I can't talk about what I saw yet while playing through a chunk of the game last month, but the Bethesda folks took the time to throw together a massive fan-driven 25 question and answer post. In it they touch on everything from child killing and drug addiction to AI and dialog trees. Here's my favorite question. Hit the jump for one on the AI and two more screens. Make sure you check out the full post if you're interested in the game.

1) Which of the following, if any, will be featured in Fallout3; Romance, Sex, Homosexuality, Nudity, Prostitution, Slavery, Cannibalism, Children, Child killings, drugs, addictions? And of the things that won't be featured, can you explain why they won't be included in the game?

It touches on most of those. Slavery, children, drugs and addiction more than the others, as those factor for into the setting more. In regards to nudity and child killings, no, it features neither of those, as they don't really add to the flavor of the game (I'll get into children in the next question more). I think if you look at Fallout 1, and the footprint it has with the topics you ask about, Fallout 3 is pretty much the same, in that it features the types of things you mention at about the same rate, no more, no less. Drugs and drug addiction play a larger role perhaps, as it's a key gameplay device. I think the heart of this question is "has the harshness and maturity of the world of Fallout 3 been tempered from the earlier games?" and I can certainly say "No, it hasn't been."

10) How advanced will the AI of NPC's be this time around? Are they really going to have a life? Speaking to other NPC's in a logical manner, traveling and trading with/in faraway places, Submitting to the player rather than fighting if they know, or think, they're no match for him?

I wish I could answer with a number, like "it will be 17 advanced." AI is difficult to define, the NPCs certainly appear much smarter than our previous stuff, by a lot. Much of that is us giving them better data, massaging what they do so the player gets to see more of it. We added a lot of animations, so people in town are doing more. They "seem" to be interacting with the world in a more realistic manner, but that usually means going up to something and playing an animation. It can be something really simple, like we added "lean against wall". It's funny how something that small can give life to a person. They walk into a space, and just lean against the wall, arms folded. Like Oblivion, we use our Radiant AI system, so most of the NPCs eat, sleep, work, etc. I think we take it for granted now, but it's pretty great to have that level of control. We've also done a lot to the conversation system, which makes them seem a lot smarter, but again, that's better data, not a new system.

On the technical side we spent most of our time doing an all new pathfinding system. Morrowind/Oblivion use nodes for pathing and Fallout uses a navmesh. This is the difference between an NPC having a valid point to stand on (node) versus an area to stand in, or walk around (mesh). You can do much more sophisticated actor movement and behavior with a navmesh, and I think you'll see the results onscreen, especially when the bullets start flying. The actors do a great job of finding cover and using the space well, something we could never have done with pathnodes.

In terms of the NPCs traveling around, many travel around town, and some travel the wasteland. There are a few caravans in the game that go from town to town trading. Radiant AI handles something like that really well.

Lastly, as far as submitting to a more powerful foe, yes they do that, in that they run away. If they're overmatched, they holster their weapon, flee and try to hide. While this sounds cool on paper, it's often not fun at all, and we've ended up really dialing that back, because it gets really annoying really fast, to have people run away all the time. The main faction that still acts like this are the Raiders, the others don't do it so much.

I must say I am disappointed that Blizzard has stayed on the conservative side in terms of design with their updates to Diablo and Starcraft. Diablo will be interesting since World of Warcraft has a lot of Diablo-like qualities. I have no doubt, however, that they will be incredibly fun, addictive and polished games. Blizzard is the top of the class when it comes to game development - nobody does it better.

Man, why's everyone so down Diablo III? There's that rainbow petition and now this? Blizzard cannot win, like never ever ever. Hit the jump for Cheng's post in full:

Diablo III announced. Nice. It looks pretty amazing, especially the gameplay video. Loved the destructible environments.

I must say I am disappointed that Blizzard has stayed on the conservative side in terms of design with their updates to Diablo and Starcraft. Diablo will be interesting since World of Warcraft has a lot of Diablo-like qualities. I have no doubt, however, that they will be incredibly fun, addictive and polished games. Blizzard is the top of the class when it comes to game development - nobody does it better.

In fact, World of Warcraft is currently banned from any computer I own due to its highly addictive qualities. Its easily one of my favorite RPGs.

I know they are working on another Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game. I hope its World of Starcraft.

UPDATE:
Dear Blizzard,
Please forgive me.

XOXO,
Ash

When the ship runs out of ocean [ash :: the blog via Big Download]

Obviously I've gotten a bit off-track here. Here are some new Fallout 3 screens.

This study investigated how fans and producers of media texts negotiate text integrity, which is defined as an ideal about the validity, wholeness, and truth of the text. An evaluation of previous research in fan studies revealed four essential issues underlying fan-producer interaction. These four issues led to the study’s four research questions, which centered on fan perceptions of ownership of a text, construction of status-relationship between fans and producers, construction of status-relationship among fans, and how fans envisioned their labor contribution to the game development process. Research questions were addressed using a discourse analysis of the forum interactions of fans of the digital-game series Fallout. The investigation focused on fan and producer interaction surrounding the release of the controversial next installment in the Fallout series, Fallout 3. Using previous literature and data gathered, the study proposed a model for fan-producer negotiation over text integrity that can be applied to fan-producer interaction in multiple contexts.

As noted at Rock, Paper, Shotgun, "Stay clear if you’re the sort of person who thinks it’s intrinsically funny if anyone calls a videogame a 'Text.'" Probably a wise consideration for many academic gaming works, but it's a thesis built on an interesting premise, and a hell of a lot shorter than a dissertation.

Fallout Fans: Negotiations Over Text Integrity In the Age of the Active Audience [Ryan Milner via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]

“This is an exciting day for Amazon customers and Fallout fans,” said Greg Hart vice president of video games and software at Amazon. “We’re delighted to be the exclusive destination for Fallout 3 Survival Edition; this is a great example of the continually expanding selection we offer to gamers.”

I've not ordered a new release video game from Amazon.com in over five years, and here I am pondering the possibility anew. The only thing that could stop me is the price...$129.99 is a ton of cash to spend, and with the regular CE at $79.99, that means the Pip-Boy is costing you another $50...but it's a Pip-Boy! This is a decision that shall weigh heavily in my mind indeed.

Fallout 3 Survival Edition Preorder [Amazon.com]

Bethesda Softworks® and Amazon.com Announce Fallout® 3 Survival Edition

Fallout 3 Survival Edition to be Available Exclusively on Amazon.com

June 6, 2008 (Rockville, MD) – Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax Media company, and Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced the Fallout® 3 Survival Edition for Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and Games for Windows. The limited Survival Edition is now available for pre-order exclusively through www.Amazon.com/fallout3.

This ultimate Fallout 3 package includes a life-size replica of the Pip-Boy 3000, the wrist-mounted device worn by characters in-game. The Pip-Boy 3000 has been painstakingly recreated and modified for real world display as a digital clock. In addition to the Pip-Boy 3000, the Survival Edition will include all of the items included in the Fallout 3 Collector’s Edition:

o The Fallout 3 game;
o Customized, metal Vault-Tec lunch box;
o 5” Vault Boy Bobblehead;
o ‘The Art of Fallout 3’ hardcover book; and
o ‘The Making of Fallout 3’ DVD

“We’re thrilled to be working with Amazon.com on this exclusive edition,” said Vlatko Andonov, president of Bethesda Softworks. “The Survival Edition offers gamers the unique opportunity to own a piece of video game history along with a collection of limited edition items – it’s the definitive Fallout 3 package.”

“This is an exciting day for Amazon customers and Fallout fans,” said Greg Hart vice president of video games and software at Amazon. “We’re delighted to be the exclusive destination for Fallout 3 Survival Edition; this is a great example of the continually expanding selection we offer to gamers.”

Fallout 3 features one of the most realized game worlds ever created. Create any kind of character you want and explore the open wastes of post-apocalyptic Washington, D.C. Every minute is a fight for survival as you encounter Super Mutants, Ghouls, Raiders, and other dangers of the Wasteland.

Currently under development at Bethesda Game Studios – creators of award winning The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion®, the 2006 Game of the Year – Fallout 3 is one of the most anticipated games of 2008 and is slated for release this Fall on Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION®3 system and Games for Windows.

Fallout® 3 has not yet been rated by the ESRB. For more information on Fallout 3, visit http://fallout.bethsoft.com.

Fallout 3 soundtrack/poster for GameStop pre-orders [Bethesda]

Nothing like ominous orchestral tunes to help you get your atmospheric post-apocalypse on, right?

Hit the jump for the full release.

May 7, 2008 (Rockville, MD) — Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax Media company, announced today that Inon Zur has created the original musical score for Bethesda Softworks' highly anticipated post-apocalyptic video game, Fallout® 3. Zur, an award-winning composer, has created numerous scores for films, television, and new media.

"We've wanted to work with Inon for a long time," said Todd Howard executive producer of Fallout 3. "He brings so much to the table, in terms of his talent, background, and the music that's influenced him. He's created a score that has epic sweep; from the lonely ambience of the wasteland to dramatic fights for survival."

Fallout 3 features one of the most realized game worlds ever created. Create any kind of character you want and explore the open wastes of post-apocalyptic Washington, D.C. Every minute is a fight for survival as you encounter Super Mutants, Ghouls, Raiders, and other dangers of the Wasteland.

"Fallout 3 is one of the most engaging and demanding projects I've scored," said Inon Zur. "It was very rewarding to put all my creative energy into supporting Bethesda's vision for the game. I'm very proud of the outcome, and look forward to sharing the music with the players."

In addition to scoring a number of best-selling video games, Zur's music has been featured in many high-profile projects including Hollywood film trailers, network television productions, CGI movies, and symphony concerts. Most recently, Zur has composed music for CBS' 'Ghost Whisperer: The Other Side' TV webisode series as well as the Marvel Kids webisodes for 'IRON MAN'.

Currently under development at Bethesda Game Studios - creators of award-winning The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion®, the 2006 Game of the Year - Fallout 3 is slated for release this Fall on Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and Games for Windows.

Fallout® 3 has not yet been rated by the ESRB. For more information on Fallout 3, visit http://fallout.bethsoft.com.

For more information on Inon Zur visit http://www.inonzur.com/.

About Bethesda Softworks
Bethesda Softworks, part of the ZeniMax Media Inc. family of companies, is a premier developer and worldwide publisher of interactive entertainment software and has produced numerous award-winning titles, most recently with 2006 PC and Xbox 360® Game of the Year and RPG of the Year, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion®, and the 2002 PC and Xbox® Game of the Year and RPG of the Year, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrrowind®. Among Bethesda's more popular franchises are The Elder Scrolls® series and Fallout®, as well as its licensed properties, such as Star Trek®. Its product line spans the sports, racing, RPG, strategy, and action genres. For more information on Bethesda Softworks' products, visit www.bethsoft.com.

Fallout® 3 © 2008 Bethesda Softworks LLC, a ZeniMax Media company. Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, ZeniMax and related logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of ZeniMax Media Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Fallout and related logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Bethesda Softworks LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other product and company names referenced herein may be trademarks of their respective owners. All Rights Reserved

People like myself and some people that work here actually grew up as hardcore PC guys, and now we're older, we have kids, we don't have that much time, so we've transitioned. We're console players now.

But we still have those PC game sensibilities. Those are the games we like. So I think BioShock has a little bit of that too. You can definitely feel the old System Shock roots in that game. So hopefully there's a trend there.

"While the Entertainment Software Association remains the preeminent voice for U.S. computer and video game publishers, we can confirm that Activision and Vivendi Games opted to discontinue their membership. The ESA remains dedicated to advancing our industry's objectives such as protecting intellectual property, preserving First Amendment rights, and fostering a beneficial environment for the entire industry. Our high level of service and value to members and the larger industry remains unchanged."

- Rich Taylor, Senior Vice President of Communications and Research, Entertainment Software Association

This comes a day after it was noted that Activision and a number of other notable publishers were not listed as showing at the industry's big conference.

Neither Activision nor Vivendi have responded to requests for comment. More as this breaking story unfolds.

I think that we do have a pretty good understanding what all of the different sections of our fan base are interested in, but it comes back to the thing of, you know, gotta make the game that we think is the best. Certainly, try and take those things into consideration, but there are people in the office who spend 14, 16, 18 hours a day making this game, and sometimes, if you're going to break a tie, you go with our instincts.

Personally, if I spent 18 hours a day working on something, I'd be in a mood much less amenable to taking suggestions from fans, so props to the Bethesda crew. Hines also shared some learning experiences about their AI and the ways they've refined it since the Oblivion days:

Like having somebody go off and get themselves killed while you're in the middle of a forest isn't fun, but it is fun if you walk into a town and everybody is acting in a believable fashion. And when you overhear conversations, they're referring to each other by their first name. Like, it just adds another level to the realism.

So I think we've tried to focus on putting more of that stuff in front of the player, and less stuff like, "Oh, this happened two towns away from you!" Just, hey, by the way. That doesn't mean anything.

"When you build it as one thing, there's no way to portion off a section and have it stand on its own without putting the whole game in the demo, which we're just not going to do," said Hines. "And it doesn't really capture the fun of a game like an Elder Scrolls or a Fallout, where you can go where you want and do what you want. So no demo, sorry."

Fallout 3 demo not possible [Eurogamer]

Fallout 3 Collector's Edition Confirmed for Worldwide, Non-exclusive Release [Shacknews]

We don't want [violence] to be the focal point of the game, but it is what it is. It's a violent world, and so the combat should be violent as a result.

I think we've done it to the extent that it's not realistic. It's a bit more tongue-in-cheek. It's Quentin Tarantino. So it's not storming the beaches of Normandy in Saving Private Ryan, where it looks like it's actually happening. It's more Kill Bill. It's violence that's a bit more over the top so it's more comical than disturbing.

"Given how successful it was for us on Oblivion, certainly it's a given that we'll look into it and what we'd like to do," he said, talking of extra content for the anticipated post-apocalyptic RPG. "But I can't tell you when, I can't tell you what it would be, or what it would look like. Will it be bigger stuff like Knights of the Nine or smaller stuff? We've no idea. We'll let folks know once we get down the road."

When I saw Fallout 3 at last year's E3 I thought it looked cool but not being one of the cult of Fallout, I viewed it with the same sort of interest that I do most games I know nothing about: Curious, but not what I would call overly excited. All this changed however, this past Tuesday when I headed downtown to check out the new build of the game that Bethesda was showing off.

From a training system tied to a child's development to the fifties-meets-Steampunk look of weapons, Fallout 3 may not have a solid date yet, but after seeing this build, I can honestly say I am well and truly smitten.

After skipping through the opening cinema which we had seen previously, we got straight to the beginning of the game which I have to say was one of the cleverest set of training levels I have ever seen. You start the game as an infant just being born. Once you have been birthed, you meet your father who had the pleasure of delivering you. A series of dialog choices allow you to choose the sex of your character and his/her name. Then a "Growth Projection" machine is brought over to show what your character will look like when they "grow up." Here you can customize the look of your character by using the many features or simply choose a pre-made character. In an interesting mechanic, the choices you make in creating to your character will be used to create the features of your father, who's face (at this point) is covered with a surgical mask. While in this infant mode, pressing the A button will elicit crying from your character.

Soon you have grown up and you're are now a year old. Your mother is nowhere to be found, but your scientist father is at the ready to care for you. (Pressing the A button will give you baby's first word, Dada) After a series of simple tasks like playing with your toys and opening your playpen, you can explore the room a bit. Now it's time to start picking your character's base attributes. This mechanic is accomplished by the ingenious use of a baby book you find lying on the floor. Each page has a different attribute along with an explanatory rhyme. Here you can add or take away attribute points to suit the way you want your character to advance.

Look at that. Our little boy is growing up so fast! It is now your tenth birthday and it is celebrated by your father and friends with a party in one of the rooms of Vault 101 where you currently reside. The momentous occasion is marked by the receipt of your Pip-Boy 3000, a wrist accessory that will remain with you for the rest of the game. The Pip-Boy 3000 has many of uses for interacting with your character as well as emitting light for use in those darker areas of which there are many. Apparently there is another training level where you turn sixteen and are presented with a BB Gun which will help you train up in your shooting. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see that one but instead, fast forwarded to check out some of the real meat of the game.

The next level we were privy to was a Junkyard scene where you meet the dog who will soon become your companion. Once acquired, your best bud can help you find food, chems and weapons. He can also come in handy in a pinch by helping you attack enemies. But, be careful to keep him healthy because he can die if not properly taken care of. If things get too dangerous, you can always have him wait nearby or send him back to Vault 101 where his safety will be assured.

Now we get to the really fun part, the combat and enemies. As any of you who are familiar with Fallout will know, your enemies are mostly radiated mutants or "ghouls" as they are called in the game. There are various strata of ghouls ranging from simple ones who still have some of their functions and can actually be spoken to, to glowing ghouls who are so infected that they practically leak radiation. The ghouls can use this radiation power to harm you while simultaneously healing themselves and other ghouls around them. But ghouls aren't your only worry, the Brotherhood of Steel is roaming around causing trouble as well and you will often come upon two factions locked in battles of their own.

Taking down these enemies is a snap (well, maybe a few snaps) when you make use of the myriad weapons at your disposal. Weapons can be purchased, stolen or taken off of conquered enemies and it would behoove you to get as many as you can. I really loved the design of the weapons themselves, they really exuded a sort of "SteamPunk" style melded with an almost fifties style. Everything looked as if it was cobbled together from what could be found around the devastated environment. (The Fat Man Rocket launcher was a particular favorite of mine) And of course, as you all know by now from seeing the screenshots, the environment is a fictionalized Washington DC that has been ravaged by nuclear war.

The combat moves beyond the simple point and shoot with the use of Action Points. Your character has a set number of these points that can be used for various actions that target certain parts of an enemy's body. Once an enemy is targeted and the proper buttons pressed, the various body parts of said enemy will light up showing you the percentage chance you have of hitting that body part. Then you are free to deploy those Action Points and watch your enemy's limbs and head fly off in all directions. This mechanic is made even more interesting by pulling you out of your regular first person mode into a third person camera mode that will allow you to see more of the delicious mutant killing action. Once the Action Points have been spent, they will regenerate over time, but using your weapons and running around like a madman will slow that regeneration down.

Of course, Fallout 3 isn't all killing and nuclear mutations. You also have the added pleasure of being able to upgrade you character using experience based skill points to bump up your various skills. There are also Perks that can be used to add to your base abilities and allow you to beef up parts of your character that might have been neglected when you first created it. You max out at level twenty though, so be sure to spend those points wisely.

Everything I saw about this game was impressive, but what really got my attention was its overall art style. The optimistic fifties design juxtaposed against the destroyed landscape is a great choice and is seen everywhere from the HUD to the atomic design of Vault 101. Seeing it sprinkled around the world gave me the same feeling I got the first time I saw the art-deco wonders of BioShock. It's nostalgic yet at the same time seems so fresh and new because we rarely see that style of design in modern games, especially FPSs. It also gave the design team a chance to inject the game with a subtle humor that is evident throughout, even seeping its way into the dialog choices and sound.

The team is still on target for a release in the fall of this year but we still weren't able to wrangle a solid date out of them. One thing we did hear however, was a promise of a hands on at E3 so you can bet I will be signing up for that one.

Fallout 3: The New Pictures At PcGames.de [Fallout 3]

KOXM Episode 107 [OXM Via Fallout 3 Post Nuclear Blog]

But what would you prefer, to explore humongous, varied worlds with a little content in each place, or a smaller, more compact world with more a higher quest/location ratio?

Fallout 3 [Gameplayer via GamingToday]

But even with plenty of hours worth of '07 AAA gaming left to play, I can already feel a postpartumesque depression on the way. I remember when Assassin's Creed was just an E3 demo hidden in the confines of insta-offices, and Mass Effect just a pile of screenshots saved in one of my "special time" folders.

So before I tear up over a mental montage of these games growing from infants to fine young men, I'm killing the sentimentality and returning to the lust/infatuation phase of gaming. What are you most looking forward to playing in 2008? (One answer apiece in the comments please...let's keep this interesting. Oh, and if you are a Kotaku reader, consider this assignment mandatory.)

Me? Fallout 3. You?

[image]

Shivering Isles now available on Playstation Network [Bethesda Blog]

The grand prize went to:

Grim Reaper's Sprint
Everytime you kill an opponent, all your action points are automatically restored.

Falling from Heaven When you're in a combat and losing it, a random object (a spoon, a table, etc.) might fall from the sky and hit your enemy, causing damage (the amount of damage is relevant to the mass of the object). This perk naturally only works outdoors.

Fallout 10th Anniversary Contest [via gameinformer]

Get your hands on the Source SDK, The Elder Scrolls Construction Set, the Neverwinter Nights toolset (either game, 1 or 2 or both!). Make lots of mods. When the time is right and you have a chance to interview for a design job, show them all your kick ass mods.

Breaking into Games: I want to be a Designer! [via gamingtoday]

I was left unsatisfied by Star Trek: Legacy, but I'm willing to give Bethesda another chance with Conquest. The mixture of MechCommander-style arcade action with turn-based strategy could be just the ticket. As to where this ticket will take us is yet to be determined.

For a game like Fallout (or Oblivion), there's a lot of details that have to go into it since the game plays as a sandbox... where do you cut the user off...If we were doing a demo, there'd be a lot of time spent on deciding where a user could go, what quests to includ...we'd rather commit the time that can be used for delivering a demo into spending more time working on the final product.

Fallout 3 Demo In Doubt? [gamelife]

Bethesda Softworks Announces The Elder Scrolls® IV: Shivering Isles™ PLAYSTATION®3 Retail Disc

Official Expansion Disc to Award-Winning Role Playing Game to be Available Next Month

October 24, 2007 (Rockville, MD) - Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax Media company, announced today that it will release The Elder Scrolls® IV: Shivering Isles™ for PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system from SCEA at retail. This standalone disc will allow gamers who already own The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion to experience the award-winning expansion.

This new retail product follows the October release of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion® Game of the Year Edition (GotY) for PLAYSTATION®3 system, which includes the Shivering Isles expansion. Originally released in March 2006 for Windows and Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and in March 2007 for PLAYSTATION®3 system, Oblivion has already earned countless awards from publications around the world and won numerous Game of the Year and RPG of the Year awards.

Oblivion features a powerful combination of free-form gameplay, unprecedented graphics, cutting edge AI, character voices by acting legends Patrick Stewart, Sean Bean, Terrance Stamp, and Lynda Carter, and an award-winning soundtrack. Gamers can choose to unravel Oblivion's epic narrative at their own pace or explore the vast world in search of their own unique challenges.

With more than 30 hours of new gameplay, Shivering Isles allows you to explore an entirely new plane of Oblivion - the realm of Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of Madness. Shivering Isles features a bizarre landscape split between the two sides - Mania and Dementia -filled with vast, twisting dungeons mirroring the roots of the trees they are buried within. Sheogorath himself looks to you to be his champion and defend his realm and its inhabitants from destruction as you discover all new items, ingredients, spells, and much more.

Shivering Isles for PLAYSTATION®3 system is scheduled to ship on November 20, 2007 and is rated M for Mature by the ESRB. For more information on Oblivion, Shivering Isles, or The Elder Scrolls, visit www.elderscrolls.com.

Bethesda Softworks Announces The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion® Game of the Year Edition for PLAYSTATION®3 System and The Elder Scrolls® IV: Shivering Isles™ Xbox 360 Retail Disc Now Shipping

Expanded Version of Award-Winning Role Playing Game and Standalone Retail Expansion Disc Available This Week

October 16, 2007 (Rockville, MD) - Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax Media company, announced today that The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion® Game of the Year Edition (GotY) for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system has begun shipping to retail stores throughout North America. Oblivion GotY includes the original version of the award-winning RPG, Oblivion, along with the official expansion, The Elder Scrolls® IV: Shivering Isles™, and the downloadable content, The Elder Scrolls® IV: Knights of the Nine™.

Also available at retail stores as early as today is The Elder Scrolls® IV: Shivering Isles™ for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. This new product allows gamers to play the award-winning expansion to the 2006 Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion®, without accessing Xbox LIVE® online entertainment network. The retail disc also includes the downloadable content, The Elder Scrolls® IV: Knights of the Nine™.

Released in March 2006 for Windows and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and in March 2007 for the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Oblivion has already earned countless awards from publications around the world and won numerous Game of the Year and RPG of the Year awards. It has also recently achieved the status of both Xbox 360 Platinum Hit (North America) and Xbox 360 Classic (Europe). The Xbox 360 Platinum Hits and Classics programs allow existing gamers and new gamers alike to have access to great games at an amazing price.

Oblivion features a powerful combination of free-form gameplay, unprecedented graphics, cutting edge AI, character voices by acting legends Patrick Stewart, Sean Bean, Terrance Stamp, and Lynda Carter, and an award-winning soundtrack. Gamers can choose to unravel Oblivion's epic narrative at their own pace or explore the vast world in search of their own unique challenges.

With more than 30 hours of new gameplay, Shivering Isles allows you to explore an entirely new plane of Oblivion - the realm of Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of Madness. Shivering Isles features a bizarre landscape split between the two sides - Mania and Dementia -filled with vast, twisting dungeons mirroring the roots of the trees they are buried within. Sheogorath himself looks to you to be his champion and defend his realm and its inhabitants from destruction as you discover all new items, ingredients, spells, and much more.

Knights of the Nine features an all-new faction and quests for noble characters and answers many of the questions surrounding the Ayleid ruins found throughout Oblivion. Players can join a new faction and found their own order of holy knights - leading them into battle against a sorcerer-king and his demonic minions while exploring massive dungeons and searching for legendary relics - the holy armor and weapons of the Divine Crusader.

For more information on Oblivion, Shivering Isles, or The Elder Scrolls, visit www.elderscrolls.com.

As far as gaming contests go, this is a really classy way for Bethesda to reach out to series die hards with their newly acquired IP. And I can't think of a better reward than to be part of a game I love without doing any of the hard manual labor that's affiliated with design. But don't you dare steal my Crappy X-Ray Vision Perk, in which players can only see through the clothes of obese male NPCs. Because that's a keeper. Hit the jump for the full scoop.

Celebrating 10 Years of Fallout!

10 years ago the original Fallout was released and forever changed role-playing games. Now is your chance to be a part of Fallout history. We're giving you, the fans, a chance to design one of the perks for Fallout 3!

No, we aren't going to tell you about any of the perks that are already in Fallout 3. First, that would spoil it, and second, we don't want to color your ideas with anything we are, or aren't doing. It's a clean slate for you. Be creative.

Think of something in the spirit of Fallout. What would you really want your character to be able to do in the game? Don't worry about any stat requirements or the level you would get it at. Just design a cool perk and we'll fit it in where it could go.

Part of what make Perks great are the Vault Boy images that goes with them. You can choose to use one of the generic icons we've provided to go along with your Perk if you're not artistically inclined (that won't hurt your chances of winning, in case you're wondering) or you can choose to upload a drawing, sketch, photo, or creation of your own design. Send in a photo of yourself in the appropriate pose, sketch it on a napkin and scan it in...whatever you want.

If you win, you'll get your Perk in the game, your name in the game's credits, AND your choice of the grand prize from the Prize Vault: either the PC or the Console flavor.

All entries must be in by 11:59 pm (Eastern time) on October 31, 2007. We'll announce the winner of the contest, and all the other awardees, in November.

PC Grand Prize:
Your choice of an ATI or NVIDIA video card
Logitech G15 keyboard
Logitech G9 mouse
Logitech G51 Gaming Speakers
Vault Boy bobblehead
Vault Tec lunchbox
Fallout 3 t-shirt
Vault Boy decal

OR

Console Grand Prize:
Xbox 360 Pro
Logitech G51 Gaming Speakers
Vault Boy bobblehead
Vault Tec lunchbox
Fallout 3 t-shirt
Vault Boy decal

We'll have plenty of prizes for runners-up and honorable mentions, and we'll also pick from all the entries at random to give away some additional prizes just so everyone has a chance to win something. Prizes will include great stuff from our friends at NVIDIA, ATI, Logitech, and Microsoft, as well as Fallout schwag.

You can enter as often as you like, but you can only enter the same perk once, and you can only win once. All entries subject to the terms and conditions of the contest. Make sure you read them before you enter.

Good luck to everyone. We look forward to seeing your ideas.

Happy 10th Birthday to Fallout.

Community FAQ - 20 questions [Bethesda]
[Thanks, Patrick]

"We are excited about the opportunities we have in the online gaming space and felt that Matt is the perfect person to lead this effort," said James Leder, COO of ZeniMax Media. There are relatively few people who have the actual experience and knowledge that comes from having created a successful MMO, and Matt is the real deal. We feel fortunate to have him join our group."

ZeniMax Media Announces Establishment of Online Gaming Division - ZeniMax Online Studios Subsidiary to be headed by noted MMO veteran

August 1, 2007 (Rockville, MD) - ZeniMax Media Inc., parent company of Bethesda Softworks, announced today the creation of ZeniMax Online Studios. The division will be headed by Matt Firor, a well-known expert in the field of online gaming, and will focus on the Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMO) market segment.

Firor was one of the founders of Mythic Entertainment, where he worked for over 10 years on MMO titles. At Mythic he was the producer of the worldwide #1 smash hit Dark Age of Camelot, a MMORPG considered one of the most influential online games of all time. When he left Mythic in 2006, Firor was responsible for all development projects at the company. For the past year, he has been a consultant in the online gaming industry, advising leading publishers interested in entering the online market.

"This could not be a more perfect opportunity for me," said Matt. "I am extremely impressed with ZeniMax and Bethesda Softworks management - their development philosophy closely matches my own, with an emphasis on quality, innovation, and craftsmanship. I am eager to get back to what I love - the development of cutting edge MMOG titles."

"We are excited about the opportunities we have in the online gaming space and felt that Matt is the perfect person to lead this effort," said James Leder, COO of ZeniMax Media. There are relatively few people who have the actual experience and knowledge that comes from having created a successful MMO, and Matt is the real deal. We feel fortunate to have him join our group."

Firor is a graduate of George Washington University and has worked in the gaming industry for 17 years. He has lectured at the University of Virginia and Massachusetts Institute of Technology on game development topics, and is a frequent speaker at industry conferences. Firor has written articles for Game Developer Magazine and was a regular columnist covering online game development for the Korean gaming magazine "Onplayer".

For more information on ZeniMax Online Studios, visit www.zenimaxonline.com.

While different techniques can be used to achieve this effect, usually the same shot is taken multiple times at different exposures. Then the light information is combined through post-production, sometimes resembling content from a popular rpg.

OK, I'm done boring the hell out of you now. Back to cock jokes and 8-bit genitalia.

The Secret Underground Ukrainian Restaurant [stuckincustoms]

Seven Drinks Later

They make me sign a waiver in case I accidentally die on the mechanical bull, but I sign it with all the bravado alcohol brings. Even if my choice of drinks this night has been the subject of much ridicule (I honestly didn't know a Cosmo was that girly), belly full of hearty cowboy cooking steels my resolve. Well, most cowboys probably didn't eat fried chicken fingers, potato skins and dainty little hamburgers on the open range, but I would like to think that somewhere there is a special range, just for those cowboys that do.

I am humming the Mario Bros. theme as I hand my waiver to the scrappy-looking tattooed bull operator, courtesy of the roving violinist who played an excellent version of said theme by special request earlier in the evening. He played it quite well, suggesting that underneath his gruff, ACDC song-playing exterior there was a gamer trying to get out. His music joins with the food, drink, and the egging on of my fellow members of the press, creating a cacophony of influence that makes my date with the bull an inevitability.

Michael Fahey's Midnight Ride

I struggle long and hard with the beast, but after almost twenty seconds I am triumphant, finally getting my leg up and over the mechanical monstrosity. Maybe six seconds later I am kissing the padded floor. Oh no, that just won't due. Filled with bravado and just a little shame I leap atop the bull again, gripping tight with my thighs and my left hand. I focus my concentration on the rhythm of the creature, centering myself. I breathe. Five seconds later I breathe floor padding.

Mechanical bulls are not to be trifled with, and unless you are a professional bull rider, no one's advice can save you. Leaning back when the bull dips down will make you fall. Gripping with your thighs will make you fall, with the added bonus of making your thighs hurt. I suspect that the trick might lay in actively attempting to fall, but I have neither the time nor the feeling in my legs to try again. This time the bull has won.

In Summation

Bethesda throws a damn fine party. The food was very filling, perfect for a gaggle of starving industry professionals. The drinks were excellent despite being a little girly, and the company was excellent, plus watching countless members of the press being thrown from a robot cow was cathartic for everyone involved on so many levels. Now if you'll excuse me I am off to ice up my thighs.

I didn't get a chance to play through the game fully until I picked up the PS3 version, despite owning both the 360 and PC versions at various points in time. I spent an entire weekend completing as much of the game as I could, and then realized I had trapped myself into a version of the game that hadn't gotten Isles yet. I don't relish the thought of buying yet another copy of the same game to finish the saga, but as of right now it looks to be my only choice. Boo.

Bethesda Softworks Announces The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Game of the Year Edition

Expanded Version of Award-Winning Role Playing Game, for PC, Xbox 360, PLAYSTATION®3 system Available In September

July 9, 2007 (Rockville, MD) - Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax Media company, announced today that it will release The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion® Game of the Year Edition (GotY) for Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system from Sony, and Windows this September. Oblivion GotY will include the original version of the award-winning RPG Oblivion along with the official expansion, The Elder Scrolls® IV: Shivering Isles™, and the downloadable content, Knights of the Nine™.

This new product will allow players who have never played the 2006 Game of the Year to experience Oblivion for the first time with additional content. In addition, gamers can continue their existing games of Oblivion and experience the new quests and areas offered by the expansion and downloadable content.

Released in March 2006 for Windows and Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and in March 2007 for PLAYSTATION®3 system, Oblivion has already earned countless awards from publications around the world and won numerous Game of the Year and RPG of the Year awards. Gamerankings.com and MetaCritic.com list Oblivion as the highest rated game of all time on both Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION®3 system.

Oblivion features a powerful combination of free-form gameplay, unprecedented graphics, cutting edge AI, character voices by acting legends Patrick Stewart, Sean Bean, Terrance Stamp, and Lynda Carter, and an award-winning soundtrack. Gamers can choose to unravel Oblivion's epic narrative at their own pace or explore the vast world in search of their own unique challenges.

With more than 30 hours of new gameplay, Shivering Isles allows you to explore an entirely new plane of Oblivion - the realm of Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of Madness. Shivering Isles features a bizarre landscape split between the two sides - Mania and Dementia -filled with vast, twisting dungeons mirroring the roots of the trees they are buried within. Sheogorath himself looks to you to be his champion and defend his realm and its inhabitants from destruction as you discover all new items, ingredients, spells, and much more.

Knights of the Nine features an all-new faction and quests for noble characters and answers many of the questions surrounding the Ayleid ruins found throughout Oblivion. Players can join a new faction and found their own order of holy knights - leading them into battle against a sorcerer-king and his demonic minions while exploring massive dungeons and searching for legendary relics - the holy armor and weapons of the Divine Crusader.