Fallout Developer Profile - Jason D. Anderson

NMA got the rare opportunity to interview Lead Technical Artist and co-founder of Troika Jason D. Anderson, as a part of their Fallout anniversary celebrations.
What's your favourite Fallout memory?

I have a few favorite memories. I think one of the best is when we came to the conclusion that the player was going to have to get kicked out of the vault at the end of the game. Leon and I shared an office and he was struggling to think up an end movie for the game. Originally, it was going to be a celebration... You are the returning hero of the vault in classic rpg fashion. This was decided on early in the game's design. And while we sat there wracking our brains trying to figure out how to make the movie work, it dawned on us that the whole idea of this celebration sounded kind of ordinary and lame.

Leon made the comment that, through the whole game, the vault dwellers are completely xenophobic... I mean, why would they even *let *you in? And I responded, well, then we should just have the movie being them kicking you out.

It was so funny. Over and over again we said we can't do that! But we absolutely loved the idea - it was just so cool! So we went to tell Tim. Tim wasn't sure of the idea. He thought it would flop with the fans, nothing like that had ever been done. But he finally gave in (we could be pains in the asses when we wanted something our way.) That movie is one of my favorite parts of the whole game - the returning hero getting kicked out. Absolutely perfect!