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By leaving the lands of Tamriel for the devastated America of Fallout, Bethesda has not only changed scenery, but also paradigm. “We had to prove that we could master a completely different genre, the opposite of fantasy,” says Istvan Pely, artistic director of Fallout 3. Maintaining the essence of an RPG while integrating shooting mechanics was a risky bet. How to make shots interesting when the player’s skills directly influence their accuracy?
VATS: a saving mechanism… or a predicted failure?
To address this dilemma, the team designed the VATS system (Vault-Tec Assisted Aiming System). The objective: to offer a compromise between turn-based strategy and real-time action. However, this system quickly raises many concerns. “For a long time, we wondered, ‘Is this really fun? Is it worth it? Will anyone use it?’ “, admits Pely. Beyond the gameplay, one of the biggest headaches was managing the camera during slow motion, which frequently got stuck behind objects.
Barely saved before the release
Faced with technical difficulties, Bethesda had to develop a complex algorithm to ensure smooth positioning of the camera. The VATS system was finally integrated at the last minute: “We had only just gotten it working at the time of shipment. » This gamble paid off, since VATS is today considered a central element of Fallout’s identity.
A signature of the series still present
Despite initial doubts, VATS established itself in Fallout 3, then in Fallout 4 and even Fallout 76, although in adjusted forms. It has become one of the franchise’s most distinctive signatures, to the point of being immediately associated with the Fallout experience by fans. The studio, which was afraid that no one would use it, actually laid one of the foundations of its modern success.