Forum:The next games Big Bad

Please, allow me to clarify, to the purpose of this discussion I'd be most grateful if we could stay on topic and avoid making another wish list. I'm interested in your best educated guess as to what faction you actually believe will be cast as the Bad guys in the next game. Not who you wish it to be. Thanks.

*So, please, puting aside all personal designs and or desires, who is most likely to be our next big bad ?

I honestly don't know alot about The Commonwealth but my gut feeling is that since we haven't heard so much out of them lately I'm inclined to believe they, the commonwealth, are a most likely candidate.

Please tell me, what is your most educated guess ?

That was broke afore I got here! 22:13, June 22, 2011 (UTC)

Well let's see, since the Enclave is dust and the BOS is kinda rehabilitated after New Vegas, and the master's army is scattered, and Caesar's legion is probably destroyed for the cannon ending, I'd guess it would have to be some new faction that's lain in wait for their chance to make a move. I always liked the Calculator from fallout tactics, maybe it would be some sort of prewar intelligence like that or someone like Desmond Lockeheart from point lookout; who lived in the old world and is still plotting some nefarious act. I don't know but I do get the feeling that Fallout as a whole is moving toward some sort of epic climax. I would guess that the next big baddy would have to be something even more diabolical and more threatening than any enemy we've encountered to date. It would have to pose a threat on a global level. Something that wants to exterminate all life or even restart the Great War. Maybe a new race of mutants or robots bent on genocide or an ultimate doomsday weapon. The bottom line is that to date, the forces that have posed a threat in the wasteland, have been somewhat minor in scope. The next ultimate nasty needs to be something that is proportionate to the world of fallout as it has grown considerably with the inclusion of new games in the series. It's not just about California or D.C. anymore. We're talking about the entire North American continent. What could threaten an entire continent of independent tribes? Zac hemker 07:44, June 23, 2011 (UTC)

Well said Zac hemker you clearly know your fallout univers and your observations about eminent and escalating threats seem more than logical. However I notice you made no direct reference to the Commonwealth.

The storyline for Fallout 3, at least as related by Dr. Zimmer, would indicate that they are alive and well, with high level techological capabilitys that clearly include extreemly advanced robots, even Dr. Zimmer himself turned out to be a robot. Is there any evidance that would deny the possibility that the entire commonwealth might in fact now be humanoid robots ?

I believe the Commonwealth could very well fill at least 2 of the scenarios you suggested in your post. Thank you for your well presented input.

Any other thoughts, anyone ? That was broke afore I got here! 10:31, June 23, 2011 (UTC)

While I welcome the introduction of new factions, I seriously doubt the Enclave is gone forever. Just because they've lost 2 bases, doesn't necessarily say they are gone for good. We know from ED-E's logs that there was/is an Enclave base in the Chicago region. This makes sense as thye had bases on both coasts so why not one in the centre of the US. Also Chicago is a major site and located on the Great Lakes so it stands to reason that the Enclave would have a base there.

However, be that as it may, I suspect the next big bad for FO4 will be the Institute in the Commonwealth. We know that its an extremely advanced faction, capable of creating life like Replicants [andriods] with true AI. We get hints that the rest of the Commonwealth is mired in constant savagery but the Institute is some sort of oasis of technology and therefore power. That's my 2 caps worth for now. Captain Taipan 00:58, June 24, 2011 (UTC)


 * ( Late edit 'cause I missed what Captian Taipan said ~ Sory Cap :)

Good point ~ Some wounds are less deep than all the world sees ~&~ "This" Fallout Univers, is a fictional world! So I'm with ya M8 !

Sounds like if we go up Noth, whats left or "Hidden" of the Enclave might be still there & that sounds like a power struggel waiting to happen..

I hear ya Brother ! Who eles has a well defendable thought as to who they "Believe" will be the Next Big Bad ?

SaintPain ~> That was broke a'fore I got here! 13:13, June 26, 2011 (UTC)

I don't mean to be a stickler, but Zimmer was never proven conclusively to be an android. He simply had the android component in his inventory. That particular point is still open for debate I believe. In any event, while the commonwealth is potentially a threat based on their technological superiority, I haven't seen any evidence that they are at all interested in the world outside of the Institute. Just because they have some killer tech, doesn't necessarily mean they are evil. Besides, I think they are too small of a faction to pose a major threat. What I'm expecting is some sort of left over, prewar, end of the world, doomsday robot army or somebody with a bad attitude and a chemical weapon. The commonwealth seems more like DLC content than full on antagonist material. Zac hemker 08:47, June 24, 2011 (UTC)

~Zac hemker, I bow to the possibility that Zimmer was not a replicant.. If some alien culture dug up my bones a thousand years from now, what would they make of me? I drive an american car in the USA, so if there I died,., That would likely be their summation. American.. They could be wrong but it's a fair enough guess. I take your point to heart. I did assume Zimmer to be a replecant, but in my defence, when I killed Zimmer, his whole body exploded! Most humans don't do that but then again I'm no Doctor, I just play one in the Fallout waists ;)~.

We booth made assumptions. No worries there BUT not that I want to keep score & please believe me, I don't..

However, I do notice you proposed the assumption that the Commonwealth is too small to be global threat.


 * Here I need to pause so I can make this disclaimer :I do not wish to make this discussion "all about the Commonwealth." It just seems soo far The Commonwealth is our best known suspect.

So,Zac hemker you claim the Commonwealth "too small of a faction to pose a major threat."

How do we know how big the Commonwealth is? The commonwealth is stacked way up north next to what is unknown to the Fallout univers. Canada is a mystery to me today & I live one state & a boat ride away from their well forested shores...

Soo far, we all agree The Commonwealth has high level technology. Now that dose not mean they "must be" waramongers but this is a game about War & War ~ Some say ~ It never changes.. ;)~

Dr Zimmer, "IMO", with every word & disrespectful tone of voice STANK of a want to be, Tinsel plated, Oh soo self thought better than US, Bigot!

I know, that dose mean his whole Commonwealth is a threat but if Zimmer is our only example, call me a bigot too.

I judge Zimmer on his actions & because his folks seem to have the Big Bad ToYs.. I'll keep an eye to the north.


 * Thanks for play'n Zac hemker, You made good points M8 ;)

Come on y'all, All are welcome! Who do you believe the next games Big Bad will be ?

SaintPain ~> That was broke a'fore I got here! 13:13, June 26, 2011 (UTC)

OK, so I can't seem to dissuade anyone from suspecting the commonwealth as the next villainous power, then tell me: What is going to be their motivation? They already have all the tech so they are self sufficient. They obviously can keep a low profile when they want to so they aren't worried about security. They can create all the androids they need to work for them so they don't need slaves. And from zimmer's interactions with the player and other NPCs, they are bigoted and self important so they obviously don't need or want anything from the rest of the country. Why then, would they suddenly come out of their self imposed exile to reek havoc and devastation across the wasteland? I am genuinely interested in why the commonwealth is such a threat after they occupied such a minor role in FO3. I don't hear any votes for Ronto or some of the other mysterious locations mentioned in passing by other Fallout Characters over the years. I hope that all of my points are taken in spirit in which they are intended, I really mean no disrespect and I am truly interested in why the commonwealth is the favored nominee as opposed to other groups as yet unnamed. I personally just don't see it, but that's merely my opinion. Zac hemker 00:31, June 25, 2011 (UTC)

IMO ~ The Commonwealth would try to grasp more power because they can or because they think it's their devine right, theyed see themselves as hero's saving the poor savages from their own ignorance... Or just cause they want just 1 more cookie.

I could use more colorful language but I'll just leave it to y'all's imagination.

Thanks again for play'n Zac. Any more thoughts are always welcomed.

SaintPain ~> That was broke a'fore I got here! 05:32, June 26, 2011 (UTC)

Alright. I have a couple of days to think about it and I have decided to come clean. I am an agent of the commonwealth and I've been sent here to disseminate false intelligence and spread misdirection in order to leave the world vulnerable to our eventual take over. You've figured me out and I tip my hat to you sir. But no seriously, I still disagree that the commonwealth is significant enough to build an entire game around. I'm not talking about their belief or lack there of in any sort of manifest destiny or jihad culture. I'm speaking from the sense of good story telling. If I was to create a villainous power to stand as the end game antagonist for the next installment of Fallout, it would have to be something so drastically powerful and menacing that all of the other factions would be forced to unite against it or risk being annihilated. I'm not saying that the commonwealth couldn't pose such a threat, I'm saying they are boring and lack substance for such an endeavor. I think after old world blues is finished everyone is going to have had their fill of research facilities and super high tech gadgetry. What I believe, and I'm not trying to insert any sort of personal stake in this, is that the next villain needs to be downright frightening. In Caesar we have our fallout world's version of hitler. He was a monster and a bastard who you could love to hate. In the master we have our gluttonous devourer who seeks to consume and control. It's scarier in a sci-fi movie fashion. In the enclave we have seen the ultra fascist Big-brother government gone wrong. That's scary because it's closer to home and more believable. What we haven't seen yet is something that is actually terrifying in the more literal sense like zombie epidemics or giant monsters running amok. But you know something else we haven't seen yet is a faceless antagonist. Something like a doomsday weapon that randomly goes online and has a sort of countdown to D-day situation. What about a giant nuke that needs to be disarmed before it can blow up the entire country, tear a hole in the atmosphere and eject the remnants of humanity into space? It could be situated in the bottom of a massive underground military bunker surrounded by hordes of hostile security robots or irradiated feral ghoul soldiers who were left to guard it and have gone native. Imagine psychotic ghouls armed with machineguns and even power armor who utilize tactics and strategy to single-mindedly try to kill your ass with extreme prejudice. How scary would that be to have a counter displayed on your pipboy telling you just how long you have to save the world? Now how does the commonwealth stack up against something like that? All I'm saying and all I've been saying is that the commonwealth is small potatoes compared to what could be right around the corner for the fallout universe. Zac hemker 06:57, June 26, 2011 (UTC)

Well, if we want something so devastatingly big that it could once again reset the clock on the planet, then I believe we shouldn't ignore the entire Eastern Hemisphere. While I am not as familiar with the Fallout Universe as I'd like to be, from what I can gather not much is known of the fate of that side of the earth. Obviously, the entire world was blown to hell when the bombs fell, however there was life left in the United States, The Commonwealth, and (somewhat) Mexico so it's not that much of a stretch to say that remnants of China or Russia could have been left to plot for revenge. From what I saw in Anchorage the Chinese also had some pretty killer tech (i.e. the Chinese Stealth Armor). If you think about it this isn't some new faction or superpower. It's a return to the classic. A chance to stop history from repeating itself. I mean, it's been decades since the bombs fell right? Why haven't we heard anything from them? Are they plotting? Preparing? Unifying while the U.S. is busy fighting within itself? It just seems that after so long they'd finally be ready to end the Great War. An anonymous user at 12:51 am on 6/26/11. Sorry I really don't know how to sign these things.


 * ( To: An An anonymous user, If you've joined & made a user name send me a message on my Talk Tage & I'll help get you set up with an auto signature. untill then, just type your user name & if you haven't joined yet, well it's free, so think about it. Folks like to know who said what. )

SaintPain ~> That was broke a'fore I got here! 13:13, June 26, 2011 (UTC)

That is a lot to chew on Zac hemker. To bad the game makers don't ask us, Damn it :(

I see your ideas and personaly, I like them. Now I still think you underestimate the Commonwealth booth ist's sheer numbers and the scope of their tech. Never the less, I'll rest my faith in the Commonweath as a threat for the moment.

What are your thoughts about this bunch ?

The Unamerican Activities Force (UAF) was a pre-War organization consisting of federal (usually) undercover agents that worked to ferret out communist sympathizers in the American population. They used the stealth UAF Armors.

This organization is a reference to the Un-American Activities Committee.

SaintPain ~> That was broke a'fore I got here! 13:17, June 26, 2011 (UTC)

Yes! A foreign super power with an ages old grudge against the U.S. That would be truly inspiring. If there were Chinese remnants hiding out in Mama Dolce's Food production as hostile ghouls then it stands to reason that there could be equally vengeful entities in other countries who are just spoiling for a fight, never mind that their aggressors have been dead for centuries. How about an invasion force crossing a man made (post war) land bridge from Russia to alaska and setting up a beach head in Canada? Could you picture a structure stretching miles across the ocean and made entirely out of wrecked cars, old tires and dismantled buildings? All rusted and leaking oil into the water. It creates a natural game world barrier because the water would be so toxic that the player would die if he/she immersed themselves into it. Now we're cooking with gas! Picture a cobbled together soviet tank rolling across the bridge, belching smoke and surrounded by soldiers wearing piecemeal uniforms. Hell it was feared that the Chinese were working on developing their own power armor, hence the pulse gun in Fallout new Vegas, so there could even be a new type of power armor available to wear. The epic final confrontation could involve the player being tasked with destroying the land bridge in order to stop the invaders from massing for their campaign. They'd have to fight through legions of enemy soldiers and destroy army bases along the way. Unify Canadian rebels to assist and learn the history of the annexation of Canada prior to the great war. It would be mind blowing! Zac hemker 16:50, June 26, 2011 (UTC)

That is ambitious & I'd surely prepay for such a game but I'd suggest we raign it in a wee bit 'cause I think we all know Fallout game makers have never been near soo bold..

So in the spirit of comprimising ideas What do you think of this build up ?

A scenario : The game starts with a drifer type "Man with out a county sort, a stranger in strange land." He finds an abandoned vault with the basics, ammo, a weapon, a vault suit & of course a pipboy. The pipboy activates a vault projector, very, very basic AI that walks the new player thought the Tutorial & sends him off with his first quest marker.

The player then encounters many communities & factions, all with their own agendas. Rummers & allegations start to float around. Distrust and susspision seems to be the only thing these varied communities have in common. Then the plot thickens, One of 3 or four different shadowy figures approach the player, claim to have been watching the player..

These showdowy figures are in fact spys or agents representing would be world powers " & maybe even just for fun 1 that represents a group simmilar to the Republic of Dave that takes himself just as deadly serious as the others. )

These agents seek the players aid in all the things fictional spys are soo know for.

The player investigates the factions involved & ultimately chooses to help one or play them all against each other as tensins rise to the brink of a new world war.


 * McCarthyism and cold war tension defined the 50's of our real world. The Unamerican Activities Force (UAF) would be a natural story henge. They could be the Big Bad or they could be working to stop them..

So what do y'all think ? SaintPain →  That was broke a'fore I got here! 17:20, June 27, 2011 (UTC)

There is certainly potential there for an interesting story. It would be neat to see some sort of Spy-fiction element present in some form. Who would these mysterious factions be? Zac hemker 08:05, June 28, 2011 (UTC)

In our world, even today every nation spys on each other, even allies. It's a fact & all you got to do is ask any active duty, national guard or resurvist .. If they are in service now & they been through basic training they can tell you about the tedious blocks of instruction we must go through at least once every year, more if you are about to be deployed ~*Counter espionage / counter sabotage, situational awareness and reporting procedures*~

My point is : If our real world is soo mired in subterfuge, then what fictional faction / would be world power would not send out spies, saboteurs & assassins ?

The fact we've not seen more cloak & dagger in the Fallout universe has both left me shocked and amazed since the first time I played through Fallout 3.


 * These shadowy figures could represent any faction from rising nation states like the Commonwealth & Economic power mongers like Tenpenny & his agent Mr.Burke, What ever there is go'n on in Canada & of course as I already said the Unamerican Activities Force was built for just such covert, cold warring.

Spies could sow the seeds of war with the player right in the middle of it all.

SaintPain → That was broke a'fore I got here! 10:53, June 28, 2011 (UTC)

Well, my opinion on the next big baddy would be .... First of all , he cant have his/her/its goal being ''Destroy the world , because ,the world has already been destroyed and also because destroying the world doesnt benefit the bad guy , now does it ? second of all he/she/it has to have a goal that can be understood and agreed with that makes sense, but that you can still be against ..... so im hoping they will do something on those lines next time instead of the usual Insane scientist/machine/mutant wants to destroy world or make super species of super soldiers/intellectuals  Because this has already been done and is no longer a good story .... and uh i used to have an account on these wikis but i forgot the password and cant open it .. my username was Philfredobob .. and thats why i cant sign :(

First off, while I really like the idea of the "final epic show down" as previously mentioned by Zac, it is far too climactic. Unless Bethesda knows Fallout 4 is the last Fallout they'll be able too make, I doubt they are ready to end a beloved and highly profitable series.

Here is what I want: You are Enclave

The story would have to be more controlled than that of NV, at least at the start. It could have you run a few linear missions, similar to the childhood tutorial for F3 teaching the basics of player creation and choice. Near the end of this pre game process you are selected for an advanced project. A new version of a pip-boy, and with this game moves into normal progession. Which brings me to the Big Bad. The default enemy could be the entirety of the wasteland populace, but player progression would allow for different outcomes such as turning on the Enclave after realising they aren't right for the world, or working to make it a beneficial organization.

XxSick DemonxX 04:55, August 31, 2011 (UTC)

these are great ideas. i also don't think the commonwealth could be the main villian, too bland. i have an idea that combines your guys' ideas. OK, how about the opening scene is you waking up in an abandoned vault, you are disoriented and there are signs of a struggle. you cant remember anything(amnesia, for story purposes) and your head is crippled. as you walk around the abandoned vault you learn the basics/ the basic ai teaches you. you already have a pip boy/ you find one. you periodically get flashes of memory triggered by certain story events. you remember being with four or five more people(the shadowy figures or powers that be) then one of them attacks and you are knocked out. thats when you have to select your skills/ traits and 'start over' because of the memory loss. we'll keep the suspicious communities and factions. we can work in the espionage aspect too. but heres the kicker, you eventually find out that you were one of the shadowy figures and was the leader of your own faction. you then find out that you werent a very nice person and have to choose whether or not to go back to your old ways or turn over a new leaf. also you would have to decide if you want to return to your old faction or perhaps stay in one of the other ones you were working for. eventually you will decide the fate of the region, the factions, and yourself while trying to figure out what happened to you and why. the shadowy figures could be the leaders of other major factions like enclave, commonwealth, BoS, maybe an ncr general/ new legion leader, chinese pla remnants or any other number of big bads. what do you guys think? too much? JimmyDreznaut017 22:57, August 31, 2011 (UTC)

Why do all the big bad guys have to be leaders of factions ?! couldnt it just be one guy manipulating everything so it works for him, instead of it being the leader of massive powerful faction ?! because Big massive faction is predictable as the big bad guys and is honestly quite bland and boring

Maybe it will be like NV where there's more than one faction it could be NCR/BOS coalition vs. Enclave vs. China vs. British/U.N. Group? Cory Jaynes 16:58, September 4, 2011 (UTC)

In a way, the central players of New Vegas were sort of Old World versus Older World. I think they'll go back to the roots of Fallout antagonists and present individuals or groups with a new vision for tomorrow; ala the Unity.--OvaltinePatrol 09:37, September 10, 2011 (UTC)

It's been awhile since I revisited this
I thank you all for your input, lots of cool ideas.

I mostly take a favorable shine to OvaltinePatro's summation " the central players of New Vegas were sort of Old World versus Older World"

That is a fair observation.

Any other educated guesses as to who you really believe will be the main adversarys in the next FO game ?


 * Again, comments backing why you think they will be cast as the big bad will be most welcomed.

(I could wish aliens and mermaids to be the next IT, but that would just over speculation based on a silly whim.)


 * Who do y'all really believe will be the next big bad?

As always ~ Have fun & thanks for play'n ~B)

SaintPain→ '''That was broke afore I got here.. Again''' 18:34, November 16, 2011 (UTC)