Bethesda: on the designing and development of Pip-Boy Model 3000

You can’t talk about the Fallout series without giving a nod in the direction of its most celebrated device and subsequent mascot in the game: the Pip-Boy. In an update from the developers of Fallout 3 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3) at their blog on IGN, they talked about how they worked on the new Pip-Boy Model 3000’s new design and how its new interface reflected in the upcoming post-apocalyptic sequel while still fitting into the “old-school” theme of the series. More details in the full article after the jump!

Ah, the Pip-Boy. A device whose usefulness is beyond any doubt for those who want to survive the radioactive wastelands of the Fallout universe. With the series winding up for another iteration in Fallout 3 (PC, Xbox 360, PS3), you can take a look at how the devs planned out the newest Pip-Boy Model 3000 for the game in the developer’s diary update on IGN.

The developers from Bethesda Softworks mentioned that design for the device itself had to give off the whole “old-school” effect that the series was famous for. The idea for the Pip-Boy had to be something retro like a monochrome cathode ray tube, instead of the more modern LCD or Plasma display.

The overall design made it look like a tough piece of field equipment, with all its knobs, scratched up looks, and even the monochrome green display making it look like a veritable blast from the past. Considering the Pip-Boy Model 3000 was supposed to be strapped onto the character’s arm, all the pertinent information had to be easily seen at a quick glance.

Information like the radiation levels, in-game menus were integrated into the Pip-Boy’s user interface. The devs even mentioned adding small realistic details like raster lines, slight flickering effects and loss of vertical-hold when switching modes to turn the device into an actual physical prop while playing the game.

The Pip-Boy’s interface is still far from complete, though. The developers mention that they still have a couple of features they plan on adding into it, as well as refining the ones they’ve already added. We’ll all have to wait and see what other juicy updates they have to share as the development of this highly anticipated post-apocalyptic sequel continues.