GNR Building Plaza (Fallout 3)



Galaxy News Radio is a remnant of the pre-War Galaxy News Network. Prior to the Great War, the station was broadcast on 103.8 FM, and provided information on weather, sports, news and traffic. One of its many programs was Mornings with Marie.

Run by DJ Three Dog, GNR splits its time between Wasteland news, survival advice, and Big Band music. Three Dog operates the station as part of the "Good Fight," which he explains later is his attempt to tell inhabitants of the Capital Wasteland how "things really are" and the Enclave's true intentions. He also explains that the reason he plays the same few songs over and over is because these are all the records he's been able to locate in playable condition.

GNR's initial signal quality is poor; it can barely be heard in Megaton and fades out entirely if one gets any further away. People in Moriarty's Saloon comment on this being a recent development, and when the player eventually meets Three Dog as part of the main quest line, he explains that his previous antenna was destroyed when a Super Mutant took a shot at it. After the player obtains a replacement antenna dish from the Virgo II lunar lander in the Museum of Technology, the station becomes one of three that can be heard anywhere in the Capital Wasteland (the other two being Enclave Radio and Agatha's Station).

As the player advances in the game, they may hear Three Dog report on their exploits, each based on how the player handled a given situation. These are, by and large, related to major quests -- for example, if the player disarms the nuke as part of The Power of the Atom, Three Dog will mention this event specifically in a news broadcast. Smaller quests will go unnoticed, such as saving the slaves from Paradise Falls.

Before each quest-related news broadcast, Three Dog will refer to the player by their current Karma level. For example, if the player's current Karma ranking is "Paladin", Three Dog will introduce the player by stating that "A Paladin walks among us. And no, it isn't one of our buddies from the Brotherhood. I'm talking about the Paladin in shining Vault suit."

As part of the main story, the player is sent to GNR after finding out that James visited Three Dog.

Should Three Dog die (most likely because the player killed him), he will be relieved on-air by Margaret, his technician. She is far less glib than Three Dog and will simply play record after record, occasionally breaking in to announce that she's taken over for the normal DJ because he's dead and all she has to play are the records; this ends any sort of news reports for the duration of the game.

Three Dog's announcements sometimes reference real-world culture: right after the Lone Wanderer fixes the antenna at the Washington Monument, Three Dog will announce that "You can't stop the signal", a line from Joss Whedon's Serenity (you will have to wait for the song(s) to finish).

Location

 * Galaxy News Radio building and GNR Plaza is located in the Chevy Chase district.

Directions to Galaxy News Radio
You must go through the Tenleytown/Friendship Station, which can be reached through the Farragut West Station maintenance tunnels. Once in the station, make your way through to the Chevy Chase North access. Outside you will see the Brotherhood of Steel fighting Super Mutants in a bombed out building. Once the Super Mutants are killed (by your hands or the Brotherhood of Steel), follow them through the alley to a Super Mutant infested building. On the way to this building you should notice a dead Brotherhood of Steel soldier laying on a bed on the ground; he will have a Power Armor and some Energy Cells that you can take (the body only appears if encountered during the Following in His Footsteps quest). The last stop in this battle will be the plaza in front of the GNR building itself, where you will battle the final group of Super Mutants. During this battle with the Super Mutants, a Super Mutant Behemoth will break through and attack. There is a Fat Man on the body of a dead Brotherhood of Steel soldier. This can be used on the Behemoth if it is preferred.

Notable Loot

 * Big Book of Science located in the GNR Studios near a red chair. This book must be stolen.

Licensed songs
The following 20 licensed tracks cycle on Galaxy News Radio, listed here by song title and performer in the order found in the Fallout 3 credits. Songs licensed from APM Music, Inc do not credit performers; the composer is listed if available. Note that the song "Jazz Interlude" is often played at the beginning and/or end of The Adventures of Herbert Daring Dashwood broadcasts.
 * "I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire" by The Ink Spots
 * "Anything Goes" composed by Cole Porter
 * "A Wonderful Guy" by Tex Beneke
 * "Boogie Man" by Sid Phillips
 * "Butcher Pete (Part 1)" by Roy Brown
 * "Crazy He Calls Me" performed by Billie Holiday
 * "Civilization" performed by Danny Kaye with The Andrews Sisters
 * "Easy Living" performed by Billie Holiday
 * "Fox Boogie" composed by Gerhard Trede
 * "Happy Times" performed by Bob Crosby
 * "I'm Tickled Pink" composed by Jack Shaindlin
 * "Into each Life Some Rain Must Fall" performed by Ella Fitzgerald with The Ink Spots
 * "Jazzy Interlude" composed by Billy Munn
 * "Jolly Days" composed by Gerhard Trede
 * "Let's Go Sunning" composed by Jack Shaindlin
 * "Maybe" by The Ink Spots
 * "Mighty, Mighty Man" by Roy Brown
 * "Rhythm For You" by Eddy Christiani and Frans Poptie
 * "Swing Doors" composed by Allan Gray
 * "Way Back Home" performed by Bob Crosby &amp; the Bobcats

News and Drama
Three Dog reports three types of news (Generic, Quest-Specific and Public Service Announcement) and plays one drama.

Generic
 * Super Mutant in downtown D.C.
 * Raiders at Evergreen Mills
 * Talon Company
 * Weather

Quest-Specific
 * Quest-specific news covers only main and side quests. There are three options pertaining to each of them: Unresolved, Path A and Path B.

Public Service Announcement
 * Brotherhood of Steel protecting the Wasteland
 * Fighting the Raiders
 * Don't feed the Yao Guai
 * Protection from radiation
 * Proper weapon maintenance
 * Ghouls are people too

Drama
 * "The Adventures of Herbert "Daring" Dashwood" comprises of four episodes:
 * 1) Escape from Paradise Falls
 * 2) Super Mutant Mayhem
 * 3) In the Black Widow's Web
 * 4) Rockopolis and a Hard Place

Good Karma

 * Level 2: "And now the latest on that enigmatic Vault Martyr who only recently stepped out of Vault 101 and into our hearts."
 * Level 3: "So what's everyone's favorite Sentinel been up to? Here's the latest on that sweet kid from Vault 101."
 * Level 4: "Now, let's check out the latest on everyone's darling Defender, giving evil the one-two punch out there in the wooly Wasteland."
 * Level 5: "Okay, children. I've got the skinny on the Capital Wasteland's newest, noblest Dignitary, that charming cat from Vault 101. Check this out."
 * Level 6: "It’s time for an update on that Vault 101 Peacekeeper, a man/gal who proves that not everyone out there is a complete asshole."
 * Level 7: "Good news, kids! Our old friend from Vault 101 is - get this - still alive! Guess there is a God. Here's your update on the Ranger of the Wastes."
 * Level 8: "Now the latest on everyone's favorite runt from Vault 101. He/She's out there serving as our Protector, so show the kid some respect. Listen to this."
 * Level 9: "And now an update on our very own Urban Defender. Did he/she leave that vault just to help us? Who cares, man. We owe him/her either way. Check this out."
 * Level 10: "Hey, our friend from Vault 101 is at it again. A true Exemplar, showing us all the true meaning of love, compassion, and all that other crap."
 * Level 11: "It's that time again, kids! The adventures of... the Capital Crusader! YAYHURRAY!!! Seriously, how can you not dig this guy/gal? Am I right?"
 * Level 12: "A Paladin walks among us, children. And no, this ain't one of our buddies from the Brotherhood. I'm talking about that knight in shining vault suit."
 * Level 13: "And now an update on everyone's favorite hero from a hole, a guy/gal I feel really comfortable calling - drum roll please - the Vault Legend!"
 * Level 14: "Hate. Prejudice. Violence. Leave 'em all behind. The kid from Vault 101 did, so why can't you? The latest on our own Ambassador of Peace."
 * Level 15: "Hallelujah! The Urban Legend is real, children! He/She's real, and he/she's out there, everyday, helping poor shlubs like you. The latest and greatest."
 * Level 16: "And now, for another exciting adventure of, "The Hero... of the Wasssssttteesss!"
 * Level 17: "LOORDY! I just love that vault boy/girl! Hole-dweller one day, Paragon of all that is good and right in the world the next. And, he/she's been busy..."
 * Level 18: "Hey, out on that ridge! It's Buddha! It's Jesus! No, it's the... Wasteland Savior! Here's an update on Vault 101's homegrown messiah."
 * Level 19: "Question: is there a God? And if so, does he give a shit about the rest of us? I was skeptical, but that was before a certain Saint from Vault 101..."
 * Level 20: "All right, children. It's time for Three Dog to be honest with ya. Here it is, plain as day - I used to think we were all well and truly fucked. The good ole U.S. of A... ahhh, she's a mess. I had pretty much written us all off. But that was before a certain kid from Vault 101... I've always given it to you straight, have I not? For good or ill, Galaxy News Radio has been the voice of truth on these airwaves. So believe me when I tell you that I was wrong. Dead wrong. That kid from Vault 101 is the Last, Best Hope of Humanity. We'll get through this, children. You just gotta believe. For now, listen close, as I share yet another of our friend's adventures." (later he just says "This just in, my friends. Looks like we've got an update on the Last, Best Hope of Humanity himself/herself, the kid from Vault 101.")

Neutral Karma

 * Level 2: "And now the latest on that enigmatic Vault Renegade, who only recently stepped out of Vault 101 and into our lives."
 * Level 3: "So what's that brave little Seeker been up to? Here's the latest on the kid from Vault 101."
 * Level 4: "Now, let's check out the latest on the Vault 101 Wanderer, as he/she, well, wanders."
 * Level 5: "Okay, children. I've got the skinny on the Capital Wasteland's newest Citizen. Curious? Of course you are. Check this out."
 * Level 6: "It seems the lost little boy/girl from Vault 101 has become quite the Adventurer these days..."
 * Level 7: "Got some news for you kiddies. Looks like that dude/chick from Vault 101 is still kicking. And now, a friendly update on the Vagabond of the Wastes."
 * Level 8: "Hey! So whatever happened to that kid from Vault 101? Huh? Ooh! Ooh! I know! Man, that cat/girl has turned into one hard-edged Wasteland Mercenary."
 * Level 9: "Grow up in a hole, confined and bored? Hit the Wasteland! You, too, can be an Urban Ranger! And now, the latest on the kid from Vault 101."
 * Level 10: "Now more on the kid from Vault 101, keeping that moral compass firmly grounded in gray. Angel? Devil? More like neutral Observer at this point."
 * Level 11: "Neutrality, baby. That's today's lesson, taught by our own Capital Councilor. Maybe that vault door leads to Switzerland? Anyway, he/she's at it again."
 * Level 12: "Now, an update on a certain crazy dude/chick from Vault 101. Let's call him/her the Keeper. The Keeper of promises, of secrets, of his/her own destiny."
 * Level 13: "And now, a little story. A story about a boy/girl who climbed out of a hole. I'm talkin' about that Vault Descendent, of course. Here's the latest."
 * Level 14: "Never quit. Never stop believing. That's the story of the cat from Vault 101. Here's the latest on the very Pinnacle of Survival."
 * Level 15: "Special report! Da da dum dum, da da da dum dum! This just in -- The kid from Vault 101 is not just an Urban Myth ! Oh, he/she's real all right."
 * Level 16: "You've seen him/her out there, haven't you, wandering the D.C. ruins, looking for adventure? The latest on Vault 101's very own Strider of the Wastes."
 * Level 17: "Ah, the kid from Vault 101. He/She hurts, he/she helps, he/she does whatever he/she damn well pleases. Sometimes just a watcher... a Beholder, if you will."
 * Level 18: "He/She came from Vault 101... Friend? Foe? Or simple Wasteland Watcher? Here's an update on that kid from the hole..."
 * Level 19: "I don't know how he/she's even still alive, but I've got an update on the kid from Vault 101. I swear, he/she must be Super-Human or somethin'..."
 * Level 20: "Alive? Yes. Still wandering? Uh huh. One of the most powerful individuals in the Capital Wasteland? You bet your bobby socks, Susie. I'm talkin' about the kid from Vault 101. Just 19, and this cat/babe has been in some serious shit. And there ain't no sign o' stoppin'! Kid from the vault, if you're listening, I want you to know that you are, truly, a Paradigm of Humanity. Keep on fighting, man/girl! And now for you other faithful listeners, here's an update on our friend." (later he just says "This just in, my friends. Looks like we've got an update on that Paradigm of Humanity, the kid from Vault 101.")

Evil Karma

 * Level 2: "And now the latest on that enigmatic Vault Outlaw, who only recently stepped out of Vault 101 and into our nightmares."
 * Level 3: "So what's that creepy Opportunist been up to, huh? Here's the latest on the kid from Vault 101."
 * Level 4: "Want to know the latest on that heartless little Plunderer from Vault 101? Here's the deal."
 * Level 5: "All right, faithful listeners, I know what you really want to know. What's that nasty Fatcat up to? Sharpening his/her claws, I bet..."
 * Level 6: "You know him/her, you hate him/her. (How could you not?) He/She's the malignant Marauder who oozed out of Vault 101. You'll never guess what he/she's up to now."
 * Level 7: "News flash! Listen up, children. Lock your damn doors. The Pirate of the Wastes is out there, wreaking havoc, wrecking lives. Here's the latest."
 * Level 8: "Question time, kids. You know what a Reaver is? It's a killer, a liar, a monster. In other words, it's that bastard/bitch from Vault 101. Check it out."
 * Level 9: "Man, am I getting sick of this little punk. From innocent vault kid to sicko Urban Invader. Here's the latest..."
 * Level 10: "Okay, let's see. Anything new with that rancorous little Ne'er-do-well from Vault 101? Well, there's this..."
 * Level 11: "Now more on the kid from Vault 101, living a life of unrepentant vice and violence. Jesus, he/she's like some kind of, of... Capital Crimelord."
 * Level 12: "I know, I know, you want the skinny on Mister/Miss Vault 101. Well here's a news flash - that merciless fucking Defiler is still out there, all right?"
 * Level 13: "Time again, my children, for chills and thrills, fears and scares. Do you know what that creepy Vault Boogeyman has been up to? Listen to this."
 * Level 14: "Want peace and quiet? Good luck with that, kids. The name of the game is chaos, thanks to Vault 101's own Harbinger of War. Listen and learn."
 * Level 15: "You don't want to believe it, I know. That kid from Vault 101, he/she can't be real. He/She's just some creepy Urban Superstition, right? Wrong."
 * Level 16: "Yeah, you guessed it - time for another update on the Villain of the Wastes himself, that evil little bastard/bitch from Vault 101."
 * Level 17: "You think all that shit between the Super Mutants and Brotherhood is bad? Here's the latest on the Harbinger of War himself/herself, that kid from Vault 101."
 * Level 18: "So. Just when you thought it was crazy enough out there... Here's an update on the kid from Vault 101 who fancies himself/herself the Wasteland Destroyer."
 * Level 19: "I have a new theory. Vault 101 is actually Hell. Hear me out. I mean, that kid we all know and hate is Evil Incarnate, right? Here's the latest."
 * Level 20: "And lo, the boy/girl did step forth from his/her shadowy hole, and proclaim himself/herself Scourge of Humanity. If they rewrite the Bible, they really need to add that part. Why? Because that kid from Vault 101 is the worst thing to happen to our neighborhood since radiation sickness! Here's the latest news on Vault 101's evil progeny..." (later he just says "This just in, my friends. Looks like we've got an update on that Scourge of Humanity, the kid from Vault 101.")

Broadcast Errors
Skipping and Loop
 * After Three Dog starts giving news updates involving the player's actions, he will stop announcing the songs he will be playing.
 * Three Dog may mention the player's title but fail to deliver any quest-related news, skipping straight to generic news - e.g., if the player's rank is "Ranger of the Wastes", Three Dog will mention the "ranger of the Wastes", but instead of following this statement with a quest-related news segment, he'll instead skip to saying "This is Three Dog with a bit of news!" and deliver a generic news piece.
 * Occasionally, if you haven't completed any quests and reached a level beyond 2 with good or bad karma, Three Dog will get stuck on a news announcement loop (announcing that he has news several times in a row without actually delivering any).
 * If you hang out around the Megaton Ruins after blowing Megaton up, Three Dog will repeatedly say that he has news and announce himself, yet not give any news, eventually playing an episode of The Adventures of Herbert "Daring" Dashwood or some songs. This might even happen if you don't blow it up.
 * Three Dog will say he's going to play music and then will go straight into talking about the player (found on Xbox 360 and PC)
 * Noted in the Citadel central training area, the radio there can get stuck in a loop of Three Dog announcing the news over and over again with different introductions, but never actually give any news. (PC, patch 1.5)
 * Three Dog may stop broadcasting news stories about the player after the player reaches Level 20, but changing your karma might make him broadcast them again. Downloading Broken Steel and increasing your level past 20 can also help.
 * There is a broadcast about the Outcasts, but Three Dog never plays this one. Apparently they enjoy taking pot-shots at the GNR building.
 * Three Dog may stop broadcasting quest-related news even before the player reaches Level 20. The trigger for this may be either installing the satellite dish on the Washington Monument, or reloading the game after a crash to desktop. This can probably be solved by changing your karma level.

Premonition
 * If you cross GNR without the "Following In His Footsteps" quest it is possible to hear a broadcast that you have been to Galaxy News Radio, even though you have not, although he may have been talking about James.
 * If you download the Broken Steel DLC prior to completing the main quest, Three Dog may begin broadcasting messages that refer to you having completed the quest (such as driving the Enclave out of the Jefferson Memorial)
 * After the Enclave arrives at the end of Waters of Life, Three Dog will stop mentioning news stories about the player. He will continue to announce the arrival of the Enclave, give public service announcements, and give news updates on the status of The Wasteland (Confirmed PC and PS3)
 * Prior to actually completing Take It Back!, Three Dog will give a long report on how Project Purity was founded by James, and then finally brought into operation by the Lone Wanderer. He will continue to talk about how the Brotherhood of Steel is working with Rivet City Security to push the water out through the caravans. This report was obviously meant to be announced once the player completed Take It Back! This is apparently caused by installing the Broken Steel expansion. (Xbox 360 and PC)

Misinformed
 * He will keep repeating the story of you leaving Bryan Wilks in Grayditch if you chose to not find a home for him, even after you complete many quests after it.
 * There is an incident where he will also report about problems in Grayditch and then tell the story of you saving Grayditch. This might happen if you solved the quest without talking to Bryan Wilks first.
 * If you recover the Soil Stradivarius from Vault 92 without starting the quest Agatha's Song, and sell it to Abraham Washington in Rivet City, Three Dog will negatively report that you found out about the violin from Agatha and sold it instead of returning it to its rightful owner.
 * There seems to be a glitch where Three-Dog might refer to you as the opposite sex, claiming that "You, girl, are truly a paradigm of humanity" for a male character with neutral karma.
 * Three Dog will refer to a level 17 bad-karma character as a Harbinger of War rather than a Fiend.
 * In the quest You Gotta Shoot 'Em in the Head even if you opt to just take the keys non violently Three-Dog will still announce it like you killed them. This could be a result of lying to Crowley, however, as the rumor may have reached Three Dog that they were actually dead.
 * For many quests with multiple possible solutions/outcomes, Three Dog may report the wrong one.

Trivia
The Galaxy News logo appears originally in the introductory movie for Fallout (the original game in the series). The popularity of Fallout (along with the distinctive style of the logo) led to the logo's adaptation into the brand symbol for Interplay, the original publisher of the game.

Using the PIP-Boy 3000, you can find a picture of the building under notes. This may have been a possible reward in Megaton.

The radio broadcast featuring the adventures of Herbert "Daring" Dashwood is a reference to the 1930s radio program The Green Hornet featuring masked vigilante Britt Raid fighting crime with the help of his faithful manservant Kato. The program has subsequently been converted to films and a television series the latter of which featured martial arts superstar Bruce Lee. Lee's performance in the series often overshadowed Raid's a fact that is parodied in the GNR broadcast.

It is possible that GNR is inspired by Pittsburgh-based NPR member radio station WDUQ. This suspicion arises since the producers of the game are apparently fond of references to the area and culture of their alma mater, Carnegie Mellon University, given the references present in The Pitt. WDUQ is headquartered near Carnegie Mellon and broadcasts jazz music, as well as local and national news.

Bugs

 * If you manipulate the quest to find Dad by going to Rivet City or straight to his location in Vault 112, and later return to the GNR Building Plaza, it is possible that no Brotherhood of Steel NPC's will spawn, except the door guards. Immediately upon discovery of the actual plaza, the Super Mutant Behemoth and Super Mutants will attack. Alternatively, the mutants in the courtyard will spawn dead, and just the Behemoth will attack you. This makes life much harder for low levels who wanted to go to see Three Dog. There have also been reports of difficulty entering GNR after Raven Rock.
 * In the PS3 version, if you trigger the Behemoth occurrence after triggering the events listed above, THEN retreat a distance until the AI turns non-aggressive, you can sometimes return and enter the GNR building WITHOUT killing the Behemoth. The intercom will assess the combat as over even with the Behemoth standing right outside; however, this may not last, and later visits may cause the area to revert to its normal state. (X360)
 * If you have to face all the super mutants, including the Behemoth alone. However, you can run straight to the door without killing any of them, and the intercom will say that everything looks okay.
 * Unsure if this is rare or not, but in Three dog's room, when attempting to reverse pickpocket the head wrap from him, Dogmeat may appear, near where Threedog sleeps.
 * With Broken Steel DLC Three dog will air messages on the radio about the brotherhood defeating the enclave at the purifier and pure water being available to everyone regardless if you have made it to that point in the game or not.
 * If you exit GNR, you cannot re-enter because it will need a key, and the Intercom says the door its open, (confirmed on PS3 and 360) one way to enter GNR again is lockpicking one door of the building (Very Hard).
 * With the Broken Steel DLC downloaded/installed with the 1.5 Patch, there is a chance that the radio station may disappear from the station list in your Pip-Boy. Same will happen with the Enclave station, even after Raven Rock is destroyed. Radios in the Wasteland will also refuse to play any sort of music, only the light on the panel denoting that it's even on at all. (PC Version)
 * If you blow up the citadel the BOS troops outside GNR may be friendly but the guys inside are not.
 * You may sometimes hear Three Dog say an introduction twice, or saying something that he'd normally wouldn't say according to the previous sentence. This is probably due to some mishaps while locating the sound files for Three Dog. This isn't any serious issue to the gameplay, and may even sometimes be rather hilarious, hearing him contradict himself.

Related Quests

 * Following in His Footsteps
 * Galaxy News Radio
 * Caching in with Three Dog

Links

 * Galaxy News Radio Online
 * Galaxy News Radio on Spotify ("Boogie Man", "Fox Boogie", "I'm Tickled Pink", "Jazzy Interlude", "Jolly Days", "Let's Go Sunning", "Rhythm For You" and "Swing Doors" not available on spotify per august 2009)

Galaxy News Radio