A closer look
Fallout was originally supposed to be based entirely on the highly popular GURPS tabletop role-playing system, but the creators of the system violently pulled their licensing agreement at the last possible minute because they found the video game's opening cinematic too excessively gory. Developer Interplay was forced to desperately invent the entire character stat system completely from scratch during the final frantic months of production just to ensure the game could actually be shipped on time without getting sued into oblivion. This massive licensing catastrophe accidentally birthed one of the most robust and beloved character progression systems in RPG history, proving once again that some of the greatest mechanics in video game design are born from the sheer panicked terror of sudden legal threats
