Fallout: S1, Episode 5 (The Past) - Patreon Version
Added 2024-05-09 16:00:06 +0000 UTC
Comments
100%. I think Maximus also has a ton of Luck, like when he dropped the Yao Guai with one shot -- yeah, it was already injured from fighting Titus, but that was absolutely a Crit.
Dylan Platt
2025-02-06 05:08:30 +0000 UTCSpeaking of video game mechanics that get reflected in the game (such as the Speech checks you mentioned): Have you noticed that Maximus seems to have put most of his SPECIAL points into Strength and Endurance and not so many into Charisma or Intelligence? That's why he keeps not explaining himself well (e.g. When the Brotherhood was questioning him, when he was telling Thaddeus about Knight Titus being dead, etc, he totally drops the ball, leaves out the important info, and makes himself sound guilty even when he isn't). Meanwhile, he sure can take a beating and still get back up to do some beating of his own. He's also a lot better at melee than he is at shooting. Still, it sometimes seems like the RNG treats him well and he lands a couple of good shots (like when he one-shot both of the Fiends on the bridge vs when he was constantly fumbling the power armor's gun and missed all the shots on the Gulper). I'm not sure if that means he has points in Pistols but none in bigger guns, but each of the characters def feel like the writers took character builds into account when writing them. Also, as a guy who was a Game Designer at Activision and EA for a little over 10 years, I really appreciated the nod to level design in the Medical Center trap above the vault in this episode. The way the ceiling lights pulsed in sequence toward the doors to guide your eye and lead you in that direction was very much a way we lead players around open worlds and levels that aren't on rails (though we'd generally use a single light in a dark area or a flickering light or something a little more subtle, it still served the same purpose in the show. It was guiding them to where the people who set up the trap wanted them to go). I also noticed something this time that I didn't notice the first time I watched this episode: If you look at the double doors enclosing the trap area, they look like a skull. The single windows in each door create the eyes, the two push plates make the nose-hole, and there are elongated black tiles on the floor just below the door that give the illusion of teeth. At first, I thought it was just a coincidence (or I was experiencing a little pareidolia) but the floor tiles gave away that it was intentional. The layout of the tiles wouldn't make any real world sense and once you see the skull, it's very obvious that it's intentional. I have a feeling the set designer did this to create subliminal dread when you see the doors. You don't overtly notice that it's a skull but your brain subconsciously clocks it and makes you feel uneasy. It's kind of genius, honestly. Even though I watched the whole season when it dropped, I'm really enjoying watching it again now that I know what happens. It's fun picking up on all the subtle hints and clues along the way that I missed the first time, as well as all the nods to game mechanics.
Funk McPuke
2024-08-31 02:45:10 +0000 UTCThat's so cool!!
Chandra
2024-05-13 13:42:15 +0000 UTCThe best easter egg in this episode was them talking about the battle of Anchorage. This is a reference to a Fallout 3 DLC called "Operation Anchorage" where you can enter a simulation and relive it.
Wade Wallenstein
2024-05-10 15:15:25 +0000 UTCSo fun to listen to your speculations for everything you might get right and everything you might get wrong.
Keith Wood
2024-05-10 08:06:40 +0000 UTC
