calling a Democrat a Marxist. Sure, you tried to disavow his/her campaign through spin and using facts. We were also better and more optimistic losers.

I see none of that in the vocal minorities trying to take over the parties. I see fascism* on both sides starting to take root. “YOU EITHER BELIEVE IN THE MORAL SUPERIORITY / LIBERAL IDEAS OF MY PARTY OR YOU ARE NOT IN MY PARTY.” Well, fuck you. You want to know why your party is in danger of continuously losing elections? It’s because you are the minority trying to force yourself on the majority while calling yourself a Democrat or Republican. Face it – you are a minority.

Ron Paulites and contemporary Federalists – you are a minority. Huckabeetards, God Squad-ers and Neo/Utlra Conservatives – you are a minority. And your minority parties are never going to be successful trying to lead the moderate Republicans of my time. Good luck trying, though, since you’ll end up dying of a stroke from all the stress you’ll cause yourself.

NOTE: When I say moderate, I’m not talking about your new definition of moderate politics with this neutral, libertarian bullshit meaning. I’m talking about people who hold some beliefs that are on the Left and some that are on the Right, and don’t necessarily agree with every little thing the party says. For example, a Democrat who is pro-life and would never, ever vote on a ballot themselves to make all willy-nilly abortions legal and might vote on a Republican who holds true to that. Or a Republican who is not against the gay lifestyle or against lowering the cost of healthcare through some sort of incentative program on the state side should a Democrat not be retarded about it. Or one of those Libertarians who believes in the free market and the power of the GNP and world market setting our standardized monetary system (instead of some gold standard scheme which stopped working 30 years ago and wouldn’t work today).

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* Or Communism, since the far extreme of Liberalism is a Communist form of socialism. The far Right version of Conservatism is to eliminate all opposing viewpoints, so fascism still stands. Ding-dong roofus who believes in a 28th Amendment to strip the power of the Fed and hand it unabashedly to the states wouldn’t understand it if it hit him squarely in the head, I think.

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