With a commitment to authenticity, the developers behindFallout: Miamiare taking great care to create an experience that pays homage to the belovedFalloutfranchise, while also infusing the mod with fresh and exciting elements. Set in post-apocalyptic Miami, the upcoming mod forFallout 4has been in development since 2016 with over 100 modders having worked on the project. The developers have invested a considerable amount of time and effort into the mod, all with the end goal of creating a mod that truly feels like an officialFallout 4DLC. With a strong attention to detail, developers are working to create a world filled with engaging locations, compelling characters, and a distinctive cultural identity that sets the mod apart, while also retaining the authenticity of the original franchise.
Game Rant recently had the opportunity to speak with two prominent members of theFallout: Miamiteam, Ezra J. Wayne, the lead writer and voiceover director, and Luke Benjamin Carlson, the level design lead. During the interview, they shared their experiences within the creative process and plans for delivering a mod that embodies the spirit ofFallout 4. Having been part of the Miami team for several years, Wayne and Carlson expressed their commitment to making the mod feel like anauthenticFallout 4DLC. To achieve this, they have put in a significant amount of effort, including the creation of new and immersive locations, interactive quests, and a cohesive storyline that fits seamlessly into the Fallout universe.
Creating the World of Fallout: Miami
As Wayne himself describes the experience,
“As long as I’ve been on the project, which is over four years now, we have been trying to get it as close as possible to feeling like an officialFallout 4DLC. We tried to match the vibe ofFallout 4and catch the spirit of all the games.”
The mod will feature a world space map that has been scaled to the size of a DLC and is set in post-apocalyptic Miami. In terms of setting, the developers are aiming tocreate an atmosphere for Miamithat stays true to the original game and the real city, but also retains its own unique personality. The Miami world space map is scalable to DLC size and features different biomes, such as an industrial region in the north, a suburban region down south, and beaches and jungle in the middle. As Carlson added, “They feel more like biomes in a sense than neighborhoods and urban districts. “Visually, it’s really quite stunning. Miami Beach is all very urban, so we’ve adapted really unique styles to make feel more interesting.”
Wayne and Carlson are also focused on maintaining a unique cultural identity that meshes well with the authentic feel of aFalloutworld. The mod will feature unique styles that bring the true feel ofthe city of Miami into theFallouttimeline, capturing a lot of strong Haitian and Cuban influences in the architecture, clothing, and character backgrounds. According to Wayne, it was the unique “aesthetics and cultural aspects” of the mod that brought him onto the project in the first place.
“It was a little bit daunting to try and come up with an identity for Miami that feels authentic and not like a collection of pop culture references. I think we’ve been able to do that effectively and it’s work that I’m really proud of.”
In addition to utilizing setting and cultural elements to keep the mod feeling familiar, the dev team is also focusing oncreating new factions and quests tied to theFalloutuniversethat are interwoven into a complex yet immersive storyline. There are four main factions: the Enclave, the Nuclear Patriots, the Center, and the Napoleon Room. These factions are fighting for control of other factions and territories, and each contains a variety of quests that are braided into a connective plot. “All of these factions are tied to each other, and the choices that you make affect every faction,” Wayne said. ‘They’re very intricately linked.”
Another one of the Miami team’s main priorities is creating “dimensional, believable, and relatable” characters.Fallout 4is known for its unique characterizations from the Sole Survivor to Preston Garvey, strong characters help players to connect with the storyline and provide and much more engaging experience. Wayne and Carlson explained that writing strong characters is just as vital in thedevelopment process ofFallout: Miami.“A big thing is adding moments of humanity,” Carlson said. “If you give characters a moment where they can be a little bit human, you want to engage with them more.”
Wayne and Carlson are not only developing new content but are also leveraging the community for feedback and testing. They have been gathering input from mods who are also working on “sister” projects—likeFallout: Cascadia—allowing for a level of collaboration that is beneficial for everyone involved. This process ensures that the mod not only fits within theestablishedFalloutworldbut is also optimized for the players' experience. In short, the team’s vision forFallout: Miamiis to create an experience that feels like an official extension ofFallout 4, while also standing on its own as a unique and engaging game mod.
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The Successes and Challenges of Fallout: Miami’s Development
While developingFallout: Miami, Wayne and Carlson have been faced with numerous challenges. They noted that the scale of the project has been a significant hurdle, with over 100 modders working on the project at different times, each with their own ideas and visions for the mod. However, they emphasized that this has been a positive aspect of the development process, as it has allowed them to bring in a wide range of perspectives and ideas to make the mod truly special.
“It’s benefited from everybody who’s had their hands on it,” Wayne said. “It really gained traction when we had a clear view of what we wanted to accomplish, and it’s a view that resonated with a lot of people.” Recently, the team has been dealing with a lack of time and manpower. Although the team has had numerous writers on the project over the years, those numbers are lower than they would like them to be. Wayne is responsible for minimizing the bottlenecking that comes from having few writers, with Carlson adding how even the smallest tasks are vital to the mod.
“It can sometimes feel a bit like Sisyphus pushing the boulder up the hill. In level design, you’re always seeing something built, but writing doesn’t always feel like you’ve done a lot. It’s still valuable work, and even the smallest, most arduous tasks are vital to the development of the mod.”
While there is no official release date yet forFallout: Miami, however, Wayne and Carlson are confident that the upcoming teasers and“Fallout: MiamiMisadventures” YouTube videoswill keep fans hooked in the meantime. “We have internal timelines and soft deadlines, but we will be setting a release date when we are sure, and we are definitely not sure yet,” Wayne said. “We have hopes. We have dreams. We have realistic expectations.”
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