An Idea (Alternate ending to Dead Money)

[darkus37]

Not really sure what you mean by a timer - timer before what? From what I understand of the quest, they are either together or not. It's not much of a romance if they can only be together two days of the month.

[devinpatterson]

Not really sure what you mean by a timer - timer before what? From what I understand of the quest, they are either together or not. It's not much of a romance if they can only be together two days of the month.

 

post for context

[darkus37]

Again, I'm just not very clear what you mean by that post. Do you mean to say that they'll disappear from the game after a certain time limit or can't be hired again? What do you mean by make their choices - aren't you modifying those choices with the mod, i.e. Christine is no longer the warden of the Sierra Madre, where else she is going to go, Detroit? As for Veronica, most of her choices suck and predicate either her wanting to change things but she can't, being forced out eventually, or that chapter being killed. Its like Arcade Gannon all over again - the only way to get a half-way decent ending is for him to ignore his past and have him stay a Follower with the best ending apparently being if the Legion wins at the Dam and he runs away to the Boneyard to become a family doctor.

[devinpatterson]

Again, I'm just not very clear what you mean by that post.

 

It's very simple, there is a period of days or weeks after being dismissed before they return to their canon locations.

[darkus37]

Ah. But wouldn't their new canon locations be together?

 

You should also consider that Elijah spent years in the abandoned bunker without anyone finding him, although to be fair, that was before the BOS was on lockdown and unable to leave Hidden Valley... perhaps you're right and they should have a new default location. Perhaps a new shack near Veronica's default position at 188?

Edited August 12, 2012 by darkus37

[devinpatterson]

Ah. But wouldn't their new canon locations be together?

 

That really depends on the result of Veronica's quest.

 

post 34 for context;

 

her choice at the end of "I could make you care" would determine the ultimate fate of Christine and Veronica's relationship. They are both so strongly tied to their respective duties. Of course if Veronica is cut free (chose to leave the BOS etc) then I can totally see her in dead money with Christine.

 

With teh followers choice I'm iffy, I could see it going either way, because she most likely wouldn't have the same commitment as she did to the BOS.

 

If she chose to stay with teh BOS then they will lead separate lives in the end, fulfilling their duty at the expense of their happiness. Veronica won't be able to give up her duty, nor will Christine and they would continue as in canon.

 

So I'd determine that by what the player encouraged Veronica to choose.

 

But like I said in that post I don't really want to touch that topic at all, just thinking out loud. I'm far more likely to just send them both to their default locations if they are dismissed and leave that solution as a placeholder just so I can focus on other parts of the mod. Or maybe a overly simplistic version of what I was typing in post 34, like;

if veronica stays with bos, she's in the bunker as is Christine.

If veronica left the brotherhood (including followers ending) she's in Dead money with Christine.

 

I just don't want to invest a whole lot of time designing this part of the mod, but I do have to have something setup if they are dismissed, and decide if one can be dismissed without the other, and if so do they follow the same rule. For example; Veronica chose the BOS, but Christine is dismissed, does she say I can use the time off and wait for Veronica in the BOS bunker, or are the BOS negatively disposed to the COS. Or does she vacate back to dead money and when Veronica is dismissed meet up with her at the BOS bunker.

 

Truth to tell I havn't given it any thought since the post, been focused on some other projects. But post your ideas/opinions and It'll get figured out.

 

You should also consider that Elijah spent years in the abandoned bunker without anyone finding him, although to be fair, that was before the BOS was on lockdown and unable to leave Hidden Valley... perhaps you're right and they should have a new default location. Perhaps a new shack near Veronica's default position at 188?

 

I think what would help us most in that regard is just knowing the relationship between the two factions. If it's fairly negative between the Mojave chapter and the COS, then it probably does have to be a secret. I'll try to see what I can find out and I'll try to hunt down the quest variables to see not just what I should do, but what I can do in regard to both subjects.

[darkus37]

The COS has not really been mentioned before this game, but as I posed earlier, the wiki indicated that they are the BOS Internal Affairs division. That doesn't really explain much except I guess explain why a typical BOS paladin can't steal some weapons and carve out an empire somewhere without repercussions, but this brings up why was Ashur, from the Fallout 3 DLC: The Pitt, was able to stay alive.

 

Without the modified transportalponder, it doesn't make sense for Christine to return to the Sierra Madre - she has to have a home base somewhere in the Mojave. Perhaps a new home-base for one or both could be in North Vegas Square or thereabouts?

[devinpatterson]

The COS has not really been mentioned before this game, but as I posed earlier, the wiki indicated that they are the BOS Internal Affairs division. That doesn't really explain much except I guess explain why a typical BOS paladin can't steal some weapons and carve out an empire somewhere without repercussions,

 

Found a little additional info from the interview with Chris Avellone, but nothing that really helps. Apparently they were originally evil, but they were revised by Avellone to be hardliners and IA.

 

but this brings up why was Ashur, from the Fallout 3 DLC: The Pitt, was able to stay alive.

 

On that one I'd just assume they lacked the capability to bring him down, not the desire.

 

Without the modified transportalponder, it doesn't make sense for Christine to return to the Sierra Madre - she has to have a home base somewhere in the Mojave.

 

That's kind of along the lines I was thinking too. That's why the timer was sort of a compromise. Keeping the dismissed Christine in the Mojave for weeks or moths before she returned to dead money (her canonical fate).

 

Perhaps a new home-base for one or both could be in North Vegas Square or thereabouts?

 

It's very tempting to let them have a little place of their own.

[darkus37]

So what's stopping you? You have you pick of places, either near New Vegas, Goodsprings, Primm, 188, etc. As far as I understand, your new story involves destroying the Sierra Madre Vault, the main reason for Christine to stick around. Without that reason, Christine no longer has to go back there. You then have two places for her to be depending on your choice: if with Veronica, somewhere where Veronica can act like a tinkerer - if alone, perhaps squatting in the abandoned BOS bunker - waiting for a COS squad to hunt her down.

[devinpatterson]

So what's stopping you?

 

Sigh.....you mean other than;

1. all the other options since post 33 that are possible choices

2.the fact that I didn't want to put a lot of effort into this aspect of the mod

3.and as I stated I havn't had time to work on it or even think about it since post 40?

:rolleyes:

 

Just relax. Most likely I'll either go with something very simple (if dismissed each returns to their default positions 188/dead money) or base it on the "I could make you care" quest variable. But as I said I need to see if I can track down the var (haven't had time to look), before I decide.