Pipboy 2000 Mk VI

The arm computer worn and serving as interface for every player in Fallout 76. All of the previous Pipboys were designed/created by art director Istvan Pely. I think I am the only other person to have made a pipboy for a mainline 3d fallout game.

This pipboy was entirely my own design, although I was certainly advised by art direction. I was prompted to make a device that felt like a more primitive prototype to the pipboy worn in Fallout 3/4. It was also supposed to call back to the visual language of the diagetic interface in Fallout 1/2/Tactics. The first time I showed the WIP I was told they were surprised I took the prompt so literally, but that they loved the direction. I wanted a boxier device with a less refined shape than the pipboy that would follow. I recall the rad meter/radio portion went through a few iterations, but my original design survived almost unaltered which was shocking to me. Sometimes you get lucky.

There was a version with fully modeled out vacuum tubes for use in a cinematic. Physical kits were also made of this device which resulted in having to redesign the holo-tape loader based on how our partners advised was most physically possible and cost effective. I believe the model shows up in the background on the Fallout TV show.

I have done a lot of hard surface modeling over my career, but I would not call it my area of expertise. I modeled this mostly in Zbrush, which has since come a long way in terms of hard-surface tools. Definitely proud of this one.

All images property of Bethesda Game Studios.