Vault 92

Vault 92 is one of the Vaults created by Vault-Tec, and was part of the many Vault Experiments. The world's best musicians were invited to Vault 92 with the promise to "preserve artistic talent" during the Great War. In reality however, Vault 92 was geared specifically for experimenting with White Noise generators that implanted subliminal messages into the minds of its resident population. Vault is located northwest of the deathclaw-infested ruins of Old Olney.

Background
The true purpose of Vault 92 was to act as a testing ground for the creation of "super soldiers" by way of "subliminal suggestion". By exposing the citizens of the Vault to white noise that contained hidden subconscious messages, the Vault Overseer hoped to create soldiers that could be controlled through a form of hypnosis, thus fulfilling his orders from Vault-Tec. This research was then to be used for a project to create super soldiers who would be completely obedient and fight far more ferociously than normal humans. The Vault's lead researcher Professor Malleus was initially unaware that the overseer intended to use the research team's work to create soldiers. He thought he was researching their musical talents, etc. This is made clear by a series of his recordings you can pick up throughout the Vault.

The recordings state that, although the experiment initially showed great promise, the most promising subject began exhibiting extreme, uncontrollable aggression and tore three people apart before the Vault's security team was forced to subdue him. It took 23 gunshots to finally take him down. Professor Malleus is horrified at this and cannot understand why a resident would act in such an extremely aggressive manner (as far as the doctor is concerned, the suggestions are limited to simple and harmless triggers like obsessive fixing of hair, constant ear scratching etc.). A later log on the Overseer's terminal shows that he intentionally placed a subliminal message in the resident to trigger a violent outburst, as a measure to see whether the command would be obeyed, how much damage he would do, and how much punishment he would be able to survive before Vault Security killed him. He expresses particular delight in the 20+ bullets required to stop the subject, stating that a whole army of soldiers implanted in such a fashion would be unstoppable.

This rage soon manifested in other subjects. One computer terminal contains the diary of one of the inhabitants, Zoe Hammerstein, who went mad because of the white noise. The diary shows her writing (specifically her spelling and grammar) degenerate, until her final entry, where she begs her friends for help in a sentence that is barely comprehensible.

Attempts by the Vault Overseer to contain the situation (such as by programming code words into the subjects' implants in order to stop them) only worked briefly. Professor Malleus, the expert in charge of the white noise experiment, soon lost hope in the project and attempted several times to convince the Overseer, Richard Rubin, to take the situation more seriously and even consider abandoning the Vault in light of the violent and savage behavior of the residents, not realizing what Rubin had done until it was too late. However it seems that Rubin had Professor Malleus killed, based on evidence from a log on his computer terminal.

More than one-half of the Vault's population (according to Professor Malleus's V92-05 audio log) eventually became violently unstable and began slaughtering the rest of their fellow residents. A note titled "Feedback Loop" explains that the yet untouched by experiment survivors of Vault 92 made one last push for the escape, possibly explaining why the vault door was left open. The "normal" vault citizens made an attempt to stave off the crazed group, so there are frag mines scattered around the Vault. Sadly, the skeletons of the presumed young lovers Hilda Egglebrecht and Parker Livingsteen can be found locked into the Recording Studio, a place where they once enjoyed accompanying each other greatly, according to notes left by Parker.

The heavy presence of the mirelurks is explained by a computer terminal in the lower, flooded parts of the Vault. Apparently, shortly before the "crazies" incident, there was an issue with one of the walls in that area, which had cracked because of some body of water nearby. The wall was repaired and given some minor reinforcements, but the Chief Engineer of the Vault, Carl Maynard, stated in this terminal that the repairs were only temporary and that a serious approach needed to be discussed. However nothing was done because of the mad inhabitants, and the wall there eventually broke, allowing the mirelurks to gain access to the Vault.

Enemies
This Vault's upper levels are populated by an ample supply of bloatflies, which are easily dispatched. Care should be taken here by players using melee weapons, as it is possible to become trapped behind various pipes by the melee teleportation issue. The lower levels, however, are home to much more formidable opponents: mirelurks. Depending on your level, this could include mirelurk hunters and even mirelurk kings.

If you activate the terminals in the Living Quarters and select "Noise Flush" it will instantly kill all of the mirelurks in the area. NOTE: You do not get any experience for doing so. Please also note, this doesn't affect the mirelurks and bloatflies in other areas. The terminals are average, but can be used without hacking if the entries in the computer terminal in the Overseer's office are all read. They tell the password for the terminals. Facing mirelurk kings in the Vault can prove hard for some unprepared players, especially if players are hit by its sonic attack.

Vault 92 entrance

 * Pre-War book: on a table in the vault entrance area, next to Professor Malleus Audio Log V92-01.
 * Note "Feedback Loops" in the Atrium, on the floor next to a skeleton in the first hall after the rigged shotgun.
 * Tales of a Junktown Jerky Vendor: Second floor, on the bottom level of a shelf behind the counter of the supply shop (average locked door). There are two ammunition boxes on the middle shelf, one of which may contain a Stealth Boy.

Overseer's office

 * Professor Malleus Audio Log V92-02 on the desk in the bedroom in first section of the area before reaching the actual Overseer's office. It's the bedroom with the twin beds pushed together.
 * Stealth Boy: On Overseer's desk.
 * Professor Malleus Audio Log V92-03 can be found inside the Overseer's office on top of a table on the south wall next to Richard Rubin's terminal and three ammunition boxes.
 * Duck and Cover! and pre-War book on the west wall bookshelf. It is in the same room as the Stealth Boy, and three ammunition boxes.
 * A laser rifle on the near top shelf left of the Overseer's desk.

Sound testing

 * 3 pre-War books: The first one is on a shelf in first room on right. The second is to the far east of this section, in the same room as a computer marked "Zoe Hammerstein's terminal." A third is on a table in a room north of the room where you find the Soil Stradivarius. It is close to where the Stealth Boy is located, in the room with a Nuka-Cola vending machine.
 * Nikola Tesla and You: On desk in studio control room.
 * Professor Malleus Audio Log V92-06: On desk in studio control room.
 * Professor Malleus Audio Log V92-05: On desk with broken terminal in the classroom with the running projector.
 * Soil Stradivarius On desk in recording studio.
 * Stealth Boy: To the west of this section behind a Hard locked door (Note: This door may be Average locked instead), in a small room with an average random loot safe, jet, psycho, stimpaks, and lots of ammunition, including microfusion cells.

Living quarters

 * D.C. Journal of Internal Medicine: To the very south of the area, in a room which looks like an operating bay, on a desk next to a computer.
 * Professor Malleus Audio Log V92-04 on a table just outside of the room containing the D.C Journal of Medicine.
 * Nuka-Cola Quantum: In a small room, on a desk next to a computer. You will see it through a glass window before you enter the room.
 * Sheet music book: In one of the bathroom stalls, in the furthest right toilet in the Male Dorms.(Sheet music books are worth 100 caps or can be turned in as part of Agatha's Song)
 * There is a "Key Code to Data Storage" and a note next to Jon Adiglio's body in the Male Dorm closet. Look below the rigged shotgun next to the easy locked safe (which may contain a Stealth Boy).
 * A possible Stealth Boy in the Locked - Average ammunition box behind the Locked - Very Hard door that you can use the Key Code to Date Storage to unlock.

Nearby points of interest

 * Raider Farmhouse: Due west of the entrance to Vault 92. It is guarded by several raiders and houses a nice stash of chems, a copy of Dean's Electronics on the metal shelf (far right, middle), and a mini nuke. A number of chems are also inside the overturned silo nearby, which serves as their bedroom with 3 mattresses.
 * Old Olney: A bit southeast of Vault 92; on the world map they are both in a "Lighter square" than the rest of the world (similar to the D.C area). Old Olney is infested with deathclaws, as are its sewers, which contain the prototype medic power armor. You can also find a Fat Man and a missile launcher not far from where the armor is.
 * There is a major Enclave camp after they arrive in the game, directly south of Vault 92's entrance on a road with a trailer. Consists of 1 or 2 officers and around 3-5 soldiers. Also has terminal governing Enclave interaction with the general populace.

Related quests

 * Agatha's Song

Appearances
Vault 92 only appears in Fallout 3.

Behind the scenes

 * Richard Rubin is likely a reference to producer Rick Rubin; an intra-Vault email from Professor Malleus refers to Richard Rubin as "Rick".
 * Professor Malleus' name may be a reference to the bone in the ear, more commonly referred to as "the hammer".
 * Zoe Hammerstein gets her name from Broadway lyricist and songwriter Oscar Hammerstein II. The GNR song "I'm In Love With A Wonderful Guy" is from the Rogers & Hammerstein musical South Pacific.
 * Hilda Egglebrecht may be a reference to the real life violinist Renate Eggebrecht.
 * Gordon Sumner is the real name of the musician Sting.
 * The phrase "Sanity is not statistical", is a reference to George Orwell's book 1984. This phrase is the codeword used to stop the "crazies", and is found on the Overseer's terminal.
 * Arts-oriented Vault 92 is just outside of Old Olney. The art school James Hubert Blake High School is located outside of Olney, Maryland.

Bugs

 * If jumping in the southeast corner of the Overseer's Office, it is possible to clip through below the Overseer's desk, possibly trapping you below. The door into Sound Testing is accessible but opens into a dead end room.

Gallery
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