If you’ve seen White Lotus’ previously efforts on the blog (Oblivion GOTY, Shivering Isles, Fallout 3), you knew it was only a matter of time before he did something for New Vegas. Per usual, it’s fantastic work and covers nearly every character you could possibly think of in the game.
The latest issue of PC Gamer (US) has gone out to subscribers and is out on newsstands, and we’re pleased to share news that they’ve named Fallout: New Vegas the Best Roleplaying Game of 2010.
Congrats to all the folks (both here and at Obsidian) that worked on the game.
Since the release of Dead Money in December, we’ve received requests to release an mp3 version of Vera Keyes’ song, “Begin Again.” The track, which you’ll hear while exploring the Sierra Madre Casino, was put together by Obsidian sound designer Justin Bell (music and text setting), creative lead Chris Avellone (lyrics), audio producer Mikey Dowling (lyrics), and art intern Stephanie DeBrule (vocals).
Give it a listen:
[audio:http://download.zenimax.com/fallout/nv/other/JustinBell_BeginAgain_FalloutNewVegas-DeadMoney.mp3|titles=Begin Again|artists=Justin Bell]
For background on the track, check out the short interview below…
What were some of your inspirations for the song?
Mikey Dowling: For me it was how sorrowful Justin’s music was that inspired the tone of the lyrics. I’m sure he could elaborate more on his end, but in terms of the lyrics, I knew Vera’s story and I knew that Chris had wanted the song to contain the words “begin again,” and “to let go,” somewhere within. I ended up listening to Justin’s song on repeat for a bit and came up with lyrics that I felt would not only capture what Chris had been looking for, but also capture something that could feel as though it would fit in an old Hollywood film.
Justin Bell: Easy – Chopin’s prelude in E minor. I was trying to go for an early 20th century post-romantic sound that fit the period. I didn’t want it to sound too modern, which is why I choose to write the piece on the piano as it’s a timeless instrument. When going for the vocal style, I was thinking Judy Garland — someone with clear diction.
Is this the first time your girlfriend, Stephanie, has sung in an Obsidian game?
Yes it is, actually. She just started here at Obsidian in late July of last year and we found out that she used to do musical theatre when she was younger. When it came time to temp out how the song would work in the game, we turned to Steph. We were so happy with how the song turned out that we wanted to keep it in the game and decided to do a “reverse Disney” and cast someone based on Steph’s singing voice so when the player heard Christine talk in the game, then heard Vera’s song it wouldn’t feel disjointed.
Any plans for a duet?
Ha! Depends on the demands of the product and the time available. Until then, Steph and I will continue to rock random karaoke bars.
Kai Norman strikes a pose in his intricate NCR Ranger costume. Check out Norman’s journal detailing the build.
Cute isn’t usually the word that comes to mind when I think of Fallout*. And definitely not when I think of Lily from New Vegas. Yet that’s the first thing that comes to mind when I look at this cartoon-styled Mojave Wasteland map. Thanks to sandyklep for sending it to our Bethesda Twitter account. We shared the map with the team at Obsidian and they were really impressed.
If you’ve got a fan creation to share, feel free to send it to us on Twitter, or just shoot us an email at bethblog@bethsoft.com
The video above is for Project Nevada, a work-in-progress New Vegas mod that includes plenty of nice features — including unique HUD visors, enhanced vision modes, new scopes, dynamic crosshairs, and even the ability to sprint and tackle (don’t miss the hilarious tackle at the 3:25 mark of the video).
Project Nevada is brought to you by the same guys that created Fallout 3 Wanderers Edition (FWE) — a project we showcased a couple years back. To learn more about Project Nevada, visit the current discussion thread in our New Vegas forums.
The Writers Guild of America just announced the nominees for its 2010 WGA Videogame Writing Award, and we are very pleased to note that Fallout: New Vegas was among the games selected.
The winners will be ordained on Saturday, February 5th at the official ceremony. Congratulations to the writing team on their nomination, and good luck on the big night!
While you’ve probably already thrown away those ridiculous 2011 glasses from New Year’s Eve, the internet is still working on naming their favorites from 2010. Favorite songs? Check! Top Movies? Done! Best Interactive Dog Toys? For my money, you can’t beat Nina Ottosson’s Trubble Dog Puzzle Toy!!
And as you’d expect, there’s plenty of talk on the best games of 2010. Fallout New Vegas is definitely getting attention, including Game of the Year honors from Softpedia, Beefjack, Wikia, and GameBosh/Mirror.co.uk. The game also received honors at:
In other New Vegas news, new reviews for the game’s first DLC, Dead Money are available. Check them out at the following sites…
What would Fallout look like if it had been made in 1987 by a Japanese development studio? Our scientists have answered that question, taking over the Japanese Fallout website with an 8-bit version of the Capital Wasteland.
Just like that import copy of Final Fantasy 5 you nabbed in the 90s, this game is Japanese language-only. Fortunately, it’s still amusing to gaze at the pixelated approximations of super mutants and the like. Here’s a direct link right to the game; no cartridge-cleaning required.
When I first saw this thread a few weeks back, I set a note to remind myself to share it on Christmas day. Props to forum member Jays Sandwich for creating it.
From everyone at Bethesda Softworks, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.