I think that part of Emil’s problem as a writer is that he writes stories that don’t allow for the player to be part of the process. It’s Emil’s story, we just play it.
Fallout 4 was such a mess because they tried to make the Institute an evil monster and a viable player faction which led to a huge conflict between the stated goals of the Institute and its actual actions. Which wouldn’t be so bad if the player could confront them about it but not being able to do so makes the player feel disconnected from the character (in my opinion).
In a TV show that need to respond to player choice doesn’t exist which is why it felt more natural. Having other writers on hand didn’t hurt either.
I mean that’s good, because I legitimately don’t remember the plot of Fallout 4 and I finished that game, and did a couple of partial playthroughs in addition to try for the DLCs, which I never finished.
The only thing I really remember is that it was super against robots for some reason. You also had a partner and a child (did they have names? did they have genders?) you were supposed to care about but they died within the first five minutes so I doubt anyone really did.
Oh right the MIT bit with the clone of your kid. Honestly the most memorable part of the game for me was the Salem Witch Museum, which also looks nothing like it does in real life.
I think there was also a bit where you ran away film gorillas, though they may have been alligators (not deathclaws). Don’t recall the context though, might’ve been a DLC?
The best thing to come out of Fallout 4 is the deathclaw dildo by Bad Dragon.
The 4 and a half episodes I saw felt like whoever made this just knew in broad strokes what Fallout 3 and 4 were and was told to make a movie based on that. It feels very Bethesda in it’s storytelling, the plot exists but it’s the most generic and bland as possible, no new ideas or interesting concepts and nothing to say. I feel like the only thing carrying it is the Fallout imagery and without it the show would be a solid 4/10.
Recent TV shows that I would rate as excellent would be The Expanse, From, Foundation and Lower Decks. Fallout doesn’t feel even close to any of those but people seem to really like it.
I don’t remember last time Bethesda (dev, not publisher) ever wrote a storyline that was gripping, honestly. The games tend to have at least one or two side plots that are at least a bit interesting, maybe in the form of a DLC or so, but the main story isn’t generally all that good.
The only quest I really remember from any of their recent main-line games (by recent I mean Oblivion - Fallout 4) is the one where a wife is looking for her missing husband, who ended up having escaped into a painting in order to avoid a burglar. Plot-wise it wasn’t amazing, but the storytelling thanks to it being a game, made it good. It wouldn’t have worked in a show.
I really liked Foundation. I never read those books either so maybe that’s why. I recently ranted about how atrociously bad the Netflix adaptation of Three Body was, and someone brought up thinking the same about Foundation - which caught me off guard. Couldn’t really get past the first episode because by the time the episode ended we were halfway through the first book, and we’d pulled in elements of the second and third as well. Reading Three Body was a slow burn, it left you feeling on edge as the characters were prodding around the edges of this conspiracy, which then turned out to be not what you expected. It’s also an intensely nihilistic read, which suits me great because I am intensely nihilistic. It was amazing, and the Netflix adaptation caught none of that.
I enjoyed The Expanse first time I watched it, then vanished, and now I need to re-watch it because I’ve forgotten everything. It’s just tough to get back in to since I’ve already seen it and as I’m watching I’m like “oh right, this thing” and then it gets boring. Lower Decks I’ve only seen the crossover episode from SNW, which was fun, so I’m kind of curious about it!
As someone who dug into it without knowing anything about the fallout stories, I found it really mind numbingly dull for the first 3/4 of the season. It wrapped up at the end nicely and was a good series, but it felt like they weren’t spending enough time on one of the 4 or so main character arcs to keep my attention. Like they knew they had a whole season so they cut everything up and made it as boring as they could… I forced my way through it and am glad I did, but yeah - getting there was more mind numbing than other shows I’ve watched in recent past.
Wow that’s a damning statement, given how atrociously written Fallout 4 was.
It’s significantly better written and much more coherant than fallout 4
They probably managed to cull most of Emil Pagliarulo’s input, then
I think that part of Emil’s problem as a writer is that he writes stories that don’t allow for the player to be part of the process. It’s Emil’s story, we just play it.
Fallout 4 was such a mess because they tried to make the Institute an evil monster and a viable player faction which led to a huge conflict between the stated goals of the Institute and its actual actions. Which wouldn’t be so bad if the player could confront them about it but not being able to do so makes the player feel disconnected from the character (in my opinion).
In a TV show that need to respond to player choice doesn’t exist which is why it felt more natural. Having other writers on hand didn’t hurt either.
I mean that’s good, because I legitimately don’t remember the plot of Fallout 4 and I finished that game, and did a couple of partial playthroughs in addition to try for the DLCs, which I never finished.
The only thing I really remember is that it was super against robots for some reason. You also had a partner and a child (did they have names? did they have genders?) you were supposed to care about but they died within the first five minutes so I doubt anyone really did.
You finished the game and think your character’s child is dead? You really did forget everything.
My guy literally forgot the entire premise of the main story lol
They’re right that it wasn’t a great story, but that’s still a pretty big thing to forget!
Oh right the MIT bit with the clone of your kid. Honestly the most memorable part of the game for me was the Salem Witch Museum, which also looks nothing like it does in real life.
I think there was also a bit where you ran away film gorillas, though they may have been alligators (not deathclaws). Don’t recall the context though, might’ve been a DLC?
The best thing to come out of Fallout 4 is the deathclaw dildo by Bad Dragon.
He wasn’t cloned, but cryogenically frozen, like the main character. He was just awoken 60 years sooner.
Yes, the old man version of your son, but you meet Shane as a child, and that’s a clone, no?
A synth, not a clone, but you’re right, there is a child version you meet as well.
The 4 and a half episodes I saw felt like whoever made this just knew in broad strokes what Fallout 3 and 4 were and was told to make a movie based on that. It feels very Bethesda in it’s storytelling, the plot exists but it’s the most generic and bland as possible, no new ideas or interesting concepts and nothing to say. I feel like the only thing carrying it is the Fallout imagery and without it the show would be a solid 4/10.
Recent TV shows that I would rate as excellent would be The Expanse, From, Foundation and Lower Decks. Fallout doesn’t feel even close to any of those but people seem to really like it.
I don’t remember last time Bethesda (dev, not publisher) ever wrote a storyline that was gripping, honestly. The games tend to have at least one or two side plots that are at least a bit interesting, maybe in the form of a DLC or so, but the main story isn’t generally all that good.
The only quest I really remember from any of their recent main-line games (by recent I mean Oblivion - Fallout 4) is the one where a wife is looking for her missing husband, who ended up having escaped into a painting in order to avoid a burglar. Plot-wise it wasn’t amazing, but the storytelling thanks to it being a game, made it good. It wouldn’t have worked in a show.
I really liked Foundation. I never read those books either so maybe that’s why. I recently ranted about how atrociously bad the Netflix adaptation of Three Body was, and someone brought up thinking the same about Foundation - which caught me off guard. Couldn’t really get past the first episode because by the time the episode ended we were halfway through the first book, and we’d pulled in elements of the second and third as well. Reading Three Body was a slow burn, it left you feeling on edge as the characters were prodding around the edges of this conspiracy, which then turned out to be not what you expected. It’s also an intensely nihilistic read, which suits me great because I am intensely nihilistic. It was amazing, and the Netflix adaptation caught none of that.
I enjoyed The Expanse first time I watched it, then vanished, and now I need to re-watch it because I’ve forgotten everything. It’s just tough to get back in to since I’ve already seen it and as I’m watching I’m like “oh right, this thing” and then it gets boring. Lower Decks I’ve only seen the crossover episode from SNW, which was fun, so I’m kind of curious about it!
As someone who dug into it without knowing anything about the fallout stories, I found it really mind numbingly dull for the first 3/4 of the season. It wrapped up at the end nicely and was a good series, but it felt like they weren’t spending enough time on one of the 4 or so main character arcs to keep my attention. Like they knew they had a whole season so they cut everything up and made it as boring as they could… I forced my way through it and am glad I did, but yeah - getting there was more mind numbing than other shows I’ve watched in recent past.