Multiplayer

Multiplayer

Ever since the original game was published, members of the Fallout community have been waging a small war in hopes of seeing a multiplayer Fallout game. Signing petitions, arguing on message boards, and sharing ideas about how such a game would work, there has been a large group of people wanting to roam the wastelands online. Now, in Tactics, you can duke it out online with up to 18 simultaneous players with a total of 36 characters being played in a single game.

That's a big bug

Radioactive puddles

Setting up a multiplayer match is similar to other RTS games like Starcraft: one player will start a game for other players to join. Before the game starts, players will build the team they want to take into combat. To make sure teams are even, game masters will be able to define a point limit when setting the game up. Every item costs a certain amount of points that reflects how useful it is. While a player may want one of his characters to have Power Armor and a nice Plasma Rifle, the rest could be stuck wearing leather skins and toting BB guns if you don't allocate your points wisely.

Pitched battle at night

That's not pea soup

Game types vary between standard Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch modes, where the goal is just to eliminate the other team. Assault mode requires a bit more thinking, but offers more room for strategy. In the level we played, one team has to guard a base while the other tries to infiltrate it and destroy it by flipping a switch. Before the game starts, you have to assemble your team, which is half of what will decide who wins or loses. On defense, you may want to have Trappers who can lay mines for the attackers to trip. A Doctor is also useful on defense, since they can heal your men as they exchange fire with the opposing force. On offense, it may be best to have soldiers stocked with submachine guns, who can blast their way through the front door. You could even have snipers back them up so they can make it through dangerous territory safely. In addition to the standard modes, Capture the Flag and Tip the Brahmin game types will be included. Details are sketchy on exactly what "Tip the Brahmin" is, but we'll update this page when we do know.

Prepare For Nuclear War Today

With 20 single player missions across six stages and over 40 multiplayer maps for use over a LAN or on the Internet, Fallout fans have a lot to look forward to. In addition, Tactics will ship with the full suite of tools used to create the game, so expect some great user-made maps and content. The game is slated for a first-quarter 2001 release date, so be prepared to duck and cover soon!