Fallout: Shelter-Town

Mechanics: LARP\NERF, hungry engine

LARP: 24\7

Well... this year we played another Fallout DLC under the big name 'Shelter-Town'. Suddenly, Vault 53 turned out to be located under the town hall close to Chernihiv city, Ukraine, at the Kolychevsky airfield. What can we say?

This year there was a slight change in org team, some aspects of the game and rules were changed as well and there's less and less of famous 'Extreme' engine.

For those who never heard about it we will quickly explain what is ‘Extreme’ or ‘hungry’ engine. Players prepare costumes, locations, but everything else is a critically limited resource: water, food, ammo, weapons and so on. Players can loot from others absolutely everything except clothing (if it is not an armor), personal hygiene items and your sleeping bag. Orgs also changed the economy a bit and instead of a starting pack of food and water, the player/faction was given a minimal amount of caps and some ammo to protect themselves, meaning that would be enough for a day or even less, so you had to get a job - fast. Overall it’s a nice trend in games to force players to use their brains without bullshit walking them around by hand like little kids.

The crafting system became even more complicated and, in addition to farming, you could vigorously imitate moonshine/drug production, as well as ammo and medicines. No one knows how that works, but it works!

In fact, the game is moving more and more towards LARP instead of survival gig which is pretty cool. For example, there are no limits for armor and weapons you could bring. If it fits your role - you can even craft a Power Armor and a plasma gun, but of course you will get shit instead ammo.

This year plot followed the previous year, lore behind New Vegas and story around Vault 53. This time there was a conflict between NCR and Legion, you could find Followers of the Apocalypse and Great Khans, Caravan and Vault Residents, and you will not believe it, but - ordinary citizens.

It's very cool that every year there are more and more not just nice bottles of Sunset and Stimpacks, but also lots of great costumes. Everything looks very badass. Over the past couple of years, everything has grown alot and you really feel that this is Fallout. There were even super mutants this year.

The plot, as always, is shrouded in mystery and hidden under #Spoilers hashtag. Go there yourself and see everything with your own eyes.

The main disadvantage of the game is honestly a small amount of participants. There is a lot of debate about which fractions should be removed, how to cut the rules, etc. ... but with a small amount of people honestly nothing will skyrocket. Somehow like that. And the airfield location is insanely huge for such amount of people.

Maybe it would be better to cut amount of factions to two-three, but it all depends for orgs to decide.

Before saying something good, we’ll throw some more shit on the fan. Despite the concept that the player should not know whether he found something worthwhile or not - the absence of any markers for in-game items in rules made players constantly carry junk to the GMs from Stalker containers from some other LARPs to used condoms. And despite that fact there some were in-game items marked with a ballpoint pen, while others weren't.

This year it was cool that amount of activities and quests was increased. Caravans went into the wasteland, everyone was fighting mutants, people were searching for (get ready!) a water chip, etc. The game is growing and there is space to move forward.

Minute of discussing game mechanics. Nerf is still the same ridiculous bullshit. Due to the fact that it is stupidly impossible to feel a shot from a nerf pistol - melee battles reached enormous heights and everyone was hitting shit out of each other with LARP crowbars.

Something like that.

Truly yours,

Liars, killers and cute kittens Legion left, but promised to return.

Photos by Ira Kozenko