manual
3
VDSG - RESTRICTED - VTB-001-13
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
INTRODUCTION TO FALLOUT 3
Nuclear war. The very words conjure images of mushroom clouds, gas masks, and bewildered
children ducking and covering under their school desks. But it’s the aftermath of such a conflict that
truly captures our imaginations, in large part because there’s no real-world equivalent we can relate
to. Mankind may have witnessed the horror of the atomic bomb, but thankfully we’ve somehow
succeeded in not blowing up the entire planet. At least, not yet.
Fallout 3 presents a much grimmer reality. Imagine if, after World War II, the timeline had split.
Our world forked into one branch, the Fallout universe the other. In that other branch, technology
progressed at a much more impressive rate, while American society remained locked in the cultural
norms of the 1950’s. It was an idyllic “world of tomorrow,” filled with servant robots, beehive
hairdos, and fusion-powered cars. And then in the year 2077, at the climax of a long-running war
with China, it all went to hell in a globe-shattering nuclear war.
That’s where you come in. Fallout 3 takes place two hundred years later, in the year 2277, in
post-apocalyptic Washington D.C. and its environs. The “Capital Wasteland,” as it has come to be
known, is a nightmare landscape of roving Raider gangs, freakish Super Mutants, rotting Feral Ghouls,
and malfunctioning military robots. It’s a good thing you’ve been living underground for the past
nineteen years, safe and secure in an official Vault-Tec facility known as Vault 101. Everything is fine
and dandy, until your father – who has been the one constant in your life – decides to leave the vault
unexpectedly, forcing you to follow in pursuit. So much for safety.
Now here’s the good news. When that giant vault door slides open and you’re thrust into the harsh
sunlight of the Capital Wasteland, you’re completely free to make your own destiny. Follow after dear
old Dad… or forget he even exists. Head straight into the ramshackle town of Megaton, and meet its
eclectic inhabitants… or shoot first and exchange pleasantries later.
That’s really the most important thing to remember about Fallout 3 – it’s your game, so play it
the way you want. There is no “right” way to play. Try out the many skills and perks found in
this manual. Try using V.A.T.S., the all new combat system. But most of all, remember that each
challenge the game gives you has multiple ways of solving it, and multiple outcomes. There are many
paths to success, and yes, the game does eventually “end.” But how it ends is up to you, and the
character you play.
We here at Bethesda Game Studios hope you have as much fun adventuring in our world as we’ve
had creating it. It’s been an honor keeping the Fallout universe alive, and it’s time for you to experi-
ence that wonder all over again, or for the very first time, whichever the case may be.
Oh, and one more thing. When you finally catch up with Dad, be nice. Or not…
- The Fallout 3 Team
Q
W
E
R
T
A
S
D
F
VZ
F5
F9
Shift L
Caps Lock
Tab
Cntl L
Alt L
Space
CONTROLS
Auto Move Foward Activate Ready/Reload Wait
Always Run Strafe Left Back Strafe Right Change View
Run Grab V.A.T.S.
Sneak Aim/Block Jump
Quick Save
Quick Load
Attack
Aim/Block
Open Pip-Boy
Hold for Pip-Boy Light
Click between first-person
and third-person views.
Scroll to zoom your view in
and out in third person.
V.A.T.S. Controls
V . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enter V.A.T.S. Mode
Hold to Scan
Left Click . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Select Target
E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Accept V.A.T.S. Targeting
Right Click . . . . . . . . . Exit V.A.T.S., Cancel Queued Attacks
Left Click on the left or right arrows to switch to
a new target.
Use mouse to highlight Specific Body Parts and
Left Click.