Ghoulification

[Dheuster]

I know people have proposed this and there is even a mod that already lets you START as a ghoul. But I want something a little more seemlessly integrated and Lore friendly. Problem is, too much of the game hinges on you being shaun's parent to just have you spawn into the wasteland as a random ghoul. So here is my proposal.. Feel free to steal as I know I wont have time to impelment myself.

At the beginning, instead of your spouse hanging around, waiting for you to lead the way to the vault, they steadily make their own way (walking pace) with or without you. And the elevator takes off when they get there... with or without you. If you linger for too long, you get left behind. But you dont die either. You get a massive radiation overdose when the bomb goes off and you are turned into a ghoul. You gain a custom perk that caps your your strength and charisma at 5, but grants a luck boost of 5 and permanent radiation resistance.

Alternative start... The game starts with YOU leading a hired Kellog to the entrance of vault 111. After Kellog messes with the controls, you step on the elevator with him and begin to descend (believing your wife and child already dead, but maybe some descendants?)

Only scientists and synths teleport in and kellog knocks you unconcious. You wake up in the cryo-pod across from your wife. Game now continues as before... (mostly).

Properly implemented, this alternate start could be installed but still totally optional depending on the players actions at the beginning of the game.

A few minor dialogue checks would need to be added, but that is about it. You are still old. You still "emerged" from a vault. You still didn't know about the Cryo Pods. But racial conditions would need to be added to some of the dialogues. For example, BOS would become a non-option. And some reply options would need to be removed when talking with the Mayor, Piper, Nick or human companions (For example: You already know it was Kellog that took shaun). It would be unlikely that human companions would show interest in you beyond friendship. And of coarse Feral Ghouls would only attack you if you attack them first, or if you travel with a non-ghoul companion. But a LOT of the main story could remain intact. And you wouldn't need to invent a whole lot of dialogue. This would mostly be an exercise in removing dialogues that no longer make sense.