ThatMrSmile

Alright, after some time using the new design I've come to the conclusion that the new design is a complete rubbish. It actually made my depression worse, ahahahah!

Well, that's nice to see. :D

That's exactly what I've posted. They've been dreaming of making a Sci-fi game at least since 1997. In fact, they almost made it. http://i.giphy.com/APdR2OW6QhDNe.gif

That pretty much is my piont. They are aware of all the criticism, surrounding Fallout 4. They understand, that a proper sequel, they are capable of making, won't be as succesfull, as they want and/or need. And they really want to make something new. Enter Fallout 76 - the franchise lives, it's still on the market and continues to earn money (and there's a lot of money in this segment of the market), while Bethesda can work on something they really want to make.

I have a slightly crazy theory, regarding Fallout 4, Fallout 76, the franchise in general, and Bethesda's future among the stars. Though, to call it a theory would be a bit too much. It's more like just a thought, my personal perception of things, something worth being expressed, but by no means a statement. Agree, disagree, argue with me. Maybe, collectively we'll be able to construct a clearer picture. Buckle up kids, and don't forget your tinfoil hats! Also, if you don't know how discussions work, and you don't know, what the argumentation theory and dialectical methods are, please, don't bother posting insults, instead of counterarguments. To me personally, Fallout 4 wasn't a very good game. Honestly, I think it's tolerable at best. It has a lot of problems, that's undeniable. I even got into modding, only because I felt, that there was so much wrong with Fallout 4. By all accounts, to me, Fallout 4 is the worst entry in the franchise. Largely, because by the time of Fallout 4's release, every bit of artistism had already been squeezed out of the franchise. When I first played it, I was like "just let it die". There is not much else to add to Fallout at this point. And it's not like there is much left to tell about post-apocalypse in general, that haven't been told already. But! What if Bethesda feels the same? They are perfectly aware of all the problems Fallout 4 has, and they are perfectly aware of the state of Fallout as a franchise. They know what they WANT to do, and they sure as hell know the limits, of what they actually CAN do with Fallout. Also, Fallout wasn't their creation to begin with, so it's entirely possible, that they care about it less, than, let's say, about some other projects of their own. And, devs at Bethesda were pefectly aware of what a controversy Fallout 76 would generate. They knew, it would be rather unpopular among many players. So, what if they made Fallout 76 as an online game, just to turn it into a self-sustained money maker, flowing with the current trends, and to simply forget about it for the foreseeable future? How many times had Bethesda played with Sci-Fi themes in its games already? In many ways, Fallout 4 was more of Sci-fi game, rather then a post-apocalyptic. Hell, even TES, while being a fantasy, has a lot of sci-fi elements. During the E3 showcase, Todd said, that Starfield is their first original IP in 25 years. According to one notable letter, an abstract concept of a sci-fi RPG have existed inside Bethesda at least since 1997 (wasn't able to find the link to it, apologies). Trademark Starfield was filed in 2013, so presumably, the pre-planning on Starfield started around the time of Skyrim's release. Clearly, they have wanted to make this game for a very long time. And, since Mass Effect has commited suicide, it's good to know, that Bethesda is now actively working in this genre. Also, Fallout 4's storytelling and presentation were changed a lot, compared to previous BGS games, and it can be indicative, of what Starfield may be like. Epic, more cinematic, properly story-driven game perhaps. Honestly, it's 100% ok, that Fallout 76 is an online game. If you are mad about it, well, you shouldn't be. There is something much more important on the horizon.

I've just watched the recent Fallout 76 documentary by Noclip, and I must say, I want to play this game even less now. Most of my predictions on F76's game design priorities, and game design itself, have turned out to be true. Yes, it really is just an "entertain yourself" type of game. Most of the storytelling is environmental, so it's just bits and pieces, not even close to a cohesive story, the player may become invested into. Role playing system is reworked completely. And of course, griefing - even though Todd said, that they've been working on minimizing it, I haven't seen anything of this. More so, after this documentary, I can imagine even more possibilities for griefing. I really don't want to reiterate the same things over and over, so if you are interested, read the article under the screenshot and comments as well. Very good point! Even though mods support is promised in the future, something tells me, that F76 will be very restrictive on what you can actually mod in it. As a friend of mine said about Fallout 76: "This game has MG-42 in it, and I still don't want to even try playing it."

I've been trying to evaluate Fallout 76 solely from the consumer point of view, and I should say - this is definitely not the game I'd want to play. It has nothing I like about Fallout, RPGs and video games in general, and literally has everything I dislike. To me, Fallout 76 feels like just another survival game with some looter-shooter elements. As I see it, there will be no meaningful, emotionally rewarding quests, just "go there, kill a bunch of things, collect loot". No actual story, with actual conflict, so once again, nothing to be emotionally attached to, and therefore, nothing to be invested into. No role playing, that is based on game mechanics. Did you noticed, how Todd haven't said anything about S.P.E.C.I.A.L.? That makes me to believe, that SPECIAL is either ditched completely, or it's being reworked entirely, and the devs themselves still don't know, what it will end up being. Probably the most important for me - survivals are just boring. Playing these games solo is simply atrocious. Playing with friends is way better, and it may generate a lot of great moments, but still, it will only get you so far. Sure, there will be content updates, but they won't change the basics of "entertain yourself" gameplay. And, with that kind of gameplay, the mileage may vary, but eventually I'll reach the moment, where I'll say: "Oh, bollocks to this sh..t." And it's quite hard to add something, past the point of "bollocks to this sh..t". So, I can imagine much better ways of spending my 60$.

I'm honestly slightly stunned about F76. Always online, no singleplayer (playing solo just means doing quests and stuff on your own, it's not a singleplayer campaign) PvP, no NPCs. If I understand game design, and trust me, I really do, there's a huge chance, that the game will be just boring for its usual audience. The plot of the game will be just functional, nothing more than a basic exposition, most of the quests (if not all) will be revolving around collecting loot and claiming the land. Probably some arcade type side activities will be there as well. And no actual role playing based on game mechanics. So, basically, F76 will be just another "entertain yourself" survival game with some looter-shooter elements bolted to it. Entertain yourself gameplay can only get you so far. Even playing with friends won't help much, it will only delay the moment, when the game turns into a complete boredom-fest. And at the moment, I'm trying to understand, what Bethesda is thinking of. The marketing campaign was rubbush so far - they had a whole week before E3 to familiarize people with the game and explain what Fallout 76 actually is (like they did with FO4 and its SPECIAL videos), but instead they decided to make a big surprise reveal. And most importantly, I can't understand how they are going to sell Fallout 76. Here's the thing, I know a lot of people who love the hell out of DayZ, Destiny, PUBG, The Division and other similar games. All of them hate Bethesda and its games. So, how are they going to sell the game, that is designed for people, who violently hate Bethesda, and has literally nothing on offer for Bethesda's games fans?