Welcome back! This is the first time I have written one of these along with playing it, so it should be a little more detailed but cover less. Should be okay as I hadn't met any of the really politically interesting characters up until this point. So, where was I?
| I do wonder if the Fallout universe stretches into space |
I'm entering the REPCONN test site. I haven't found any kind of radiation suit as of yet, so I'm hoping radiation isn't too severe. I know I have to sort some things out in order to get my best endings for Novac and for another group who will appear in this quest. Plenty of loot to take on the way in. Dead non feral ghouls all around. I take their clothing. And NightKin. Not a great sign. After I'm told to go a specific direction by an intercom, I ignore it, and explore the building. There aren't THAT many feral ghouls. I kill a few but try to head in the right direction. I go to the basement and kill a few night kin lurking there. After that I headed upwards to where I was supposed to go. I meet the Bright Followers and Jason Bright. A bunch of should led by a glowing one. Apparently I shouldn't have shot down the feral ghouls as they are part of his clan. One guy is convinced he is a ghoul when he isn't, and he is key to their plans. I wonder how he gets on with the ferals!
Bright Followers are a cult who believe as many cults seem to, that ghouls are somewhat sacred, and don't belong on this planet, where they are treated badly, and instead are destined for better things. The human is their engineer, and they need him for their venture. After sorting out various business for them in the quest so that they can begin their journey, (and I won't spoil every irrelevant detail, save that I did it peacefully) the moral quandary arises: Whether to try and convince the human of who he is, or let him keep believing he is a ghoul.
| Why WOULDNT you get in a rocket with this guy? |
Now regardless of politics, the most foundational ethical thing would be to tell him the truth, and then let him believe what he wants to, and convince him to not be vengeful about it, seeing as the Bright Followers did initially try to convince him of his humanity, but in his refusal, honestly believe he was sent to them for a purpose. Their overarching goal being to aid the Followers to fly off in a rocket ship, you have to wonder whether it is the "greater good" to ensure he helps the Followers. Never mind that you never can trust a charismatic church leader not to be pretending to believe things to take advantage of the situation, and get approval from their congregations.
Firstly, they plan to leave him behind when they fly off, as the radiation would kill him. He won't be endangered if I do not convince him of the truth. He will be emotionally hurt. He will feel this even if I tell him, however. Secondly, is the Courier helping them to their saviour or to their deaths? I am not in favour of religion, and a god in the Fallout universe must work in some very mysterious ways to justify the world being how it is. He would have to answer to worse than Stephen Fry!
There are a lot of different cults in this game. You aren't expected as a player to believe in any of them. I'm aware that telling him would gain me karma, but I don't have the speech points. I never manage to get enough speech points! I don't even have average lock pick skills yet, and I do that a lot. So I can happily skip the issue. Hopefully that isn't too disappointing for you. He doesn't take it well but is pretty easily won around to go live in Novac after.
I'm expected to help get parts for the rocket instead, which I may do now, or later. I can get rocket fuel easy in Novac, and the other parts are nearby so I'll get on with it now.
I wonder if he had just seen a mirror...?
|
Speaking of Novac, ever notice that except for security, the Dino Park is ran in a capitalist fashion, as a hotel? Of course you did, however did you also notice its the only secured sheltered part of the town? All the other houses and shacks around are open and exposed to raids, with little to no protection. (A lot of the towns in New Vegas are surprisingly open considering the threats actually. They should fix that up.) My point is, having one person in charge of the only safe housing is what gave her the power to give Boone's wife away to the slavers.
Anyways, they all fly off effectively, and the human relocates.
Next I wander onto nearby Helios One, which is a disused power station. Seems NCR had a showdown with the Brotherhood of Steel, who were previously stationed there. Interesting as I would lump the 2 together as much the same kind of agents. But the original Brotherhood would keep any tech for themselves, unlike the branch from the Capitol Wasteland.
I told them I was a scientist so that I can get in. Ridiculously easy. Might pick the lock anyway to get my skills up. My karma is evil anyway. Looking at the computer there is a pre-war file called "Can I tell Him?" I had thought it was from the NCR and was annoyed at them before I realised. It has extremely sexist response towards telling information to wives about women chattering shit to everybody they know.
""Can I tell my wife?" Well, let's say you do. You tell her not to tell anyone. Your bond is sacred. But a woman's idle tongue is the devil's plaything. No sooner do you leave for work the next day than she's on the phone telling her best friend Candy. Then Candy tells Gertie, Gertie tells Maxine, Maxine tells Lulu, and while Lulu is telling Doris, a Chinese agent posing as an American operator listens in, and the next thing she's on the line with the Forbidden City, singing like a treasonous canary. The following day you and your wife are bound in shackles and China is sitting at the controls of our entire arsenal."
Not only the sexism annoyed me in it, but the extreme anti communist sentiment. This is what gave away that it was pre-war so I calmed the fuck down. Apparently "your children will be working in forced Labour camps, right next to you and your beautiful young wife, who's now wrinkled and homely [shock] since the communists have banned makeup because it expresses individuality" LOL. The writers on this game capture the pre-50s America only too well. Poseidon Energy indeed. Oh well, moving on! That's what you get for reading other peoples' emails.
I find the scientist downstairs, who is either pretty chauvanistic or just hasn't been laid in a while. He is absolutely useless, rather than Fantastic, as his name implies. I can see exactly how thy let me into the building just by claiming to be a scientist.
| Well this explains a lot. I can hardly wait to see the NCR choice of police and judges |
Then I meet his wonderful friend, Ignacio Rivas. Ignacio is the real brains behind the business, as he isn't working for the NCR. He is there to make sure that the plant isn't weaponised, or used for evil. He gives me all the advice I need. He's the first person I've met from the Followers of the Apocalypse, and he does not disappoint. Amongst other instructions and checking I'm not with any of these power hungry groups, he tells me if I restore the power I shouldn't just aim it at the thriving areas but to all the communities which need it fairly. "For us, territorial boundaries mean nothing. And prosperity has to be for everyone." He is speaking my language! I agree, Not necessarily about evenly, but enough for every community. He is definitely someone I will get along with. But it is not to be, alas! it's possible to flirt further with him only if male, which is kinda cool for progress. But not for my character. All the best men, aye? I love this guy. Hopefully I can win the favour of some of the other FotA one day!
| Tell me more Ignacio; Whisper collectively owned sweet nothings! |
Following the directions from my lover, I had to kill NCR dogs to get to the computers. I don't know why they didn't just grant me access. I don't wanna kill dogs =( It makes me sad. I swear they let me in there to do this, so they shouldn't be blocking it from me?
After that, I battle through the tower to change the mainframe. I have to fix a few things first. Once I get onto the mainframe, as well as the options to distribute evenly, or flood energy to the NCR strongholds, as I was asked by Fantastic, I actually have the option of putting the power into only the poorer regions, where the Followers are. That is so tempting, especially as i know there will be many breakdowns when the power is strained over the whole state. It would be good to keep power out of the hands of those with too much power already and direct it to those who need it. However, fair is fair, and I'm trusted. The FotA prefer this option anyway, though it may be a little short sighted. You think what they could do with the power to run things their way, but then power does corrupt. It certainly wouldn't be an anarchist force unless they were creating the power themselves, or stealing it from an already corrupted govt. That said, I wouldn't trust the NCR not to tax it all once in charge.
I now have good rep without having actually met the FotA. Better than I would have if I had picked the other option. Awesome start. There was also another option to weaponise the building and kill everybody. I wouldn't get much out of that, and obviously I chose not to. However, seeing as I didn't have the option of deleting the data, you could argue ruining the site and keeping this tech out of anybody's hands could have some potential.
Decided to get on track with my main quest after that, and head on up towards Boulder City from there. On my way, I met the Lonesome Drifter. Whoever he is. His daddy left him alone with a guitar that he carries. I didn't have much I could do for him but I have a feeling we will meet again.
| It's all blazing saddles from here |
The city is pretty small but its alright. By alright, I mean it has a Saloon. Its supposed to be clearly derelict from a battle over Hoover Dam, but the thing is that the whole country looks derelict and destroyed. It's not that obvious what was destroyed during the war or what was destroyed after the war. There's rubble and sand and broken buildings all around.
The NCR have locked down one area, as the Great Khans, who I am here to intercept, have taken some members hostage in order to escape. So I'm trying to talk with the Great Khans. I have no loyalty to them, but no specific qualms, so if I can do it peacefully, why not? I mean he did try to kill me. lol. But apart from that. If they aren't hostile, which they aren't, I'll "be the change I wish to see". He was set up by Benny. I don't have the speech points to bargain, but maybe with a magazine... yep! With the magazine, I successfully convince a trade-off. The alternative peaceful way would be paying off the NCR, but I'm not sure where that leads the hostages. Regular diplomat, me though!
Except that the NCR have orders to take them out anyway. I'm going to convince the leader to have integrity. You don't back down on deals. Plus I agree with the Khans about having to face NCR justice. Why should they do slave labour in NCR prisons? Who made them judge and jury?
| Not in our Anarcho Syndicalist Collective mate! |
Gained me points on both sides in the end haha. I'm usually shit at negotiation games. It makes a change for the anarchists to be favoured by most people instead of reviled. The game was clearly making a specific effort to define anarchists a specific pacifist way, which is interesting. Although I think they had voluntarist anarchism in mind. An amusing contrast is the magazine you can read for improving explosives - The Patriot's Cookbook! Makes an amusing parody, and actually makes it fairly clear, both that far Right are guilty of terrorism, and that the regular patriotic, nationalistic state is guilty of terrifying acts of mass killing. I mean, I don't know if thats what they meant by introverting the Anarchist Cookbook and having pacifistic Anarchists, but it amused me anyway. At the same time, if you read it, it isn't that at all. It is saying that the real patriots are the ones who undermine the rules to protect themselves and their country. It isn't obvious whether they are to attack themselves from food rioters or against the government. Its open to interpretation.
| Actually reading the books? It's like Skyrim all over |
I was going to do some random tasks after that before bed, but Victor the robot appeared. Apparently following me again, and was heading to the strip after. I saw him speeding off, pulled up my gun, and thought hey, if I follow him, he will clear my path all the way to the strip! He got stuck on the mapping for the floor, and left me at the foot of a big farm. From there I ended up at the shack for the Gun Runners. But that's another story, for another day.
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