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By L.C. Vickers
A walkthrough (version 1.1) for
Fallout 3: Before the Fall
OK, the game doesn’t really exist, yet. But I’d like to see this idea made into a game. I’ve written this as a possible storyline for a game that could utilize the Fallout Tactics maps, or new maps with that engine; or with the Fallout 2 engine.
This is a game I’ve been playing out in my head. The format is a walkthrough of the first mission of the game.
Introduction:
Fallout 3 is a prequel to the popular series of games from Interplay. Much like George Lucas went back in time to show the story before the first "Star Wars" trilogy, Fallout 3: Before the End takes us back before the nuclear devastation that transforms the world into what we know as the Fallout Universe.
So, there are no mutants in this game. But don’t dare think that makes it boring, because this game has something better: Aliens!
Remember the aliens you stumbled across in the Wannamango Mines in Fallout 2? In this game, their origins are finally revealed. What’s more, those creatures are merely the aliens’ first line of defense. Other alien species you come across will be the equivalent of the Greater Deathclaws and mutants from the other games.
You also have to battle robots: a U.S. military program gone awry. Rushed into production, secretly, to combat the alien menace (which the government has tried to keep secret from the general public) the robots prove almost as dangerous as the alien invaders.
Summary:
It is 2009. The nuclear powers of the world apparently have gone insane and have launched nuclear strikes against one another. So far, the strikes have been surgical in nature: submarine bases, harbors, missile launch sites, large air fields and centers of government. Civilians have died by the millions in cities near these targets.
Some of the population of the United States remains alive, primarily in smaller towns and rural areas. But government authority went out the window with the first strikes. Commerce died as well.
Some of the first strikes were nuclear pulse weapons -- meaning relatively low radiation output, but communications and modern electronics have been put out of commission. That means most cars don't run, most computers are inoperable and appliances may or may not work. Satellites were knocked out early on, so there is no reliable television transmission and most communication networks are dead.
The result is chaos: roving gangs of thugs committing crimes with impunity; National Guard commanders, panic stricken or with delusions of grandeur, have seized control of some cities; the Army has been cut off from its leadership and generals are acting on their own authority -- be careful approaching any military bases, because the soldiers have become paranoid. Civilian authority is mostly inept and dangerous.
There is only one hope, for a very few -- and, possibly, for you. The Vaults.
At the beginning of the game, you have in your possession a Vault-Tec Lab manual. As a person of some prominence, you were lucky enough to receive an invitation to become a vault member. You've had it in your possession for a year but forgot about it until the war began.
The manual contains a brief description of the vaults and their purpose. It also invites you to make a $20,000 deposit to guarantee your membership in one of these vaults. It doesn't tell you exactly where the vaults are located, though.
Unfortunately, also in the envelope is the reply card that you should have sent off with your money -- too late. The deadline passed three months before.
Your family and friends are dead. You are alone. You have no weapons and little money (the banking network is down and you have no access to your checking account). Besides, American money is now nearly worthless. You'll find a few people who will still take cash, but as the game progresses it loses its value. Gold is the currency of preference and some items, such as food and weapons, are in demand for trade. Also, porn and drugs are sought by some who have given up all hope for the future. You meet many people who are determined to "live it up" before the final holocaust. As a result, the cities are full of drug addicts and prostitutes.
But you have not given up. Your mission is to find one of the vaults and somehow talk your way inside to safety.
Along the way, you will battle random individuals, including lone thugs, crazed people and, perhaps most dangerous of all, determined individualists who, like yourself, are determined to stay alive -- people who will kill you to get that Vault invitation, which may be the only chance for survival.
But the individuals you come up against are the least of your worries. Your quest will bring you up against tougher and tougher enemies: organized bands of criminals led by gangsters who have taken advantage of the lack of authority to run things their way; scouting bands of National Guardsmen, looking for slaves or replacement soldiers; Army patrols who have a tendency to shoot anyone on sight as a potential spy, especially anyone who is armed; and, most bizarre of all, a crazy Doomsday cult that has taken up cannibalism.
And, that's just the first phase of the game. Eventually, you'll have to battle armed robots and alien invaders.
The aliens could prove to be the toughest enemy yet. You will come across several types.
The alien critters like those you battled in Fallout 2 are the least of your worries. They were the aliens' equivalent of dogs. They are semi-intelligent pets. In this game, they are merely the aliens' first line of defense. You'll encounter some in your wanderings. Eventually, you'll find more ... a lot more ... at the aliens' crashsite, where you'll enter the spaceship to destroy the alien scourge.
You'll also find much tougher enemies as you explore this huge, multi-level alien saucer:
Next up are a species that are the equivalent of deathclaws in the first two games.
You'll also find the intelligent species of aliens, the Hive: they kind of look like the Grays (think "The X-Files") except they're on steroids. They're the basic equivalent of the mutant armies.
At the top, of course, is the Hive mother.
Eventually, if you're lucky, you'll save the human race from alien domination and the robot menace. If you’re successful, you will earn an honored place in the safety of a vault before the final nuclear devastation makes the outside unlivable.
This is a semi-walkthrough of the game – so far, I’ve done the starting point and first town.
START:
You begin at your vacation home in the country, where you have retreated to escape the nightmare being played out in the cities. You are able to log onto your company's communications network and you have verified your worst fears: all your family members are likely dead, as they were unlucky enough to live in cities near nuclear missile targets. You are alone.
You look in a drawer of your living room and find your PIPBOY 2000 and Vault-Tec Lab promotional packet. That gives you 100 experience points (XP) and your first mission: To find a vault.
OK, so you're wondering, "why would you have a Pip Boy?" Simple. You were employed by the manufacturer. You were working on a new model, the PIPBOY 2010, which unfortunately is incomplete and, with the war, will never be completed. Since you worked for the PIPBOY 2000 manufacturer, you were important enough to get an invitation to join a vault. Before the war, you were a person of prominence, wealth and influence. That won't help you much, now, though. But having the PIPBOY gives you an advantage over many.
Conduct a complete search of your cabin. You won't be coming back.
There's not much here. There are only three rooms. There's some food in the kitchen. There is a flashlight and some batteries ( those new-fangled power cells). Grab them, you'll need them. There's a small amount of U.S. currency too.
Oops, check that closet carefully. You have a machete stuffed in the corner in a small box. It's hard to see there against the wall. That's your first weapon.
Go outside. Your new Mercedes SUV won't start. Damn! All that luxury and you can't use it? You'll have to go on foot. But you know you're going to need an automobile at some point. The nearest vaults, as best you can tell, are hundreds of miles to the south. (You're in southern Oregon).
If you're going to survive the pending nuclear devastation, you must find a working automobile. That means you've got to head to the nearest town.
First, though, you've got some enemies to dispatch: a pack of dogs crazed with hunger and fear, right outside your front door. Fortunately, this particular batch is composed of wimps: hungry poodles, a rat terrier and some chihuahuas. You'll get a few pathetic little bites, but luckily they don't have rabies. Kill the dogs. Search them and you'll find a name tag on one of the poodles. It says "Mandy." It also has an address in Smithsville, the nearby town. Keep the dog tag.
Now, on to bigger and better things.
SMITHSVILLE
Your first stop is Smithsville -- once a bustling town of about 10,000. There, you hope to find a car. Unfortunately for you, though, you'll find more of a criminal element here, too.
But first, you've got quite a hike to get to town. Your cabin is several miles outside of the city limits and before you reach town you'll have a chance for some random encounters: a lost hiker, an injured logger, and, the funniest one of all, a broken down bus full of cheerleaders!
None of these add too much to the game. You have a chance to get a few extra XP for completing their quests, though, and they can aid the main quest in Smithsville.
You'll also have to battle a few enemies before you get to Smithsville. You'll come up on some rats and some big roaches (not mutated, yet, but hungry) and will probably get more wild dogs: this time, a bit tougher. They are medium-sized pets, but since they're domesticated and, for the most part have probably been spayed and neutered, they are weaker and less of a threat than the wild dogs you encountered in the first Fallout games.
You have about 30 to 45 hit points now (depending on your strength and other statistics) and these dogs only have 5 to 10 each. Plus, their attacks are mostly ineffective. Usually, they'll miss. So, unless you're completely inept, you ought to escape these attacks with only a few lost hitpoints. Swing away with the machete or kick the hell out of them. Or, run like hell to the edge of the screen and escape the encounter.
You may also run into a "mugger" armed with a switchblade knife, a crazy person armed with a crowbar, or a group of cult members, unarmed. You should be able to dispatch any of these fairly easily, because you've go the best weapon at this point. But you may want to avoid the mugger if your skills in unarmed combat or melee weapons are too low. He's pretty good with that switchblade. Anyway, your prize for any of these encounters is more experience points, some cash and maybe a stimpak or two. Sometimes the mugger has a leather jacket you can take after killing him. Sometimes, not. Is that dependent on the Luck statistic?
Eventually you'll make it to town. Your entry point is Main Street next to a Quik Stop Store convenience store. The windows have been broken and the fuel pumps are scorched and twisted by an apparent explosion. A nearby car is burning. The door of the store hangs open. Go inside.
Quik Stop Store: Find the store clerk and customer on the floor. They are dead. Take the gold chain from the dead woman and the key from the clerk. There is a 10mm pistol under the counter, loaded. Take it. Your first gun!
Use the key on the locked door to the storeroom. Take more food. You'll also find the leather jacket hanging on the coat rack. Your first armor!
Put it on and leave.
On Main Street: So far, so good. Seems easy, doesn't it? You've barely started your quest and already you have a gun and some armor. Maybe they made this game too easy compared to the others? Not so fast ...
When you walk down the street, you will encounter Randall. He's head of the local "gang" such as it is. Don't mess with him. He's backed by four gang members. One has a shotgun, two have 10mm pistols and another has a sledgehammer. Randall has a submachine gun.
They also have higher hitpoints than you, so you can't win a firefight.
Unfortunately, they're holding their weapons, so you can't steal them. (Damn! That was my favorite "cheat" in the other Fallout games -- stealing their weapons, then fighting). It's unlikely any character, no matter how you've built him, could survive a battle at this time. Feel free, though, to try it if you want (but don't say I didn't warn you).
So, you don't want to fight Randall. But you can't walk around and avoid him, either. The only way into town is past him and his gang.
If you ignore him and try to walk past, he'll say "hey, I'm talkin' to you." If you keep walking, the gang goes into combat mode and you'll die fairly quickly.
The alternative also sucks. If you talk to Randall, he threatens you. Says he's the toughest SOB in town and you'd better give him respect.
Randall will demand your gun and ammo. He'll let you keep the jacket (nice guy) and, strangely, lets you keep the gold chain. Maybe he doesn't see it. Then, he'll give you a quest to become an "associate member" so you can get your gun back.
This is the main quest in town, and is rather simple. Randall wants some drugs (amphetmines) from a pharmacy but he can't get inside. Wouldn't you know it? The only computer in town that works is guarding the entry to the pharmacy, which has a heavy metal door and bullet proof glass.
You see, Randall isn't very smart. Neither are the other gang members. But if you have excellent intelligence (9), you may be able to bypass the code. If you're only of good or average intelligence (or less) and have average luck (most of us) you'll have to find another way to get into the pharmacy.
A side note here. You may get a chance to mention one of the subquests to Randall. Don't do it. If you tell Randall about the cheerleaders, he'll say he's going to send out the gang to take them prisoner! You don't get anything for it and if you go back to the bus later, you simply find it empty. So, it's better to complete the girls' request. More on that later.
Anyway, after you leave Randall, explore the town. If you can get into the pharmacy now, fine, go ahead. But don't talk to Randall again until after you've toured the rest of the town.
Here's a brief rundown of what you can do:
Mayor Albright: Get quest to find Randall's hideout. He'll tell you he has little confidence in the police chief's efforts. Report back to Albright so he can send out the police chief and deputies to arrest the gang. Agree to do it, but you'll have to hold off on this for awhile.
Police Chief Williams: Quest to free the chief's daughter, April. Agree to do it. Poor guy. She's shacked up with Randall, the local thug. That's why the chief can't move against him.
Father Viccare: Talk to the preacher. He is worried about a cult that has moved to a ranch on the edge of town. He thinks they have his crucifix. Take back the crucifix and return it to Viccare to help reaffirm his faith. You'll get XP and he'll be more helpful to you later on. (He won't do anything now, but if you return later, he'll provide healing). Also, if you also bring him information about the cult, you’ll get more XP and another location on your PIP Boy map.
Mrs. Tao: Find her husband, the pharmacist. She'll tell you she last saw him two days ago and give you a description. She fears he's hanging out on the "wrong side" of town.
Mr. Sanford: Visit the junk dealer. He's the guy to take all the stuff you find in town that you don't need. He'll trade you a little gold for stuff. He also has a stimpak. First things first: trade him the gold chain for a few gold pieces. There's a few items lying around his property, too, that you can take and sell to him. Seems dishonest, but hey, your survival's at stake.
Most important thing about Sanford: He also has a working fuel cell regulator. This is a sensitive car part that was easily fried by the electromagnetic pulse weapons that have already knocked out most of the country's electronic components. It’s the reason your SUV wouldn’t work. This one, however, was apparently protected in some way or is a more hardy type. He wants $1,000 gp for it ... too much for your blood, now. You'll have to come back, if you ever find a car ...
Sanford subquest: Sanford was a subscriber to Cat Claw magazine. Since the nukes hit, mail delivery has stopped and he hasn’t received the latest issue. He’s quite miffed about it. Bring him a copy and he’ll reward you. “I’ll make it worth your while,” he says. Turns out the prize is the fuel cell regulator. Now, I wonder where I can find a copy of the magazine?
Deputy Siess: At first, not much conversation is possible with the deputy. About all he’ll say to you is that he’s worried about his sister, who lives in the larger city of Three Lakes. He wants to go check on her, “but they really need me here right now so I’m duty bound to stay.” Complete the main Smithsville quest correctly and you’ll be able to add him to your party.
Those are the main Non-player characters in Smithsville. Now, a note about some of the subquests:
Mandy: Cross the tracks to the "bad side" of town. A little girl will be standing in the street, crying and yelling for "Mandy." Give her the dog tag (from the mutt outside your cabin) and explain what happened to her dog. She'll freak out and call you a "murderer," then run away. But as she runs away, she drops a key. Pick it up.
Cheerleaders (random encounter): A bus load of cheerleaders are stranded outside town. The head cheerleader, Britney, wants you to find her dad in town. Britney is the one standing alone off to the left. Meanwhile, four others are practicing their cheers while a few others are milling around, spouting some funny comments.
While you are there, the girls will randomly say things like: "Have you ever been in a threeway? Want to?" "Do you think I'm pretty? I think you're hot!" and "Does one time make me a lesbian?"
You can't actually do anything with the girls, though. Just like the other Fallout games, its all tease and no action.
Anway, to finish Brittney's quest, while in Smithsville you need to find Mr. Jones, the head cheerleaders' father. He'll be hanging out by the bus station on the south end of Smithsville. Tell him that his daughter and the other girls are stranded outside town and need his help. He'll thank you and give you some cash. If you question him some more, he'll tell you where you could look for the pharmacist: "I saw a guy matching that description walking down the street yesterday, by that old warehouse."
Injured logger (random encounter): An injured logger is trapped under a pile of logs. He asks you to go find his friend, Weenam Tao.
The nice thing about the injured logger quest, is that he tells you where to find Mr. Tao, the pharmacist. The logger lets you in on a secret -- he and Mr. Tao are friends and they've built a bomb shelter on the south side of town, inside an old warehouse. Talk to Mr. Tao and he'll arrange for his friend to be freed from the log pile he's trapped under. You'll get 120XP. Not bad for such an easy job, heh?
Lost hiker (random encounter): A hiker is lost in the woods. He's trying to get home to his family in Los Angeles (you don't have the heart to tell him he's a thousand miles out of the way and, by the way, Los Angeles has already been nuked.) He wants a compass so he can find his way home.
Solution: Find Mr. Tao and free him. Inside the bomb shelter one of the items you'll find is a compass. Actually, there's two. Keep one for yourself and take the other one to the hiker for 250 XP. Warning: make sure you're in good health before doing this because you'll likely encounter dogs on the way back to where the hiker is at. These will be tougher than the ones you've fought earlier.
As I mentioned earlier, the pharmacy is the main quest in Smithsville and Mr. Tao, the pharmacist, is an essential key to solving it. That's why these first random encounters all link to him, somehow.
Anway, now for the main quests. This is the easiest way to solve the town, for maximum points and wealth.
First and foremost, go complete the cult Subquest for pastor Viccare. There are about a dozen cult members spread out around the complex, but most are unarmed and are lousy fighters. A few have simple weapons, such as a knife or crowbar. You can kill them, take back the crucifix and return to the pastor; or, you can sneak into the temple (after lockpicking a door and stealing a cloak) and take it while no one is looking. If you are brave enough at this point, you can go upstairs, sneak into the office and take the cult leader’s diary from his desk. That will give you the location of the cult’s headquarters and more XP if you take the diary back to Father Viccare.
Now, back in town, complete the main quest:
First, find Mr. Tao, the pharmacist.
Following the directions of the people you've talked to, find the warehouse on the south side of town. This is the “bad” section of town, with druggies wandering around, a mugger or two and other hazards.
Inside the warehouse there is a bomb shelter and the door is locked. Through the circulation vent, you hear someone yelling for help.
If you solved the Mandy subquest, you have the key to the bunker door. Otherwise, you have to find another key. The voice inside the shelter will tell you that he thinks he dropped his key in the rubbish pile behind the warehouse. Go there, fight three "escaped guard dogs" (these are of the larger variety -- they're tough) and get the key.
My advice: get the key from Mandy and avoid those big dogs at this point. You can come back later with a gun, kill them and get the 120 XP, if you want.
Anyway, once you've freed Mr. Tao, he'll thank you and leave to return to his wife (or to help his friend the logger, if you had that quest). You get more XP. Plus, he leaves the door to the shelter open, which is great because you get to loot it
for some great stuff! He's got 250gp, two compasses, more food, some stimpaks, some other meds (rad-X) and some 10 mm ammo. Hmm, no 10mm pistol, though. Also, in the desk (which you'll have to lockpick -- don't worry, it's an easy one) you'll find the access code for the pharmacy.
It's time to go back to the main part of town. Be sure to loot the surrounding buildings in the southside, first. You can steal from a few of the despondent people wandering around here. Again, you'll get propositioned (this time by prostitutes) but you can't actually get any action.
Watch out for more dogs in some of the buildings.
Note: Avoid the gang hideout at this point.
There is a building in the southside, off to one corner, away from the others. This is Randall's gang's clubhouse. Best leave this alone right now. You can't get in and if you return to the mayor or police chief, you don't get a prompting that allows you to tell them that you found the hideout. Apparently, you need more proof, first.
Forget about breaking in at this point. The entrance is blocked by a big guy with a powerful melee weapon, a shredder. Anyway, you can't walk past him and there's no door to lockpick in front because he's in the doorway. He won't engage you in conversation. If you're determined to fight, go into combat mode and attack. But, you'll probably die. Plus, he's not alone. There's two more gang members inside, with guns.
If you go around back, you can lockpick two doors (with high lockpick skill) but the gang members inside will fight you. Also, this could screw up your chances to finish the quest for Randall, which pays off with big XP. So I really recommend you leave this place alone right now. You'll get a better chance, later, when the gang members are all high on drugs.
At this point you've freed Mr. Tao and have looted the places on the southside that you can get to. Now, do the following in this order:
1) Go back to Mrs. Tao. She'll give you a reward (a knife and some XP) for saving her husband.
2) Talk to Pastor Viccare, if you're injured. If you successfully helped restore his faith earlier in the game, he will now offer to heal you (to full hitpoints) for a "donation" of $50. Luckily for you, he'll accept either the gold or the cash you started out with. Use the cash, because this is one of the few places in the game where it has value. (Later people apparently realize that civilization is coming to an end and that the U.S. Government is about to fall).
3) Go to the pharmacy. Use the access code you stole from the Taos' bunker and enter the building. Get a few drugs here and some condoms (Johnny Hats -- what can you use them for?) along with some .223 mm ammo (comes in handy much later).
Most importantly, use the access pad on the computer terminal inside the pharmacy. It's linked to a medical network that is actually still in operation. That will give you the name of a larger community, Three Lakes, Ore., that has a Vault-Tec Lab office! (You also would get the location after the deputy joins your party).
Also, the computer tells you there is another working terminal at the Crater Lake National Forest park office. This gives you two more destinations on your PIPBOY map, in addition to the cult headquarters. You now have three destinations on your map.
Finally, in the freezer inside the pharmacy is a container full of amphetamines (meth). This is not a drug you can use -- it's a quest item. This is what Randall wanted. Take the meth.
4) Return to Randall with the meth. One of two things will happen, based I think on your charisma. You get 2,000 XP either way for completing the quest. If you haven't already, you probably just leveled up again.
Here's the two endings:
Ideal: Randall keeps true to his word. He says "you're a tough dude," makes you an associate member and gives you back your gun. He then invites you to join him and his gang at their clubhouse for a party. Say, "yeah, that sounds like fun, let's go" and you'll automatically be taken inside the clubhouse. If you say "no, not right now", he'll tell you the location of the clubhouse and invite you to "drop by later."
Less ideal: Randall gives you your gun (empty) and says he's not sure you're good enough to become a gang member. He tells you he took the ammo out "to make sure you don't get into any trouble." Even though you're not good enough to be a gang member now, he'll tell you to meet him back at their clubhouse later, if you want. He'll tell you its located in the south end of town, give you a description of the building, and warn you not to tell anyone its location.
Your next step at this point depends on which outcome you got on the Randall quest. If Randall takes you into the gang and you say "yes" to the party, it works like this:
1) You're at the clubhouse, as a "guest." Apparently, Randall still doesn't completely trust you, so you can't leave, yet.
2) The gang is ready to party. Talk to Randall. He "passes you the meth." You can either "take the meth" or "pretend to take some and pass it around". I recommend not taking it and just passing it around. Taking it hurts your stats. Pulling off the fake, though, requires decent intelligence because you have to act like you're on the drug.
2) While the gang members are talking among themselves about how good the drug is making them feel, walk over to the back room of the hideout. There, you'll find a locked door. Pick the lock and go inside to talk to April. This is police chief Williams' daughter. She is chained to the bed. April will tell you that she no longer is in love with Randall and wants to go home. She needs the key and help getting out the door.
3) If you're good enough, lockpick the cuffs, lockpick the two back doors and sneak April out. Then head back to the main part of town. You get 300 XP points if you tell the mayor you know where the gang members are at. You get 500 XP from talking to the police chief, who is grateful to you for freeing his daughter. Click on the chief again, and he'll say that you're a pretty clever person and he thinks you could be an asset. He'll ask if you want to help take out the gang. Say "yes" and he'll give you a shotgun (fully loaded, but not enough ammo for the task. Keep that 10mm handy).
Other ways to finish:
1) If your lockpick skills are inadequate and you're unable to free April that way, you can try stealing the key from Randall. He's high on drugs and should be an easy target, but there's a risk of getting blown away. He has the key for the ankle cuff. Another thug has the key to the two back doors. Unlock the cuffs, unlock the doors and head back to the town to talk to the mayor and police chief.
2) If you can't lockpick April to freedom and you don't want to steal the keys (or are unsuccessful at stealing) you can try to talk your way out. Talk to Randall, tell him you need to head back to town. He'll want to know why. Tell him you think you may be able to get more drugs from the pharmacist. If your charisma is high enough, he'll believe you and give you his blessings. Otherwise, you can't get out the front door. Note: If your charisma was high enough to get you into the gang, it should be high enough to get you out of the building.
Keep in mind, though, that if you talk your way out of the hideout, you can't return. They turn hostile on you and you will have to fight them.
Regardless of the scenario that works, the goal is to get out of the clubhouse and back to town. The best option is to free April first, because that way you get the XP from the police chief and the option to join the arrest squad. If you go to town without April, you only get the XP from the mayor for identifying the location of the hideout.
So, you can see it's best to be taken into the gang.
But, if you don't make the cut and Randall doesn't take you into the gang; or you make the cut but fail to take the option to go to the party, here are your (less desirable) options:
1) Show up at the clubhouse. Even though you were invited, they may be hostile and you'll find that you're in a firefight. Good thing you got that extra 10mm ammo from Mr. Tao's bomb shelter, right? Otherwise you'd have a gun without ammo.
2) Show up at the clubhouse. If they're not hostile, they still won't let you in. The guy at the front won't engage you and you can't walk in. At this point, you can try to sneak in the back way, lock picking the doors. If your sneak skill is successful, you can free April without being seen (remember, at this point they’re high on the meth).Then you can go back to town with April, talk to the mayor and chief. Keep in mind, though, that this is harder than going to the party and breaking out.
3) Instead of going to the clubhouse, go straight to the mayor and tell him the location. Talk to the chief, he'll be disappointed in you for not rescuing his daughter. You can offer to go along with him to show him the location. He may or may not take you up on it. If he takes you up on your offer, you don't get the shotgun and have to use your own 10mm pistol and ammo. But, you’ll still be able to get Deputy Siess to join you if the scenario works out this way.
Combat at the hideout:
Ideal: If you freed April first, the combat is fairly straightforward and simple. There are five gang members besides Randall -- the four from the original encounter and the big guy who was blocking the door. One still has the sledgehammer (idiot). The big guy comes at you with the shredder. Randall has his submachine pistol. Two others have 10 mm pistols and one still has his shotgun (remember the first encounter on Main Street?)
The police chief is armed with a rifle and is a good shot. You have a shotgun and your 10 mm. Two deputies have 10 mm pistols. Another deputy has a shotgun.
With you in the party, it is five against six. My advice is to take out the shredder guy and Randall first. Good luck, you're going to need it.
The one thing in this battle in your favor is that the police force apparently is wearing bullet proof vests. They don't take too much damage. You, on the other hand, will be dead if Randall gets close to you with that submachine gun. You're only wearing a jacket at this point, after all.
Less ideal: If April is still inside, she's probably going to be safe because the gang members all rush out to confront you. But you're in trouble because all you have is a 10mm (you didn't get the shotgun because you didn't free April). The combat is going to be tough. Hope you have some stimpaks.
Least ideal: After telling the mayor and the police chief where the gang is located, you can leave town without taking part in the final battle of Smithsville. Nothing actually happens that you can see. The police force won't move, yet.
One option (for weaker players) is to tell the mayor you found the hideout, then leave without talking to the chief. Build your character up through some encounters outside of town; then return at a later date to Smithsville. With this option, you could wait until you leveled up again and had better combat skills. Return to town, talk to the chief, convince him to let you come, or go take on the gang yourself.
If you take on the gang yourself, and wipe them out, you should then be able to still free April and return her to her dad for the XP. You then can get deputy Siess to join you, so he’ll be at your side when you get to some really tough battles at the next few locations.
At any rate, once the gang members are all dead, you get another 1,000 XP. Plus, when you search Randall, you'll find he was wearing leather armor. Don't forget to loot the other gang members for weapons and ammo
and anything else they're carrying, such as stimpaks. Sell what you don't need to Mr. Sanford at the junkyard. Then, head out for the next phase of the adventure – hopefully, with Deputy Siess to back you up.
THREE LAKES
Walkthrough pending based on reaction/interest.
CRATER LAKE NATIONAL FOREST
Walkthrough pending based on reaction/interest.
THE CHURCH OF CHTULU
Walkthrough pending.
A walkthrough (version 1.1) for
Fallout 3: Before the Fall
OK, the game doesn’t really exist, yet. But I’d like to see this idea made into a game. I’ve written this as a possible storyline for a game that could utilize the Fallout Tactics maps, or new maps with that engine; or with the Fallout 2 engine.
This is a game I’ve been playing out in my head. The format is a walkthrough of the first mission of the game.
Introduction:
Fallout 3 is a prequel to the popular series of games from Interplay. Much like George Lucas went back in time to show the story before the first "Star Wars" trilogy, Fallout 3: Before the End takes us back before the nuclear devastation that transforms the world into what we know as the Fallout Universe.
So, there are no mutants in this game. But don’t dare think that makes it boring, because this game has something better: Aliens!
Remember the aliens you stumbled across in the Wannamango Mines in Fallout 2? In this game, their origins are finally revealed. What’s more, those creatures are merely the aliens’ first line of defense. Other alien species you come across will be the equivalent of the Greater Deathclaws and mutants from the other games.
You also have to battle robots: a U.S. military program gone awry. Rushed into production, secretly, to combat the alien menace (which the government has tried to keep secret from the general public) the robots prove almost as dangerous as the alien invaders.
Summary:
It is 2009. The nuclear powers of the world apparently have gone insane and have launched nuclear strikes against one another. So far, the strikes have been surgical in nature: submarine bases, harbors, missile launch sites, large air fields and centers of government. Civilians have died by the millions in cities near these targets.
Some of the population of the United States remains alive, primarily in smaller towns and rural areas. But government authority went out the window with the first strikes. Commerce died as well.
Some of the first strikes were nuclear pulse weapons -- meaning relatively low radiation output, but communications and modern electronics have been put out of commission. That means most cars don't run, most computers are inoperable and appliances may or may not work. Satellites were knocked out early on, so there is no reliable television transmission and most communication networks are dead.
The result is chaos: roving gangs of thugs committing crimes with impunity; National Guard commanders, panic stricken or with delusions of grandeur, have seized control of some cities; the Army has been cut off from its leadership and generals are acting on their own authority -- be careful approaching any military bases, because the soldiers have become paranoid. Civilian authority is mostly inept and dangerous.
There is only one hope, for a very few -- and, possibly, for you. The Vaults.
At the beginning of the game, you have in your possession a Vault-Tec Lab manual. As a person of some prominence, you were lucky enough to receive an invitation to become a vault member. You've had it in your possession for a year but forgot about it until the war began.
The manual contains a brief description of the vaults and their purpose. It also invites you to make a $20,000 deposit to guarantee your membership in one of these vaults. It doesn't tell you exactly where the vaults are located, though.
Unfortunately, also in the envelope is the reply card that you should have sent off with your money -- too late. The deadline passed three months before.
Your family and friends are dead. You are alone. You have no weapons and little money (the banking network is down and you have no access to your checking account). Besides, American money is now nearly worthless. You'll find a few people who will still take cash, but as the game progresses it loses its value. Gold is the currency of preference and some items, such as food and weapons, are in demand for trade. Also, porn and drugs are sought by some who have given up all hope for the future. You meet many people who are determined to "live it up" before the final holocaust. As a result, the cities are full of drug addicts and prostitutes.
But you have not given up. Your mission is to find one of the vaults and somehow talk your way inside to safety.
Along the way, you will battle random individuals, including lone thugs, crazed people and, perhaps most dangerous of all, determined individualists who, like yourself, are determined to stay alive -- people who will kill you to get that Vault invitation, which may be the only chance for survival.
But the individuals you come up against are the least of your worries. Your quest will bring you up against tougher and tougher enemies: organized bands of criminals led by gangsters who have taken advantage of the lack of authority to run things their way; scouting bands of National Guardsmen, looking for slaves or replacement soldiers; Army patrols who have a tendency to shoot anyone on sight as a potential spy, especially anyone who is armed; and, most bizarre of all, a crazy Doomsday cult that has taken up cannibalism.
And, that's just the first phase of the game. Eventually, you'll have to battle armed robots and alien invaders.
The aliens could prove to be the toughest enemy yet. You will come across several types.
The alien critters like those you battled in Fallout 2 are the least of your worries. They were the aliens' equivalent of dogs. They are semi-intelligent pets. In this game, they are merely the aliens' first line of defense. You'll encounter some in your wanderings. Eventually, you'll find more ... a lot more ... at the aliens' crashsite, where you'll enter the spaceship to destroy the alien scourge.
You'll also find much tougher enemies as you explore this huge, multi-level alien saucer:
Next up are a species that are the equivalent of deathclaws in the first two games.
You'll also find the intelligent species of aliens, the Hive: they kind of look like the Grays (think "The X-Files") except they're on steroids. They're the basic equivalent of the mutant armies.
At the top, of course, is the Hive mother.
Eventually, if you're lucky, you'll save the human race from alien domination and the robot menace. If you’re successful, you will earn an honored place in the safety of a vault before the final nuclear devastation makes the outside unlivable.
This is a semi-walkthrough of the game – so far, I’ve done the starting point and first town.
START:
You begin at your vacation home in the country, where you have retreated to escape the nightmare being played out in the cities. You are able to log onto your company's communications network and you have verified your worst fears: all your family members are likely dead, as they were unlucky enough to live in cities near nuclear missile targets. You are alone.
You look in a drawer of your living room and find your PIPBOY 2000 and Vault-Tec Lab promotional packet. That gives you 100 experience points (XP) and your first mission: To find a vault.
OK, so you're wondering, "why would you have a Pip Boy?" Simple. You were employed by the manufacturer. You were working on a new model, the PIPBOY 2010, which unfortunately is incomplete and, with the war, will never be completed. Since you worked for the PIPBOY 2000 manufacturer, you were important enough to get an invitation to join a vault. Before the war, you were a person of prominence, wealth and influence. That won't help you much, now, though. But having the PIPBOY gives you an advantage over many.
Conduct a complete search of your cabin. You won't be coming back.
There's not much here. There are only three rooms. There's some food in the kitchen. There is a flashlight and some batteries ( those new-fangled power cells). Grab them, you'll need them. There's a small amount of U.S. currency too.
Oops, check that closet carefully. You have a machete stuffed in the corner in a small box. It's hard to see there against the wall. That's your first weapon.
Go outside. Your new Mercedes SUV won't start. Damn! All that luxury and you can't use it? You'll have to go on foot. But you know you're going to need an automobile at some point. The nearest vaults, as best you can tell, are hundreds of miles to the south. (You're in southern Oregon).
If you're going to survive the pending nuclear devastation, you must find a working automobile. That means you've got to head to the nearest town.
First, though, you've got some enemies to dispatch: a pack of dogs crazed with hunger and fear, right outside your front door. Fortunately, this particular batch is composed of wimps: hungry poodles, a rat terrier and some chihuahuas. You'll get a few pathetic little bites, but luckily they don't have rabies. Kill the dogs. Search them and you'll find a name tag on one of the poodles. It says "Mandy." It also has an address in Smithsville, the nearby town. Keep the dog tag.
Now, on to bigger and better things.
SMITHSVILLE
Your first stop is Smithsville -- once a bustling town of about 10,000. There, you hope to find a car. Unfortunately for you, though, you'll find more of a criminal element here, too.
But first, you've got quite a hike to get to town. Your cabin is several miles outside of the city limits and before you reach town you'll have a chance for some random encounters: a lost hiker, an injured logger, and, the funniest one of all, a broken down bus full of cheerleaders!
None of these add too much to the game. You have a chance to get a few extra XP for completing their quests, though, and they can aid the main quest in Smithsville.
You'll also have to battle a few enemies before you get to Smithsville. You'll come up on some rats and some big roaches (not mutated, yet, but hungry) and will probably get more wild dogs: this time, a bit tougher. They are medium-sized pets, but since they're domesticated and, for the most part have probably been spayed and neutered, they are weaker and less of a threat than the wild dogs you encountered in the first Fallout games.
You have about 30 to 45 hit points now (depending on your strength and other statistics) and these dogs only have 5 to 10 each. Plus, their attacks are mostly ineffective. Usually, they'll miss. So, unless you're completely inept, you ought to escape these attacks with only a few lost hitpoints. Swing away with the machete or kick the hell out of them. Or, run like hell to the edge of the screen and escape the encounter.
You may also run into a "mugger" armed with a switchblade knife, a crazy person armed with a crowbar, or a group of cult members, unarmed. You should be able to dispatch any of these fairly easily, because you've go the best weapon at this point. But you may want to avoid the mugger if your skills in unarmed combat or melee weapons are too low. He's pretty good with that switchblade. Anyway, your prize for any of these encounters is more experience points, some cash and maybe a stimpak or two. Sometimes the mugger has a leather jacket you can take after killing him. Sometimes, not. Is that dependent on the Luck statistic?
Eventually you'll make it to town. Your entry point is Main Street next to a Quik Stop Store convenience store. The windows have been broken and the fuel pumps are scorched and twisted by an apparent explosion. A nearby car is burning. The door of the store hangs open. Go inside.
Quik Stop Store: Find the store clerk and customer on the floor. They are dead. Take the gold chain from the dead woman and the key from the clerk. There is a 10mm pistol under the counter, loaded. Take it. Your first gun!
Use the key on the locked door to the storeroom. Take more food. You'll also find the leather jacket hanging on the coat rack. Your first armor!
Put it on and leave.
On Main Street: So far, so good. Seems easy, doesn't it? You've barely started your quest and already you have a gun and some armor. Maybe they made this game too easy compared to the others? Not so fast ...
When you walk down the street, you will encounter Randall. He's head of the local "gang" such as it is. Don't mess with him. He's backed by four gang members. One has a shotgun, two have 10mm pistols and another has a sledgehammer. Randall has a submachine gun.
They also have higher hitpoints than you, so you can't win a firefight.
Unfortunately, they're holding their weapons, so you can't steal them. (Damn! That was my favorite "cheat" in the other Fallout games -- stealing their weapons, then fighting). It's unlikely any character, no matter how you've built him, could survive a battle at this time. Feel free, though, to try it if you want (but don't say I didn't warn you).
So, you don't want to fight Randall. But you can't walk around and avoid him, either. The only way into town is past him and his gang.
If you ignore him and try to walk past, he'll say "hey, I'm talkin' to you." If you keep walking, the gang goes into combat mode and you'll die fairly quickly.
The alternative also sucks. If you talk to Randall, he threatens you. Says he's the toughest SOB in town and you'd better give him respect.
Randall will demand your gun and ammo. He'll let you keep the jacket (nice guy) and, strangely, lets you keep the gold chain. Maybe he doesn't see it. Then, he'll give you a quest to become an "associate member" so you can get your gun back.
This is the main quest in town, and is rather simple. Randall wants some drugs (amphetmines) from a pharmacy but he can't get inside. Wouldn't you know it? The only computer in town that works is guarding the entry to the pharmacy, which has a heavy metal door and bullet proof glass.
You see, Randall isn't very smart. Neither are the other gang members. But if you have excellent intelligence (9), you may be able to bypass the code. If you're only of good or average intelligence (or less) and have average luck (most of us) you'll have to find another way to get into the pharmacy.
A side note here. You may get a chance to mention one of the subquests to Randall. Don't do it. If you tell Randall about the cheerleaders, he'll say he's going to send out the gang to take them prisoner! You don't get anything for it and if you go back to the bus later, you simply find it empty. So, it's better to complete the girls' request. More on that later.
Anyway, after you leave Randall, explore the town. If you can get into the pharmacy now, fine, go ahead. But don't talk to Randall again until after you've toured the rest of the town.
Here's a brief rundown of what you can do:
Mayor Albright: Get quest to find Randall's hideout. He'll tell you he has little confidence in the police chief's efforts. Report back to Albright so he can send out the police chief and deputies to arrest the gang. Agree to do it, but you'll have to hold off on this for awhile.
Police Chief Williams: Quest to free the chief's daughter, April. Agree to do it. Poor guy. She's shacked up with Randall, the local thug. That's why the chief can't move against him.
Father Viccare: Talk to the preacher. He is worried about a cult that has moved to a ranch on the edge of town. He thinks they have his crucifix. Take back the crucifix and return it to Viccare to help reaffirm his faith. You'll get XP and he'll be more helpful to you later on. (He won't do anything now, but if you return later, he'll provide healing). Also, if you also bring him information about the cult, you’ll get more XP and another location on your PIP Boy map.
Mrs. Tao: Find her husband, the pharmacist. She'll tell you she last saw him two days ago and give you a description. She fears he's hanging out on the "wrong side" of town.
Mr. Sanford: Visit the junk dealer. He's the guy to take all the stuff you find in town that you don't need. He'll trade you a little gold for stuff. He also has a stimpak. First things first: trade him the gold chain for a few gold pieces. There's a few items lying around his property, too, that you can take and sell to him. Seems dishonest, but hey, your survival's at stake.
Most important thing about Sanford: He also has a working fuel cell regulator. This is a sensitive car part that was easily fried by the electromagnetic pulse weapons that have already knocked out most of the country's electronic components. It’s the reason your SUV wouldn’t work. This one, however, was apparently protected in some way or is a more hardy type. He wants $1,000 gp for it ... too much for your blood, now. You'll have to come back, if you ever find a car ...
Sanford subquest: Sanford was a subscriber to Cat Claw magazine. Since the nukes hit, mail delivery has stopped and he hasn’t received the latest issue. He’s quite miffed about it. Bring him a copy and he’ll reward you. “I’ll make it worth your while,” he says. Turns out the prize is the fuel cell regulator. Now, I wonder where I can find a copy of the magazine?
Deputy Siess: At first, not much conversation is possible with the deputy. About all he’ll say to you is that he’s worried about his sister, who lives in the larger city of Three Lakes. He wants to go check on her, “but they really need me here right now so I’m duty bound to stay.” Complete the main Smithsville quest correctly and you’ll be able to add him to your party.
Those are the main Non-player characters in Smithsville. Now, a note about some of the subquests:
Mandy: Cross the tracks to the "bad side" of town. A little girl will be standing in the street, crying and yelling for "Mandy." Give her the dog tag (from the mutt outside your cabin) and explain what happened to her dog. She'll freak out and call you a "murderer," then run away. But as she runs away, she drops a key. Pick it up.
Cheerleaders (random encounter): A bus load of cheerleaders are stranded outside town. The head cheerleader, Britney, wants you to find her dad in town. Britney is the one standing alone off to the left. Meanwhile, four others are practicing their cheers while a few others are milling around, spouting some funny comments.
While you are there, the girls will randomly say things like: "Have you ever been in a threeway? Want to?" "Do you think I'm pretty? I think you're hot!" and "Does one time make me a lesbian?"
You can't actually do anything with the girls, though. Just like the other Fallout games, its all tease and no action.
Anway, to finish Brittney's quest, while in Smithsville you need to find Mr. Jones, the head cheerleaders' father. He'll be hanging out by the bus station on the south end of Smithsville. Tell him that his daughter and the other girls are stranded outside town and need his help. He'll thank you and give you some cash. If you question him some more, he'll tell you where you could look for the pharmacist: "I saw a guy matching that description walking down the street yesterday, by that old warehouse."
Injured logger (random encounter): An injured logger is trapped under a pile of logs. He asks you to go find his friend, Weenam Tao.
The nice thing about the injured logger quest, is that he tells you where to find Mr. Tao, the pharmacist. The logger lets you in on a secret -- he and Mr. Tao are friends and they've built a bomb shelter on the south side of town, inside an old warehouse. Talk to Mr. Tao and he'll arrange for his friend to be freed from the log pile he's trapped under. You'll get 120XP. Not bad for such an easy job, heh?
Lost hiker (random encounter): A hiker is lost in the woods. He's trying to get home to his family in Los Angeles (you don't have the heart to tell him he's a thousand miles out of the way and, by the way, Los Angeles has already been nuked.) He wants a compass so he can find his way home.
Solution: Find Mr. Tao and free him. Inside the bomb shelter one of the items you'll find is a compass. Actually, there's two. Keep one for yourself and take the other one to the hiker for 250 XP. Warning: make sure you're in good health before doing this because you'll likely encounter dogs on the way back to where the hiker is at. These will be tougher than the ones you've fought earlier.
As I mentioned earlier, the pharmacy is the main quest in Smithsville and Mr. Tao, the pharmacist, is an essential key to solving it. That's why these first random encounters all link to him, somehow.
Anway, now for the main quests. This is the easiest way to solve the town, for maximum points and wealth.
First and foremost, go complete the cult Subquest for pastor Viccare. There are about a dozen cult members spread out around the complex, but most are unarmed and are lousy fighters. A few have simple weapons, such as a knife or crowbar. You can kill them, take back the crucifix and return to the pastor; or, you can sneak into the temple (after lockpicking a door and stealing a cloak) and take it while no one is looking. If you are brave enough at this point, you can go upstairs, sneak into the office and take the cult leader’s diary from his desk. That will give you the location of the cult’s headquarters and more XP if you take the diary back to Father Viccare.
Now, back in town, complete the main quest:
First, find Mr. Tao, the pharmacist.
Following the directions of the people you've talked to, find the warehouse on the south side of town. This is the “bad” section of town, with druggies wandering around, a mugger or two and other hazards.
Inside the warehouse there is a bomb shelter and the door is locked. Through the circulation vent, you hear someone yelling for help.
If you solved the Mandy subquest, you have the key to the bunker door. Otherwise, you have to find another key. The voice inside the shelter will tell you that he thinks he dropped his key in the rubbish pile behind the warehouse. Go there, fight three "escaped guard dogs" (these are of the larger variety -- they're tough) and get the key.
My advice: get the key from Mandy and avoid those big dogs at this point. You can come back later with a gun, kill them and get the 120 XP, if you want.
Anyway, once you've freed Mr. Tao, he'll thank you and leave to return to his wife (or to help his friend the logger, if you had that quest). You get more XP. Plus, he leaves the door to the shelter open, which is great because you get to loot it
for some great stuff! He's got 250gp, two compasses, more food, some stimpaks, some other meds (rad-X) and some 10 mm ammo. Hmm, no 10mm pistol, though. Also, in the desk (which you'll have to lockpick -- don't worry, it's an easy one) you'll find the access code for the pharmacy.It's time to go back to the main part of town. Be sure to loot the surrounding buildings in the southside, first. You can steal from a few of the despondent people wandering around here. Again, you'll get propositioned (this time by prostitutes) but you can't actually get any action.
Watch out for more dogs in some of the buildings.
Note: Avoid the gang hideout at this point.
There is a building in the southside, off to one corner, away from the others. This is Randall's gang's clubhouse. Best leave this alone right now. You can't get in and if you return to the mayor or police chief, you don't get a prompting that allows you to tell them that you found the hideout. Apparently, you need more proof, first.
Forget about breaking in at this point. The entrance is blocked by a big guy with a powerful melee weapon, a shredder. Anyway, you can't walk past him and there's no door to lockpick in front because he's in the doorway. He won't engage you in conversation. If you're determined to fight, go into combat mode and attack. But, you'll probably die. Plus, he's not alone. There's two more gang members inside, with guns.
If you go around back, you can lockpick two doors (with high lockpick skill) but the gang members inside will fight you. Also, this could screw up your chances to finish the quest for Randall, which pays off with big XP. So I really recommend you leave this place alone right now. You'll get a better chance, later, when the gang members are all high on drugs.
At this point you've freed Mr. Tao and have looted the places on the southside that you can get to. Now, do the following in this order:
1) Go back to Mrs. Tao. She'll give you a reward (a knife and some XP) for saving her husband.
2) Talk to Pastor Viccare, if you're injured. If you successfully helped restore his faith earlier in the game, he will now offer to heal you (to full hitpoints) for a "donation" of $50. Luckily for you, he'll accept either the gold or the cash you started out with. Use the cash, because this is one of the few places in the game where it has value. (Later people apparently realize that civilization is coming to an end and that the U.S. Government is about to fall).
3) Go to the pharmacy. Use the access code you stole from the Taos' bunker and enter the building. Get a few drugs here and some condoms (Johnny Hats -- what can you use them for?) along with some .223 mm ammo (comes in handy much later).
Most importantly, use the access pad on the computer terminal inside the pharmacy. It's linked to a medical network that is actually still in operation. That will give you the name of a larger community, Three Lakes, Ore., that has a Vault-Tec Lab office! (You also would get the location after the deputy joins your party).
Also, the computer tells you there is another working terminal at the Crater Lake National Forest park office. This gives you two more destinations on your PIPBOY map, in addition to the cult headquarters. You now have three destinations on your map.
Finally, in the freezer inside the pharmacy is a container full of amphetamines (meth). This is not a drug you can use -- it's a quest item. This is what Randall wanted. Take the meth.
4) Return to Randall with the meth. One of two things will happen, based I think on your charisma. You get 2,000 XP either way for completing the quest. If you haven't already, you probably just leveled up again.
Here's the two endings:
Ideal: Randall keeps true to his word. He says "you're a tough dude," makes you an associate member and gives you back your gun. He then invites you to join him and his gang at their clubhouse for a party. Say, "yeah, that sounds like fun, let's go" and you'll automatically be taken inside the clubhouse. If you say "no, not right now", he'll tell you the location of the clubhouse and invite you to "drop by later."
Less ideal: Randall gives you your gun (empty) and says he's not sure you're good enough to become a gang member. He tells you he took the ammo out "to make sure you don't get into any trouble." Even though you're not good enough to be a gang member now, he'll tell you to meet him back at their clubhouse later, if you want. He'll tell you its located in the south end of town, give you a description of the building, and warn you not to tell anyone its location.
Your next step at this point depends on which outcome you got on the Randall quest. If Randall takes you into the gang and you say "yes" to the party, it works like this:
1) You're at the clubhouse, as a "guest." Apparently, Randall still doesn't completely trust you, so you can't leave, yet.
2) The gang is ready to party. Talk to Randall. He "passes you the meth." You can either "take the meth" or "pretend to take some and pass it around". I recommend not taking it and just passing it around. Taking it hurts your stats. Pulling off the fake, though, requires decent intelligence because you have to act like you're on the drug.
2) While the gang members are talking among themselves about how good the drug is making them feel, walk over to the back room of the hideout. There, you'll find a locked door. Pick the lock and go inside to talk to April. This is police chief Williams' daughter. She is chained to the bed. April will tell you that she no longer is in love with Randall and wants to go home. She needs the key and help getting out the door.
3) If you're good enough, lockpick the cuffs, lockpick the two back doors and sneak April out. Then head back to the main part of town. You get 300 XP points if you tell the mayor you know where the gang members are at. You get 500 XP from talking to the police chief, who is grateful to you for freeing his daughter. Click on the chief again, and he'll say that you're a pretty clever person and he thinks you could be an asset. He'll ask if you want to help take out the gang. Say "yes" and he'll give you a shotgun (fully loaded, but not enough ammo for the task. Keep that 10mm handy).
Other ways to finish:
1) If your lockpick skills are inadequate and you're unable to free April that way, you can try stealing the key from Randall. He's high on drugs and should be an easy target, but there's a risk of getting blown away. He has the key for the ankle cuff. Another thug has the key to the two back doors. Unlock the cuffs, unlock the doors and head back to the town to talk to the mayor and police chief.
2) If you can't lockpick April to freedom and you don't want to steal the keys (or are unsuccessful at stealing) you can try to talk your way out. Talk to Randall, tell him you need to head back to town. He'll want to know why. Tell him you think you may be able to get more drugs from the pharmacist. If your charisma is high enough, he'll believe you and give you his blessings. Otherwise, you can't get out the front door. Note: If your charisma was high enough to get you into the gang, it should be high enough to get you out of the building.
Keep in mind, though, that if you talk your way out of the hideout, you can't return. They turn hostile on you and you will have to fight them.
Regardless of the scenario that works, the goal is to get out of the clubhouse and back to town. The best option is to free April first, because that way you get the XP from the police chief and the option to join the arrest squad. If you go to town without April, you only get the XP from the mayor for identifying the location of the hideout.
So, you can see it's best to be taken into the gang.
But, if you don't make the cut and Randall doesn't take you into the gang; or you make the cut but fail to take the option to go to the party, here are your (less desirable) options:
1) Show up at the clubhouse. Even though you were invited, they may be hostile and you'll find that you're in a firefight. Good thing you got that extra 10mm ammo from Mr. Tao's bomb shelter, right? Otherwise you'd have a gun without ammo.
2) Show up at the clubhouse. If they're not hostile, they still won't let you in. The guy at the front won't engage you and you can't walk in. At this point, you can try to sneak in the back way, lock picking the doors. If your sneak skill is successful, you can free April without being seen (remember, at this point they’re high on the meth).Then you can go back to town with April, talk to the mayor and chief. Keep in mind, though, that this is harder than going to the party and breaking out.
3) Instead of going to the clubhouse, go straight to the mayor and tell him the location. Talk to the chief, he'll be disappointed in you for not rescuing his daughter. You can offer to go along with him to show him the location. He may or may not take you up on it. If he takes you up on your offer, you don't get the shotgun and have to use your own 10mm pistol and ammo. But, you’ll still be able to get Deputy Siess to join you if the scenario works out this way.
Combat at the hideout:
Ideal: If you freed April first, the combat is fairly straightforward and simple. There are five gang members besides Randall -- the four from the original encounter and the big guy who was blocking the door. One still has the sledgehammer (idiot). The big guy comes at you with the shredder. Randall has his submachine pistol. Two others have 10 mm pistols and one still has his shotgun (remember the first encounter on Main Street?)
The police chief is armed with a rifle and is a good shot. You have a shotgun and your 10 mm. Two deputies have 10 mm pistols. Another deputy has a shotgun.
With you in the party, it is five against six. My advice is to take out the shredder guy and Randall first. Good luck, you're going to need it.
The one thing in this battle in your favor is that the police force apparently is wearing bullet proof vests. They don't take too much damage. You, on the other hand, will be dead if Randall gets close to you with that submachine gun. You're only wearing a jacket at this point, after all.
Less ideal: If April is still inside, she's probably going to be safe because the gang members all rush out to confront you. But you're in trouble because all you have is a 10mm (you didn't get the shotgun because you didn't free April). The combat is going to be tough. Hope you have some stimpaks.
Least ideal: After telling the mayor and the police chief where the gang is located, you can leave town without taking part in the final battle of Smithsville. Nothing actually happens that you can see. The police force won't move, yet.
One option (for weaker players) is to tell the mayor you found the hideout, then leave without talking to the chief. Build your character up through some encounters outside of town; then return at a later date to Smithsville. With this option, you could wait until you leveled up again and had better combat skills. Return to town, talk to the chief, convince him to let you come, or go take on the gang yourself.
If you take on the gang yourself, and wipe them out, you should then be able to still free April and return her to her dad for the XP. You then can get deputy Siess to join you, so he’ll be at your side when you get to some really tough battles at the next few locations.
At any rate, once the gang members are all dead, you get another 1,000 XP. Plus, when you search Randall, you'll find he was wearing leather armor. Don't forget to loot the other gang members for weapons and ammo
and anything else they're carrying, such as stimpaks. Sell what you don't need to Mr. Sanford at the junkyard. Then, head out for the next phase of the adventure – hopefully, with Deputy Siess to back you up.THREE LAKES
Walkthrough pending based on reaction/interest.
CRATER LAKE NATIONAL FOREST
Walkthrough pending based on reaction/interest.
THE CHURCH OF CHTULU
Walkthrough pending.
