With the “One Wasteland” update, Fallout 76 is now on a new path. This leads to a radiant future, believes Project Lead Jeff Gardiner. In an interview with MeinMMO author and Fallout expert Benedict Grothaus, Gardiner and Lead Quest Designer Brianna Schneider discuss how the game changes with One Wasteland, what the future holds, and how the development of the update helps improve upcoming content even further.
Despite a shaky start in November 2018, Fallout 76 has held on until today, and the developers are doing everything they can to improve the game and please players. It seems to be working, as the launch on Steam was received “very positively”.
The work on the survival MMO continues with free updates that improve or even completely overhaul the game – such as in April with the Wastelanders update, which finally brought NPCs into the game.
The latest major update is One Wasteland, a tribute to the namesake update “One Tamriel” from the MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online. One Wasteland aims to make it easier for players to get started, make group play more enjoyable, and at the same time keep content interesting for veterans.
To this end, numerous new features and a significant change to the level system are being introduced. The developers are satisfied with their update so far and tell us on MeinMMO what has been so important about the update. After all, the lessons learned from One Wasteland serve as tools for the future.
In a conversation with Jeff Gardiner and Brianna Schneider, we learn where One Wasteland comes from, what the changes mean for the game, and how even the future benefits from it.
Fallout 76 currently: The state of the game
What is One Wasteland? The update was released on September 15, 2020, and fundamentally changed the world, at least from a gameplay perspective. The biggest change was the level system with the now dynamic levels.
Enemies now adapt to the players’ levels since One Wasteland, providing a similarly great challenge throughout the game. The most important thing is that now everyone can play together in almost every area without feeling useless.
The idea originally comes from the ESO update One Tamriel, which served as a model for One Wasteland. In the interview, Gardiner explains that One Tamriel was the biggest turning point for ESO and One Wasteland is meant to be that for Fallout 76. What exactly is in the update, you can read in our special here on MeinMMO:
What’s coming up at the moment? From October 20 to 26, the Bombs Drop Day event took place. This is the day when atomic bombs destroyed the world, on October 23, 2077. This terrible day is celebrated by Fallout 76 and the entire franchise with events, offers, and bonuses. Accordingly, I also posed my opening questions to Jeff Gardiner.
MeinMMO: This Thursday, Bombs Drop Day takes place. How will you celebrate it?
Gardiner: We are making the game Free2Play on all platforms [editor’s note: for one week], and we have a number of in-game events like double XP. There are a few other things that we haven’t announced yet, but primarily it’s about the Free2Play week. That starts tomorrow, Tuesday.
MeinMMO: How will you personally celebrate Bombs Drop Day?
Gardiner: [laughs] I don’t have any personal rituals. It’s just a very busy day for us. I personally will be playing 76; I love it when new players are around. It’s just a strange time right now in America with the elections …
One Wasteland under the microscope: There are real dungeons!
MeinMMO: One of the innovations in One Wasteland was the Daily Ops. They are possibly the closest thing to a dungeon from other MMOs, aside from raids. Are other mission types planned or perhaps even different questing factions like the Brotherhood of Steel, such as the Raiders?
Gardiner: We don’t want to reveal too much about next year yet, but the Daily Ops were very successful and we will continue to build on the system. We will change and adapt locations, mutations, and creatures. When they will come next year and what exactly it will be, we are still deciding. But yes, they were super successful.
Mutations are like affixes. Each daily operation has a “mutation” on its enemies that gives them special abilities, such as freezing and slowing you down, being invisible, or being able to be killed only by melee attacks.
MeinMMO: Speaking of mutations: There are some that are quite specific, such as the mutation where you can only kill enemies with a melee attack. Why did you introduce that?
Gardiner: One of the goals was to force players to choose different playstyles and change their repertoire a bit. That’s why some of them are rather experimental and not necessarily popular.
Since they are chosen randomly at the moment, it can happen that the same mutation appears day after day. The probability is only 1 in 3. At the moment, we are still adjusting that by hand. I don’t want to reveal too much, but we don’t like that either. That’s why we’re saying right now, “Okay, we had this three days in a row, so it won’t appear for the next few days.”
We had a bunch of different ideas collected. And as with everything, they will be prioritized based on how easy they are to implement, how much work it involves, and how it changes the player experience.
Forcing melee kills ended up being something interesting, and it is definitely tricky and can be frustrating. But it changes the nature of combat to the point where we find it interesting and enjoyable. We hope that when we bring more [mutations] in the future and remove the ones we don’t like, we can rearrange them and do different things with them.
But expect more of that. Today we are discussing a new game type that will enforce a new way to play. I don’t want to reveal that yet, especially in case it’s not accepted and doesn’t make it into the game. We will continue with that, and I think that’s a way for players to expand and look at new play styles. That’s exciting.
MeinMMO: At the moment, it’s possible to reach the highest rank “Elder” even solo. Are there plans to bring ranks beyond that or possibly new loot?
Gardiner: We’re looking into it and will make sure there are either better tailored or more challenging ranks that are also more rewarding. That’s all under discussion. We’re always looking at all our game systems and adjusting them.
Fallout 76 and Its Players: The Update is Well Received – Or Is It?
MeinMMO: Despite the efforts in One Wasteland, there are always skeptical players who are still uncertain about the actual improvements. How do you plan to convince them?
Gardiner: We have already made one or two important balance changes in One Wasteland, and we will continue to do so in the future. It’s still not perfect, but it’s getting much closer to the ideal we want to achieve. We hope that the combination of all of this – including legendary perks, especially for older players – and additional systems that we want to develop will make the game more accessible for all players.
We discuss every piece of feedback, good or bad, and we try to consider it so we can bring new content or adjust things that are already in the game. That’s the best we can do: listen to players and figure out what they want.
MeinMMO: Dynamic levels in particular are something that players have mixed opinions about. What were your thoughts behind the implementation?
Gardiner: We have a history with our single-player titles of level systems that were not so popular a few years ago. So we approached it with a bit of caution. But in the end, we wanted to ensure that everyone has fun and that every player can experience as much as possible – especially older players who have grown fond of certain zones and prefer to spend their time there.
That was the goal of this system. We tried to design it so that you also feel more powerful when you get stronger. In the future, when we have new creature types, we will look more closely at level ranges to ensure they either get tougher or reach their limits sooner. Either one or the other, to make them feel like one of the extremes.
We also read a lot of feedback on specific builds and problems that players have with specific weapons. All this balancing will be taken into account in the coming year.
MeinMMO: Regarding power: You introduced legendary perks, some of which are rather disappointing for players. Do you plan to buff them or even introduce new perks?
Gardiner: We currently do not have new perks planned, but this is an expandable system where we intend to make adjustments in the future. We have already rolled out some improvements for existing perks that should be implemented over the next updates.
MeinMMO: A somewhat more specific issue: Players have recently complained a lot about the floater grenades. And honestly, I can understand them. First: Why are there so many of them? And second: Will you buff them or at least make them available for sale at vendors?
Gardiner: [laughs loudly] I’ve seen that too. I will talk to the team about it because I absolutely agree that they need to be more useful – or sellable. Probably both. I don’t have a concrete answer for that today, but I’ve seen the same criticism, and that’s something I particularly want to discuss with the developers to find out what they want to do with it.
The Steel Dawn of Fallout – Steel Dawn is Coming!
After One Wasteland, the new update Steel Dawn is on the way, the Steel Dawn. With it, the legendary faction of the Brotherhood of Steel will return to Appalachia, establish itself there, and finally put an end to the Scorched.
The update is set to be released according to the new blog post about Steel Dawn in December. Some info about the update has already been shared with me by the developers. We have embedded the trailer here for you:
MeinMMO: Back to the Daily Ops: Will they return in Steel Dawn after their original purpose has been fulfilled?
Gardiner: The plan is to release another round of them before the chapter with the Brotherhood of Steel is complete. That will be sometime next year. Brianna can tell you a bit more about that if you have any further questions.
MeinMMO: I do actually have those! With Steel Dawn, the Brotherhood will finally arrive in Fallout 76. How will we be able to interact with them?
Schneider: If you participated in our “Fortifying ATLAS” event in the summer, you saw that Russel Dorsey was gathering supplies and preparing in Fort ATLAS for the arrival of the Brotherhood. There you will find the Brotherhood for the first time when Steel Dawn begins.
There you will get to know them, gain their trust, work more with them, and help them with their goals and endeavors in Appalachia. I don’t want to go too deep into it because you will learn a lot during the quests, but the first part is really exciting. I think players will like that.
MeinMMO: According to lore, we are currently in the founding phase of the Brotherhood, and Maxson is still alive. Will we have the chance to witness the rise of the Brotherhood or even help?
Schneider: Most events with the Brotherhood take place in Appalachia. During the ATLAS event, you may have heard some of the radio messages originating from California. There, the Brotherhood’s expedition heading towards Appalachia was no longer reachable.
Perhaps you even heard Elder Maxson’s personal appeal to Paladin Rahmani, who leads the troop. A bit of that is happening in the background, but mainly, the Brotherhood is focused on settling in Appalachia and pursuing their goals there.
MeinMMO: A little more about the Brotherhood: Are Grant and Nolan McNamara related? And will we possibly see ancestors of famous NPCs, such as McNamara or even Preston Garvey?
Schneider: To be honest: I don’t know. We have a specific set of NPCs that appear in the expedition. But maybe Jeff can tell you more about that.
Gardiner: That’s a great question and a great idea. Maybe we’ll use that for a future expansion. For now: No. But we’re just releasing the first little bit of that. More will be coming in the next months.
And while we are developing … who knows? Maybe Preston’s grandfather will show up and make you complete a quest over and over again.
MeinMMO: Well, the daily operations …
Gardiner: Yes, that would be a fun idea!
MeinMMO: In terms of story, the Scorched plague should have been defeated, more or less. Will that continue?
Schneider: There are still Scorched in the world, which pose a continuing threat. And the Brotherhood knows that this is an enemy. However, they may not yet realize the extent to which players have already worked together with the Overseer to tackle the Scorched plague problem.
A lot of that will be addressed in the “One Wasteland” content. That is not a major part of the Brotherhood’s story, but it’s kind of there in the background. And they are aware of the previous conflict of the chapter with the Scorched.
Important and Possible Features for the Future
MeinMMO: We already know a bit about the shelters that are coming. How will you build on this feature after release, and will we possibly get new companions to fill the shelters with life?
Gardiner: The shelters are a feature that we want to support as long as Fallout 76 exists. The reaction to them and the number of players who tested it on the PTS were quite incredible. They were even comparable to the numbers we saw for Wastelanders on the test servers.
We will definitely build on that and we have several ideas, such as thematic sets or different types, not just vaults.
Currently, companions have to remain in the open world. They are heavily scripted, meaning they have many things that don’t transfer well to instances. We looked at what would be necessary for that, and it was shocking.
We have a couple of companions coming in Patch 24 that we call “light companions.” At the moment we have plans for two of them. We are looking forward to saying more about those in the future when we are ready.
We also want to work on the ally/companion system in your C.A.M.P.s. Let’s say: we have plans for additional NPCs and other ideas. One long-desired feature, C.A.M.P. pets, is still on our radar. That should hopefully come sooner than people expect.
MeinMMO: Modding has been a highly desired feature, and with the shelters, it sounds like that might be a good opportunity. Are you planning to support mods in the shelters?
Gardiner: We talked about mods; we want to bring them, and we still will. That’s a big feature for a server-based game, allowing players to modify it. We are finally getting close to discussing modding in the future and providing details, but we’re not there yet. But yes, we are actively working on modding, and I am super excited about the future of the game because of modding.
MeinMMO: Which update is better for new players to start with: One Wasteland or Steel Dawn, and why?
Schneider: I think one great thing about the content of Steel Dawn is that players can choose the story they want to play when they come out of the vault. There is a requirement that you must be level 20 to have the chance to get used to the world and the game mechanics before you encounter the Brotherhood. Some of the content will certainly take place in higher-level areas.
Gardiner: So probably: Right out of the vault, rather One Wasteland, because that also sends you through the earlier areas and guides you through mechanics that we originally brought into the game. But even here, to progress in One Wasteland, you also have to reach level 20, for the same reasons that Brianna already explained.
MeinMMO: Will the Brotherhood come as a new faction like the Settlers and the Raiders?
Schneider: We won’t allow you to gain reputation with them in the Steel Dawn update just yet. But remember, this is just part 1 of the story. We’re building them as a faction in the world and giving players the opportunity to develop a sense of who they really are and to join them.
Here’s the link to the podcast: Can Fallout 76 still make a turnaround?
“It’s now easier to create such content”
MeinMMO: Is there anything in One Wasteland or Steel Dawn that you would particularly like to highlight?
Gardiner: Brianna, would you like to talk a bit about Steel Dawn?
Schneider: Sure! We will have many great NPCs for players to meet and an engaging story in which players can make interesting choices for the future of Appalachia and the Brotherhood. And there will be many new rewards for players. If you’ve been on the PTS, you can see what that is. I think players will like them.
MeinMMO: And is there anything in One Wasteland that has been particularly well received or excited you?
Gardiner: That was a big realization for us about how to design dialogues in a multiplayer online game. We appreciate the patience of the people who helped with that. It established many great tools and templates for Steel Dawn and future content. It’s now easier to create such content. So you can expect to see more and more such content in the future.
We won’t make them so big in one go, but rather distribute them over the course of the coming years. We have plans for 2021/22 to not only bring the chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel but also to introduce additional chapters; we have tons of new features that we want to bring into the game to expand it.
This year, we introduced public groups, legendary perks, and balancing. And in the process, I’m forgetting a lot of the things we’ve done. The team keeps coming up with new ideas to make things better for new players and more interesting for older players, to improve the experience for new players, or to adjust previous content.
With the success we’ve had this year, we can finally tackle all of that next year. Lots of people are playing, the game is running stable, and I can only encourage people to jump in this week during the Bomb-Drop event, or if you’re subscribers of Game Pass for PC or Xbox.
We read all of that feedback and take it very seriously. It’s only because of the fans and community that we’ve been able to mold the game this way. We look forward to bringing in the Brotherhood and the shelters and then showing the plans for next year.
MeinMMO: You mentioned that it will be free to play for a week. What about future content: will you follow the ESO model and bring paid chapters or expansions in the future?
Gardiner: For now, the plans are still just as they were at the beginning. New content will remain free. We have various ways to ensure that the service continues to run.
We don’t know what the future holds. But I like it the way it is right now. If I can decide, I want to keep it that way. That way, players can come back to the game or back again, like players who have been away for a while or only played Wastelanders for the story. They should just be able to come back. That’s the way it is good.
We have incredibly high so-called “session times,” meaning players who play stay for many hours. These are mainly players grinding Legendarys or building. That’s also great, and we try to deliver for all sorts of players.
MeinMMO: I can understand that players always play for a long time. I often grind for Legendarys for hours myself.
Gardiner: But also builders. People like to build, engage in roleplay … that’s just great. The shelters will support all that.
By the way, I don’t want to reveal too much, but we have plans for legendary stuff. There are things on the plan for Legendarys and such that will come in 2021.
MeinMMO: Also: Are you planning to increase the cap for legendary certificates?
Gardiner: Anything is possible. We’re looking at all sorts of things: building and legendary certificate caps, storage capacity … it’s just a matter of prioritization and getting it done. We want as many people as possible to have fun with the game.
MeinMMO: Do you have any final words?
Gardiner: Just come back; the update [Steel Dawn] is free, and it’s coming in the next few months. Enjoy the Free2Play week this week. Have fun, and let us know what you think – on Reddit, in the forums, Twitter, wherever. We read all of it and base our decisions on the feedback.
We’ll reveal more and answer community questions. That will be exciting!
MeinMMO: Thanks for the interview!
Is it worth taking a look at the game now?
The changes that Fallout 76 has gone through since its release are significant. A new level experience, new stories, NPCs, and new features like the new legendary skills do not necessarily make it a “different game,” but improve much of what was previously criticized.
Even if players still criticize updates and not everyone likes One Wasteland, there are a few reasons to take another look at Fallout 76 now. My advice is: If you own it anyway, check out the changes and form your own opinion. Those who were deterred by the bad reviews at the beginning should seriously see how the mood is now.
But even if One Wasteland does not yet bring what you wish for: Steel Dawn will be a great update for story fans. If you are a big fan of the Fallout story, you will look forward to Steel Dawn and what comes after the update. The story of the Brotherhood is one of the best that the series has to offer, and you can witness its development from the beginning.
