Future-Tec

Future-Tec was a department of Vault-Tec Corporation which specialized in advanced weaponry and sciences.

Background[]

Once a secret branch of Vault-Tec tasked with investigating top-secret and alien technologies,^{[Atomic Shop 1]} by 2077 it was headed by Stanislaus Braun,^[2] and tasked with developing cutting edge technologies to aid Vault dwellers in harnessing the wasteland. Under Braun's direction, they developed their crowning achievement: The Garden of Eden Creation Kit, capable of forming a fertile landscape even out of a completely desolate nuclear wasteland.^[3]^[4]

Future-Tec's device was capable of terraforming as well as recomining matter to produce forcefield schematics, 3D printing everything from buildings, clothes, and other essentials, and as easy to use as possible, even by a layperson.^{[Non-game 1]} All that despite the disorganized nature of Project Safehouse. In fact, it can be said that it's a miracle: A miracle that it worked.^{[Non-game 2]}

Due to financial reasons, however, Future-Tec did not receive enough funding to produce enough G.E.C.K.s for every Vault. Most didn't receive one.^[5]

Products[]

G.E.C.K.
Future-Tec world globe, allowing for visualizing nuclear attacks and plotting escape routes to avoid them^{[Atomic Shop 2]}

Behind the scenes[]

“the government subcommittees sponsoring the research and the GECK contractors (Future-Tec) weren't really concerned about that. They were "relatively certain" the seeds would be viable in a post-nuclear environment. They had done "thorough tests," and "all conclusions point to this as being the best option." The GECKs are a miracle... a miracle that they work.”— Chris Avellone, Fallout Bible 6#Life with the GECK

Gallery[]

References[]

↑ Vault Dweller's Survival Guide
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Vault 51 terminal entries; terminal, ZAX Console Log: 10/23/2080
↑ Vault 94 terminal entries; G.E.C.K. monitoring station terminal, Introduction to the G.E.C.K.
↑ G.E.C.K. activation message in Fallout 3:
"The G.E.C.K. will collapse all matter within its given radius and recombine it to form a living, breathing, fertile virgin landscape and allow life to begin anew."
(Fallout 3 message box transcriptions)
Note: This appears to have been retconned in Fallout 76, where a damaged GECK does not actually collapse the matter around it, but creates The Mire.
↑ Vault 101 terminal entries: "The G.E.C.K. is, quite simply, the most advanced piece of technology ever developed by Vault-Tec -- a terraforming module capability of creating life from complete lifelessness.
After riding out the storm of nuclear Armageddon in a Vault-Tec patented vault, residents can then activate the G.E.C.K., and create a new Earthen paradise -- craters and dust will give way to rolling grasslands and sparkling clear water. Of course, due to time and monetary constraints, not every vault will be equipped with a G.E.C.K. module."

Non-game

↑ Fallout: The Roleplaying Game Rulebook p.261: "Devised by Vault-Tec’s Future-Tec division, this terraforming device uses matter recombination technology to transform irradiated or otherwise polluted earth into fertile soil. It also included force-field schematics and 3D printing arrays to make everything from buildings to clothing from the raw materials of the earth.

Although built to be used by a layperson, they were designed on a set of assumptions too unlike the actual post-apocalyptic world to be of much use. However, a properly trained and knowledgeable ecologist or biologist, or even an ambitious engineer, could conceivably use the G.E.C.K. to fundamentally change the nature of life in the Wasteland."
↑ Fallout Bible 6, Life with the GECK: "1b. What may be suitable for planting in the present may not be suitable in 20 yrs. This is esp true I would think in the FO universe with its rather unstable ecosystem. I mean if one really wanted to be certain that what one was panting would grow the best thing to do would be to collect the seeds, spores etc from already growing food sources - these have a guaranteed fertilization rate. After all those corn seeds that were put in the GECK 50 yrs ago now have not sufficiently mutated to endure the new Wasteland (even in a "normal" ecosystem, the only strains of plant that survive are those that mutate).
You're absolutely right. The GECK builders had no idea what the post-nuclear world would be like, and they had no real way to anticipate it, despite their "thorough tests" (it's doubtful they gave it much thought, to be honest, considering how badly organized the Safehouse project alone was, not to mention the experimental nature of the Vaults) - still, it seems as if the seeds present in the GECK were viable for Vault 8.
Evolutionarily speaking using old seeds would be like reintroducing a species that may have gone extinct or at the very least one that is not as cutting edge in its evolution.
You bet. And that's dangerous on so many levels! Wheee!
Also, as far as How-to books, schematics, sand crete etc.. this seems a bit user heavy. That is a GECK is going to be utterly useless to those who cannot read, or don't have the raw materials to construct a force field, sand crete polymers etc.
The GECK designers assumed that the Vault Dwellers would know how to read and how to operate various technologies present in the Vault - they didn't plan for tribals or other contingencies. They also didn't plan on the FEV getting released, or the fact the Vault Dwellers might be attacked by giant mutated scorpions or rats, either. On one hand, you could say they weren't too bright, and on the other hand, you could say they weren't prepared for the future of the human race to become an extended Post-Atomic Horror movie. Silly rabbits!
1a. Wouldn't this [the seeds and soil supplements] date itself rather quickly?
Sure, but the government subcommittees sponsoring the research and the GECK contractors (Future-Tec) weren't really concerned about that. They were "relatively certain" the seeds would be viable in a post-nuclear environment. They had done "thorough tests," and "all conclusions point to this as being the best option." The GECKs are a miracle... a miracle that they work."

Atomic Shop

↑ Future-Tec Week Flag: "Future-Tec was once a secret branch of Vault-tec tasked with investigating top-secret and alien technologies. Fly their flag in your C.A.M.P. with the Future-Tec Week Flag."
↑ Atomic Shop: "Visualize a global nuclear exchange and plan your escape routes with the Future-Tec World Globe!"

[1] Vault Dweller's Survival Guide

[company_head-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Vault 51 terminal entries; terminal, ZAX Console Log: 10/23/2080

[v94-4] Vault 94 terminal entries; G.E.C.K. monitoring station terminal, Introduction to the G.E.C.K.

[5] G.E.C.K. activation message in Fallout 3:
"The G.E.C.K. will collapse all matter within its given radius and recombine it to form a living, breathing, fertile virgin landscape and allow life to begin anew."
(Fallout 3 message box transcriptions)
Note: This appears to have been retconned in Fallout 76, where a damaged GECK does not actually collapse the matter around it, but creates The Mire.

[8] Vault 101 terminal entries: "The G.E.C.K. is, quite simply, the most advanced piece of technology ever developed by Vault-Tec -- a terraforming module capability of creating life from complete lifelessness.
After riding out the storm of nuclear Armageddon in a Vault-Tec patented vault, residents can then activate the G.E.C.K., and create a new Earthen paradise -- craters and dust will give way to rolling grasslands and sparkling clear water. Of course, due to time and monetary constraints, not every vault will be equipped with a G.E.C.K. module."

[6] Fallout: The Roleplaying Game Rulebook p.261: "Devised by Vault-Tec’s Future-Tec division, this terraforming device uses matter recombination technology to transform irradiated or otherwise polluted earth into fertile soil. It also included force-field schematics and 3D printing arrays to make everything from buildings to clothing from the raw materials of the earth.

Although built to be used by a layperson, they were designed on a set of assumptions too unlike the actual post-apocalyptic world to be of much use. However, a properly trained and knowledgeable ecologist or biologist, or even an ambitious engineer, could conceivably use the G.E.C.K. to fundamentally change the nature of life in the Wasteland."

[7] Fallout Bible 6, Life with the GECK: "1b. What may be suitable for planting in the present may not be suitable in 20 yrs. This is esp true I would think in the FO universe with its rather unstable ecosystem. I mean if one really wanted to be certain that what one was panting would grow the best thing to do would be to collect the seeds, spores etc from already growing food sources - these have a guaranteed fertilization rate. After all those corn seeds that were put in the GECK 50 yrs ago now have not sufficiently mutated to endure the new Wasteland (even in a "normal" ecosystem, the only strains of plant that survive are those that mutate).
You're absolutely right. The GECK builders had no idea what the post-nuclear world would be like, and they had no real way to anticipate it, despite their "thorough tests" (it's doubtful they gave it much thought, to be honest, considering how badly organized the Safehouse project alone was, not to mention the experimental nature of the Vaults) - still, it seems as if the seeds present in the GECK were viable for Vault 8.
Evolutionarily speaking using old seeds would be like reintroducing a species that may have gone extinct or at the very least one that is not as cutting edge in its evolution.
You bet. And that's dangerous on so many levels! Wheee!
Also, as far as How-to books, schematics, sand crete etc.. this seems a bit user heavy. That is a GECK is going to be utterly useless to those who cannot read, or don't have the raw materials to construct a force field, sand crete polymers etc.
The GECK designers assumed that the Vault Dwellers would know how to read and how to operate various technologies present in the Vault - they didn't plan for tribals or other contingencies. They also didn't plan on the FEV getting released, or the fact the Vault Dwellers might be attacked by giant mutated scorpions or rats, either. On one hand, you could say they weren't too bright, and on the other hand, you could say they weren't prepared for the future of the human race to become an extended Post-Atomic Horror movie. Silly rabbits!
1a. Wouldn't this [the seeds and soil supplements] date itself rather quickly?
Sure, but the government subcommittees sponsoring the research and the GECK contractors (Future-Tec) weren't really concerned about that. They were "relatively certain" the seeds would be viable in a post-nuclear environment. They had done "thorough tests," and "all conclusions point to this as being the best option." The GECKs are a miracle... a miracle that they work."

[3] Future-Tec Week Flag: "Future-Tec was once a secret branch of Vault-tec tasked with investigating top-secret and alien technologies. Fly their flag in your C.A.M.P. with the Future-Tec Week Flag."

[9] Atomic Shop: "Visualize a global nuclear exchange and plan your escape routes with the Future-Tec World Globe!"

[1]