If you’ve ever played a Fallout game (since Fallout 3), you’ll know what we mean by ‘VATS’. It’s the Vault-Tec Assisted Targeting System, the handy mechanic that allows users to pause or slow down time, target their enemies more specifically, and wreak accurate havoc mid-battle.
The iconic feature is a staple of the Fallout franchise and has been featured in every game since 2008’s Fallout 3. However, there was a time before the game launched all those years ago that the mechanic was doubted, and it was almost canned before it would have had a chance to thrive.
Fallout Might Never Have Had VATS
In a recent interview, Bethesda Game Studios’ Istvan Pely, who provided lead artistic services across Fallout 3 and Fallout 4, dropped a bombshell. He said that before Fallout 3 came out, the concept of VATS surfaced and was almost scrapped before it made it into the final product.
The studio had to provide that we could pull off a totally different genre, the opposite of fantasy.
We had to work out how your characters abilities would factor into your ability to shoot. Your skills aren’t good, so when you shoot at things, you’re missing – but does that feel good?
He then leaned into the topic of VATS:
There was a long period where it was like, ‘Is this even fun? Is this worth doing at all? Is anyone even going to use this?’
Bethesda only just got it working in time to ship the entire game.
It was revealed in the interview with EDGE magazine that the biggest issues were camera positioning and avoiding clipping and object disruption when VATS was triggered in-game. It all came together in the end, but it wasn’t without intense effort.
Today, VATS is part and parcel of the Fallout experience. In Fallout 76, the popular MMORPG released in 2018, VATS ‘builds’ are hugely important for players, and there are several advantages to basing your entire character layout on the targeting mechanic.
Do you think Fallout would feel better or worse without the VATS mechanic? Let us know what you’re thinking on the Insider Gaming Discord server.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that Elder Scrolls Online is getting paid battle passes
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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