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Fo4 Vault Suit Package
Gameplay articles
FalloutVault 13 jumpsuit
Fallout 2Vault City jumpsuit
Joanne Lynette's jumpsuit
Fallout 3Vault jumpsuit
Fallout: New VegasVault jumpsuit
Fallout 4Vault jumpsuit
Fallout 76Vault jumpsuit
Fallout ShelterArmored vault suit
TV series articles
Fallout TV seriesVault jumpsuit

Vault jumpsuits or Vault suits (terms used interchangeably) are the iconic gear of Vault dwellers and by and large the symbol of Vault-Tec Corporation,[Fallout 2d20 1] being worn by mascots Vault Boy and Vault Girl.

Background[]

FO Three Gens of Jumpsuits

The three "generations" of jumpsuits.

Designed specifically for use within Vaults, jumpsuits are an inexpensive, easily produced solution to the age-old problem of clothing large numbers of people while maintaining a modicum of comfort and utility. Within the Vaults, they are also meant to reduce tension by providing every dweller with the same type of clothes, regardless of their standing. Marketed as a fashionable, comfortable design,[1] before the war, they were an instantly recognizable symbol of both Vaults and the corporation behind them, featuring the iconic blue-and-yellow color scheme. The corporation deliberately exploited the recognizability, with the company mascot, Vault Boy, sporting a set of rubber coveralls, and introducing awards named after the jumpsuit, such as the Pressed Vault Suit Award for preparedness, all to get people used to the mandated uniformity and planned economy of a Vault.[2]

Once Vaults were activated, all dwellers that managed to enter the Vault would be expected to change into their jumpsuits as soon as possible.[3] However, delays could happen: As Vault suits are designed with biometric identification systems in addition to the big, bold Vault number on the back, and discrepancies in scans would delay issuance of a suit.[4] To accommodate the influx, Vaults had a stock of jumpsuits on hand, shipped ahead of time in vacuum-sealed packages, ten per box.[5] Worn-out or damaged suits would be replaced using existing stocks and later manufactured using jumpsuit extruders installed in every Vault (though some were designed to fail, as part of the Vault experiment).[6] Vault-Tec also supplied the design to the Enclave, for use within its civilian facilities, such as the presidential rig.[7]

Regardless of generation, jumpsuits proved to be a rugged, durable piece of equipment that could be readily accessorized. Vault dwellers commonly wore them together with a variety of equipment according to their job: durable lab coats with scientific equipment,[8] stripped-down versions for maintenance work,[9] as well as body armor and protective helmets for security personnel.[10][11] Dwellers who ventured into the wasteland commonly modified their suits with a variety of improvised armor or improved linings.[12][13]

Variants[]

Fallout and Fallout 2[]

Gameplay articles: Fallout, Fallout 2

A form-fitting suit model manufactured as single piece coveralls from extruded rubber, easy to keep clean and quite resilient. Compared to other models, this version of the jumpsuit is quite rudimentary.[14] Despite the rubber material, the jumpsuit could be pressed to enhance its appearance.[15]

This model of the suit was used by at least some of the dwellers of Vault 13. It may have also been used by other Vaults, such as Vault 70, and citizens of the Enclave on the oil rig, and the citizens of Vault City, though those did not include a number on the back.[16][17]

Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas[]

Gameplay articles: Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas

A rugged jumpsuit variant designed for heavy use among Vault-Tec machinery and infrastructure. Rather than extruded rubber, the suit uses a combination of denim and natural leather,[18][19][20] combined to create a particularly rugged piece of equipment. The suit is less form fitting than other jumpsuit variants, but provides a good deal of comfort. Like other versions, it's a single-piece uniform, with a zipper down the front, leather armguards and spacious pockets on the waist and thighs. Reinforced elbows and knees give it extra durability under heavy use, with the interface port over the left breast used for a variety of purposes. Depending on the job assignment, the jumpsuit is designed to accommodate a variety of belts, including simple leather bands for children, rugged multi-purpose belts for general use and specialized equipment for utility, lab and security work.[21][Non-game 1]

Fallout 4 and Fallout 76[]

Gameplay articles: Fallout 4, Fallout 76

The advanced Vault suit is a return to the form-fitting style that characterized the earliest jumpsuits, updated with the latest high-tech materials and technological solutions available to the Vault-Tec Corporation. It's a single-piece suit designed to hug the user's body shape. Various biometric sensors are integrated into the suit to interface with the Vault's systems, while the iconic yellow strip on the front is now made of gold foil, rather than dyed material, to act as a heat-dissipation strip and antenna for the biometric sensors integrated in the suit.[Non-game 2][Non-game 3]

Appearances[]

They appear in all Fallout games. In Fallout and Fallout 2, they are worn by the player character by default and in Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 4, and Fallout 76, they appear as actual in-game items. They appear in the Fallout TV series as well.

Notes[]

Behind the scenes[]

  • Regarding the design of the Vault jumpsuits in Fallout 3, concept artist Adam Adamowicz stated, "Designing, or redesigning the vault suit meant adhering to canon, and updating the textures and tactile feel for the detail we can achieve now in games. I opted for a more durable denim like material, something quintessentially American and, suited to carrying out vault tasks involving heavy machinery and crawling through metal pipes. Overall, the vault suit seems to represent an Everyman/Everywoman uniform of conformity, and a blank canvas for accessorizing once the wearer had escaped into the harsh environment of the wasteland. Preserving the retro 50’s flavor seemed to support this, and I wanted the suit to feel at home in a classic 50’s sci-fi film like Forbidden Planet. The reinforced elbows and knees seemed to introduce a bit of that flair to the otherwise oppressively Orwellian environment."[Non-game 4]
  • The Art of Fallout 4 included artist statements about the game's vault suit design, including one that noted, "Creating a skintight costume in bright blue and yellow and not having it come across as goofy looking was a considerable design challenge. We achieved this by focusing on an interesting mix of patterns and textures for the high-tech materials and adding details that grounded the design. For the iconic yellow stripe, we went with a metallic gold foil that serves as a heat-dissipation strip and works with the biometric sensors integrated in the suit."[22] The description is reused in the Fallout: The Roleplaying Game Rulebook.[Fallout 2d20 1]
  • Joanne Lynette's talking head is recycled from a version of the game where she was the spokesperson for Area 51 scientists,[Non-game 5] and thus her suit has subtle differences including a very large neckline and a hood.[23]

Gallery[]

Fallout[]

Fallout 2[]

Fallout Tactics[]

Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel[]

Fallout 3[]

Fallout: New Vegas[]

Fallout 4[]

Fallout 76[]

Vault Boy[]

Fallout (TV series)[]

References[]

  1. Vault-Tec scientist: "The Vault suit is designed to be fashionable as well as comfortable."
    (Vault-Tec scientist's dialogue)
    Note: This line is spoken during the quest War Never Changes.
  2. See respective articles for details and references: Vault Boy, Pressed Vault Suit Award
  3. Vault 114 terminal entries; check in terminal
  4. Mr. Able: "When do WE get our suits, huh? What's taking so long?"
    Vault-Tec scientist: "No, no, happens all the time. We'll clean things up real quick. Don't worry."
    Mrs Able: "Is something wrong?"
    Vault-Tec scientist: "Mister and Missus Able. We're detecting a very small anomaly in your biometric scans. Just hold tight right there for a second."
    (Mr. Able's and a Vault-Tec scientist's dialogue)
  5. Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 suit package and shipping box props.
  6. Fallout Bible 0 Vault system: "Vault 70 All jumpsuit extruders fail after 6 months."
  7. Enclave citizens' character description: "{100}{}{You see a person in a vault suit.}"
    (QCGENCIT.MSG)
  8. Vault lab uniform
  9. Vault 101 utility jumpsuit
  10. Vault 101 security armor
  11. Vault-Tec security armor and helmet.
  12. Armored Vault 101 jumpsuit and other modified suits.
  13. Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 Vault suit modifications.
  14. Mad scientist: "{142}{}{Who are you? And why are you wearing that suit? [to himself] I haven't seen one of those in a long time.}"
    The Vault Dweller: "{146}{}{It's extruded rubber, so it's real easy to wipe your blood off after I kill you!}"
    (MADSCI.MSG)
  15. Wallace's character description: "{101}{}{You see a thin man with a pinched face. He is wearing a sharply pressed Vault suit.}"
    (Vcwalace.msg)
  16. Darrow's character description: "{100}{}{You see a Citizen in a bright blue jumpsuit. It looks like the Vault Dweller's suit, but there is no number on the back.}"
    (VCDARROW.MSG)
  17. Descriptions for the various generic characters of Vault City; VCURINE.MSG, VCWRKCIT.MSG, VCGENFAM.MSG, VCBARCIT.MSG
  18. The Courier: "Sarah, stop right there. Do you actually have any vault gear?"
    Sarah Weintraub: "Okay, I do, but who wants a lame sensor module, or a nitrogen canister, anyway? All the popular stuff has been sold - especially the vault suits. I need to find more because people buy them like hot cakes."
    (Sarah Weintraub's dialogue)
  19. Vault 21 terminal entries; Vault 21 guest terminal, Gift Catalogue
  20. Vault 21 terminal entries; Vault 21 reception terminal and Sarah's terminal, Our Influential Friends.
  21. Different types of belts on the jumpsuits.
  22. The Art of Fallout 4, p.15
  23. Joanne Lynette as she appears in Fallout 2.

Non-game

  1. Conceptual Design: "The Vault Suit
    Designing, or redesigning the vault suit meant adhering to canon, and updating the textures and tactile feel for the detail we can achieve now in games. I opted for a more durable denim like material, something quintessentially American and, suited to carrying out vault tasks involving heavy machinery and crawling through metal pipes.
    Overall, the vault suit seems to represent an Everyman/Everywoman uniform of conformity, and a blank canvas for accessorizing once the wearer had escaped into the harsh environment of the wasteland. Preserving the retro 50’s flavor seemed to support this, and I wanted the suit to feel at home in a classic 50’s sci-fi film like Forbidden Planet. The reinforced elbows and knees seemed to introduce a bit of that flair to the otherwise oppressively Orwellian environment."
  2. The Art of Fallout 4 p.15: "VAULT SUIT
    Creating a skintight costume in bright blue and yellow and not having it come across as goofy looking was a considerable design challenge. We achieved this by focusing on an interesting mix of patterns and textures for the high-tech materials and adding details that grounded the design."
  3. The Art of Fallout 4 p.16: "VAULT SUIT
    For the iconic yellow stripe, we went with a metallic gold foil that serves as a heat-dissipation strip and works with the biometric sensors integrated in the suit."
  4. Conceptual Design
  5. Fallout 2 Official Strategies & Secrets

Fallout 2d20 RPG

  1. 1.0 1.1 Fallout: The Roleplaying Game Rulebook p. 129: "The standard garment for all vault inhabitants, provided by Vault-Tec. A close-fitting blue jumpsuit with a golden-yellow strip running around the neck, down the torso, and along the sleeves. This strip is a metallic foil which aids in heat dissipation and works with the suit’s integrated biometric scanners. Each Vault Jumpsuit has a number on the back, signifying which vault it originated from."
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