Vault 8

A Vault-Tec nuclear shelter, Vault 8 was a control vault located in western Nevada. It was designed to re-colonize the surface after 10 years.

Background
Vault 8 was designed to house a thousand or so dwellers. It opened as intended after receiving the all-clear signal, and its residents emerged to begin rebuilding civilization. Vault City was the result. Years after its residents emerged, the shelter was used primarily as a medical center (quite possibly the best one in the Wasteland, outside of the Enclave or the BoS) for citizens, a power source (although the nuclear power plant cannot sustain a large settlement indefinitely), an information hub (Central Computer and its servers) and a storage space for ore and other supplies essential to the well being of the city.

Inhabitants of the city rarely (if ever) venture into the lower levels. Servants are tasked with keeping the vault clean, but they are unable to prevent deterioration - most of the vault doors are stuck and cannot be opened, while foreign items rattle in the air ducts. There is only one permanent inhabitant on the lower levels - Martin, who is a stuttering loner tasked with looking after the equipment in the Command Center.

Level One
Beyond the massive outer blast doors and a long steel corridor lies a standard Seal'N'Safe Model 343 vault door, together with a typical airlock and security door. As in all vaults, a standard excursion locker is located on the wall, containing emergency supplies for those venturing outside. The vault's layout is quite typical, with the EML to the right of the entrance and the elevator hall to the left as well as the ventilation hub for the level. In Fallout 2, the EML houses the city's premier medical facilities, including even cloning vats for replacement limbs and chemical synthesizers.

It is manned by Doctor Troy, a fine physician, who can treat anything from crippled limbs through poisoning to radiation. He is a key figure in two quests, delivering a sample of jet to him and making an antidote for jet. Should the Chosen One become a Captain of the Guard, Marcus can be treated by Doctor Troy and all the ammunition stuck in his body removed.

Assisting Doctor Troy is a young nurse, Phyllis (originally called Nancy), who can provide some insight into how Vault City functions. Male characters can choose to date her, donate sperm to Vault City (experience reward depends on their intelligence) and convince her to see the outside world. Female characters can only do the latter, though. Someone lucky enough to possess the Magic 8-ball can access the Emergency Medical dispenser in the hall, for a super stimpak and two regular stimpaks.

Level Two
Standard design for living quarters before the war, Level Two is currently used only as storage. The rooms are filled with crates and abandoned equipment, though most doors have stuck power couplings or are locked. Vault City stores its supply of uranium ore for their nuclear power plant, as well as any other goods they trade with the outside. In an ironic twist, many crates contain 420 spare water chips, originally intended for Vault 13.

To open the doors high strength is needed. Buffout and equipping a crowbar help a great deal. Exploration is worth it, as a great deal of valuable items can be found and the citizens don't seem to mind all that much.

A small reward also waits for the repairman who opts to repair the rattling vent, as a microfusion cell has found its way inside.

Level Three
The heart of the vault, the third level is home to its most vital facilities. This level is divided into two distinct halves by a red security door. For regular vault dwellers, the most important locations are the meeting room, where they can watch movies together or chat about vital shelter matters, followed by the library, where, on high resolution monochromatic screens, they can read all the great works stored in the databanks of the vault mainframe. Technicians, however, will be more interested in the computer core, located between the library and corridor leading to the elevator, where all the operations of the underground facility are monitored and vital functions controlled. At the intersection lies the vault's storeroom, where all the vault's basic supplies are kept in lockers. A well supplied storeroom is a sign of a healthy vault, even if it's not used anymore by its inhabitants.

The second part, the actual command center, is separated by a security door with a bright red light, beyond which lies the security station with the vault's armory. Just beyond is the main control room, where the central computer, the primary control stations for the vault lie together with the water processing computer. Last is the Overseer's chamber, where his hydraulic pedestal and control seat lie and the vault's leader oversees its functions.

In Fallout 2 only Martin, a stuttering man inhabits these halls, watching over the computers as ordered by the city authorities. To pass time, he sings to himself (Maybe by The Ink Spots - the intro and credits theme of Fallout). The Chosen One can compliment him on his singing for a small karma bonus or deride him for the opposite.

Related quests

 * Deliver a sample of jet to Dr. Troy
 * Find some endorphin blockers to make a cure for Jet
 * See Phyllis

Appearances

 * Vault 8 appears only in Fallout 2.

Behind the scenes

 * Chris Avellone said, "It was intended that while the player was reading the Vault 8 records in Fallout 2, he could discover a classified file (opened with a successful Science skill roll) which explained that Vault 8 was a "control Vault," designed to hold 1000 people and to open on time. This file was intended to foreshadow the discovery of the true and sinister purpose of the Vaults."


 * Vault 8 was to play a major role in the canceled Fallout movie, although it would have been very different to the in-game vault. Instead of being the core of Vault City, it was destroyed and a character named Max made his home there.