Beloved mechanic from Fallout 3 almost didn't make it into the cult RPG. Bethesda was afraid that no one would use it
The iconic mechanic from Fallout 3 may not have made it into the game at all. The developers seriously considered whether anyone would use it.
Fallout 3 was an extremely important project for Bethesda, which aimed to bring the post-apocalyptic RPG series into 3D. The third installment ultimately attracted players and set a clear direction for the subsequent games in the series. The series almost didn't end up with its iconic V.A.T.S. mechanic.
The aiming system, which stops time and allows the player to take a shot or perform an attack on a specific part of the enemy's body, has become an iconic element of the series. As Istvan Pely, the lead artist of Fallout 3, admitted, the creators pondered a lot over this mechanic related to the character's shooting skill level.
V.A.T.S. was intended to demonstrate that Bethesda could create a successful game set in a completely different universe from the fantasy world of The Elder Scrolls, while still preserving the RPG spirit of the first two installments of Fallout:
We had to work out how your character's abilities would factor into your ability to shoot. Your skills aren't good, so when you shoot at things, you're missing – but does that feel good? Or is it just frustrating?
The team behind Fallout 3 spent a lot of time thinking about whether this kind of game mechanic would actually work and if players would like it. Bethesda was so unsure about this unusual idea that they wondered if anyone would even use such a system.
In the end, fine-tuning V.AT.S. took way longer than expected, and the developers just barely managed to finish it on time. The creators of Fallout 3 had the biggest issue with positioning the camera while using the system, which is why they created a separate algorithm to prevent it from "getting stuck" during the slow-motion effect.
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Author: Zuzanna Domeradzka
An introvert since birth, she has been interested in video games for as long as she can remember. She joined Gamepressure.com in 2022, first writing for the gaming newsroom and later helping with guides. She is an enthusiast of FPS and RPG games and a big fan of the Dragon Age, Five Nights at Freddy's, and Assassin's Creed series. She also enjoys watching movies, most often returning to Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean. She tries to spend her free time actively, riding a bike or skateboard (or platinuming the next installments of the Just Dance series).
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