Fallout 3 Content: The Safe
Development Period: August 2015
Solo Project |
Engine: Creation Engine
Status: Complete |
The Safe is a 5-10 minute content modification that adds a simple story to one of the player's most mundane pieces of equipment: Their 200 year old wrist-computer and where it's been before. The story plays out over a few combat encounters in the D.C. Ruins.
Conceptualised, written and developed over three weekends, the Safe began as an excercise to rapidly design, develop and complete a level containing all staple elements of a Fallout 3 area, through the process I expanded to include quest design and weapon design, it was subsequently polished over a fourth weekend. I used Fallout 3's Creation Kit and for the first time developed an exterior using Bethesda's toolkit. I learned more on its modular kit, kitbashing, lighting, decor building, weapon systems, and scripting dialogue using the computer-terminal system. |
Overview of Design Process:Contains a written report and imagery on the level design of the Safe
|
Media:Download level:
![]()
Requires Fallout 3 to play.
No DLC are required. See instructions below on how to play The latest version is accessible from the Wasteland, as well as cheats. |
Responsibilities included:
Level Design
Quest Design
Weapon Design
See the process below for more info! |
Installation & Play instructions:
In order to play the mod please put the TheSafe.esp file into your Fallout 3 Gamedata folder, then enable it on the launcher by accessing "Data Files" and toggling "TheSafe.esp" on.
Data Files does not save on every computer due to a glitch, resulting in a failure to load. To resolve this download the Fallout Mod Manager, which can manage plug-ins for you.
|
Handheld Mortar Process (Simplified)
- Experimented with the existing missile launcher to create a hip-firing mortar
- Increased damage by 20%
- Ideal to attack a static enemy in full cover and large groups of enemies
- Make rounds heavy for parabolic trajectory
- Iteration:
- Too powerful, and kind of boring: Reduced its short-range potential by making the projectile faster and heavier, and increasing the blast radius slightly
- Short-range use is now prone to kill the player
- Player is now forced to take their eyes off of their enemy and aim the weapon up by 15° - 60° to increase its range.
- Added unique challenge to using it effectively
- Kind of exciting and skill based by eyeballing it
- Eventually split the single shell into a flechette of four shells
- Each shell spreads several meters outward on firing. The greater the distance, the greater the spread
- Each shell deals ~35% of the damage. Near-hits deal minimal damage, catching an enemy between all four shells deals up to 140% damage for maximum reward
- Finally expanded the magazine to fire 3 shots before needing to reload, but also reduced its damage slightly
- This salvo of 12 shells total allows the player to blanket an area quickly, before being exposed to counter attack
- Forces the player to rapidly switch weapons if an enemy closes distance
- This salvo of 12 shells total allows the player to blanket an area quickly, before being exposed to counter attack
- Too powerful, and kind of boring: Reduced its short-range potential by making the projectile faster and heavier, and increasing the blast radius slightly
- Implementing
- Created a unique ammunition type
- Balanced the weapon and its ammunition's cost & damage
- Wrote a script that allows the player to manufacture new shells from existing parts (At fair conversion rate)
- Modified Fallout 3 to include the new ammunition type in its default loot (With multiple shells per find)
- Modified the weapon to reuse the model of a different one, to better signpost which the player is holding
- Final outcome:
- A unique weapon for explosive users
- Implicitly situational: Can only be used safely outdoors at range
- Easy to use, challenging to master
- Built to be somewhat unreliable: In-direct fire forces the player to fire salvos that blanket areas
- Careful aim is incredibly rewarding
- The sheer volume of explosions is fun to play with
- Wasting ammo is intentional and built in
- Enough shells in the game world for frequent use; Player can also make their own ammunition for it
- Can prove utterly devestating in the right hands
- Works well when combined with minefields and cars
- Works well when combined with minefields and cars
- Because of the arc, the weapon is not usable in VATS, and will always show a 0% chance to hit