Fallout OOC Discussion

[Herzog]

Ok, Decided to go ahead and start the discussion for the Fallout game.

As this is my first time DMing, this is a closed game, and I have picked players who have expressed interested and are willing to nurture me as a DM.

That being said, some particulars:

I will be using the d20 Modern rule setting, using rules from the D20 Apocalypse module. The settling will obviously be the Fallout universe. I'll link the wiki article for those who are curious. The location will be homebrew version of the Charlotte, NC area. The year will being about the same time as Fallout 3, but unrelated to the events in that game. I have a "campaign" of sorts sketched out, that can be as long or as short as people would like it to be.

Fallout Wiki link on Series

As for character generation, standard d20 rules (Human, 25pts, level 1), except where Apocalypse rules take precedent (ie Trade Unit over Wealth, and some occupations). I'll throw up a Character thread at a different date with the specifics.

For now, I would like to feel out where people are interested in starting their characters in terms of background. Do you want to all be from a Vault or from the wasteland, or a mixture? It matters some, for my knowledge in order to plan the first encounter.

Also, what do people think about using the WP/VP system in place of hitpoints, in order to increase survivability?

The game is scheduled to kick off after the new years.

And of course any questions people want to ask.

[Zak]

Checking in. I am game on the VP/WP system.

Since playing a mutant squirrel (wielding a lightsaber) is apparently not an option, human male it is. Last new character was female and I need to at least alternate.

No preference on starting in a vault or in an above ground settlement.

[DM Sirine]

Yeah, the VP/WP system is cool with me too. Makes more sense for non-lethal combat, anyway.

A mix of character types might be good. For those less familiar with the setting, simply being from a vault would be a good way to ease into the particulars as they exit the vault and begin to explore their new world.

However, there's more variety in character types, and more background opportunities for a character from the wasteland. So I can see both being appealing for different reasons.

If you think it wouldn't be too hard to merge the two groups, maybe that would be the way to go.

[DM Helios]

I have no problem with using the VP/WP system for the game.

Zak/PMiller, I'm sorry to hear that your lightsaber-wielding squirrel idea was rejected. For years, I've been trying to get away with playing Futurama's Hypnotoad in a game, and I know how it feels to have an idea that sounds like the greatest thing in the world be rejected, repeatedly in my case.

How is life in the vaults? I may have gotten the setting all wrong, having not played FallOut, but the impression I get is that life would have been kinder to a character from a vault than to one from the wastelands, and that a character from a vault would thus be more innocent than a character from the wastelands. If my assumption is correct, then I would prefer that the characters be from the wastelands. I already play I frightened inncent character in Dept-7, so I want this one to be a bit more bad-ass, even if my definition of bad-ass is probably anything but.

[PMiller]

Hmmm, life in the vaults could be described as more sheltered. I play a teenager in another Fallout game that was a law enforcement type slated to work in security before disaster struck and the party got ejected into the brave new world.

The small community in the vault can have its share of bad-asses. There can be tough police officer types, grungy engineers that are built like blacksmiths that tend to get unruly and hit people with big wrenches, and teenage gang bangers (without the guns). Consider them an enclosed underground community, not necessarily safe and nurturing for everyone. The overseer could be a corrupt jerk and he has his secret goons that can 'make people disappear'.

It would be easier to role-play perhaps everyone starting in a vault since it really can leave the outside world fresh from the character's point of view for players new to the setting. If we have been living top-side, there would be significant setting and background information our characters would know about the region that may not be available until Herzog writes it.

While I have played FO2 and started FO3, but I am certainly not as up to speed as few of the others. If one or two more are also green on the setting, then that might be the factor to decide the issue. Unless Herzog is actually entertaining a split start, though. That might be a bit much his first time out of the gate GMing though.

BTW, I never actually asked about the squirrel since I forgot to bring it up before Herzog signed off. If we start top-side, it could be a mutant. But then again, I am saving him for a Star Wars game where he can be a Jedi smaller than Yoda. The picture is just too cool to never use.

[DM Sirine]

That is a really good point, PMiller. It probably would be a lot easier if we were all from the same place and had a reason to stick together and trust each other. There are still enough background options within the vault to make it interesting.

As an initial character concept, I'm thinking a slimy fixer type, someone who knows people and can get things, hooking up people, services, and commodities. I'll have to see if I can juggle the class/occupation combination to get Diplomacy, Sense Motive and Knowledge: Technology.

[DM Helios]

I agree with PMiller's logic. Being from a vault would probably simplify things as far as character creation goes, and it would make playing easier for people like myself who know nothing of the setting if I were to be able to discover it at the same time as my character.

Still, there would be some important difference between real-life and life in a vault, yes? How many people life in each Vault? How big is each Vault? How advanced is technology within the Vaults?

I'm thinking Fast Hero for my character, or maybe Tough Hero. I'm hesitating between a reckless character who survives because he is naturally talented and has considerable luck, and an equally reckless character who survives because he can take a lot of abuse.

[Mercevial Xenn]

Hey Hey everyone...Mercevial/Gerrick/T'sarich Xenn here....

From the standpoint of having us explore and gain knowledge as a tight knit group, I'd go for a vault start. The vaults in the games are fairly small due to the fact that not a whole lot of extra space is ever considered in video games if it doesn't pertain to the storyline. But for our purposes, a vault could be as small as a ship or as large and diverse as an underground city. (making the huge assumption, of course, that the vault we'd start in wasn't one where they 'Man' had some sort of devious experiment going on). I guess the point is, the universe is there for us to use but up to the DM to tweak as he sees fit.

The topsiders would be a bit tougher from living the life in the wasteland, but the amount and quality of the training availible to someone in a vault would be greater, I'd think. You'd have the advantage of greater health and the ability to concentrate on what you want to become good at instead of concentrating on simply surviving the wastelands.

What exactly is WP / VP?

As far as a character, I'd have to think this one over after I've downloaded and looked through the apocalypse rules and stuff. More than likely a tough, fast hybrid eventually.

More than anything, I just wanted to chime in and say I'm looking forward to growing in this universe as a group.

[reverendpain]

Definately looking forward to the game. Also wondering on the WPVPXPZP thing. I'd say they we start from a vault. Unless I can be the robo-centaur-gatlingun arm thing. Or a Deathclaw. I'll settle for being a deathclaw .

[Herzog]

Wow, you people have been busy....

RE: The Vault - The vaults are sheltered, but not wholly innocent. As from FO3, the overseer was in that vault was off his rocker. Also, some of the vaults do have contact with the outside world, again overseer logs in FO3. I would think most of the occupations could be explained away in the vaults.

Also, on the tech level of the vaults, probably PL5-6. The Fallout universe, Pre-war is about PL6, with some of the military hardware being PL7 (ie power armor, T-51b, laser rifles, plasma rifles,etc).

Vault size, any where from dozen to a thousand.

RE: VP/WP system. This system is stolen from Star Wars I believe. Basically, you have two damage tracks. VP, which is basically (same rules as HP), is used first and represents combat fatigue, and ability to turn hits into grazes, etc. WP is always your CON score and represents how much physical damage you take. Once VP is exhausted you start take WP. WP reaches zero, you start dying. When you take a point of WP, you become fatigued. That's about it in a nutshell, except for healing and criticals. Criticals automatically damage the WP track. Because of these, all criticals are the same and do not multiple damage.

Here's a link about it: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/adventuring/vitalityAndWoundPoints.htm

On starting backgrounds, I had originally though the first encounter would be the first time all of your characters will have meet. So the hard part was trying to tie everyone's background into that encounter. Now I'm wondering if it's too complicated for my first encounter.

[PMiller]

Vault start it appears to be.

We don't need to have everyone with backgrounds integrated, but it is helpful to maybe combine in pairs.

I haven't even thought much about a character yet, beyond Human Male. But somethings maybe to think about for roles in the group if we want to be balanced.

Diplomatic/Persuader (Face) type
Melee Specialist type
Stealth type
Medic type (can be secondary role)
Engineer/Crafter/Salvager type (toolbox)
Gunner/Shooter type
Wilderness Survival Type
* Some of these can be combined

Most should be able to fire guns, regardless if they are really a shooter or not.

Mr. Xenn, if you need an avatar without the token ring, I already have it uploaded for another character elsewhere. You can borrow the link, if you want.

Code: Select all

http://i956.photobucket.com/albums/ae47/perrinmiller/Durzo1.jpg

[Mercevial Xenn]

Well...thank you kindly Mr. PMiller

Just a thought on characters. If we started in a vault, wouldn't all the members be human? I think in this one I'd like to be a security / law enforcement type. ( so basically a fighter of sorts ) ....or the survivalist...lol...I know...I'm very up in the air with this one!

[PMiller]

No prob. . Just don't get offended if I accidentally call him Durzo.

Xenn is easier to reference than your characters' first names, hope you don't mind.

Zog said we are all starting human, the other references were just kidding around. I am consIdering Doctor type, mainly because I don't think anyone else wants to. Not sure if we really need one though. If I go less combat focused, I might also cover more of the social skill too, dunno yet.

[DM Helios]

I'm looking at the stealth type, with perhaps a bit of gunner or melee in there.

[Herzog]

Just so you guys are aware, we'll be using the trade unit system from Apocalypse (pg 23). It replaces wealth and represents an abstract way of bartering goods. What it also does is make each bullet count. In other words, ammo will be tracked. Something to keep in mind as you create characters. Melee might be more important in this setting than normal d20 games. Also, the Windfall feat and Profession skill have no effect.

Starting TU for level 1 characters is 4d10x2, with wealth bonuses from occupations multiplied by 2 and added in for the total.