Our friends at Bethesda have been kind enough to sit down with us for an interview on the upcoming Fallout 3 DLC, Point Lookout. We talked with Jeff Gardiner, the lead producer of the Fallout 3 DLC. Find out what he has to say about the upcoming DLC.

Can you explain to us a bit about the Point Lookout DLC? What’s the plot and how is it incorporated into the Fallout 3 universe?

Point Lookout opens up with a radio broadcast, like our other DLCs, informing the player that a new, strange fruit is being distributed throughout the wasteland. The source of this fruit, called Punga Fruit, is a ferryboat man named Tobar. The player can find him along the Potomac, and take a ride over to Point Lookout, a fictionalized version of a Maryland State park. There the player will uncover a mystery in a very ‘survival horror’ type of setting. The whole area is a like a ‘mini-wasteland;’ it’s a vast swamp replete with freeform quests, areas to explore and new creatures to fight.

Where is Point Lookout set? Does it take place in a current location in the game or did you create a new area for it?

It’s set in South East Maryland where the Potomac River meets the Chesapeake Bay.

Is Point Lookout going to be open to all Fallout 3 players or do we have to beat the main quest first?

It’s open to all players, though we warn low level players before taking the boat over.

How big is this DLC expected to be, approximately how many hours of gameplay?

It’s always hard to quantify how many hours of play there is in open-world games. If you just play the main quest around four hours of playtime. That would be ignoring the vast majority of the content though, which is scouring the swampland for adventure.

Will it feature new achievements?

Yes there are four new achievements.

What about new weapons, perks or characters?

All of the above. The weapons are more rustic – a double barreled shotgun and large axe are just some examples. Perks are quest related, and there are lots of new and interesting characters to be found, including Tobar who was mentioned above and a ghoul named Desmond who’s a bit off his rocker.

Can you tell us a bit about the quests in Point Lookout? What will the quests have us doing?

The main quest will lead you to investigating a mysterious cult of locals who have taken over the area by infiltrating them. There are also approximately half a dozen side quests, which include delving into a mystery of Consance Blackhall and her occult obsession, helping a local whose sick and needs a special tonic, and helping a local kid who hasn’t been mutated from years of living off swamp water.

What is the main selling point of Point Lookout, what do you think will set it apart from the other DLC that we have already seen?

The wide-open area to explore – Point Lookout itself is a character in this DLC. You can come and go as you please, and find lots of hidden gems throughout the extensive playspace.

Will there be any morality choices to be made in Point Lookout?

It wouldn’t be Fallout otherwise.

What are some of the major complaints you have had with the first three DLC packs and how are you working to fix them for these upcoming two pieces?

We’ve tried different things with all of the DLCs and have had complaints – mostly that they’re too linear or too short – we’ve fixed both of those with Point Lookout.

Are there going to be any gameplay changes with the new pieces of DLC, like new gameplay features or major fixes?

No.

What about followers? Will we be able to take people like Fawkes or Dogmeat with us on these quests?

No, followers stay behind once the player takes the boat over to Point Lookout.

Is this it for Fallout 3 DLC or can we expect more?

Mothership Zeta is our last announced DLC.

Can we expect the level cap to be raised again?

No, we’re leaving the level cap at 30 (if the player has Broken Steel) with both Point Lookout and Mothership Zeta.

Thanks Jeff and good luck with the DLC.