Fallout: Miami is an upcoming total conversion mod for the popular post-apocalyptic RPG game, Fallout 4. The Fallout franchise owes much of its success to the passionate modding community, whose tireless efforts have helped to keep the franchise relevant and exciting long after the release of the original game. The development of Fallout: Miami is a prime example of this phenomenon. Since its inception in 2016, the project has attracted over 100 talented modders and artists who have worked diligently to make the mod a reality.
In an interview with The Best War Games, Ezra J. Wayne, the lead voiceover director, and Luke Benjamin Carlson, the level design lead, discussed the vital role that the modding community has played in shaping Fallout: Miami. With every aspect of the mod being carefully crafted to ensure its seamless integration into the Fallout universe, Fallout: Miami promises to be a standout addition to the franchise.
Wayne serves as the lead writer and voiceover director for the highly anticipated Fallout: Miami mod, responsible for creating an engaging narrative, crafting compelling dialogue, and bringing several of the mod's characters to life. Carlson is the lead level designer who is responsible for creating a world that immerses players in post-apocalyptic Miami, complete with attention-grabbing details and realistic touches. Both individuals have devoted years to the project, and while their contributions are invaluable, they remain humbly cognizant of the role that the Fallout modding community and Bethesda's unwavering support have played in bringing their vision to life. As Wayne said,
“The modding community is the development team for Fallout: Miami. I think it's just been a perfect storm of the developer fostering enough resources to make creating mods accessible, and also a huge community of people who love the mod and love the games enough to create content for it that takes years to do.”
Fallout: Miami invites players to explore a brand new post-apocalyptic world, set against the backdrop of the city of Miami, Florida. With an array of fresh characters, foes, and weaponry, as well as a range of new quests, the mod boasts a unique storyline that remains loyal to the overarching theme of Fallout 4. The mod was originally created by Micah999, starting out as a small-scale world space project but later evolving into a full-on DLC with various elements that could rival that of an official Fallout expansion. This includes features like new quests and storylines, a slew of new factions, and a brand-new map.
The Fallout franchise has always had a dedicated modding community, which has produced some popular mods over the years. According to Wayne and Carlson, the Fallout 4 modding community is full of passionate and dedicated individuals who have been instrumental in making Fallout: Miami a reality. Carlson said,
“Mods have done a lot for the longevity of games. There’s always more interesting content to add. I think mods give these games longevity because, as hardware improves, mods allow for stability. You can go back and play Morrowind and Elder Scrolls Arena still, even though it's been years because the mods that exist allow you to.”
Bethesda's commitment to supporting the modding community has also been a key factor in the continued success and growth of the Fallout franchise. According to Wayne, Bethesda has always been supportive of modders who seek to create their own expansions and has provided the necessary tools and resources to help make it a reality. This support has fostered a thriving and long-lasting modding community that has produced, and are still producing, countless high-quality mods, including Fallout: Miami. “I wish that every developer was like that,” Wayne said.
Collaboration is a significant aspect of the Fallout: Miami mod's development process. Wayne and Carlson elaborated on the extensive teamwork involved, revealing that modders working on Fallout: Miami are also involved in various "sister projects," including the Capital Wasteland Project and Fallout: Cascadia. They often communicate and sharing knowledge and resources, which have helped them overcome many technical challenges they face during development.
“We are all in it together, and even if we're not working on the same mod, we're all going through the same things and facing a lot of the same issues,” Wayne said. “Being able to figuratively look across the street at them when we have a problem is just such a boon. The community is everything. That's why we're here.”
Fallout: Miami is in development.