Chapter 45: Fallout: A Gamer's Nightmare
This is the first Fan-Fiction about a game world in a while, so I'll try to make this good, since Bethesda seems to be turning the franchise into hot garbage. I'm not going to be making an incredibly in-depth idea, as a lot of the series is about freedom in character development, just know that I'll be covering some of the bases. First off, we'll decide if we want to include a system.
So, I'll split this into two parts: the events if we include a system and the events without one. With a system, the MC will be able to more efficiently gain strength and skills. Obviously, the stats will be based around Fallout's existing format, i.e. SPECIAL and Skills, the difference being that there aren't any level or status caps for the MC. Normally, SPECIAL caps at ten and Skills at 100, but the protagonist will be able to place points in either without limit, thereby becoming far more powerful than any average human. But, as a drawback, he needs to gain EXP in exorbitant amounts in order to become that strong. I hear you say, "What about Perks? Those are incredibly useful for character specs in-game!" Well, how about having the MC gain Perks through special actions or events? Something like repeating actions a certain amount of times, or raising a certain Skill to a specific level. It's not a very fleshed out solution, but it's what I've got at the moment.
So, let's move on to how the story would progress without a system. The first thing to note is how the main character will gain strength, and that's through sheer willpower. He'll basically be gifted a perfect memory and everything else will be up to his own desire for self-improvement. Every Skill will have to be something he learns on his own, i.e. the protagonist will have to acquire some text or instructions in order to be able to maintain or even properly use his weapons. His SPECIAL will also be influenced by training and other activities, increasing as time goes on. Unfortunately, this version will very much be limited to a human physiology, meaning his limits for SPECIAL would be 10. Of course, there are a few ways to grow beyond those limits, like the FEV or becoming a cyborg. I'm not saying you should force the MC down either of those routes, just that there are possibilities if you feel like peak human isn't enough.
On to possible starting points in the series to place the protagonist. Firstly, one of the Vaults, the infamous locations where secret human experiments are conducted on unsuspecting survivors of the nuclear holocaust. If born here, there is a risk of accidental death caused by the wanton experiments of Vault-Tec, but more likely is he'll receive no lasting injuries or impairments. He'll also gain a Pip-Boy with extreme ease, having it become his long-term companion. This is also the safest environment as there is little to no radiation and clean water, with plenty of food (Though all three of these benefits are entirely dependent on which Vault he lives in). This is probably the main choice for most people, as it would be the easiest to write.
The next choice is to have him be born in one of the many groups that litter the Former U.S., as a child of either Settlers, the Brotherhood, or the Enclave. Now, depending on your decision, his childhood will be vastly different. If born to a group of Settlers, he'll mainly be a blank canvas, learning whatever he can from various books and other media he can find, possibly even getting his hands on a Pip-Boy at some point. As a child born to either the Brotherhood or Enclave, he'll get rigorous training in various weapons and Power Armor, though he will eventually attempt to leave these factions, as they will limit his freedom. This is probably my preferred choice as it forces the MC to grow and adapt way faster than he could if he was born in a Vault, and I know some people prefer a faster progression to a slow one.
Another way to go is to have him be born in a settlement like Goodsprings or other similar towns, but this choice would mainly be like a combination of the Vault and Settlers, staying in one place, but gaining knowledge from whatever he can find. Again, I'd prefer something more like the Brotherhood or Enclave as it would lead to a more survival oriented MC, one who's not afraid to kill when needed.
I hear some of you asking this question, "What's with the title? A lot of people love this franchise." And to that, I say, "Would you want to live in the Fallout universe? With death constantly peeking around the corner? It's a place where there's a constant threat of being sold into slavery or being eaten alive by cannibals or Super Mutants." Sure, the games are fun but the world they take place in is unforgiving and cold.
The obvious start is reincarnation, with an avid fan of the franchise dying in a horrible accident involving a copy of Fallout 76. Now, the main question is when in the series does he get reborn? The answer is I don't know, because that's completely up to the writer. I can make a few suggestions, but it's not my decision. Like I'd prefer one of the settings on the West Coast rather than the East. By that I mean Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout Tactics, and Fallout: New Vegas. There's nothing exactly wrong with choosing Fallouts' 3&4, it's just that I like the ones from Interplay and Obsidian more.
I also have a suggestion for the story: Don't feel like you need to limit yourself to the technology presented in the franchise. You could have the MC produce some of the technology of our world, like night-vision and thermal-vision and improvements to computers. He could even turn a suit of Power Armor into something similar to Iron Man's armor. I'd definitely like to see the protagonist make his way to Big MT to retrieve the Stealth Suit MK II, it's my favorite armor in the series. Or he could use the materials and blueprints there to make a MK III. Now I'm going on a tangent about stuff that probably won't happen, so I hope you guys enjoyed.
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