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Fallout 3 - Mothership Zeta Interview

9-Jul-2009 Not an interview with the actual mothership but rather, with the producer...

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With Operation Anchorage, The Pitt, Broken Steel and Point Lookout, Bethesda has done a stellar job keeping Fallout 3 fresh with DLC.

Yet it's the fifth and final DLC episode that could prove the best. Mothership Zeta will help answer that final question everyone has been asking since they first explored the wasteland - how did an alien craft end up crash landing there?

We ask DLC Producer Jeff Gardiner about Mothership Zeta including new weapons, the action vs exploration balance and refilling the Alien Blaster...

So when and where does Zeta fit into the events of Fallout 3? How will players discover the Mothership?
As with the previous DLC, there will be a radio broadcast... this one is unintelligible, however, and will lead the player to the alien crash site they may have already found in Fallout 3. The player will then find themselves aboard Mothership Zeta, in Earth's orbit. Let's just say it won't be the friendliest of greetings. From there, they'll meet other abductees, and plot their escape. They'll have to explore and exploit the alien ship- and even spacewalk to escape!

We've already seen the Alien Blaster in Fallout 3 - will there be new technology for gamers to play with?
Most definitely. The player will have a handful of tasty alien technologies to play with. There are new fire arms and melee weapons, which will comprise the most powerful weaponry in the game.

Is this going to be the place to replenish ammo for the Alien blaster?
Yes, but it's still in limited quantities.

With the Mothership responding to the distress beacon of Recon Craft Theta, will we find out the back-story of Theta?
Yes of course! Let's just say that the aliens don't have the best intentions for mankind. Players will be able to see the aliens interacting with their environment and themselves - eventually they'll uncover their nefarious plot, but not without the help of the other abductees. Let's just say, the aliens have been watching the planet evolve for quite some time...

Will the bulk of DLC take place on the mothership?
Yes, nearly all of it.

What was the design process for both Mothership and the aliens?
We already had a number of concepts to work with, including an alien corpse. The fit for DLC was natural, we're able to explore and experiment with things we weren't able or willing to on the main game. Going to an alien mothership is perfect for this type of content.

What's the focus - are we talking more action, like Operation: Anchorage, or an exploration-ridden affair?
There will be elements of exploration, and the ship is not linear - however it is an action-focused DLC. As mentioned, the player will also have to elicit the help of others whom have also been captured.

How long, in gameplay hours, is Zeta averaging out at?
Too early to tell in this stage but it should be on par with the others we've done to date.

What lessons from the first three DLC packs have been applied to the design of the next two?
We're trying to focus on what's best in our game, and bring the fans more of what they desire. With Zeta, we figured we'd have done four DLCs by that time and we should try to do something really different for that last one. And thus, the alien abduction DLC was born.

The release of a Game of the Year edition suggests this truly the last DLC you're doing for Fallout 3. If so, what's the consensus of what you've achieved?
We're very proud of Fallout 3 and the DLC. It's very rewarding to have been able to introduce such a rich, exciting world to so many new fans.

OXM Staff