 | For the quest appearing in this add-on, see Old World Blues (quest). |
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“There is an expression in the Wasteland: "Old World Blues". It refers to those so obsessed with the past they can't see the present, much less the future, for what it is.”— Doctor Mobius and Doctor Klein, Old World Blues
Old World Blues is the third add-on for Fallout: New Vegas, developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Bethesda Softworks.
Narration
“In the years before the Great War, Big Mountain had been the home to the brightest minds of the 21st century. Scientists of vision were drawn to the facility to tackle the greatest technological challenges of the era. They sought to create a new world, fueled by technology, for the benefit of all mankind.
”— Doctor Mobius, Old World Blues Intro
Sonic emitters, space age alloys, DNA hybridization, force field particle research, Auto-Doc advances in cranial, cardiac, and trauma surgery... the hopes and dreams of a century became realities in the electronic forges of Big Mountain.
The nucleus of this research was the Dome, a huge stone facility that held the labs of every science known to man. It was a think tank where no problem could not be solved, where no question could not be answered.
The Great War brought a new energy to Big Mountain and its scientists. Although sheltered from the frontlines, the scientists waged their own war, fighting their battles at the atomic level. Equations and calculations marched endlessly across chalkboards and computer terminals toward one solution: Winning the war.
For years, the minds and computers of Big Mountain were a blaze of trajectories, weapon schematics, and nuclear theories. The problems began to outpace the solutions, first geometrically, then exponentially. As the war escalated, so did the questions.
On the night of October 23rd, 2077, the scientists received an answer that put all their questions to rest. In the aftermath, Big Mountain's silent experiments went to sleep, their creators slowly dying in the new world that had been left behind.
”— Doctor Mobius, Old World Blues Intro
Synopsis
In Old World Blues, the Courier is abducted by the Think Tank, a group of pre-War scientists that have replaced their bodies with machines. Learning that the Think Tank has removed and subsequently lost the Courier's brain, the Courier aids the Think Tank scientists in fighting Dr. Mobius, the rogue scientist currently in possession of their missing brain. Exploring the Big MT facility, the Courier rediscovers lost technology and fights off Lobotomites, Robo-Scorpions, and more.
Finally meeting Dr. Mobius, the Courier learns that he is not actually evil, but has messed with the Think Tank's memories and constantly threatens them in order to keep them from experimenting on the entire wasteland. By stealing the Courier's brain, Dr. Mobius was preventing the Think Tank from using the brain's unique properties to move their own brains into host bodies and escape the crater. After choosing what to do with Mobius and reacquiring their brain, the Courier returns to the Think Tank and can choose to either convince them to stay in Big MT or to kill them.
Characters
Creatures
Robots and computers
{{columns|2|
- Automated turret
- Crazed Mister Handy
- Mister Gutsy
- Mister Orderly
- Protectrons
- Robobrain
- Robo-Scorpions
- [[X-42 Giant Robo-Scorpion]
- Securitron
- Sentry Bot
- Think Tank
}}
Factions
Items
Apparel
Main article: Old World Blues armor and clothing
Consumables
Schematics & recipes
- Schematics - K9000 FIDO
- Recipes - Barter Skill Book
- Recipes - Energy Weapons Skill Book
- Recipes - Explosives Skill Book
- Recipes - Guns Skill Book
- Recipes - Lockpick Skill Book
- Recipes - Medicine Skill Book
- Recipes - Melee Weapons Skill Book
- Recipes - Repair Skill Book
- Recipes - Science Skill Book
- Recipes - Sneak Skill Book
- Recipes - Speech Skill Book
- Recipes - Survival Skill Book
- Recipes - Unarmed Skill Book
Weapons
- Big Mountain Transportalponder!
- Christine's COS Silencer Rifle
- Corrosive Glove
- Dr. Klein's Glove
- Dr. Mobius' Glove
- Elijah's Advanced LAER
- Elijah's Jury-Rigged Tesla Cannon
- FIDO
- K9000 Cyberdog Gun
- LAER
- Proton Axe
- Proton Throwing Axe
- Protonic Inversal Axe
- Protonic Inversal Throwing Axe
- Saturnite Fist
- Saturnite Fist Super-Heated
- Scientist Glove
Scorpion Rifle- Sonic emitter
- Sonic Emitter - Gabriel's Bark
- Sonic Emitter - Opera Singer
- Sonic Emitter - Revelation
- Sonic Emitter - Robo-Scorpion
- Sonic Emitter - Tarantula
- Spider Rifle
- Sterilizer Glove
- X-2 Antenna
Weapon mods
- K9000 Mod - Mentat Chow
- K9000 Mod - Resla Roil
- LAER Mod - Auxiliary Recharger Clip
- LAER Mod - Prismatic Lens
Other items
World objects
Locations
| Image | Name | Cell Name |
|---|---|---|
|
Big MT | |
|
Big MT East Tunnel | NVDLC03SLTunnelEast |
|
Big MT North Tunnel | NVDLC03SLTunnelNorth (ext.) NVDLC03SLTunnelNorthINT (int.) |
|
Big MT West Tunnel | NVDLC03SLTunnelWest (exterior) NVDLC03SLTunnelWestINT (int.) |
|
Construction Site | NVDLC03SLConstruction |
|
Elijah's Watch | NVDLC03SLElijahsWatch |
|
Forbidden Zone Dome Entrance | NVDLC03DomeForbidden (ext.) NVDLC03X42 (warfare facility) NVDLC03ForbiddenZone (dome) |
|
Hazmat Testing Ground | NVDLC03SLHazmat |
|
Higgs Village | NVDLC03SLVillage NVDLC03SLVillageOINT (#00) NVDLC03SLVillageKleinINT (#101) NVDLC03SLVillageMobiusINT(#102) NVDLC03SLVillageBorousINT(#103) NVDLC03SLVillageBorousBINT (#103 bas.) NVDLC03SLVillageDalaINT (#104) NVDLC03SLVillage8INT (#108) |
|
Little Yangtze | NVDLC03SLLittleYangtze (exterior) NVDLC03SLLittleYangtzeTowerINT (tower) |
|
Loading Station | NVDLC03SLLoading |
|
Magnetohydraulics Complex | NVDLC03SLMHC (exterior) NVDLC03SLH2OINT (interior) |
|
Mojave Drive-in | MojaveDriveIn |
|
Mysterious Cave | NVDLC03SLBloatfly (exterior) NVDLC03SLBloatFlyCave (int.) |
|
Saturnite Alloy Research Facility | NVDLC03SLSaturnite (exterior) NVDLC03SLSaturniteINT (interior) |
|
Securitron De-Construction Plant | NVDLC03SLSecuritron (exterior) NVDLC03SLSecuritronINT (int.) |
|
Signal Hills Transmitter | NVDLC03SLCommunications (ext) NVDLC03SLCommunicationsINT (interior) |
|
The Cuckoo's Nest | NVDLC03SLCuckoosNest (ext.) NVDLC03SLCuckoosNestINT (int) |
|
The Sink | NVDLC03TheSinkBalcony NVDLC03TheSink |
|
The Think Tank | NVDLC03DomeThinkTank (dome) NVDLC03TheSink (The Sink) NVDLC03ThinkTank (Think Tank) NVDLC03TheSinkBalcony (balcony) |
|
Ulysses' Point | NVDLC03SLUlyssesPoint (exterior) NVDLC03SLUlyssesPointINT (int.) |
|
VR Simulation Room | NVDLC03X13 |
|
Waste Disintegration Platform | NVDLC03SLDisintegration |
|
X-12 Research Center | NVDLC03SLX12 (exterior) NVDLC03SLX12INT (interior) |
|
X-13 Research Facility | NVDLC03X13Site (exterior) NVDLC03X13 (testing facility) NVDLC03X13RepconHQ03 (stealth testing lab) |
|
X-17 Meteorological Station | NVDLC03SLWeatherStation (ext.) NVDLC03SLWeatherStationINT (int.) |
|
X-2 Transmitter Antenna Array | NVDLC03SatelliteStation (exterior) NVDLC03SLSatelliteStationINT (int.) |
|
X-22 Botanical Garden | NVDLC03SLBotanical |
|
X-66 Hexcrete Archipelago | NVDLC03SLHex |
|
X-7a "Left Field" Artillery Launch | NVDLC03SLArtilleryLaunch (ext.) NVDLC03SLArtilleryLaunchINT (command center) |
|
X-7b "Boom Town" Target Zone | NVDLC03SLArtilleryLanding |
|
X-8 Research Center | NVDLC03X8Site (exterior) NVDLC03X8Cave (res. test fac.) NVDLC03X8Main (central facility) NVDLC03X8School (inst. test fac.) NVDLC03X8Tunnel (testing fac.) |
|
Y-0 Research Center | NVDLC03SLRuins |
|
Y-17 Medical Facility | NVDLC03SLMedCenter (exterior) NVDLC03SLMedCenterINT (int.) |
|
Z-14 Pepsinae DNA Splicing Lab | NVDLC03SLCazador (exterior) NVDLC03SLCazadorINT (interior) |
|
Z-38 Lightwave Dynamics Research | NVDLC03SLHologram (exterior) NVDLC03SLHologramINT (int.) |
|
Z-43 Innovative Toxins Plant | NVDLC03SLChemical (exterior) NVDLC03SLChemicalINT (int.) |
|
Z-9 Crotalus DNA Preservation Lab | NVDLC03SLNightstalker (exterior) NVDLC03SLNightstalkerINT (int.) |
Quests
The experience points that are rewarded for quests are based on the player character's level upon the quest's completion. The total experience points available for the main storyline quests is anywhere between 3,000 (for levels 1–4) to 22,000 (for levels 45–50). The experience points gained from the side quests range from 75 to 500 per quest.
Challenges
| Image | Name | Task | Reward | Form ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Automaton | Build a robot bent on destruction | 100 XP | xx015B04 |
|
|
Cardiac Arrest! | Recovered X-13 cardiac regulator sneaky suit! | 500 XP | xx009DE4 |
|
|
Caza-Death Dealer I | Kill 2 Cazadores in Big MT | 100 XP | xx00DA29 |
|
|
Caza-Death Dealer II | Kill 5 Cazadores in Big MT | 100 XP | xx00DA2A |
|
|
Caza-Death Dealer III | Kill 10 Cazadores in Big MT | 100 XP | xx00DA2B |
|
|
Dog Run I - Dog Gone | Complete the X-8 Basic Testing Program. | 100 XP | xx00A446 |
|
|
Dog Run II - Who let the ... | Complete the X-8 Advanced Testing Program. | 100 XP | xx00A447 |
|
|
Dog Run III - Snake Skins | Completed the X-8 Testing Program...with Nightstalkers! | 100 XP | xx00A448 |
|
|
Evil Genius | Create an Abomination! | 100 XP | xx015B03 |
|
|
Klein Destine | Dress in a complete set of Dr. Klein's clothes. | 100 XP | xx009DE1 |
|
|
MT Space | Visited every location in the Big MT. | 100 XP | xx00A44C |
|
|
Mad Scientist | Have an experiment go horribly awry. | 100 XP | xx015B02 |
|
|
Make Up Your Mind | Made up your Mind... about your brain | 500 XP | xx009DE2 |
|
|
Making Friends | Reactivated all of the Sink's robotic assistants. | 500 XP | xx011956 |
|
|
Mobius Strip | Dress in a complete set of Dr. Mobius' clothes | 100 XP | xx009DE7 |
|
|
Outer Space | Dare to venture beyond the Big MT's perimeter... more than once! | 100 XP | xx00A44D |
|
|
Outsmarted | Complete Old World Blues | 500 XP | xx009DE5 |
|
|
Spinal-Tapped! | Recovered X-8 vertebrae-pulse-de-sensitizer frequency! | 500 XP | xx009DE3 |
|
|
VR the Champions I - Simulated | Complete the X-13 Basic Infiltration Test | 100 XP | xx00A449 |
|
|
VR the Champions II - Simulacra | Complete the X-13 Advanced Infiltration Test | 100 XP | xx00A44A |
|
|
VR the Champions III - Hollowed Out | Complete the X-13 Robot Compliance Test | 100 XP | xx00A44B |
Perks
This section is transcluded from Fallout: New Vegas Perks. To change it, please edit the transcluded page.
Regular perks
| Name | Level req | Other requirements | Ranks | Benefit | Form ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atomic! | 20 | EN 6 | 1 | In irradiated areas, +25% move and attack speed, +2 DT, +2 ST. With excess rad level, AP regen scales from 1.1 times to 1.5 times normal. | xx008011 |
| Mile in Their Shoes | 20 | Survival 25 | 1 | You have come to understand night stalkers. Consuming night stalker squeezin's now grants bonuses to Perception (+1 PER), Poison Resistance (+5), and Stealth (+5 Sneak) in addition to the normal benefits. | xx009619 |
| Them's Good Eatin' | 20 | Survival 55 | 1 | Any living creature you kill has a 50% chance to have the potent healing items Thin Red Paste or Blood Sausage when looted. | xx0098C9 |
| Implant GRX | 30 | EN 8 | 2 | You gain a non-addictive subdermal turbo (chem) injector. This perk may be taken twice, with the second rank increasing the effect from 2 to 3 seconds and the uses per day from 5 to 10 (activated in the Pip-Boy inventory). | xx009D48 |
Special perks
| Name | Unlock conditions | Ranks | Benefit | Form ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brainless | Initial dialogue with Doctor Klein in the Think Tank (optional to keep after completion of OWB if you keep your artificial brain) | 1 | Head can no longer be crippled, +25% resistance to chem addiction, +5% DT (min +1) | xx0098BE |
| Heartless | Initial dialogue with Doctor Klein in the Think Tank (optional to keep after completion of OWB if you keep your artificial heart) | 1 | Poison immunity, -50% chance to get critical hits from robots, and lesser bonus healing with certain items. | xx0098C2 |
| Spineless | Initial dialogue with Doctor Klein in the Think Tank (optional to keep after completion of OWB if you keep your artificial spine) | 1 | Strength +1, DT +1, torso can no longer be crippled. | xx0098BC |
| Big Brained | Sink Auto-Doc after Old World Blues is finished (optional to get if you take your organic brain back) | 1 | The perk is not implemented properly and does not function as intended. It's supposed to grant the following bonuses: Head can no longer be crippled, +10% resistance to chem addiction, +10% DT (min +1). | xx015BBA |
| Cardiac Arrest | Sink Auto-Doc after Old World Blues is finished (optional to get if you take your organic heart back) | 1 | +50% to poison resistance, -25% chance to get critical hits from robots, and bonus healing with certain items. | xx015BBB |
| Reinforced Spine | Sink Auto-Doc after Old World Blues is finished (optional to get if you take your organic spine back) | 1 | Strength +2, Damage Threshold +2 | xx015BBC |
| DNAgent | Completion of X-8 Data Retrieval Test | 1 | All damage done to Nightstalkers is increased by 10%. | xx009617 |
| DNAvenger | Kill two Cazadores for rank 1, three more for rank 2, and another five for rank 3 of this perk. All kills must be made in the Big MT; cazadores outside the Big MT do not count. | 3 | All the damage done to Cazadores is increased cumulatively by 10% by rank. | xx00DA28 |
| Stealth Suit Mk II (perk) | Complete the last challenge of Project X-13 | 1 | The perk is not implemented properly and does not function. +20% increased sneak speed | xx00E845 |
Implant perks
Doesn't count against the Endurance limit of original implant perks.
| Name | Unlock conditions | Ranks | Benefit | Form ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Implant C-13 | Surgery purchased through dialogue with the Sink Auto-Doc in The Sink for 8,000 caps. | 1 | Plus 10% damage to Cazadores | xx009616 |
| Implant M-5 | Surgery purchased through dialogue with the Sink Auto-Doc in The Sink for 10,000 caps. | 1 | Your crouched movement speed is increased by 20%. | xx009614 |
| Implant Y-3 | Surgery purchased through dialogue with the Sink Auto-Doc in The Sink for 12,000 caps. | 1 | Removes any radiation taken from drinking an irradiated water source. | xx009615 |
| Implant Y-7 | Surgery purchased through dialogue with the Sink Auto-Doc in The Sink for 20,000 caps. | 1 | +5 health and +2 restored action points through the consumption of food. | xx00961A |
Traits
This section is transcluded from Fallout: New Vegas traits. To change it, please edit the transcluded page.
| Image | Name | Benefits | Penalty | Form ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Claustrophobia | +1 to all SPECIAL stats when outside | -1 to all SPECIAL stats when indoors | xx0133AE |
|
Early Bird | +2 to SPECIAL stats from 6AM to 12PM | -1 to SPECIAL stats from 6PM to 6AM | xx012767 |
|
Hoarder | +25 lbs. is added to your total Carry Weight | -1 to SPECIAL stats while your total carrying weight is below 160 lbs. | xx01276D |
|
Hot Blooded | +15% damage when your health is below 50% | -2 to Perception and Agility when your health is below 50% | xx01276B |
|
Logan's Loophole | Chems last twice as long Addiction rates are set to 0% |
Level cap locks at Level 30 | xx01276E |
|
Skilled (Fallout: New Vegas) | +5 to all skills | -10% to Experience Points gained | xx012B86 |
Achievements/Trophies
Notes
- Old World Blues is recommended for the Courier to have reached level 15 or higher, and many enemies level with them.
- Like all Fallout: New Vegas add-ons, Old World Blues raises the level cap by 5.[Dev 1]
- Unlike in Dead Money, equipment will not be stripped from the player character at the beginning of the add-on, and it features an open-world setting. There is also no limit to the amount of equipment that can be taken into the add-on.[Dev 2]
- Companions cannot accompany the Courier to the new location. However, a temporary companion can be created at the X-8 Research Center.
- A new radio station is added to both the Big Empty and the Mojave.
- Player housing is available at The Sink, and the player may return to the Big Empty via the Big Mountain Transportalponder!
- Completion of the add-on does not close off uncompleted side quests.
- The Courier's brain, spine, and heart are removed by the scientists and held as leverage. At the beginning of the add-on, the spine and heart can be found in The Sink, and after completing the main questline, the brain is placed among them.
- The sound from the speakers in Dead Money can also be heard at the end of the trailer, and from the speakers in the Little Yangtze prison camp.
- Some areas, like X-13 Research Facility, contain hanging dolls on a string. These are the same as the swamp totems in the Fallout 3 add-on Point Lookout.
- Unlike Dead Money or Honest Hearts, all achievements or trophies can be earned in one playthrough without replaying.
- When in Hardcore Mode, the sleep meter stays at zero unless the Courier sleeps. There may be a delay before the sleep meter starts.
Behind the scenes
- The Big Empty was originally designed by Chris Avellone as "Big Mt. military boot camp" for Van Buren.[Ext 1]
- According to Chris Avellone, Old World Blues was to feature invented "zero-versions" of power armor, but the idea was scrapped.[Dev 3]
- Many movies are referenced throughout the add-on, by characters such as Dr. Mobius and Dr. 0.
- Old World Blues was nominated for Best DLC Award at the 2011 Spike Video Game Awards.
- The add-on pays homage to the Fallout predecessor Wasteland, in form of content like the Proton Axe and Robo-Scorpion.[Dev 4]
- Pilot Studio worked on cover art for the add-on.[Ext 2]
Bugs
See also: Old World Blues bugs
Gallery
Old World Blues map markers
The Big Empty
The 5 scientists
Videos
Fallout New Vegas Old World Blues DLC trailer
References
Developer Statements
External
- ↑ Fallout: New Vegas developer statements; Matt Grandstaff: DLC Level Cap, 2011 May 3
- ↑ Fallout: New Vegas developer statements; Chris Avellone: Temporary Equipment Removal, 2011 May 12
- ↑ Chris Avellone: "I'm really the wrong person to ask. We did try to invent "zero-versions" of a lot of Power Armor for Old World Blues (Power Arms, Power Chassis, etc.) but that got nixxed, alas."
(Fallout: New Vegas developer statements/Old World Blues; Chris Avellone: Zero Versions, 2018 February 21) - ↑ User: "@ChrisAvellone During development of New Vegas, were there plans to incorporate more Desert Ranger/Wasteland references, like the 'fat freak mobster' Tycho mentioned in F1? And later on, was Wasteland 2 to feature NV references, but were cut/decided to be unfitting for the game?"
Chris Avellone: "No, we only tried to do it with Old World Blues, because part of OWB was supposed to be an homage to Fallout's roots (ex: Giant Robot Scorpitr- er, Scorpion)."
(Fallout: New Vegas developer statements/Old World Blues; Chris Avellone: Wasteland Homage, 2022 April 9)
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