Fallout: New Vegas developer statements/Behind the Horror of Vault 11

Behind the Horror of Vault 11 is an article featuring an interview with Vault 11 designer Eric Fenstermaker, conducted on April 19, 2018 for Eurogamer.net.

Transcript
1. What were the inspirations behind Vault 11?

2. What was the initial idea for Vault 11, the top level conceit you were going for?

3. How much reference work did you make when preparing Vault 11?

'''4. Tell us about the design process. How do you go from a cool idea to it being this cool place in the game?'''

'''5. Is there some Fallout lore reference book you could refer to ensure Vault 11 made sense in the Fallout universe? How much freedom did you have when creating the vault and the characters in it?'''

6. What kind of experience did you hope the player to have in Vault 11?

7. How do you approach designing the layout of the vault so players are likely to discover its secrets in the way you hope?

'''8. The most tragic character in Vault 11 for me is Katherine, who endures unspeakable horror to try to save her husband. Can you tell us more about this character, her inspiration and role in the story?'''

'''9. The combat end of Vault 11, when you experience the fate of the Vault 11 overseer, is one of the most memorable moments I have from the entire Fallout series. It was not only tense and terrifying, but difficult to survive! On this, where did the idea of having the player sit down and listen to an authoritative voice explain your fate come from? Was it, as players suspect, a Fallout take on the Milgram experiment on obedience to authority figures?'''

'''10. Do you have any data on what percentage of players died the first time they robots came out of the walls? (I suspect it's a high percentage!)'''

'''11. It sounds like there is one survivor of Vault 11, who we presume leaves. Did you intend for this character to pop up somewhere else in the game? If so, what was their fate, and how come they didn't make the cut?'''

12. Does Vault 11 contain any secrets players have yet to uncover, any elements players have yet to fully understand?

13. Does the Vault 11 story end on an optimistic note, because eventually the vault dwellers break the chain of sacrifice, or is it an essentially downbeat ending, because even with freedom beckoning pretty much everyone ends up dead?

14. What does Vault 11 say about the human condition?

15. And finally, what makes a great Fallout vault, and why does Vault 11 work so well?