Bethesda's blockbuster RPG Fallout 3 won PC Game of the Year 2008 in Games Radar's feature article. When asked what other classic franchises he would like to see reimagined, Lead Producer Todd Howard brings up Wing Commander. Todd Howard is also the man behind the latest installment in the Elder Scrolls series, Oblivion. Thanks to Hurleybird. -- Original update published on February 19, 2009
Here's another interesting piece of Fallout 3 trivia: The character of President John Henry Eden, as voiced by Malcolm McDowell, runs a radio propaganda show where he often spouts various 'inspirational' quotes - one of which is "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance." My little geek self was so excited to hear that.
I noticed that, too. I thought at the time "Either they planned that extrmely well, or they didn't have a clue." In light of this information, I'd say it was planned.
You have got to love stuff like that. I still remember an interview Malcolm did after WC4 came out and he described being at a supermarket and kids running up to him yelling "Admiral Tolwyn!"
Or the screaming, obscenity laden message he left on Mark Hamill's voicemail when he found Mark took a paycut to get a percentage of the profit returns.
I could see BethSoft doing something with the WC license. The did publish/co-develop a futuristic combat flight sim back in the WCP days called Echelon, which was actually a pretty damn decent. I still have the game and have fond memories of it. The only issue would really be how bad would we react? The Fallout equivalent of the CIC, No Mutants Allowed, was pretty vocal in their disappointment (read: outright bitter rage) of the way BethSoft handled the Fallout license and development. Personally the only bad thing about Fallout 3 was the ending, which was a kick in the nads to an overall great experience, but there were/are still people who swear by iso-metric view and unrelenting stat dependency over there. Personally, I think it would be a great move for both Wing Commander and BethSoft to come together. Todd and the rest have shown that they have a deep respect and love for the games they cherish, and are willing to go to the ends of the earth to make/play a game they want to. And if Todd says he misses Wing Commander...
Hmmm....now wouldn't it be interesting if they actually did a Wing Commander RPG. There a number of ways they could take it without having to build a full flight sim. The big issue would be lack of choices that come with the Marines, though they could do a merc-based thing. Hmmmm....really hard to know though how WCRPG could really be done with some thought.
Yes, but having Macdowwel deliver the line kinda makes me think it was deliberate. I don't recall if he had any other quotes.
Internet nerd RAEG [sic] is the absolute last thing anyone who actually makes things should listen to.
Also, it would be kinda hard to listen to it even if one wanted to, since it's a constant. Make Decision A, internet nerds are enraged. Make Decision B, internet nerds are enraged. Make Decision C... you get the picture.
No Mutants Allowed decided months before release that if it wasn't a turn based isometric game, they'd hate it regardless of how it turned out. I wouldn't put a single ounce of credence with their disappointment.
I still want a turn based isometric view with huge story/plot/number of quests like FO1 or 2, but with the full party control of Tactics that said, I did like FO3, enough so that I'm replaying it since I ended up finishing it without touching probably 2/3s of the non-main plot locations and quests. I'm using a few mods this time through though, 2 new guns, killable kids, and a level cap remover. the end of FO3 was a joke though
Heh, yeah, not to mention it had a compass! It was average, and who the hell cares? The countless hours that weren't the ending were superb.
