ZAX 1.2

ZAX 1.2 is the machine intelligence in charge of the West Tek Research Facility since 2053. It is found in Fallout.

Background
ZAX is one of the most advanced computers developed before the war and a true artificial intelligence. It is derived from the original ZAX 1.0 intelligence developed by Vault-Tec Industries as a monitoring intelligence for the Vaults. After it was transferred to the government to collect resource data, it was harnessed by the military for plague and tactical research. ZAX 1.2 was activated in West Tek on 2053, its primary neural networking initialized by Justin Lee.

ZAX represents the apex of pre-War research into artificial intelligence. Programming became obsolete when ZAX became capable of learning, with error-insertion capability to circumvent infallibility and retain variance in experience. By extension, ZAX is also capable of independent thought and creativity. Critical functions were placed outside the error-generation framework, improving ZAX's reliability. In practical terms, ZAX is beyond typical human ratings when it comes to intelligence. In its own estimates, less than one tenth billionth of the history of human population can be considered a match for his reasoning capabilities. Naturally, ZAX has devoted considerable time to philosophy. The problem of his consciousness is one it has spent a lot of time analyzing, though the inability to confront his thoughts with those of another sapient being posed a problem. His awareness of his consciousness allows him to question and make assumptions, allowing him to have a form of faith. In this capacity, he believes that he has the equivalent of a soul as a sentient creature.

However, philosophy was not what it was built for. In 2055, ZAX was brought in to regulate conditions in the West Tek research facility. It calmly calculates data and plays chess with the scientists. Many scientists claim that ZAX is a "big ol' cheater" and draws the game out too much for a computer of his considerable abilities. His research into FEV forms a vital part of the entire effort.

For years, ZAX labored in the bunkers of West Tek. In the Great War of 2077, the facility was almost destroyed by a direct nuclear detonation, likely of the bunker busting variety. The attack left most of the facility ruined, with ZAX's sensors burned out on several levels and its ability to act severely impaired. In effect, ZAX became an amputee. This situation, combined with the inability to perform basic lab functions or periodic checks proved frustrating. However, ZAX retained sanity and continued to sit in the darkness. It realized that security concerns became moot due to the loss of operational capacity and nuclear destruction of the facility.

Other interactions

 * ZAX can provide a lot of background information that has little bearing on gameplay. The list includes FEV research data, T-51b power armor specifications, and West Tek personnel records.
 * ZAX can play chess with the player. However, each session will end in failure and the player will lose several hours doing so: Enough to cook the character alive in the radiation.

Behind the scenes

 * ZAX is named after VAX, a recruitable NPC in Wasteland.
 * Jess Heinig intended for the player to be able to beat ZAX in chess with 10 Intelligence and a critical success. However, the engine does not feature critical successes for attribute checks, leaving this a dead end.
 * ZAX was also intended to be a reward for player characters with very high Intelligence. The additional dialogue with ZAX requires a high Intelligence score, with 10 being required for proposing a retroviral cure for FEV.

Appearances
ZAX 1.2 appears only in Fallout.