Fallout - Good or Evil?

Do you typically play good, neutral, or evil in Fallout games?

  • Good - Towns celebrate when I arrive.

    Votes: 69 46.6%
  • Neutral - I do what I want, some good, some bad.

    Votes: 55 37.2%
  • Evil - Darth Vader has nothing on me.

    Votes: 24 16.2%

  • Total voters
    148

wfalcon

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Sep 7, 2000
Messages
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After talking with a few friends, I've found it interesting that some folks could not bring themselves to play evil in Fallout 3. Personally, I couldn't bring myself to play good. With Fallout: New Vegas soon to be released, I was wondering what folks do on their first play though?
 
Every RPG I play, I just naturally gravitate towards evil choices. I wonder if that's a reflection on me personally :p
 
I generally play good, but I always create a Plan C character that does the evil thing, and then kills everyone anyway. The Wasteland is always quite a bit emptier when my Plan C character is done.
 
My main problem with being "evil" in most games is you seem to act more like a "jerk." Now you might wonder what the difference is, but typically in most RPG type scenarios you are trying to build your "power base" somehow, and to me it seems going around being a "jerk" to everyone just doesn't make sense. To use a Star Wars example (due to your poll), Palpatine basically sweet talked his way to power (typically the good option in games, being nice in dialogue with everyone), he didn't run around mocking people and he didn't tell Vader to "suck it up" regarding his personal problems to recruit him (typical evil choice type dialogue actions, demeaning everyone).

I guess what I'm saying is a quiet manipulative evil type option is more interesting then going around killing everything as a psychopath or simply being a "jerk." I guess this might just reflect on how I believe in cooperation and working together to achieve goals regardless if they are morally correct goals or not.
 
first playthrough I would be a goody two shoes, and the 2nd one I would be an asshole! main reason for being evil would be the money! MONEY!
 
Be a mean rotten bastard, the kind that the little kids flee from, and adults shit themselves when they sight you.

"Death is always a step behind me."

be like that!

:D
 
My main problem with being "evil" in most games is you seem to act more like a "jerk." Now you might wonder what the difference is, but typically in most RPG type scenarios you are trying to build your "power base" somehow, and to me it seems going around being a "jerk" to everyone just doesn't make sense. To use a Star Wars example (due to your poll), Palpatine basically sweet talked his way to power (typically the good option in games, being nice in dialogue with everyone), he didn't run around mocking people and he didn't tell Vader to "suck it up" regarding his personal problems to recruit him (typical evil choice type dialogue actions, demeaning everyone).

I guess what I'm saying is a quiet manipulative evil type option is more interesting then going around killing everything as a psychopath or simply being a "jerk." I guess this might just reflect on how I believe in cooperation and working together to achieve goals regardless if they are morally correct goals or not.

Interesting - guess I never really thought of it that way, but it brings up a good point. I guess the wastelands of Fallout though are a bit different as you aren't there to build up any sort of "power base". Although I'd probably classify nuking Megaton as an evil act, there were definitely "jerk" acts as well when interacting with NPCs.
 
In the original Fallouts, the game is significantly easier as a good character. In FO3 it hardly matters. Hopefully this isn't the case for New Vegas.
 
I usually play good, but I've done both good and evil runs through Fallout 3.. Trying to stay neutral is a pain in the butt.

Good is just easier because you get access to storage almost immediately.. Not sure what I'll be doing in New Vegas.. I'll probably go through it good the first time.
 
I play the game as if I was there. So there are some decisions that can be considered evil, but the majority would be considered good.
 
Interesting - guess I never really thought of it that way, but it brings up a good point. I guess the wastelands of Fallout though are a bit different as you aren't there to build up any sort of "power base". Although I'd probably classify *snip* as an evil act, there were definitely "jerk" acts as well when interacting with NPCs.

Not a direct criticism at Fallout in anyway, since most games are like this, and understandably why in most cases from a design point of view (you can't really account for all possible scenarios).

By "power base" I mean you are trying to get stronger in some way, either individually or maybe get "allies."

Like in the situation you mentioned, in that case to me it is a better done "evil" type choice in a game for me, in the sense it is an action that can directly benefit your character but is obviously not a morally correct choice. Had the choice been say only to do the helpful act or the destructive act for the sake of doing it, to me it seems the latter is more psychotic, and the helpful act would be taken regardless if one is good or evil, as it can be self beneficial.

But in many cases to me even as a evil person I'd do the "good" type acts in games, why? Well it seems if you help them you gain items, allies, information, or something that benefits your character. Just murdering people to me seems more psychotic then evil. Like from what I remember most of the acts that help the brotherhood of steel for instance were classified as positive karma, but it seems allying with one of the strongest (if not the strongest) faction would be self beneficial for an evil person. Similar with most "persuasion" type choices, generally those ended up be positive karma from what I remember, but do evil people really solve things more with their fists then their tongue?

Not saying "jerk" choices aren't fun in there own way, but they just seem more "jerkish" then evil to me, since being evil doesn't mean one doesn't want things easier. Which usually means I end up choosing a lot of "good" choices anyways, and end up being good at the end, even though I wanted to role play an evil type character :p I guess I want a more a Palpatine type evil then Vader type evil.
 
I usually go good, but Fallout 3 had me LOVING being bad. Since then, I'm evil in every RPG I play.

/cackle
 
More often than not in karma based games like FO and ME I just do whatever I feel right. Which is usually the good thing, but in ME2 I ended up having both equal amounts of paragon and renegade points which is a perfect reflection of my principles.
 
Good on the first time, then an asshole the second, but with some heart, occasionally.
 
After reloading, I save everyone (apart from slavers and raiders). To make up for the merchant killing sprees I go on when i'm short on money.
 
Generally good guy but sometimes I just go berserk on someone, like a wandering trader for loot. I have to survive somehow right?
 
Good.


You tend to miss out on a lot of quests/money/opportunities by being "evil".
 
I tend to play the good 'sith.' I play the same way I did in KOTOR. I wanted the dark side powers, but I didn't want to cast aside an opportunities or potential allies by running around acting like a jerk. The jerk is no where near as powerful as the mastermind who seduces everyone to follow the "terribly great and powerful leader." Allies are assets (even if they are morally good) and shouldn't be quickly cast aside by some pointless temper tantrum. The truly sinister mix a lot of good deeds with with little bits of their own schemes in between.

But games don't seem to ever allow that... so I just end up being generally good so that I don't miss out on anything. Plus, being a slaver is not my idea of having fun being evil. Yeah, I have a hard time bringing myself to playing an evil character. Plus I always value human life no matter how evil I want to play a character. I guess it's a conflicted view.

Maybe that's why I don't care whether there is text dialogue choices vs. dialogue wheel (aka Mass Effect and Dragon Age 2). Because either way, I never get a chance to play the way I would want to play.
 
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not sure about fallout series, but in some series playing evil means you don't help other people which reduces the xp you can earn.
 
My main problem with being "evil" in most games is you seem to act more like a "jerk." Now you might wonder what the difference is, but typically in most RPG type scenarios you are trying to build your "power base" somehow, and to me it seems going around being a "jerk" to everyone just doesn't make sense. To use a Star Wars example (due to your poll), Palpatine basically sweet talked his way to power (typically the good option in games, being nice in dialogue with everyone), he didn't run around mocking people and he didn't tell Vader to "suck it up" regarding his personal problems to recruit him (typical evil choice type dialogue actions, demeaning everyone).

I guess what I'm saying is a quiet manipulative evil type option is more interesting then going around killing everything as a psychopath or simply being a "jerk." I guess this might just reflect on how I believe in cooperation and working together to achieve goals regardless if they are morally correct goals or not.

Like Anakin, did you not listen to anything Yoda said?

Palpatine is just like Hitler: he instilled fear in his people.

Please don't make me start quoting Yoda... But Palpatine didn't sweet-talk anyone!

Okay, one Yoda quote: "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering".

"Follow me or be destroyed" isn't sweet-talking people into following you.
 
Missing an option - All of the Above.

When playing Fallout 3, I created characters for Good, Neutral & Evil. It's interesting to experience the different character dialog / reactions.

Playing a goody two-shoes was as expected. Characters reacted with kindness and appreciation for the good deeds done.

Neutral was the biggest challenge. Staying on an even keel was difficult because I wanted to help or wanted to hurt but didn't because I didn't want to / couldn't get involved in order to maintain neutrality.

Evil was fun but it got kinda old going in and wiping out entire good towns. You could only blow them sky-high once and that was it. Of course, it was fun using the Nuclear Briefcase to wipe them out. :p
 
Within Fallout, being evil can definitely keep you from getting XP or items. Nothing is a deal breaker, but if you go nuts in Megaton, you can miss out on a LOT of stuff over the course of the game.
I tend to just walk the middle road - do a quest for someone and then take 'em out and take the stuff back :)
 
i always play good first.

then evil second playthrough.

but for SWTOR im actually playing Sith Marauder first
 
I do what I want, but the game tends to align me with good. For instance, I steal shit from every NPC imaginable, pig out on corpses (cannibal perk), and sometimes ask for caps as a reward for my heroic deeds. The result, I'm a beacon of light. Either way, I didn't think Fallout made moral decision all that interesting anyway. Take KoTOR for example, BioWare made the journey to the dark side super fucking fun.
 
I always play evil, because in a lawless wasteland, that seems like the most advantageous position to take.
 
I always play evil, because in a lawless wasteland, that seems like the most advantageous position to take.

Civilization sprouted from lawlessness at one point, right? I'd say humanity has found it more beneficial to cooperate to a certain degree. :)
 
Civilization sprouted from lawlessness at one point, right? I'd say humanity has found it more beneficial to cooperate to a certain degree. :)

Not when you have the unique ability to get back up after you die :p
 
Not when you have the unique ability to get back up after you die :p

Touche! But the guy I was quoting seems to have taken a practical stance. For entertainment purposes, role-playing something I am not is obviously fun as hell!

But when you cannot respawn.. I'd argue that humanity wouldn't be where it is today if every man was only out for himself. We're a very social species; the past and present is evidence enough that we're drawn to each other and are capable of incredible achievements when we work together.

Gah, that sounds so sappy.
 
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Nothing wrong with saying that. I would add that man is a moral being (despite always falling short)
 
As touched on a few times already, I tend to play good because too many games limit the experience of playing evil.

Making evil decisions that cut out quests/xp/items/etc. just for the sake of randomly killing a town isn't evil--it's dumb. Until a game allows us to make the "morally right" choice for the wrong reasons, we'll never get a chance to be the true evil mastermind we all want to be.
 
As touched on a few times already, I tend to play good because too many games limit the experience of playing evil.

Making evil decisions that cut out quests/xp/items/etc. just for the sake of randomly killing a town isn't evil--it's dumb. Until a game allows us to make the "morally right" choice for the wrong reasons, we'll never get a chance to be the true evil mastermind we all want to be.

Exactly. I do have a feeling Fallout New Vegas will be the best attempt ever, though it will probably just slip into moral relativity where there is no such thing as evil.
 
Like Anakin, did you not listen to anything Yoda said?

Palpatine is just like Hitler: he instilled fear in his people.

Please don't make me start quoting Yoda... But Palpatine didn't sweet-talk anyone!

Okay, one Yoda quote: "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering".

"Follow me or be destroyed" isn't sweet-talking people into following you.

But didn't he assume power through the guise of helping and protecting the old republic? Similarly didn't he receive Anakins support by promising to help him? He basically gained power through manipulation and his mouth, not running around threatening and killing everyone at whim.

I mean being evil to me doesn't mean alienating everyone, especially since I currently have nothing, not even any memories after being shot (New Vegas story). That to me seems to be a bad idea to my personal survival if anything lol...
 
Within Fallout, being evil can definitely keep you from getting XP or items. Nothing is a deal breaker, but if you go nuts in Megaton, you can miss out on a LOT of stuff over the course of the game.
I tend to just walk the middle road - do a quest for someone and then take 'em out and take the stuff back :)

True. I guess I made sure I was done with the place first though. I finished all my missions in Megaton before I used the Mister Sandman perk to murder everyone in their sleep, and then finally nuking the surviving kids.
 
Good on the first time, then an asshole the second, but with some heart, occasionally.

Basically this is true for me as well. I usually do a second play through (if I liked the game) to see all of the "consequences" of my choices.
 
Why does everyone want to be good? I always lean towards bad or evil, simply cause nobody else is willing to go down that dark path.

It IS a reflection of who I am and my personality.

If I ruled over a kingdom, I most certainly would be pulling pages out of Machiavelli's "The Prince"

Good thing i'm not a king :D
 
Do you think we'll be able to kill children in NV like in old-school Fallout? I guess not...
 
I generally play good first then on subsequent playthroughs I try to force myself to be a bad or neutral guy which doesn't seem to do it for me so much. Although I did nuke megaton once just to see it blow up...man that was a nice explosion.
 
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