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Old World Blues
OldWorldBluesCover
General
DeveloperObsidian Entertainment
PublisherBethesda Softworks
Size746 MB (PC)
776 MB (PS3)
409.23 MB (Xbox 360)
Price$4.99 (PC)
$9.99 (PS3 and Xbox360)
Release date
Xbox 360July 19, 2011
PCJuly 19, 2011
PlayStation 3July 19, 2011
July 21, 2011 (Europe)
July 28, 2011 (Asia)
Availability
Xbox 360Xbox LIVE
PCSteam
PlayStation 3PSN
 
Gametitle-FNV OWB
Gametitle-FNV OWB

There is an expression in the Wasteland: "Old World Blues". It refers to those so obsessed with the past they can't see the present, even less the future, for what it is.

— Doctor Mobius and Doctor Klein, Old World Blues

Old World Blues is the third add-on for Fallout: New Vegas, developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Bethesda Softworks.

Release and availability[]

Old World Blues was released simultaneously on July 19, 2011 for Xbox Live, PC and PlayStation Store. It costs $9.99.

Like all add-ons, Old World Blues is included in the Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate Edition, released on February 7, 2012 for all platforms.

Overview[]

"The residents of the Mojave have long assumed the trackless wastes of the 'Big Mountain' are a no-mans' land, a desolate stretch where no living thing can survive. In Old World Blues, you discover that it is anything but..."

In Old World Blues, the Courier unwittingly becomes a lab rat in a science experiment gone awry. They must scour the pre-War research centers of Big Mountain in search of technology that can either turn the tables on their captors or help them defeat an even greater threat.

After being transported to the Big MT research crater, the Courier finds that they're the only hope of saving the "Think Tank" – a strange group of post-human researchers who inhabit the facility. They enlist the aid of the Courier to save them from their own experiments - experiments that have gone horribly out of control. As they explore the Big Mountain crater and its many underground labs, they are confronted by strange mutated animals, battle terrifying new atomic robots and discover a new home base to call their own, complete with some robotic appliances which have individual personalities. Recover all the weapons, armor and tech of the pre-War era and use them to help save all of Science!

Characters[]

Mentioned-only[]

Creatures[]

Robots and computers[]

Items[]

Armor and clothing[]

Consumables[]

Schematics and recipes[]

Weapons[]

Weapon mods[]

Other items[]

Locations[]

The following section is transcluded from Fallout: New Vegas locations. To modify, please edit the source page.

Quests[]

The following section is transcluded from Fallout: New Vegas quests. To modify, please edit the source page.
Icon Name Location(s) Given by Reward Quest ID
Icon gray x A Brain's Best Friend Think Tank Dr. Borous Variable XP xx014bf8
Makingfriends All My Friends Have Off Switches The Sink various The Sink services xx0112e3
Icon gray x Coming Out of Her Shell Think Tank Dala Various ammunition once per day xx014c2c
Icon gray x Field Research The Sink The Sink Various sink services xx0112d6
Icon gray x He Came... And Went Think Tank Doctor Dala Variable XP xx014c2d
Icon gray x Influencing People The Sink The Sink Various sink services xx0112e5
Icon gray x Midnight Science Fiction Feature! Mojave Drive-in Mysterious Broadcast Variable XP xx002fca
Outsmarted Old World Blues Big MT Doctor Klein Add-on completion, Big Mountain Transportalponder! xx002fcc
Icon gray x On The Same Wavelength Think Tank 8 Variable XP xx014c63
Icon gray x Picking Your Brains Think Tank Various Doctors Variable XP xx0121e3
Icon gray x Project X-13 X-13 Stealth Testing Lab Test terminal Stealth suit Mk II xx006d8d
Icon gray x Sonic Emitter Upgrade Think Tank Doctor Klein Variable XP xx0166e2
Icon gray x Welcome to the Big Empty The Sink Self None xx002fcb
Icon gray x When Visitors Attack! Think Tank Various Doctors Variable XP xx014cfe
Icon gray x What's In A Name? Think Tank 0 Variable XP xx014cfb
Icon gray x X-2: Strange Transmissions! Think Tank Doctor Klein Variable XP xx002fcd
Spinaltapped X-8: High School Horror! Think Tank Doctor Klein Variable XP xx002fce
Icon gray x X-8 Data Retrieval Test X-8 Research Center Test terminal Variable XP xx00dd5c
Cardiacarrest X-13: Attack of the Infiltrator! Think Tank Doctor Klein Variable XP xx002fcf

Challenges[]

The following section is transcluded from Fallout: New Vegas challenges. To modify, please edit the source page.
Name Recurring Requirement Amount to do Perk Given XP Base ID
Automaton No Built a robot bent on destruction. 1 - 100 xx015b04
Mad Scientist No Had an experiment go horribly awry. 1 - 100 xx015b02
Evil Genius No Created an abomination. 1 - 100 xx015b03
Make up Your Mind No Made up your mind... about your brain. 1 - 500 xx009de2
Making Friends No Reactivated all of the Sink's robotic assistants. 10 - 500 xx011956
Cardiac Arrest! No Recovered X-13 cardiac regulator sneaky suit! 1 - 500 xx009de4
Caza-Death Dealer 3 ranks Killed cazadores in the Big MT. 2/5/10 DNAvenger xx00da29
xx00da2a
xx00da2a
Dog Run I/II/III 3 ranks Completed the X-8 Basic/Advanced Testing Program/...with nightstalkers! 4 runs DNAgent xx00a446
xx00a447
xx00a448
MT Space No Visited every location in the Big MT. 35 - 100 xx00a44c
Klein Destine No Dressed in a complete set of Dr. Klein Clothes.
(Dr. Klein's glove, Dr. Klein's glasses, Dr. Klein's scrubs)
1 - 100 xx009de1
Mobius Strip No Dressed in a complete set of Dr. Mobius Clothes.
(Dr. Mobius' glove, Dr. Mobius' scrubs, Dr. Mobius' glasses)
1 - 100 xx009de7
Outer Space No Dared to venture beyond the Big MT's perimeter...more than once! 2 - 100 xx00a44d
Outsmarted No Completed Old World Blues 1 - 500 xx009de5
Spinal-Tapped No Recovered X-8 vertebrae-pulse-de-sensitizer frequency! 1 - 500 xx009de3
VR the Champions I/II/III 3 ranks Completed the X-13 Basic/Advanced Infiltration and Robot Compliance tests 3 runs - 100 xx00a449
xx00a44a
xx00a44b

Perks[]

The following section is transcluded from Fallout: New Vegas perks. To modify, please edit the source page.

Regular perks[]

Name Level req Other requirements Ranks Benefit Base ID
Atomic! 20 Endurance 6 1 In radiated areas, +25% move and attack speed, +2 DT, +2 ST. With excess rad level, AP regen scales from 1.1 times to 1.5 times normal. xx008011
Mile In Their Shoes 20 Survival 25 1 You have come to understand nightstalkers. Consuming nightstalker squeezin's now grants bonuses to Perception (+1 PER), Poison Resistance (+5), and Stealth (+5 Sneak) in addition to the normal benefits. xx009619
Them's Good Eatin 20 Survival 55 1 Any living creature you kill has a 50% chance to have the potent healing items thin red paste or blood sausage when looted. xx0098c9
Implant GRX 30 Endurance 8 2 You gain a non-addictive subdermal turbo (chem) injector. This perk may be taken twice, with the second rank increasing the effect from 2 to 3 seconds and the uses per day from 5 to 10 (Activated in the Pip-Boy Inventory). xx009d48

Special perks[]

Name Unlock conditions Ranks Benefit Base ID
Brainless Initial dialogue with Doctor Klein in the think tank 1 Head can no longer be crippled, +25% resistance to chem addiction, +1 DT (5%) if your DT < 10 xx0098be
Heartless Initial dialogue with Doctor Klein in the think tank 1 Cannot be poisoned, healing items are boosted +25%, robots have -50% crit chance xx0098c2
Spineless Initial dialogue with Doctor Klein in the think tank 1 Strength+1, DT+1, Torso can no longer be crippled xx0098bc
Big Brained Sink Auto-Doc after Old World Blues is finished 1 Head cannot be crippled, +10% resistance to chem addiction, +1 DT (10%) if your DT < 10 xx015bba
Cardiac Arrest Sink Auto-Doc after Old World Blues is finished 1 50% poison resistance, Healing items boosted by 50%, Robots have -50% crit chance xx015bbb
Reinforced Spine Sink Auto-Doc after Old World Blues is finished 1 Strength+2, DT+2 xx015bbc
DNAgent Completion of X-8 Data Retrieval Test 1 All damage done to nightstalkers is increased by 10% xx009617
DNAvenger Kill two cazadores for rank 1, three more for rank 2, and another five for rank 3 of this perk. All kills must be made in the Big MT; cazadores outside the Big MT do not count. 3 All the damage done to cazadores is increased cumulatively by 10% by rank xx00da28
Stealth suit Mk II (perk) Complete the last optional challenge of Project X-13 and receive the last firmware update for the Stealth suit Mk II. 4 Increased sneak speed xx00e845

Implant perks[]

Doesn't count against the Endurance limit of original implant perks.

Name Unlock conditions Ranks Benefit Base ID
Implant C-13 Surgery purchased through dialogue with the Sink Auto-Doc in The Sink for 8,000 caps. 1 Plus 10% damage to cazadores xx009616
Implant M-5 Surgery purchased through dialogue with the Sink Auto-Doc in The Sink for 10,000 caps. 1 Your crouched movement speed is increased by 20% xx009614
Implant Y-3 Surgery purchased through dialogue with the Sink Auto-Doc in The Sink for 12,000 caps. 1 Removes any radiation taken from drinking an irradiated water source. xx009615
Implant Y-7 Surgery purchased through dialogue with the Sink Auto-Doc in The Sink for 20,000 caps. 1 +5 health and +2 restored action points through the consumption of food. xx00961a

Traits[]

The following section is transcluded from Fallout: New Vegas traits. To modify, please edit the source page.
Trait Benefit Penalty Base ID
Claustrophobia +1 buff to SPECIAL attributes while outdoors -1 debuff to SPECIAL attributes while indoors xx0133ae
Early Bird +2 buff to SPECIAL attributes from 6am to 12pm -1 debuff to SPECIAL attributes from 6pm to 6am xx012767
Hoarder +25 lbs to total carry weight -1 debuff to SPECIAL attributes while current equipment weight is below 160 lbs xx01276d
Hot Blooded +15% damage increase while below 50% health -2 debuff to Perception and Agility while below 50% health xx01276b
Logan's Loophole Chems last twice as long and addiction rates are set to zero Locks the level cap at 30 xx01276e
Skilled Gain +5 points to every skill. You suffer -10% from experience gained. xx012b86

Achievements/Trophies[]

The following section is transcluded from Fallout: New Vegas achievements and trophies. To modify, please edit the source page.
Name Requirement Achievement points Trophy type Image
Cardiac Arrest! Recovered X-13 cardiac regulator sneaky suit 20 Bronze Cardiacarrest
Make up Your Mind Made up your Mind... about your brain. 20 Bronze Make up your mind
Making Friends Reactivated all of the Sink's robotic assistants 30 Silver Makingfriends
Outsmarted Completed Old World Blues. 35 Gold Outsmarted
Spinal-Tapped Recovered X-8 vertebrae-pulse-de-sensitizer frequency 20 Bronze Spinaltapped

Notes[]

  • Like all New Vegas add-ons, Old World Blues raises the level cap by 5.[1] The add-on also offers new traits (and gives you the opportunity to change your own traits if you've already chosen them) including one called Logan's Loophole that will allow you to cap your level at 30 and give you additional bonuses regarding chems.
  • The add-on recommends that players reach level 15 before going to the Big MT.
  • Equipment will not be stripped from the player at the beginning of this add-on, and it features an open-world setting. There is no limit to the amount of equipment you can take in to the add-on, as well.[2]
  • Like all Fallout: New Vegas add-ons, companions cannot accompany the Courier to the new land. However, there is one temporary companion in the add-on, a cyberdog named Roxie who has her own ending if you create her.
  • In addition to providing free basic healing services (restore HP, repair limb damage, and remove radiation and drug dependency), the auto-doc in The Sink allows the player to alter their looks, hairstyle, and, for one time only, their traits.
  • There is a new radio station added, to both the Big Empty and the Mojave. It plays three new jazz songs, along with two songs from Radio New Vegas. Among the songs is Begin Again by Vera Keyes.
  • Christine Royce and Father Elijah from Dead Money are also involved in Old World Blues, although they do not appear in the add-on. There are holotapes of her speaking, along with her weapon and armor. Father Elijah's weapons can also be found, along with notes made by him while in the Big MT.

Behind the scenes[]

  • The Big Empty was a location that was scrapped from Black Isle's canceled Fallout 3 (Van Buren).
  • At some point, Chris Avellone set his location on his Twitter profile to Big MT, Mojave, placing the Big Empty as a location within the Mojave Wasteland and thus teasing its possible appearance in a future Fallout: New Vegas add-on. Since then, Avellone has also changed his Twitter avatar.
  • J.E. Sawyer has suggested that Old World Blues was the most humorous of the New Vegas add-ons.[3]
  • This add-on is an obvious homage to the B-movie science fiction movies of the 1950s. There are many references to these types of movies throughout the add-on.
  • Old World Blues was nominated for the Best DLC Award at the 2011 Spike Video Game Awards.
  • Old World Blues was jointly designed by Chris Avellone and Travis Stout.[4]
  • Besides taking some design inspiration from the Big Empty of Van Buren, some inspiration was also taken from the EPA, a cut Fallout 2 location.[5]

Bugs[]

  • PCIcon pc PlayStation 3Icon ps3 Xbox 360Icon xbox360 Similar to a bug in Honest Hearts, while playing through the main quest, the tick marks of undiscovered locations can disappear from the compass. However, it's still possible to discover them afterward.
  • PCIcon pc PlayStation 3Icon ps3 Xbox 360Icon xbox360 With Old World Blues installed the amount of 5mm rounds found in containers and other sources of loot is reduced dramatically, to roughly 30% of what is normally found. This change only affects containers found in the Mojave Wasteland, and not those located in the Big MT.
  • PCIcon pc PlayStation 3Icon ps3 Xbox 360Icon xbox360 Most members of the Brotherhood of Steel become notably weaker once Old World Blues is installed, reducing their Strength and Endurance stats by 3 and 2 points respectively, and removing Explosives as a tagged skill. This affects both unnamed members, particularly those found patrolling the area around Hidden Valley, as well as some named members including Linda Schuler, Knight Lorenzo, and even Nolan McNamara and Edgar Hardin.
  • PlayStation 3Icon ps3 Xbox 360Icon xbox360 When returning to the Mojave, you may find your ratings with factions having diminished.
  • PlayStation 3Icon ps3 Entering the Big Empty then saving your game, waiting, or entering doors may cause the game to freeze. A way to work around this is to never save, or wait in Big MT itself while indoors. To prevent freezing while in the Sink, enter Big MT from the Think Tank entrance.
  • PCIcon pc Xbox 360Icon xbox360 If you bought all three add-ons, your max level still might be 40. On Xbox 360, you can get rid of it by going the Dashboard and reloading the game.
  • PCIcon pc After completing Old World Blues, you may find yourself attacked on sight by the Brotherhood of Steel upon re-entering the bunker, or by the caretaker of the Brotherhood of Steel safe house, even though your standing with them is unchanged.
  • Xbox 360Icon xbox360 When returning to the Mojave, you may not be able to talk to Victor or anyone on the Strip. This prevents you from using the Lucky 38 as a base. A way around it is to kill Victor and the rest of the Securitrons.

Gallery[]

Videos[]

  • Old World Blues trailer
  • Qore #36 - featuring Old World Blues

References

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