Summary
A minor change made toFallout 3during the development process ended up establishing more consistent lore for the series. There are a few details aboutFalloutthat have historically been consistent, such as the post-apocalyptic setting and the state of the world after being turned into a wasteland. However,Fallout 3ended up defining another string of consistency that would hold up throughout the series. EveryFalloutgame takes on its own story, with only a few plot connections between games. Despite that, there are a few things that players can always expect out of the series.
Although the famousVATS system inFalloutis arguably its most famous aspect gameplay-wise, there are a lot of details that have become emblematic of the franchise. The bulky, intimidating power armor sported by high-level enemies and players alike has become an iconic sight. Likewise, groups such as the Brotherhood of Steel and the NCR are major aspects ofFallout’s lore that are difficult to overlook. Even games such asFallout: New Vegas, which was made by an outside team, still keep tradition with otherFalloutgames. This includes a few aspects of the series that could easily be overlooked even by longtime fans.
Fallout 3 Would Have Broken a Series Tradition if Not for Med-X
Chems Are a Longtime Feature of the Fallout Series
Among the series' mechanics,chems in theFalloutgamesare a prime example of a risk/reward system. Chems provide a temporary bonus at the risk of causing the player to develop an addiction, providing permanent debuffs until cured. For example, Mentats enhance the player’s Intelligence, Perception, and Charisma for a few minutes, while Buffout enhanced their strength, endurance, and maximum HP. The risk of addiction acts as a deterrent to keep players from relying on chems, and they can also keep players from using them at all, just to be safe. However, chems also have a role in one unusual event inFallout’s history.
Stimpacks and Rad-X are also classified as chems, but they are not addictive, likely due to their important healing effects.
Morphine Put Fallout 3’s Release at Risk
Fallout 3is one of thebest RPGs of the 2000s, but it encountered a serious obstacle in the development process. Originally, the new chem Med-X was going to be called Morphine inFallout 3. However, this posed a challenge when the game was supposed to be submitted for rating in Australia. The idea of players using a real-world drug gave Australia’s ratings board pause, which risked the game going unrated and being unable to be sold in the country. Rather than take that risk, Bethesda changed Morphine’s name to the now-familiar Med-X, and the game was able to see a proper release.
Med-X Retained Consistency Among Fallout’s Depiction of Chems
This change actually ended up being helpful in the long run. Throughout thehistory of theFalloutgames, chems have always been the series' replacement for real-world drugs. For example, Med-X is a powerful but potentially addictive painkiller.
Despite any similarities,Fallout’s chems and real drugs never shared screen time in the games. If Med-X had remained as Morphine, that line would have been breached, giving it an awkward presence in the game. Med-X did more than saveFallout 3’s release. It helped to ensure that the series could remain consistent with its chems. In that sense, the change was a blessing in disguise.
Despite how seemingly small the Med-X change was, it ultimately had a significant impact. Anybody who goes back toplay throughFallout 3another time may or may not find themselves using chems, but Med-X’s introduction to the series turned out to be more pivotal than most would have expected. Morphine being blocked forced it to be renamed, expanding upon theFalloutuniverse’s chems and further establishing it as a separate universe.Fallout 3is still a classic, but it’s surprising what a substantial role Med-X ended up playing.
Fallout 3
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