Fallout: New Vegas' Disembodied Brains: A Deeper Look
Fallout: New Vegas has a lot of interesting little details that have been forgotten by later games. One detail that could be a big deal for the entire franchise is the disembodied Brain Technology. The Fallout franchise has always been known for its wacky but realistic science. The '50s-era setting helps ground the advanced technology in a believable way.
The brain tech is introduced in the Old World Blues DLC, where the player's brain is removed and placed in a machine. The brains in the DLC are actually pre-war scientists who have extended their lifespan through this method. The main antagonist, Dr. Morbius, keeps these brains from escaping into the Mojave Wasteland. There are other examples of the technology, like Rex, the cyberdog, who needs a new brain, and the scientists in Old World Blues who can control the lab's robotics remotely.
How Brain Technology Could Change Fallout's Story
The biggest use for brain technology would be immortality. Brains can be moved from body to body as long as they stay healthy. The player in Old World Blues provides another option, as their brain is connected to their body remotely through Tesla coils. This could allow for a number of things, such as the return of past characters like Benny, or the introduction of new characters from before the Great War. Cryosleep was previously used in Fallout 4, but it carries its own risks. The Brain Technology, while maybe not as humane, appears to be safer.
This technology could also be used in the Fallout Tv Show. It could be used to bring back beloved New Vegas characters, even if they died in the game's timeline, which would be a difficult thing to do if the show wanted to be true to the source material. It could also be used to explore the mysterious Vault-Tec, as Vault-Tec executives are shown to have used cryosleep to keep themselves alive after the Great War.
How Brain Technology Could Change Fallout's Gameplay
This technology could change the way the player character is designed. A future Fallout game could have the main character be a disembodied brain that jumps from body to body. Each body could have different SPECIAL stats and be better suited for certain parts of the game. However, it would be important to keep the popular RPG mechanics of the franchise balanced.
The brain technology could also be used to improve the Synth technology from Fallout 4. Combining the superior body of a Synth with the brain of a human would create a perfect Synth. This could be used to overcome the drawbacks of both Synths and humans. Finally, the brain technology could be used to control other creatures. The Tesla coils could be used to control wasteland creatures like Deathclaws, which would be a very exciting and interesting gameplay mechanic.
The Future of Brain Technology
Overall, the brain technology from Fallout: New Vegas has a lot of potential. It could make the franchise's story and gameplay much more interesting and complex. However, this technology hasn't really been explored since Old World Blues, so it's unclear if it will be used in future games. If the developers were to take advantage of this technology, it could really change the Fallout franchise in a big way.
