History VideoGame / FalloutVanBuren

''Van Buren'' was the original ''VideoGame/Fallout3''. Note that its name would have been "Fallout 3", and "Van Buren" was merely its development codename. It was in full 3D, but utilized a top-down perspective much like the old games. It was canceled shortly before Creator/{{Interplay|Entertainment}} went under in 2003 and closed Creator/{{Black Isle|Studios}}. Backlash ensued, and while some fans were placated when Creator/{{Bethesda}} released ''Fallout 3'' five years later, others view Van Buren as the real and superior version of ''Fallout 3'' and are still incredibly upset about its cancellation. Despite the game being cancelled, some elements of its story have been [[BroadStrokes adapted or directly incorporated]] into the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' canon.

Prison may not be [[RunningGag an okay place to live]], but Tibbets Facility, cell number [[MythologyGag thirteen]], is home. The technology dates back to before the Great War, and plenty of robots are there to look after you. You've been there so long you can hardly remember why; perhaps you were guilty of whatever crime they've convicted you of, or perhaps not, but it doesn't matter either way. At least you're alive, and outside, things aren't safe.

* ArmsDealer: Governor Joseph Dodge had a deal with the Crimson Caravan company to bring in guns and ammo to defend Hoover Dam from raiders, Caesar's Legion and the Brotherhood of Steel. The Crimson Caravan's leader, Ailis [=McLafferty=], was corrupt and supported the BoS in secret to keep the war going and continue to make money.

''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', which takes place in one of the areas this game would have covered, has a completely original story, but draws on the enormous amount of design done for ''Van Buren'' and select elements (such as Caesar's Legion and The Hanged Man, now The Burned Man) do appear in the game. It helps that Creator/ObsidianEntertainment, the developer of ''New Vegas'', was founded by many former Black Isle staff, including Creator/ChrisAvellone.

And in case you were wondering: "Van Buren" was a WorkingTitle. The game had absolutely nothing to do with USA's 8th president, UsefulNotes/MartinVanBuren. Interplay just code named projects in development after American presidents out of ease. Nor does this have anything to do with the obscure [[Creator/VanBeurenStudios Van Beuren Cartoon Studio.]]

* {{Foil}}: [[NoWomansLand Caesar's Legion]] has an minor enemy faction called Daughters of Hecate, which, opposite to the Legion, has misandrist values.

* {{Foil}}: [[NoWomansLand Caesar's Legion]] has an minor enemy faction called Daughters of Hecate, which, opposite to the Legion, has "female supremacist" values.

''Van Buren'' was the original ''VideoGame/Fallout3''. Note that its name would have been "Fallout 3", and "Van Buren" was merely its development codename. It was in full 3D, but utilized a top-down perspective much like the old games. It was canceled shortly before Creator/{{Interplay|Entertainment}} went under in 2003 and closed Creator/{{Black Isle|Studios}}. Backlash ensued, and while some fans were placated when Creator/{{Bethesda}} released ''Fallout 3'' five years later, others view Van Buren as the real and superior version of ''Fallout 3'' and are still venomously bitter about its cancellation. Despite the game being cancelled, some elements of its story have been [[BroadStrokes adapted or directly incorporated]] into the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' canon.

''Fallout: Van Buren'' was the original ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}''. Note that its name would have been "Fallout 3", and "Van Buren" was merely its development codename. It was in full 3D, but utilized a top-down perspective much like the old games. It was canceled shortly before Creator/{{Interplay|Entertainment}} went under in 2003 and closed Creator/{{Black Isle|Studios}}. Backlash ensued, and while some fans were placated when Creator/{{Bethesda}} released ''Fallout 3'' five years later, others view Van Buren as the real and superior version of ''Fallout 3'' and are still venomously bitter about its cancellation. Despite the game being cancelled, some elements of its story have been [[BroadStrokes adapted or directly incorporated]] into the ''Fallout'' canon.

Then, one day, you wake up to find things have changed. Not only are you in a completely different prison, but there's a rather large hole in the wall, which you proceed to walk out of. Back in Post-Apocalyptic Arizona, you find yourself besieged by robots wanting to take you back to your cell, strange diseases infecting select towns, a war between the NCR and Brotherhood of Steel, a strange slaver army called "Caesar's Legion" that seems obsessed with ancient Rome and led by a maniac who calls himself Caesar, and a menacing figure named Doctor Victor Presper who wishes to instigate another nuclear holocaust on the world.

A fully working tech demo for the game was completed, and was eventually leaked to the Internet, and can still be found on various fan sites. It has its own story, and is set during the Great War itself. Nearly all of the details you see here and elsewhere around the net are gleaned from the enormous mountain of design notes leaked to the internet by the development staff, containing nearly everything from the game including many parts that had already been cut during development long before the cancellation.

[[folder: Tech Demo]]

''Fallout: Van Buren'' was the original ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}''. Note that its name would have been "Fallout 3", and "Van Buren" was merely its development codename. It was in full 3D, but utilized a top-down perspective much like the old games. It was canceled shortly before Creator/{{Interplay|Entertainment}} went under in 2003 and closed Creator/{{Black Isle|Studios}}, even though it was around 85% done. Backlash ensued, and while some fans were placated when Creator/{{Bethesda}} released ''Fallout 3'' five years later, others view Van Buren as the real and superior version of ''Fallout 3'' and are still venomously bitter about its cancellation. Despite the game being cancelled, some elements of its story have been [[BroadStrokes adapted or directly incorporated]] into the ''Fallout'' canon.

* BroadStrokes: According to [[WordOfGod Chris Avellone]], ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' uses major events and world developments from ''Van Buren'' as backstory. However, [[CanonDiscontinuity it omits the Plague storyline and Dr. Victor's plot to nuke the Earth]] (although the ''Lonesome Road'' DLC has parts that are loosely based on the later).

* BroadStrokes: According to [[WordOfGod Chris Avellone]], ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' uses major events and world developments from ''Van Buren'' as backstory. However, [[CanonDiscontinuity it omits the Plague storyline and Dr. Victor's plot to nuke the Earth]] (although the ''Lonesome Road'' DLC has parts that are arguably loosely based on the later).

* BroadStrokes: According to [[WordOfGod Chris Avellone]], ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' uses major events and world developments from ''Van Buren'' as backstory. However, [[CanonDiscontinuity it omits the Plague storyline and Dr. Victor's plot to nuke the Earth.]]

* YouAreTooLate: After causing Victor's defeat, the player would move on to deactivate B.O.M.B.-001, only to make a grim discovery. While the player would have able to call off the majority of the nuclear bombardment, depending on their repair skill, some nukes could not be recalled, and they would have been left with the options to blow up B.O.M.B.-001, performing a HeroicSacrifice in the process, or choose which settlements that should be struck by the attack. In choosing the latter, the player would have left B.O.M.B.-001 in an escape pod, and "I Don't Want To Set The World on Fire" would started playing while nuclear blasts dotted the earth's surface.

''Fallout: Van Buren'' was the original ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}''. Note that its name would have been "Fallout 3", and "Van Buren" was merely its development codename. It was in full 3D, but utilized a top-down perspective much like the old games. It was canceled shortly before Creator/{{Interplay|Entertainment}} went under in 2003 and closed Creator/{{Black Isle|Studios}}, even though it was around 85% done. Backlash ensued, and while some fan were placated when Creator/{{Bethesda}} released ''Fallout 3'' five years later, others view Van Buren as the real and superior version of ''Fallout 3'' and are still venomously bitter about its cancellation. Despite the game being cancelled, some elements of its story have been [[BroadStrokes adapted or directly incorporated]] into the ''Fallout'' canon.

* FunWithAcronyms: The Ballistic Orbital Missile Base [=AKA=] B.O.M.B.
* InspectorJavert: The robots trying to take the player back to prison. For all they know, the PlayerCharacter ''are'' a criminal. And there's a 50% chance they are for sure.

* ShroudedInMyth: By the time of ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', the events of the game have become this, like all the other games before it.

* BroadStrokes: It's implied the events of this game ''did'' end up happening in some form or another, but the extent to which will likely never be revealed. Most of the game's concepts went into ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', including several characters, but none of them directly mention the events of this game.

''Fallout: Van Buren'' was the original ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 3}}''. Note that its name would have been "Fallout 3", and "Van Buren" was merely its development codename. It was in full 3D, but utilized a top-down perspective much like the old games. It was canceled shortly before Creator/{{Interplay|Entertainment}} went under in 2003 and closed Creator/{{Black Isle|Studios}}, even though it was around 85% done. Backlash ensued, and while some were pacified when Creator/{{Bethesda}} released ''Fallout 3'' five years later, others view Van Buren as the real and superior version of ''Fallout 3'' and are still venomously bitter about its cancellation. Despite the game being canceled, some elements of its story have been [[BroadStrokes adapted or directly incorporated]] into the ''Fallout'' canon.

[[caption-width-right:350:As close to a cover as it'll ever get...]]

You're a Citizen of the Midwest commonwealth, and [[OhCrap you've just been drafted!]] There's a war on, son, and [[DirtyCommunists the communists are everywhere!]] Quick, now, hop to it! [[DrillSergeantNasty Do you want to be pile of ash like your parents, because they weren't fast enough to outrun the bombs?! I didn't think so!]] Now grab a gun and pick a target, mister, because we gotta get to the Vault and fix the life support system, so take Corporal Armstrong over there and get going! ''NOW!''

A group of fans have pooled together to recreate Van Buren. The project is still in its early stages, but some screenshots are available. Their [[http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/index.php?forums/van-buren-a-fallout-adventure.86/ forum can be found here]].

And in case you were wondering: "Van Buren" was a WorkingTitle. The game had absolutely nothing to do with USA's 8th president, UsefulNotes/MartinVanBuren. Interplay just code named projects in development after American presidents out of ease. Nor does this have anything to do with the obscure [[VanBeurenStudios Van Beuren Cartoon Studio.]]