00:00Well, look, when we went to do that game, we were coming off of Fallout 3.
00:03We knew we were going to do Skyrim.
00:05We know the folks at Obsidian Noelle love their work.
00:08And so, you know, reached out to them and say, hey, would you like to do this?
00:12You know, we didn't do Deathclaws in Season 1.
00:15We wanted to make sure, like, hey, let's spend the right amount of time to get them right
00:18and really, like, focus on them as a story element, not just another creature,
00:24but these beasts that are, you know, they're terrifying.
00:27Ahead of Amazon's Fallout Season 2 airing, I got to pop down to London
00:31and chat to Bethesda's Todd Howard about all things Fallout pertaining to the show.
00:35The sets, New Vegas, Deathclaws, and, of course, a little something about Obsidian.
00:40But first on the docket, how Bethesda worked with Amazon to bring the wasteland to life.
00:45I'd ask why my dad ran into a den of monsters, but he'd probably just tell me to shut the
00:50fudge up.
00:55One of my favorite things about watching the Fallout TV show
00:58has been seeing all of the wasteland locations realized in live action.
01:02And this season, too, that released out to me was Vault 24 and Area 51.
01:08I was just wondering if you or anyone at Bethesda kind of nudged the show towards that,
01:13or, and, like, what was your reaction to seeing that on screen?
01:16We worked together on all that, like, hey, where are the opportunities?
01:19But it's really about, okay, what's the story?
01:21What is the journey we're going to take, you know, these characters on?
01:26And, but you're right in that I always view, like, the biggest character is the world, right?
01:33And just, I think everybody involved with the show has taken such amazing care
01:37to treat it with, like, this obsessive authenticity, right?
01:43And I think that's what people, like, and it's all practical, most of it, right?
01:46Like, more so than other shows or movies, you know, they built so much of it.
01:51So you walk on set and it's just there.
01:53And all the little details, you know, the journals, you can open them
01:58and the writings are in there and, you know, so they get the little bits right
02:02and they get the large-scale things right.
02:04It's just really wonderful.
02:05Watching Area 51 rise, or I guess the sound swept off of it, was fantastic.
02:10Fantastic, and I did not see that coming.
02:13That really, like, really got to me.
02:15Did you get to go onto that set at all?
02:18That set, I didn't, but I got to go on a number of them.
02:21And it's really just, I can't explain to people how much goes into it.
02:25Like, when they're on location, so you're, you know, out in the desert somewhere,
02:29outside of, you'll be on the hills of L.A.
02:32And there's, like, this dirt road and there's this little security, there's a security person.
02:37And then you come across this town that's been built, right?
02:41And it has, outside of the town are these trucks with, like, all the power,
02:45like, the infrastructure for this new town.
02:47And then there's, like, the trailers where people live.
02:50And then there's, like, where the food is done.
02:52And then all these things, and it all kind of hones in, and they have a camera in someone's face.
02:58Like, there's this huge operation just to, like, shoot this person in this moment.
03:03And it's really, like, all, like, you know, the care that goes into it is awesome.
03:07And the big location for this season is New Vegas.
03:09What was it like seeing that realized as well?
03:12Just awesome.
03:12That's one where it's unique.
03:14Like, in season one, you're seeing vaults and stuff,
03:17but they weren't the particular ones that you personally walk through.
03:21And so New Vegas, such an iconic location in Fallout.
03:25But you've experienced it, right?
03:26The players have been there.
03:28So I think they just did, again, an incredible job.
03:30Howard Cummings, the production designer, his whole team.
03:33And watching how they built things.
03:35And I saw it, like, as it was being built.
03:37And I saw it when it was done.
03:39And there'd be a thing, like, and it's a pretty big set.
03:41Like, real buildings.
03:42Like, with this building, I'm going to move.
03:43Like, you're going to move the buildings?
03:44Like, yeah, yes, no problem.
03:47This is like, we're going to move a building.
03:49Just, you know, we're going to widen this shot.
03:52Like, okay.
03:53Was there anything specifically from New Vegas that you were really excited to see,
03:57kind of realizing the show, apart from the locations?
03:59Well, obviously, you have the various casinos and all of that.
04:02I think the factions, you know, bringing those to life and the Legion and everything.
04:07Seeing those on the screen, like, with the authenticity is great.
04:11But really, also, this is Deathclaw.
04:14You know, we didn't do Deathclaws in season one.
04:16We wanted to make sure, like, hey, let's spend the right amount of time to get them right
04:20and really, like, focus on them as a story element.
04:23Not just another creature, but these beasts that are, you know, they're terrifying.
04:29And, you know, what Cooper Howard's experience with that was like
04:34even before he became the ghoul with the Deathclaws.
04:37Really, really interesting combination.
04:40There's still a lot of, like, wacky, quirky, fallout humor to it.
04:43But it's also quite serious.
04:45It gets more serious because it really gets to the root of, you know,
04:49how and why the wasteland came to be.
04:51And I was just wondering, how important do you think themes of overconsumption,
04:57like unchecked capitalism and isolation politics are to the narrative and world of fallout?
05:03I mean, they're key to how the world of fallout became what it is.
05:08And it's almost a check back on our own world, cautionary tale in some respects.
05:15But I think the world of fallout that really makes it special is that world before the bombs fall, right?
05:22And that's what separates it from other post-apocalyptic fiction or things like that.
05:26And you mentioned it being serious.
05:29And that's one thing that's really tricky that we talk a lot about is tone.
05:33Is you have to have these serious, really hard moral choices moments.
05:39And the next scene, you're being goofy and blowing heads up.
05:44And the music is like, you know, and having that change and having the actors be able to do both
05:50really is a trick that sort of makes the whole thing tick.
05:53This is more called back to season one.
05:55But in that respect, how important was it that the line,
05:58War Never Changes, was not only included, but really nailed?
06:03We talked about it and decided we weren't sure we were even going to have it.
06:07Because it can feel a little forced.
06:10So we're like, well, let's see if there's an earned moment.
06:13And so it wasn't like we had to have it, to be honest.
06:16Like, you might think, oh, you have to have this.
06:18It's like, well, if it makes sense, because it can sound cliche.
06:22And if you ask the actors who had to say it, we didn't tell them it was an iconic line.
06:29Like, just say it.
06:30And so Walton didn't know when he said it, too.
06:32Like, just, you know, again, keep it authentic.
06:36I think it works really well, especially in the context of Barbara Howard saying it first
06:41and Cooper kind of not only reiterating all of that from his wife
06:46and those heavy emotions that he's been carrying for 200 years,
06:50but also because he's seen more.
06:51He's seen more pre-bombs, post-bombs.
06:54And I think it gives, it really does earn it in that.
06:57You know what?
06:57I'm so glad you mentioned that.
06:59Not a lot of people pointed out.
07:00I think there's an expectation for it.
07:02So having you say that it's earned is really, that means a lot.
07:05If you work a cup in the Wasteland tomorrow, do you know which faction you would choose?
07:10If you didn't want to choose a faction, which character would you like to end up?
07:13Hmm.
07:13If I have to go with a faction, I usually say the Brotherhood, because they have the best toys.
07:19I feel like I could use some power armor.
07:21And, you know, but like all factions, they have their issues with how they see the world.
07:26But they have the best hardware.
07:27So, yeah, I would go that route.
07:29With New Vegas being the center of this season,
07:31I think sometimes there's perhaps a misconception that Bethesda is a bit,
07:35tries to keep New Vegas at arm's length.
07:37What would you say to that misconception?
07:40Well, look, when we went to do that game, we were coming off of Fallout 3.
07:43We knew we were going to do Skyrim.
07:45We know the folks at Obsidian Oil love their work.
07:48And so, you know, reached out to them and say,
07:50Hey, would you like to do this?
07:52We see something else coming off of Fallout 3.
07:56So I just find it, I think fans debate what their favorite one is, which is understandable.
08:00I think it's great that you can like have Wook-a-Lot factions in the fans say,
08:04Oh, I like 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 or Vegas or 76 now.
08:09And so I think that's really healthy for a franchise where people can say which one is their favorite.
08:15But huge respect for the folks at Obsidian.
08:17Had them out to the set to see this.
08:19And they've had just an incredible year, if you look at the year they've had.
08:23But again, this is something we asked them to do, right?
08:26And so they just did an incredible, incredible job in the game.
08:30You heard it, folks.
08:31Todd Howard does like Obsidian.
08:33But the real question is, do you like Fallout Season 2 so far?
08:37Do you enjoy all the time at the Strip?
08:39Or are you ready for Lucy and the Ghoul to travel elsewhere?
08:42For more news, reviews, and previews, follow PC Gamer.
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