West Tek Research Facility
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Watch out for radioactive hot spots. This place obviously sustained a direct nuclear strike, and secondary cascade radiation may be bad. I'd recommend avoiding this place completely if we can.
”— Tycho, FalloutThe West Tek Research Facility, colloquially known as The Glow or Great Glow after the Great War, was founded in 2055[1] as the primary biological research installation for West Tek, later expanded to accommodate advanced weapons labs.
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[edit] Location
The Glow can be found eight squares east and twenty-four squares south of Vault 13.
[edit] Background
Initially divided into two sections, "Advanced Weapons" and "Biomedical Sciences Research",[2] by 2069 it was the single biggest private contractor of the American government, with its biggest project being the T-51b Power Armor for use by infantry soldiers on the frontlines. Its second-largest was the Pan-Immunity Virion Project (PVP), later known as the Forced Evolutionary Virus (FEV). In 2076, the research facility was secured by a military contingent for fear of international espionage, shortly afterwards, the PVP research was moved to the Mariposa Military Base[3] where experimentation on human subjects would continue. Several other projects were also being pursued, including energy weapons and upgrading existing armor.
[edit] The Glow
The West Tek Research Facility was destroyed in the nuclear holocaust of 2077. During the Great War the surface of the installation took a direct hit from a nuclear warhead which left a gaping hole exposing the subterranean installation, shattering the FEV containment tanks and releasing the irradiated virus into the atmosphere. Mutated by radiation, the airborne FEV strain did not have the same mutagenic abilities as its counterpart at Mariposa, but still complicated things for The Master later on. Due to its high radiation, the facility came to be known as the Glow, surrounded by legends among the people of New California.
Shortly after the Great War, in late 2077,[4] a faction led by Sergeant Dennis Allen gained strength during the Brotherhood of Steel Exodus from Mariposa, and urged the Elders and Captain Roger Maxson to let them explore the ruins of the West Tek Research Facility for artifacts. No permission was given. Allen and his group split away, taking some technology and weapons with them. Allen, together with Soto, Jensen and Camarillo arrived at the Glow after several weeks of travel. Upon arrival, they started exploring the ruins, but were promptly chewed apart by security robots and radiation when they breached the lower levels and weren't recognized as authorized personnel.[5]
The Brotherhood of Steel used to send unwanted applicants to the Glow on a "fool's quest", referring to it by the moniker the "Ancient Order", just to laugh about it later when they ended up dead because of the high amount of radiation in the area. They were quite surprised when one known as the Vault Dweller actually made it back, bringing with him a holodisk that recorded the fate of Allen's expedition, and earning him a place in the Brotherhood.
It is important to note that the Glow, true to its name, is one of the most highly irradiated locations in the Fallout universe. A few moments' exposure is enough to give the player a lethal dose of rads. Use of Rad-X to boost Radiation Resistance to 100% is widely considered absolutely necessary to survive a trip to the Glow.
[edit] Dayglow
Some time after 2162, some ghoul survivors from Necropolis settled north and west of the Glow, and founded the town of Dayglow, whose inhabitants formed partnerships with scavenging companies from New Adytum and the Hub and have built quite a profitable corporation from their salvage efforts.
[edit] Layout
[edit] Exterior
Little remains on the surface of the Glow - just a gaping crater where once the heart of the American research effort laid. Three charred corpses lie around the crater. The location is extremely irradiated - radiation levels shoot up when one is able to see the giant crater, and it only gets worse afterwards.
[edit] Level 1
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This is where the offices and other administrative sections of the facility laid, before its destruction. The atomic bombing obliterated much of the level and scorched what survived. The body of Sergeant Dennis Allen lays in the conference room, encased in a defunct suit of T-51b Power Armor. On this person was a holodisk which the Vault Dweller used to become an initiate of the Brotherhood of Steel.
| Loot in West Tek Level 1 |
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[edit] Level 2
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The second level of the facility has been affected by the nuclear blast also, yet more survived, most notably, the security bots of the facility. The exact purpose is unknown (ZAX does not provide a description), but it was likely a section devoted to blueprints and design, as a lot of computers and tables are present.
| Loot in West Tek Level 2 |
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[edit] Level 3
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This level connects two different lifts providing transportation between the levels of the facility. Apart from that, it housed the facility's weapons research and development laboratories, indicated by the twin robot security checkpoints, secure labs and a stash of lockers with weapons and ammunition, likely held for research purposes.
| Loot in West Tek Level 3 |
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[edit] Level 4 (Biology-Physics Research Labs)
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Every base needs a brain, and this level houses the mind of The Glow - ZAX. This supercomputer oversaw all research and development that took place in the base, in addition to performing the routine checks etc. Ever since the nuclear holocaust, he idled, biding his time, frustrated at his inability to perform even the most basic of routines.
In addition, the most advanced research labs in the country were located here, most notably physics and biology laboratories, allowing for breakthroughs to happen in science.
The body of Charles Ringhold lies in one of the laser labs, carrying a blue keycard.
| Loot in West Tek Level 4 |
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[edit] Level 5 (Secure Testing Labs)
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The core of the facility, by far the most secure and least accessible, are the testing labs. Sealed, protected by three robot checkpoints, these laboratories witnessed the development of FEV and advanced weaponry, including the Winchester P94 plasma rifle. Here, surviving records of the FEV development can also be gleaned.
[edit] Level 6 (Barracks and Operations Center)
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The deepest level housed the living quarters of the essential research personnel, along with the primary power generator for the base and the operations center. After the Great War, the power generator's fuses got stuck in the locked position, powering down the entire base.
The body of one of Dennis Allen's comrades lies, horribly burned, in one of the rooms.
| Loot in West Tek Level 6 |
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[edit] Related quests
[edit] Notes
- The name of the facility is spelled West Tech a few times in-game, but West Tek is more common usage of the name.
- The corpses outside the facility, around the crater, are deemed "Losers" upon observation. Whether they failed the Brotherhood's initiation or were just losers isn't clear.
 | The following is based on Fallout cut content and has not been confirmed by canon sources. |
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Major
- GLWALIEN.MSG - "This body might be some kind of genetic experiment."
- GLOWCAGE.MSG - "It appears as though this cage contained lab animals for testing. Somehow, the bars have been torn off."
Minor
- GLWBOX.MSG - "This looks to be the footlocker of some guards."
- GLOWDESK.MSG - a lock desk of papers
- GLOWTABL.MSG - a table in a mess
| End of information based on Fallout cut content. |
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[edit] Appearances
The West Tek Research Facility appeared only in Fallout and it's mentioned by Brain in Fallout 2.[6] It is also mentioned in The Armageddon Rag, Vol. 3.
[edit] Behind the scenes
- Its name in the original Scott Campbell design documentation was FSEF.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ↑ ZAX.MSG
- ↑ West Tek records mentions Research Head of Laser Development and Research Head of FEV. [1]
- ↑ FEV experiment disk - Log Date January 7, 2077. [1]
- ↑ While the date 2134 is given in the timeline, Cabbot explicitly names the date as 2077: "{226}{Cab_64}{Oh, well, in the Exodus, the Brotherhood split into two groups. The group that broke away robbed the others of some of the weapons an-and they went south. Then about ten years ago we sent out knights to look for them and all they found was ruins. No one knows what happened.}".
- ↑ Ancient Brotherhood disk. [1]
- ↑ Brain: "I was just one of many normal rats in a advanced research lab. Then, one day, there were explosions. Our cages were broken open, and we were doused with some sort of fluid from a huge vat. I crawled outside. As I began to heal, I noticed that I had changed."
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