Fallout

Updated: 03/05/2023 by Computer Hope

Fallout overview

Fallout game boxType: Role-Playing Game
ESRB Rating: Mature
Release Date: 09/30/1997
Developer: Interplay Entertainment
Publisher: Interplay Entertainment

Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game

Set in the aftermath of a world-wide nuclear war, Fallout will challenge you to survive in an unknown and dangerous world. You take the role of a Vault-dweller, a person who has grown up in a secluded, underground survival Vault. Circumstances arise that force you to go Outside -- to a strange world 80 years after the end of the modern civilization. A world of mutants, radiation, gangs, and violence.

Your immediate task is to find a replacement for the broken water purification controller chip. Without that chip, your fellow Vault dwellers are doomed to dehydration or be forced to leave the safety of the Vault for the Outside.

The core of the game revolves around your character. When you start Fallout, you can choose or modify one of three pre-made characters, or create a character from scratch. The character creation system allows you to make a vibrant, unique character. We use a skill-based system to allow you to fine tune your character.

As you gain experience (roughly half from combat, the other half is from solving adventure seeds and non-combat based events), your character will grow as you determine. No classes here!

Combat in Fallout is tactical turn-based. You can take as much time as you need to make decisions. Choose from different attacks, with a variety of weapons and attack skills. Weapons include: shotguns, flamers, chain-guns, rocket launchers, sledgehammers, brass knuckles, and more.

System Requirements: Microsoft Windows - Apple - Linux

Windows System Requirements
Operating System: MS-DOS 5.0+, Windows 95, Windows 98
Processor: Intel Pentium 90 MHz
Memory: 16 MB RAM
Graphics Card: SVGA graphics, 256-color capable and 1 MB Video RAM
DirectX: DirectX 3.0
Sound Card: Sound Blaster compatible sound card
Hard Drive Space: 32 MB
CD/DVD Drive: 2X CD-ROM
Controls: Keyboard & Mouse
Multiplayer: n/a

Experience table

LEVEL XP REQUIRED TITLE
1 0 Vault-dweller
2 1,000 Vault Scion
3 3,000 Vault Veteran
4 6,000 Vault Elite
5 10,000 Wanderer
6 15,000 Desert Wanderer
7 21,000 Wanderer of the Wastes
8 28,000 Elite Wanderer
9 36,000 Strider
10 45,000 Desert Strider
11 55,000 Strider of the Wastes
12 66,000 Strider Elite
13 78,000 Vault Hero
14 91,000 Wandering Hero
15 105,000 Striding Hero
16 120,000 Hero of the Wastes
17 136,000 Hero of the Wastes
18 153,000 Hero of the Glowing Lands
19 171,000 Paragon
20 190,000 Living Legend
21 210,000 Last, Best Hope of Humanity

Screenshots

Fallout game Fallout dialog
Fallout overview Fallout building

Equipment

Armor

  • COC Robe or Leather Jacket - What's the point of wearing armor if you cant look good? The leather jacket is a toned down version of Leather Armor providing minimal protection while not sacrificing any dodging capability. Stylish, too. Unfortunately, poor ventilation and the black leather make this a very hot armor to wear under the scorching desert sun.
  • Leather Armor - The original Leather Armor was designed for Motorcycle Football and other dangerous contact sports. It is likely that the simple construction techniques required to produce armor of this design makes it a popular choice following a nuclear disaster. It provides moderate protection, and the light construction makes it easier to dodge attacks while worn. Unfortunately, it provides little to no protection against explosions or plasma attacks.
  • Metal Armor - Metal armor is the first armor to provide protection from all attacks and improve in the amount of protection given, unfortunately at the same time limiting the amount of dodging capability.
  • Combat Armor - Combat Armor is advanced personal armor for the 22nd century police officer or military grunt and is the best armor a Vault Dweller is likely to see in their lifetime. Combat Armor is highly effective against most damage, is light weight (for it is protective value), and is, unfortunately, not available without special permit. Interested parties should contact the BADTFL office near them.
  • Power Armor - One of the most efficient armors available (this is the armor shown on the front of the box.) The easiest way to get Power Armor is to talk to Talus on level one of the Brotherhood base, then rescuing the Brotherhood Initiate in Old Town (The Hub). Another way is to go to level 2, talk with the Brotherhood Initiates around the armor, tell them you'll fix it, then get the piece from Michael. To get it hardened, do a job for the chemist in Adytown, Bone yard.
  • Telsa Armor - As durable as standard Combat Armor, but has a huge increase in protection from energy weapons/electrical attacks. You can get the Tesla Armor in the locked strongbox on the top level of the Cathedral (you need to kill Morpheus and several Nightkin to get this.)

Ammo

  • .223 FMJ - Rifle caliber ammunition. The FMJ stands for Full-Metal Jacket, which describes the bullet that is used in the round of ammo. An FMJ bullet is very tough, and has pretty good penetration without sacrificing good expansion. In other words, it is an average round.
  • 10mm AP - The 10mm caliber ammo is designed for pistol or submachinegun size firearms. The AP suffix denotes the round is Armor Piercing. AP rounds have excellent penetration, but poor expansion. They will not be as affected by armor as a normal round, but do less damage after armor to the target.
  • 10mm JHP - Another version of the 10mm, but is JHP or Jacketed Hollow Point. Hollow Point ammunition is designed to expand as large of a size as possible to translate the most energy to the target. Unfortunately, if the target is wearing armor, most of the energy is splatted against the armor and little of it will actually affect the target.

Containers

  • Backpack - A backpack will store items for you in one convenient location. Items have two features: size and weight. A backpack will store any number of items that total less than around 40 lbs., and have a combined size that will fit in the backpack. Several really large items (like suits of armor) will not fit in a normal backpack, but lots of small items (like ammo, or grenades) will fit just fine. Why use a backpack? To keep your inventory organized.

Chems

  • RadAway - If you have been exposed to large amounts of radiation, then use RadAway to remove the radiation from your system. It won't feel good, but better a headache and some stomach problems for a couple of days than the long term affects of nuclear radiation! RadAway takes a little while to work.
  • RAD-X - Rad-X is a Preventive medication. Take Rad-X before exposure to radiation, and the total amount of radiation you receive will be reduced. Rad-X bolsters your body's own Radiation Resistance. The stronger you are to start with, the more effective Rad-X will be.
  • Stimpak - A stimpack (short for Stimulation Delivery Package) contains many healing Chems. A soup of healing medication, if you will. By injecting the Stimpak, you drastically increase your recuperative functions and restore lost hit points almost instantly.
  • Super Stimpak - The Super Stimpack contains more drastic Chems, increasing the healing effect and the cost of eventual damage to the very tissue it heals! A larger cousin to the Stimpak, the Super Stim will heal more damage. It will however, cause a small amount of hit point lost after a period of time; you should be aware of this function, and prepare for it. But nothing works like a Super Stim when time is short, and danger grave.

Explosives

  • Dynamite - An explosive. Use the dynamite to set the timer. After the timer expires, the dynamite will explode. Your Traps skill determines if you set the timer properly. In Fallout, explosives are lower powered than you would expect. But don't stand next to a charge of dynamite when it goes off.
  • Frag Grenade - The fragmentation grenade is extremely useful as a defensive weapon. A small, but concentrated, explosive charge connected to a contact fuse will spread over 1,000 metal fragments over a 2.5 meter radius area. The small explosion area means that these grenades can be used at closer range then ever before, without possible harm to the user.
  • Plasma Grenade - Much more powerful grenade capable of doing more damage points in a wider range.

Guns

  • Colt 10mm Semi-Automatic Pistol - Basic ranged weapon. The 10mm round packs a goodly punch, and the Colt pistol is a fine example of workmanship and quality. It is a single shot weapon only meaning that every time you pull the trigger, you will fire one, and only one, round of ammunition. The 6520 has no problem feeding hollow point ammunition for small game hunting, or armor piercing rounds for larger, bipedal game.
  • Desert Eagle .44 Magnum Pistol - Hand gun capable of holding 8 bullets and doing 10-16 damage points giving it more of a punch then the standard pistol.
  • Sig-Sauer 338 14mm Caseless Semi-Automatic Pistol - Hand gun capable of holding 6 bullets and doing 12-22 damage points.
  • 9mm Parabellum - Hand gun capable of holding 7 bullets and doing 7 points worth of damage.
  • Colt .233 Pistol - Much more stronger weapon holding 5 bullets and doing 20 - 30 points worth of damage.
  • H&K MP9 SMG (10mm variant) - One of the finest weapons in the world. The H&K MP9 is a solid sub machinegun, capable of single or burst mode attacks. The single shot is acceptable, comparable to the 6520 pistol, but the burst mode is spectacular! The MP9 is easy to control, and spews 10mm Death like no other firearm in its size category.
  • Hunting Riffle - Riffle capable of holding 10 bullets and doing 8 - 20 points worth of damage.
  • 12 ga. Shotgun - Double barreled shotgun capable of holding 2 shots and doing 12 - 22 points worth of damage.
  • 12 ga. Combat Shotgun - Single barreled shotgun capable of holding 12 shots with the clip and doing 15 - 25 points worth of damage.
  • Colt .223 AR-115 Semi-Automatic Rifle - A longer ranged, and more powerful, firearm. The Range master is your basic, solid rifle. It uses the .223 caliber rifle round a standard for over 110 years. The .223 combined with a 1:10" twist, gives good accuracy at range and solid knockdown capability.
  • Assault Rifle - A long ranged rifle.capable of doing more damage.
  • Flamb'e 450* Flame-thrower - Deadly weapon capable of doing damage before and after the attack
  • Rockwell CZ4000 Chain Gun - Fast revolving weapon shooting tons of rounds at a target.
  • Rocket Launcher - Very destructive weapon capable of doing some deadly damage.

Miscellaneous

  • Doctor's Bag - A Doctor's Bag includes all the items necessary to perform most tasks required by the Doctor skill. Using this item will automatically perform the Doctor skill task, but at a higher percentage chance of success (the proper tools help ensure a higher success rate). A Doctor's Bag does not contain unlimited supplies and will eventually run out.
  • First Aid Kit - Similar in nature to the Doctor's Bag, the first aid kit (FAK) has items for the use of the first aid skill. Using the FAK on a hurt subject will improve the successful chance of using the skill of First Aid. Also, like the bag, the FAK contains a limited amount of healing items, bandages, and so on. After multiple uses, it will be eliminated.
  • Flare - The flare can be used to create a field of light for a period of time. Only really usable during the night, or in darkness conditions, the flare can be a successful took in exploration. Light makes it easier to see people and things.
  • Geiger Counter - A Geiger counter is a device for the measurement of radiation. If you place the counter in one of your active items slots an advanced warning about radiation actively using the counter gives you important detailed information about your personal radiation count.
  • Lock picks - An unauthorized item for general vault personnel use. Lock picks are only to be used in emergencies requiring the opening of doors or locked containers when the proper key is unavailable. The proper use of the Lock picks item will increase the successful chance of using the Lock picks skill.
  • Motion Sensor - When used in conduction with the PIPBoy 2000 AutoMap feature, the motion sensor displays living and moving critters on the map. The motion sensor must be placed in an active item slot to function correctly. Use the motion sensor to scout the area ahead.
  • THT Tapes - THT Tapes can store an incredible amount of data, some can hold as much as 256 k. The standard tape holds 64 k, with the middle model holding an average of 128 k (barring any bad itches of tape). THT tapes are based on Tape Holography technology storing their information safely for extended periods of time. Use the THT Tape to add it is information to a compatible reader, in your case - the PIPBoy 2000.

Other weapons

  • Brass Knuckles - Brass Knuckles are a melee weapon that use your unarmed skill. They help with hand-to-hand combat when punching. Besides giving your hands a little more protection, they will increase the amount of damage you do with a punch.
  • Knife - Vault-Tec knives are formed from the hardest steel alloys known to man! The knife is a superb tool, capable of performing many mundane tasks, as well as being a good melee weapon. The knife point and edge will act as a force multiplier, increasing the amount of damage your Strength can do. Not as good as a gun, but better than most other small melee weapons. This knife is not balanced or designed for throwing, as some others are.
  • Crowbar - A great hand defense weapon used for hand-to-hand combat, adding much more damage than a melee weapon.
  • Billy Club - This police baton helps subdue your opponents. You can swing or thrust it, as you desire. The baton will focus your strength, doing more damage than your hands. Not much more, but more.
  • Sledgehammer - While many would consider a Sledgehammer to be an excellent tool, but a poor self-defense weapon, the latest designs are made with lightweight but extremely strong materials. The sledgehammer is a massive weapon, that in the hands of a strong wielder, can knock foes off their feet.
  • Metal Spear - A razor-tipped spear can be thrown for several meters (more depending on your strength), or used in hand-to-hand combat, making this a good balance between ranged and melee weapons. While it is not the best tactical sense to throw your only weapon at your opponent, if you keep a sidearm or other small weapon readily available, the spear can be a good first attack.

Technical support