The Glow

The West Tek Research Facility, colloquially known as The Glow or Great Glow after the Great War, was founded in 2055 as the primary biological research installation for West Tek, later expanded to accommodate advanced weapons labs. The Glow can be found eight squares east and twenty-four squares south of Vault 13.

Background
Initially divided into two sections, "Advanced Weapons" and "Biomedical Sciences Research", it was the single biggest private contractor of the American federal government by 2069, with its biggest project being the T-51 power armor for use by infantry soldiers on the frontlines. Its second-largest was the Pan-Immunity Virion Project (PVP), later known as the Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV). In 2076, the research facility was secured by a military contingent for fear of international espionage, shortly afterwards, the PVP research was moved to the Mariposa Military Base where experimentation on human subjects would continue. Several other projects were also being pursued, including energy weapons and upgrading existing armor.

The Glow
The West Tek Research Facility was destroyed in the nuclear holocaust of 2077. During the Great War the surface of the installation took a direct hit from a nuclear warhead which left a gaping hole exposing the subterranean installation, shattering the F.E.V. containment tanks and releasing the irradiated virus into the atmosphere. Mutated by radiation, the airborne F.E.V. strain did not have the same mutagenic abilities as its counterpart at Mariposa, but still complicated things for the Master later on. Due to its high radiation, the facility came to be known as the Glow, surrounded by legends among the people of New California. <!-- 2053			 The socially transmitted "New Plague" arises, killing tens of thousands. The United States closes its borders and the first-ever national quarantine is declared. The source of the plague is unknown, but rumors persist that it is a genetically engineered weapon. 2055			 The West Tek Research Facility starts working on a new virus to kill the New Plague. Their viral research and close ties to the federal government eventually lead to them being chosen for the Pan-Immunity Virion Project twenty years later as well as Power Infantry Armor and laser research. 2073	Sept	15	 As China becomes increasingly aggressive with their use of biological weapons, the United States government felt that a countermeasure was needed. The Pan-Immunity Virion Project (PVP) is officially formed and plans are made to begin experiments at the West Tek research facility in Southern California. 2075	March	21	 PVP experiments continue at West Tek with batch 10-011, in the wake of successful tests of the virus on single-celled organisms. Experiments on plant cells are postponed. The pan-immunity virion is renamed FEV - the Forced Evolutionary Virus. 2075	May	9	 FEV experiments continue at Mariposa with batch 10-011, in the wake of successful tests on flatworms, the flatworms exhibit increase size and heightened resistance to viral contagions. Experiments with insects have less success, and further experimentation on insects is postponed by Major Barnett. 2075	June	30	 FEV experiments continue at Mariposa with batch 10-011, with white mice as subjects. Increased size, muscle density, and intelligence are noted. 2075	Nov	9	 FEV experimentation (batch 10-011) on rabbits is concluded. Increased size, intelligence, and (this time) aggressiveness is noted. Apparently, it was hard to determine whether the flatworms in the previous experiments were angrier and more violent than normal. Frankly, the researchers cannot be blamed for this. 2076	January	3	 A military team under the command of Colonel Spindel is sent to the West Tek research facility to monitor the experiments in the interest of national security. Captain Roger Maxson (the grandfather of John Maxson, the High Elder of the Brotherhood of Steel in F1) is among the team personnel. 2076	January	12	 Splicing in several new gene sequences into their test virus, dogs are injected with batch 11-101a at Mariposa. Although increased strength was noted, increased intelligence was not. 2076	January	26	 Using batch 11-011, experiments are conducted on raccoons. Same results are noted, but the attempted escape of several infected raccoons causes Major Barnett to terminate the escape... and the test subjects. Two pairs of raccoons, however, are unaccounted for. Note: Scott Campbell and Chris Taylor intended these escaped raccoons to form an intelligent animal community NW of the Glow called the "Burrows." This location was never implemented. 2076	April	15	 Once all secondary tests and studies are done on the test subjects, all dogs from the batch 11-101a FEV tests at Mariposa are terminated... from a safe distance. 2076	October	4	 At West Tek, fifteen chimpanzees are infected with batch 11-111. The most successful test to date, growth and immunities in the chimpanzees surpass all other subjects to date. The military practically drools over the results. Plans are made in secret to begin testing in small quarantine towns in North America, and the Mariposa Military Base construction is sped up in anticipation of moving the West Tek project to a location under military supervision. 2077	January	7	 Major Barnett orders transfer of all FEV research to the newly-constructed Mariposa Military Base, despite objections by the research team. 2077	February		FEV Research is leaked to the world through an unknown source. Protests in many major cities and governments around the world, as well as accusations that the US was responsible for the New Plague. FEV is seen as the threat it is, and serves only to fuel tensions. 2077	October		 Captain Roger Maxson and his men discover that the scientists at Mariposa have been using "military volunteers" (military prisoners who didn't have their brains scooped for use in Brain Bots) as test subjects in their experiments. Morale in the base breaks down, and Maxson executes Anderson, the chief scientist. Not long after this (and in light of the breakdown of the mental breakdown of Colonel Spindel stationed at the base), Maxson's men turn to him for leadership. He shrugs and says "we should quit." 2077	October	20	 Captain Roger Maxson, now in control of Mariposa, declares himself to be in full desertion from the army (via radio)... and nothing happens. Worried, Maxson orders all families stationed outside the base moved inside the Mariposa facility. --> Shortly after the Great War, in late 2077,  a faction led by Sergeant Dennis Allen gained strength during the Brotherhood of Steel Exodus from Mariposa, and urged the Elders and Captain Roger Maxson to let them explore the ruins of the West Tek Research Facility for artifacts. No permission was given. Allen and his group split away, taking some technology and weapons with them. Allen, together with Soto, Jensen and Camarillo arrived at the Glow after several weeks of travel. Upon arrival, they started exploring the ruins, but were promptly chewed apart by security robots and radiation when they breached the lower levels and weren't recognized as authorized personnel.

The Brotherhood of Steel used to send unwanted applicants to the Glow on a "fool's quest", referring to it by the moniker the "Ancient Order", just to laugh about it later when they ended up dead because of the high amount of radiation in the area. They were quite surprised when one known as the Vault Dweller actually made it back, bringing with him a holodisk that recorded the fate of Allen's expedition, and earning him a place in the Brotherhood.

It is important to note that the Glow, true to its name, is one of the most highly irradiated locations in the Fallout universe. Rumor has it that "all sorts of mutant freaks" guard the technology from before the war, but the radiation is even better at guarding the technology; a few moments' exposure is enough to give a human a lethal dose of rads. Use of Rad-X to boost radiation resistance to 100% is widely considered absolutely necessary to survive a trip to the Glow.

Dayglow
Some time after 2162, some ghoul survivors from Necropolis settled north and west of the Glow, and founded the town of Dayglow, whose inhabitants formed partnerships with scavenging companies from New Adytum and the Hub and have built quite a profitable corporation from their salvage efforts.

Layout
The color of an arrow indicates which pass key is needed to access which parts of the facility.

Exterior
The surface of the facility has been wiped clean by the nuclear strike, with just a gaping crater where the entrance elevator would be. Hardened armor plating used to provide an additional level of protection for the facility below are visible where the wind has stripped away the sand and rock. Bodies that surround the crater are all that remains of would-be explorers and are empty.

Players should take two doses of Rad-X as soon as they enter the map, as the character starts soaking up radiation the moment they arrive. Party members are not affected by radiation mechanics at all.

To enter the facility, players need to use rope on the protruding beam. It's also recommended to watch the clock, as the two doses of Rad-X and the 100% radiation resistance they grant will last 24 hours. Hacking and reading books consumes time off that clock and it's possible to suddenly run out of radiation resistance and promptly absorb enough radiation to keel over and die.

Level 1
The administrative and office level. Players enter it where the entrance elevator would have been. If seeking Sergeant Dennis Allen for the Brotherhood, his body is located in the room just next to the entrance, but to reach it, the player has to circumnavigate the level. Most bodies and nearly all lockers contain loot and it's worthwhile to recover them. The room in the northeastern corner has a stuck door which can be opened if the character's ST is 8 or if the sum of their ST, AG and LK is at least 18.

Sergeant Allen is the sole body in power armor. On him is a yellow pass key and the Ancient Brotherhood disk required to become an Initiate. The sole functioning terminal can be used to turn on emergency power for the facility, which activates the elevator in the southwestern corner that grants access to the lower level. The card disables the electric trap and opens the door, but the player can use Traps and Lockpick to gain access regardless.

Level 2
The second floor includes numerous computer laboratories and tables, as well as the first encounter with a security checkpoint. The robots are deactivated as long as the main power generator for the facility is not turned on and can be destroyed at leisure. The lockers in the security section contain a variety of loot, as do the bodies.

The most important item here is the red pass key, on a body in the northeastern chamber, required to access the higher security elevator.

Level 3
A weapons research and development level that doubles as a connection between the upper floors of the facility and the higher security levels below. There's another robot checkpoint here, together with a large stash of weapons in the lockers to the northwest. The red elevator is in the northeast, granting access to two more levels of the facility.

Level 4 (Biology-Physics Research Labs)
The heart of the facility, housing an intact artificial intelligence, ZAX 1.2. Although effectively an amputee, with his robotic servants inactive, labs destroyed, and sensors mostly burned out, ZAX continued his silent vigil. Players can chat with him if they have Intelligence 5 and can download numerous files, including power armor specs, West Tek records, and play chess (this option was supposed to grant 700 experience on a critical success while performing an Intelligence check; attributes do not generate critical successes, so players can only lose). Playing chess advances the clock by two hours and doesn't affect ZAX's attitude at all.

ZAX may unlock access to the weapons locker by the high security elevator in the west. If power is turned on and the player has at least 40% Science skill, they can use ZAX to shut down the security bots across the facility (they reactivate when the generator is activated). Failing to do so advances the clock by 5 hours; success only advances it by 10 minutes.

The blue pass key is on Charles Ringhold in the southwestern laboratory. There's also a stash of weapons and armor in the storage area to the southeast, beyond the eastern laboratory.

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Level 5 (Secure Testing Labs)
The most secure part of the facility and one that cannot be accessed without turning on the power using the generator on the lower floor. There are two security checkpoints here with active robots (unless they were deactivated through ZAX) and a plethora of loot in the lockers in the southeastern laboratory, together with a full set of combat armor, energy weapons, and a lot of ammunition. There are also several lore holodisks to collect from the lockers. Merely entering the level grants 1000 experience points for cracking the mystery of the Glow.

Level 6 (Barracks and Operations Center)
The deepest floor for military and research personnel, together with the primary power generator. Reactivating the generator requires using Repair on it (or a Tool). Players can attempt repairs once, any subsequent attempts require Repair 36% at a minimum. Reactivating the generator completes the second quest of two associated with the facility (the first one, deactivating the traps, cannot be completed) and grants 1000 experience points on top of unlocking access to level 5 and reactivating all dormant robots. Destroying them beforehand is recommended.

Notably, one of Dennis Allen's followers lies dead in one of the rooms.

Behind the scenes

 * The facility belonged to West-Tek, but the name is occasionally misspelled as West-Tech in the game.
 * There is a fair number of cut content in the Glow, including:
 * Unique script and dialogue for a Weapon Depot door on level 1 (GLO1WEAP.MSG).
 * An unique script and dialogue for a Supply Depot door on level 3 (GLO3SUPL.MSG).
 * An unique script and dialogue for the level 4 security check lockbox (GLWBOX.MSG).
 * An unique ZR32 computer (GLOCOMP.MSG).
 * A heavy duty military freezer belonging to the FBI Special Projects unit (FREEZER.MSG), part of a reference to X-Files. Another would have been an evacuation note signed by Dana Scully (GRAFFITI.MSG).
 * The remains of a genetic experiment (GLWALIEN.MSG).
 * A damaged cage that was used for storing lab animals (GLOWCAGE.MSG).
 * Tylier, a Special Forces Operations control terminal (TYLIER.MSG).
 * A water pump that the player could attempt to salvage for the Vault (GLOWPUMP.MSG).
 * Several containers were supposed to have unique dialogue files and scripts (GLOWDESK.MSG, GLOWTABL.MSG).
 * The original name for the location was FSEF, according to Scott Campbell old design documentation.

Appearances
The West Tek Research Facility appeared only in Fallout and is mentioned in Fallout 2. It is also mentioned in The Armageddon Rag, Vol. 3.