Fallout: New California Explained

Fallout: New California
Developer:Radian-Helix Media
Publisher:Radian-Helix Media
Series:Fallout
Engine:Gamebryo
Released:October 23, 2018 (BETA 200)
Genre:Action role-playing
Modes:Single-player
Platforms:Microsoft Windows
Programmer:Brandan Lee
Rick Hukkanen
Freddie Farnsworth

Fallout: New California is a fan-made modification and unofficial prequel[1] to the action role-playing video game , made by Brandan Lee and Radian-Helix Media.[2] It was released in two installments, with the first installment released on May 31, 2013, and the second installment released as a beta on October 23, 2018.[3] Originally known as Fallout: Project Brazil, the modification was renamed to Fallout: New California on September 1, 2017.[4]

In April 2018, the project entered private beta for the second installment.[5] The public beta for Fallout: New California was released as planned on October 23, 2018.[6]

Development

Project lead Brandan Lee of Radian-Helix Media, LLC[7] was inspired by the games Fallout and Fallout 2 from Black Isle Studios.[8] [9] With the help of friends in the film, TV, radio, and live theater industries, Lee set out to create a modification of Fallout 3 for people who appreciated the style of the original Black Isle games.[10] According to Lee, the mod was first conceptualized in 2010, but development didn't begin until 2012, with a prototype being released for Fallout 3, and the first full installment being released for New Vegas.[11] Lee states that he headed a team of three people, with occasional community donations, who would spend four years creating the modification; eventually ending up with 5,000 lines of dialogue from twenty different actors and three hours of gameplay for the first installment alone.[12] Lee named the mod "Project Brazil" partly due to inspiration by the Terry Gilliam film Brazil,[13] and as a nod to Black Isle Entertainment through the Irish myth of the mythological island of Brasil.[14]

90% of Project Brazils assets for BETA 1.0.0 were created between January 2012 and May 2013, when the story was refined after a year-long break away from the project.[15] Lee created a worldspace the size of that found in Bethesda's Fallout 3, and wrote the dialog in tandem with level and character design. Freddie Farnsworth joined in January 2013 as lead project technician; applying a global NavMesh, and re-rendering the level of detail mesh on a computer custom built for the task.[16] In 2017, the project was renamed to Fallout: New California.[17]

While in development, the final installment promised to expand upon the mod with new quests and factions.[18] There are over 16,000 lines of dialogue in BETA 200.[19]

Gameplay

Fallout: New California was split into two installments, the first was released in 2013, and the beta for the second installment was released on October 23, 2018. As with Fallout 3 and , Fallout: New California has a radio station that comments on the actions of the player as the story progresses.[20] The radio stations in Fallout: New California debuted with a completely original soundtrack.[21] The player's S.P.E.C.I.A.L statistics have a greater impact on dialog choices with NPCs and player skills than in Fallout: New Vegas.[22]

Story

Fallout: New California was planned to be broken into three segments but, by December 13, 2013, the third installment was scrapped.[23] The first installment was released on May 31, 2013, the second installment was released on October 23, 2018. There are 13 possible endings.[24] The remaining two installments are separated into a prequel and three "chapters." The story takes place in 2260, 21 years before the start of Fallout New Vegas.[25]

The first installment is set in Vault 18, located near the San Bernardino Mountains in the Cajon Pass,[26] after the events of Fallout 2. Vault 18 is described as a secluded community. In the past, its residents included explorers who traveled the outside world as the "Wasteland Scouts", becoming legends for their adventures. However, after making too many enemies, the vault has cut itself off from the outside world.[27] The aging vault population is in decline, and many of its youth are adopted from the wasteland, descended from mysteriously vanished tribes formed by former vault dwellers who left to settle the wasteland. The player and their siblings originate from one such missing tribe.

Within the game, the player can choose to be either a Warrior or a Scientist. It is revealed that one of the prominent members of the vault is part of the Enclave, after which the vault erupts into civil war, with the player being able to side with the Enclave or defend Vault 18. The first installment has around three hours of gameplay, and seven hours including all of the branching content.[28]

The second installment, released on October 23, 2018, focuses on the player's struggle for survival in the world outside Vault 18 amidst a growing territorial conflict between two major factions. The first is the growing New California Republic (NCR), trapped in domestic turmoil amid its imperialistic vision to unify all of California, led in the region by the hawkish General William Silverman. The second is the Raider Alliance, a loose confederation of tribes, rebels, criminals, and others displaced by and radicalized against the NCR, led by the psychotic warlord Juan Maxson-Elsdragon. Two other main subfactions are the Bishops, a criminal mob family with control of NCR politics represented by Senator Paul Duville, and the Nanjima Shi, a clan of samurai-styled Japanese warriors within the Raider Alliance led by the warlord Kieva Nanjima.

Reception

Project Brazil was ninth on Mod DB's Top Mods of 2013 list.[29] Fallout: New California was first place in both Players Choice and Editors Choice for Mod DB's 2018 Mod of the Year,[30] [31] and was also added to the site's Mod Hall of Fame.[32]

Notes and References

  1. News: Fallout: Project Brazil mod is a full prequel campaign to New Vegas. PC Gamer. August 12, 2017. August 13, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170813095812/http://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-project-brazil-mod/. live.
    - News: Fallout: Project Brazil is a Fan Made New Vegas Prequel. The Escapist. August 12, 2017. January 2, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190102023716/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/124535-Fallout-Project-Brazil-is-a-Fan-Made-New-Vegas-Prequel. live.
  2. News: Fallout: Project Brazil Part 2 is coming to feed your nostalgia - Geek.com. January 6, 2016. Geek. August 8, 2017. December 20, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161220194415/http://www.geek.com/games/fallout-project-brazil-part-2-is-coming-to-feed-your-nostalgia-1643600/. dead.
  3. News: How Fallout Project Brazil will stack up against and complement Fallout 4 - Geek.com. January 13, 2016. Geek. August 8, 2017. March 9, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170309113751/http://www.geek.com/games/how-fallout-project-brazil-will-stand-up-to-and-complement-fallout-4-1644123/. dead.
    - News: Part 2 of New Vegas mod Fallout: Project Brazil teased in video series. PC Gamer. August 8, 2017. July 24, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170724153323/http://www.pcgamer.com/part-2-of-new-vegas-mod-fallout-project-brazil-teased-in-lengthy-videos/. live.
    - News: Fallout: Project Brazil Part 2 is coming to feed your nostalgia - Geek.com. January 6, 2016. Geek. August 8, 2017. December 20, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161220194415/http://www.geek.com/games/fallout-project-brazil-part-2-is-coming-to-feed-your-nostalgia-1643600/. dead.
  4. News: [Fallout: Project Brazil] is now [Fallout: New California]! news]. Mod DB. September 16, 2017. September 16, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170916142852/http://www.moddb.com/mods/falloutprojectbrazil/news/fallout-project-brazil-is-now-fallout-new-california. live.
  5. News: Fan-Made Prequel To Fallout: New Vegas Goes Into Beta After Nine Years In Development. Gach. Ethan. Kotaku. April 10, 2018. May 2, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180502233248/https://kotaku.com/fan-made-prequel-to-fallout-new-vegas-goes-into-beta-a-1825113398. live.
    - News: [Fallout: New California] State of the Mod for March 2018 news]. Mod DB. April 10, 2018. April 3, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180403211257/http://www.moddb.com/mods/falloutprojectbrazil/news/fallout-new-california-state-of-the-mod-for-march-2018. live.
  6. News: Fallout: New California Finally Gets a Release Date, New Trailer. WWG. June 1, 2018. June 4, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180604072248/http://comicbook.com/gaming/2018/06/01/fallout-new-California-release-date/. live.
    - Web site: Plunkett, Luke . Massive Fallout Mod New California Is Out Today . Kotaku . Gizmodo Media Group . October 25, 2018 . October 23, 2018 . October 24, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181024135320/https://kotaku.com/massive-fallout-mod-nine-years-in-the-making-is-out-tod-1829949486 . live .
  7. Web site: Radian-Helix Media, LLC. www.buzzfile.com. June 7, 2018.
  8. Web site: Cheong . Ian Miles . October 8, 2012 . Fallout: Project Brazil is a Fan-Made Expansion Pack . October 16, 2012 . . January 1, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140101033608/http://www.gamefront.com/fallout-project-brazil-is-a-fan-made-expansion-pack/ . live .
  9. News: Making Fallout's biggest mod: Project Brazil. Red Bull. August 12, 2017. October 17, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171017164902/https://www.redbull.com/int-en/fallout-project-brazil-brandan-lee-interview. live.
  10. Web site: Fallout: New Vegas mod Project Brazil features 5000 lines of recorded dialogue, will release on Friday . PCGamesN . October 8, 2012 . October 16, 2012 . Jeremy Peel . January 2, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150102000054/http://www.pcgamesn.com/fallout-new-vegas-mod-project-brazil-features-5000-lines-recorded-dialogue-will-release-friday . live .
    - News: Fan-Made Prequel To Fallout: New Vegas Goes Into Beta After Nine Years In Development. Gach. Ethan. Kotaku. April 10, 2018. May 2, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180502233248/https://kotaku.com/fan-made-prequel-to-fallout-new-vegas-goes-into-beta-a-1825113398. live.
  11. News: Fallout: New California is heading to beta 'soon'. TechSpot. June 7, 2018. April 10, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180410183829/https://www.techspot.com/news/74086-fallout-new-california-heading-beta-oon.html. live.
    - Web site: Revisit New Vegas in Fallout: New California Beta. OnlySP. June 7, 2018. June 11, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180611083456/http://onlysp.com/fallout-new-california-mod-beta/. live.
  12. Web site: Fallout: New Vegas mod Project Brazil adds a new vault, campaign and stat-focused gameplay . . October 8, 2012 . October 16, 2012 . Ian Birnbaum . June 7, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130607161234/http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/05/30/fallout-new-vegas-mod-project-brazil-adds-a-new-vault-campaign-and-stat-focused-gameplay/ . live .
  13. News: Fallout: Project Brazil doesn't actually have anything to do with the country. plus55. August 12, 2017. July 9, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170709162447/http://plus55.com/brazil-culture/2017/05/fallout-project-brazil. dead.
  14. Web site: Fallout - Project Brazil at Fallout New Vegas - mods and community. www.nexusmods.com. August 8, 2017. August 7, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170807175311/http://www.nexusmods.com/newvegas/mods/45138. live.
  15. News: [Fallout: New California] State of the Mod January 2018 news]. Mod DB. June 7, 2018. February 2, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180202003241/http://www.moddb.com/mods/falloutprojectbrazil/news/fallout-new-california-state-of-the-mod-december-2018. live.
  16. Web site: Project Brazil Hits Nuclear Powered Gaming News . Mod DB . January 14, 2013 . January 12, 2019 . January 23, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180123165934/http://www.moddb.com/mods/falloutprojectbrazil/news/project-brazil-hits-nuclear-powered-gaming-news . live .
  17. Web site: Fallout: Project Brazil becomes Fallout: New California. September 1, 2017. Rock, Paper, Shotgun. June 7, 2018. April 10, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180410185341/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2017/09/01/fallout-project-brazil-becomes-fallout-new-california/. live.
    - News: Fallout: New Vegas mod Project Brazil renamed to New California, out this year. PC Gamer. June 7, 2018. February 5, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180205222211/http://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-new-vegas-mod-project-brazil-renamed-to-new-california-out-this-year/?. live.
  18. Web site: Fallout New Vegas - Project Brazil . German . February 6, 2012 . May 11, 2012 . Christian Lipowsky . "Najdłuższy z nich - Erst mit dem zweiten Abschnitt der Mod wird das riesige Ödland mit Quests und Fraktionen gefüllt werden. - "Only with the second section of the vast wasteland mod with quests and factions will be filled." . . Gizmodo . June 10, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130610105546/http://www.gizmodo.de/2013/06/04/fallout-new-vegas-project-brazil.html? . dead .
  19. News: Fallout: New California looks like the most ambitious Fallout mod ever. Eurogamer. June 4, 2018. December 6, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181206121114/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-06-02-fallout-new-california-looks-like-the-most-ambitious-fallout-mod-ever. live.
  20. Web site: Fallout Fan Mod, Project Brazil, Is Out [FANDOM] ]. GameNGuide . October 8, 2012 . October 16, 2012 . Luke Caulfield . June 10, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130610081240/http://www.gamenguide.com/articles/6989/20130531/fallout-fan-mod-project-brazil-out-today-fandom.htm . live .
  21. Web site: 'Fallout: New California' Team Debuts Original Soundtrack. WWG. December 17, 2018. August 31, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180831124852/https://comicbook.com/gaming/2018/08/30/fallout-new-california-original-soundtrack/. live.
  22. News: Fallout: New Vegas mod Project Brazil adds a new vault, campaign and stat-focused gameplay. PC Gamer. August 8, 2017. August 17, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170817152928/http://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-new-vegas-mod-project-brazil-adds-a-new-vault-campaign-and-stat-focused-gameplay/. live.
  23. News: Fallout: New Vegas mod Project Brazil renamed to New California, out this year. PC Gamer. June 3, 2018. February 5, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180205222211/http://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-new-vegas-mod-project-brazil-renamed-to-new-california-out-this-year/?. live.
  24. News: Fan-Created FALLOUT: NEW CALIFORNIA Goes Beta After 9 Years Nerdist. April 10, 2018. Nerdist. June 7, 2018. June 16, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180616042639/https://nerdist.com/fallout-new-california-fan-mod-beta/. dead.
  25. News: Fallout: New California Will Finally Release In October. June 2, 2018. ScreenRant. June 7, 2018. June 3, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180603060421/https://screenrant.com/fallout-new-california-release-date/. live.
  26. News: Fallout: New Vegas mod Project Brazil features 5000 lines of recorded dialogue, will release on Friday. PCGamesN. June 7, 2018. June 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612165013/https://www.pcgamesn.com//fallout-new-vegas-mod-project-brazil-features-5000-lines-recorded-dialogue-will-release-friday. live.
  27. Web site: Fallout: New Vegas Mod Project Brazil Part One Released On PC . Gaming Blend . October 8, 2012 . October 16, 2012 . Pete Haas . June 8, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130608034351/http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Fallout-Vegas-Mod-Project-Brazil-Part-One-Released-PC-56294.html . live .
  28. News: Fallout: New Vegas mod Project Brazil features 5000 lines of recorded dialogue, will release on Friday. PCGamesN. June 7, 2018. June 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612165013/https://www.pcgamesn.com//fallout-new-vegas-mod-project-brazil-features-5000-lines-recorded-dialogue-will-release-friday. live.
    - News: Part 2 of New Vegas mod Fallout: Project Brazil teased in video series. PC Gamer. June 3, 2018. February 1, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180201224011/http://www.pcgamer.com/part-2-of-new-vegas-mod-fallout-project-brazil-teased-in-lengthy-videos/. live.
  29. Web site: Mod DB Newsletter . Mod DB . September 20, 2016 . March 5, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160305133420/http://www.moddb.com/newsletter/280 . live .
  30. Web site: Players Choice - Mod of the Year 2018 . Mod DB . December 27, 2018 . June 29, 2023 . December 6, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221206180926/https://www.moddb.com/groups/2018-mod-of-the-year-awards/features/players-choice-mod-of-the-year-2018 . live .
  31. Web site: Editors Choice - Mod of the Year 2018. Mod DB. December 22, 2018. June 29, 2023. November 13, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221113121306/https://www.moddb.com/groups/2018-mod-of-the-year-awards/features/editors-choice-mod-of-the-year-2018. live.
  32. Web site: Mod DB: Mod Hall of Fame. Mod DB. June 29, 2023. June 30, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230630034429/https://modhof.com/. live.

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