Mutations...

Meths · Post by **Meths** » Sun Sep 15, 2002 5:31 pm

I think that Fallout universe didn't show the worst side of the nuclear war. I mean the terrible mutations that would certainly appear. People that survived the great war would have their DNA changed by the radiation - quite obvious. However they wouldn't be changed themselves. The parents would share their mutated DNA with their children and those children could, but didn't need to be terribly deformed. Generations would pass, and mutations would cumulate. The final effects would be that the large percentage of society would be deformed.

That's the aspect that Fallout haven't shown at all. It's a pity. It would be very sad view to see a city that half of the population is changed and barely similar to humans. That would fill the dark, post apocaliptic atmosphere of Fallout world.

What do you think?

Spazmo · Post by **Spazmo** » Sun Sep 15, 2002 8:57 pm

Ghouls, anyone? There's lots of those around.

And maybe all the freak mutations died. either because pure humans disliked them or because their mutated bodies were unable to survive.

Rosh · Post by **Rosh** » Sun Sep 15, 2002 9:46 pm

Yes, ghouls. And in the many ways that sci-fi writers of the 50's-60's had imagined the effets of radiation upon everything.

VasikkA · Post by **VasikkA** » Sun Sep 15, 2002 10:08 pm

When the bombs fell, almost everything and everyone on earth died instantly or during the fallout. It simply was impossible to survive those 30-40 years when radiation levels were very high. Humans(yanks) survived thanks to vaults and other safe places(military bases/oil rig etc..) and because they had time to be prepared. No mutations there... except ghouls. Certain animal species survived, only those who can survive in extreme conditions(scorpions, lizards, rats...). Trees, plants etc. have also died, except maybe some cornstalks, world after great war is a desert wasteland with extremely difficult conditions for any plant/animal to survive, even mutated ones. I don't know how cows(=brahmins) survived, maybe some vaults had them. That leaves us to FEV mutations, which we've already seen in many forms.

Meths · Post by **Meths** » Sun Sep 15, 2002 11:58 pm

Spazmo wrote:Ghouls, anyone? There's lots of those around.

nope not ghouls, i meant Czarnobyl-like mutations, just like people with very short legs, or with no arms, or missing smth else.

Spazmo wrote:And maybe all the freak mutations died. either because pure humans disliked them or because their mutated bodies were unable to survive.

There would be too many mutated humans after the war to just die out. And they would be still bred, because the radiation even 200 years after such terrible war would be still very high. So i think that deformed humans would become integral part of the society since they would be simply too numerous just to exterminate them. As i said everyone that left the vault would be exposed to the radiation, so actually there would be no totally healthy humans. And even very small DNA mutation of one of the parents may lead to terrible deformation of the children's body.

That's why the Enclave wanted to terminate all the mutated life on the Earth.

Strange but true...

Saint_Proverbius · Post by **Saint_Proverbius** » Mon Sep 16, 2002 4:02 am

Keep in mind that most of the survivors of the war were in vaults when the bombs fell. They wouldn't get irradiated until after they left those vaults.

Som Guy · Post by **Som Guy** » Mon Sep 16, 2002 5:43 am

Well maybe those "deformed mutants" became sterile like the super mutants. Its just a thought but really they would die out and remeber in the fallout games the population is very low. Think about only 20 towns in all of U.S.A. Those coming from vaults started these towns and some towns remained after the war due to being pretty far from the landed nukes which means there is still radaition but not enough to stop people from living there. So really i doubt that these mutations could survive or even exist for a period of 10 months.

Strap · Post by **Strap** » Mon Sep 16, 2002 8:07 am

i vote for some extra limbs in a few ghouls or babys. heheh, gotta love extra limbs

Som Guy · Post by **Som Guy** » Mon Sep 16, 2002 8:54 am

i guess but arent their limbs supposed to be falling off.....

VasikkA · Post by **VasikkA** » Mon Sep 16, 2002 9:28 pm

Meths, explain me one thing. How would those 'chernobyl-like' mutants survive for 30-40 years in a deserted world with absolutely nothing to live of(edible food, clean water) and being surrounded by a warm blanket of hazardous radiation. Some animals that manage to live in extreme conditions I can understand, but not humans. Vaults, large underground complexes, military bases and other 'safe' places is a logical theory to humanitys survival, though somewhat controversial, but I'm not that pedantic and meticulous about realism. Your theory still needs some work...

Meths · Post by **Meths** » Mon Sep 16, 2002 9:51 pm

Ok. I'll repeat it once more: "Chernobyl-like" mutations wouldn't affect the peaple at once. Survivors of the war would be radiated not mutated. Their children CAN be deformed, but don't need to. So would be with the children of their children etc. Mutants would be still bred for a very long time after the war, so they can't just die out. As for the radiation on the wasteland, it would remain very high for about 200 years, at least to the best of my knowledge, not sure either. So if people leave their vaults too early (read min 200 years) they would be radiated. And as we know they did.

Rad aways and others anti-rad chems wouldn't affect the DNA code of the user. Even using nanotech, that you all seem to be against, it would have to be very complicated and costy operation to repair DNA.

That would be the real effects of the fallout. Ever been to Chernobyl? I have never been there but i have seen many pictures, movies etc about what the real fallout means.

Kashluk · Post by **Kashluk** » Mon Sep 16, 2002 10:25 pm

I've been taught in the genetical biology that 99% of the (radioactive) mutations have negative effects. So if the life in the wasteland is so harsh, then how the hell do you think a guy with no arms, but three ears could succeed in it?

VasikkA · Post by **VasikkA** » Mon Sep 16, 2002 10:33 pm

Vaults were opened when it was safe outside. People inside remained safe and unradiated during that time. Residents in vaults that got opened early(or suffered other malfunction, letting people being exposed to radiation) suffered mutations, and are in form of ghouls, not chernobyl mutations. Centaur kind of freaks of nature can be explained with FEV.

Megatron · Post by **Megatron** » Mon Sep 16, 2002 10:35 pm

What about the midgets?

And a guy with three ears could be very smart, and hear danger and be wise and stuff.

Cripples should be in fo3 though, and you should be abel to choose if you want one arm/be a midget etc.

Meths · Post by **Meths** » Mon Sep 16, 2002 10:38 pm

With no arms? - he couldn't. But with only one arm missing, or with no legs, he could still use a gun.
If he was rich enough, he would be able to replace his arm with ehm.. cybernetic one? hmm.. that kinds of operations are available even today, and it would be nice to see that kinds of people in Fo universe.

edit: choose to be a midgot?, hm maybe not, but if you really want you should be able to blast your arm off somewhere... :twisted: . At least if you wish so..

Kashluk · Post by **Kashluk** » Mon Sep 16, 2002 10:42 pm

Yeah, and like *roll away* ? :roll: Anyways, his/her parents would've propably dropped him/her in the wastes for radscorpions to eat. Noone would want to support such a freak

VasikkA · Post by **VasikkA** » Mon Sep 16, 2002 10:47 pm

I want my Fallout character non-disabled, thank you.

Meths · Post by **Meths** » Mon Sep 16, 2002 10:52 pm

Kashluk wrote:Yeah, and like *roll away* ? :roll: Anyways, his/her parents would've propably dropped him/her in the wastes for radscorpions to eat. Noone would want to support such a freak

don't think so. They would be his/her paretns anyway, and they would feel responsible to look after him. If i had a disabled child, i wouldn't just drop him/her for radscorpions to eat. Would you?

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Mon Sep 16, 2002 10:55 pm

Meths wrote:
Kashluk wrote:Yeah, and like *roll away* ? :roll: Anyways, his/her parents would've propably dropped him/her in the wastes for radscorpions to eat. Noone would want to support such a freak
don't think so. They would be his/her paretns anyway, and they would feel responsible to look after him. If i had a disabled child, i wouldn't just drop him/her for radscorpions to eat. Would you?

But you don't live in the post apocalyptic Fallout setting, do you?

VasikkA · Post by **VasikkA** » Mon Sep 16, 2002 10:59 pm

Yeah, a new child is easily done.