Hello GUNners!  



Welcome to the February 2018 edition of The GUN Insider. Here we take the opportunity to learn more about some of the most accomplished modders within the gaming community.

This month we speak with one of the most prolific and influential quest modders for all Bethesda games: Someguy2000. Virtually every Fallout player will know him from his work for the New Vegas Bounties series. It was a ton of fun speaking with him; hopefully you will enjoy the read in equal measure!

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GUN: First and foremost, let me thank you on behalf of the GUN community for taking the time to chat with me. You have such a large body of work it's hard to know where to begin. I suppose a good place is with a broad question: how did you get into modding? Also, do you mod anything other than Bethesda titles?

Someguy:  I began tinkering with the developer tools after playing Oblivion and Fallout 3 with mods, specifically quest mods like Verona House Bloodlines and the stellar plugins of Puce Moose. I thought, “Those are fun, but I’d like to create quest mods with my own ‘flavor’.”

GUN: I got into New Vegas modding about a year after the game’s release and your mods were already hugely popular at the time. Can you share a little about what it was like to make some of the highest profile mods for New Vegas at the height the game’s popularity? (E.g., How much fan mail were you getting? Did you receive any backlash for any of your content? Did you have any crazy stalker fans?)

Someguy2000: It was surreal and unexpected, especially considering that my previous mods for Oblivion had garnered so little attention. My main priority was just to create a functional mod. The rest was peripheral, including the voice acting and plot. I just improvised it all and added foreshadowing for a frustratingly elusive antagonist from Fallout 3. Player feedback fueled Marko’s characterization as well as the larger arc for the NVB series. There was a steady stream of mail, much of it filled with encouragement and suggestions (as well as a plethora of “PLEASE MAKE MY DREAM MOD!” PM’s). There was also a fair degree of criticism, but much of it was from players who sincerely desired to improve the series and my skills as a modder. NVB had little in the way of dialogue options or roleplaying opportunities, for example. There was some malicious trolling from time to time, but not as much as I encountered in later mods.

GUN: I remember reading that one of your inspirations for NVB was the three-card bounty quest. What was it about that quest that spoke to you and stood out from the other content of NV?

Someguy2000: In New Vegas you get to see the effects of Cook-Cook, Violet and Driver Nephi first hand. For example, speaking with the NCR soldier who’d been raped by Cook-Cook filled me with a desire to seek justice on her behalf. Violence without context is meaningless, so I sought out to provide at least a modicum of backstory for each target in order to provide said context.

GUN: Your mods also have a lot of inspiration from older spaghetti western films. What are some of your favorite films and how did these influence your mods? What other influences or favorites might you mention, perhaps from literature or other mediums?

Someguy2000: It really depends on the plugin - NVBI and NVBII relied on the classic Spaghetti Westerns like For a Few Dollars More and Once Upon a Time in the West, in addition to Lonesome Dove. NVBIII’s chief inspiration were the “anti-westerns”, namely The Great Silence, Unforgiven and McCabe and Mrs. Miller. Influences from literature ran the gamut, from Paradise Lost, Titus Andronicus to graphic novels like The Dark Knight Returns (all were factors in Marko’s characterization). Unsurprisingly, I also leaned heavily on Cormac McCarthy and Larry McMurtry.

GUN: Your mods are pretty gritty and filled with violence that some might find offensive. This is, of course, one of the things your fans love about your mods! Can you share a little about why you choose to incorporate such dark themes and violence/profanity? Why, in your opinion, does it appeal to many of us? And is there anything you ever thought of for content that you edited out? In other words, did you ever think of something so gnarly that you decided it would have taken things too far?

Someguy2000: It’s a combination of personal experience and creative influence, I suppose. I’ve worked in/with occupations that exposed me to the unvarnished underbelly of humanity, which can be quite horrific, and certainly leaves an indelible impression on one’s vocabulary (hence the profanity). Somewhere between reading Hobbes, obsessing over history and working as a bouncer I fostered some cynicism, particularly with the backdrop of post-apocalyptic chaos. The cruelty and depravity is nothing unique to my mods - much of it is adapted straight from history, not fiction. The elaborate torture techniques described by raiders are gleaned from accounts of the Comanches, for example.

Earlier Fallout titles featured child murder, slavery, etc., and people ate it up. I’d speculate that’s part of the allure - Fallout has the benefit of being an RPG that closer to our sense of reality than most of its fantasy-centric competitors. We can roleplay as a child-killing, chem-addled maniac or the person who hunts down such characters (And gets to shoot them with guns!). My mods are just a vehicle for this impulse - letting the player act out in a setting that’s ostensibly (but not necessarily) more relevant than netherworlds teeming with magic, elves, etc. The profanity is just a product of personal experience in blue-collar and/or high-stress jobs. Yes, these people talk like that. Sit in a chow hall with some junior enlisted personnel for a bit and you’ll think my dialogue was written by Mothers of America.

I don’t edit much out, honestly. It’s unfair to the audience and to me as the creator. I make numerous omissions in the interest of plot, characterization, and/or time, but I can’t think of any instance where I removed content because I thought it was offensive. With that said, I did add the adults-only tag to Russell because of the rather grisly infanticide.

GUN: Close to the release of FO4, you pushed a lot of content out with the release of Checkpoint Gary, The Better Angels, and even NVB3. What was this time period like for you? How might you have done things differently if FO4 had not been on the horizon?

Someguy2000: That was my peak in terms of technical expertise in the New Vegas GECK. If FO4 hadn’t been on the horizon (or more accurately, if I hadn’t been so fatuously enamored with the idea of modding FO4), I would likely have pivoted towards Sinners and Slaves, followed by The Message.

GUN: I know that you had once done a lot of work on Firebase Zulu. Is this mod defunct? What was the premise behind it and why did you ultimately choose to leave it behind?

Someguy2000: It’s dead; The Better Angels is the nail in the coffin. The premise was that the player would venture to a remote NCR outpost near Bullhead (the entire theater is ignored in New Vegas), where he/she would fight a drawn-out engagement against an overwhelming force.

As for my reasons for abandoning it? It was a technical mess, the product of various creative “sprints” that ranged from 2011 to 2014. It was hampered by shoddy scripting and my inability to render the over-ambitious plans in my design doc.

GUN: I've been in contact with you off and on for a few years now. I have seen a pattern where you will take breaks and step away from modding for a while. What do these break periods do for you? Also, don't you care that your silence gives some of us heart attacks!?!

Someguy2000: I tend to focus on real life, honestly. Physical fitness, time with family, hobbies, etc., get attention. I can’t overstate the time demands of modding, as you well know. I apologize for the heart attacks!

GUN: I have to admit: I'm not an Elder Scrolls player so I'm a little out of my element asking about your TES mods. How would you summarize them to a noobie like myself? Did you have any main sources of inspiration for them like you did for your Fallout content?

Someguy2000: The early mods for Oblivion represent my initial, cautious foray into modding. My Skyrim mods are as much as anything the sum of my attempts to learn Papyrus, which I only became comfortable with while finishing Blood of the Nord. My TES mods focus on a range of issues, but more than anything they’re an attempt to augment vanilla content (e.g., Thirsk Mead Hall, The Companions, etc.). They’re not as ambitious as my New Vegas mods, largely because I’ve never been as comfortable working in the engine.

GUN: Skyrim seems to be alive and well and just judging from Nexus statistics, it's far and away the most popular of the moddable Bethesda titles. Do you have any thoughts about modding further for Skyrim in the future? Also, what can you share about your current work for Skyrim?

Someguy2000: The Elder Scrolls holds a special place in many players’ hearts, particularly when considering the nostalgia for Morrowind and Oblivion. The broader lore is fascinating, if not utterly mind-boggling. Skyrim’s moddability and accessibility (easily the most accessible of TES games) also serve to fuel the game’s persistent appeal.

GUN: You have teased a concept before: Murder, Inc. It seems like this idea has been with you for a while. Without spoiling anything, can you share with us at all about the plot of this mod?

Someguy2000: The player would work as a hitman through notes, holotapes, etc., eventually getting involved in a turf war between 2-3 different crime families.

GUN: In addition to Murder Inc, it looked like you had a lot of outlining and brainstorming done for Fallout 4 mods. Has the voiced protagonist thrown a wrench into any of those plans? Or, was there some other reason(s) that you haven’t taken a deep dive into the FO4 modding scene like many of your fans probably hoped you would?

Someguy2000: The voiced protagonist was one strike against modding FO4, but ultimately I attribute it to a genuine lack of interest in the game. I haven’t replayed FO4 since my initial playthrough in late 2015, and I have no desire to return to the Commonwealth. The factions, the setting, the characters… they can’t hold a candle to my excitement for New Vegas or TES. Furthermore, the emphasis on procedurally-generated gameplay (radiant quests, settlement construction, etc.) is an enormous turn-off for me. I don’t mod games I don’t want to play, and I don’t want to play FO4.

GUN: One pitfall I see other mods fall into is that stories are generally thin and contrived. It's like the assets and/or features determined what the story would entail. However, your mods always seem to be very story driven. I can't imagine any other mod authors having their own wikis! Can you share a little about your writing process? Your design documents are very thorough and it seems like you really let the story dictate the mod.

Someguy2000: When I got into modding, I just wanted to tell stories in a setting I loved. I’m not a strong scripter or artist, so I better tell an interesting story or at the very least, a funny one! (New Vegas Killer). The process is similar to how I’d write papers in college (proud history major!) - I’d begin with a skeleton consisting of major “beats”. Once that was in place, I’d add meat to it and focus on character development, dialogue, etc. There is constant revision and improvisation. Nothing is ironclad in the design document.

GUN: There have been rumors swirling that you are planning a return to New Vegas! Can you confirm these rumors? If the rumors are true, what is it about the game that appeals to you over other Bethesda titles?

Someguy2000: MOTHAFUCKA (rumor is confirmed). Where to begin? The characters, the factions, the setting… it’s a breath of fresh air after having been away for years, honestly. I absolutely love it. It doesn’t hurt that I lived in Vegas for three years, so it holds a special place in my heart. I jokingly said in a stream that, “I miss my guns and my cussing!”, but there is a certain freedom in Fallout that I appreciate. Replaying New Vegas also presents me with the incredible writing of Obsidian, and motivates me to improve in a number of ways so that my mods have some chance of fitting in alongside the stupendous vanilla content. Just getting to write Terrifying Presence dialogue options again will make it worth it. On top of it all, I’m most comfortable working in this engine. Oh, and there’s the unsettled matter of a certain classy gentleman…  

GUN: Do you have any other thoughts or comments you'd like to share with us?

Someguy2000: Thank you very much for all the support I’ve gotten over the years, in spite of my inexplicable “sabbaticals”. New Vegas has an amazing community and I’m ecstatic to be a part of it.

In some ways, it feels like I’m starting fresh in New Vegas now that the NVB trilogy and the expectations of the “Someguy Series” are behind me, and it’s downright liberating. Expect something new, with a few nods to the “old” here and there. Thank you, and… ya’ll take care now.


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There you have it! Someguy's return to New Vegas modding confirmed! Rejoice with me        

Until next time GUNners!  

We hope you enjoyed this interview as much as the staff involved enjoyed it. Thank you to our core GUN Insider team @William Lionheart @DVAted @keatit71

Finally, many thanks to Someguy2000 for taking the time out of his busy schedule to talk with us and let us briefly inside his world.

Amazing interview!
And welcome back, SG

Awesome interview! and waiting for the new mod!!!

Someguy2000 wrote:

The factions, the setting, the characters… they can’t hold a candle to my excitement for New Vegas or TES. Furthermore, the emphasis on procedurally-generated gameplay (radiant quests, settlement construction, etc.)

Funny I also haven’t replayed FO4 since my initial playthrough in late 2015 and for the same reasons.

Thanks for the insightful interview both of you. Someguy has always been an inspiration to me and I love to read about what makes the voices tick.

1. Really good interview, very enjoyable to read.
2. Fuck yeah Someguy is returning and I cannot wait for his next mod.

Wait, didn't we just had an interview with @Xilandro ?!? and not long after, one with Someguy2000, damn the GUN Insider team is rocking hard! Great work guys

As a Someguy2000 fan I enjoyed it very much. Well, I already knew a thing or two but I'm not complaining, I wasn't expecting any new interview soon, and this was a pleasant surprise.

Thanks a lot for making these interviews


Now, did I hear right, Someguy2000 is gonna get back to modding New Vegas?!? This just made my day. Fuck YES!!!! think i might need a fresh pair of pants...

So I gotta say this was an amazing read. I credit Someguy2000 as being the reason I started voice acting and getting into modding in the first place. Now here I am years later, still playing the crap out of NV and still lending my voice to mods for New Vegas and skyrim. Funny enough a mod I lent my voice to months ago just came out the other 
I am overjoyed to hear that we might get another mod from the legend that is Someguy2000. This has got me in the mood to replay the Bounty Trilogy along with Russel. 
Wonderful interview guys. Enjoyed it.

Yes! This interview is pure win! Welcome back to New Vegas Someguy2000! I loved reading this interview as a big fan of the Quentin Tarantino of Fallout Mods! Thank you all who made this happen! I look forward to what's to come.

Great interview! I've added a link to it on the wiki!

Someguy2000's upcoming mod is called "Big In Vegas", a collection of side quests and characters. If your interested check out his NV twitch streams, he talks about it and other ideas he's working on.

Great interview. Knew it was in the works. Didn't really learn anything I didn't already know, but it's always good to have his thoughts penned down.

If you're not already, sub to someguy2000's Twitch. He's playing Fallout: New Vegas as I write this message: https://www.twitch.tv/someguy2000modder

Someguy's quests have become a permanent addition to my load order after I played through new vegas bounties.

Great interview with Someguy2000! It was great getting to learn your writing process as I'm a huge fan of the NVB series! I can't wait for your future endeavors, mate

Beautiful interview @dragbody Its nice to see the community of modding being close as it is. One modder able to respect another. I am excited to see what Someguy2000 is gonna be releasing in the future. Again, great interview, hope you have another interview planned with some of the great modders that exist. Bravo.

Welcome back to someguy, I can't wait to see his work....

Thanks to all those involved in making these interviews happen! It's my favorite thing about this site, reading and learning about these guys. They all make these really cool mods but you never really get to know much about them as people. It's just really cool stuff!

Great to hear Someguy2000 return as well. Feels like New Vegas modding is doing anything BUT dying!

man, Someguy2000 really is amazing guy! his mod is the glorious days of NewVegas modding scene, I do appreciate his thought on FO4 voice acted, although its truth that FO4 don't hold the same settings as NewVegas did. thank you so much GUN for making this interview happening! can't wait to see new quest adventure in NewVEgas again by cussing Someguy2000 hell yeah! >O<

@"dragbody"

Nice interview, im Someguy2000 fans :3
And Wohooooooooo!!!!! He's gonna back to FNV
Thanks For confirming it

I have SomeGuys mods loaded but haven't gotten around to starting them yet. Honestly after reading this interview, I'm quite excited to play them! Great interview!

I love your quest mods for Skyrim and New Vegas!
And I was wondering if you do your own voice acting for your mods.
If so, you have quite the vocal range!

Welcome Back!! I love your work!