Megaton conversations are conversations between NPCs that occur in Megaton in Fallout 3. These are, for the most part, dynamically-occurring and make use of randomized prompts and responses. All such dynamic conversations are implemented in the ConvMegaton quest. For named characters, individual dynamic conversations have been arbitrarily numbered for organization, and scripted conversations are listed separately. Conversations for generic characters, as well as shared dialogue, are organized with each set of prompt/response lines occupying a distinct header.
In the format below, a character named in a header is the person who initiates the conversations listed below the header.
Aw, Nova. I'd do anything for you. Well... I don't want to keep you. You're always so busy and...
Anything for you, Nova. Anytime.
Gob's radio conversation[]
This conversation is part of a one-time scripted scene upon first entering Moriarty's Saloon in which Gob tries to fix the bar's radio to play Galaxy News Radio instead of Enclave Radio, with various bar patrons and personnel commenting. After the first two lines happen, Gob will use some randomized lines, not all of which are guaranteed to happen on any given run of the scene. At the same time, bar patrons and personnel will comment, with Gob giving up in the end. The conversation is implemented in the DialogueMegaton quest in the MegGobRadioTalk, MegNovaRadioTalk, and MegBarRadioChatter topics.
Conversation 2 is directed to Maggie. They are supposed to be part of longer conversations in which they are playing with each other (topic ID MegatonMaggieHardenPlay). However, there are no lines implemented for this conversation, so these greetings end up as floating lines.
Nah... it's okay, Nova. I get it. No one wants anything to do with a crusty old Wasteland rat like me less'n they're getting' paid. I understand.[Note 1]
But you think... I don't know... that you might get out of here some day? I got plenty of money, I could take care of you...
Look, don't give me any of your shit. Now, tell me something, and if you're lyin' I'll know. Are you workin' with the Raiders? You a scout?
I heard something about you, boy. I heard that you was a scout for the Raiders, here to recoin.. recon... err... check out our defenses. That true?[Note 4]
I heard something about you, girl. I heard that you was a scout for the Raiders, here to recoin.. recon... err... check out our defenses. That true?[Note 5]
Yeah, we'll see. I'd just watch your fucking step around here, pal. There's a lot of ways to have an accident. Now... you have yourself a good day.[Note 6]
Good answer. Now, fuck off.
I'm watching you, outsider. You try anything, and I'll be there.
Ha! I'm just fuckin' with you! Ha ha ha! I got you good! Now go... before you make me mad.
There are two unused lines for an alternate end to the conversation which imply that Jericho would have been right in accusing the settler of being a raider.
Then you best unhear it. I know all about you, old man. I'd be careful before I went around town spreading rumors about Raiders. You dig?
Leo Stahl[]
This conversation erroneously ends after Andy's first response set because that topic links to the wrong location (INFOGENERAL instead of MegatonTalk2). Andy's second response set also shares this problem, though the conversation will never reach that point anyways.
Conversation 2 is directed to Harden Simms. They are supposed to be part of longer conversations in which they are playing with each other (topic ID MegatonMaggieHardenPlay). However, there are no lines implemented for this conversation, so these greetings end up as floating lines.
Mister Burke does not participate in dynamic conversations, but he does have a scripted conversation in Megaton as part of the quest The Power of the Atom. This conversation (MS11BattleTopic) occurs if Lucas Simms is told of Mister Burke's plans and he opts to arrest Burke.
Now don't you go getting all mushy on me! We just... We got to look out for each other, right?
Hey, if we ain't going to look out for each other, what's the point? You think Colin gives a shit about us, Gob? Come on, sweetie, wake up.
Megaton settlers[]
These dynamic conversations, which use randomized prompts and responses, can be used by all generic characters in Megaton (Megaton settlers, Children of Atom, and the Craterside Supply mercenary). Many responses depend on quest conditions or character statuses.
This conversation system is intended to work in the following way: prompts are stored in the HELLO and MegatonSettlerTalk1 topics. These lead into the MegatonSettlerTalk2 topic for first-level response lines before branching off. However, because of how dialogue is implemented in the G.E.C.K., only lines in the HELLO topic can be used to start conversations dynamically; as a result, the MegatonSettlerTalk1 prompts are never used in-game.
Prompts[]
In the format below, set 1 are the prompts which are correctly implemented and set 2 are the prompts which do not function in-game.
Line
1
Hey, how's it going?
Hey.
Hey there.
Hi.
2
Is there anything interesting going on around here?
A cap for your thoughts.
Anything been going on with you?
You look like you have something on your mind.
What are you thinking?
So, what's up?
You get around, right? What have you heard?
You know, there has to be something going on around here.
Something on your mind?
What's been going on?
Hey. How's it going?
MegatonSettlerTalk2[]
All prompts lead into this response set. However, from here on the responses differ. For organization purposes, these lines are grouped here based on how they are followed up:
Set 1 continues into MegatonSettlerTalk3.
Set 2 continues into MegatonTalkEnclave.
Set 3 will end the conversation.
ends here. The lines mentioning Walter and Moira require them to be alive. The line mentioning Doc Church should require him to be alive given its context, but erroneously requires him to be dead instead.
Set 4 continues into MegatonTalkDeathReaction. All lines in this group require the characters they respectively mention to be dead.
Line
1
Have you heard what everyone's saying? There's not enough water to go around this month. We'll have to ration... again.
I don't like to spread rumors, but I heard Mister Burke is really interested in the bomb. Really interested. Like... he wants to buy it or something.
I heard the sheriff talking about defusing the bomb. I don't know. The damn thing's been sitting there so long it's probably harmless. Right?
Stockholm says he saw some more Raiders, off to the east. Good thing for us there's nothing in Megaton worth raiding.
You ever see a Yao Guai? Boy, those things are nasty.
Leo Stahl.. you know. He's a junkie, a total chem head. He sells the stuff, too. Late at night, in the processing plant.
Sometimes that Deputy Steel makes me nervous. Simms and his boy, they treat him like a person. But it's just a machine, and machines can malfunction.
Megaton needs a stronger defense force. Okay, there's Simms and Steel, and the town militia, but half of us can't even aim straight.
It's probably not my place, but... I think the sheriff should find himself a new wife. He needs some companionship, and his boy needs a mother.
Those guys from the church drink the water near the bomb because they WANT to. Believes it makes them "closer to Atom" or something. Idiots.
You know, I'm getting a little sick of living in the slums. They promised me that after a few months I could move into the town.
I don't think that I'm ever going to be able to get a house here. I've asked Simms a dozen times and he keeps saying the same thing.
Did you hear that sound last night? It sounded like... I don't know... some sort of motor, but it was coming from the sky!
Have you ever talked to that Jericho guy? Man, what an asshole.
Jenny Stahl seems okay but her brothers... whew. One's a workaholic, and the other one is just flat out crazy. What a family.
Did you see Leo Stahl sneak up to the water processing plant last night? What does he do up there? And why does Walter let him in?
I heard that there are Raiders gathering to the west. Do you think they're planning an attack?
You asked where the parts came from to build the town? I heard that there used to be an air station somewhere around here before the war.
You should talk to the older folks about what Megaton was like before they built the walls. You think it's dangerous now?
I was rooting around in Springvale the other day and guess what I found: a book! An actual book! Can you believe it?
Do you ever question the wisdom in hanging around an atomic bomb all day? I mean, if it was going to blow, it probably would have by now. But still.
God, that Jericho guy gives me the creeps. He's such a nutjob.
2
I swear to God, if Nathan starts babbling about the Enclave to me one more time... everyone knows that the Enclave is just a story for kids.
Nathan and his damn Enclave, I tell you... What, does he think, that George Washington is going to ride out of the Wasteland to save everyone?
You ever hear of the Enclave? Nathan tells me that they'll be riding in here any day to help us...
Did you hear about the Enclave? Nathan said they're really the U.S. government. He says that they're coming to help us.
3
Walter sure is a grumpy old bastard. But he keeps that crusty old plant running, so I guess we have no choice but to put up with him.[Note 7]
Busted up my knee the other day, so I went to see Doc Church. He needs to work on his bedside manner -- my own mother never chewed me out like that![Note 8]
I swear to God, Moira's crazy. She sold me this thing the other day, I didn't even know what the hell it was. Damn good saleswoman though. Damn good.[Note 9]
What is with those Church of the Atom lunatics anyway? They're all fucked in the head... drinking the bomb water, praying for another war?
Sorry, not now.
Can't talk now.
We'll catch up later.
4
Did you hear about Nathan? Yeah, he went and got himself killed. Manya is beside herself.[Note 10]
Nathan just hasn't been the same since Manya died. He refuses to leave the house![Note 11]
Manya and Nathan are both gone... what's happening around here?[Note 12]
Ever since Sheriff Simms died, this place hasn't been the same. There's a fight nearly every night up at Moriarty's![Note 13]
The Stahl family is still mourning Leo. Nice kid, but I hear that he was mixed up in some bad shit.[Note 15]
Did you hear that the Stahls lost their older brother? He kept that place running, you know. It'll probably fall apart without him.[Note 16]
What do you suppose will happen to the Brass Lantern? With the whole family dead, someone's sure to buy it up.[Note 17]
You know what I miss most? Jenny's noodles. And she was such a sweet girl.[Note 18]
It's about time that someone gave that bastard Moriarty what he deserved, but I can't believe he left the bar to Gob![Note 19]
Jericho was an asshole, but he helped keep this place safe. I'm worried about what'll happen if the Raiders attack now...[Note 20]
Did you hear about Lucy? Shame... she died before anyone ever got to know her.[Note 21]
God damn, I can't believe that someone killed Moira. Some people will do anything to survive out here, won't they?[Note 22]
With Walter dead, we're screwed. No one else can keep that treatment plant running.[Note 23]
MegatonTalkEnclave[]
These lines are implemented in two topics, MegatonTalkEnclaveNegative and MegatonTalkEnclavePositive, all of which have an equal random chance of being used. Set 1 is the "negative" set and set 2 is the "positive" set.
Line
1
Help us? Are you crazy? I heard about some shit they pulled out west somewhere...
From what I hear, they're nothing but bad news.
Yeah, well. We'll see. They can't be worse than those Brotherhood of Steel psychos down in the city.
Yeah, right. I'm not holding out hope for the cavalry to come save the world.
2
Really? Maybe there's hope yet...
I don't know... I want to believe that but I'm just not sure.
If that's true, then all we have to do is hold out for a little while, right?
I hope you're right. I really do. But after 200 years, don't you think they'd have done something by now?
MegatonTalkDeathReaction[]
Most lines in this response set act as goodbyes (grouped here under set 1). Three lines continue on to use the MegatonTalkDeathReactionFunny topic for goodbye responses (grouped here under set 2).
Line
1
No! That's terrible!
I hadn't heard! That's just awful...
Terrible business...
Ashes to ashes.
May they rest in peace...
All I can say is: better them than me.
Shit. I wonder if their house is up for bids...
Well, on the bright side, now there are more water rations for the rest of us.
My sympathies go out.
It could happen to any of us, you know.
How does the saying go? "Death is like a robe that everyone has to wear."
"Death is as sure for that which is born, as birth is for that which is dead. Therefore grieve not for what is inevitable."
"God full of mercy who dwells on high, grant rest for this soul on the wings of your divine presence..."
"We have come from God and unto him we shall return..."
2
Hopefully they won't come back as a Ghoul! Ha! Ha ha! ... ... what? Too soon?
Dibs on their stuff!
Dead meat, you say? So... will there be a feast tonight? Hahaha!
MegatonTalkDeathReactionFunny[]
Line
You're really an asshole, you know that?
That's appalling.
You're going to a special hell, you know that?
Too soon!
You can't be serious.
MegatonSettlerTalk3[]
All lines grouped here under set 1 end the conversation, while all lines grouped here under set 2 continue on to MegatonSettlerTalk4.
Line
1
I hear what you're saying.
Seriously.
Yeah, I know.
I wish you were joking.
Nothing about this place surprises me anymore.
It's all just more of the same in this town, right?
You know, I thought about moving once. Setting myself up in Rivet City or one of the smaller settlements. But hey, this place is home.
Ahhhhh... Megaton.
2
No kidding, huh?
Hmmm.
Right, right...
Wow...
Jeez...
Hm hmm.
MegatonSettlerTalk4[]
All lines grouped here under set 1 end the conversation, while all lines grouped here under set 2 continue on to use the MegatonSettlerTalkBYE topic for goodbye responses.
Line
1
Well, I guess I should stop gossiping and do something productive. Talk to you later.
If I hear anything else, I'll be sure and let you know. See ya.
Ahhh, life here in Megaton, huh? But anyway. I'll talk to you later.
Sometimes, I really wonder about this place. But hey, I'll talk to you later.
Listen, I'm gonna go grab some shuteye.
I was just on my way to grab a bite though -- I'll catch you later.
2
What are you going to do, huh? Anyway, I should get going. Take care.
You know me, I love to hear myself talk. Anyway, I need to take off.
If I hear anything else, I'll be sure and let you know. See ya.
*Sigh* Anywaaayyy. I don't want to hold you up. Have a good one, all right?
It's funny, though. At the end of the day, I still can't think of any other place I'd rather live. Well, I'll talk to you later.
Heh. It's all so sad, you have to laugh. Know what I'm saying? But hey, you have a good day, all right?
*Sigh* It's one thing after another in this place, isn't it? Anyway, I should get going.
MegatonSettlerTalkBYE[]
Line
Talk to you later.
Have a good one.
Catch you later.
Bye.
Peace be with you.
Later.
Shared[]
These prompts and responses can be used by everyone in Megaton and are mixed in with character-specific conversations. Prompts are specific to the target, and certain characters are not allowed to use these prompts with certain other characters (specifics are listed below). All prompts are contained in the HELLO topic. A full list of relevant character dialogue pages can be found below.
Broken Steel adds two scripted conversations which take place outside Megaton.
DLC03EncounterMegTopic[]
This is the scene involving two Megaton settlers arguing with a Brotherhood water caravan outside the town entrance. If the Lone Wanderer does not interject, the scene ends with the settlers attacking the caravan.
I haven't tasted water this pure since... urk... Oh. Oh god, what's wrong? Water...
There are several cut lines with this conversation. One line has Micky angrily blaming Rosa for poisoning him just before he dies, and the rest are floating lines for Rosa reacting to Micky's death; in the final version of the game, Rosa immediately runs up to the player and initiates dialogue after Micky dies.
It's all I'll ever have for you.
This conversation erroneously ends after Andy's first response set because that topic links to the wrong location (INFOGENERAL instead of MegatonTalk2). Andy's second response set also shares this problem, though the conversation will never reach that point anyways.