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“As the Courier ran through the X-8 facility multiple times, the computers analyzed the test subject's movements. Rather than performing a superficial observation, they realized the subject barely knew what Communism was - or even what a high school was.”— Old World Blues ending slide
The X-8 Research Center, or the X-8 Bio-Mechanical Testing Facility,[1] is a location in Big MT in the Fallout: New Vegas DLC Old World Blues. It is located to the far east of the Think Tank.
Background
A research facility used for experimenting with biomechanical research, the X-8 Research Center's most recent project involved creating and testing cyberdogs. Dr. Borous became involved in this project, even using his own pet dog Gabe as a test subject. Gabe was eventually turned into a cyberdog and sealed within an area of the facility.
A testing area was created within the research center, in the form of a high school which the researchers claimed was for use in infiltration testing, but was actually to test the cyberdogs' ability to detect said infiltrators.[2] The K9000 Cyberdog Gun was also developed within X-8.
The facility received a shipment of Nightstalkers in place of standard dogs. When released, the creatures massacred the facility's shipping department, leaving Skippy as its only survivor and causing the area to be locked down.[3]
Layout
Walking left upon entry will lead to the X-8 Splicing Facility Terminal, where creatures can be spliced. The building also houses its own high school (similar to American High School) where the Sonic Emitter EM pulse wave upgrade can be retrieved, allowing the user to disable Big MT force fields.
Institutional Testing
The Institutional Test Facility has a locker hallway, stairway, Coach's Office, two classrooms, a library and a janitor room. Opening the library door from either within the library itself or outside will yield different messages. On a wall in the high school area, "WHY ME MOBIUS" is spelled out on the wall. There are two beds in the area, found by going forward through the double doors in between the bookcases, and then turning left. The beds are located in the northwest corner of the room.
World Objects
Loot
- The Dog and Lobotomite Splicing Experiment Holotape - Can be found on the table next to the X-8 observatory terminal in the testing facility.
- The Dog and Robot Splicing Experiment Holotape - Can be found by taking a right from the main entrance then proceeding down the ramp. It lies on a table in the center of the room.
- The Sonic Emitter upgrade “EM pulse wave” is obtained here by completing the basic institutional test. It is then available at the beginning of the advanced institutional test.
- The upgrade schematics for FIDO - In the kennel by the terminal. The key for the kennel must first be obtained from the X-13 Research Facility.
- The Robot and Nightstalker Splicing Experiment Holotape - Can be found on top of one of the nightstalker kennels.
- Audio Sample - Gabriel's Bark holodisk - In a random digging spot, at the end of the residential test facility. Used to upgrade the emitter to Sonic Emitter - Gabriel's Bark.
- A full set of Combat Armor can be found above the kernel, accessible by an exit from the testing facility.
Related quests
- A Brain's Best Friend
- Field Research
- Sonic Emitter Upgrade
- X-8 Data Retrieval Test
- X-8: High School Horror!
Notes
- The terminals in the high school may change their location from test to test.
- Several challenges are associated with the X-8 Splicing Facility Terminal, and each rewards 100 XP:
- Automaton - Splicing together a robot and a nightstalker (unusual specimen) will result in a hostile robobrain that attacks a spot near the doorway with laser fire until it self destructs eight seconds later.
- Mad Scientist - When splicing a lobotomite and a dog, they will end up as a failed experiment and die.
- Evil Genius - When splicing together a lobotomite and a robot, creating a non-hostile robobrain, the robobrain will self-destruct after a short time of talking.
- Roxie, a temporary cyberdog companion, can be obtained by splicing a dog and robot together. Roxie will only follow the player character around the X-8 Research Center. She can be used for the tests, but will not sneak, and will immediately run towards any hostile in the area. She cannot leave the X-8 facility but will remain inside at the entrance waiting for the player character if they exit the facility.
- After three tests at the terminal, 24 in-game hours must pass in order for the system to "restock" test subjects.
- The X-8 kennel key is located in the X-13 Research Facility center.
- One of the jars with a lump of a brain inside from the Fallout 3 DLC Point Lookout is on the desk near the entrance to the facility.
Appearances
The X-8 Research Center appears only in the Fallout: New Vegas DLC Old World Blues.
Behind the Scenes
- A terminal on level two mentions Project Burke and Project Hare. Burke and Hare were infamous 19th-century serial killers who murdered people to sell their bodies as cadavers for anatomy classes. Project: Burke and Hare are both regarding the procurement of bodies for scientific experimentation.
- The created Robobrain's short speech is a reference to the whale from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.
Wild Wasteland
- In the high school area, there is a Wild Wasteland moment where the phrase "Wolverines" is written on the wall. This is a reference to the movie Red Dawn, as the Wolverines is a resistance group composed of highschoolers, taken from the name of their football team, after their school (and America) is invaded by the Russians at the beginning of the movie.
- In the cyber dog training area, there is another Wild Wasteland moment, where a few cyber dogs will be seen through a window playing poker, with the words "SIT. STAY. KILL." written on the wall above. It refers collectively to a series of sixteen oil paintings by C. M. Coolidge, commissioned in 1903 by Brown & Bigelow to advertise cigars, known in pop culture as just "dogs playing poker" paintings. In between the closest dog on the right and the left is an Ace of Clubs, just like in the painting. It is similar to the Fallout Tactics special encounter Brahmin Poker.
Bugs
Splicing a dog and a robot may create a goo pile under Roxie. The goo pile cannot be searched unless Roxie is killed. Trying to search the goo pile while Roxie is alive will trigger her to speak with the player character.
Splicing a lobotomite and a dog can result in a bug, creating a lobotomite with no torso and eyes standing over the dead dog and some scattered remains.
Gallery
Dogs playing poker
X-8 splicing experiment bug
Brain bits
Coffins
Texture file
Texture file
School
References
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