Bethesda’s Todd Howard has spoken to Eurogamer’s Tom Bramwell at this year’s QuakeCon in a mammoth interview that those with even a passing interest in the studio’s games should read. Covering a dazzling array of topics from how they suck at ladders and need to get better at animation, the executive producer has also dropped all sorts of information on games such as Fallout: New Vegas and what the studio has planned for the future. Commenting on a “secret game” that has been in development for a number of years, Howard also suggests that the game is so impressive you’ll feel like you’re on next-next-gen.
“One thing I can say is that from when you first hear about it to when it’s out will be the shortest it’s been for us. It’s pretty far along. When we show it, we want to show a lot, because there’s a lot of game there to play right now […] It started with Morrowind, we went to Oblivion, we did a lot between Oblivion and Fallout 3 because now we had final hardware – with Oblivion we had six months on final hardware, so Fallout 3 technically does a lot more than Oblivion. The new stuff is an even bigger jump from that.
I can say it is on the existing platforms, which we’re really happy with. You almost feel like you have a new console when you see the game.”
The interview goes on to cover such topics as ZeniMax’s acquisition of developer Arkane, iPad development, how they personally plan to battle the second-hand game market (simple: make better games so people don’t want to trade them) and the lessons learned from their earlier DLC mistakes. There is even some discussion about the dreaded issue of level-capping within their games. Howard states:
“I don’t know – I mean, a lot of games do it, like World of Warcraft, so we tried it. I think it worked out okay for that game, but going forward if we had to completely redo Fallout 3 we’d probably not have a level cap, because it just makes the game more fun to level up.
It just does. The sense of accomplishment every time you do something to get some XP. So I think we’ll make efforts in the future to not have one.”
Source: Eurogamer
Kamokazi-UK
…You almost feel like you have a new console when you see the game…
Compared to F3 & Oblivion, yeah.. Compared to Uncharted 2 & Killzone 2… I doubt it.
I say, if it is that good, back it up with a demo.
squashme
Bethesda must be so stupid if they think they can compare it to the likes of UC2 or KZ2 and think youre playing on like a PS6 for instance lol that would be the other way round. If it has aload of bugs in it like Fallout 3 then comparing to that would feel like youre playing a PS1
Uhyve
Bethesda’s parent company bought id Software…
So, Elder Scrolls 5 in the ID Tech 5 Engine seems pretty likely, especially with Bethesda at Quakecon. So I absolutely think that they’ll be able to compare to UC2 and KZ2, don’t know if they’ll be able to make those games seem last gen though…
UsernameHere
@Uhyve yeah, I was thinking about that too. With carmack making all this talk of engine optimization and seeing as his company is now part of Bethesda, I wouldn’t be surprised if their statement isn’t too far off.
Danza Di Fuoco
oblivon and Fallout 3 were epic its a shame nothing has yet matched the two mammoth time draining rpgs!! great games doesn’t always rely on beautiful and stunning graphics!
gideon1451
True that.
cc_star
Uncharted 2 & Killzone 2 although gorgeous are linear games, completely incomparable to games of an open world nature, particularly massive role-playing ones
squashme
agree with you there cc_star you cant compare open world games to level based games as there completely different so bethesda cant compare UC2 and KZ2 to Fallout 3 and Oblivion
Paranoimia
Will it have as many bugs as Fallout 3?
Loved the game, but the crashes and glitches – particularly in the DLC – were unbelievably poor. Almost unplayable at times.
I really want New Vegas, but it uses the Fallout 3 engine. I’ll be waiting for reviews and user opinions before I buy it, to see if the bugs have been fixed. The games demand enough time already, without the need to keep rebooting the console and reloading the game.
squashme
I think the GameBryro engine used for Fallout3/Oblivion is unstable and uncompatible with the latest hardware (PS3/360) thats why Fallout 3 is so bug ridden no other game ships with that amount of bugs. Anybody that bought the DLC was stupid at that price. I got the GOTY edition I could barely play Fallout 3 for like 1 minute before it crashed or some other bug happened that stopped me from playing it took me 5 tries to start Mothership Zeta as it just kept crashing
MyLeftTesticIe
I currently trying to play through FO3(GOTY) right now, and up until level 28 (current level) crashes were minimal, I finished the Mothership DLC and now I can barely play 5-7 minutes before it crashes out on me! I’m really dissapointed cause I need 2 more trophies to plat it and all of the crashing has made it unplayable.. + the only DLC I’ve done so far is MZ so Odds are the Pitt point lookout, Anchorage..etc will be a no go…
I’m kinda pissed about it, to be quite honest..
squashme
i would avoid the pitt at all costs I had alot of trouble playing that DLC I couldnt play it for 10 seconds befor it crashed and it crashed constantly on the pitt point lookout is ok for crashes on most of the map just stay away from the fairground area or you wont be able to get out of point lookout without starting a new game
squashme
after the soory ass excuse and bug ridden that is Fallout 3 I will never buy another game from this pathetic ambarrassment of a developer I couldnt really care less about a secret game there doing to be honest
shakengandulf
That sounds pathetic !! I had just beat Motorstorm Pacific rift, every single race, GOLD and almost completed all default time tries with every variant and it froze, corrupting my save data. anyone that has done the same will know how difficult that game can be. (Lots of cursing included) at some time every game has done something buggy but to say that about a title you haven’t seen or tried is just….. pathetic. +
shakengandulf
I dont know if it was Motorstorm or the console that just didnt agree but none the less, should i just not buy a ps4 or Motorstorm 3 because of this?
cc_star
You completing Motorostorm and doing all the other stuff is very, very different from Fallout 3 which unplayable for many many people, some of which couldn’t even get out the vault.
It was simply untested bug-ridden rubbish on the PS3 where even notifications caused it to game-breakingly freeze.
Yes, bugs are part and parcel of this gen – but Fo3 had enough for several gens
squashme
shakengandulf you just sound pathetic you compare a racing game to an open world RPG if youn havent got Fallout 3 then you wont no what the problems are or experienced them I have on both versions Fallout 3 is a soory ass excuse for a game theres enough bugs in it to last the next 10 generations of consoles bethesda are an ambarrassment to the gaming industry they should be ashamed of them selves for releasing such crap
squashme
shakengandulf you just sound pathetic you cant compare a racing game to an open world RPG if youn havent got Fallout 3 then you wont no what the problems are or experienced them I have on both versions Fallout 3 is a soory ass excuse for a game theres enough bugs in it to last the next 10 generations of consoles bethesda are an ambarrassment to the gaming industry they should be ashamed of them selves for releasing such crap
shakengandulf
I sound pathetic? no need for that yeah? i have completed fallout and had not one freeze on it so yes i have no fracking idea what your talking about. i was simply stating that its childish to just quite a developer because 1 title had issues for you. not everyone experienced your little drama.
@ CC STAR yes their is a difference between a racer and an rpg as i understand and half of the fallout user have a dodgy copy to my understanding aswell.
shakengandulf
Sorry i just think squashme is exaggerating alote… Have never experienced any issues with Bethesda’s titles, well im grateful and will continue to buy there games.
squashme
no you cant compare a racing game with an RPG cc-star is right you just cant it isnt childish its fact Oblivion AND Fallout 3 had the same problems AND used the same engine bethesda’s response to the bugs in Fallout 3 is down riight pathetic all they keep saying is change the disc buy a new copy ive had 2 ps3’s broke coz ofFallout 3 if its just some manufacturing fault with the disc’s like you say and bethesda claim then their obviously not producing them in the right enviroment are they ? NO I’ve had four copy’s of Fallout 3 played on 3 different PS3’s and they all had the same problem bad disc ? NO I dont think so major bugs in Fallout 3 ? YEAH most certainly are bethesda admitting it and taking responibility for the bugs its got ? NO are they hell they expect people to just live with it. And its more like 80%+ people have problems with Fallout 3 not half the problems are well know all over the internet just because you havent had problems with it doesnt mean noone else has/does have which is what you arwe saying
squashme
I am not exaggerating its pure fact Fallout 3 has shite loads of bugs and NO I will not buy another 1 of thier games
teflon
Is the massive step that they’re going to test the game before release and get rid of some bugs?
Ooooooh, ZING!!! … :P
Big talk, then. I’m wondering what they can come up with.
3shirts
These guys are very well media trained nowadays huh? “It’s like playing on a new console” sounds like the kind of soundbite you’d hear thrown about by the marketing people the week before release
squashme
bethesda’s home made engine GameBryro is hardly the best and up to scratch to the latest tech I think thats something we can all agree on. I think they your feel like your playing on a 20 year old PC haha if Fallout 3’s anything to go by
Pemberton_
It best be the next Elder Scrolls.
Mikiyaru
maybe its because its so secret it wont be out for a nother 7 years. which would make it on a new console…
Kovacs
“I can say it is on the existing platforms …”
These things do change of course.
Kennykazey
Doom 4 anyone?
steverouse1234
i’m so excited about this one. Can’t wait to see what it is.
hiab-x
Oh well, the buggy Fallout 3 GOTY edition comments make me realise that I did a good thing getting rid of it and moving on when I did. I guess they never put a fix patch out for PS3 owners then. It was a huge pity as I’d played the vanilla version to death. I then got so excited about the extra DLC. I managed to get halfway through Operation Anchorage before it started completely crashing my system over and over.
Thus, one of the most enjoyable games I ever played slid down the ladder to becoming one of the worst/bug ridden games I’d ever handled. Bethesda support (LOL) basically said “If you feel dissatisfied with the product return it to your retailer…OR delete your 100+ hour game saves, start again from scratch and see if that stops the game from crashing.
Needless to say, I’m right there with the skeptics, Bethesda would have to put out a 9/10 critically acclaimed title before I could think of trusting them again. They really let the PS3 down.
Rant over ;-)