Other countries/locations in the Fallout universe

[Selfsurprise]

I've been rather obsessed with Fallout 4 recently, and I'm sure many of you have been enjoying it too. I first came across the series in my youth via a demo of the second game in the franchise, but my first proper introduction to the post-apocalyptic setting was Fallout: New Vegas. I became fascinated with the way the series takes place in differing cities and states, showing how the different corners of America dealt with and adapted to the aftermath of nuclear holocaust. How the surrounding flora and fauna mutated or survived the harsh conditions, how various groups and cultures evolved, discovering the strangely familiar in these otherwise alien and dystopian locales, it's all part of the series appeal.

 

An excellent and recent article on Jonathan Wojcik's Bogleech site entitled Big Bugs that Belong in Fallout got me thinking about the possibilities of what happened elsewhere in the canon of Fallout. I'm English, so I'm less familiar with the cultural idiosyncrasies and history of US states, so if there are any Americans on the forums feel free to wade in on the topic. I'm interested in brainstorming some concepts for post-apocalyptic alternatives in other cities, regions, nations. Talk about the kind of people who could survive and thrive in this world, how it might affect the local wildlife and environment, what technology might have been around in that particular part of the world in 2077 and what the future setting inherited from the past.

 

This thread can be as lore-centric, game mechanic-centric, aesthetic-centric or whatever else-centric as you like. You can even imagine what your own home town or country would resemble. Whilst it’s nice to reference and refer back to the tropes and plotlines of the actual games, don’t let them limit your ideas.

 

~

 

Eric Joyner, painting from the It's A Jungle Out There series

 

Could you imagine a Fallout game set in India? I reckon it would make for a unique and eclectic locale for the series. In real life chronology India is in a somewhat similar position that European countries were in during the 19th to early 20th centuries, as emerging super powers boasting both enormous industrial potential and seemingly insurmountable economic divides. It's not difficult to imagine between the British empire going into decline and conceding upon India its independence, and the subsequent upheavals of world politics right up until the bombs in 2077, India developing into a technological powerhouse, both unfamiliar and yet strangely exotic to western eyes traumatized by their own colonial guilt.

Post-apocalyptic India has potential for conflict and collaboration between numerous power groups and unlikely cultural hybridization, not unlike modern India today. The diverse plant and animal life in the country may make the aforementioned Bogleech article seem more plausible, bountiful yet mutated strange forms, perhaps further conflated by an emerging and sometimes unethical experimentation with genetics. I can envision pre-2077 India having engineered a parallel yet ubiquitous robotics and vehicular industry of its own, wreaking no little havoc on the climate and wilderness. The art, literature and fashion of India would certainly have developed in unusual ways, both as a way of bolstering and rejecting old values and systems. You also have plenty of interesting narrative opportunities regarding fears of losing cultural identity and various faiths and traditions going extinct or otherwise switching allegiance.

 

Let me know what you think. Present your own real world locations for consideration or expand upon mine and anyone else's ideas. This thread is just an open-ended and creative endevour.

Edited February 7, 2016 by Guest (see edit history)

[Descriptor]

For non-American countries in the Fallout universe, the only one I had any real inspiration on was England. Personally, I think Fallout's England would be stuck in the early 60's, as opposed to the U.S.'s 50's. Specifically, they would be super into that whole mod scene. Basically, I would expect it to be very similar to We Happy Few. My logic from a Doylist standpoint is that 60's England is a lot more iconic than 50's England in terms of nostalgic perception. As for in universe why it would be that way (as opposed to the 50s) would be that England would have been somewhat less restrictive than the U.S.'s (who would have probably kept out a lot of such influences, especially since they come from not-America). But then again, I don't really know much about modern European or English culturally development, so I don't really have a good platform to explain it on. I just think it would have a more iconic feel compared to other post-WW2 eras.

[BTGBullseye]

The main problem with a Fallout game set in any European country is that the area has already been established to be completely without any usable resources, and highly radioactive... Essentially Fallout 4's Glowing Sea, only covering the entire continent. Africa, parts of China, India, and much of Russia would've probably survived to some extent. (I don't remember anything about the middle-east in-lore)

[Descriptor]

The main problem with a Fallout game set in any European country is that the area has already been established to be completely without any usable resources, and highly radioactive... Essentially Fallout 4's Glowing Sea, only covering the entire continent. Africa, parts of China, India, and much of Russia would've probably survived to some extent. (I don't remember anything about the middle-east in-lore)

I know that Europe is definitely considered as being pretty dang crappy (enough so for folks like Tenpenny and the like to go so far as making a trans-Atlantic trip to somewhere as bad as the Capital Wasteland. Assuming that he's not just pretending to be British because he's crazy). However, I don't think it's quite Glowing Sea levels of bad, since people do still live there. I assume that there's still at least some infrastructure left. It's just all super war-torn and stuff.

[Fric]

India for me does not make much sense. When the alternate timeline starts India is just barely out of colonial rule (although I can't find references what happened to UK colonies in 40s-50s in fallout timeline, so I'm assuming they did seperate as in RL)... Also, its never actually mentioned anywhere, therefore no one really gave it any significance. Ofc, 99% focus is on the USA, but we still know some things about other regions. But not India...

 

Europe (mainly UK) could be interesting - although it is said that Commonwealth collapsed from internal strugle, it still was an important player before the war. Well China is an obvious pick if ask me. It played big role leading up to the Great War.

[BTGBullseye]

I would actually like to see a Fallout game set in Australia... It would probably be the least damaged, and would likely deal more with immigrating mutants and the like than actual mutants originating on the continent. (though it would be cool to see a kangaroo that was mutated to be the outback's version of a deathclaw, and koalas that are on-par with behemoths)

[Jeb_CC]

...and koalas that are on-par with behemoths.

 

@BTG: Motherfuckin' drop bears.

And our rabbits will evolve to kill. > But I agree, that'd be sick as. XP

[UndeadNecro]

Well... What about areas of the world that are already wasteland-ish? Arguably the Safari and deserts(sahara desert hehe). I feel like a lot of the areas would be relatively unaffected, other than radiation and the effects that come with it.

[BTGBullseye]

They would remain unpopulated, and desolate... Not like adding radiation to nothing suddenly makes nothing a better place to play a game.

[UndeadNecro]

They would remain unpopulated, and desolate... Not like adding radiation to nothing suddenly makes nothing a better place to play a game.

Well, there ARE still animals and assumedly the landscape would be shifted around a bit(Bombs DO shift the land, right? Force of the explosion and all that? Not talking about pushing hills or anything, though). I'm not a bomb expert so I'm going to assume that any kind of plant life, animal life, and human structures/life would be affected the most, even in deserts (especially if the savannah was hit, too. That would be scary).

[savvaisnotagirl]

I remember hearing that Russia in the Fallout Universe is basically Metro 2033

[Obsidian]

I've always wanted to see a fallout game take place in China, iirc China had all the cool stuff before the bombs dropped in terms of tech.

[UndeadNecro]

I've always wanted to see a fallout game take place in China, iirc China had all the cool stuff before the bombs dropped in terms of tech.

IIRC, China are the ones that had a truly working stealth suit, for example.

[Selfsurprise]

For non-American countries in the Fallout universe, the only one I had any real inspiration on was England. Personally, I think Fallout's England would be stuck in the early 60's, as opposed to the U.S.'s 50's. Specifically, they would be super into that whole mod scene. Basically, I would expect it to be very similar to We Happy Few. My logic from a Doylist standpoint is that 60's England is a lot more iconic than 50's England in terms of nostalgic perception. As for in universe why it would be that way (as opposed to the 50s) would be that England would have been somewhat less restrictive than the U.S.'s (who would have probably kept out a lot of such influences, especially since they come from not-America). But then again, I don't really know much about modern European or English culturally development, so I don't really have a good platform to explain it on. I just think it would have a more iconic feel compared to other post-WW2 eras.

I have to admit I find it odd that Fallout has that stylized 1950's look, despite the pre-war setting taking place in an alternative late 21st century. I suppose fashion and cultural design can be cyclical, but presumably some equivalent of the 60's, 70's, 80', 90's, etc took place with all their attendant tropes and trends. I find it hard to believe that all the consensus and aesthetics of this parallel modern society remained basically the same for that long.

 

Awkward game realizations aside, a British Fallout game with a distinctly mods, rockers n' hippies tone would be awesome. I think an actual game would definitely lean towards the more Anglo-American stereotype of London, as opposed to the industrial Midlands upbringing I'm more used to. I'm from Tamworth, which is very close to the city of Birmingham, logistically sparring with Manchester as England's "second city". Birmingham, along with other large Midlands towns like Wolverhampton, Nottingham and Derby were the breeding grounds of early heavy metal music, Black Sabbath were brummies after all! In my wildest and most unfettered dreams, Fallout: Birmingham would be one of the most desirable locales for the series, it being one of the most heavily industrialized and culturally/ethnically diverse places in the country.

 

I would actually like to see a Fallout game set in Australia... It would probably be the least damaged, and would likely deal more with immigrating mutants and the like than actual mutants originating on the continent. (though it would be cool to see a kangaroo that was mutated to be the outback's version of a deathclaw, and koalas that are on-par with behemoths)

 

The amount of potential mutant wildlife in a Fallout: Outback makes me giddy... :3

[Alyxx Thorne]

I would actually like to see a Fallout game set in Australia... It would probably be the least damaged, and would likely deal more with immigrating mutants and the like than actual mutants originating on the continent. (though it would be cool to see a kangaroo that was mutated to be the outback's version of a deathclaw, and koalas that are on-par with behemoths)

Same here, would be a nice tribute to the Mad Max influence...

[Selfsurprise]

I would actually like to see a Fallout game set in Australia... It would probably be the least damaged, and would likely deal more with immigrating mutants and the like than actual mutants originating on the continent. (though it would be cool to see a kangaroo that was mutated to be the outback's version of a deathclaw, and koalas that are on-par with behemoths)

Same here, would be a nice tribute to the Mad Max influence...

I'm wondering what the Aussie equivalent of a Fallout soundtrack the settings radio stations would go for. What kind of music was the hot shit in Australia during the mid fifties? Not that we should limit ourselves to that particular decade, its best to go with whatever felt more quintessentially Aussie in terms of popular culture.

[Alyxx Thorne]

I would actually like to see a Fallout game set in Australia... It would probably be the least damaged, and would likely deal more with immigrating mutants and the like than actual mutants originating on the continent. (though it would be cool to see a kangaroo that was mutated to be the outback's version of a deathclaw, and koalas that are on-par with behemoths)

Same here, would be a nice tribute to the Mad Max influence...

I'm wondering what the Aussie equivalent of a Fallout soundtrack the settings radio stations would go for. What kind of music was the hot shit in Australia during the mid fifties? Not that we should limit ourselves to that particular decade, its best to go with whatever felt more quintessentially Aussie in terms of popular culture.

If it was the 80's they could play some Men At Work.

[Reverend_UshankaCat_]

Fallout in Africa would basically be Far Cry 2, except with monsters.

[BTGBullseye]

Fallout in Africa would basically be Far Cry 2, except with monsters.

So, just Far Cry 2 then...

[Alyxx Thorne]

Fallout in Africa would basically be Far Cry 2, except with monsters.

lol, sounds awesome. I need to play Far Cry 2 again...