Story rantings, sorry

[BadReplicant]

I just had to express my disappiontment with this story and dialogue. As much as I'd like to compliment the developers, it seems like a lot of RPG lovers are in agreement that they dropped the ball on this one. Right from the start of the game I am disjointed by having to play as a father/mother looking for a baby. That's my purpose. Look for your father in FO3, son in FO4. That is the cheapest storytelling motivation you can find(generic 80's action movie 'murdered father/wife/uncle' not withstanding). I tried to get over it but the game doesn't let you. It gives you one other plot point, a mysterious institute of cyborgs. Okay that's not really what I wanted either, but I'll put up with it and get into the faction quests.

 

Then I reallize the factions Railroad/BoS/Minutemen/Institute aren't well written either. Not only that but they are all tied into you're terrible plot line and the Synths are the most important thing in the game. The whole "what makes us human?" thing is pretty old at this point to be used as the entire stories subtext. It'd have to be done really well. I personally don't feel like it is.

 

The voice acting and dialogue kills me. The actor delivers his lines well but the voice takes me out of the game every time i hear it. The tone of his voice just doesn't match the plot at all, it would be almost impossible to do this anyway. Not to mention the dialogue options are for the most part bland, and the prompts are unclear and confusing.

 

Well, i feel like I'm ranting now, but i'm still playing this game and finding those redeeming bits, like the USS Constitution mission and Nick Valentine's awesome character design/story. Hell, I'd rather play the game as him. I'm not a modder but if there's a remove main storyline mod, I feel like it'd be an improvement. Realistically a silent vault dweller mod would be great as well.

 

Thanks if anyone actually reads this.

[Raycheetah]

I read it.

 

Many folks have commented on the "primary" character motivation of searching for your "son." It's a bit of a cheap hook, which is why Bethesda went for it. Unfortunately, it isn't very compatible with open-world exploration and settlement building. The best rationale I can think of is that (especially given the dearth of SPECIAL points you start with) your character needs time to recover from freezer burn, and adventuring is the way to achieve that recovery, to rebuild their strengths before pursuing Shaun's kidnappers.

 

The voiced protagonist (and the whole main quest premise) negates any possibility of playing a low-Intelligence character, which is an unfortunte sacrifice. In fact, it pretty much negates the sense of creating your own character which we got in FO3 and NV. One of the things I didn't like about the Witcher is that you play Geralt of Rivia, rather than a character of your own imagining. Yes, that allows the writers to create a more focused story, but it doesn't feel right in a FO game.

 

Still FO4 is well-developed, with plenty of potential when expanded by DLC. Modders have already addressed the dialogue options issue, and, with enough time, might even work out some of the actual dialogue (minus the voice, or by manipulating the extensive voice files). Hopefully, that will mitigate some of the issues (and perhaps someone will also go through an correct the many typos, mispellings, and grammatical errors in the game text). =^[.]^=

[TeamBacon]

Everyone is a critic these days...

 

Too bad less the 1% of the critics actually have the guts to go out and make something better... The world of storytelling in a medium such as a videogame is a very different place once you get out of your armchair and actually start writing it yourself.

[Boombro]

Everyone is a critic these days...

 

Too bad less the 1% of the critics actually have the guts to go out and make something better... The world of storytelling in a medium such as a videogame is a very different place once you get out of your armchair and actually start writing it yourself.

Okay, here is one from who does write as a hobby, did try quest writing and I know a bit of the CK. I played fo3, Skyrim and oblivion and many other RPG and story based games and I read tons of novels and comics. Been gaming since I was 11, now I'm 20 years old.

 

Fo4 questing and writing is bad and the worst Beth ever done. I can easily take any quest and write it better, longer and more branching, that how bad the 90% of quests are. I had fun while questing in the older titles with better, smoother RP, I felt something with the quest npcs. I didn't most of the time while playing fo4, I find the options limiting, the quests short and few, the dialogue lacks heart and soul and my perks and special where useless outside combat. The good quests are few, short and leaves you wanting. Like the human error, vault 81 and many others. The quests are also very few.

 

You happy?

 

And no, everyone has the write to say something is good or bad even they don't have the skills to make it better. That argument is dump.

Edited December 8, 2015 by Boombro

[charwo]

I happen to disagree on the storytelling: while Fallout 4 isn't Charles Dickens, it IS the best writing I've ever seen out of Bethesda. That's saying practically nothing. With Fallout 4 complete until mods, I'm actually going to play Dragon Age Origins just to see if I hate fantasy games or I just hate Elder Scrolls.

But you're right with the protagonist: outside of a few lines there is no pathos whatsoever. They tried to steer between making anyone you want while still having a motivation and they compromised badly, because that's not something you compromise on. I LIKED a more defined character, but realistically that character should be a sobbing mess for a month after the Concord Mission, especially as a female who is killing people for the first time., The character adapts WAY too well to the Wasteland. If this were New Vegas, it would make sense. If Boston was a heavily preserved place socially, it would make sense. If they got combat training and survival skills uploaded into their brains while frozen like in Demolition Man, this would make sense.

For what it'

s worth, the fanfic I'm making up in my head to justify this my Lone Wander character has come to Boston to beat the BOS to the Institute and try and prevent the bloodbath Maxon wants.Also, winter is approaching HARD with a REALLY REALLY cold fall. By the time spring rolls around and the Sole Survivor can move about safely, a lot of the panic is gone, replaced by sardonic bitterness.

[Boombro]

 

But you're right with the protagonist: outside of a few lines there is no pathos whatsoever. They tried to steer between making anyone you want while still having a motivation and they compromised badly, because that's not something you compromise on. I LIKED a more defined character, but realistically that character should be a sobbing mess for a month after the Concord Mission, especially as a female who is killing people for the first time., The character adapts WAY too well to the Wasteland. If this were New Vegas, it would make sense. If Boston was a heavily preserved place socially, it would make sense. If they got combat training and survival skills uploaded into their brains while frozen like in Demolition Man, this would make sense.

That what I meant. I would be shocked, scared maybe even mad if I was in the world of fallout. You have just went head to head with a big dinosaur that pins you to the ground and throws you like a doll, people shot at you and screamed at you to die, I just killed about 20 people and I'm not even moved by any of that like in vault of 111.

Edited December 8, 2015 by Boombro

[TeamBacon]

 

Okay, here is one from who does write as a hobby, did try quest writing and I know a bit of the CK. I played fo3, Skyrim and oblivion and many other RPG and story based games and I read tons of novels and comics. Been gaming since I was 11, now I'm 20 years old.

 

 

Then go do it.

[Boombro]

Write quests? I have done so. It not really that hard to carter to needs of RP. Hard to format to be neat looking in draft though since there will be a lot of options.

 

Mod dialogue? Did that too, It easy to make lines and comments based on player perks, states, gear and other.

Edited December 8, 2015 by Boombro

[BadReplicant]

Thanks for the replies. I can agree with most of what is said. Btw, I still like the game in a lot of ways. The problem is that aside from exploration, it doesn't feel like it stands out. Settlements, graphics, battles, weapons and armor, crafting. It's great that they tried to do so much but without the RP/story/setting immersion it feels bland. The voice might be what does it for me. My character is just unaffected by his own backstory and the wasteland. I mean what's the point of having a cryogenically frozen character if it's all the same to him.

 

I personally think the mods/DLC are gonna save this one. I almost want to learn modding myself.

 

I still support Bethesda, but they are probably planning to do a voiced protagonist from now on.

[Boombro]

 

still support Bethesda, but they are probably planning to do a voiced protagonist from now on.

What makes you say that?

Anyone hardly said anything good about it, it made people angry.

 

 

I personally think the mods/DLC are gonna save this one. I almost want to learn modding myself.

Better Start modding with Skyrim now then, don't worry, quest modding is easy.