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Fallout 3 vs. Reality: Photo Comparison

How well does our favorite post apocalyptic wasteland compare to the real Washington D.C.?

Words: Tyler Wilde, GamesRadar US
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The National Archives

Photo by Ronald Heft (Flickr)

Marble? Check. Frieze? Check. Pediment? Check. Columns? Check. Yep, that's Neoclassical architecture. The archives are close, but many of the decorative details (such as the column's capitals) are missing. We'll give it an 'A' for effort anyway.

Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom

Photo by kun0me (Flickr)

Inside the National Archives we find the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom - those charters being the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Things are in a bit of disrepair in Fallout 3's version, but most of the little details are there (even the empty rectangles on the walls where there were once paintings).


 
60 Comments
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chrisat928  - 11 months 23 days ago 
Interesting. I am now curious of the changing of the fountain.
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gronfors  - 11 months 23 days ago 
hmmm.. the fountain does seem odd
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evildevil2  - 11 months 23 days ago 
I also noticed that the statues are female in-game, just sayin'.
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zanthox  - 11 months 23 days ago 
They really did do such a good job and I was actually hoping someone would do an article like this, great work guys!
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NelosAngelos  - 11 months 23 days ago 
Is there more to Fallout 3 then we know about?
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patriotfan09  - 11 months 23 days ago 
Awesome article Tyler.
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Jimmyjammy  - 11 months 23 days ago 
I just had to re-direct from an ad. Not happy GR!!!
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GoldenMe  - 11 months 23 days ago 
That IS interesting! Good article GR.
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KatyaSchlacter  - 11 months 23 days ago 
First time I've commented on an article the day it came out. Haha. I am very curious about the fountains. I used to go to DC regularly when I lived in Bethesda, so seeing all the ruins in Fallout 3 was very breathtaking for me, since I've seen the real things a lot in my life.

BTW, Fallout 3 rules. :) Wish I could afford to buy the game instead of rent it...:(
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k1ng94  - 11 months 23 days ago 
I really hope there is some magical bizarre reason the fountains are like that but it probably just the artists there tring to be more creative. :(
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Defguru7777  - 11 months 23 days ago 
I'll probably get lost in the tunnel system when I get the game.
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tsmits77  - 11 months 23 days ago 
too bad i don't have the money to get this game yet, i guess i'll just have to wait until christmas
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MikeManly  - 11 months 22 days ago 
this is cool i bought the game 2 days after it came out and still have only completed about half of the quests. but it is nice how meticulous they were about getting everything just about perfect.
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McSpermie  - 11 months 22 days ago 
wow this was really funny, in a lot of ways.
The fountain is odd though.
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HungryBeaver  - 11 months 22 days ago 
cool how thet put so much detail in all of the main stuff in D.C. only bad thing bout this game is that all of the wandering around you have to do gets boring - too much wasteland
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Gaz-1  - 11 months 22 days ago 
The fountains were changed to give a more monolithic image of DC. That explains all those facades, the statues and the giant heads on the non-landmark buildings.
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majormoses117  - 11 months 22 days ago 
Why the hell are there three pages to this article? This is ridiculous. Only two pictures per page with three pages? GR could have easily put it on one page. I don't know why I am so annoyed by this, but I am.
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Cwf2008  - 11 months 22 days ago 
Hmm its amazing how accurate this game is to the real Washington. It was also pretty funny to read about that guy probably on drugs who was pissed off about Fallout 3 being advertised in the DC subway. I think i know why the statues were changed to female. Mostly men play this game. The statues are female and have uh...parts. Put 2 and 2 together
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Fenix654  - 11 months 22 days ago 
Maybe they changed the fountain because a statue portraying a half naked man grabbing his crotch would jack up the rating. Just a thought.
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jimsondanet  - 11 months 22 days ago 
methinks the fountain is more a reflection of certain elements in the plot.
an dont forget this is an alternate reality. it wouldnt be realistic to have certain deatails exactly alike only to have everything else so different
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