Tim Cain shared several videos revealing why he left the Fallout franchise after the first game.
Over the past few days, Game Designer and the co-creator of the original Fallout Tim Cain shared several behind-the-scenes videos, revealing the exact reasons that led to his departure from Interplay following the release of the first Fallout game.
The first video, titled "Fallout Was A B-Tier Project", provided some necessary context regarding the developer's attitude towards the first game, with Cain stating that it was never a high-status project at Interplay until around three months prior to its release. According to Cain, the development team largely comprised new and inexperienced creators, and the studio's executives were not all that interested in the team's upcoming project, almost canceling the post-apocalyptic RPG three times throughout its development.
The situation changed several months before Fallout's release, when multiple QA testers and Brian Fargo himself tried out the masterpiece Cain's underdog team had been working on, loving the experience and providing the developers with the necessary resources to finish the project.
The second video lists the reasons why Cain left Fallout 2 early in its development, with the developer attributing the decision to part ways with Interplay to "exhaustion, interference, and lack of motivation".
To start, the developer addressed the issue of crunch development that occurred at the studio in order to meet deadlines for the sequel. This was something the team neither desired nor intended to undertake while they were working on the first game. Additionally, Cain found himself burdened with additional responsibilities that he did not want and had not planned for.
Secondly, Cain discussed a particular incident where Interplay made the decision to outsource the box art for Fallout 2 without consulting him. He regarded this as evidence of being undermined on the project, despite his significant contribution as one of the key figures behind the original game.
And lastly, the developer highlighted the significant reduction in his bonus paycheck, despite his crucial role at the studio. According to Tim Cain, Brian Fargo justified the reduction by claiming it would serve as motivation for him to improve in the development of Fallout 2. Furthermore, Fargo expressed a desire to punish the developer for not disclosing the identity of the individual responsible for a critical bug that led to the team postponing the release of the original Fallout. As a result of these events, Cain made the decision to draft his resignation overnight.
The final installment of the brief series marked its culmination, as Cain urged the audience to approach his narratives with a discerning ear. He expressed his desire for viewers to engage with these stories and glean a deeper understanding of the game development journey, emphasizing the importance of avoiding the temptation to categorize all individuals involved in these stories as either heroes or villains.
According to Cain, he doesn't view himself as a victim, nor does he perceive Brian Fargo or other former Interplay executives as villains. He highlighted Fargo's genuine fondness for Fallout and his consistent efforts to support the team in various ways, even going as far as encouraging other company employees to engage with their RPG.
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