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Inside the Fallout 3 Airstream
Posted by Brian Crecente at 12:30 AM on August 31, 2008
Hands-down the best booth on the Penny Arcade Expo show floor is Bethesda's Fallout 3 homage.
The central booth features kiosks of playable Fallout 3, singed mannequins, and an honest to god Airstream motor home on a patch of faux grass surrounded by white picket fences.
The Bethesda folks tell me that the Airstream is an authentic, not a replica, that the company purchased and then paid someone to clean-up and retro fit. Inside the refrigerated air of the mobile home is a wealth of retro goodies touched-up with a Fallout ambiance.
There are, for instance, old Life magazines, a refrigerator packed with ice cold Nuka Colas, a wood panel framed flat screen television and a waffle iron of the future. You can tell it's from the future by the mini radar dish protruding from the top griddle.
Bethesda apparently wanted to give the whole thing away at PAX but weren't able to because of tax issues. Man, that sucks because it would have made one sweet ride for a lucky gamer. Maybe they can donate it to Child's Play.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
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DigitalBloodUK
Posted 1:57 AM 31/8/08
They've got some big ol balls !
DigitalBloodUK
revolverx
Posted 1:41 AM 31/8/08
Some companies just know how to market, Bethesda is one of them
revolverx
McClain
Posted 1:40 AM 31/8/08
Bethesda is just crushing PAX apparently with all the coverage I'm seeing on it. Not that I mind, I've been waiting for gameplay videos and other info for about a year now. My dark horse game of the year choice isn't look so dark horse anymore.
McClain
dead_red_eyes
Posted 1:37 AM 31/8/08
Wow, that's crazy that they were wanting to give it away! How awesome is that?!
dead_red_eyes
Spawnofmoose
Posted 1:36 AM 31/8/08
So what did you 'borrow' from it Brian?
Spawnofmoose
Bcoolbyte
Posted 1:29 AM 31/8/08
I have to admit. That is pretty amazing.
Bcoolbyte
PsycheE
Posted 1:27 AM 31/8/08
Hard to top a retro-fitted trailer inside a building.
PsycheE
Morigato
Posted 2:30 AM 31/8/08
They should totally team up with pepsi or coca-cola and market Nuka-Cola. I will totally get addicted to that all over again!
Morigato
excaliburps
Posted 2:25 AM 31/8/08
Are the Colas actually edible? That's wicked sick! Especially considering Bethesda wanted to give it away...
Does anyone know if gaming companies feel things like these on their budget? I mean E3,PAX,GC and the like sure costs money. Not that I'm complaining mind you. I like my booths the flashier the better. Just thought if they "felt" this on their budget or it's so insignificant of an amount that it's like like just taking someone out to lunch.
excaliburps
jp182
Posted 2:15 AM 31/8/08
pictures dont do it justice. If i didn't see the fallout 3 signs first; i would have thought it was a movie set or something.
jp182
2NinjasTapedTogether
Posted 2:57 AM 31/8/08
Holy crap that's cool.
I'm seriously reconsidering my LittleBigPlanet reservation. You might even say I'm having reservations about it.
...
I'll show myself the door...
But seriously... I'll wait til the holiday money rolls in to pick this bad boy up. But damn will it be hard. Maybe I'll try to make a Fallout 3 themed level in LBP to stave off the wait...
2NinjasTapedTogether
MonkeyBiz
Posted 2:56 AM 31/8/08
It reminds me of those faux towns they set up by nuclear blast tests. Those had mannequins etc.
MonkeyBiz
Campion of Drymouth
Posted 2:49 AM 31/8/08
I can see how the mannequins would really capture the experience of speaking with the in-game characters. (Yes, those videoclips from earlier made me totally bitter about anticipating this game so deeply...)
Campion of Drymouth
Momentarylogic
Posted 2:45 AM 31/8/08
I am super happy that Bethesda is doing Fallout, major props for the PAX installation.
Momentarylogic
EtisArap
Posted 2:43 AM 31/8/08
I would buy Nuka Cola if they had that sold.
EtisArap
beta_angel
Posted 3:33 AM 31/8/08
I spent a massive amount of time at the Bethesda booth just marveling at all they did. The only photos I have from PAX so far (and probably at all, as I don't want to bring my camera today) are from the Fallout booth. It's just absolutely stellar.
beta_angel
ezcheezbandit
Posted 6:01 AM 31/8/08
Is that an odwalla drink in the bottom of the fridge? shame.
ezcheezbandit
keppj0nes
Posted 7:23 AM 31/8/08
they were not able to give it away because of tax issues? what tax issues?
keppj0nes
Baladen
Posted 1:47 PM 31/8/08
@keppj0nes: They would have to report it to the IRS as income for whomever won it, then that person would have to pay taxes on it. Just like if you hit a large jackpot in a slot machine in Vegas, the casino has to get you to fill out a W2 and they report the winnings to the IRS. In the end, you'd have to pay 20-30% of what Bethesda payed for it to the IRS after winning it for 'free'.
I remember a radio station in Chicago once holding a contest giving away a new home. The taxes the winner had to pay were around $120,000 (of course, they got a $400,000 house out of it). So the winner had to take out a mortgage on the 'free' house to pay for it.
The IRS always wants 'their share'. Always.
Baladen
ThisCharmingMan
Posted 2:38 PM 31/8/08
I would have NO problem driving that thing around.
ThisCharmingMan
Ping5000
Posted 3:29 PM 1/9/08
THIS IS WHY WE, THE CITIZENS, MUST DETHRONE THE GOVERNMENT. ESTABLISH A NEW ORDER. ONE THAT WILL LET PEOPLE WIN FALLOUT 3 AIRSTREAMS WITHOUT THE GOVERNMENT SHOVING THEIR FOOT IN THE DOOR, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE NO FOOT. JUST YOU AND YOUR FALLOUT 3 AIRSTREAM.
Ping5000
Ilyena
Posted 3:40 PM 1/9/08
@ThisCharmingMan:
I'd have no problem living in that Goddamn thing... as long as it comes with Fallout...
Ilyena