All posts by Noob of All Trades

Shawn Lucas is the self identified "Noob of All Trades". He is married and the father of three boys, two of whom help with their own podcast every couple of months. Raised on Atari, Nintendo, and Sega, he enjoys all games and will play all of them to the best of his ability, which is often average at best. Currently, he is most interested in Magic, Heroclix, and other games that he can play with Chris and his sons.
Digital Playground

Marvel Strike Force

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Introduction

In a month dedicated to Marvel and the new movie Deadpool and Wolverine, I pained myself into a bit of a corner this week. I wanted to talk about some of the Marvel video games other than Marvel SNAP. I regularly talk about each season in SNAP, so even though they “updated” with “new” game modes, I saw no point in reviewing them here. The only one I found that even remotely interested me was Marvel Strike Force.

First Impressions

Marvel Strike Force is a turn based RPG with Marvel Super Hero skins. That more than covers it. The story, while slightly forced, at least attempts to be interesting and figure into the game play. So, what else can I say? Not much honestly.

So, what else can I say here? Not much, if I’m being honest. I simply don’t need another treadmill game leading me from reward to reward in hopes that I can pull a decent hero without having to pay actual money. Who knows? Maybe when the winter comes and I have more time to devote to sitting on the couch, I might try again.

The Verdict

If you like this type of game and Marvel, you’ll probably enjoy it. As I just wrote up there, I don’t have the time or energy to devote to the game right now, so I won’t be joining you any time soon. If anything changes, I’ll be sure to update you.

In the meantime, I’m counting down the minutes.

On the Tabletop

Battle Report 3: Warhammer Age of Sigmar 6

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Introduction

I painted the new models two weeks ago. Then, I missed last week’s deadline to play with the new rules. Therefore, battle report 3 for my Warhammer game waited until this week. I just finished playing through the scenario and realized that I need to be more careful when playing this game. As a result, the game ended quickly in a rout. Let me explain.

Ranged Attacks and Cowardice

At this point, set up is a breeze. You simply follow the picture in the book and make it look as much like an actual battle as possible. I thought the same about gameplay. However, as they add more rules to the game, things start to get lost if you’re not careful. This time, they added a ranged class. Okay, that’s fine, I understand. They only attack from a distance. Additionally, if they are the only ones left on the battlefield, they retreat. Okey dokey.

Fortune Favors the Faction with Overwhelming Numbers

Where I messed up is with the number of attacks. I forgot that some models have more than one attack dice. Therefore, inevitably, the faction with 21 units on the board simply overwhelm the one with only six on the board. I started to wonder why the overwhelming victory. Maybe the dice just rolled in their favor. Perhaps. More likely, though, I stole at least half of the attacks for the Forces of Order. Oops. We are supposed to have a family movie night tonight, and I don’t feel like replaying. So, you’ll have to wait for the non biased version.

Verdict

Reading is fundamental.

As I say, I plan to return to bring an unbiased version of battle report 3. As it stands now, I enjoyed the new rules and the variety that it brings to the battlefield. A couple of games ago Christine asked to play the models too because, “it looks sad when you play all by yourself.” I refused that offer. However, in addition to being sad, with another player, maybe it would force me to be more true to the rules.

If you want to grab the subscription, head on over to the page.

On the Tabletop

Marvel RPG Then and Now

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Introduction

When I came up with the cheeky theme for this month for the page, I tried to also come up with ideas for content. In one of the first articles that I considered, I wanted to compare Marvel RPG Then and Now. Ideally, that meant playing both RPGs with my family and then writing about those experiences. Because even the summer is busy for us, I ended up only perusing the books for the two games. As a result, this time around, I only compare my overall impressions of the games.

In good news, we tentatively agreed as a family to institute game nights again. Therefore, perhaps by the end of the year, we can play the old Marvel Super Heroes RPG and the new Marvel Multiverse RPG and then I can give you a more well rounded comparison of the two games. For now, enjoy and revel in some nostalgia with me before taking a trip into the Multiverse.

Dice, Dice Baby

The heart of any role playing game is, of course, the dice. Because of the recent success of Stranger Things and WotC’s ability to capitalize on that success, may people associate the set of polyhedral dice as the standard for the genre. However, most games shun the variability of those dice and use only one or two of the polyhedral shapes in their game. I can’t be certain, but most of the games I see these days just use six sided dice. That makes sense because most people have such dice lying around, so it removes some of the barrier for entry.

Granted, they don’t look as geeky or cool, but I understand the decision. With the old Marvel Super Heroes RPG, they used d100 to run the random engine for the game. At the time, I geeked out because it played so much differently from Dungeons and Dragons. I remember that my friend and I played the Marvel game exclusively for a few months after discovering it.

The newer Marvel Multiverse RPG follows the standard that I just discussed. They chose six sided dice as the base for their game. One thing they add to give some flavor is that you preferably need to have one die different from the other two to allow for a wider variety of outcomes in your rolls. I like the idea of the three six sided dice. It reminds me of the original character creation rules for D&D that I played under.

Stats and Such

Likewise, the old Marvel Super Heroes RPG embraced the classic RPG element of chance by allowing players to roll for every aspect of their character. You could either choose a background or simply let the roll of the dice decide. However, like D&D, you rolled your stats and sometimes a skill allowed you to reroll or bump a stat or two. And, one of the things I remember from the player’s handbook in D&D is that sometimes it’s a blast to try to play a 5 intelligence or 4 charisma character. One time, if I remember correctly, I played just such a character as an unintentional prick who just said what he thought with little regard for the consequences. So, in that case, they were right.

I noticed that modern RPGs eschew randomness whenever they can. In some ways, this is good. It gives you more control over your character. They still limit the outcome, so you don’t end up min/maxing your character to oblivion and making it no fun for your table mates, which is nice. But, I sometimes miss the roll of the die determining the outcome of my character. That 10 strength/16 intelligence Barbarian? That brings up some awesome role playing possibilities.

Characters

It’s Marvel. You get the expected roster of characters from both games. Obviously, one gives you over 30 years of additional history to add to the flavor of the characters. Also, it comes right out of the gate and talks about the multiverse. Ever since they started selling this as the Multiverse saga, they and others pushed the concept almost to an absurd level.

Then again, I must say, that with that extra history and choice of settings, I want to play in the Marvel 2099 world. If I only have one other player, I might try to figure out a way to put together some Logan adventures either before or after the movie depending on my mood. I have no interest in the Ultimate universe because it scarred me for life the last time around. But, filling in some of the gaps of the MCU might be fun.

The Verdict

Both games offer their own unique brand of entertainment. I think that the old Marvel Super Heroes RPG only offers me nostalgia at this point in my life. Based on that last paragraph, I clearly lean towards the now in the Marvel RPG Then and Now race. It simply offers more possibilities right out of the book.

Uncategorized

X-Men 700: Dream’s End

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Introduction

I admit it. I missed the entirety of the Krakoa era. Chris kept telling me how good the books are and I kept forgetting to add them to my DCBS cart. Then, it got to the point where it felt too overwhelming to jump in. I kept them on my pull list. I even ordered a ton of trades from Amazon that are currently sitting in my bedroom. Maybe I need to put aside some time for past comics and start with a Remember When: X-Men Krakoa feature or something. For now, let’s talk about X-Men 700.

I gave this issue its own article because its a supersized one. Usually, with these types of issues, they assemble a huge roster of talent from the history of the book and they tell their own type of story. While similar, this issue instead takes those stories and gives them each to a specific character to tell their story of the “Dream’s End.”

1 – Wolverine

Our old pal Logan comes to distribute some of his patented vigilante justice on Charles Xavier. It reminds me of the movie Old Man Logan where he and Professor X live alone in the middle of the desert. Charles has become too powerful and so Logan watches over him in a solitary confinement of sorts. This time, though, Logan never hesitates to move to deliver that fatal blow. Magneto has other plans. He interferes and tosses Wolvie out of the containment unit and flies himself and Professor X to “Have a chat”.

2 – Professor X/3 – Magneto

The two old arch frenemies wonder how it all went wrong this time. Magneto first asks Charles how they got here. Charles replies that Magneto quit. He died. Others died and the rest live. Because of his actions, he must pay the price. Magneto agrees with all that Charles said. Charles calls him Max (clearly a reference to the last however many years of the Krakoa Era that I don’t understand) and slightly sardonically gives him an “I told you so.” Magneto can’t help but to agree with the sentiment. Charles asks to be taken to his cell before he remarks that something is happening. Something wonderful.

4 – Cypher/5 – Krakoa

I had to Google “Cypher.” However, based on his name and the story told in his name, it looks like his powers have something to do with language. The two Krakoas can no longer speak to one another. He facilitates a summit between the two and something grows from that conversation. Cypher invites everyone to come explore this new land.

6 – Cyclops/7 – Jean Grey (Phoenix)/8 – Emma Frost

Scott, Jean, and Emma arrive at the newly developed Krakoa and meet with Kafka, one of the Quiet Council. He also met with Cypher to initiate the Krakoa summit. They witness the return of the Genoshan dead and listen as they go to tell their loved ones that they are well.

9 – Exodus

Another Krakoa era mutant that I’m not familiar with. When Kafka moves to take Krakoa away from the land of man, Exodus takes matters into his own hands to keep the island where it is.

10 – Apocalypse

This act gets the attention of Big Daddy A, who comes in and demands that they give him an update. Kafka tells him about Exodus’s little temper tantrum. Apocalypse, ever the problem solver, tells them that the time for talk is over and that he will take care of it.

The Battle, The Theft, and the Aftermath

Apocalypse makes short work of the council and then asks them to show him the heart of Krakoa. What have they built? Unimpressed that they no longer revere him as a god, he tries to show them that power again. This leads to a fight for the mutant’s, and Krakoa’s survival that ends with Wolverine and Deadpool facing off against Apocalypse. He gets in a good shot and then Nightcrawler teleports inside of Apocalypse, destroying his physical form.

During the fight, Doom sends Volt to steal a Krakoa seed for him. What he intends to do with it is anyone’s guess.

The X-Men again meet with Apocalypse reborn. Emma comes as the first emissary, but he ignores her cautions that they no longer have need for the gods and monsters of X-Men past. Jean Grey backs up Emma and the two of them eventually get through to him and he takes his leave. With Apocalypse gone and the council chambers freed, Kafka bids farewell to the mutants of Earth. The X-Men look on, tears in their eyes, as the first Krakoan era ends.

X-Men 700 Post Scripts

Big Daddy A meets with Orc and they discuss the future. Apocalypse, unsure after this recent defeat, considers choosing an heir. Mystique, disguised as Stasis, kills Mother Righteous. Apparently, it’s pay back for Mother Righteous making Mystique kill her lover.

Xavier, in an “anti-psychic” prison, he uses his powers to save a mutant from an anti-mutant attack. He then sends his psychic form to check in on his former X-Men. The projection leaves him weakened and he just keels over, in the words of the guard. They take him to a truck in order to transport him again. Just as the guard says, “He ain’t waking up.”, his eyes open.

The last story to recap is one by oldie, but goodie, Chris Claremont. He tells a tale of Nightcrawler getting a chance to speak with and confront his parents with the help of Mystique and Rogue. It’s a heart felt story and one that I hope gets explored in the new titles.

The Verdict

X-Men 700 makes me even sadder that I never picked up the titles before now. They tell an amazing story that not only ended the era. But, it gave me insight into what the era meant and why so many people enjoyed it. I officially apologize to Chris and won’t ever ignore one of his recommendations again.

Snap *censored* Pop Culture

Marvel Comics July 2024

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Introduction

This article took much longer than anticipated. I expected to write it Friday (or Saturday at the latest) of last week and then pushed it off more and more. We were supposed to go see an Alanis Morrissette concert tonight, but we made the plans before securing summer school jobs this week. Plus, the traffic promises to be a nightmare and I don’t relish sitting in this swampy weather with a sold out concert crowd. Sorry, Alanis. Next time. Instead, I figured, why not finally write about Marvel Comics July 2024.

Temporary Category: I don’t Care About Blood Hunt

The funny part about this month is that four titles have the Blood Hunt tie in. I care nothing about this event or any of the supporting materials and, so, read none of them. Vampires were only my thing for a brief period in high school. Then, Twilight ruined the lore for me.

Temporary Category: Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey Good-Bye

I saw an article that they’re moving on and changing creative teams for this title. I sent the article to Chris and he replied, “Not a fan?” I think we all know the answer to that one. My Verdict: Thank goodness.

Captain America 10 (Legacy 760)

Writer: JMS, Artist: Jesus Saiz. Some writers are timeless. Some are products of their time. I started to think that maybe JMS fit into the second category. I love his Amazing Spider-Man. Sure, he and Joey Q brought us One More Day, but honestly, I forgive him for that one because his work on Civil War blew me away and that’s my impression of his run. So far on Cap, he hasn’t quite reached that same standard. But, I think he just needed some time to find his voice in the character. Even in this one, we get too much of the Spidey silliness and the start of the issue is very talky. But, the end makes up for it and I want to see where he goes next. My verdict: Good.

The Immortal Thor 12 (Legacy 773)

Writer: Al Ewing, Artist: Valentina Pinti. Likewise, Ewing took some big swings in his first Thor story. Most of them hit, but some missed big time in my opinion. This issue reads more like the Norse lore Thor. Wow, that’s a possible tongue twister there. I prefer the modern interpretation of the character, but Ewing makes this work for me for the issue at least. My verdict: Good.

The Incredible Hulk 13 (Legacy 794)

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Artist: Nic Klein. Speaking of Ewing, he brought back the horror element to Hulk with Immortal Hulk and shot the title into the stratosphere, in my opinion. Surprisingly, after a lackluster run with Donny Cates (though I enjoyed his introduction), Phillip Kennedy Johnson picks up the horror mantle and I think his stuff might even be better than Ewing. I can’t get over the art, but it’s less offensive to me, so maybe I’m just coming to terms with the fact that it’s not changing. My verdict: Great.

The Sensational She-Hulk 9 (Legacy 187)

Writer: Rainbow Rowell, Artist: Andres Genolet. I never expected to enjoy Rowell’s She-Hulk as much as I have. Throughout the duration, I consistently called it my favorite Marvel book. Now I hear that Marvel’s killing the book. This absolutely guts me, but I have a new era of X-Men to finally jump into that maelstrom next month. My verdict: The end of an absolute sensational era. Thanks for the memories.

The Verdict

Marvel Comics July 2024 brings 4 ignored books because of a passionate disinterest in the evnt tie-ins, more Spider-Man disappointment, two absolute Hulk bombs (in the good way) and a couple of good to almost very good other issues. The She-Hulk announcement destroyed me. I’m gonna need some time.

Note: Maybe it’s Marvel Math. Maybe it’s genuine. But the latest issue of Uncanny X-Men reads #700 and has a bunch of talent on the cover. I’ll review that one like I do all the milestone issues in the next article.

Other note: Art taken from the mother ship.

Digital Playground

Marvel SNAP July 2024: Maximum Effort

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Introduction

I found myself getting annoyed with this game again towards the end of the Celestials season. I played just enough to get all of the awards from the season pass and then gave up for the past few days. And, even though Marvel SNAP July 2024 brings Deadpool in time for the movie at the end of the month, I’m not terribly excited about the actual contents of this month’s season. Oh well, this happens from time to time with SNAP. I’ll be back into the game once they release some cool cards again.

New Locations

Neither of these locations impress me terribly. Weapon X is obviously nice for a Disco deck, but I rarely play those. I’ve been having fun with my Skaar deck. Now that I think about it, I have played that deck quite a bit. Maybe that’s why I’m bored. I need to switch it up. Well, in any case, the Chimichanga from the Taco Truck is an 0/2 that merges with a card when played. That can be a fun one with the right cards.

New Characters

After each turn, this moves if a player snapped.

Image 1 of 5

Perhaps I was too hasty in judging this season. None of the characters themselves are terribly exciting. However, I like many of their powers and think that in the right decks they can be a lot of fun. Gwenpool looks like fun in my “ones” deck as a late game buff to give me options. Hydra Bob is just dumb fun, much like his character. I’m going to see Ajax in a bunch of debuff decks, but I don’t play that style, so I probably won’t run him often other than the quest. However, might need to slot good old Shang Chi in as a counter. Copy Cat involves too much randomness for my tastes. I don’t think there’s a way to intentionally bottom a card in your opponent’s deck, so until that happens, no Copy Cat for me. In the right deck, Cassandra Nova is a bomb and can also fuel Ajax. Hmm, mabye I will try to put something together to inspire me to play more.

The Verdict

Marvel SNAP July 2024 actually fooled me. While the characters themselves are kind of boring or annoying, I ended up liking their powers and possibilities. It’s been a while since I’ve done a deck list. Maybe I will fiddle around with Cassandra and Ajax to see what I come up with. Keep an eye on this page for updates.

Images SNAPped from Marvel SNAP Zone.

Snap *censored* Pop Culture

DC Comics July 2024

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Introduction

Well, it seems as if Deadpool really killed 2 Generations Gaming, as I went into a 3 day unintentional hibernation. But, I’m back and ready to bring the usual articles, start up the Poppy War for Noob’s Book Club, and pilot a new version of the daily RPG calendar next week. The funny thing is that I read the issues for DC Comics July 2024 on Tuesday and just kept putting off the article for some reason. Well, no more.

The Flash 9 and 10

Writer: Simon Spurrier, Artist: Ramon Perez. I received these books in this shipmment, but didn’t read them. I’m having trouble getting into Spurrier’s Flash. To be honest, I haven’t liked Flash since Joshua Williamson wrote for the book. More on him in a bit.

Detective Comics 1085 and 1086

Writer: Ram V, Artist: Various. Look, you all know that I like Ram V and his writing style. And, I respect him for the chocie he made on this story. It just hasn’t hit for me like some of his other stories on other books. Maybe he style just isn’t right for what I want from Batman and Detective Comics. My verdict: Decent

Batman 148 and 149

Writer: Chip Zdarsky, Artist: Jorge Jimenez and Michele Bandini. The Zur story was good for what it is, but I personally didn’t enjoy it all that much. Now that it’s over, after the next issue that gets super sized for 150, I want to see what Zdarsky does with the Dark Knight. My verdict: Decent.

Catwoman 66 and Wonder Woman 10

Catwoman and Wonder Woman Writers: Tini Howard and Tom King. Artist: Various on both titles. Catwoman, on the other hand, is very good and bordering on great during the 9 Lives story. It’s cliche, but Howard handles it with a deft touch and makes it less so. I’m going to be sad to see this story go. It took me a while to warm up to Tom King on Wonder Woman, but now that he has his feet under him, I think that good things are on the horizon for the book. My verdict: Good.

House of Braniac (Action Comics 1066 and Superman 15)

Writer: Joshua Williamson, Artist: Rafa Sandoval. I’ve said a few times before that I always hated Superman growing up. His character just never worked in my rebelious teenage brain. A few years ago, BMB made me care about the character again and more recently, Joshua Williamson made me love the character. He is at the height of his powers on this mini event with Braniac and Lobo joining the Super Family for an adventure that just zips by. I read both of these books so quickly because the pacing works so well. Bravo. My verdict: Great.

The Verdict

Similar to recent months, none of the books in DC Comics July 2024 offended me outright. I’m just not a huge fan of The Flash as a rule, so don’t take my putting that book to the side the wrong way. It looks like they are gearing up for a larger event in the form of Absolute Power, so we’ll see how that goes. For now, I like what I’m seeing from DC.

Images taken from the mother ship.

Snap *censored* Pop Culture

Spawniverse July 2024

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Introduction

After a successful Fallout from the end of School last month, we come to another celebration on the page. Deadpool and Wolverine releases at the end of the month. That gave me the bright idea to feature Deadpool and Marvel comics. Before we get to all of that, though, naturally, I need to write my comics reviews first. With the TMNT hiatus, that means this month is Spawniverse July 2024.

Gunslinger 32

Writer: Uncle Todd, Artist: Carlo Barberi. A few months ago, Uncle Todd promised new creative teams and new directions for the books. I won’t take direct credit for that, but I will say that I wrote numerous times that the books seemed to have lost their way. He alludes to this during one of the conversations in this issue. I won’t say that the book is all the way back. But, the intro scene with he and Linda made me laugh and I expect more out of the finale because that was far too easy. My verdict: Good

King Spawn 34 and 35

Writer: Uncle Todd, Artist: Jason Shawn Alexander. When he said new creative teams, apparently that meant taking over writing duties instead of “additional plot”. At the very least, that brings some consistency to the stories. In this one, Al rescues Nana or Grannie or Auntie or whatever and finds her a vampire (the only supernaturals with powers right now) as a guard. However, this king doesn’t stay ascendent for long. Then, he runs into some trouble in the alley. A gang jumps him. Without his powers, they fuck him up pretty good. I want to see where this is going. Additionally, I know JSA’s art isn’t for everyone. It took a while to grow on me, but I like it. Especially for this title. Lends it an ethereal vibe that’s almost dreamline. My verdict: Good

The Scorched 30

Writer: Layman with Uncle Todd on Additional Script, Artist: Stephen Segovia. I thought this one maintained the most consistency quality wise during the “lull”. I liked the characters and the stories the best out of all of the Spawniverse. Then, when Layman (one of my favorite comics writers) came on, I knew good things were on the horizon. Sure enough, it started to pay off here. The Scorched, even without Jessica (who spends more time dead or unconscious that most team leaders) cripple Winn’s agency by freeing Overt-Kill and allowing for the escape of Haunt and Redeemer. That all sets up quite a payoff next issue with Winn visiting Jessica and the team trying to get to the bottom of the cloning mystery. My verdict: Good, bordering on Great.

Spawn 354

Writer: Rory McConville with Uncle Todd on Additonal Script, Artist: Brett Booth. I think the main title suffered the most during the “lull”. Just an inconsistency in tone and story telling. You can blame that on the dilusion due to the new titles, but I disagree. I think they just focused too much on the heaven and hell angle and ignored the other parts of what makes the book fun. And, if you think about it, they removed al l of the powers from the characters, so that forces them to focus more on the “real world” and the boots on the ground, so to speak. Call me in a few months when I miss the supernatural part of the story. For now, though, I like what they’re doing. My verdict: Good.

The Verdict

They continue the upward trend with Spawniverse July 2024. Thankfully, because as I wrote, they changed teams on TMNT, so I won’t get another one of those for a month or so when it starts back up again. I like Jason Aaron and I trust him, but Chris makes a good point. They need to change the tone big time to fit his style.

Images courtesy of the mother ship.

Snap *censored* Pop Culture

Fallout Episode 8: The Beginning

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Introduction

As I wrote in the plot summary, we arrive at the end of Fallout From the End of School 2024 with the Fallout episode 8, last episode of the first season. I say first season because they greenlit the second season. Now, we wait 2 or 3 years for them to write, film, edit, and release. Thankfully, you all have Fallout Final Fridays to keep you through. A lot in this episode, so let’s get started.

Plot Summary and Analysis

Click here for the plot summary.

Cooper gets blind sided. He finally hears what his wife thinks of the end of the world, the vaults, and the aftermath. They pull the old rope-a-dope with her talking initially about her children and the future of the kids before pulling out the rug and ensuring that while their future will be okay, the same can’t be said for countless others. Because, after all, what kind of world is it when the cheap suits are in charge. Hint: Take a look around you.

Lucy, too, learns that everything she knew was a lie. Her father is a monster who nuked an entire town out of existence because his wife decided that she was happier without him and his insistence to live in a sardine can. Her mother is ghoulified, but kept alive out of Moldaver’s loyalty to her and their dreams of bringing unlimited power to the poor dregs who live in the Wasteland.

Norm mirrors his sister’s journey with Bud the Brain Roomba as his guide. He learns about Bud’s dumb ass idea to save the world and then gets trapped in Vault 31 with the psychotic micro manager. Perhaps for centuries? I doubt that. Norm will find a way.

Max uses the Brotherhood to bring him back to Lucy before discovering that what Dane says might just be true. Nowhere is safe, not even the idyllic vault where he and Lucy will live happily ever after. The Ghoul comes very close to finally getting the answer he’s been waiting 200 years for before Hank gives him the slip once again.

Cold fusion fires up the lights in the Wasteland. The Brotherhood salute Max as a conquering hero. Lucy finds herself again with The Ghoul and Dogmeat. And Hank stands before the town of New Vegas. What awaits them all? We just have to wait and see.

Character Profiles

Every single character saw some part of their life upended in this episode. In many cases, everything they thought they knew was a lie. Lucy reacts with her usual kindness and forces her father to give Moldaver the code. Hank lashes out at Moldaver, calling her a liar and just as bad as him. Max still wants to spend his life with Lucy and stupidly tries to fight off armored Hank

Norm, bad ass that he is, immediately goes to tell the rest of the dwellers about Bud’s Buds. Everything he suspected was true and, yet, he’s still shocked by the sheer madness of it all. Only The Ghoul escapes unscathed, but that’s only because his reality shattered 200 years ago with the revelation that his wife and her cohorts planned the entire thing to bring their insane plans to life through the glory of capitalism.

World Building and Setting

We finally get an answer to “What happened to Shady Sands?” Actually we get the answer to the question, “Who…?” For those who haven’t played the games, they get a glimpse into the behind the scenes machinations that brought the horrors of the vaults to life. At the end of the show, numerous viewers no doubt ran to one Wiki or another to verify the location at the end of the episode.

However, the star of the episode is Moldaver’s encampment that grew out of the destruction of Shady Sands. It represents everything that I hope out of a post apocalyptic civilization. I just hope that we learn from our mistakes and work together. A pipe dream, I know, but more likely with less people in that society. Not that I advocate for the end of society. Simply that I’ve thought about it. And, I have ideas.

Themes and Social Commentary

Wow, they put it all out there in this episode. The greed of corporations vs. the benign scientists. Less heavy on the communism vs. capitalism this time. But, they laid out that argument in the last episode quite nicely. Besides, it’s not communism vs. capitalism. It’s regulated vs. unregulated. When there are no guard rails, the capitalists will drive us all off a cliff.

When there’s nobody left to fight, who will fight? The answer, everyone. You think that if the Nazis actually succeeded in wiping out the Jews, they’d stop there? No. They’d keep going, getting more and more specific until two guys left just stabbing each other because of eye color or some other nonsense. The utopia, on either side, is simply not sustainable.

Is anywhere truly safe? Yes, you can make your area safe. My house is safe for me and my family. Also, for anyone else who wants to visit and doesn’t cause a ruckus. Does that mean violence cannot happen here? Of course not. But, the violence will come from outside and it will be dealt with. I can promise you that.

What would you do with unlimited power? They wrap it in the concept of cold fusion, but it represents the power to rule and control. Moldaver handed it off to the people. Whoever gets it next won’t be so giving, I promise you that.

Narrative Structure, Pacing, and Soundtrack

They opted for much shorter scenes this time around and more rapid transitions. This allowed them to drop bomb after bomb (pun intended) and each of them hit just as hard. Consequently, the pacing felt quick but manageable. Again, since only one reveal happened each time, you can catch your breath before the next.

Allowing the story to tell itself, they leaned less on the soundtrack this time. Only two actual songs in the whole episode. One to emphasize Max’s efforts to get to Lucy. The other told the story of The Ghoul, DogMeat, and Lucy striking off to find her father again. Another understated but good choice by the production team.

The Verdict

All I have to say is, Wow. This is how you do a season finale. Everything that they built up over the season gets resolved. Not only that, but they keep just enough loose ends open that you want to come back for more. I have often said that a poor ending can otherwise derail a great effort. That isn’t the case here. They stuck this landing. Fallout episode 8 goes down as one of the best episodes in recent memory.

Digital Playground

After The End: Fallout 4 Journal

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Introduction

Back when I wrote, like way back in high school when I still harbored dreams of making something with my writing, I started a novella called Under the Mushroom Cloud: A Post Apocalyptic Love Story. I probably still have the notes around here somewhere. I named the nuclear event “The End” and wrote the story with the idea that after the end, things still happen. Some of that turns up in Fallout and Robert Kirkman said that The Walking Dead meant to tell such a story.

I only say this because I definitely have some talent for storytelling. I’ve just never been a good salesman and that’s ultimately what sunk me as a writer. The good news is that I still get to write for this page. The bad news is nobody reads my writing. Oh well.

What Makes Me Special?

What Makes Me Special?

Note: If you never played the Fallout games, they organized character stats into the acronym, SPECIAL. In the interest of time, I consulted a walkthrough for the game.

Strength: 4

Perception: 4

Endurance: 2

Charisma: 6

Intelligence: 8

Agility: 2

Luck: 1

Name: Lucy. Yes, I became that which I hate and use names from other pop culture related to the games. Sue me.

After the end and Into the Vault

My husband and I woke up and perform our morning bathroom routine together. I go first so that I can check on our baby, Shaun. He’s doing great, so I head into the kitchen to get some coffee. Our Mr. Handy, Codsworth meets me with some coffee. As my husband, Nate, comes into the kitchen, Shaun starts fussing. Codsworth goes to attend to him as there’s someone at the door.

A Vault-Tec rep gives me the pitch about our place in the local vault, 111, due to Nate’s service. I sign the papers in spite of the fact that I hope it doesn’t come to that. Nate assures me that it was the right choice. Just some paperwork for piece of mind? Codsworth tells me that in spite of being changed, Shaun still fusses. I make my way to his crib and play with him a little Nate joins me and we admire our young son.

Codsworth again interrupts, telling us that we need to come see. On the news, the reporter says that both New York and Pennsylvania have been attacked with nuclear bombs. An alert tells all citizens to make their way to the vault. Nate, Shaun, and I run to the barrier. We are met by a soldier who waves us through even as he threatens those not on the list. Those poor, poor people.

Another soldier leads us to the lift. We take our spots. The lift starts to descend. A flash in the distance. A mushroom cloud. The seismic wave passes over us just as we get below ground level. Someone makes the comment that if we were only a minute later. Good God.

Decontamination

We walk up some stairs to an area. A woman hands us vault suits and a doctor leads us to the decontamination area. I enter mine and watch as Nate carries Shaun into the on opposite me. A gas is released and I start to feel tired. It gets colder. Wait, this isn’t decontamination!

Awake Once

What, what just happened? How much time has gone by? Was I just dreaming? Are we ready? Two soldiers open Nate’s chamber. They try to take Shaun. Nate fights them. The soldiers shoot Nate. What the hell are you doing? As they leave, they look into my chamber and say, “At least we have a backup ready.” What the hell does that mean?

After the End of the Vault (Out of Time)

My chamber door opens. I see Nate dead in his. Alarms sound all around and a voice urgs me to leave the vault in an orderly fashion. Well, me and the other dwellers. But, there’s nobody else here. I slowly make my way through the corridors, picking up things that may be useful. Tools, cigarettes, small appliances. Eventually, I make it into the Overseer’s office. Someone is dead on the floor. What the is going on? What the hell happened? Is everyone else dead?

I boot up the computer and look through the records. Apparently, the vault meant to test the effects of long term suspension on unwilling subjects. What the hell? Also, the last days of the vault sound grim. Starvation, killing, and the eventual meltdown that opened my chamber. Good God.

I fight off radroaches on the way to the vault door. Along the way, I find more supplies, including a 10mm pistol and some ammo. That will come in handy, I’m sure. The vault door requires aPip Boy to open. This poor fella here with his arm detached has one. Well, he won’t need it. I open the vault door, descend the steps, and step onto the platform.

Into the Wasteland…

The Verdict

I remember when I first played Fallout 4 and after the end, you play through the vault. It reminded me very much of Fallout 3 but you now lost your son instead of your father. Still, an engaging story and kept me entertained through the introduction and some tutorial nonsense.

Note: I used this page for my stats. I chose the tinkerer build.