A community effort

[Izak]

Each of the design documents had a section on what could be done by Science characters, Diplomatic characters, Stealth characters and Combat characters, in response to particular problems.

I feel as though this would be impractical for a P&P game, they're entirely based around player agency, the player can come up with whatever solution he/she wants, the GM and a couple of dice rolls decide whether or not the entirely unique solution is successful, taking that away would just be silly.

 

[Hassknecht]

I feel as though this would be impractical for a P&P game, they're entirely based around player agency, the player can come up with whatever solution he/she wants, the GM and a couple of dice rolls decide whether or not the entirely unique solution is successful, taking that away would just be silly.

Usually, P&P adventures list a few possible solutions to any particular problem (also to help new GMs), but good players often come up with unorthodox solutions, and good GMs allow those and know how to handle stuff like that.
Railroading the players into particular solutions and outcomes is never a good idea.
But it's a good help when writing an adventure, trying to come up with and listing various ways of solving a problem so you're not caught off guard when a player does something not completely obvious.

 

[Brivoo]

I was planning something similar-ish, so I'd love to help.

Unsurprisingly given the trend, my preferred position would be a writer of some description, but given how everyone and their dog and their dog's chew toy seems to have settled into that role, I could probably also offer my thoughts on game balancing and design choices in this supposedly new system (if we're adopting a new one at all).

That said, how "Fallout" are we talking here? Personally, I'd like to deviate a bit from the originals and New Vegas, enough to allow for some creative freedom and make the similarities just similarities rather than a full-on bootleg of the franchise, but I suppose this isn't my brain-child.

On a side note, I think "No Mutants Allowed" is an interesting title to develop; it could mean a number of different things, only one of which is the tired "marginalized population" cliché.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

Usually, P&P adventures list a few possible solutions to any particular problem (also to help new GMs), but good players often come up with unorthodox solutions, and good GMs allow those and know how to handle stuff like that.

Heh, yeah, some of the solutions me and the team of players I was part of came up during our first session of Traveller were anything but orthodox, for example making two docked spaceships roll in order to confuse adversaries in the cargo bay during a stand off.

Everyone was in free fall (except me as I was piloting the ship) and during this one of my fellow players manage to make an almost impossible feat of shooting one of the opponents and landing successfully.
Then a forklift fell on him.

 

[Earth]

So is this set in the Fallout universe or is it its own thing?

 

[Knight In Leather Armor]

So is this set in the Fallout universe or is it its own thing?

Fallout universe, but if I've read it right, it'll have its own unique storyline. I hoping that's what will happen.

 

[Earth]

Okay. We should probably figure out a location for it then before we even begin to think about lore and story. Is it in the Core Region, the Mojave, Caesar's Empire, all of the above, or somewhere new?

 

[Black Angel]

Ah, so the plan would be:

1. Gather as much of this site's opinion on the matter as possible. If, say, 30-40 people were interested ->
2. Establish a sub-forum
3. Settle on the setting

Man, I'm kind of pumped up.

Since it seems the setting would most likely that of Fallout-verse, would you guys consider taking inspiration from Fallout 1.5 ? If I'm not mistaken, it take place between Fallout 1 and 2.

 

[Hassknecht]

So is this set in the Fallout universe or is it its own thing?

Fallout universe, but expanded upon in a way that NMA deems "proper canon".

Okay. We should probably figure out a location for it then before we even begin to think about lore and story. Is it in the Core Region, the Mojave, Caesar's Empire, all of the above, or somewhere new?

Anywhere and anytime people would like to set their adventures in. The sourcebook should just outline basic canon and timelines for the different regions, local fluff is then added in the adventures and sessions.

 

[Einhanderc7]

I have been reading over everyone posts here and I'm not sure what to make of everything.

I'm assuming no one here has done pre production before (which I understand it is very difficult to do so on a forum) but first we need to outline the various stages of the project before anything can be drawn up in a cohesive manner.

First and foremost is the rule set. This is paramount to anything else simply because there is no game without it.

When the rules begin to take shape then the art, setting, and theme can begin production as they have to rely on the rule set as the foundation. Sure you can create a bunch of assets before hand but without an anchor, but they will end up being oddly glued on "features" rather than something organic to the system. (The bright side to this is pnp RPG's are super forgiving of this so this isn't much of an issue.)

With the rule set around about 40% complete the designers can begin fleshing out mechanics and begin testing game play. (I know 40% is high but this is pnp)

At this point in time testers must test every aspect of the game and make note of oddities and ideas that could improve the system. (Remember its fallout not some triple A title to make everyone happy)

When the rules are complete and I mean tested and true, the writers can then begin forging story lines, grand plots, and other novelties. (Writers please use the game mechanics in the plot, story, and side quests. Otherwise it turns into a farce)

(Writers keep in mind you need to be able to deal with criticism well and be open to adapt or completely change depending on the given circumstance.)

For players and designers alike please bear in mind that this would be a RPG, so getting upset with players for not playing the story line 100% the way they are intended is to be expected and not frowned upon, if anything is should be rewarded.

For those who DM, don't crap on players when they don't play the game as intended. Only punish those who refuse to follow the rules.


tldr outline:
rule set
rule set taking shape, begin art, theme, setting design
testing while still generating rule set
rules finished
writing
play

I also suggest that a community member be voted as the leader of the project, where they could then split individuals up into groups to work on what they are accountable for. Until this gets organized this is nothing more than a lofty idea.

*note: Let writers be free to explore all manner of the world even if they don't fit with the main story line, I say this simply to prevent conflict and to allow replay ability for when players finish the main story line.*

Hopefully this doesn't devolve into a modded renraku arcology

 

[Knight In Leather Armor]

Okay. We should probably figure out a location for it then before we even begin to think about lore and story. Is it in the Core Region, the Mojave, Caesar's Empire, all of the above, or somewhere new?

I'd love somewhere in the American Central North. Somewhere where I could shove in the Midwestern Brotherhood because I'm kinda a fangirl for them. Plus I'd love to see snow in the game, plus nice little new lore that I'd love to add in. I wouldn't add in stuff like "BOS is good and Enclave returns so they're evil" or something. If I include the MW BOS I'd rather them be neutral but still relevant. I'd rather just include Enclave Remnants and probably some nice gear, nothing like a major faction.

 

[Brivoo]

Anywhere and anytime people would like to set their adventures in. The sourcebook should just outline basic canon and timelines for the different regions, local fluff is then added in the adventures and sessions.

So how much are we talking here? I assume DC and Boston are out, though presumably someone would like to rewrite them if possible. Brotherhood of Steel is probably non-canon as well, but what are we doing with Tactics, or any of the cancelled ones? I assume a lot of people would like to canonize Van Bauren, but what about Extreme or Tactics 2?

I'd love somewhere in the American Central North. Somewhere where I could shove in the Midwestern Brotherhood because I'm kinda a fangirl for them. Plus I'd love to see snow in the game, plus nice little new lore that I'd love to add in. I wouldn't add in stuff like "BOS is good and Enclave returns so they're evil" or something. If I include the MW BOS I'd rather them be neutral but still relevant. I'd rather just include Enclave Remnants and probably some nice gear, nothing like a major faction.

A lot of lore could draw inspiration from Fallout: Extreme. Take the Midwestern BoS to its logical conclusion as a militaristic despotate where martial law rules supreme and the Calculator as its undisputable ruler; establish a theme of security in exchange for freedom and all that jazz, make them dislikeable but not outright evil like the Enclave or unreasonable assholes like the DC BoS.

 

[Mr Fish]

Fallout universe, but expanded upon in a way that NMA deems "proper canon".

Well, then I'm disqualified. It all depends on 'if' the fan made Van Buren is released or not but if it is then I will not consider FNV canon as it will contradict FVB so "proper canon" is hard to establish and some of us might not make the cut at all. And then we have the ghost in FO2, I think it's canon. Not everyone will agree with that though.

Would probably be easier to just create something new and original that is just inspired by Fallout rather than building off of a series who's lore is already pretty sketchy at times.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

Could I bring in my Fallout Texas/Lone Star ideas such as the Lone Star Confederacy, the System, The New Texas Rangers, the Followers of the ATLANTIS, the Angels of the Apocalypse? (I should ask Shigor for permission but seeing as this is just a local fan thing he probably won't mind)

I guess the Midwest BOS is canon to a degree but I think they should be reduced and perhaps elements like Vault Zero and the Calculator declared non canon.

As for regions, I would love to use Colorado and cities such as Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, but if NV is canon and Van Buren not the Boulder Dome should not exist anymore (Big MT took its place and the Sierra Madre used the toxic environment idea).
Denver suffering an outbreak of the New Plague and traffic coming to a stand still due to lack of gas could still remain canon. (and it still perhaps being overrun by wild dogs)

NORAD/Iron Mountain would have been blasted into a big radioactive crater inhabited by Glowing Ones.

Also, I think psykers should be NPCs, DM controlled team members at best.

 

[Knight In Leather Armor]

So how much are we talking here? I assume DC and Boston are out, though presumably someone would like to rewrite them if possible. Brotherhood of Steel is probably non-canon as well, but what are we doing with Tactics, or any of the cancelled ones? I assume a lot of people would like to canonize Van Bauren, but what about Extreme or Tactics 2?



A lot of lore could draw inspiration from Fallout: Extreme.

I was kinda thinking that to. Make the Midwestern Chapter powerful enough to sustain a state or two but aren't glorious white knights that help everyone.

I'd personally love to canonize Fallout Extreme. It was a spin off, so it was meant to be different than the regular Fallout formula. Sadly, there isn't much of Extreme to pick through and add since it was cancelled. I'm not going to add in going to China and disabling a nuke or anything, but maybe add in a little of war-torn post-apocalyptic Canada. Beautiful destroyed Tundra's with tribes struggling to survive as best they can due to shortage of food.

Basically, beautiful winter apocalypse.

 

[Mr Fish]

Maybe before a location/story/setting is decided someone should start up a Fallout NMA Bible that goes over what is canon and what isn't? If FNV is to be accepted as canon to almost 100% (apart from ghouls, they're getting retconned back to what they once were) then that doesn't necessarily mean that 'everything' in FVB has to be non-canon. The parts of FVB that aren't directly contradictory could be reworked for NMA.

But we'd need something that is written down in stone that we have to adhere to. A NMA Bible that goes over what is and isn't canon would be a good starting point so that we don't contradict what we ourselves have declared as canon material for NMA.

Like Reservation. A very irradiated old military airport that is populated by ghouls who are trying to figure out a way to create Born Ghouls and has a mad-man that wants to use dirty bombs to turn other communities into ghouls. That isn't contradicted by FNV. Could still be canonized. Just rework some of the backstory and dates.

 

[Brivoo]

I was kinda thinking that to. Make the Midwestern Chapter powerful enough to sustain a state or two but aren't glorious white knights that help everyone.

I'd personally love to canonize Fallout Extreme. It was a spin off, so it was meant to be different than the regular Fallout formula. Sadly, there isn't much of Extreme to pick through and add since it was cancelled. I'm not going to add in going to China and disabling a nuke or anything, but maybe add in a little of war-torn post-apocalyptic Canada. Beautiful destroyed Tundra's with tribes struggling to survive as best they can due to shortage of food.

Basically, beautiful winter apocalypse.

Fallout Extreme is great to use as a base because it basically writes itself, but I've already droned on about it in the "Fallout set in Canada" thread, and this isn't really the thread for me to repeat myself either.

To summarize, I'm mostly fascinated by the various tribes living in the northwest such as the Issaquah, the city exclusively populated by mutants known as the Troll Warrens and the Cause, the paramilitary organization created to rebel against the Steel Plague.

Various words

I think a lot of Van Bauren and New Vegas could co-exist. Boulder Dome could potentially be re-located and made into one of many specialized hyper-scientific facilities across America; make it part of some sort of program alongside Big MT and the (presumably to be re-written) MIT.

 

[The Dutch Ghost]

I think Boulder Dome would just sound as a Big MT rip off if it was brought back. (this center of pre war research and technology were scientists and technicians are experimenting with technologies such as robots, cryogenics, genetic engineering, and so on)
It doesn't mean there could not be a Pre War research center in Boulder (there are a lot of universities and corporation R&D departments from what I remember reading about the place), but it would have to be something completely different.

If FNV is canon I think places like The Reservation, Denver, Ouroboros, the Nursery, Bloomfield Space Port and factions like the Children of the Wasteland, the Daughters of Hecate, and perhaps the Ciphers still exist, but tribes such as the Hangdogs, the Blackfoot, and the Twin Mothers (well perhaps Diana managed to save some of them before the Legion conquered them) would be gone.

 

[Mr Fish]

I'd rather have Boulder Dome than lol we so wacky-Big Mt tho'. >_>

 

[Izak]

So a lot of ideas are being thrown around concerning the overall story of the campaign but I don't see any actual concepts. Worry about canonicity once you have an idea to apply canon to; as of now all we have is a possible Midwestern BoS appearance, a possible winter post-apoc environment and, a suggested influence from Fallout Extreme.
To get the ball rolling, how about the evacuation of Baja? You have huge amounts of tribals to work with, a dangerous environment, a basic motivation, an exotic location for new lore, possible themes of colonialism and a story that doesn't step on any toes, canon wise.

I also suggest that a community member be voted as the leader of the project, where they could then split individuals up into groups to work on what they are accountable for. Until this gets organized this is nothing more than a lofty idea.

I assumed that Hassknecht was the leader, he did start this whole thing. If he isn't then I guess whoever is most experienced with P&P games gets my vote.