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Tim Cain talk on FO3 from March 9, 2002
 
[ N/A -> Interview ]
Interview posted by 258 Wed 28 Jul 2004, 10:38 AM
Chat with Tim Cain
March 9th, 2002


Tim Cain, friend of Fallout, had the time to stop by and chat with myself and Calis in #arcanum earlier today. Here's how the conversation went:


Killzig: Here's a silly question, if you were on the FO3 team what area would you use as your starting point for the story?

Tim Cain: Well, Killzig, I have already written a design for Fo3, but I have sworn not to talk about it. If I see any of it in the next game, I can rest assured that it is coincidence.

Killzig: Why have you sworn not to talk about it? *sad face* why not share your work?

Tim Cain: Killzig, if I tell people, then I see it in Fo3, I will figure someone told BIS. And I have given them enough of my ideas, I think. I want to see what *they* can do.

Killzig: I see... after FO3 is released can I remind you to let us see the design doc?

Tim Cain: Killzig, maybe. What if I want to use it for Fo4. Seriously, will IPLY be around for that? Fundamentals look scary.

Killzig: agreed, i'd just hate to see what you worked on just sit dormant for so long... especially since it's fallout related.

Tim Cain: Well, I did it after I left, and just for fun. It isnt big, just some setting, story and game system ideas

Killzig: it would still make for interesting reading to those of us who are smitten with the universe, i'm sure you can appreciate that...

Tim Cain: It wouldnt be Bible, either :)

Killzig: Another situational question, now that you remind me of the bible, if you were in charge of overseeing the compiling of it would you include FOT material?

Tim Cain: No Killzig

Killzig: Why?

Tim Cain: FOT is an offshoot, a nonRPG made by a non-Interplay developer.

Killzig: but chris taylor worked on it... and there was a lot added to the idea of the vault network...

Tim Cain: Most of the original story of FO was in place when Scott Campbell was the designer. I dont want to denigrate anyone who worked on it, but like I said, the original FO groups is scattered to the wind. They'll likely never come together again

Calis: Tim, I gotta ask you... if you were offered the chance to do Fallout 3 by some legal/management miracle, and do it the way you want to do it, would you go for it or would you rather stick with your own Troika stuff?

Tim Cain: Calis, I would never work at or for Interplay again, ever. FO not withstanding

Calis: That wasn't the question though.

Killzig: Tim, you are smart!

Tim Cain: So you are saying if the license was purchaseable?

Calis: Say, Fargo accidentally left the FO license in his pants when he quit IPlay and his wife sent it to you with a note "Here you go, love, [insert name]"

Tim Cain: Ah...ok, here's my multiline response (Tim Cain story hour time)...When I finished FO, I was exhausted and tired of FO. After all, I worked on it for 3.5 years! So I gave the whole thing over to my assistant producer and started thinking of a new RPG. Well, things weren't working out. Fargo wanted me to take over. I said no. He said I owed him, for the opportunity he gave me to do the first one. So I started FO2. But things were still bad. People secondguessed what was good for the game, and they wanted in on it, since it looked like a "big thing" now, not some grade B product, which was what FO was viewed as. So I got tired of this whole thing. I felt like I was in a dark hole. So I left. But that was 4 years ago. I have done another game, and designs on 3 other games. I wouldnt mind returning to FO, but not with those people running it. There, I'm done. Whew!

Calis: any chance we can trick you into being more specific than "those people"?

Tim Cain: Nah. They threaten to sue.

Killzig: What did you think of the Advanced Power Armor?

Tim Cain: Killzig, FO is going a little monty haul

Tim Cain: My idea is explore more of the world and more of the ethics of a postnuclear world, not to make a better plasma gun.

Killzig: and I wub j00 for it...

Tim Cain: hehe.

Killzig: I have a question, in case MCA doesn't answer, what ever happened to the catholic church in the FO universe?

Tim Cain: Killzig, I think it was nuked - the vatican that is.

Killzig: That's why I love the Fallout universe!

Tim Cain: Otherwise, we'll have the Pope in Power Armor.

Killzig: Where the hell did the idea for the temple of trials come from ?

Tim Cain: Marketing demanded a start map that acted like a tutorial. DEMANDED. As in, you cannot say no. Blech.

Killzig: So basically if marketing hadn't demanded it, would you agree that it didn't really fit into the scope of the universe?

Tim Cain: I agree

Tim Cain: My opinions are no longer canon Killzig

Killzig: to the fallout fans they are ;]

Tim Cain: Not to the people who own it, though.

Killzig: Doesn't mean we shouldn't be interested in what you have to say, or that they should ignore what you have to say...

Tim Cain: No Killzig, it means a big large lump of salt on everything I say.

Killzig: If you were a talking head would you be frowning at me right now ?

Tim Cain: Nope, smilling :)

Tim Cain: Man, I would make a big goofy talking head.

Killzig: Tim: who's idea was pip boy ?

Tim Cain: Ah vault boy. All I remember is Leonard telling T Ray Isaac to draw something like Mr. Moneybags in Monopoly.

There goes the best thing to happen to RPGs since...well...since Fallout but hey, that was him too! Thanks for your time Timmy!
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