The Official “Ask the lead writer of SS2 anything” Thread!

[twolargepepperoni]

The answer to that is better known by those who play the mod! I don't have too much in-depth knowledge of many of our settler characters.



A little from column A, a little from column B. I tend to get more inventive with side characters who's name you perhaps never even hear. But from our main cast...

Jake Evans: Originally called "James King" when I joined the SS2 team. One of the first things I did was find a name close to it that the Player character speaks out loud. I ended up going with "Jake". Evans comes from "Rich Evans" One of the members of RedLetterMedia.

Lupe de la Fuente: Name comes from the character of "Lupe" from the game Grim Fandango, because I like that game. "de la Fuente", because I think it sounds nice and also holds a few vague hints about her past.

Cedric Mansfield: Just pulled out of the air. I wanted something that sounded a little pompous and self important.

Theresa Fortunato: "Theresa" because I like the name, and same with the surname!

Algernon: Partly because I think it's a cool name, partly after a side character from the show ReBoot.

Malcolm Berman: First name was originally "Morecambe", after the English comedy duo "Morecambe and Wise". However Gath suggested an American audience may be confused by the name "Morecambe" so I changed it to Malcolm. Berman because it sounds a little mean, and also after "Rick Berman", producer of the old Star Trek shows.

"Old" Paul Jones: "Paul" because the Player character speaks the name, "Jones" because I thought is suited him!

Stodge: Because he fits many meanings of that word.

Hubert: I thought it sounded funny.

Wise: See above, also named after the English comedy duo "Morecambe and Wise".



Answer to that can be found in 'The Ron's terminal client records. And perhaps in future content...

Aha! I had a suspicion 'Malcolm' and Wise was a reference to them, back before I knew the lead writer was British... Good to know I was onto something

 

[twolargepepperoni]

Hmmm I may have missed if this has ever been answered but I'm curious.

How did Aiden get his eye injury, or was he born with a vision impairment? Was it fighting Gunners? Raiders? Ravaged by disease? Lost a fight with a Flerken?

 

[Sirick]

It's that time again. Time to answer some of the questions that've built up here!

Since Lupe is from Quincy, how well does she know Sturges and the others? Sturges especially.

Not all that well actually. Lupe kept to herself, she's kind of a shy person. A handful of people have helped her to open up a little though.

People like Jake, Algernon and the Player! Maybe one day she’ll feel ready to tell you more about herself...

Hmmm I may have missed if this has ever been answered but I'm curious.

How did Aiden get his eye injury, or was he born with a vision impairment? Was it fighting Gunners? Raiders? Ravaged by disease? Lost a fight with a Flerken?

Answer from Superweevil, the original creator of Aiden. (Since I just adopted him)
"Aiden lost his eye in a fight with a yao guai early on (pre-minutemen days)."

 

[slink_v_0000]

It's that time again. Time to answer some of the questions that've built up here!


Not all that well actually. Lupe kept to herself, she's kind of a shy person. A handful of people have helped her to open up a little though.

People like Jake, Algernon and the Player! Maybe one day she’ll feel ready to tell you more about herself...


Answer from Superweevil, the original creator of Aiden. (Since I just adopted him)
"Aiden lost his eye in a fight with a yao guai early on (pre-minutemen days)."

Aiden was remarkably lucky to only lose an eye and get one scar on his face going toe-to-toe with a big bear. Of course he may be all chewed up under that outfit.

 

[Antoine Soverie]

Aiden was remarkably lucky to only lose an eye and get one scar on his face going toe-to-toe with a big bear. Of course he may be all chewed up under that outfit.

Probably what started his transformation from a melee guy to a sniper. He was like "F that, I'm gonna need a concealed position really far away".

 

[KezzDaddy]

In "The Disappearance of Jake Evans" Jake toasts a Gunner named Shepard. Was there ever any more to this character or was he just a red shirt to show Jake wasn't worthless in fight?

 

[KezzDaddy]

I actually have a chart for this...

The idea here was to use a real world heights to slightly scale some of the characters. But how much we can scale a character tends to be fairly limited for animation reasons. But at least you can see what characters WOULD be if we had complete control over such things.

(I cut off any character you don't need to know about yet)
View attachment 16567

Do we need to know about these characters yet?

 

[Skywise001]

Gault 81 still doesnt acknowledge the gunner orders you get from Mansfeld's sister encounter. What were they intended to do - and will they ever do anything?

 

[yaugie]

I've got a CH3 one, although I'm not sure who would be the best writer to ask about it.
It's early in so it's not a HUGE spoiler or anything, but Ima still ispoiler it anyway, right below this.

I know at least some of the team is watching as all the Youtubers upload their playthroughs, so I must know: Why am I apparently the only one that didn't decide Lupe must be a synth because she survived the vertibird crash with barely a scratch? Was that the intent there, or did she just roll a critical success on a Luck check?

And a silly one: the bit where Jake talks to you after you wake back up after that one scene... how hard was it to resist putting the Skyrim Intro Scene lines there?

 

[General Ilene]

Gault 81 still doesnt acknowledge the gunner orders you get from Mansfeld's sister encounter. What were they intended to do - and will they ever do anything?

They acknowledge it, but it must be while Mansfield is in Vault 81 and not involved in another quest. In my experience, sometime after completing Vim and Vigor, he should have recovered from the incident and be able to talk to you. With the note in your inventory, you should get the option to give it to him.

 

[General Ilene]

I've got a CH3 one, although I'm not sure who would be the best writer to ask about it.
It's early in so it's not a HUGE spoiler or anything, but Ima still ispoiler it anyway, right below this.

I know at least some of the team is watching as all the Youtubers upload their playthroughs, so I must know: Why am I apparently the only one that didn't decide Lupe must be a synth because she survived the vertibird crash with barely a scratch? Was that the intent there, or did she just roll a critical success on a Luck check?

And a silly one: the bit where Jake talks to you after you wake back up after that one scene... how hard was it to resist putting the Skyrim Intro Scene lines there?

For the spoiler part:

Spoiler

I figured it was because she has such high endurance. Girl got the Adamantium Skeleton perk!

 

[Skywise001]

They acknowledge it, but it must be while Mansfield is in Vault 81 and not involved in another quest. In my experience, sometime after completing Vim and Vigor, he should have recovered from the incident and be able to talk to you. With the note in your inventory, you should get the option to give it to him.

It still doesnt make sense to me that Mansfield wouldnt take it earlier. Thank you so much for explaining what I needed to do. Its been bugging me forever. Amusingly after all that trouble he said I got a reward but I didnt get a message saying I got anything.

 

[slink_v_0000]

I've got a CH3 one, although I'm not sure who would be the best writer to ask about it.
It's early in so it's not a HUGE spoiler or anything, but Ima still ispoiler it anyway, right below this.

I know at least some of the team is watching as all the Youtubers upload their playthroughs, so I must know: Why am I apparently the only one that didn't decide Lupe must be a synth because she survived the vertibird crash with barely a scratch? Was that the intent there, or did she just roll a critical success on a Luck check?

And a silly one: the bit where Jake talks to you after you wake back up after that one scene... how hard was it to resist putting the Skyrim Intro Scene lines there?

What I can't figure out is why my No Fall Damage armor did not protect me. I can jump off the Prydwyn or the top of Mass Fusion in that stuff and not get a scratch.

 

[Tortolian]

What I can't figure out is why my No Fall Damage armor did not protect me. I can jump off the Prydwyn or the top of Mass Fusion in that stuff and not get a scratch.

The armor's on your legs and you probably landed on your head.

 

[slink_v_0000]

The armor's on your legs and you probably landed on your head.

It happens you are correct, but I conceivably could have put that effect on a helmet also. At any rate, the ensuing drama required me to be at death's door, so I was at death's door. Lupe probably landed on top of me, which is why she was fine.

 

[yaugie]

Alright, I know how risky the territory is that this question will open, and I'm not sure who was directly responsible, but I must know.
And yes I know you're still lurking there Sirick even if you're not posting much if at all at the moment

Is Salvador meant to at least give the impression of being On The Spectrum? This line in the attached screenshot is something I have word for word said out loud myself, and the way he talks about seeing the world as mathematical probabilities while knowing he has no social skills... hitting a bit close to home here. I'm not nearly as manly-hot as he is tho

 

[KezzDaddy]

Alright, I know how risky the territory is that this question will open, and I'm not sure who was directly responsible, but I must know.
And yes I know you're still lurking there Sirick even if you're not posting much if at all at the moment

Is Salvador meant to at least give the impression of being On The Spectrum? This line in the attached screenshot is something I have word for word said out loud myself, and the way he talks about seeing the world as mathematical probabilities while knowing he has no social skills... hitting a bit close to home here. I'm not nearly as manly-hot as he is tho

I know @CynicalBounce can help answer this one.

 

[slink_v_0000]

I think Salvador is part Synth. I am not sure in what way, or from which direction. But Nick Valentine shows as much or more understanding of humanity than Salvador. Nick is a recording of an actual human being that was transcribed into a robot. Salvador's body has one synth eye. Was he a human who suffered grevious harm to his skull and was repaired with cybernetics?

 

[KezzDaddy]

I think Salvador is part Synth. I am not sure in what way, or from which direction. But Nick Valentine shows as much or more understanding of humanity than Salvador. Nick is a recording of an actual human being that was transcribed into a robot. Salvador's body has one synth eye. Was he a human who suffered grevious harm to his skull and was repaired with cybernetics?

Spoiler: chapter 3 HQ build spoilers

He has Synth heads in his upgraded quarters too. at the end of his be, near his desk

 

[Antoine Soverie]

Spoiler: chapter 3 HQ build spoilers

He has Synth heads in his upgraded quarters too. at the end of his be, near his desk

Those are likely trophies. Synths showing up near his home probably damaged the equilibrium as much as the gunners did. Something like that.

My hot question of the month is: how hard was it to come up with a reason to capture player's settlements so they complain as little as possible? x)
Oh and what was the inspiration for Neil and Muriel and that whole quest? I love everything about it.