Shouldn't radiation threats be high? (at least in FO3)

Makatak

Makatak

First time out of the vault
This topic is about the fallout series in general even though I have only played through the 3rd. My Fallout Collection DVD hasn't arrived yet, but did the first 2 fallout games feature alot of radioactive areas and the need for protection against such?

One thing that bugged me in Fallout 3 was that radiation was almost no threat at all. It was very easy to keep yourself below 200 rads constantly. And even if you did find a way to suffer more severe radiation, the penalties were not significant. So one or two of my SPECIAL stats decreases by a point or 2, wow, whoop-dee-doo.

You would think that in a post-nuclear war environment, radiation would be like your 1st or 2nd biggest obstacle in exploring the wastes. But I understand that FO3 takes place some 200 years after World War 3. Whereas the other 2 take place much more recently.
 
You'll have fun in the Glow ;)

Though honestly I think FO3 did a better job of representing the fact that radiation is a factor in everything, from the water to the food to the ground you walk on in some areas.

Radiation wasn't as commonly encountered in FO1/2 except in some areas.

It's been a long time since I've played FO1, does anyone know if any of the newer patches or mods reinstate the old 1.0 "Glow rad" exploit? That stat boost when the BoS Doc patched you back up was nice :D
 
Yeah, in the originals a couple of your SPECIAL stats being dropped is a big deal and RadX and RadAway are ridiculously expensive and somewhat rare. So the danger is there.

However, the Glow is really the only area in both games where radiation is really an issue so I suppose the prevalence isn't :\
 
I disagree. I lost two characters (one permanently) because I didn't notice their radiation levels.

The first time was during my first playthrough in Fallout 1, after leaving The Glow, heading back to the BOS bunker. My character died in the middle of nowhere. I didn't have RadAways nor a saved game where my radiation level wasn't already too high. So I was obliged to begin a new game. :oops:

The sencond time was in Fallout 2, but I don't remember where I got contamined. Again, my character died in the middle of nowhere. And again I didn't have any RadAway. But this time, I managed to find one inside a locker. :wink:
 
Really, the only time I've ever been radiated in any Fallout game outside of the Glow was when I was bit by a Centaur during a random encounter. Radiation is virtually nonexistent beyond a few specific locations and creatures.
 
Radiation doesn't mean anything in FO3, either.

I like the fact that radiation is everywhere; however, it doesn't really mean anything. Rad-away is extremely easy to get, and any doctor will provide cheap and effective treatment. Even if you don't get treatment (which can pretty much only happen voluntarily), the negative effects aren't a big deal.
 
Scowl said:
Radiation doesn't mean anything in FO3, either.

I like the fact that radiation is everywhere; however, it doesn't really mean anything. Rad-away is extremely easy to get, and any doctor will provide cheap and effective treatment. Even if you don't get treatment (which can pretty much only happen voluntarily), the negative effects aren't a big deal.
Click to expand...

Don't forget that they fade away over time...
 
From time to time I keep reading complains about Fallout 1 and 2's low radiation level and how Fallout 3 did justice to it.
Well, the fact that radiation's almost nonexistent in previous titles was made on purpose. Here's what Tim Cain said about it...

Tim Cain said:
We knew we wanted it to be well after the war, so radiation would be low but there was plenty of time for mutations.
Click to expand...

So, by the looks of it Fallout 3's increased radiation levels are "off". No surprise there.
 
You have to figure the eastern seaboard got hit harder than the southwest.

I don't think it should be a huge issue. I like that it's present. I don't know how accurate the portrayal is, but you have to have some radiation in a post-apocalypse game. It would be like fantasy without wimpy elves.
 
Glow was probably the only dangerous place in the Fallout series where you could die easily by traveling a long distance without treatment. Fallout 3 radiation is a joke, you have a RAD-counter inside your HUD. There`s a quest (Amy?) where you need to do some research for radiation.. so i took a dose of 600 RADs and went per FastTravel to Megaton without any problems or side effects. In Stalker radiation was pretty well done, you loose a lot of HP if you don`t have enough protection against it and the screen gets noisy(very annoying), insta-punishment.
 
In real life, a survivor in an irradiated land would learn to recognize the mysterious warmth associated with significant radiation exposure. As such, Fallout 3 does a superior job notifying the player about radiation exposure (rads/s = intensity of warmth). However, radiation has no teeth in Fallout 3 (pardon the pun), it's too easy to visit a doc/slam 10 RadX and be on your merry way.
 
Would it make it more enjoyable if it really did hurt you?

Would it even be more realistic? This is 200 years later, after all.

Just pretend you have to eat and drink, then you'll take in a boatload more rads.
 
200 years would mean the radiation has either blown away or been absorbed into the surrounding wilderness which is why there isn't much in F1 and 2. Guessing the radiation is trapped in the Glow which is why it hasn't disapated there.

Fallout 3s radiation while being more post apocalyptic is a bit weird. You can get rads from standing in water which dosen't actually make any sense unless it has been recently irradiated and there are still fumes from the nuclear substance around it. Drinking it would be nasty but after spending 200 years being naturally filtered by the water cycle it shouldn't have many (or any actually) rads at all.

I do like F3s way of doing radiation though (apart from the water thing and that you get rads from eating packed food. Food poisoning yes, rads no) but it could of been implemented better. Like S.T.A.L.K.E.R's where you quickly leg it the other way once the geiger counter starts singing or else become stalker barbecue.
Which does happen a few times in Fallout 3 but rarely, like there is a military base which is highly irradiated but that was one of the few times I needed Rad-X.
 
The first time was during my first playthrough in Fallout 1, after leaving The Glow, heading back to the BOS bunker. My character died in the middle of nowhere. I didn't have RadAways nor a saved game where my radiation level wasn't already too high. So I was obliged to begin a new game. Embarassed
Click to expand...

That happened to me too. I had to load a very early game, because i kept dying. At first i really didn't even know why, cause i had first played FO2, where i never had a rad problem.
The sencond time was in Fallout 2, but I don't remember where I got contamined. Again, my character died in the middle of nowhere. And again I didn't have any RadAway. But this time, I managed to find one inside a locker.
Click to expand...
I never had a real rad problem in this game, i grew an extra finger once, but that was it.
200 years would mean the radiation has either blown away or been absorbed into the surrounding wilderness which is why there isn't much in F1 and 2. Guessing the radiation is trapped in the Glow which is why it hasn't disapated there.
Click to expand...

Radiation can't be really blown away into non-existence. It also depends on the type of radiation sources. If it's a large gamma source, it'll just stay there and penetrate all objects. If it's a beta source, it'll probably be dangerous if ingested. I don't think 200 years is enough time, but hey, it's a game. Maybe the animals and plants are more adaptable, i mean, look at Chernobyl.

I do like F3s way of doing radiation though (apart from the water thing and that you get rads from eating packed food. Food poisoning yes, rads no) but it could of been implemented better.
Click to expand...

All the games treat radiation like it's a chemical intoxication: you get irradiated, all you gotta do is take some pills and you're all clean again. It doesn't work that way, radiation damage is almost permanent and irreversible.
 
Blakut said:
I never had a real rad problem in this game, i grew an extra finger once, but that was it.
Click to expand...

Funnily enough, in-game this is caused by walking <s>barefoot</s> without protective boots over toxic waste, not absorbing radiation.
 
Funnily enough, in-game this is caused by walking barefoot without protective boots over toxic waste, not absorbing radiation.
Click to expand...

Hm, i've always figured that was from radiation. At least this made sense to me.
 
Blakut is correct, if you wanted to accurately portray radiation exposure it would do permanent damage to your character. Either short term exposure to a high output source or long term exposure to a moderate source will kill you.

What Fallout represents is more along the lines of contamination which can be flushed out of your system or washed off. However as long as you're in contact with it you're recieving rads.

Contamination causes rad exposure but isn't radiation.
 
It requires very high levels of radiation for acute effects (i.e, the FO 100 rads). Lower levels just increase your chances of getting cancer, which probably take longer than the 13-year game limit (FO2) to occur.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top