Do you remember that time we offered a new difficulty mode that was easier than easy, and it caused everyone in the community to think we’d lost our minds? We remember. We remember it so hard that we’ve been tossing and turning in our beds thinking of a way to show you we hadn’t lost our minds. Because we haven’t lost our minds. We haven’t, so stop saying we have, Mother! Early March we’re targeting the release of Patch 1.3.3, lovingly titled “Death & Taxes.” You can tell that we’re not messing around here. This is exactly the sort of update that those among you who chided the idea of a story mode are going to love. And we get it, because pain is fun. In this update we’re adding a few new features, including Permanent Death (aka “Permadeath”), an optional Difficult Skill Checks Mode, and Respeccing. Read on for the gory details.
“Permadeath” Mode
No matter how many bullets fly past you or how many enemies you’re assaulting at one time, you’re never really going to feel the threat of despair until you’re able to lose a character. And by lose, we don’t mean misplace, we mean lose to death. With permadeath, you’re going to get exactly that because it works exactly how you think it should. When activated at a game’s start, it turns your nearly immortal-ish digital characters into something more or less mortal (for a video game), and means they’ll croak when their health reaches zero.
One other important note here is that we’ve made the decision to keep Permadeath as a single player-only feature which cannot be enabled in multiplayer. As much fun as is to watch your friends subjected to painful and horrific video gae deaths, co-op splits the team down the middle, and one player losing everyone and then watching for (potentially) hs until the other can make it back to Ranger HQ just isn’t a good time.The Permanent Death feature also cannot be disabled once you have opted in at the start of your game. So choose, and choose wisely.
- When life runs out a Ranger will go into a Downed state, and you'll have X rounds to bring them back into the battle. If you fail to do so you'd normally be able to bring them back with a Nitro Spike or visit to a Doc, but with Permadeath turned on party members permanently DIE. This is really going to bum someone out who didn’t read the fine print.
- Once a party member shuffles off their mortal coil, their Party Portrait is removed from the HUD and other game interfaces, and they can no longer be selected or used. This is because they are dead.
- Lest you thought that you would be able to commune with the dead via the Party Screen back at HQ, you cannot. Much as necromancers would have you believe otherwise, you cannot add the dead back into your party.
- God forbid, if all Rangers in your party are killed permanently at any one time, you will earn a non-negotiable, do-not-pass-go, Game Over death screen. This is because the light of life has been extinguished from the party and the forces of evil have triumphed. Unless you were the forces of evil, in which case perhaps the forces of light and good prevailed when they killed you.
As an additional note, permanent death enabled games will be noted as such in the save game directory menu – that way you’ll have a good idea at a glance at which of your sessions are more prone to give you indigestion and make your heart palpitate wildly from time to time.
Difficult Skill Checks
Perhaps the idea of permanently dead Rangers isn’t your speed? Or maybe you’re looking for the ultimate challenge with Supreme Jerk, Permadeath, AND something that’ll put your point-spending prowess to the test. Introducing Difficult Skill Checks Mode.
This option is toggleable when starting a new game on the Select Difficulty Window, within the Customize Difficulty sub-menu. When turned on, this will increase all skill checks in the game by +2, up to a maximum of 10.
- World interactions (Ex: locked doors)
- Conversation interactions (Ex: kiss-ass checks in conversations)
- Hacking and Taming checks on animals and robots
- Item skill requirements on gear (ex: weapons have skill requirements)
- Attribute requirements on gear (ex: heavy armor requires strength)
(Look. We know. We know it's not just skills. But we wanted to go the extra mile for you. Yes, you, reading this, right now. You're worth it.)
This optional mode was designed to force your Ranger team to hyper-specialize to be successful, making your jack-of-all-trades 'master-of-all' party no longer possible. This is great for a 2nd run-through if you want to be forced into some hard character build decisions.
Respec Feature
Also coming in 1.3.3, you’re going to be able to re-specialize your characters, with a caveat or two. Firstly, this can only happen back at Ranger HQ, within the Manage Squad screen. HQ is a relatively warm and comfortable place, so naturally it makes sense that we’d offer such a posh option there. Secondly, there will be a cost for respeccing or recruiting Rangers beyond the first two at HQ. No one teaches for free (except maybe those folks on YouTube) so expect to eventually shell out some in-game coin to be able to do so.
If you are loading a pre-1.3.3 save beyond the initial recruitment point at Ranger HQ, we’re still going to offer you two more free recruit customizations. Beyond that, the cost for respeccing increases by 1.75x (rounded to the nearest $50), up to a maximum of $3000, each time you use it. Additionally, Hiring and Retraining fees increase across the entire squad, not per-character.
Character Customization Additions
When you’re digging into that new Permadeath run you’re going to be able to do so in style. It’s not like a cool helmet design is necessarily going to save the day, but it might just make you feel badass enough to do the thing that makes the thing happen that blows up the thing. In Patch 1.3.3 we’re baking in 23 new character customization options (tattoos, scars, and helmets) that were born of another partnership with renown post-apoc costume designers. We’ll share more specific details about those in an upcoming article. Stay tuned.
Colorado’s just getting warmed up.
Well heck! We’re not even into the meat of the year and Colorado is already looking 100% finer than it did at the close of 2020. Did we mention 1.3.3 is getting a heck-ton* of improvements and fixes as well? Well it is! Full patch notes will be delivered when the patch goes live next month.
Wasteland 3 - All News
March
Wasteland 3 - Review @ RPG Codex
The RPG Codex reviewed Wasteland 3:
RPG Codex Review: Wasteland 3
Wasteland 3 is inXile's latest addition to the turn- and party-based post-apocalyptic series. The setting has moved from the deserts of Arizona and the overgrown cities of California to the snowy mountains of Colorado. The Rangers have agreed to work for the man who brought some measure of stability to the area in exchange for supplies to be delivered back home. Released in late 2020, it was deemed good enough to become RPG Codex's Game of the Year. Since then, inXile has improved it further, releasing nearly a dozen patches in total that added new features and quality of life improvements in addition to bug fixes and balance changes. The version I played, 1.6.9.420 (this is the kind of lowbrow humor you can expect to see frequently in the game), appears to be the final one.
Under the Hood
The first difference you'll notice from Wasteland 2 is that it takes a page from Divinity: Original Sin and requires you to make or take just two rangers at the start. There's a greater focus on accessibility and the ability to immediately jump in and start playing: there are five groups of pre-made rangers, and they all come with unique background bonuses and utility items that no custom-made ranger can acquire to compensate for their non-powergamed attribute and skill allocation. In addition to this, they also have a few unique voiced banters with each other, though you'll hear them all in the early areas. Once you're past the tutorial, you can make or take two more rangers from a different and larger pool and/or fill up your roster with companions for a total of six; however, you must always have at least two rangers in the party and can have no more than four. Some purists may balk, but I was grateful I could start playing immediately and learn how I wanted to build my future characters through experiencing the game's content as opposed to making decisions for four different characters at the start with no context other than my previous experience with RPGs.
[...]
Conclusion
If "reactivity and choice" was the mantra for Wasteland 2, then Wasteland 3 adds "transparency and accessibility" as another design pillar. inXile pulled off a heavily-reactive turn-based, party-based RPG that looks and sounds slick and is largely frustration-free when it comes to starting and playing. They re-examined their systems and modified them without throwing out the baby with the bathwater, in contrast to other studios who have tried to do the same in the past. Sure, it's not the second coming of Jagged Alliance 2, and no, it's not a party-based Fallout, but it's my favorite Wasteland game. Its status as the 2020 RPG Codex Game of the Year is well-deserved.
October
Wasteland 3 - Cult of the Holy Detonation Available
The final DLC content for Wasteland 3 is now available; Cult of the Holy Detonation.
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Deep within the Cheyenne Mountain military complex, mutant cults worship an ancient deity they call the Holy Detonation—a nuclear explosion held in stasis. Whether god, science experiment, or accidental miracle, the Detonation's energy could power Colorado Springs for hundreds of years, or level it in an instant. The warring cults have differing opinions on who should be allowed to honor their god, and you’re going to have to muscle your way to the altar. It’s one last mission for the Rangers in Colorado, and the outcome is certain to be explosive—one way or the other.Cult of the Holy Detonation expands the Wasteland 3 experience with entry into the Cheyenne Mountain complex, crammed with new characters, enemies, challenging combat encounters, and powerful new weapons and armor. Your squad of Rangers will be tested like never before in objective-based encounters that put a creative spin on the already deeply tactical turn-based combat. As they face overwhelming odds, the Rangers will need to shut down reactors, clear ventilation systems, and engage defensive countermeasures to stem an unending tide of dangerous mutants and machines within the dilapidated military bunker.
August
Wasteland 3 - Cult of the Holy Detonation DLC
The final DLC content for Wasteland 3 has been announced called Cult of the Holy Detonation. The DLC features the Cheyenne Mountain complex (like Stargate SG-1).
loading...Deep within the Cheyenne Mountain military complex, mutant cults worship an ancient deity they call the Holy Detonation—a nuclear explosion held in stasis. Whether god, science experiment, or accidental miracle, the Detonation's energy could power Colorado Springs for hundreds of years, or level it in an instant. The warring cults have differing opinions on who should be allowed to honor their god, and you’re going to have to muscle your way to the altar. It’s one last mission for the Rangers in Colorado, and the outcome is certain to be explosive—one way or the other.
Cult of the Holy Detonation expands the Wasteland 3 experience with entry into the Cheyenne Mountain complex, crammed with new characters, enemies, challenging combat encounters, and powerful new weapons and armor. Your squad of Rangers will be tested like never before in objective-based encounters that put a creative spin on the already deeply tactical turn-based combat. As they face overwhelming odds, the Rangers will need to shut down reactors, clear ventilation systems, and engage defensive countermeasures to stem an unending tide of dangerous mutants and machines within the dilapidated military bunker.
July
Wasteland 3 - State of the Frozen Union – July 2021
The latest update for Wasteland 3 talks about 1.5.0 and when we can expect it.
Rangers, grab your flask and your Hobo Dog, and set yourselves around the irradiated campfire. So far this year we’ve covered a lot of ground, but we’ve still got a ways to go before this leg of the adventure is done. As a brief recap of 2021 to date, we opened the gates to the Patriarch’s production factories at Steeltown, leveled up the game with crafting and an animal companion kennel, shared a slew of behind-the-scenes videos, dropped the soundtrack on Spotify, launched our initial merch offering, and even set our mouths on fire with some hot wings, just for you.
But we’re not quite done yet. Before the summer is out, we’ll be announcing our second and final DLC for Wasteland 3, and we’re excited to share those details soon. First, we have some important updates to detail.
Hotfix 1.4.6 & Patch 1.5.0
With a recent update a particularly sticky dialog issue was introduced, where players are unable to select any dialog options at key points in Little Vegas and Steeltown. Thanks to some eagle-eyed redditors, a workaround involving having Kwon and/or Lucia hang back at HQ during those conversations reportedly helped in those situations. All the same, we’ve got the fix for these which will be hitting the various platforms as soon as next week.
After 1.4.6, a larger forthcoming update (Patch 1.5.0) will be taking square aim at continuing to improve and refine the co-op experience in Wasteland 3. We know that for many of you co-op is your preferred way to deal with dispensing justice and we want to deliver the experience you’re looking for. We’re aware that since launch there’s been a number of issues reported with co-op, so we’ll be doing our best here to knock as many of these out as we can with a single blow. We’re expecting 1.5.0 to be ready in a few weeks.
Improving Co-op
One of the primary challenges with co-op in our game is that we're peer-to-peer, and that puts all the strain of communicating the game state on the players’ machines and network connection, rather than on a server. We’ve found troubleshooting firewalls, routers, and host network resolves a decent amount of these.
As we noted above, there are definitely still co-op bugs we’ll be addressing in Patch 1.5.0 to reduce interactivity and display issues (the full change list will be available in the final patch notes), but we're also looking at adding some ways to help players better identify when their network connection could be contributing to the problems.
In cases where there’s a disconnection, we’ll be generating an autosave for both players to ensure you can jump back in right where you left off. And if one player decides to quit, we’ll have better messaging so you’ll know what happened, rather than just see a generic disconnection error. We’ll also be making the connection strength indicator in the lobby more reliable, which will show if a co-op session may be unreliable due to either player’s networks.
Co-op Quality of Life Features
Focusing our energy on fixing co-op bugs and helping players diagnose connection issues should go a long way to improving the co-op experience, but we're also looking to add quality-of-life features. When 1.5.0 drops, you’ll be able to see what your co-op partner is hovering over/selecting in combat, in the inventory, and when perusing merchant wares. Communication is key in co-op, but this helps take some of the guesswork out of what the other player is thinking.
Additionally, while checking the inventory, you’ll be able to see the gear details of your partner’s squad members. With 1.5.0, conversations with skill checks will also automatically update the moment your friend joins the conversation, allowing them to sweet talk you out of whatever sticky situation you got yourself into when you ran off solo.
End Game DLC Rewind
Patch 1.5.0 isn’t entirely focused on co-op; we have a bunch of other fixes and quality of life improvements, not the least of which is allowing players to access the DLC even after they’ve passed the point of no return.
We were caught a bit off guard with how many of you only keep a single save file, which meant that when you went to go play Steeltown your only option was to replay the game from the start. Now, we think it’s absolutely worth a replay (or five) but we understand not everyone is looking to take on the full burden of Colorado’s problems again.
We’re fixing that in 1.5.0 by letting those of you past the endgame point of no return to go back to the world map, manage your squad (including replacing lost Rangers), and restock before attempting the DLC content.
Other Cool Stuff
The patch is a big’un, with fixes and improvements across the board. We’ll have the full details in the patch notes (when the patch goes live), of course. In the meantime, if you have co-op bugs you’ve never reported or it just seems we must not know about, please sound off on the official forums as we’d like to make sure we’re getting as much into this future update as possible.
Thanks for continuing this journey with us! We look forward to getting 1.5.0 in your hands and blowing your minds with the second and final DLC.
- Wasteland 3 Team
Thanks bjon045!
Wasteland 3 - The Battle for Steeltown Review
GiN checked out the Wasteland 3 DLC The Battle of Steeltown:
Wasteland 3 Adds Glory in Battle for Steeltown DLC
The developers over at inXile Entertainment have been pretty busy since their Wasteland 3 RPG was released late last year. They have been steadily patching the game, as well as adding new features and even some cosmetic upgrades. It’s been good to see them steadily improving what was already a pretty great core game in the role-playing space.
Improvements to the core game include, in addition to a few needed patches, a kennel to keep your animals safe and sound when not adventuring with them (which also makes it easy to swap them out to different rangers), lots of rebalancing improvements and finally the ability to craft new weapons, armor and equipment, including some special items that you might learn about along the way.
[...]
The Battle for Steeltown earns 4 GiN Gems, which is a little bit less than the 5 GiN Gems the core Wasteland 3 game earned when it first came out. But don’t let that discourage you from checking out Steeltown. It’s a good addition to the core game that is worth the money as an interesting and challenging side-adventure.
June
Wasteland 3 - Scotchmo's Breath Mint
Patch 1.4.1 is now available for Wasteland 3 and offers fixes and balance changes for the base game and Steeltown. There are spoilers in the patch notes so take care.
Patch 1.4.1 "Scotchmo's Breath Mint" Now Live
Scotchmo is great, but we’re certain his breath isn’t. And just like the breath mint we imagine he chews from time to time, this update is a deceptively small but potent addition. Packing a minty-fresh wallop that’s sure to air out the place like wintergreen on the palette of a curmudgeonly alcoholic with a closet full of Snake Squeezins.
Please note, Scotchmo’s Breath Mint’s notes are separated into changes that impact Steeltown specifically, and those that impact base game content or systems that span the entire game.
The Battle of Steeltown
Balance
[...]
Base Game
Balance
- We’ve employed a general fix for crit damage calculations, which should help with one-shot crits from enemies. Don’t worry, you won’t have to do the calculations, the game will do that for you. I mean, you could on paper, but you don’t have to.
*We found that enemies were calculating a higher crit damage value than intended. We’ve corrected the calculation. Player crit damage is unchanged.Gameplay
[...]
UI & Display
- Resolved an issue where quickslot items could disappear after map transitions or save loads.
- Resolved an issue that could prevent a player from accessing their character’s abilities while that character was aiming.
- Resolved an issue where dialog barks would linger after combat ended. Do you have to, do you have to let it linger? Good luck not singing that for the rest of the day now.
- The “highlight all” button will now no longer make non-interactive corpses show an outline because who needs that nonsense?
- [Microsoft Store] We’ve attempted to fix an issue introduced with 1.4.0 that was causing the game to launch with the brightness defaulted to the lowest setting. If you continue to encounter this please report it through the inXile support site.
- [Controller] Resolved an issue that could prevent a player from selecting status effects in the inventory with a controller.
Wasteland 3 - Battle of Steeltown Review
Wccftech checked out the Wasteland 3: Battle of Steeltown DLC:
Wasteland 3: The Battle of Steeltown DLC Review – Narrowing Down the Infinite to the Plausible
Ever since its very beginnings, the Wasteland series stood out from the competition with its crazy world, great writing, and solid gameplay, but it's only with Wasteland 3 that the series literally took off, presenting an amazing role-playing game experience that all fans of the genre should not miss for any reason. All the main game's best features, such as the great worldbuilding and writing, the engaging tactical combat system, and how the choices players make during the game have some real consequences, make a glorious comeback in The Battle of Steeltown, Wasteland 3's first proper expansion.
The Battle of Steeltown content can be accessed as soon as player characters reach level 9. Once they do, no matter where they are in the story, the Patriarch will contact the Rangers, asking them to look into an essential matter. Steeltown has been providing him all the weapons needed to defend his land from the gangs roaming around post-apocalyptic Colorado, but production dangerously slowed down in recent times. As such, the rangers, as part of their agreement with Saul Buchanan, must speak with the Steeltown CEO to solve any problem that may have arisen.
[...]
With a new engaging story nicely integrated with the main campaign, excellent writing, and new combat mechanics, Wasteland 3: The Battle of Steeltown is a more than worthy purchase for all those who have loved the game. The new campaign's high challenge level and relatively short length of the main quest may put some off, but, everything considered, The Battle of Steeltown is the perfect continuation of an already excellent experience.
Score: 8/10
Wasteland 3 - Battle of Steeltown Launched
Yesterday, the Wasteland 3 DLC Battle of Steeltown was released and it comes with a trailer.
Here is a review:
WCCFTEch, 8/10
With a new engaging story nicely integrated with the main campaign, excellent writing, and new combat mechanics, Wasteland 3: The Battle of Steeltown is a more than worthy purchase for all those who have loved the game. The new campaign's high challenge level and relatively short length of the main quest may put some off, but, everything considered, The Battle of Steeltown is the perfect continuation of an already excellent experience.
And a Youtube review from Fextralife.
Wasteland 3 - Battle of Steeltown Review
PC Invasion checked out Wasteland 3 - The Battle of Steeltown:
Wasteland 3: The Battle of Steeltown Review — Factories and firefights
Last August, I was able to play Wasteland 3, inXile Entertainment’s latest entry to the post-apocalyptic, turn-based RPG. Although it had a few flaws, my 60-hour journey was very much enjoyable. Still, I was looking for more, perhaps new adventures in the frozen wilderness of Colorado. That brings us to Wasteland 3: The Battle of Steeltown, the game’s first expansion which is set to release today.
For the sake of transparency, the developers did provide a save file that had pre-leveled characters (level 12) with decent gear. That was a blessing in disguise since I actually lost my save file when I upgraded my PC last year, and I only realized this mishap recently. Thankfully, I didn’t have to replay the game from the beginning.
[...]
Wasteland 3: The Battle of Steeltown
The first expansion for Wasteland 3 takes you to a massive factory that supplies Colorado with weapons and materials.Wasteland 3: The Battle of Steeltown has a few notable flaws, and it's also a fairly short romp. However, there's enough content and tactical depth to make you want to keep adventuring in this post-apocalyptic landscape.
Score: 7.5/10
May
Wasteland 3 - Patch 1.4
Henriquejr spotted patch 1.4 for Wasteland 3:
Wasteland 3 Patch 1.4.0 "Appetite for Construction" Now Live
Welcome to the proverbial jungle, baby.
Welcome to the proverbial jungle, baby. We heard you loud and clear and we know what you want. You want to rock and roll all night and part of every day. You want us to crank it up to 11 as you compose your symphonies of destruction during a season in the abyss.
In case you didn't get the memo, the crazy train has left the station and is roaring towards the release of Wasteland 3's first expansion on June 3. We're hungry as all hell for more Wasteland 3, and we got a nasty appetite for construction. As noted in our recent 1.4.0 feature preview articles, the headliners of this concertapalooza are crafting and the animal companion kennel updates. They're followed by a lineup of other headbangin' callouts noted below that are sure to make you not-so-quietly riot from your chairs and sofas.
So come on, feel the noise.
Highlights
New Feature: Crafting
- Players are now able to craft mods, weapons, gear, and mystery items from the crafting menu accessible from the inventory screen. Time to put that scrap to work.
- Crafting recipes can be learned by leveling up some skills, buying them from vendors, searching containers, and discovering mystery crafting recipe ingredients. More info available here.
New Feature: Animal Companion Kennel & Improved UI
- A new kennel located just outside Ranger HQ is now available. Animals dismissed in the field or those who were following a Ranger who died will return automatically to the kennel, and from there they can optionally be dismissed back into the wild. You wouldn’t do that though because you’re not a heartless jerk.
- The animal companion type limit has been removed, allowing squads to have multiples of the same type of animal in the squad (1 animal per Ranger still, of course). That’s right, you can now have a whole squad of pissed-off cats scratching cannibal clowns.
- Character portraits now display icons for animal companions. Mousing over (or selecting) the animal icon will display a tooltip with that companion’s current stats. More info available here.
New Customization Options
- 12 new chest pieces are now available when creating or customizing your character, with some “job”-themed options like medic and explosives expert. Finally, what you’ve always wanted, to have a work uniform in-game too.
- Polly the Parrot is 100% more inappropriate and packs a walloping Demoralize ability. Do not, for the love of all that is holy, play Polly’s dialog at high volume in proximity to anyone of high moral character.
Gameplay
- Added new safeguards to ensure followers like Provost, Party Pal, clones, etc. won’t disappear if the squad member they’re following dies, gets swapped out, or when swapping them to the other player in co-op.
- In certain situations where enemies surrender to the player, combat should no longer be re-triggered due to multi-shot attacks or damage over time status effects.
- With Permanent Death mode on, the endgame sequence will now give a proper game over screen if your only remaining characters leave the squad during certain story outcomes.
- The Tender Loving Care perk will now properly be removed when the character owning the perk is removed from the squad.
- Fixed a bug where if a character had two equipped weapons granting the same ability (such as alternate fire modes), the ability would not be usable.
- Fixed a bug that would cause Downed or Incapacitated player characters to disappear after leaving Union Station, past interacting with Morningstar.
- Resolved an issue where the downed state timer would advance too quickly if that squadmate had already been revived during that combat.
- Player characters who are Downed on the World Map will be automatically revived when returning to Ranger HQ so you don’t have to manually bring them back.
- Resolved various collision issues with invisible walls in the Bunker near Aspen.
- Fixed an issue for the Jackhammer shotgun with Extended Choke mods that would mess with the targeting cone in aim mode. You might think we’d make a joke here about “jackhammer” and “extended choke”, but you’re wrong. And sick.
- Yellow Snowballs can now correctly apply the Black Thaw STD, making the “Back in the Sack” achievement more achievable. You’re welcome?
- Lucky Crit and Lucky Mega Crit prompts are now properly followed by critical hits as intended. Lucky you.
[...]
Wasteland 3 - Battle of Steeltown Overview
Yemeth spotted a new trailer for the Wasteland 3 DLC Battle of Steeltown. The DLC will be available on June 3:
Wasteland 3: Welcome to Steeltown DLC Overview
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April
Wasteland 3 - Gets two DLCs
Brian Fargo tweeted some days ago, that two expansions will be added to Wasteland 3. The Battle of Steamtown will be released on June 3:
There will two expansions in total for Wasteland 3 and we add content into Ranger HQ and provide extra audio throughout the main game to increase reactivity. Plus, we added quite a few more songs for the game. We hope you enjoy...
Thanks Henriquejr!
Wasteland 3 - Patch 1.4.0 Feature Preview: Crafting
The latest update for Wasteland 3 talks about what to expect from patch 1.4 - crafting unique items.
Wasteland 3 Patch 1.4.0 Feature Preview: Crafting
The world in which the Rangers exist is a perilous environment filled with challenge at every turn, where desperation and despair wait just ahead and trail close behind. Survivors in this world do not get by with sheer luck or by accident. They maintain a will to survive that has been tempered for generations in this radioactive wasteland where life was meant to die.
Out here, the pieces of this broken world are your keys to rebuilding anew . . . or should at least prove helpful in prolonging your own grisly demise for another day.
CRAFTING THE APOCALYPSE
This year’s updates so far have included Permadeath, Difficult Skill Checks, new difficulty modes, new cosmetic options, and a host of quality-of-life changes and game improvements—but we’re not stopping there. With Patch 1.4.0 releasing in the next few weeks, your Rangers will soon be able to finally put much more of what they find across frozen Colorado to new use, and forge items that are oftentimes helpful, sometimes exotic, and occasionally, just batshit insane.
Wasteland 3’s Crafting system will introduce exciting new weapons and high-level mods for squads to experiment with. This is going to be especially beneficial for those of you coming back to play the expansions we’ve got coming. This is a true-to-Wasteland system, with new gear that celebrates the post-apoc theme, and packs other surprises that’ll keep you guessing. Along with all that new hotness, there’s also the obvious convenience of making your squads more self-sufficient in the field, as they’ll be able to make their own ammo and medical supplies on the run.Overall, this system is going to give new purpose to a lot of the vendor Junk you find in the world, allowing you to grind it all up and spit it all back out as a bunch of shiny new items.
The new craftable W.A.S.P. Gun is every bit as horrific as you imagine it to be.
RECIPES FOR DESTRUCTION
Whether you’ll be challenging Colorado’s tundra in a fresh playthrough, or are continuing from an existing save, this next update will immediately grant you access to this new feature. Crafting in Wasteland 3 doesn’t require a Crafting skill—all you need are recipes and the components to make them.
There are effectively three ways to get recipes:
1. By leveling up your Skills!
The most basic recipes are acquired automatically as your characters’ Skills are leveled up. Increasing your First Aid, for example, will also unlock recipes to craft Med Hypos, Medic Packs, and more. Skill-point recipes like these tend to offer the most basic and regularly useful items like ammo, healing items, as well as standard weapon and armor mods.
[...]
Wasteland 3 - DLC Battle of Steeltown: June 3
The Wasteland 3 DLC The Battle of Steeltown will be released on June 3:
Wasteland 3: The Battle of Steeltown - Announcement Teaser
loading...The entire experience can be played either alone or in co-op. As part of a press release, game director David Rogers described the DLC as the culmination of developer inXile Entertainment's work since launch.
"For those playing Wasteland 3 for the first time they’ll be playing the best version of the game. For players coming back to visit Steeltown they’re in for a treat with new story, characters, and combat mechanics that really change up tactics in challenging new ways.
They’ll also see characters and stories they started in the base game make an appearance, with new interactions for everyone’s favorite foul-mouthed parrot, Santa’s Elves ‘Where Are They Now?’ and more. All of this is complemented with incredible new post-apoc music."
March
Wasteland 3 - Patch 1.3.3 Now Live
Patch 1.3.3 for Wasteland 3 is now available.
Wasteland 3 "Death & Taxes" 1.3.3 Patch Now Live
Behold... a pale rider in the distance and it tolls a bell, but for whom doth it tolleth its bell for? Forsooth! It tolleth its bell for thee...
You sick bastards. From day one you've been clamoring for us to bring permadeath back to Wasteland, and well, here you go. Have fun watching your Rangers squirm in the snow choking on their own digital blood... reaching up to you through the screen, asking for help. But you can't help them. Or you could but you choose not to. Maybe their evasion was just a little too low a little too often. Maybe if you hadn't thought they couldn't possibly take that much damage in a single turn. Or maybe you kept them standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whatever, pour one out and say a little prayer. They're dead.
Of course, permadead Rangers aren't the only thing we cooked up in this patch. Scope the highlights below for the meatiest chunks of info in our newest iteration of Wasteland 3, Patch 1.3.3 "Death & Taxes."
P.S. Hang onto yer butts, plenty more to come this year! Colorado is just getting warmed up.Highlights
- Permanent Death (aka Permadeath) is here to challenge your sanity. This is an optional mode that can only be enabled when starting a new game.
- If enabled, your squad members will be permanently killed if their Downed timer during combat expires. Once they’re dead, they’re dead forever. How death normally works.
- Permadeath is a single player-only mode.
- Difficult Skills Checks
- You can now respec your squad members to reallocate their Attributes, Skills, and Perks!
- While at Ranger HQ, a new “Retrain” option is available in the Manage Squad screen, which refunds all points to be spent again. This excludes unique gameplay bonuses such as Cyborg Tech and the Tarjan Machine perks, and any Quirks chosen at character creation.
- Retraining characters has a cost which is shared with Recruiting new Rangers.
- Recruitment Cost
- Since you’ll need to start a new game to turn on permadeath and difficult skill checks, we have 23 new character customization options to use including helmets, masks, makeup, scars, and tattoos are available.
- Multiple helmets were designed alongside renowned post-apocalyptic costume designers for this update. Check inXile-entertainment.com for photos and info.
- Additional Crash and Performance Fixes
- We’ve been continually working to improve stability on systems with low amounts of memory (older consoles, primarily) and this update resolves one of our most impactful issues. For those of you experiencing crashes after longer play sessions, we’d love for you to give this update a try and let us know if it resolved your issue. If not, we’d also like to hear from you on the inXile forums so we can continue to make improvements.
- We’ve taken a pass at textures across the game to either reduce or increase texture sizes to create a more consistent memory footprint. This should result in slightly more even performance.
- Additional misc. changes and fixes that should result in overall improved stability.
- [PC] Added voice chat options to enable Push to Talk, show microphone input source, manage volume, or disable it entirely. The Push to Talk key can be customized in keyboard bindings.
[...]
Wasteland 3 - Patch 1.3.3: New Features
Patch 1.3.3 for Wasteland 3 brings new features, including respecing and perma-death mode.
January
Wasteland 3 - Patch 1.3.0
Our GotY Wasteland 3 got a huge patch:
Patch 1.3.0 "Robots & Rangers" Now Live!
It is a mystical time in the mysterious land of Wastelandia! Dragons are afoot, and rogue knights parlay with wicked constabularies to win over fair maidens’ hearts… Ok, ok, fine. None of that is true. There’s nothing mystical about burnt out Colorado in the post-apocalypse, and there most certainly are no dragons mucking about.
So if there’s no dragons and wizardry, then what in the hell is with the dungeon spelunking theme? Well, it’s a strange world, people dress up like clowns and dead presidents, and our last patch was themed after a bowl of cannibal chili, so, whatever. It’s a weird world.
Let us get back on thine proper track! Last week we announced that Patch 1.3.0 would be getting the first set of free costumes, as well as a tease of a new difficulty setting: Tourist mode. Of course that’s not all, and this patch is packed full of fixes and changes to improve the quality of your life—which is our #1 goal.
Alright, well, time to dig into the patch notes!
Update: We originally said PlayStation was going to be delayed, but it’s not! All platforms will be published around the same time.
- New difficulty mode: Tourist
- New Hair, Beards, and Pants have been added to character creation.
- The Handmade Wizard and Knight costumes will let you roleplay all your Robots & Rangers fantasies. Anyone already past the Cornered Rats mission (Garden of the Gods) will receive them automatically, while anyone progressing through the quests will want to head back to Ranger HQ to claim the care package outside the front doors. Equip the costumes at the wardrobe in Ranger HQ or the clothing shop in Downtown Colorado Springs ... and attack the darkness!
- Intelligence now gives +1 skill point for every point of Intelligence spent, up from +1 every other point.
- Note: The missing Book Learnin’ note becomes available after passing a Leadership skill check when first meeting the Patriarch and then speaking to Magistrate Silas Watkins in Downtown Colorado Springs.
- The missing cassette tapes "Kidnappers in Trouble" is in the Gett Family Homestead in a new container. "A Proposal" is in the Machine Commune, just west of Vivisecto.
- Resolved an animation stutter that appeared as a framerate drop while moving, and was particularly noticeable on the PlayStation 4.
- More actions are now able to be bound to keyboard and mouse, most notably camera panning. The game will also unmap double-bound keys to prevent input conflicts, and warn you about missing keybinds before you leave the menu.
[...]
Thanks henriquejr!
December
Wasteland 3 - Patch 1.2.0 Now Live
Patch 1.2.0 is now live for Wasteland 3 and it's a big one. The patch includes many gameplay and balance changes. Additionally there are additions for UI, Console, Co-op, Art & Audio.
Patch 1.2.0 "Meat Maker Marinade" Now Live
The patch we announced in our State of the Frozen Union address is here!
Wasteland 3 Patch 1.2.0 “Meat Maker Marinade”
- Balance changes have adjusted some core systems to ensure a true wasteland experience. Developer commentary is included below from David Rogers to help explain the thought process and intentions behind the changes.
- We finally resolved the issue that could cause the two starting Rangers’ attributes to go into the negative. Thanks to everyone who had to deal with this for your patience.
- We resolved a few progression blockers which were giving some of you grief, including the Yuma County Speedway door and Little Hell gondola.
- The incredibly annoying slamming-into-cover issue is now addressed! If you still want your controller to vibrate endlessly we hear there are apps for that.
- [PC/Xbox] Brazilian Portuguese and Italian subtitles are now available!
Note: These additional subtitles are expected to be available on PlayStation by early next year.
[...]
Balance
- The XP needed to level up has been adjusted. XP requirements for levels 8 through 20 have been only slightly increased, while XP requirements from 20-30 have been greatly increased. This brings the functional max level down to around 27, from around 29.
- “Critical hit chance was getting much higher than we wanted, and was having an outsized impact on combat. Enemies were critically hitting players too often, which didn’t feel good, and player critical hit chance was getting up too high, particularly for characters who weren’t necessarily even trying to build for crit chance. These new changes target bringing overall crit chances down, mostly for characters who aren’t consciously building for crit chance. We did this rather than bringing down the maximum crit damage. We like big damage numbers, they feel good, but we want them to be the exception, not the norm.”
- “The goal with these two changes is to buff the assault rifle, but also to give it a different use-case vs. the SMG. While the SMG is about heavy damage and high risk flanking maneuvers, the assault rifle should be a reliable work-horse that can deliver consistent damage when it's needed while staying safe behind cover.”
- Characters who have been stunned will gain a “Stun Protection” status effect after it wears off, stopping any character from being stunned two turns in a row.
- Tier 4 and 5 loot crates have a reduced chance to drop above-tier gear, making tier 5 and 6 weapons rarer earlier in the game.
- Shotguns and flamethrowers have had their Torrent Strike damage reduced to 200% of weapon damage, down from 300%.
- Pistol Pete will no longer use the Trick Shot ability.
- Weapons and armor now display their level, making it easier to compare items and understand if your gear is at the appropriate level for your characters.
- Sniper rifles have had their bonus strike rate reduced. Low level sniper rifles have no bonus strike rate, but will start to gain the stat at higher levels.
- High level sniper rifles now cost 7 AP to fire, up from 6.
- “We saw a dominant strategy form in which lots of low-level animal companions were being taken, along with many of the followers, which resulted in them having too large an impact on combat (namely in how much damage they soaked up). We know people love their animals and generally will reload their save game until they survive the fight, so rather than killing your furry friends off, we’re limiting how much the enemies are shooting them vs. your own Rangers. This, combined with reduced follower tanking will hopefully put a larger emphasis on debuffs at higher difficulties.”
- Deployables now have a maximum level they’ll scale to, stopping them from being overly impactful in the late game. The most notable change is that Machine turrets will stop getting better after level 14, while laser turrets will scale up to lvl 20.
- The skill needed to install a Razor Box weapon mod has been reduced to 6, from 10.
- Satoshi’s case is now more valuable to vendors.
- Rocket launchers now cost 4 AP to reload, up from 2.
- Cheebus now sells Tier 5 gear, down from Tier 6.
- Jackhammer shotgun’s AP to fire is increased to 5, up from 3.
- Food items are now more expensive (AP) to eat in combat.
- Pre-order bonus weapons have had their vendor value lowered, so if they’re sold they do not dramatically impact the intended economy.
Wasteland 3 - State of the Frozen Union
The latest update for Wasteland 3 talks about the next patch.
Wasteland 3: State of the Frozen Union
Rangers, we’ve just about made it to the final stretch of 2020. Who’d have thought that was possible? It seems like this year was the surprise that just kept on giving. Despite the trials and tribulations that the last several months have put in our paths, we’ve taken solace in the Ranger creed of survival. As others have stated, perhaps all this work dealing with the theme of the post-apocalypse helped prepare us for the challenges in our way this year. All the same, just as the Rangers understand, survival alone isn’t enough. There’s yet work to be done.
We were extremely proud to be able to share that over 1 million players have suited up and braved the wilds of Wasteland 3, and released a special video to celebrate. We’ve been fortunate to see good reviews, positive feedback, and have recently garnered a few award nominations too. But since release we’ve worked tirelessly to resolve issues, have tackled some of the biggest bugs, and were even able to reduce our load times to mere seconds in some cases.
We’re not done yet though, and our biggest patch, as well as new OS and language support, is coming soon. Read on for the full details.Patch 1.2.0 “Meat Maker Marinade”
Since launch our focus has been on resolving some of the most pertinent issues and blockers as quickly as possible. But now we’ve taken a bit more time and have been working on longer term fixes and balance changes. Our next patch, which we’re lovingly referring to as “Meat Maker Marinade,” contains a ton of improvements and fixes.
Why are we calling it Meat Maker Marinade? Well, with this update we’re past most of the urgent issues and are focusing on letting the flavors soak in—balancing the sweet and salty, the sour and spicy, and allowing the co-mingling juices to fill in all corners of the gaming palate. What kind of meat is it, you ask? Come on, you know better than that. In the wasteland you never ask what kind of meat it is...
We’re expecting Meat Maker Marinade to launch next week across all platforms, and of course shortly before it goes live we’ll be sharing the full patch notes.
Now, as hard as we’ve tried, we don’t expect this update will contain absolutely every fix possible—some are taking a bit longer to implement and verify. We are, however, following up this patch with another patch (1.3.0) very quickly afterward, and are targeting to hopefully get that one out before the end of the year. It’s a pretty good sized update in its own right, and we’ll have more info on it after 1.2.0 is out the door.
One of the issues we get a lot of feedback for—that we’re continuing to make progress on—is overall stability on low-memory platforms. If you’re playing on PC chances are this won’t affect you, but it can impact consoles, and especially the lower memory original-release variants from last gen. We’re continuing to make improvements on this front, and it’s something we’ll be continuing to improve with each update.Mac and Linux
Earlier in the year we announced that Mac and Linux would be delayed, but that we expected to have them available before the end of the year. Despite the challenges the year threw at us, Mac and Linux clients will be available on Steam and GOG with Patch 1.3.0! As noted above, we’re targeting Patch 1.3.0 to hit before the end of the year.
We know our Mac and Linux communities have been especially patient with us, and we sincerely appreciate you hanging in there as we work to get Wasteland 3 into your hands.Brazilian Portuguese and Italian
Another addition we previously stated would be available before the end of the year would be the inclusion of Brazilian Portuguese and Italian subtitles, and these too are slated to come with Patch 1.3.0 which we're targeting to launch before the end of the year. We’re in the process of implementing the achievements, Steam badges, and trading cards, and you may see some of those things starting to pop up as we prepare for their release.
Estamos quase lá!
Ci siamo quasi!2021
Believe it or not, Wasteland 3 is just getting started, and 2021 is going to be a heck of a year for Team November. In addition to the deployment of our previously hinted at DLCs (more info coming in the new year), more work will continue to be done on performance, game balancing, and bug fixes. We’re also going to be adding new features like permadeath, and enhancements for animal companions, as well as more options for players to better customize their experience. You can be sure that as we get closer to the release of these features, we’ll have more info to share.
We want to thank all of you in our community for helping make this year as good as it can be, despite the challenges which have affected us all. With that said, it never hurts to have a great game to take our minds off the challenges we face in the real world, and we’ve made it our aim to give you an awesome RPG, and will continue improving and adding to it. Thanks for being there with us and playing Wasteland 3. Your enjoyment and feedback you’ve shared have made it all worthwhile.
For now, this is Ranger HQ signing off.
- Wasteland 3 Team
November
Wasteland 3 - Review @ Kordanor's Gaming Lair
Our fellow Watcher Kordanor reviewed Wasteland 3 at his Gaming Lair:
Wasteland 3 - Review / Conclusion [EN] by Kordanor
loading...Wasteland 3 offers quite an interesting, and -for the most part- well made story with a lot of choices and consequences. And this is all happening in a very atmospheric environment, as long as you can look past the humor and also the zoo which you carry around with you; and if you are ok with quite some criticism aimed at religion. The character system is working quite well this time, which is a big improvement over the predecessor. However there is still a problem regarding how well you can plan ahead, and the push towards custom created characters in general isn't great either.
The combat would have really profited from some more polish, even when it's already working better than it did in Wasteland 2.
And with that Wasteland 3 surpasses Wasteland 2 in terms of mechanics and production values, but in total it's still somewhat away from being a perfect game.
While this is a really close one, my rating for Wasteland 3 is a reluctant but still full thumbs up.
I think it's a worthy next part of the Wasteland series and I can recommend it to most fans of RPGs.
That is as long as you aren't totally opposed to what I mentioned regarding the story and setting, you don't focus too much on the combat aspects and it also does help if you prefer creating custom characters over taking story-characters anyways.
And of course you would also need to either have the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate which includes this game, or 60 Euros or Dollars for the full price on Steam. So it might be a good idea to wait for a sale here.
October
Wasteland 3 - Review @ RPG Site
RPG Site reviewed Wasteland 3:
Wasteland 3 Review
Wasteland 3 is a game that I wanted to get excited about for a long time, but couldn't ever really muster up any genuine enthusiasm for one reason or another. I don't have any nostalgia for the series, the pre-release showcases for the game didn't really grip me, and I never really found the setting compelling. A post-apocalyptic wasteland (no doubt) with an extra emphasis on the capacity of human depravity, with servings of over-embellished political satire, bleak and dark humor, and a tactical flavor reminiscent of XCOM. It was a melting pot of things I wasn't sure I was altogether keen on.
Good word of mouth alongside a major patch to fix some of the initial technical issues, and I finally figured I would dive in and educate myself a little bit about exactly what sort of game this was and experience it firsthand. I had recently played the original two Fallout games and wanted to play something similar, at least on a surface level. What I found was a weirdly confident, unique experience that is undoubtedly a hard sell to players who weren't already on board, but also one of the most interesting and distinctive RPGs I've played in the last couple years.
[...]
Wasteland 3 has a certain attitude that isn't really like most other games I've played. It's often irreverent and sarcastic and frequently bleak, but it still manages to be one of the funniest games I've played this year. At the same time, it has weird moments where I find myself baffled, completely unsure at what the intended response was ever expected to be. At its core is are some absolutely robust systems that RPG fans should love to tinker with, and while the storytelling is often a mixed bag, I found myself appreciative of how Wasteland 3 sets itself apart in a setting that it would be so easy to play it safe in.Score: 8/10
Wasteland 3 - Review @ TriangleCity
TriangleCity reviewed Wasteland 3:
Wasteland 3 Review
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Wasteland 3 - Patch 1.1.2 Reduces Load Times
Patch 1.1.2 for Wasteland 3 has been released which reduces load times by up to 60%.
Patch 1.1.2 "Save Scummers Delight" Now Live
Our continued thanks to those playing and enjoying Wasteland 3, and for those of you who have continued to report issues, and bring our attention to solutions and reproduction steps. It's been heartening to see so many of you looking to help us continue to improve the experience, and we're dedicated to doing just that for the foreseeable future.
This update has some big changes, including the oft-requested improvements to load times, as well as fixes for some progression blockers, and more. Reducing the load times was a big undertaking to essentially rewrite how our level load procedure works, but we think you'll appreciate the result—especially if love to save and reload to get that perfect outcome (we won't tell).
Patch 1.1.2 is now live on Steam and GOG with Microsoft Store, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 versions going live early next week following their certification release process. Please note that for cross-platform co-op on PC, both the Host and Client will need to have matching versions.
Highlights
- Do you hate long load times? We hate long load times. Our engineers changed how the game loads levels, reducing load times by up to 60% on PC and 25% on console.
- As one example, on our PC test hardware a 38 second load time was reduced to 13 seconds.
- Fixed an issue where combat could become unresponsive with use of the Chain Ambush Perk for sniper rifles.
- Resolved several progression blocking issues in Yuma County Speedway.
- Enemies are now much less invisible after use of Precision Strike.
Performance & Stability
- Significantly changed how levels load, resulting in up to 60% faster load speeds across the game on PC, and on average 25% faster for consoles.
- Note: your hardware, save data, and which level you’re loading into can all impact load times. Your mileage may of course vary.
- As part of this change, auto-saves will no longer occur as a part of the level load, and instead happen concurrently. This can lead to situations where you’ve loaded into the next scene but an auto-save is still in-progress. Don’t close the game while the Ranger star is spinning.
- Major Prasad will no longer crash your game if you exit while she’s still talking.
- Additional stability and performance improvements for consoles that were too technical for the person writing these patch notes to understand and explain easily. It’s good stuff though. All good stuff.
- We’ll be continuing to target and resolve specific stability issues as necessary.
Co-op
- Players can no longer attack companions that are in the process of being recruited by the other player, in case your partner likes to troll.
- Fixed an issue where the Guest client could become unresponsive when talking with Hope Emerson and choosing to side with Del Hackett and her people.
- Improved stability while in the Hire Companion screen.
- Players can now use the keyboard in the lobby screen to choose game type, options, invite player, and ready up.
- Enabled UI Narration in the Direct Connection interface and for multiplayer game messages sent through chat.
- Fixed an issue with voice chat text-to-speech and speech-to-text.
- [Microsoft Store] Resolved an issue where guests couldn’t rejoin a lobby they’d just left.
[...]
Wasteland 3 - DLC Plans
GameWatcher reports on comments made by Brian Fargo about DLC for Wasteland 3.
Wasteland 3 will receive future improvements and DLC, InXile Entertainment Studio Head Brian Fargo has confirmed.
On top of that, Fargo also pointed out that Wasteland 3 companion permadeath is "still coming", although he didn't provide a timeframe on when the feature might launch.
"Long after bug squashing is complete, we'll continue to add UI improvements, optimize load times and bring on DLC expansions and more." reads a tweet from early September.
[...]
Thanks Farflame!
September
Wasteland 3 - Patch 1.1.1 Now Live
Wasteland 3 Patch 1.1.1 Now Live
Thank you to everyone for your support as we continue to add to and improve Wasteland 3. This update was focused on a lot of the issues we've heard about from you the most, and we're hoping it goes a long way toward improving your play experience.
However, we're not done yet. Our next patch is a big one, and contains hundreds of individual changes including fixes, balance improvements, and load time reduction. Please be aware of our Known Issues list for issues we're aware of and working to resolve. Thanks for your patience, and see you in the wasteland.
Highlights
- Numerous changes aimed at improving stability on consoles.
- Co-op fixes for load screens stopping at 33%.
- Antique Appraiser has been appropriately balanced.
Wasteland 3 – 1.1.1 Patch Notes
Performance and Stability
- We’ve made over a dozen individual changes aimed at improving performance and stability, especially on consoles.
- We’re continuing work on additional improvements for future updates.
- Some slight load time improvements have been made.
- We’re finalizing some more impactful load time reductions which you’ll see in a future patch.
- Fixed an issue where if computer consoles were used during combat, game performance would decrease.
- Performance has been improved when using Precision Strike.
Co-op
- Load screen hangs (i.e. 33% load bug) have largely been resolved for co-op games.
- In a few cases the load bar may appear to be stuck at 33% but will eventually load after 5 or more minutes. We’re aware and actively working to resolve these.
- Addressed an issue with the Direct Connect option that was preventing some guests from connecting to their hosts.
- Fixed crash that could occur in co-op while players engaged with Major Prasad.
- Players with different build versions are now blocked from playing with each other.
- [Xbox One] Resolved an issue where the user would not be able to join a second game if it was hosted by the same person.
Quests and Gameplay[...]
Wasteland 3 - Review @ Gameffine
Gameffine has reviewed Wasteland 3:
Wasteland 3 Review :: Six Desert Rangers Walk into a Bar
I love inXile Entertainment, no questions asked. inXile founder Brian Fargo is a monumental figure in the RPG scene whose contributions to the genre cannot be understated. I’ve played all of their games starting with The Bard’s Tale 16 years ago. Even though none of their RPGs – Wasteland 2, Torment: Tides of Numenera, or The Bard’s Tale IV quite hit the sweet spot, their passion for the genre is clear. I was always hopeful that, given the sufficient budget, resources, and time, they could pull off a real gem. A successful crowdfunding campaign, the acquisition by Microsoft, and with Deep Silver acting as the publisher, Wasteland 3 looked like inXile’s best shot to make it big. Being a long-time Wasteland fan, and one who enjoyed Wasteland 2 immensely despite the terrible second half, I was all up for it. 65 hours and 1.5 playthroughs later, here are my thoughts on Wasteland 3.
[...]
Real Talk
Wasteland 3 is, in essence, an improved version of its predecessor. The writing, quests, and combat have been improved and polished upon by a large margin but there are a few design choices that stick out like a sore thumb. Technical issues, broken co-op, and a bloated UI hold the game back from its true potential. The game doesn’t break any new ground but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Still, at a time when RPGs are defying tried and tired tropes to provide a fresh experience, you wish there was more inXile could have done with the increased budget and resources. So, If you’re a die-hard fan or someone trying to get into CRPGs, Wasteland 3 is an easy buy with some caveats. Those on the fence can try the game out on Xbox Game Pass or wait for the developers to patch out the issues.
Score: 7.8/10
Wasteland 3 - Review @ Game Rant
Game Rant reviewed Wasteland 3:
Wasteland 3 Review
InXile Entertainment's Wasteland 3 is an excellent turn-based RPG that has the right amount of strategy, heavy choices, and absurdity.
Wasteland 3 sees the Arizona Rangers leave their home behind on a desperate mission into the nuclear winter of Colorado, where right from the get-go, players are thrust into a game filled with important decisions, fights for survival, and a variety of tactical scenarios. With a strong backing from its Kickstarter, inXile Entertainment manages to deliver perhaps the best game in the franchise.
The overarching structure of the game is straightforward: in order to get help for Arizona, players are tasked with working with a questionable authoritarian figure in capturing his three children. These three big goals are the driving force behind much of Wasteland 3, but it's what fills the world that gives it a unique charm.
[...]
Overall, Wasteland 3 is an easy recommendation for RPG fans. It's a wild ride from start to finish - one that is well worth every hour and playthrough spent on it. Prior to launch, one developer stated that Wasteland 3 was "epic in size", but experiencing it first-hand proves that this is an understatement, that the game has much more to offer players than first glance, and that the game is worth playing, time and again.
Score: 4.5/5
Wasteland 3 - Review @ COG
COG has reviewed Wasteland 3:
Wasteland 3 Review - Step Aside Fallout, The King is Back
loading...After Wasteland’s successful revival in 2014, inExile pulled together 3 million in crowdfunding for Wasteland 3. The result? Pretty damn good, I have to say. So good that I’m saying farewell to Fallout and welcoming back the granddaddy of the post-apocalypse to its rightful throne.
Wasteland 3 - Review @ Skill Up
Skill Up has reviewed Wasteland 3:
Wasteland 3 Is A Rare And Expertly Crafted RPG Experience (Review)
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August
Wasteland 3 - Brian Fargo Interview @ Shacknews
Shacknews interviewed Brian Fargo about Wasteland 3 inspirations and the development journey:
Brian Fargo Talks Wasteland 3 Inspirations & Development Journey
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Wasteland 3 - Release Day
Wasteland 3 will be released today - here's the countdown.
Wasteland 3 - Liberty Character Trailer
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Wasteland 3 - Review Roundup
Here are the first reviews for the upcoming Wasteland 3:
DualShockers: Score: 9/10 "Improving on its predecessor in almost every way, Wasteland 3 is one of the best and most reactive RPGs I've played in a long time."
Eurogamer: Recommended. "inXile's old-school RPG is the Fallout game we've been craving."
GamesRadar: Score: 4/5 "A terrifically executed RPG that rewards player investment."
PC Gamer: Score: 84/100 "A wilfully strange setting explored through a predictable but enjoyable old school RPG that's been streamlined just enough."
PCGamesN: Score: 9/10 "Lurid characters, a deep RPG system, and captivating combat set in an unhinged apocalypse - inXile Entertainment’s latest shouldn’t be missed."
Wccftech: Score: 9/10 "Wasteland 3 features everything only the best role-playing games do: an engaging story powered by excellent writing, compelling characters, tons of customization options, and a deep tactical combat system that feels fresh even after dozens of hours."
Windows Central: Score: 5/5 "Wasteland 3 is breaking new ground like its predecessors, over thirty years later. This RPG masterpiece has so much stuff you'll struggle to see it all, even with multiple playthroughs. Unmissable instant CRPG classic."
Wasteland 3 - Co-op Trailer
A co-op trailer for Wasteland 3. You can read more at xbox about how co-op works.
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Play Wasteland 3 day one with Xbox Game Pass.
In Wasteland 3’s co-op you can work with a partner to strategize in tactical combat, make decisions on how to navigate the gangs, factions, and cults of Colorado, and how to divvy up their loot.
And with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you can enjoy unlimited access to over 100 great games on Xbox One and PC, including all the new Xbox Game Studios games the day they launch. Get the ultimate gaming subscription today with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate:
http://www.xbox.com/xbox-game-pass
Wasteland 3 - Final Countdown
An update for Wasteland 3 reveals more improvements such as the implementation of crouch and a better user interface.
loading...Looks like we made it! Here we are in the final stretch before Wasteland 3’s release on August 28. It’s been a long haul since our introduction of Wasteland 3’s Fig campaign back in 2016, all the way up through this year.
2020 has not been without its challenges, not the least of which for us was the introduction of working from home and a subsequent delay from our previous release date. It was a daunting prospect filled with unknowns, but the team rallied, and we quickly adapted to these new complexities. The extension on release also offered us more time to consider the feedback from the Beta and to implement much needed polish, general refinements, and focus on additional elements. We shared some of those in our last update, and we have a few more for you.
Let's get down to it.Tactical Combat Option: Crouch
You asked for it. We did it. Feedback from the Beta overwhelmingly called out that the absence of crouch made players feel less in control of the tactical options they expected in isometric turn-based combat. In addition to the tactical abilities that characters had control over in the Beta, they will now be able to improve their hit chance, evasion, and detection time when crouching.
Wasteland 3 already had a deep combat system that we think players will be learning to master for quite some time, but we were happy to act on Beta feedback and get this feature in before launch. Crouch is always accessible from the action bar.UI & You and I
In our previously mentioned update we teased some of the newly-minted options in the UI, including the ability to toggle custom armor visuals, as well as the addition of the much coveted ‘sell junk’ option. Along with those, we’re happy to announce that the merchant interface has also been overhauled and improved. Each individual character will now be able to be selected while you’re browsing a store’s wares, to make for easier comparison and identification of necessary gear.
We’ve also implemented a minimap to help you locate nearby points of interest and vendors. This won’t take the place of the existing map, but will give you an always-available means of identifying where you’re at in the world. For those who prefer less clutter in their lives and on their screen, there’s an option to disable the minimap if you so desire.Posthumous Permadeath
A few of the more hardcore among you have asked us for permadeath in Wasteland 3. We actually went back and forth quite a bit on this as an option, mainly because we knew the amount of development work it would need. When you can welcome story critical NPCs into your party, and approach the game content in essentially any order, and those critical story NPCs can permanently die from anywhere in the story… it’s a lot to account for. So, we are working on permadeath, but because of the additional effort, this is going to be a post-launch feature we’ll patch in for the hardcore among you for your second or third playthroughs.
The Final Countdown
As you’ve no doubt seen, the Wasteland 3 Collector’s Edition was finally released into the wild. In particular, we were very fortunate to see CohhCarnage spend some time digging into this delectably radioactive treat (not actually radioactive).
We’ve really enjoyed seeing everyone’s reactions on social media when they realize how much we upgraded the Collector’s Edition (thank you Microsoft!) from what our original backer page had promised. It was a labor of love, and serves as a huge thanks to you, our backers, as we would not be where we are without you.[...]
Wasteland 3 - Brian Fargo Interview
Post Apocalyptic Media has interviewed Brian Fargo:
Wasteland 3’s Brian Fargo Talks Beta Feedback, DLC Plans, and Wasteland 4
The Wasteland franchise runs strong in my blood. The original game was my entire life in 1988 and as I look forward to Wasteland 3’s launch on August 28th, I can’t help but get a major case of nostalgia fever.
So I took this opportunity to reach out to original Wasteland game director, developer, and co-founder of Interplay Entertainment, Brian Fargo, to talk about how Wasteland 3 will advance the series and what we can expect from the future of Wasteland.
It’s important to note that one thing I really enjoyed about 2014’s sequel, Wasteland 2, was the way it catered so heavily to fans of the original game. I took this as one big inside joke at first — one that I was giddy to be in on, but Fargo points out that this was never really the intention. “We take the same philosophy to any sequels, prequels, or games set in the same world. We never demand knowledge of the prior games, so any new player can jump in and fully enjoy and appreciate the world. However, we want to reward players by making nods to the older games, delivering inside jokes, and giving more detail on characters and places they’re familiar with. Players who are familiar with Wasteland 1 and 2 will appreciate the throwbacks, and it’s a reminder of the heritage.”
[...]
But immediately after the release of that remastered original game, a little something called COVID-19 rocked the entire world. Wasteland 3 was originally supposed to launch around that time, but the team at inXile had to further postpone release until August 28th. Fargo reassures me that precautions were immediate and the overall effect on development was minimal.“I think it’s a great history lesson on how far the medium has come and it’s a chance for new fans to understand where Wasteland and Fallout were born.” – Brian Fargo
“We were technologically set up quite well due to us having offices in both Orange County (California) and New Orleans (Louisiana), as our infrastructure was already set up for not being in the same office together. However it was a very abrupt move that we made. I started reading the scientific reports and we decided within 48 hours to immediately send folks home on March 12th. Lots of packing up needed to be done, we needed to make sure the computers were set up properly, and we needed to establish new ways to communicate.
[...]
Thanks Old Grognard!
July
Wasteland 3 - Beta Improvements & Mac/Linux Delay
A new Fig update for Wasteland 3 talks about beta improvements, like animal companions attacking in combat. Also Mac and Linux versions are confirmed to come later.
Wasteland 3 Beta Improvements + Mac & Linux Delay
Posted: 07/11/2020
Greetings Rangers,
Your testing and feedback during the Beta was invaluable, and we’ve already incorporated a number of your requests—in addition to fixing bugs, improving performance, and continuing to finish up the game. We wanted to share details on a few of those with you today.
First though we have some news for our Mac and Linux players—we’ve made the difficult decision to focus Wasteland 3’s initial release on Windows 10, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. We’re prioritizing the work for Mac and Linux post-launch, and expect it to be complete by the end of the year. This wasn’t an easy decision to make, but ultimately will result in a better overall product for Mac and Linux as well. We’re still a small studio considering the size of the games we like to make, and this allows us to keep our engineers dedicated to the core game systems.
We know that for some of you the additional wait will be frustrating, and we want everyone to feel satisfied with their experience, so we’ve taken steps to ensure we can offer refunds beyond the standard Fig and Crowd Ox refund cutoffs. We know Wasteland 3 will absolutely be worth the wait, but we respect your pledge, and we want you to be confident in continuing the journey with us. Contact us through the inXile support site if you’d like to discuss that option. Please be aware that once retail keys are distributed, and/or physical rewards are shipped, we will no longer be able to offer refunds—rewards are expected to be sent in the next few weeks.
Beta Makes It Better
Before we get to the improvements we’ve been working on since Beta, it’s important to note that this isn’t a comprehensive update on all the features, fixes, and feedback we’re working on—these are some of the things that we have fully implemented. We’re looking forward to sharing a few more as development wraps up.
Alternate Firing Modes
One of the most common requests from Beta participants was bringing back firing modes for automatic weapons. Our thought in removing them was that the types and variety of weapons we have in Wasteland 3 will more than make up for single- and multi-shot choices, but the message was well received.
That said, we couldn’t just throw it back on a few assault rifles and call it a day. Wasteland 3 (like everything else) punches it up to 11, and we’ve added additional firing modes to many weapons across the game. That’s right, no matter what weapon type you’re using, be it a shotgun, assault rifle, pistol, or sharpened road-sign, you’ll likely have access to an alternate firing mode. These are attacks that aren’t inherently better, but provide you with situational flexibility—and in the right circumstances they can be devastating. These alternate firing abilities won’t generally be found on powerful or unique items, or weapons with their own secondary effects.
Here’s a quick look at some alternate firing abilities that can be found.
Custom Portraits
This one wasn’t so much a Beta request as a question we get from time to time, and we can confirm that custom portraits are in, and they are spectacular. This is a PC-only feature that allows you to create, name, and once again add a custom face to each of your squad members. Might we recommend a squad made entirely of your family and friends? Or the various ingredients in a ham and cheese sandwich?
However you choose to roleplay your squad, custom portraits can help put on a finishing touch.
Custom portraits should be 420x337px as either a JPG or PNG and placed into a self-created folder named: C:\Users\[USERNAME]\Documents\My Games\Wasteland3\Custom Portraits\
Sell Junk
Yes, we will indeed have a sell junk button when visiting merchants. We’re not exactly challenging the paradigms of game design here, but it was a common Beta request/mention. Good job, you.
Hide Armor
We shared this on social a while back, but this is a good place to show it again—with an update! Based on Beta feedback we’ve added the ability to hide your armor, and that now also includes leg armor.
All Animal Companions in Combat
One of the features we’ve gotten consistently positive feedback on has been the Animal Whisperer system and bringing animals along with you in the game; however, there was a clear message we received that people would like to see more animal friends taking an active role in combat. You’ve spent the points, you’re bringing these furry friends with you, and so it only makes sense that they’d be able to assist you with claw and fang as you explore Colorado.
To that end we’ve added attacks and attack animations to all creatures in Wasteland 3, allowing all animals to join you in combat, and making this a more fulfilling skill to put your points into. We’ve also redone all the animal walk, run, and idle animations.
Here’s a short video of their attacks in action:
loading...As we mentioned at the top of the article, this isn’t an exhaustive list of Beta feedback-led changes and adjustments but are some of the systems that are already fully implemented.
We’re of course looking forward to continuing to share updates as we near Wasteland 3’s release on August 28!
June
Wasteland 3 - Vehicular Combat Interview
inXile was interviewed by Game Informer, who asked how the vehicular combat works in Wasteland 3.
On vehicle uses during combat:
“You can move this vehicle around in combat. It has a lot of offensive capabilities. You can use it as cover. It can smash through things. And, of course, it has guns. We felt that we should go ahead and make the vehicle fun to use. Development would have been a lot easier if we didn't have all that – if we just had the vehicle take you from point A to point B, but using it in combat was so much fun. So we zeroed in on that, and then we built upgrades and progression elements and all these other systems to support that.”
On Kodiak upgrades:
“As you play through the game, you have choices and make mutually exclusive decisions about how to improve your vehicle. I think that's gonna lead to some really interesting party styles. You can upgrade its chassis, its engine, its armor. There's a lot of different stuff you can upgrade all the way to hood ornaments on the front that you collect from different factions, so it's like a drivable trophy. Those ornaments are cosmetic, but everything else affects the vehicle stats. You can adjust how fast your vehicle moves, both when you're driving around the world map and in combat. You can get an ability to launch orders offscreen to bombard an area. You can give your vehicle new turrets, which have a range of different abilities, so depending on what you're up against, you may want to adjust your turret type. There are different defensive things you can get, like armor upgrades, too. The Kodiak doesn't go through a leveling system like your player characters, but you will be upgrading it consistently throughout the game.”
[...]
Wasteland 3 - How Co-Op Works [interview]
Game Informer asked inXile about how co-op will work in Wasteland 3.
What about crossplay? Can you play Wasteland 3 with other players on different systems?
Unfortunately, no. Wasteland 3 doesn’t support crossplay between platforms. However, players who buy the game through different stores on PC will be able to play together. For example, if you own the game through Steam and your friend buys a copy through GOG, you’ll still be able to play together as long as you both own the game on PC.
How will players manage their inventory in multiplayer?
“We've tried different ways of managing inventory in multiplayer, scrapped them, and re-implemented it a couple of different ways,” Campbell says. “We've gone from individual character-based inventories to player-based inventories. I think what we have now is really convenient for players. It's a shared inventory. As both players are looting and getting items, that stuff goes into the same inventory. It would be as if you're playing in single-player, but it's two people playing it with the same pool, which means you don't have the hassle of trading items. And, the first person who loots isn't stealing the loot for themselves and griefing the second player.”
[...]
Wasteland 3 - Factions of Colorado Trailer
A new Wasteland 3 trailer has been released as part of the Summer of Gaming event. The trailer explores the factions of Colorado.
loading...Get a bigger look at the crazy factions that make up the violent wastelands of Colorado in Wasteland 3 - including the Patriarch's Marshals, The Gippers, The Hundred Families, The Refugees, and many more.
It’s been six years since Wasteland 2, but the post-apocalyptic RPG is back. This Wasteland 3 trailer shows us more about the game’s Colorado setting, and the trailer also functions as a pretty good Wasteland 3 gameplay trailer, as it shows off some of the game’s combat mechanics.
Be sure to check out Wasteland 3 on PC, Xbox One, and Playstation 4. Thanks for checking out IGN’s Summer of Gaming!
Be sure to stay tuned to SoG as our team shares hands-on demos, gameplay previews (including Xbox Series X gameplay and PS5 gameplay), developer interviews, and publisher presentations- and it’s all happening in live broadcasts on IGN, IGN YouTube, and IGN’s social feeds! Throughout June, IGN’s Summer of Gaming will be showcasing Xbox news, PS5 news, and new games! 2020, we all know is the start of the next console generation, so make sure to continue to check out Summer of Gaming for news about upcoming games, 2020 titles releasing for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, and more discussions around this year’s hottest gaming news.
Wasteland 3 - Character Customisation In-Depth
Cram Gaming takes a closer look at the character customisation options for Wasteland 3.
loading...Here is a detailed look at the Wasteland 3 character customization options from the beta. You can have a starting team of male and female, or male and male or female and female. Take your a pick. Wasteland 3 releases on August 28th 2020 on Xbox One, PS4 and PC.
Thanks Farflame!
May
Wasteland 3 - Choice and Consequence (Behind the Scenes)
Brian Fargo explains how choice and consequence will work in Wasteland 3.
loading...inXile Studio Head Brian Fargo and the Wasteland 3 development team explain how the post-apocalyptic game world of Colorado reacts to the player's choices and actions with bona fide consequences. Wasteland 3 will be released on August 28 for Xbox One, PC, and PS4.
Wasteland 3 - Dev Diary 2
The second developer diary for Wasteland 3 has been made available.
Our second Dev Diary is with Brian Fargo and Senior Writer Nathan Long who sit down to explain the setting you’ll explore and people you’ll meet as you direct the story of Colorado’s future. Plus it includes a first reveal of the Patriarch’s daughter—Liberty!
Wasteland 3 - The Story, World, and Characters Video
A new video for Wasteland 3 titled 'The Story, World, and Characters (Behind the Scenes)'
loading...inXile studio head Brian Fargo and the Wasteland 3 development team introduce you to the story, world, and characters you'll find in the player-choice-driven RPG Wasteland 3, which is due out on August 28 for Xbox One, PC, and PS4.
Wasteland 3 - Player Choice Matters Video
A new video from inXile for Wasteland 3 titled 'Player Choice Matters'.
loading...The Wasteland 3 development team at inXile tells and SHOWS you how player choice matters in their upcoming post-apocalyptic RPG sequel. Wasteland 3 will be released on August 28 for Xbox One, PC, and PS4.
April
Wasteland 3 - Preview @Monstervine
MonsterVine previewed Wasteland 3.
Upon reflection, Wasteland 3 suffers from a plethora of good problems. Too many options, too many builds, too much experimentation, synergy, and chaos. I find myself staring into an abyss of constantly replaying…but I’m excited? An odd sensation to have over a small slice of the game, but a welcome sensation nevertheless.
Exploring the various segments featured in the build constantly unearths little snippets of future promise. Narratives that flirt with conspiracies, oppression and the price of peace. Frustratingly, it teases perfectly, lightly cooking things that dance upon the tongue leaving you starving for more.
[...]
Thanks Farflame!
Wasteland 3 - Beta Survey Feedback
The results of the survey for the Wasteland 3 beta are available now.
Backer Beta Survey Highlights
We estimated the Beta to be the first 2-3 hours of the full game, but we can see that we were wrong and are bad at estimating play time. Ultimately, we think this data is a good indicator though toward the game’s replayability.
Almost half of you finished the Beta and completed it in one playthrough. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the other half of surveyed participants indicated that they elected to not play too far into it. Beta participation often reveals rough edges and story elements that some would prefer saved for the full playthrough.
A quarter of you who were surveyed were ready for a fight, and you started from the get-go at the more difficult Ranger or Supreme Jerk settings. Most responders, just about 2/3 of those surveyed, indicated they played at the default Wastelander setting.[...]
March
Wasteland 3 - Delayed until August 28th
Wasteland 3 - Previews & Gameplay Video
Some Wasteland 3 previews and a 53 minute gameplay video.
DSOGaming reported on a gameplay video from Rob Cram.
inXile Entertainment has launched that Closed Beta phase for Wasteland 3. Therefore, below you can find a video showing 53 minutes of gameplay footage from it. This video showcases the game’s player customization, as well as its opening combat area.
[...]
loading...
Twinfinite was not overly impressed with what was shown.
There is a cover system at the heart of combat encounters, with your Rangers being harder to hit depending on whether they are in half or full cover. Cover is directional, so flanking is essential to overcoming the oftentimes overwhelming numbers of foes that are thrown at you in any given encounter.
Character progression goes beyond simply combat efficacy, and while you can spec a given Ranger towards battlefield dominance, ensuring you have squad members able to handle things like locked doors or password-protected computers and electronics can give you a huge advantage as well.
[...]
One aspect that was disappointing though was the presentation, which definitely feels a little bit low budget. Wasteland 3’s development was crowdfunded initially, and it shows. inXile was purchased by Xbox Game Studios during production and received additional funding, but the majority of it went towards implementing conversational scenes and hiring more voice actors.
Entertainium wondered how stealth would work.
A spot that the beta didn’t make very clear upon getting to that objective was how stealth could ultimately work in the final version of the game, as we got to a spot where yet another insect droid was patrolling. I was able to sneak by while its back was turned, as the flavor text humorously mentioned that that thing would totally cream us in battle, but it didn’t make clear how detection works within the game, which I’m hoping will be developed in the final version.
Anyway, The Patriarch made quite the impression as he quickly explained what he needed from us in exchange for sending supplies to our starving comrades back in the desert. We were to help him attack and capture his estranged kids who took up residence in a few different spots in Colorado. His dialog was on par with his attitude, for someone who would call a whole state as his own, and expectedly grand for someone who names their kids Liberty, Valor, and Victory.
[...]
CG Magonline wanted to try the multiplayer out more.
One aspect that I did not play, however, that I want to test myself is the multiplayer component. Wasteland 3 allows for two players to play with each other in the same campaign, dividing up the playable characters evenly in order to do so. Both players are free to fight side by side with each other in tactical battles, but they are also free to explore opposite ends of the map and tackle challenges on their even. The multiplayer is even asynchronous, and one player is fully capable of continuing the campaign by themselves while the other is asleep. That said, InExile didn’t want to facilitate harmful griefing as a result, instead focusing on playful interactions and accounting for the edge cases that result from two players exploring the same map at the same time.
“We didn’t want to make it so that you were trying to kill the other person, but we allow you to grief the other player,” Fargo said. “ I think one of my favourite things [you can do] is like, you can make a snow pile and throw snow at the other player. Or you can urinate on the snow, turn it yellow, and throw it and give the guy a disease instead.”
[...]
Thanks Farflame!
Wasteland 3 - First Impressions @PCInvasion
PCInvasion played through the Wasteland 3 beta and shared their impressions. They also had a chat with Brian Fargo about it.
In terms of combat, the most noticeable change in Wasteland 3 is that all characters can now be used within the same turn; no more alternating between one character and then an enemy depending on your initiative stat. As such, you’ve got all the time in the world to plan your tactical engagement be it running in with guns blazing, opening up with grenades and explosives, repositioning your characters first, or using certain options that can help you in a pinch. The environments and effects look decent as well, and this truly feels like Wasteland for the modern generation.
One key factor in your Wasteland 3 journey would be the Kodiak. This is the vehicle that you’ll use to traverse the snowy landscapes on the world map. According to Brian Fargo, you won’t need to worry about collecting resources in Colorado (unlike in Wasteland 2 where you had to find water). For a while there, I was concerned that players would need to find stockpiles of oil just to keep the Kodiak running.
In any case, the Kodiak does become usable in some fights. The first level against the ambushers lets you use one of its lethal explosive attacks, clearing out an enemy squad and destroying a walker bot.
[...]
Wasteland 3 - Interview @PSU
PSU interviewed Tim Campbell of inXile about Wasteland 3 and discussed the Colorado setting, combat, non-linear choice and more.
PSU: One of the most eye-opening aspects of Wasteland 3 is its newly frosted Colorado setting – other than offering up a change in environment, does the shift to a colder climate meaningfully impact on the gameplay in any way?
Tim Campbell: Colorado’s nuclear winter serves as a fresh backdrop that enables us to tell new stories and explore gameplay ideas that we otherwise wouldn’t be able to. For example, some of the game’s conflicts center around the control of fuel sources, which Colorado’s inhabitants need in order to generate heat and survive in their frozen surroundings.
Similarly, Colorado’s harsh environment forces players to acquire a heavy-duty Kodiak rig early on in the game to serve as their mobile-home and shelter. Almost every aspect of this lumbering vehicle is customizable, from its armor and weaponry to the chassis and engine, and players are even able to bring it into many combats as a powerful weapon that can turn the tide of battle.
PSU: Tell me how the new Ranger Base works – is it just a hub within the game world of Wasteland 3, or does it offer more?
Tim Campbell: The Ranger HQ is your safe space in Wasteland 3. You take command of it early on, and from there you can expand and explore it throughout the game experience. It’s a place you come back to over and over in order to customize your squad, fix up the Kodiak, and interact with the people there and progress some key stories and moments.
Often, people you meet and rescue along the way can be recruited to join you back in Ranger HQ, offering additional help and special resources. In this way, your choice of who to help and who to fight throughout the game has a direct impact on how your headquarters develops and what capabilities it provides.
[...]
Wasteland 3 - Backer Beta March 17th
Wasteland 3 will have its Backer Beta March 17th.
Wasteland 3 Backer Beta Coming March 17
Rangers, as we enter this final stretch of development before Wasteland 3’s release, we need your help to make sure that it has been thoroughly battle-tested. Your feedback from the forthcoming Beta will be instrumental in helping us to make sure that Wasteland 3 is as polished, exciting, and fun as you've come to expect.
What do I need to know?
The Wasteland 3 Beta will be going live at 9am PDT, March 17. Those who have backed the game at the Early Bird ($25) or higher tiers will be receiving an email from Crowd Ox that includes a Wasteland 3 Beta key. Once you’ve received your Beta code, it will need to be redeemed through Steam. The game client will then be able to be downloaded after the listed launch time.
Note to our Alpha testers: you will not be sent a Beta key, as you’ll automatically gain access to the Beta as soon as it has gone live. If you run into any issues with updating to the Beta, it may be a good idea to try uninstalling and reinstalling the game.
Please be aware that this is a pre-release look at the first few hours of Wasteland 3. Content and systems will probably change before release (you can help with that, see below!), and you may encounter issues and bugs. Furthermore, the game has not been fully optimized, and you can expect its performance to improve when the game finally launches.
As you encounter issues with the Beta, please don’t hesitate to share your reports directly with our Developers via the feedback site that is linked to from the Beta’s main menu.
In addition to the ‘Report Issues’ option, you are also welcome and encouraged to share general feedback and discuss your experiences in our Beta Discussion forum.What Are My Orders, General?
We encourage you to check your backer portal through Crowd Ox to ensure your contact information is correct. When the Beta goes live on March 17, we'll be posting on our various social channels reminding everyone that the Beta is live.
Feedback and bug reports can both be submitted via in the in-game Report Issues button you’ll find on the main menu. If you’d like to discuss the Beta with others, head on over to the inXile forums.
Rangers, we want to thank you for your continued support and participation. We cannot stress how important sharing your experiences in-game with us will be. Your feedback from the Alpha has already been instrumental in helping us implement much needed refinements. We know that your suggestions and feedback from this point onward will only help to make Wasteland 3 even more awesome than it’s already shaping up to be.
Thanks again,
The Wasteland 3 TeamFAQ
Q: When does the Wasteland 3 Beta go live?
A: The Beta will be available to download and play as of 9am PDT, March 17.
Q: What content does the Beta include?
A: The Beta provides the first few hours of the game, from character creation into the first few areas of the game. Of note, it does not include the world map (you’ll be automatically warped to each area), and certain areas are kept off-limits that you’d be able to access in the full game. Please also be aware that the intro cinematic is currently in-progress and is not final.Q: When do we receive our keys?
A: Beta keys redeemable through Steam will be emailed shortly before the Beta goes live. Keep eyes on your email inbox as well as your junk/spam folders.Q: It’s March 17 and I did not receive a key, what can I do?
A: If you did not have access to the Alpha (which automatically grants access to the Beta), check your backer portal on Crowd Ox; if you backed at a level which provided access to the Beta, we recommend reaching out directly to Crowd Ox support.
Q: I had the Alpha, why didn’t I receive a Beta code?
A: Alpha-level backers will auto-update to the Beta as of 9am PDT, March 17 on Steam.Q: Woohoo! I received a Beta key! What now?
A: Beta keys will only be able to be redeemed through Steam. Once you have the code in hand, log into your Steam account and redeem the code as you normally would any other key. The Beta for Wasteland 3 will be available for download once it has gone live on March 17.Q: I'd like to report bugs and provide feedback about the Beta, what's the best way to do that?
A: We're glad you asked! For bug reports and general feedback please use the in-game Report Issues option on the main menu. If you’d like to talk about the Beta with others, head on over to the Wasteland 3 forums.
Q: I didn't back at a tier where I'd get Early Access (Beta). Am I able to somehow still get access?
A: Unfortunately, we are unable to amend the backer tiers at this point. Be sure to stay updated with development as it continues via our social channels.
Q: I'm having difficulty redeeming my Steam key, what should I do?
A: inXile support will not be able to provide you with a key. If you’ve confirmed the key you're entering through Steam is the key you received, we recommend reaching out to Steam support.Q: I'm encountering a technical issue getting the Beta to run, where should I go for support?
A: Our Support Team's assistance with Beta issues will be very limited, so we encourage you to post in the Wasteland 3 Technical Help forum. If you’re encountering a Technical issue which is not specific to the Beta, you are welcome to reach out to our Support Team via our Support Page.
Q: Does our Beta key become the retail key?
A: Nope! Stay tuned for your retail key which will be mailed to backers separately in the future.
Q: Am I able to stream the Beta?
A: Yes! Feel free to stream, capture video, talk about it with friends, etc. There are no limits or restrictions on the Beta.
February
Wasteland 3 - Happy Valentine's Day, Rangers!
A new video for Wasteland 3 shows some new areas.
loading...Let's not WASTE any words today: Happy Valentine's Day, Rangers! â¤ï¸ Pre-order now: www.wasteland3.com
Wasteland 3 - Collector's Edition Revealed
The Collector's Edition of Wasteland 3, looks like this:
A full explanation of what the CE contains, can be found here.
January
Wasteland 3 - The Road Thus Far
Over on the inXile site they talk about the journey of the Wasteland series of games.
With a Little Help from Our Friends
Going up against a gang of scavengers is best done with some help from the squad, so it was with no small excitement that our squad got some heavy artillery to back it up. In late 2018, Microsoft acquired our studio with the intention of empowering us to do more of what we do, how we want to do it.
Wasteland 3 was already an ambitious project. We’re bringing back the things everyone loved: a deeply customizable RPG, brutal ethical choices with meaningful reactions and consequences, and deep tactical combat. On top of that we have big, new features like the customizable (and formidable) Kodiak vehicle, and cinematic conversations—to name a few.
With Microsoft’s support comes the gift of time, and it’s time we’re joyously putting into making Wasteland 3 a more feature-rich and higher quality experience than we ever would have been able to before. One obvious benefit is all the dialogue in the game is fully voiced (over a half a million words), in a first for inXile’s games. We’re also putting time into often unseen (but critically important) background work with the additional resources we’ll have in QA, accessibility testing, and optimization.
[...]
Thanks Farflame!
November
Wasteland 3 - 1987 Trailer and Release Date
The latest trailer for Wasteland 3 titled 1987.
loading...Wasteland 3 launches May 19!
Debuted at X019 in London, the new "1987" trailer introduces players to more of the post-apocalyptic Colorado setting, and the lives at stake in the deeply reactive and highly tactical roleplaying game.
Wasteland 3 - New Screenshot
Brian Fargo shared a new screenshot of Wasteland 3 on Twitter.
A little sneak peek of an area from Wasteland 3.
October
Wasteland 3 - Factoring Feedback
A new update for Wasteland 3 talks about factoring in player feedback and the Kodiak.
It’s been a couple of months since we released the backer Alpha, and while game development continues, we’ve been incorporating bug reports and feedback. While most of the results are being kept in-house so we can work on them, determine best steps forward, etc. we have a few fun highlights to share with you further down this update.
Alongside the Alpha, Wasteland 3 was at gamescom, where we debuted a new trailer, had hands-on with the game both behind closed doors with press and in the Deep Silver and Xbox booths, and were ecstatic to have been awarded “Best RPG” at the show.
If you missed it, here’s the trailer we revealed, and if you have seen it, it’s worth watching again.
loading...X019
We’re happy to announce that we will be attending X019! Tickets are still available to purchase. If you’re going, be sure to stop by and say hello, and of course don’t miss the Inside Xbox livestream at 12pm PDT on November 14 for plenty of Xbox Game Studios news and announcements.
More info on the X019 page here: https://www.xbox.com/x019
Steel Horse
The Kodiak is your vehicle in Wasteland 3, and as you can customize and outfit your team of Rangers, so too can you upgrade and outfit your vehicle to get around Colorado. We think of the Kodiak as a full-fledged member of the team, and it’s a big part of your play experience. It gets you around the world map, but even more important are its capabilities in combat. Changing paint schemes and visual appearances is awesome (and will offer a ton of customization), but making it tougher and more formidable against your enemies will be what transforms it from a junker to a high-end war machine.
We’re going to give you a little sneak peek of some concepts for the turrets you can attach to the Kodiak in Wasteland 3—which is the most powerful weapon slot type you can equip. The Railgun you’ve likely already seen from the Alpha, but there are a few new ones below.
[...]
Backer Alpha Feedback Survey
We sent a survey to Alpha backers allowing them to easily provide feedback on a number of topics from the demo. While the majority of them discuss specific areas where we are looking to improve the experience, we thought it'd be interesting to share a few of the broader ones.
Time spent between starting the Alpha and reaching the final confrontation in the level:
- 67% reported playing for 1 hour or more before reaching Vic
- 33% reported playing for around 30 – 60 minutes before reaching Vic
Note: When we began developing the Alpha we estimated the length to be around 20 minutes.
Did players find the hidden bunker?
- 52% said they DID find it
- 32% said they DID NOT find it
- 16% said they weren’t sure/didn’t remember
Did Alpha players take the left path or the right path?
- 57% said they took the left path
- 33% said they took the right path
Note: The likelihood of finding the Bunker and experiencing the left path were also, not surprisingly, higher for those who reported a longer play time.
How did Alpha players resolve the showdown with Vic?
- 41% chose to arrest Vic
- 35% chose to recruit Vic
- 12% had Vic kill himself
- 9% shot Vic
Thanks for reading, and we’re looking forward to seeing you at X019!
September
Wasteland 3 - Alpha Gameplay
Retcon Raider plays the Alpha for Wasteland 3.
loading...The time has come! After almost 3 years, the Wasteland 3 alpha has finally arrived, so it's time to take our first proper look at it! What does InXile have for us this time? Was it worth the wait?
Well, I'll let you be the judge of that. As for me, I'm just happy to be back out in the wastes!
I did back the crowdfunding campaign on Fig, but I'm not otherwise affiliated with InXile or Wasteland 3 in any way. I just love turn-based tactical role-playing games, especially ones set in bleak, post-apocalyptic landscapes.
Thanks Farflame!
Wasteland 3 - Preview
A preview of Wasteland 3 from Wccftech.
Once you reach your destination, the Kodiak actually joins you in battle (or appears in a hub/settlement) too. Let me tell you, it’s an invaluable resource early on in any fight. It’s while fighting that you’ll notice even more of the increase in production values. Character models, terrain, buildings, everything features more detail in Wasteland 3 than in the second title. More than just production values, there’s also been an increase in how user-friendly combat is.
Inventory is one of the major ways that InXile have improved the use of characters and combat. No longer do characters have separate inventories, so you don’t have to faff around passing weapons and equipment from character to character, just to use them. The use of a shared inventory makes ammo and other resource management so much easier and is a much-appreciated change.
[...]
Thanks Farflame!
August
Wasteland 3 - Alpha Commences
The playable Alpha for Wasteland 3 has started which means some gameplay video is now available. In addition the Steam page for Wasteland 3 is up. There is a Fig update also.
loading...Checking out Wasteland 3 Alpha, which is focused on combat gameplay. Wasteland 3 is a post-apocalyptic RPG with turn-based tactical combat, coming out in spring 2020.
Enjoyed the video? Subscribe for more and click the bell!
Wasteland 3 - Patriarch of Colorado Gamescom Trailer
A new trailer for Wasteland 3 titled Patriarch of Colorado.
loading...The Patriarch of Colorado strikes a deal with the Desert Rangers.
See more at Wasteland3.com
Wasteland 3 - Getting the Engine Warmed Up
The latest Wasteland 3 update talks about when to expect Alpha.
Getting the Engine Warmed Up
Posted: 08/06/2019
For Alpha Eyes Only
The Wasteland 3 Alpha is closer than ever, and those of you who have pledged at the First Access ($75) or higher tier (or added the Alpha as an add-on) will soon be getting hands-on with the game. Come August 21 you’ll be setting foot in the frozen post-apocalyptic Colorado for the first time.
This is an early preview, so we want to get in a few disclaimers. This demo is firmly an Alpha, so every single piece of the game you’ll see and play will very much be a work in progress. While we’re going to do our best to provide a stable build, you should expect some amount of crashes, performance drops, compatibility issues, etc. to be possible. That’s part of what we’re testing and getting your feedback on. Speaking of which, stay tuned for official feedback and reporting methods.
The Alpha is combat-focused, and revolves around the last leg of your journey to deal with one of the Patriarch’s children, lovingly known as the Psychopath. At this point in the game you’re higher level, and are taking the last few steps to deal with him in the mountain town of Aspen—however you choose to do that. You’ll get to experience most of the systems related to combat, including the player vehicle. We will have some things purposely blocked off, like the Perk and Skill menus, and multiplayer, which aren’t quite ready to see just yet.
Traversing the world map in Wasteland 3.
While the full game will include the deep narrative choices, colorful characters, and all of the broad RPG systems and experiences you know and love in Wasteland, our goal with the Alpha is to get early testing and feedback on combat basics and a sense of how players are tackling the game in terms of its level designs and available systems, and we’re hoping you put it through its paces.
And Everyone Else
For many of you who didn’t back at the Alpha tiers, you’ll be looking forward to Early Access, which is the second demo we’ll have before launch. Alpha and Early Access will both use the same Steam entry (the Alpha will be replaced with the Early Access demo), so Alpha users you’ll only need to redeem one key to play both, and Early Access players you’ll get your keys later on when we get closer to that point. If you’re looking to get the full game on GOG, no worries, while the Alpha and Early Access will be run on Steam, your final product choice won’t be impacted.
Of course, Alpha players can take screenshots, videos, livestream, etc. and everyone can enjoy. Player’s choice, but based on past experience, you’ll probably want to keep an eye on Twitch and Youtube. Our fans have traditionally enjoyed sharing their experiences and impressions.
Meanwhile, in Investor Land!
For those of you who invested in Wasteland 3 beyond just backing the game, be sure to check your Fig-affiliated email for news on a 132% return on your investment. For our non-investment game backers wondering what it means for you, the answer is “Not a darn thing.” Wasteland 3 is still arriving on all the promised platforms, and everyone will still be getting their backer rewards. This was just part of the acquisition by Microsoft that got squared away, and was done with full understanding that it wouldn’t impact our backer commitments for the game.
Coming Soon to a Screen Near You!
We’re all heads are down working on the demo, and don’t want to spoil too much, but we couldn’t help but tease something else: the Alpha main menu that awaits you!
Thanks again to our backers for your ongoing support, and we look forward to hearing your feedback once the Alpha in your hands.
July
Wasteland 3 - 50 Hours
Gamepressure reports that one Wasteland 3 playthrough will take ca. 50 hours:
Wasteland 3 Playthrough Will Take Around 50 Hours
inXile Enterainment has announced that it will take about 50 hours to complete Wasteland 3. The team also revealed that they intend to work on other projects from the franchise over the next decade.
[...]
Thanks porcozaur!
Wasteland 3 - Interview @Wccftech
@Wccftech An interview with Brian Fargo about the Wasteland series and Wasteland 3.
Yeah, that makes sense. I’ve noticed that destruction and physics in general seems to be much more detailed this time around.
Campbell: Yeah, absolutely. The nice thing is, that’s an area we haven’t explored much before. This is a new thing where the extra 10% that we’re talking about, being able to iterate and polish, is enabling us to really kind of go to town with destruction. And we have ragdoll physics, we have kind of advanced shipping, we have barriers in combat that you can hide behind and get cover. And those are things that can actually get destroyed, leaving your characters exposed, vehicles can actually run over obstacles and crush them and knock things out of their way. So we’ve really, I think, done a lot of little things there that will add up to a really fun experience for players.
Another big new feature is the addition of player vehicles. How are these going to work?
Campbell: That’s actually one of the areas in the game that I’m most excited about. You effectively dig your first one out of the snow. It’s like this rusty baseline vehicle, and you can upgrade it throughout the course of the game, you find parts, you find technology, you’re able to start kind of upgrading it. So it goes from kind of this clunker that’s just barely hanging on to life all the way up to this rolling death machine with customizable turrets and upgradeable armor. We even go so far as to let you customize the hood ornament on the front of your vehicle. It’s a really in-depth system and it’s directly used in combat. It’s how you traverse the roadmap, so you can drive around and do these different things and your vehicle’s capabilities affect your party along the way.
[...]
June
Wasteland 3 - E3 Trailer Analysis
Retcon Raider analyses what is known about Wasteland 3.
loading...Goodness, it's been quite some time since we took our last look at Wasteland 3, hasn't it? With over two years worth of video clips, promotional images, and other assorted teasers - we've got quite a bit of catching up to do!
Where better to start than the recent 74-second trailer that InXile just showed off at E3 2019? It might be less than two minutes long, but it still gives us a LOT to talk about!
That said, this video WILL contain some modest spoilers related to the enemies and areas planned for Wasteland 3. If you're trying to avoid anything related to the game's planned storyline or scripted encounters, then you might want to skip this one.
I did back the crowdfunding campaign on Fig, but I'm not otherwise affiliated with InXile or Wasteland 3 in any way. I just love turn-based tactical role-playing games, especially ones set in bleak, post-apocalyptic landscapes.
Wasteland 3 - Coming next Spring
PC Gamer reports that Wasteland 3 will be released spring 2020:
Wasteland 3 is coming next spring
Hit the trail early next year.
Wasteland 3, which we saw from the E3 trailer is going let us trek through a very violent, eccentric post-apocalyptic Colorado, is now aiming for a spring 2020 launch, but backers and Early Access players will get their hands on it sooner.[...]
Thanks henriquejr!
Wasteland 3 - E3 Trailer
The E3 trailer for Wasteland 3.
loading...E3 2019 Trailer of Wasteland 3. The latest from E3 2019 here!
May
Wasteland 3 - Building Up the Ranger Force
A new update for Wasteland 3 demonstrates the character building process and announces an E3 presense.
Building Up the Ranger Force
Communications Wasteland
It’s been a while since our last update, and that’s because we’ve been hard at work on Wasteland 3, and getting a lot of the core pieces of the game in-place. As we’ve said before, the game is effectively playable from start to finish—but there’s still a megaton of work left to go. Sure, you can complete quests and navigate most of the areas, but this is the most time-intensive stretch of the project. We have the bones—the skeleton is there—but it’s filling it with all the sinew, cartilage, and guts that really make the Wasteland experience what it is. Things are really shaping up, but the most critical work is just getting started. We’ve been hiring and growing the company, as well as putting a lot of the new Microsoft development resources to good use, and that’s going to help us be able to make Wasteland 3 even bigger and better.
We’ll have development updates to share during E3, so look forward to our next update with more specifics then.
Face to Face in the Wasteland
As you saw in our Fig campaign launch trailer, Wasteland 3 is the first game in the series to feature a cinematic conversation system. It gets you up close and personal with the big story characters you’ll encounter in Colorado, and one of those is MacTavish. He’s a coarse, blustering mechanic in Colorado Springs, who wears a luchador mask because . . . well . . . you’ll have to wait and see.
In this update we wanted to share some of the process that’s going into bringing this character to life. First it starts with a character pitch or write-up, and from those largely text-based descriptions the artists work up concepts and shape studies to hone on in a final look and design for the character’s appearance and style. In an effort to not spoil too much we’ll skip ahead a bit to his final concept piece.
Once we have a concept done we’ll move on to a high-poly model like this one, which we’ll break down into the pieces that will help give it a high quality appearance in-game, but without requiring a super-computer to render. After that comes mocap, and then the voice recording we’ve done is married to that with final animations.
This is a look at his masked face model, which isn’t too far from what you’ll see in-game. We’ll have more to share on MacTavish in the future, as well as the creative process for bringing some of our other characters to life.
[...]
December
Wasteland 3 - Christmas in the Wasteland
Wasteland 3's Christmas update announces that 'The Bizarre' made its way into the game and confirms that the Microsoft acqusition will not change prior commitments.
Hi everyone, Paul here with an end of year check-in on Wasteland. With 2019 right around the corner, we're ever closer to Colorado and the Desert Rangers' answer to the Patriarch's call. We hope this finds everyone having a fantastic holiday season! We’re very excited to have Wasteland 3 at the stage now where we can focus most of our efforts on bringing the game world to life and maximizing its reactivity to player choices. Our team is currently hard at work doing an end-to-end pass through the game to instill each quest, character, and moment with as much interactivity and personality as we can possibly cram into it! We absolutely cannot wait to start sharing more on this front in early 2019 and are looking forward to giving you, our backers, the opportunity to help shape some of the most interesting (and weird!) moments of reactivity in the game! Further in this update, we've got some news on the stretch goal front, but right now we wanted to kick things off with some big news for the company. Many of you are already aware, but just in case, we announced some major news last month - we are now part of the Microsoft Studios community! This is a big deal and we're excited for the opportunities this presents! Here is what inXile CEO Brian Fargo had to say during the announcement at Microsoft's XO18 event: The important takeaway for backers is that we are keeping all of our Wasteland 3 commitments. Are Mac and Linux users still getting their versions of the game? Yes. Will there still be a PlayStation 4 version? Yes. Will those of us getting physical goods still be receiving them? Yes. I am an investor in the game. What does this news mean for me? Fig addressed those concerns directly in a blog post here. Long story short: nothing changes for you. For those of you curious to read more about this milestone, Brian expounded more on what this means for inXile in an extended interview. Beyond that, for our backers and fans, we want to emphasize that inXile is, and will continue to be, an RPG studio. Having access to the larger Microsoft community and infrastructure will allow us to more fully realize the vision we have for our games, including Wasteland 3, but it will not change our values as a development group. Our core tenets remain absolutely the same today as they did a month or a year ago. As we work on Wasteland 3, we are committed to storytelling and gameplay that allow you to solve issues through brains and might, engage in a deep conversation system, wrestle with hard choices and true reactivity that result in different endings, customize your experience with deep character creation and development, and experience deep world-building that inspires you to explore every last corner. Wasteland 3 will continue to be brutal, bleak, and with a deep vein of dark humor because this is the kind of game that we are passionate about. We look forward to continuing to bring them to you next year and in the years to come! As many of you recall, when the Fig crowdfunding campaign ended, we got close to (but didn't quite reach) our stretch goal for "The Bizarre", a new area of the game. We left its status open-ended as slacker backer support continued to come in. In recent months, we've begun getting the inquiries - "Hey, are we close?" "Did the Bizarre make it in?" "Are we getting the Bizarre?", etc. etc., and we're happy to report today that, YES, YOU DID IT! Thanks to your support, The Bizarre is now in Wasteland 3! Expect to hear more about this curious slice of the Colorado Wasteland as we roll through 2019! Our design team has also been hard at work fleshing out our combat systems to make battles as tactically interesting and choice-filled as they can be! One example of this is a new Down-But-Not-Out system that will give players (as well as foes) a chance to stage desperate comebacks from near-death situations. The Wasteland is a brutal and deadly place, but it is also a place where the extremely cunning or stubborn can sometimes cheat death in dramatic ways! You can expect us to share this system (as well as other nefarious surprises and aces in the hole) in much greater detail in our early 2019 updates, and we’re counting on your feedback to help make everything that we’ve been working on as good as possible! Thanks to all of you one last time for helping to make the Bizarre a reality! 2019 is shaping up to be an amazing year for Wasteland fans, and we are looking forward to taking the journey with you! We look forward to finally being able to share some first looks at how all those systems are coming together and give you some glimpses into the world of Wasteland 3. In the meanwhile, all of us at inXile wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year! Safe travels if you are heading anywhere! Until Next Time,
Christmas in the Wasteland
Closer to Colorado
The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same
"Are we going to get the Bizarre?"
We Wish You a Merry Christmas and a Wasteland New Year!
Paul Marzagalli
Public Relations & Community Manager
@phimseto
July
Wasteland 3 - You Reap What You Sow
A Fig update for Wasteland 3 shows us The Garden of the Gods and how combat is being implemented. Thanks to you!
You Reap What You Sow
[...]
April
Wasteland 3 - On The Road To Alpha
A lengthy Fig update for Wasteland 3 talks about the road to Alpha.
Production Greetings with Stewart Spilkin, Senior Producer
Stewart here!
As we roll on into 2018, Wasteland 3 has been in full production for a while and I’m happy to say we’re hitting all our major milestones on design, art, and engineering. Long-time fans of inXile may know our production philosophy puts a heavy emphasis on iteration. Practically speaking, that means we want to have levels and systems in so we can test and improve on our ideas. This allows us to find out sooner rather than later what works and doesn’t work.
At this point, over 90% of the scenes in the game have first pass scripting as well as first pass art. We have Rangers killing stuff, vehicles driving around (and also killing stuff), multiplayer working on consoles and PC, the works! This allows our level and systems designers to experience and polish up their scenes, and for our Design Lead George Ziets to do playthroughs and take (very meticulous) notes. The value of getting this kind of revision time early on can’t be overstated.
We have a few new team members to mention. On the Environment Art side is Yong-Ha Hwang, recently on the Blizzard cinematics team, and Josh Deeb, who is joining us from Daybreak. In our NOLA studio, we've also picked up Germ Revoso as a concept artist, and Greg Roberts is doing some great animation work for us. On the writing team, author Cassandra Khaw has been doing some amazingly twisted dialog work for us, and Nathan Long, the principal writer on Wasteland 2, is cranking out volumes of great material too.Checking In On: Gameplay Systems with Eric Schwarz, Systems Designer
Hi everyone! The last several months of development have seen huge strides as far as our gameplay goes. As we barrel forward on development, we're continuing to refine the feature set and details of our character system, skills, abilities, weapon types, gameplay styles, and more. Being system designer on the game means ensuring that the game is fun to play, that the user interface and experience is as smooth as possible, and that I advocate for (and design) as many features as we can possibly get in. Most of my efforts lately have been focused both on ensuring our core combat and exploration systems are at a level where we feel there are no major unknowns left to solve, and are in a good state for iteration, balancing, and, later, polishing up.
In addition to making the core gameplay as good as it can be, I've also been working heavily with George so that our area design is in sync with our gameplay mechanics and makes the best possible use of them. This also means working on content design for all of our enemies, whether those are our different factions of NPCs, robots, animals, and even bigger, meaner things, so that each of them has a distinct gameplay identity, weapon types, and in some cases, abilities they use in combat. We're spending considerable effort to ensure that our combat encounters and enemy types have plenty of variety, and fitting personality for our post-apocalyptic version of Colorado.
Of course, all that high-level stuff is important, but what matters is getting those features directly in the game to play and experience first-hand. As such, a bunch of my time also involves coordinating with the level design team to implement all our features in all the locations you'll explore. Jeremy, Zack, Ben, Alex, Leland, Jeffrey, and others have been working hard to not only build the gameplay scenes and missions, but also do passes on combat implementation, loot, skill interactions, and more. It's a huge undertaking for the team, but with each and every revision, our scenes and gameplay get better and more fleshed out.
While we're still building on the foundation of Wasteland 2, there are also dozens of little tweaks, changes, improvements, and quality-of-life updates, many of which came directly out of feedback from our previous games. In future updates, we hope to be able to go into more detail about these. Until next time!
Eric Schwarz
Systems DesignerChecking In On: Content Design with George Ziets, Lead Designer
Hello all, Ziets here. The writers and level designers are working hard to get the whole game to a first draft state - especially the critical path. By the end of next month, we should be able to start the game at the tutorial and follow the critical path all the way to the end. It won’t be bug-free, of course, but getting to a solid first draft (as early as possible) is a critical step.
Some of our zones are already at an alpha state, which means that first-pass dialogue and level scripting are done, and combat, missions, and exploration all exist in some form. I’ve been playing through our zones and sending long lists of feedback to the design team. Our current focus is the city of Colorado Springs and Ranger HQ, our main hubs that contain the most reactivity to events that occur elsewhere. We’re also developing the endgame sequence and writing some of the most important characters in the game, like the Patriarch (the ruler of Colorado) and a returning Ranger from Wasteland 2 (who will, for the moment, remain nameless).
Once we're satisfied that all our zones have reached alpha, we’ll shift our emphasis toward playtesting, bug-fixing, and iterating. The iteration phase is the moment when a game really begins to shine, so the more time we can spend in iteration, the better the final product will be.
Final note: When we reach the final installment of our "Building the Everest" series of updates, we'll give you an early look at how our mission system will actually work in game.
George Ziets
Lead DesignerChecking In On: Art Design with Charlie Bloomer, Art Director
Hi all, I'm here to give you some news about what the Art team has been up to lately. The pace of production has been astounding! As with any production cycle, as the design becomes more and more fleshed out, the remaining questions begin to melt away, leaving a relatively clear path for artists to move in.
This is probably most evident with our environments. Every scene in our game has passed the blockout stage by Design, which means there is nothing stopping the Environment Art team from moving forward on first pass treatments for every scene in the game. We even took scenes from three different zones to a finished (polished) state before Alpha, since doing so would allow us to test assumptions about overall aesthetic approach, performance, and about how well our special shader solutions for snow etc. will work across ALL platforms. The other aspect of environments that we switched into high gear was props. We have a mix of in-house and outsourcing resources cranking through a long list of carefully vetted assets that include props, interactables, items, and weapons.
In January we made the decision to focus our Character Art effort leading up to Alpha on the assets that would have the most wide-reaching impact on our game - namely our factions. The world of Wasteland 3 is populated by many distinct groups! Each faction character is constructed out of a collection of "parts" - chests, legs, hands, feet, heads - that results in a large amount of variation across the Wasteland 3 landscape. By focusing all of our resources on these character factions, we've developed an excellent visual language for each group and a firm foundation for the next stage - characters with more unique appearances that will play a specific role in conversations and/or gameplay. Here's an example of a Scar Collector outfit, kitted out for the harsh winter enviornment:
Speaking of conversations, we've fully tested our pipeline for generating facial animation and the accompanying full-body gestures that will make up our cinematic conversations! We've settled on a system of processing audio tracks, combined with motion capture, that yields the quality we have been aiming for. As we work toward Alpha, the last piece of the puzzle is being addressed. That has to do with how our tools for managing the complex conversation system in Wasteland 3 can actually drive the animation and audio at runtime as well. In the end, it's a cleverly automated system that handles the heavy lifting with relatively little hand-holding required by us mortals.
Our Animation team has been focusing on establishing really nice idle poses that will serve as the starting and stopping points for all of our combat animations. The end result is animations across all our weapons sets that demonstrate excellent readability and also personality! The same can be said for our new fidgets and reaction animations as well. And the most recent leap forward has to do with a clever way of using additive layers for our damage animations so they now take into account both the direction and severity of an attack and then randomize the result. We really like how it's coming together and hope you will, too.
The Wasteland 3 UI departs in appearance from that of its predecessor. While the functionality has been improved in many spots, visually we've moved toward a look that is intended to provide the same information in a less "physical" shell. Part of the change is aesthetic - we tie into the game's themes with shades of blue and with hints at ice and frost. Beyond that, we're keeping the interface elements clean and easier to read. We've established our visual language and now it is simply a matter of executing on the plan.
Across the whole project, the excellent pace of art creation in the last several months has been exhilarating and positions us well to dive into the part of the project I like best - that time after Alpha where our focus shifts from getting things in and functional to making things beautiful! Things like the Meat Clown!
[...]
March
Wasteland: Frost Point - InXile trademark
The RPG Codex spies have been working overtime and discovered a new InXile trademark for Wasteland: Frost Point.
Could this be a renaming or some sort of expansion for Wasteland 3? I'd say it's more likely to be related to the open world VR survival RPG that inXile are supposed to have started working on after landing an investment from the Japanese firm Gumi last July, but we'll see. I wonder if this has something to do with why there's been zero Wasteland 3 news since October.
October
Wasteland 3 - Setting the Stage
There is a new update for Wasteland 3 on Fig. The update provides details on their vertical slice of the Everest and what it takes to set the stage.
Setting the Stage
Posted: 10/14/2017
Hi everyone, Paul here with the next installment of our look at building a vertical slice. Last go-around, Colin McComb took us through the high-level concept (and iterations on it) of the Everest Hotel. In this entry, and just in time for #Blocktober, level designer Alex Kerr takes us through the process of building that concept into reality - of crafting a game zone that captures the intent of the design. Fair warning: if you want to remain spoiler-free about this part of the game, skip past the next section!
Take it away, Alex!
[...]
August
Wasteland 3 - The Everest Hotel
Colin McComb talks about designing the Everest Hotel in Wasteland 3 in their latest update.
Colin here to talk about some of the early design we’ve been working on for the game. Right now, I’m the narrative designer for an area in the northern reaches of the world map, a place originally called the Stanley Hotel. We’ve recently changed the name to “the Everest Hotel” - in part, because I wanted a name that fit the function of the hotel better. See, not only is this hotel up in the mountains (thus "Everest"), but it's also a place for a guest to sleep forever, or Ever-rest.
I need to give a special shout out to Alex Kerr, the level designer for this area. He’s taking ideas and really making them shine - discussing features, conversations, and quests, and then suggesting improvements after he begins implementation and blockout of the quest areas. You will see more about the work Alex is doing in a future update.
By the way, this being a design diary-style entry, I have to warn you that this whole section is FILLED with spoilers. Skip to the Crowdfunding Corner section if you don’t want the the hotel ruined for you.
If you’re still reading, this is your own fault.
Still here?
June
Wasteland 3 - Fig Update
A new update for Wasteland 3 is available at Fig now. It contains a variation of topics, like this one about vehicles.
Hi all, Charlie here. Vehicles? In Wasteland 3? Oh it's happening, and we've made some good progress on that front in the past few weeks! We now have a vehicle playground, a test scene in Unity that we're using to drive around in so we can figure out our parameters for fun vehicle gameplay. While we intend to show that at least one faction in post-apocalyptic Colorado is equipped to build their own vehicles, most of the drivable machines you'll find are examples of ingenuity and resourcefulness, with a healthy dose of auto shop and welding skills thrown in. In this world, scrounged materials can make the difference between barely mobile and fortified, armed transport.
The first vehicle you'll acquire in the game is a bit of a beater. We wanted to provide the player with something that is functional - it can be trusted to get you from point A to point B - but that would be sparse when it comes to weaponry or armor. Our beater has nice big tires and some attached armor plating, so it's a whole lot better than walking. On the other hand, the starting place for those modifications is a vehicle that looks like its previous owner might have been a "soccer mom." Not to worry, if you survive with this puppy, you will be well rewarded with the next vehicle, which is a beast!
Wasteland 3 - Production Starting
Wasteland 3 has a new update and InXile announces that production has officially started. This sees the team focus on producing a vertical slice of the Stanley Hotel. There is also a survey for backers to fill out about what you want to see in Wasteland 3.
...
Building the Stanley: An Introduction to "The Vertical Slice"
Thomas here to wrap up this update!
In the previous update, we introduced you to Stanley Hotel, one of the zones of Wasteland 3. As part of our production schedule, we'll be looking to flesh out Stanley Hotel early, taking it from blockout (a rough level implementation with no art) into a developed zone, with missions, combat, dialogues and art worked out. That way, the Stanley Hotel will work as our vertical slice, allowing us to proof out the entire process from A to Z. In video games, doing a vertical slice early in production allows you to prove out the production process of your level, catching and correcting any mistakes or factors that'd slow us down for later zones, and it'll give us vital information on questions regarding combat density, balance, and the use of vehicles in our game.
In the coming updates, we'll be sharing various facets of the vertical slice with you, highlighting what this process means for us in art, engineering, design, and writing. Part of the reason we chose the Stanley Hotel as a vertical slice is that the location is fairly isolated from the main storyline, so we'll be able to share a lot of details without spoiling the game's overall story.
Wasteland 3 - Whats the Story?
Retcon Raider breaks down everything we know so far about Wasteland 3.
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"Dear diary, today I spent fifteen minutes pretending I was a talking car. What am I doing with my life?"
Today we take a look at another giant crowdfunding project - Wasteland 3! The game's still years from release and they've barely revealed anything about it so far, but somehow I still managed to talk about the story and setting information for almost fifteen minutes straight. Enjoy!
I did back the crowdfunding campaign on Fig, but I'm not otherwise affiliated with InXile or Wasteland 3 in any way.
I just love turn-based tactical role-playing games, especially ones set in bleak, post-apocalyptic landscapes.
To find out more about Wasteland 3, visit the official websites:
https://wasteland3.inxile-entertainme...
https://www.fig.co/campaigns/wasteland-3
And you can contact me here:
RetconRaider@gmail.com
April
Wasteland 3 - Fig Update
March
Wasteland 3 - Development Update
Lear more about the Ruins of Denver in this Wasteland 3 Fig-update:
Travel to the Ruins of Denver
[...]
The Ruins of Denver
Hello all. Gavin here to talk about the Denver zone in Wasteland 3.
Most of Denver is in ruins. During the end of the old world, a nuclear weapon exploded high in the air over the city, killing most of the inhabitants. The skyscrapers that remain are jagged, crooked affairs that lean against each other. In their shadows, the lesser buildings have crumbled, forming ever-shifting mazes and subterranean tunnels of broken concrete and rusted rebar.
These urban wilds are battlefields for the predators prowling the city, unaffiliated treasure hunters, and scavengers. Though the radiation is long gone, Denver is still a deathtrap, but one studded with buried riches from the old world.
The Denver Airport Commune lies to the east of the ruins and is now a colony of artists, hackers, conspiracy nuts, mad scientists, and assorted eccentrics. The Commune is centered around the Space Shuttle Atlantis (which landed here sometime after the bombs fell), and is dedicated to strange experimentation, acts of cyber espionage against the Patriarch, and MANY other things.
In the north is the mighty stronghold of the Gippers.
We shared a glimpse of the Ronald Reagan-worshiping cult in an earlier update. As many of you recall, the Gippers were a faction we originally planned for Wasteland 2, but now they will be appearing in Wasteland 3. The leaders of the Gippers are the priestesses known as Nancies - wives to the divine God-President Reagan, lawmakers, and judges. Above them all is the fierce and formidable Mother Nancy Reliance.
[...]
Thanks Farflame!
February
Wasteland 3 - Vision for the Apocalypse
The latest update for Wasteland 3 focuses on the creative vision. Head to the link to discover the vision document.
Hello Rangers,
It is time to give you all another status update on Wasteland 3! As we mentioned previously, we are deep in our pre-production phase. We have a set of core team members working to build out the vision for the game. In the coming months we have a set timeline to ensure our future team members will roll onto the project smoothly. Lead Designer George Ziets and the content team are hard at work hammering down the overall storyline, as well as working on area design and coming up with all kinds of quirky characters and companions to populate Colorado.
Beyond area and system designs, a key goal for our pre-production period is to get working prototypes for our internal use. These are focused on major gameplay elements, such as combat, missions, exploration, skill use, and so on. A lot of those designs are heavily rooted in Wasteland 2, which gives us a firm basis in the kind of rich reactivity and systemic depth we want. Our prototype work will focus on answering larger questions about new gameplay elements, such as vehicles, multiplayer, and ice and cold. We showed some of this prototyping work in our crowdfunding campaign, but for pre-production it is essential to create prototypes that explore the riskiest gameplay elements, and this will be our focus in coming months.
Since we now have a good idea of the basics, our humble team has been growing. The art lead on Torment, Charlie Bloomer, has begun work on Wasteland 3, and will be concepting and prototyping scenes to figure out how we can maximize the aesthetic of our unique, wintery setting. Dan Jenkins and Chris Wiedel, engineers who worked on Wasteland 2 and Torment, have started exploring Wasteland 3's programming needs, such as integrating useful code from Wasteland 2 and Torment, as well as investigating our requirements to get multiplayer off the ground.
Vision Document
But that's not all we have to share. Dating back to the Interplay days, our studio philosophy is to create a vision document for each of our projects. This document contains the game's core elements and features, and serves to remind us of our high-level goals throughout production, as well as to give new team members an introduction to the game's core features. On Wasteland 2, we shared our vision with you early in the development process, and we're continuing that tradition with Wasteland 3. To read up on it, please click below:
[...]
December
Wasteland 3 - Bonus Game Keys Available
The latest update for Wasteland 3 makes available to backers the bonus game keys using CrowdOx.
Bonus Game Keys Now Available
You may remember that we offered several bonus games during the campaign, and we know many of you have been waiting! We're happy to say those are now available too.
When completing your CrowdOx survey, you will get a chance to select your free game and whether you prefer Steam or GOG.com. After completing your survey, CrowdOx will send you your game key(s) in an email - you can use them and start playing immediately.
Important Note: The free game offerings from third parties (STASIS, UnderRail, Shadowrun: Dragonfall) will be available for the next three months only. You will not be able to claim those game keys after March 6th, so please get them while you can!
This same restriction does not apply to our own games such as Wasteland 2 and Torment: Tides of Numenera, only the ones mentioned above.
Once again, if you are missing your CrowdOx survey, you can request CrowdOx re-send it by visiting this page. And if you have any other pledge issues on CrowdOx, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
That is all for now, but I will have more to share in coming months. See you then!
November
Wasteland 3 - Interview @RedBull
Redbull interview Brian Fargo and Chris Keenan about Wasteland 3.
"I like the concept of you starting off alone and trying to survive with all the elements against you, so you don't get the luxury of having your squad around helping to save your ass," starts Fargo. "The thing with role-playing games is that at the start, we're already asking you to spec out a guy before you really understand what's best. And it compounds the problem when we're asking you to spec out four people before you know what's best. So, for all those reasons, we really liked that, from both a psychological perspective and also from a gameplay perspective."
Keenan agrees, and the team have been watching Twitch streams to see how the players actually enjoyed the game. "It seemed like there was a group of people who were used to that old-school character creation right off the bat, with lots of stats and numbers, who you could tell just immediately loved," he says, but there were other people who were more apprehensive to that creation system, and Keenan offers a solution. "What if we give the player a little bit of a sense of the world so they can start to feel it out and then building that stuff up afterwards so they can really make it count?"
It's an interesting idea, but the concern must surely be that this strays from what fans of Wasteland are used to. Keenan is aware of that worry and is quick to calm fears. "You'll still create your party," he explains. "You'll have your initial character, and then you will certainly come across a wide range of NPCs throughout the world. But you will be able to adjust the stats of other party members."
After spending time in Arizona for Wasteland 2, Fargo is happy to tell us how the new setting, Colorado, fits into the lore. "The idea was that the Rangers [the dominant faction in the Wasteland] wanted to expand their territory and bring law and order not just to Arizona, but to the rest of the States. And Colorado was interesting because NORAAD (North American Aerospace Defence Command) is located there, too. So it seemed like an obvious place to go."
Switching the arid deserts of Wasteland 2 for the cold weather of Colorado means that the radiation suit you needed to stay alive is now going to be replaced by protection from the cold, but there's still a world map in play, it's just that inXile isn't quite sure how it will work yet. Keenan explains: "There will be some amount of overworld travel as you move through. Whether it looks like the old world map is up for debate," while Fargo insists that the team are currently experimenting. "But the idea of a world map goes all the way back to Wasteland 1 and the original Fallout series, and that's not something we want to deviate from." So the game won't be Skyrim sized, then, but Keenan insists that "we still want you moving between locations and feeling like you're outside a local space."
Wasteland 3 - The Dunes of Thought
Wasteland 3s latest update shares some information about an area called 'The Dunes of Thought' and also shows off Mister Funtimes in Sketchfab.
[From the letters of Doctor Ellen Buchanan, dated 2022 - twenty-five years after the bombs fell. Housed in the Patriarch's personal archive, Colorado Springs.]
I'm writing this from the passenger seat of an old, prewar pickup, not far from the ruins of Fort Garland. It's April, I think... almost two years since we embarked upon this project to survey what's become of our world.
My driver is a silent, pale-skinned man, his bald head mottled with scars and radiation burns. His coveralls have been mended so many times that I've taken to calling him Patch. He never speaks, so I don't know if he minds the name, but I hope he doesn't. Ever since the death of Dr. Herrera, he's been my sole companion and friend.
A few days ago, Patch and I reached the edge of a barren expanse. Sand piled in vast, sweeping dunes at the edge of the mountains. This was once a national park that had been turned over to a group of scientists - not university professors like I once was, but a private foundation. They'd fenced off the whole area, and no one was allowed inside.
Of course, my curiosity immediately got the better of me. I told Patch to stay with the truck, and I set off alone.
At the edge of the dunes, I found toppled fences and guard towers, probably abandoned when the bombs fell. As I climbed over the ruins, I saw flickers of blue light from the sands beyond.
Sitting amongst the dunes were dozens of massive globes, like giant crystal balls strewn around a beach. Each of them was about twenty feet in diameter, though some were larger than others. They were filled with intricate networks of transparent fibers, so complex that the human eye couldn't follow all their connections. Tiny blue-white sparks moved along the fibers at an incredible speed. Every so often, an arc of electricity jumped from one of the globes to another, setting off a chain reaction that sliced through the air and unleashed a burst of thunder.
I watched, mesmerized, for who knows how long, trying to understand what I was seeing.
"The Storm-in-Chains," said a voice beside me. "Preserved minds from before the war."
I leaped in surprise. A hairy little man stood close by, nearly naked, with metal rods strapped to his back. Startled by his sudden appearance, I asked who he was.
"Sparksinger," he said. "First of my name. The Storm called me hence."
Instinctively I edged away from him, but he grabbed my arm, pulling me toward the lightning globes with a wiry strength. He put his mouth close to my ear. "Hear me, Dr. Buchanan - you are an echo, nothing more. All those you studied are dead. All those you taught are dead."
How he knew me, I cannot guess. I was so shocked by his words that I didn't resist, and he dragged me closer to the orbs. Before it even occurred to me to shout for help, Patch was running toward us, mouth set in an angry line. The little man looked at him with horror."
I know what's under your skin, dissembler. Get you back!"
For a moment, the Sparksinger let go of my arm. Patch and I broke away and raced for our truck...
[Beyond this point, the letter is torn, and no further record of the story has been found.]
Wasteland 3 - Designing Towns and another Free Game
Wasteland 3 is into the last three days and has released a couple of updates that are of interest. The first explains how George Ziets, lead area designer, is approaching designing towns in Wasteland 3 and the second update expands the free game offer to include Shadowrun Dragonfall as long as you have pledged $40 or more.
As part of our final push, we have another promotion for you guys! Thanks to our friends at Harebrained Schemes, we're offering a free copy of Shadowrun: Dragonfall to all backers $40 and above. This applies to everyone who pledges during our campaign as long as your final pledge is $40 or more - either through a reward level like Wasteland Scout, or by adding add-ons to an existing pledge!
[...]
As you may know, I'm currently the Lead Area Designer on Torment: Tides of Numenera, and I've also done writing and design work on a number of other RPGs, including Neverwinter Nights 2 and Fallout: New Vegas. Today I'm going to describe my approach to designing a city or town in an RPG (and along the way, reveal some of our initial design thoughts for WL3).
At the start of the design process, the first order of business is always research. I try to find out as much as I can about the town's existing lore, dig up any maps that might exist, and search out preexisting stories, characters, and landmarks that could spark fun ideas for quests. For example, when I designed the town of Mulsantir in Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer, I delved into some really old Forgotten Realms sourcebooks, looked for references to the town, and jotted down notes on everything that sounded interesting. Partly this is to reward fans of the setting and surprise them with references to people and places they know and love... but it's also an effort to gather as much creative ammunition as I can. I find that my imagination works best when I have plenty of disparate elements that I can fit together in interesting ways.
October
Wasteland 3 - Brian Fargo Interview
@USGamer they interview Brian Fargo, starting at the 32:30 mark, where they discuss multiplayer, the Ranger HQ, the state of RPGs and more.
Legendary RPG designer Brian Fargo joins the pod to discuss Wasteland 3, his history with the series, the evolution of RPGs, and what it was like to make games back in the '80s. But first, Jeremy and Nadia go in-depth on Final Fantasy XV. Do the characters work? Is the battle system better than advertised? All of our impressions and more!
Wasteland 3 - On Combat & Encounter Design
Wasteland 3s combat and encounter design is explained in the latest update. In addition loot will be more hand placed.
We're currently in the early pre-production period, and many of those answers are likely to change and evolve over time as we prototype, playtest, and iterate. So, it's a bit too early for us to launch into detailed breakdowns of everything we want to do on the game. However, what I'd like to do today is give you a sort of birds-eye look at what we're hoping to accomplish with the combat system in Wasteland 3.
Combat has always been a huge part of the Wasteland franchise, as it's where so many of your important character-building decisions get realized. With Wasteland 2, we had a wide variety of enemy types and encounter areas to play with. In the Director's Cut, we expanded combat to include extra strategic options like Precision Strikes, which gave you more options to affect the battlefield. On a high level, Wasteland 3's combat will be created in the same vein; it will be turn-based, party-based, and will offer a wide range of tactical choices, like cover and verticality.
However, the keen-eyed among you likely saw that we mentioned a "revamped, more fluid action system". "So...what the hell is that all about?", you ask. Well, let me tell you.
In a turn-based combat system, sometimes you can get bogged down waiting. You as a player might have an understanding of what you want to do before the system allows you to do it. This can lead to the game feeling a bit sluggish or slow. Furthermore, Wasteland 3 will offer a multiplayer mode, and if you have ever played turn-based games in multiplayer, such as Civilization, you likely know that adding a buddy can add more downtime.
Consequently, a focal point of the combat design team is to find the unnecessary wait times and see what we can do to reduce them. Why be forced to wait for my ranger to reach their final destination (which then unlocks the input) before I can move my next ranger in the turn order? Input queuing, where your control inputs aren't locked out while animations are playing, is one solution we are exploring that will allow the dance of combat to play out more on your time, rather than making you wait for our system to catch up.
This focus on a revamped action system also applies to the types of tactical options you will have in the game. Cover-based shooting is still going to be a component, but we want to expand your available options for problem-solving. Going back to the Precision Strike system from Wasteland 2: Director's Cut, we're looking at expanding and tweaking some of that functionality into more special attack types and abilities that will let you have more control over the combat zone.
One other aspect of combat we want to amp up is encounter design. While Wasteland 2 had a large number of critters and creatures for you to fight in addition to human enemies and synths, we saw the feedback that combat could feel a little stale, especially in some of our larger and more combat-heavy scenes. We're going to be looking at ways to engineer more varied, unique, interesting, and hand-crafted encounters in Wasteland 3 that have more variety or elements that change throughout - such as an enemy vehicle entering the fray in the middle of the battle.
Speaking of, vehicles will be another layer that makes combat more interesting. While vehicles may not be available in every single encounter, when they are present, they will be a significant factor. We hinted at some of these in our initial Frosty Reception video, where we showed the vehicle's turret being used to attack enemies, or using the doors as cover, but we're hoping to do even more beyond that as well, and there is no lack of creative design ideas already put forth.
Last, we're hoping that environmental interactions in general will be a bigger deal in Wasteland 3. For instance, Colorado's harsh conditions mean you may not always get the clear line of sight offered in the Arizona deserts. Snowfall or even blizzards are one way your visibility may be affected, and we might even give you some options to manipulate things directly in your favor.
Wasteland 3 - The Talking Heads
This update for Wasteland 3 focuses on the talking heads and how they are made.
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The next stage is a fun one, and that is sculpting the character. In the days of Fallout 1 and 2, these characters were actually hand-sculpted using clay and posed in stop-motion to get the animation down. In our more digital era, we use digital sculpting tools like Zbrush to create a super high poly model. Again, this is a stage where we are adding a lot of fine detail and iteration is key. The modeler and art director look at proportions, look at 3D elements not caught by the concept art, and add detailing that fits in the overall style.loading...
After this, we move to the low poly breakup meant for use in the game (our polygon target for the final art is 20-40K). We need to ensure the character will rig correctly, so at this stage the animator is involved to inspect the model and inform us if there are any issues. Sometimes, problems with the mesh will only become apparent once it comes time to animate. For example, anything that moves needs to have the appropriate polygon layout so it can deform without looking bad.Once approved, it is on to texturing and materials. A character like Fish-Lips required PBR (physically based rendering) materials and subsurface scattering to achieve the quality of the skin and details. Texture maps are created for the models, checked to see if they work in our tweaked realism style. A key element during this step is the eyes, they take a lot of work and detailing but they are very important to create a convincing, living character.
Wasteland 3 - The Colorado Caper
Wasteland 3 has another update and some more concept art from the Bischoffs. There is also a competition to find a time capsule in Colorado.
Hello Rangers!
Next week this campaign comes to an end. It’s been a great ride and I’ve been thrilled to see you guys knocking down stretch goals and social media missions alike. It’s a really wild time for inXile, with two studios running multiple projects. It is such a huge help to know we have your continued support, and that you believe in the games we want to make. Together, we’ll keep making these RPGs for many years to come!
To celebrate all our accomplishments, I have some things I want to share. First, a new concept shot from the Bischoffs…
Wasteland 3 - 3 Million and Beyond
This Wasteland 3 update provides some background on the Colorado Territories and adds a new stretch goal at $3.25M called the Bizarre.
The Colorado Territories
To celebrate the $3M milestone, the narrative team has written an introduction to the Colorado Territories that you'll be exploring in Wasteland 3.
When the bombs fell, the hardy and patriotic survivalists of Colorado Springs were ready. We burrowed deep and rode out the nuclear rage and the burning dark in our bunkers. We were the last bastion of Old America and the seeds of the new, waiting to bloom when the sun returned.
It never quite did, though. The cold never left Colorado, and the storied Hundred Families that survived Armageddon found that their former land of plenty had become an icy, bandit-haunted wasteland. We fought battles over every bite of food. Sickness came then. Starvation. Cannibalism and atrocities uncounted.
No one knows when the Patriarch was born. We only know the stories of his family's rise to power. We know he killed his twin with his own hands, and hung his mother for stealing from him. We know that the Dorsey clan crossed him, and what happened to them after, down to the smallest child. We know he hacked and hammered his nation into place until every family and faction answered to him. Even the savages roaming the frozen plains fear the Patriarch.
No one knows when he was born, but he won't live forever neither. His sons and daughters are fighting, breaking his nation into scheming factions. The warlords and the refugees from the dying east are already clawing at his borders.
At best, a war is coming. At worst?
Annihilation.
[...]
Next Stretch Goal!
Our next stretch goal at $3.1M is the Customizable Ranger Squad Insignia, a fun gameplay element where your custom insignia which will appear around your Ranger Base and elsewhere in the world.
But what comes after? At $3.25M, we'll be adding the Bizarre!
The Bizarre is a marketplace of the expensive, the dangerous, and the weird. It was built into a half-buried ancient mall, difficult to reach even if you know where it is, and acts as a safe haven for the kind of deals that are best kept from any scrutiny. Once you have access to this place, you'll be able to browse the high-end stock, purchasing your pick of the Bizarre's valuable and dangerous items, or perhaps you'll have more nefarious plans for the place...
Wasteland 3 - The Ranger Base
This update is about the Ranger Base and what to expect from it in Wasteland 3.
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In Wasteland 3, the Ranger Base is not something we want you to be constantly micromanaging. This isn't going to be a real-time strategy game; you won't be sending peasants to go chop wood or mine coal, or building settlements. How your base changes will be tightly tied in with the game's narrative and will be uniquely Wasteland.Instead, we are envisioning the Ranger Base as more of a quest hub that you can return to throughout the game, where interesting events and incidents will arise for you to resolve. You can think of our goals as something along the lines of de'Arnise Hold from Baldur's Gate 2. Far from being a game system where you need to look at graphs, charts, and numbers to balance your budget, the HQ in Wasteland 3 will present you with events, ethical dilemmas, and quests based on your choices, and those choices can have world-spanning consequences.
For example...
During the game, you might return to the Ranger Base after a long trek, only to find representatives from two different factions - the Servants of the Mushroom Cloud and the Gippers. Both have recently discovered a disused oil refinery which dates from before the apocalypse, and blood has already been shed over control of it. The Servants want to make use of the space to start developing explosives, hoping to entrench themselves in the area, but their fanaticism means they are eager to keep the area free from nonbelievers. The Gippers, on the other hand, are interested in taking over the plant to refine their oil reserves, convinced it will help them provide power and fuel to the people in the area.
In both cases, there might be some common benefits (such as access to an additional source of income or a new ally for the Rangers), but your decision will ultimately depend upon what you value as a leader. Do you want to better keep the people in the area secure by granting control to a heavily armed faction, knowing that it also comes with the risk of the Servants introducing the populace to the Great Glow? Or do you value the improvements to quality of life and trade the Gippers might provide, at the risk of making the refinery a tempting target for savage warlords from the Plains?
You'll have to make decisions and deal with the consequences arising from such situations. These consequences will affect the story, but there may also be considerations that are more material. For example, putting the Servants in charge of the refinery might grant you easier access to explosive weaponry, while the Gippers might give you a discount towards fuel and services for your vehicles. And given the tensions between the two groups, you can safely guess that there might be more violence later - with the Rangers now caught in the crossfire.
The Ranger Base is also a core part of our multiplayer gameplay loop. It will be your common hub for you and your buddy to refill your supplies, and it will also be where companions are managed... but we'll save that topic for another day.
Wasteland 3 - Interview with Brian Fargo
Heatstreet interviews Brian Fargo about Wasteland 3 and social commentary in video games.
Fargo tells me that Wasteland isn't a world about running around shooting monsters. After all, the people are the real monsters, and that's the truth of it.
Like his previous titles, Wasteland 3 is going to be one of those games where players can choose to do bad things, and be the villain of the story. This time around, Fargo wants to make the game more rewarding for players who go down that route.
"One of the edicts for our writers, and one of the things players like, is that they like more chances to be evil and have a payoff. So that's one of the things we're dialing up for people who want to go the dark side."
In a lot of role-playing games, playing the bad guy can be unrewarding, forcing the player to go down the righteous path for the best loot and the best. Just like Wasteland 2, this isn't going to be the case with the upcoming game.
"Wasteland lives in a big grey area, and sometimes making decisions that on the surface feel really evil, there are actually good reasons to doing these things," says Keenan. "The way that we've kind of justified that is that the world reacts to your decisions. So sometimes you think you may make what you think is a good choice-that you're providing justice, and a bad outcome happens. That's also the way the world works. Sometimes, you don't always get a decision in how the consequences of any action, regardless of whether your intentions were good or not. You can't always predict the way things are going to happen whether you choose right versus wrong."
Sometimes, the right way is also the ugly way, and it's these dilemmas that make RPGs as fun as they are-that the choices you're confronted with are not in black and white. Fargo references TV shows like Game of Thrones, Narcos and The Night Of as examples of media with strong elements of moral ambiguity, citing an episode in Narcos where one of the good guys kills a kid to send a message to Pablo Escobar.
Wasteland 3 - Cathedral of the Holy Detonation
The latest update for Wasteland 3 looks at the Cathedral of the Holy Detonation.
Cathedral of the Holy Detonation
Scouting Report from Advance Team [REDACTED]
To: [REDACTED]
Per orders have continued to maintain low profile in Colorado. Have changed bivouac location frequently, mostly avoiding hostile contact.
On [DATE REDACTED], PM, located apparently disused Air Force (AF) facility. Preliminary scouting indicated strong possibility for temporary shelter - one advantage being that locals steered clear. COLONEL [REDACTED] suggested full recon before establishing base camp.
We entered facility through maintenance door. Hand-drawn map enclosed. Proceeded to stairway labeled S1, leading down. Found some evidence of recent habitation - scattered papers, books, etc.. Most had been marked with mathematical formulas. Five (5) samples enclosed. Remainder in lockbox at [REDACTED].
Stairway descended into cavernous space beneath main floor of AF facility. No persons or animals appeared. Examined space thoroughly. Appearance suggested underground testing lab from before the war. Team unable to ascertain its precise dimensions due to walls and platforms that had been constructed apparently randomly throughout the area. The walls were primarily of stone and wood, like a medieval church or cathedral. SERGEANT [REDACTED] examined a few of the walls. Says they're new construction - possibly past two (2) to three (3) months.
In center of chamber, fireball of plasma, appx. twenty meters (20m) across, suspended in midair. Fireball showed no sign of expansion, contraction, or movement. Geiger counter registered high levels of radiation. SERGEANT [REDACTED] suggests that it may have been some sort of arrested nuclear event.
At this time, team heard unidentified persons approaching and retreated to a concealed position. Group of appr. 15 potential hostiles entered. Subjects were a mix of males and females, some with missing limbs. Exposed flesh of subjects was blistered and red.
Potential hostiles remained unaware of our presence. Young female subject, appx. 25 years of age, was in their center. They spoke to her and touched her left arm - perhaps in ritual manner? Could not overhear speech clearly, but seemed like numbers and equations. Young female climbed a nearby platform and walked to the edge of the fireball. Skin began to blister and burn. At this point, she recited a series of mathematical equations in a loud voice. Tone was deferential, as if addressing senior officer or other lawful authority.
When finished, female subject thrust her left hand into fireball, up to the elbow, incinerating her limb. Subject was not heard to cry out or give any indication of pain. However, her comrades screamed and shouted in celebration. Add'l potential hostiles began to arrive from other entrances, so COLONEL [REDACTED] ordered an immediate retreat.
SUMMARY: Identity of potential hostiles remains unknown. We intend to avoid AF facility for foreseeable future per orders to avoid enemy contact. Expect add'l report in five (5) days as we continue our reconnaissance. Team [REDACTED] out.
Wasteland 3 - On Multiplayer
The latest update for Wasteland 3 explains Multiplayer.
Hey Rangers,
Chris here. You might remember me from Wasteland 2, where I served as game director, and I am continuing that role on to Wasteland 3. As you may have picked up from our initial pitch, Wasteland 3 will have synchronous and asynchronous multiplayer. We've talked about this in the campaign and in interviews, but I'd like to go a little deeper here and lay out some of our high-level design.
We want Wasteland 3's multiplayer to be a natural extension of the single-player campaign. It will tell the same story and offer the same locations and missions. And as is our hallmark for inXile as a studio and Wasteland as a franchise, we want deep and meaningful reactivity throughout the experience. Multiplayer will add another aspect of reactivity based on the interaction between two players.
In Wasteland 3, you can start a multiplayer-specific campaign with a friend. The campaign will then be tied to both of you. Once started, you won't be able to "replace" your friend with another, but if either of you can't continue playing for any reason, it will be possible to "spin off" a single-player campaign from your multiplayer world state.
Both players run separate Ranger squads, sharing from the pool of available companion NPCs to build your teams. You can't both have the same companions, but you can move a companion from one squad to another. The two squads can travel together, but you can also split up and explore the world separately.
The ability to split up is a choice, and it has important consequences. In Wasteland 3, we will support asynchronous multiplayer. This means that if your friend goes offline, you'll still be able to continue playing, and the actions you take will be reflected in the world when your friend logs back in.What will that mean in practice? Let's go over a scenario to illustrate.
For example: You made a deal with a criminal gang of smugglers, turning a blind eye and helping keep their trade routes clear from danger for a cut of their profits. In single-player, this would mean that you receive a payment from time to time at your Ranger Base for keeping the deal going. However, should you then choose to intercept the smugglers' courier and perform a little "civil forfeiture" for the good of the Rangers, some of the smugglers' operatives might show up at Ranger HQ's doorstep demanding an explanation.
In multiplayer, that same scenario would play out in a similar manner. However, because both you and your friend are playing independently, it would be possible for one player's party to make the deal with the smugglers, not tell the other player, and thus that player would receive compensation in return. Meanwhile, the second player might independently choose to attack the smugglers for the good of the people of Colorado, not knowing of the prior deal, and that would lead to a similar consequence where the smugglers end up at Ranger HQ asking hard questions.
How to resolve the situation, of course, would have its own reactivity and options open in solo play or multiplayer - you could stand by the decision and risk upsetting the smugglers, make reparations and risk making the Rangers look weak, choose to wipe out the smugglers at their base of operations, and so on.
You might notice we mentioned the Ranger Base a few times, and indeed, it will also be a core location in multiplayer, one that you and your friend will run together. Its resources and recruits are pooled together and available to both players. We plan to touch on the Ranger Base and how we're envisioning it more in future updates, so keep an eye out.
You might be thinking "this sounds fun, but how are they going to tell a coherent story this way, or stop my friend from completely ruining my game?!" While most of the game can be played either separately or together, during key narrative moments and missions, we'll require both players to be online together. This means that while you will be able to play most of the game together or separately, for those critical story moments, or when major story decisions need to be made, both players will need to be present. This'll happen infrequently, only at core moments in the game, and you'll be able to play many hours of main story and side missions before you need your buddy to progress. In single-player, you won't need a friend playing with you to experience those same moments, but of course, you will need to live with the decisions you make and their consequences.
Wasteland 3 - Stretch Goals
Wasteland 3 has been funded and with that taken care of come stretch goals for the remainder of the campaign.
$2.85M: 37 Pieces of Flair - We unlock further Ranger customization, which could include multiple body types, more heads, and more hairstyles. Plus we'll show items that your Ranger has equipped (gear like shovels, binoculars, etc) on their models.
$3M: Car Companion (Codename: Morningstar) - We add a talking car companion! Morningstar is an AI built to serve President Reagan, but he'll help you both in your travels and during combat, plus he'll give you well-timed advice on how to wipe out all the dirty commies out there. See more on him below!
$3.1M: Customizable Ranger Squad Insignia - At the start of the game, you get to customize a Ranger Squad insignia for your team, which will show up on your Ranger Base as well as elsewhere in the game (on flags, for example).
Wasteland 3 - Now with PayPal Option
Wasteland 3 is 99% funded. A PayPal option is now available.
A Strong First Day, Let's Keep the Train Rolling!
Hello Rangers,
Wasteland 3 - Already over 65% funded
The Wasteland 3 crowdfunding campaign started very well - over 65% of the funding goal has been reached already:
loading...loading...From the creators of Wasteland 2 and Torment: Tides of Numenera comes Wasteland 3! Following the critically acclaimed releases of 2014's Wasteland 2 and 2015's Wasteland 2: Director's Cut, fans have been clamoring for a direct sequel. Now we can bring it to you, with your help!
- A party-based role-playing game, with a renewed focus on our trademark complex story reactivity and strategic combat.
- By including vehicles, environmental dangers, and a revamped, more fluid action system, we are evolving on Wasteland 2's deep tactical turn-based combat and unique encounter design.
- Play by yourself or with a friend in story-driven synchronous or asynchronous multiplayer. Choices open up (or close off) mission opportunities, areas to explore, story arcs, and lots of other content.
- Your Ranger Base is a core part of the experience. As you help the local people and establish a reputation in Colorado, quests and narrative will force you to make decisions on how to lead.
- The game will be set in the savage lands of frozen Colorado, where survival is difficult and a happy outcome is never guaranteed. Players will face difficult moral choices and make sacrifices that will change the game world.
- Wasteland 3 will feature a deep and engaging story utilizing a newly-revamped dialog tree system from the celebrated writers of Torment: Tides of Numenera.
- Simultaneously releasing to Windows, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
September
Wasteland 3 - Brian Fargo Interview @MMORPG
Brian Fargo is interviewed by MMORPG about the just announced Wasteland 3.
MMORPG: This is exciting news! Aside from the general reception of WL2, what made you want to go ahead with a sequel so fast?
BRIAN FARGO: I guess anything seems fast in comparison the time between Wasteland 1 and 2. It's been several years since Wasteland 2 came out, and we've been chomping at the bit to push forward in the RPG genre. There are so many wonderful opportunities to dial in the bleakness of a Wasteland world. With Wasteland 3, this time we head to Colorado, and we had so many new ideas for the game based on that that we just couldn't wait to get started on the next installment in this ice cold post-apocalyptic setting. Of course, we are in the final stages of wrapping up Torment, with our writing staff finalizing their work and moving to Wasteland 3's pre-production. The Bard's Tale IV is deep in production and that will not be affected by this, but with two studios working on games, we need to start looking to the future as well.
MMORPG: Will the sequel be using the Pillars engine like Torment, or will it be using the WL2 engine?
BF: We'll be using a modified and updated version of the Wasteland 2 engine, which will provide a significant visual upgrade from Wasteland 2. Unity has come a long way since we first started using it and we've just gotten better at using it. Additionally, we're utilizing the Pillars of Eternity conversation editor again, which is the same we used in Torment, which allows our writers to quickly mock-up and step through branching conversations. We're building on years of experience with the technology so that also helps let us do more. I think people will quite impressed when they see the video.
Wasteland 3 - Officially Announced
@BluesNews At the Wasteland website they countdown to next week for further news on Wasteland 3 which has been officially announced. Expect a crowdfunding campaign on Fig and a snowy Wasteland.
What is Wasteland 3?
- A party-based role-playing game, with a renewed focus on our trademark complex story reactivity and strategic combat.
- By including vehicles, environmental dangers, and a revamped, more fluid action system, we are evolving on Wasteland 2's deep tactical turn-based combat and unique encounter design.
- Play by yourself or with a friend in story-driven synchronous or asynchronous multiplayer. Choices open up (or close off) mission opportunities, areas to explore, story arcs, and tons of other content.
- Your Ranger Base is a core part of the experience. As you help the local people and improve your Ranger Base, quests and narrative will force you to make decisions on how to lead.
- The game will be set in the savage lands of frozen Colorado, where survival is difficult and a happy ending is never guaranteed. Players will face difficult moral choices and make sacrifices that will change the game world.
- Wasteland 3 will feature a deep and engaging story utilizing a newly-revamped dialog tree system from the celebrated writers of Torment: Tides of Numenera
- Simultaneously releasing to Windows, Mac, Linux, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
- Explore a New Frozen Wasteland
- You start the game as the sole survivor of Team November, a Ranger squad dispatched to the icy Colorado wastes. This is a land of buried secrets, lost technology, fearsome lunatics, and deadly factions. No one here has ever heard of the Desert Rangers. Your reputation is yours to build from scratch, and your choices may save this land or doom it. With a renewed focus on macro-reactivity, you'll be picking between warring factions, deciding whether locations are destroyed or saved, and other far reaching decisions that have a marked impact on the shape of your world.
Bring a Friend
For the first time in the history of the Wasteland franchise, you will be able to take a friend with you on your journey into the post-apocalyptic wastes! Wasteland 3 opens up the possibility to play through the campaign with a friend; both of you controlling your own squad of Rangers.The core of Wasteland 3 will still be a rich single-player experience. If you play with a friend while both online together, you'll be able to share many missions, and join up to hit key story beats, but you can also split up and cover more ground. Once a game is started, you can play Wasteland 3 while your friend is offline, and do a lot of missions without them. Be aware, however, that the actions you take while your friend is off-line are not without consequence!
By making the decision to include multiplayer early on in the process, we will be able to design a game that is true to the core principles of the Wasteland franchise and our studio. Wasteland 3 can be played as an offline, single-player game, and is built from the ground up with a focus on story and reactivity that makes no sacrifices to the multiplayer experience. At the same time, co-op players will enjoy working together to change Wasteland 3's highly reactive world... or finding ways to destroy what their friend has worked to accomplish.
Information about
Wasteland 3Developer: InXile Entertainment
SP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Post-Apoc
Genre: Tactical RPG
Combat: Turn-based
Play-time: Unknown
Voice-acting: Unknown
Regions & platforms
Internet
· Homepage
· Platform: PC
· Released: 2020-08-27
· Publisher: InXile Entertainment