Saturday, November 27, 2010

A few tips from a lonely King

Tip 1: Make a GOOD bag
GOOD stands for "get out of dodge" and all it is, is a bag with supplies that you will need for a short while. While it is just a temporary stop gap for you it is something that you can just grab and go in case of emergency and is something you should have even if you don’t think that civilization is going to end. Something you should remember to put in it is as follows.
Socks: Reason being your feet are your most important tool, if they aren’t in tip top shape you’re not going anywhere.
Pistol/folding Rifle+Ammo: This is something that you will really need. Not only will it provide protection for you and anyone you may be with, but it will also help you to hunt and if need intimidate others if need be for food or shelter. A gun could also become a power symbol, the person that’s the best armed is the one that has the most backing up his reign.
Water: This is something that you will need right off the bat. Humans in ideal situations can go 3 days without water, but that doesn’t mean at three days you start showing symptoms of dehydration. After 3 days most people die, though some people are hardier than others this is the point of no return. Stay hydrated, stay alive.
Food:  Dried foods and canned foods are the best to have, though dried foods will make you drink you more and canned will likely need to be cooked.
Warm Clothes: Just in case you are in a place that can get cold, as well as if you’re in a warm place as well. The desert can get cold at night.
Tip 2: Plan Ahead
This is something that could save your life in more than just a EOC(end of civilization)  event. If you look at the Katrina disaster here in the US you can see just how bad it can get in both a EOC event and/or natural/man-made disaster. Be sure to plan for your region, since the US is so big each region has different things that could happen. With the East Coast and Gulf there are Hurricanes and the possible tsunami from volcanic islands off the Coast of Africa. With West coast earthquakes are a major threat as well as drought in the Southwest. In the Plains there is also the possibility of major earthquakes, this is due to old fault lines and should be a part of you disaster plans along tornados.
But you also need to plan for disaster’s that aren’t so natural. Things like:
Nuclear war
A Chernobyl type incident
A pandemic caused by a modified
WW3(non-nuclear)
Economic Collapse
All of those things should be planned for just in case, even if they don’t happen.
Tip 3: Don’t panic, Stay calm
This is probably the biggest tip I can give you, and one I haven’t seen other places really talk about. If you are in a panic then you are more likely to do something that you really shouldn’t be doing. If you can calm yourself and think with a clear mind you will be able to keep yourself and anyone that may be relying on you, alive. Don’t panic and grab the kids and wife and maybe your pets and get in the car and go to the nearest freeway all in under 2 minutes, because:
1: You probably didn’t remember to get anything you will need to survive.
2: You just left behind all your clothes and supplies.
3: You may have just left behind your only means of defense.
When a disaster happens stay calm, clear your mind, don’t freak out. Make sure to gather your supplies that you will need, take all your ID’s, government papers, and clothes.  Be sure to stay away from the major roads and freeways if you’re in a major city or highly populated area.
And remember, you are now your only means of survival. Don’t trust anyone that looks like he might shove a knife in your stomach, and especially be wary of those that have a big smile on their face. Because those are the people that are mostly likely to cut you up and put you in a stew.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Fallout: New Vegas DLC Dead Money

On December 21st, Fallout: New Vegas' first DLC, Dead Money, will be available exclusively on Xbox 360 for 800 Microsoft Points.

To give you a sneak peek at the content, Senior Designer Chris Avellone answered a few of our questions about the heist-themed content.

Here's the interview…

Can you discuss the setting for Dead Money?
Dead Money is set in the Sierra Madre, an opulent and extravagant resort that was supposed to be the greatest casino in the west – except that it never opened. Bombs fell before the gala opening, and the Sierra Madre froze in time, its state of the art security system locking the place up tight. Nothing could get in, and none of the guests could escape. Years passed. The climate control and air conditioning system within the facility began to spit toxins into the surrounding city, causing a slow cloud and haze to form over the area - which proved lethal to anyone who tried to explore the city. Only a mysterious group called the Ghost People survived to call the city home, trapped inside what appeared to be hazmat suits and never speaking to their victims... only capturing them alive and dragging them away to the depths of the city deep within the Cloud.

And so the Sierra Madre faded from the history books, only occasionally being seen in posters across the wastes, until it took on mythic ghost story status... a supposed "City of Gold" in the Mojave Wasteland where all the treasures of the Old World were rumored to be held. It was kept alive as a late-night saloon story by prospectors who'd claimed to have found maps leading there... and were willing to part with the "map" for a few caps. Or a drink. Or a warm place to sleep.

How will the player reach this area?
The Sierra Madre is a mythical place in the wastes, with travelers all risking their lives to find it. Only one man truly "found" it - and lived. After the fall of HELIOS One, Father Elijah of the Brotherhood of Steel set out to find new weapons to eradicate NCR. And in the process he found the Sierra Madre. The Courier is lured to the Sierra Madre by a faint radio broadcast advertising the gala grand opening.

From a gameplay standpoint, Dead Money is accessed by loading a save file from any point in Fallout: New Vegas prior to the endgame sequence, in the same way as Operation Anchorage, Point Lookout, The Pitt or Mothership Zeta were triggered in Fallout 3.

Can you share details on some of the new creatures/enemies players will encounter?
This being an extension of Fallout: New Vegas, players will encounter several unique characters, each with their own motivations, all of whom will have to work together if any of them are going to survive. Aside from just struggling with their would-be companions, the courier will also have to deal with the mysterious Ghost People as well as the casino's substantial defense systems.

ESRB M

This is from the Bethesda Newsletter