Category Archives: Digital Playground

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Digital Playground

How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (Redux)

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(Note: Someone get me some Nuka Cola. I’m finally gonna finish this game.)

Relax, even though I’m going to beat the game, I don’t run any risk of losing my noob cred. Even though the game is over 6 years old, I still am going to need to use a walkthrough in order to beat it. You’ve no doubt already guessed that the game in question is Fallout 3. If you didn’t guess that, then not much about this article will apply to you other than the following sentences. Go, now, and buy this game. Seriously, do yourself a favor, click the link (Fallout 3 eBay), find the game for your system, and push that “Buy Now” button. I still contend that Portal 2 is the best game in terms of game play, story, innovation, and fun. While Fallout 3 isn’t the most innovative and the game play is somewhat less in my opinion, it is only slightly behind in terms of story and fun.

Mind you, I am not a Fallout fan boy. I never played the first 2 main games before picking up the third and I honestly don’t remember why I got the third. I did, though, and found myself playing it one night that turned into two nights and then three or four. I made it as far as Megaton, did some research, and found out that you could blow up the little town if you wanted. I’m a sucker for sandbox games, especially ones with really good story or acting. I will tolerate Grand Theft Auto because it is so open world and non-linear, but I haven’t played number 4 yet. Maybe that will be my next project after finally putting Fallout 3 to rest. The story to F3 (my lazy and not so original attempt at abbreviation) reeled me in hook, line, and sinker from the opening title screen and transistor radio playing old timey music. See the introduction here. As an aside, Bioshock got me the same way. There’s just something about altered history with the accurate little touches that really bring it home. I’ve also been a fan of post apocalyptic entertainment since Night of the Living dead scared 10 year old me so badly that I still won’t pass a cemetery when it is dark to this day.

As I said earlier, the game play takes some getting used to, but I enjoyed the story so much that I spent the next week searching for the “history” of this alternate United States. That history led me to Fallout 1, 2 and Tactics on Steam and played through the first half of Fallout 1. Since I have such bad luck with computers lately and can’t really play any of the powerful games, I may go back and play those games, too, in order to get the full effect of immersing myself in the story of a United States ravaged by a nuclear war.

After all, I’ve written recently about being in a gaming rut and lamented the fact that I have these games that I’ve bought and haven’t finished. I have done a few things to help break that rut. I downloaded the Magic online client and a new block hit in Magic that has me wanting to play that again. I also got Gauntlet (but my computer isn’t good enough to play it), so I have had to find other diversions to reduce my time in Hearthstone and Marvel Puzzle Quest. I find myself going back to Hearthstone entirely too much. I often say that if you’re not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Well, time to find that solution while I get lost in the mythos of Fallout.

Digital Playground

Marvel SNAP August 2024: Young Avengers

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Introduction

I thought the celebration of Deadpool and Wolverine might make me play more last month. I should know by now that everything about this game runs counter to my expectations. I play more in months when I least expect it and vice versa. Even with my limited play, I still received all of the rewards on the monthly track. And, the rewards for Deadpool’s Diner didn’t wow me enough to sucker me into that mode. Plus, if I’m being honest, at the heart of it, the game is really boring. So, I make no claims about how much I’ll play Marvel SNAP August 2024.

New Locations

Okay, after just saying how boring the game play is, they give me these two locations. What can I say? I’m a sucker for Vibranium. Even if they give you a rock in the location, a 1 drop with 4 power is pretty awesome, in my opinion. And, the other location fits in well with my “Ones” deck. I just need to start running Caiera in that deck to counter the plethora of Killmonger out there at the bot levels.

New Characters

Hawkeye (Kate Bishop)

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On Reveal: Add 2 Arrows to your hand.

I never read Young Avengers, so the characters ultimately mean little to me. I know about Kate Bishop from the Hawkeye TV show and I understand that Wiccan and Hulkling have a bit of a cult following. If you told me that the others were rejects from Deadpool 2’s X-Force, I’d have believed you. However, the cards themselves intrigue me. Speaking of “Ones”, Marvel Boy fits right into that deck. Who do I remove, though to add him and Caiera? Hmm, decisions, decisions. Speed works in my Evolution deck. Hulkling, too, but the random effect is kind of dumb in my opinion. I’m not sure where to use Wiccan right now, but Kate Bishop looks like my kind of fun randomness. Overall, an impressive bit of card design this time around.

The Verdict

While Marvel SNAP August 2024 brings unfamiliar characters, I like the design of the locations and the card text of the characters. I said I wouldn’t contemplate how much I might play in the next month. What I will say is, every time I think I’m out, they somehow suck me back in. Well played, you magnificent bastards.

Images SNAPped from Marvel SNAP Zone.

Digital Playground

Marvel vs. Capcom Collection

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Introduction

I tried to branch out with Marvel Strike Force this week. While that experiment ended in failure, thankfully I planned to discuss something near and dear to our heart here at 2 Generations Gaming. Marvel vs. Capcom collection brings together some of the most fun fighting games from my teenage years and young adulthood. While they don’t fire the same nostalgia synapses as, say Street Fighter 2 or Mortal Kombat, at least one of them holds a very special place in my heart.

The Others

I never played Marvel Super Heroes or X-Men vs. Street Fighter at the time. I think, by that time, my interest in fighting games waned and I moved on to other games, most notably Resident Evil. So, Capcom still took much of my money. This interest in horror games then extended to Silent Hill and Fatal Frame. That still ranks as one of my favorite games of all time.

I played both X-Men: Children of the Atom and Marvel Super Heroes in the arcade. Like Darkstalkers, I welcomed the new take on the Street Fighter fighting engine with more stylized graphics. They eventually gave me the best of both worlds with Street Fighter Alpha, a game that I only played on home systems. By that time, I moved out and owned a full priced PlayStation (those of you who know, you know that it dropped in price a month after I bought it, thereby guaranteeing that I’d never again pay full price for a console) and lived alone. Games like Street Fighter Alpha kept me company during that time.

Unlike Darkstalkers, both X-Men and Marvel Super Heroes featured familiar characters, so I gravitated towards them in the arcade. In X-Men, I played Wolverine, Psylocke, and Cyclops mostly. Then, in MSH, I mained Spidey, Hulk, and Cap. Those preferences ran deep and carried over into the other game in the series that quite possibly sits at the top of my favorite fighting games list. I never actually made such a list and Mortal Kombat 11 occupied an insane amount of my time. Well, I have an idea for a future article.

The One

While I played and enjoyed Marvel vs. Capcom, the second one captured my attention when I played it. Then, I introduced my children to fighting games with that very game. We played the game together daily, enjoying ourselves almost beyond belief. I’ve written on more than one occasion that becoming a dad changes you. Honestly, those changes mostly strengthen and solidify you as a person.

I gamed growing up because it gave me an escape from the crap I endured at school daily. It allowed me to spend some time with my brothers and have fun instead of being the butt of everyone’s jokes. When I played games with my kids, I hoped to give them the same feeling of belonging and happiness. I think I succeeded. All of them still, to this day, play together in Minecraft and The Sims. We all play Mario Party and Mario Kart as a family during school breaks. And, now, with this collection, we can relive those fun times with Marvel vs. Capcom 2.

The Verdict

I bought the street Fighter collection years ago and played it once or twice. I think Aiden played with one of his friends a couple of times. But, overall, it collects dust as a forgotten relic of a teenage me, not grown up dad me. I think that if I buy Marvel vs. Capcom collection, it will be worth it just for the laughs that the second MvC brings.

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.

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.

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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.

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.

Digital Playground

The First 19 Years: Fallout 3 Journal

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Introduction

I thought Christine was going to hang out with her old friends from Warwick. She planned to do so. However, she decided to stay home. Therefore, my plan to record the first episode of “The Poppy War” for Noob’s Book Club gets put on hold for now. So, I flipped the script and decided to write my journal for the first 19 years in Fallout 3.

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: 9

Perception: 1

Endurance: 9

Charisma: 1

Intelligence: 9

Agility: 2

Luck: 9

Name: Lucy. Age: 19. Yes, I became that which I hate and use names from other pop culture related to the games. Sue me.

2258 (A Star Is Born)

I hear a voice. “Are you a boy or a girl?”

How do I remember being born? I don’t know, but the memory is so vivid. I see my father and my mother. The voice again, “Oh look, we have a daughter.” Then another voice, “A daughter. A beautiful baby girl.”

The first voice, my father, says, “You have a bright future. You look just like your daddy.” Mom’s monitor speeds up and then flatlines. Dad orders someone to get me out of the room so that he can try to save your mother.”

One Year Later (A Born Explorer)

“Come now, Sweetie. Walk to Daddy.” I toddle over to him in the pen. “Okay, I hate to leave you her alone, but you’ll be okay while I take care of some business.”

As soon as he leaves, I open the gate and start exploring the room. I see a book on the ground and pick it up. There are silly pictures in the book and they make me giggle. Dad enters as I’m flipping through the book. “Goodness me, you’re quite the explorer. Your mother would be proud. Let me show you something. It was her favorite passage from the book.” Dad reads it to me.

“Now, let’s go visit your friend Amata.”

9 Years Later (Surprise!)

Nine years later and still friends with Amata. She and my father put together a surprise birthday party for my 10th birthday. I visit with guests and receive gifts; a sweet roll, a poem, a Pip Boy 3000 (wow!) and a fight with Butch. That guys a douche, but he’s gonna get his eventually.

When I meet up with Dad again, he tells me to go meet Jonas down on the reactor level. I make my way down there. “Hey, what are you doing down here? There are no kids allowed.” I stammer, “Uh, but my dad said to meet you here.” “I’m just kidding.” He assures me. Dad joins us too and gives me a last present, a BB gun. he takes me into a shooting range and I practice by shooting three targets and a Radroach that wandered in. Time for a picture.

3 Years Later (Off on that Adventure)

Amata wakes me in a panic. “Jonas dead! Dad gone!” “What are you saying?” “It’s all gone wrong. You need to get out of here, too. Go, find your father!” “How? What?” “Get to my father’s office. There’s a tunnel to the vault door. I will try to talk some sense into him.”

On my way through the vault to the overseers office, I run into radroaches, security forces, and other vault dwellers. I take care of the security officers who either try to shoot or smack me with their batons. I save a few vault dwellers, including Butch’s mother. In spite of our differences, I couldn’t let her die.

When I make it to the admin level, I see the overseer and another officer have Amata and are interrogating her. The officer charges and I dispatch of him easily. I threaten the overseer for the key and password, but he refuses. “Fine, I’ll do it myself.”

Inside his office, I gather some last minute supplies and use the password I found written on a piece of paper in a locker (sloppy) to open the secret tunnel. It takes me right to the vault door. After opening it, Amata meets me to say good-bye. Then, two more guards break in. I knock them both out and step into the Wasteland.

The Verdict

The first 19 years in Fallout 3 are both eventful and educational. I like how they incorporated the tutorial in the story this way. Making you a baby learning to walk and then drawing out the character stats with a baby book. It all makes perfect sense and acts as a minor jab at the need for tutorials in these games.

This game is slightly more modern than the others, so I used a more modern page for the walkthrough.

Digital Playground

Arroyo Village, Part 1: Fallout 2 Journal

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Introduction

Surprisingly, I find myself with less time now that when I was in school. Okay, that probably isn’t true. But, I feel busier now with all of the things that I’m trying to catch up on. So, this Arroyo Village Part 1 journal will be shorter than the previous entry. But, I wanted to keep the momentum going, so I’ll finish up the Village during my first Final Friday Fallout 2 session in August.

Back to the Elder

I enter the Elder’s tent. She smiles when she sees me. “Ready for your quest?” She asks. “Where you trying to get me killed in that temple?” “Nonsene, Chosen One. You needed to prove yourself worthy and those trials all showed your mettle. So, ready for the quest?” “Yes,” I sigh because I must admit that she’s right. They can’t just send anyone out into the Wasteland. They’d be killed by the sheer size of the place alone.

“Good, good. This flask comes from sacred Vault 13. If you take it to Vic in Klamath, perhaps he will have some information for you.” “Vic in Klamath. Got it. Goodbye, Elder. I will not fail.

Before that, What Else in Arroyo?

I walk north to Hakunin’s tent. He greets me with eyes distant due to his chem usage that allows him to visit other realms. In flowery language, he asks me to destroy the darkness in his garden. I accept his quest with no consideration for money and he thanks me for my effort.

Two Vineplants terrorize the garden. I kill the first without much effort. Though, the plant injured me quite severely. Without any regard for my well being, I walk to the other. It kills me quickly due to the injuries sustained in the previous fight. GAME. OVER.

Or, is it? The Afterlife

Something or someone looks out for me and I find myself back in front of the Elder’s tent. I again must accept the quest from her and then go back to Hakunin’s tent. This time, I use healing powder in between the fights to help my injuries. And, as a result, I defeat the mosters and drive back the evil. Hakunin gives me more healing powder and tells me he can make even more.

Then, I go see my cousin. His dog has gone missing. I travel to the hunting grounds to find him.

To be continued…

The Verdict

So, the old adage that anything in the Wasteland can kill you holds true in Arroyo Village part 1. I died at the hands of a plant, after all. Nevertheless, the story is starting to get good and there seem to be plenty of side quests to keep me busy for the next few months as I play through the game.

Since I’m playing a game made over 25 years ago, I’m using an old school guide.

Digital Playground

Temple of Trials: Fallout 2 Journal

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Introduction

After watching the show, I got the idea to do a week of Fallout content. Then, as often happens, I suffered from delusions of grandeur. Why only a week? Why not a month. Nothing scheduled for June and school ends. The Fallout from the end of school! Perfect. Las week I wrote about the first couple of sections of Fallout. This week, I continue with Fallout 2 and the Temple of Trials.

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: 6

Endurance: 6

Charisma: 8

Intelligence: 10

Luck: 6

Name: Lucy. Age: 21. Yes, I became that which I hate and use names from other pop culture related to the games. Sue me.

The Chosen One

Sometime in 2241: A village elder calls me into her hut.

Come in, Chosen One. The village is dying. Crops, livestock, sick children. However, there is hope. The Garden of Eden Creation Kit. It brings life to the Wasteland. It will be your main quest if you show yourself worthy. Travel to the Temple of Trials to prove yourself, find the G.E.C.K. and be our salvation.

The Chosen One?

Still in 2241 (The Temple is a short walk from the village): A guard takes me to the temple and I enter. It consists of stone corridors with lit torches on the wall. At the very least, the village knows how to set the mood. What are the trials?

At least, initially, it seems like the only trial is as exterminator. I kill bug after bug, all ants and scorpions. At the end of the hall is a locked door. I could search for a key, but it’s quicker just to pick it. Easy, peasy.

Oh crap!

This next corridor is filled with pressure plates that trigger spears shooting from the wall. No time to disarm them. Instead, I just run through and hope for the best. Then, more ants and scorpions. A chest with an antidote for the poison that the scorpions injected into me. At least they thought of that.

Another door. This one steel. I see no lock to pick. Hmm, what about these explosives that I found randomly sitting in an “inconspicuous” jar in the middle of the temple just past the massive hole in the ground? Set timer, GTFO. KABOOOM! The door is gone.

More ants and scorpions. Another chest with more antidote and healing powder. Yet another door. This one opens without picking or exploding. A guard stands before what I now assume to be the exit. He says that we must engage in unarmed combat with the victor emerging as worthy. Do we really have to fight? I ask him. Yes, of course, the elders deemed that the final test. Yes, but accidents happen. What if one of us ends up accidentally dead? I give him a look that says, “We both know which one, right?” He stammers before regathering his composure. Uh, yes, of course. I wouldn’t want to accidentally kill the chosen one. Then he runs from his post, presumably to pick on some other poor soul.

I emerge victorious. My prizes are a vault suit and the Pip Boy 2000!

The Verdict

A very different feel from the introduction of the first game. You still start the game underground in the Temple of Trials. But, after that, you go back to an above ground village to begin your main quest. I like that they changed things up because the whole starting in a vault thing, while classic, sometimes gets old. Join me in a couple of days for the next installment!

Again, because I’m playing a game made over 25 years ago, I used and old school guide.

Digital Playground

Shady Sands Part 1: Fallout Journal

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Introduction

In this second and, for now, final installment of my Fallout journal, I want to tell you about my trip to Shady Sands Part 1. As you saw in my first entry, I wanted to spice this series up by writing it in journal form. I’m not sure how well I succeeded then, but I feel like this entry raises the entertainment value some. Let me know if you agree.

150 days to get the water chip.

Shady Sands Part 1

5 December 2161 (Vault 13 Entrance): Ahead, I see a natural light. For the first time in my life, I’m looking at the outside world. It looks…

Hideous. I want to go home. Something inside…and the urgent message about the water chip on my Pip Boy 2000…urges me to ignore that feeling and go on.

12 December 2161 (The Wasteland/Shady Sands): After about a week of travel through the Wasteland, I pass an outpost. An adobe wall surrounds a peaceful looking village. “Welcome to Shady Sands,” a guard says. He introduces himself as Seth. “The town,” he continues, “other than radscorpions and raiders, have no problems.” The radscorpions menace their Brahmin and attacked one of the farmers. The raiders, on the other hand, attack mostly from the southeast. I thank Seth for the information and assure him I will come back to deal with the radscorpions. He tells me to visit their leader, Aradesh.

Before moving on, I talk to the other woman at the entrance. She introduces herself as Katarina. Concerned, she asks me to put my dagger away. She assures me that my instinct that this world is dangerous is correct, but Shady Sands is peaceful. When I sheath my dagger, she is willing to talk to me. She assures me that her old home, Vault 15, had a functioning water chip the last she knew. Even though she came from Vault 15, she doesn’t remember much about the world. Ian can help me with that. After the conversations, she suggests that I visit Aradesh.

The first person that I meet besides them tells me suspiciously that the last visitor to the town screwed the village. I assure him that I’m not like that. “Just stay out of trouble.” Okie dokie.

Radscorpion Cave

During the search for Ian, I find ammo and a book. The book talka about surviving the Wasteland. I’m thankful for the knowledge. When I get to Ian’s place, he tells me that he lived in The Hub. Like Katarina, he got injured, but not as badly. Now, he works as a wandering trader for the town since he’s one of the only ones who ever left the town. I ask him two favors. 1. Directions to The Hub and Junktown. 2. Help with the radscorpions. He tells me the directions and agrees to help for some caps. We go back to Seth, who takes us to the Radscorpion cave.

Ugh. Back in a cave already.

Ian and I make quick work of the 9 radscorpions. I’m thankful for his help and willingly pay his bounty. One of them poisons me. Where to find an antidote? Perhaps these tails will come in handy.

I bid farewell to Ian and go back to Razlo. Without the poison, he can’t make an antidote to heal me. Aha! The tails. Razlo makes the antidotes. Thank you, Shady Sands. I should rest.

13 December 2161 (Shady Sands Garden): I find another book and some rope. The books talks more about surviving in the Wasteland. It’s a long book and I need to rest again.

14 December 2161 (Shady Sands Garden): I chat with one of the farmers about their crops and how they grow them in the harsh conditions of the Wasteland. Alas, my time here is done for now. Off to Vault 15.

To be continued…

The Verdict

I hope you enjoyed Shady Sands Part 1. As I said, I tried to make this one more entertaining by including more personal details. I think I still have some way to go. But, it’s definitely an improvement. So, join us for a new segment on the page, Final Friday Fallout. Every last Friday of the month, I plan to continue the games until finishing them. As for next week, I start Fallout 2.

Since I’m playing a 25 year old game, I decided to use a blast from the past for my walkthrough.