Vault 34

Vault 34 is one of the Vaults constructed by the Vault-Tec Corporation in the Mojave Wasteland.

Background
As part of the Vault experiment, the armory was overstocked with weapons and ammunition, and every dweller had unrestricted access to it. It was also equipped with a great number of recreational facilities, including a full-sized swimming pool, at the cost of living space.

For the first century underground, everything went as planned. The vault eventually became overpopulated with low-scale violence sprouting up. Real trouble began around 2230, large groups of residents started suggesting limited reproductive rights. This caused even more violence, leading to the Overseer stating that all weapons would be confiscated. Rather than accept this, a large faction of the vault dwellers left the vault, eventually settling at Nellis Air Force Base as the Boomers. Foreseeing future problems, the overseer had a remote link to the armory lock installed on his terminal. The remaining vault dwellers chafed under increasingly restrictive overseer rule. After the leave of the Boomers, the main exit was sealed and guards posted to prevent anyone else from leaving. Years after another group unsuccessfully stormed the armory.

Later a large group of rebels staged an attack on the armory. In the weeks of fighting that ensued, with most guards at the main exit or armory there was little to stop the damage that was done to other areas in the vault. Especially the vault's infrastructure and the reactor itself. Although the situation was contained, radiation leakage became a problem. Around 2279 the most qualified reactor tech, Chris Haversam, left the Vault, convinced he was becoming a ghoul. Ironically, though he was not, the inhabitants he left behind would soon find out what it means to be a ghoul.

The radiation leakage became more and more serious, eventually leading to mass violence in the Vault. An explosion damaged the reactor and the resulting radiation spill caused many of the inhabitants to perish. Those that survived would fight those whose skin was peeling off and had lost their minds. However a small group managed to survive the turmoil and avoid the radiation exposure. They taking shelter within the southern section of the vault before a bomb planted in the pool went off, flooding the lower levels and causing the doors to automatically seal. By 2281, they are still there clinging to life trapped until someone transfers control to the backup terminal. If the controls are transferred they evacuate the vault and arrive at the Aerotech office park as refugees. If the vents are closed instead the radiation becomes contained within the vault and back down into the southern section.

Layout
Vault 34 is unique among the vaults of the Mojave, having a much longer access tunnel, as well as a radically different layout. Outside of the entrance tunnel several golden geckos may spawn.

1st floor
This section is comprised of the vault's long entrance tunnel, blast door, atrium, clinic, and a few apartments. Although this vault can feel a little like a labyrinth, it is mostly symmetrical in layout, although some halls have collapsed or been barricaded, forcing alternative routes to be taken. A flooded area along the western side contains the corpse of a glowing one which the game calls a 'vault technician' under a desk. The corpse holds the Vault 34 security terminal password. The entry room is completely devoid of items, but an overseer's journal fragment can be found in the control booth. Most loot in this section is either in lockers or dressers, although first aid boxes are scattered about, as are 10mm pistols and 10mm submachine guns. There is a terminal (Science 100) on the lower level, located in the Utility room, through the clinic, which can pump the water out of one of the flooded areas. To activate the terminal without hacking, backtrack a small amount to the flooded area which will be on your right when facing the armory door. Straight down at the bottom is another dead glowing ghoul 'vault technician' under another desk with the Vault 34 utility terminal password. Use this on the computer in the Utility room to drain the water from that same flooded area and gain access to the Security Room. In the room opposite the Utility room is another overseer's journal fragment. This level has access to the Armory and the Overseer's office.

Reactor
This section has higher radiation than the rest, excluding the armory, as it contains the damaged reactor of the vault. At the end of the main hallway is a door to the flooded areas of the vault, which is inaccessible, and a small room containing a few security guards and a True Police Stories on the floor. The mutated overseer is in his office, standing on his raised desk with two turrets mounted underneath it. One of the overseer's journal fragments is in the room also. Be warned that upon entering the room, more ghouls will break through the inaccessible door labeled "Operations" and attack. Under the stairs is the lightly flooded engineering level, ending in the reactor chamber itself. The terminal next to the door is used to open it, and the terminal inside the reactor itself is required for the quest Hard Luck Blues. The overseer's window overlooks an inaccessible copy of the armory.

Armory
To access the armory section of the vault, you must first get passwords from two ghoul engineers that are in submerged areas. Then you must find two terminals: one to pump out the water and another to open the overseers door. Next, proceed to the overseer's office on the right of a hallway beyond the newly unlocked door. Once inside, destroy the turret(s) and the ghoulified overseer and take his password from his corpse. Use the password to access his terminal and open the armory door. Finally, travel through the clinic and follow the hallway to a dead-end at the door to the armory section.

The armory section itself is small, consisting of only a staircase, a hallway and two small rooms. The common room at the far end has a reloading bench and a copy of Guns and Bullets by a couch, and the equipment room can be accessed through a featureless antechamber that is almost directly across from the stairs at the near end of the hallway.

The equipment room is a small, two level room, with weapons and ammunition scattered around on the floor, tables and shelves. The unique weapon All-American is on an overturned table to the right side of the room, and the pulse gun is in a Very Hard locked footlocker. The upper gantry is only reachable by stacking and climbing on crates, but it contains nothing of interest.

Security Station A
The door to this small area is underwater, but can easily be accessed when the water is pumped out. It contains a few security guards and a set of security armor. An overseer's journal fragment is found on the desk, next to the terminal which unlocks the overseer's quarters.

Notable loot

 * The unique Marksman carbine, named the All-American, on an overturned table in the armory.
 * Note: Some companions, especially Boone, will pick up the All-American and equip it if they are in your party.
 * In the armory you will also find a large stash of ammunition and weapons, such as sniper rifles, a missile launcher, a minigun, three blocks of C-4, two assault carbines, a riot shotgun, two grenade launchers, one Marksman carbine and various 10mm weapons plus a riot shotgun.
 * Pulse gun - in a locked gun case (very hard) on the floor next to a table in the armory, unless you have the key from Nellis AFB for Veronica's quest.
 * Detonator - located in the armory.
 * 7 10mm SMGs. - scattered throughout the 1st floor.
 * 3 10mm pistols - scattered throughout the 1st floor.
 * Guns and Bullets - On the small metal table between the sofas by the pool table, in the armory common room.
 * 7 Vault 34 security armor and 6 helmets. A few can be found lying in the armory. One is also found in the room on the left, right after the 2nd flooded staircase, lying on a chair in a pile of rubble. One is also located in Security Station A, after you pump the water out.
 * Four overseer's journal fragments can be found throughout the vault.
 * Combat armor and combat helmet - on the back table in the armory
 * The automatic surgical unit needed for the quest Et Tumor, Brute? through salvaging the Broken Mk III Auto-Doc. This option is only available while the quest is active.
 * On the left of the Broken Mk III Auto-Doc, there's wall safe containing 12 Rad-Xs and 8 RadAways. It's an average lock, requiring 50 Lockpick in order to pick it.

Appearances
Vault 34 was first mentioned in Fallout Bible and appears in Fallout: New Vegas.

Behind the scenes

 * Vault 34 was designed by Sydney Wolfram.
 * This was specifically designed to combine the atmosphere of the Glow from Fallout with the gameplay reward of the Sierra Army Depot from Fallout 2. The inspiration came from the Fallout Bible.
 * The Vault 34 utility terminal passwords are Thunderbird and Bonneville; both are names of Triumph motorcycles that Sydeney Wolfram and Joshua Sawyer ride.
 * Vault 34 was originally built in a single worldspace. This was done intentionally to make the player's compass useless, but the vault needed to be split up due to console constraints.
 * On the way into Vault 34 there is a skeleton with a 10mm pistol and ammunition - a reference to Ed from Fallout and Fallout 2.

Bugs

 * With Rex as a companion (but told to Wait in the Novac Hotel room) Rex will appear upon entering the Armory area from the Vault 34 1st floor area. When spoken to Rex will still be following the previous Wait command given in the Novac hotel room and will not follow the player out of the Armory area. Rex will also continue to be in a Wait state at the Novac hotel room if the player returns there without changing the command to Follow while in the Armory area. If Rex dies in the armory during this bug a second dead Rex will be found in the Novac hotel room.
 * Saving inside the Overseer's office or entering the Armory may result in a corrupted game save.
 * Companions that have been told to wait outside the Vault, may re-appear inside the Vault. This can be resolved by talking to your companions and dismissing them.
 * Dismissing ED-E may result ED-E's companion quest failing upon exiting the Vault.
 * You may fall outside of the map while walking up the stairs on the 3rd floor.
 * While in The Armory Great Khans may appear and can make your character zoom in and freeze or slow down the game considerably. Two of the Great Khans will appear at the door to the Armory and one at the top of the stairs toward the armory.
 * The grenade launcher you get in the Armory can be repaired with the minigun you get in the armory.
 * Occasionally exiting through doors on lower levels may cause player to return to cave entrance after loading screen.
 * Some clipping issues that may stick the player while swimming in the room with the glowing one with the Vault 34 Security Terminal Password. Directly above the roll top desk your head can lodge in the ceiling and you become unable to continue onward. Switching camera perspective over and over may un-stick a player.
 * Upon leaving the vault, some companions may have vanished and/or their markers moved outside of the map.
 * Be Very careful not to tell companions to wait at the top of flooded stairs in this area. Once you activate the pump system they can become permanently stuck between doorways. Possible solution, go into third person and rotate until you can see the option to talk to them and dismiss them.
 * Upon entering one of the submerged hallways, a vault dweller may be seen stuck in a walking position underwater. It cannot attack you or be talked to.
 * Sometimes the entrance will show as Vault 34, Cloning Cells.
 * The broken and jammed door leading to the overseers office may be glitched after opening the reactor room and leaving and returning through a loading door. Instead of the locker holding the door open there will be a floating metal box with random loot jamming it instead and a waste barrel in front of the door.
 * Upon entering the armory, any companions that had disappeared without a trace may suddenly join you (confirmed Rex, ED-E and Veronica).
 * It is possible to get in the corner in the middle area on the first floor.
 * There is an inaccessible room containing three ghouls. Companions may somehow enter this room and become trapped.
 * In the clinic, there is a first aid box that is actually two first aid boxes inside each other. Both can be searched using careful camera movements.
 * The Vault Technicians may sometimes not appear.