Fallout 76: Community Spotlight Article – Aufseher Billy

This month we reached out to Aufseher Billy who organizes a large German Fallout community.

“Hey, I’m Billy, 29 years old and from Germany. And most of the time I’m thinking about Fallout. I’m the owner of an active Facebook and Discord Community for German speaking Fallout fans called VAULT-TEC Germany. It started back in December 2016 as a Facebook group. I wanted to moderate it, role play, and provide interesting content on a daily basis. Originally, I used a pseudonym, called "Vincent Aultboy" and as the group grew larger, so did the members' interest in learning who was behind Vincent Aultboy. Since I was registered in the group info as Admin, it was quickly clear for most, that I am behind it. At some point I got the nickname Overseer Billy, which I use now.”

When asked about his first exposure to the Fallout series Billy highlighted that he’s “experienced the Fallout series in a not-so-chronological order. My first Fallout (in 2010) was Fallout: New Vegas. After that I played Fallout 3, Fallout 1, Fallout 2, Fallout 4 and lastly Fallout 76. You could say that I got into the Fallout series rather late, but I fell madly in love with it immediately.” The Fallout universe brought together some unconventional aspects that really made the series click for him. “I love contrasts! There's nothing like being in an overly serious fight while listening to a happy song from the 50s. It seems so incongruous at first glance that it just fits together perfectly. It reminds me a bit of the old "Bud Spencer & Terence Hill" movies. Beyond that, it's the dark humour and the beauty of the ugly that fascinate me about Fallout. Broken buildings, mutated plants and animals, and lots of rust. When you come across dead bodies, they often tell a story without the need for words. In the Fallout universe, anything is possible, and you never know what's around the corner.”

Although he doesn’t remember exactly when he was inspired to create a Fallout Fan group, Billy explains “I would describe myself as a creative person, but I can't really be creative in my job. Most gaming groups on Facebook function as help forums, marketplaces, and matchmaking sites. I wanted to go a different way with VAULT-TEC GERMANY and focus more on factions, characters, locations, and stuff like that. And by doing that, I encouraged philosophical discussions like "Are synths also humans and if so, should they enjoy the same rights?" Nowadays it has become about even more. News, memes, skills, gear, cosplay, fanfiction… It all can be found in the group. The Facebook group still doesn’t function as a help forum or marketplace. But I’ve established a Discord server for those matters. At that time, Instagram and TikTok weren’t a thing and jokes aside, neither of them offers a group function. Facebook is still a good medium for communities, even if the number of Facebook users has been declining for years. Shortly after the Fallout 76 announcement, several members recommended that I should set up a Discord server. Although I am a PC gamer, I had never heard of Discord before. Once I looked into it a bit, I quickly realized the advantages such a server would offer. For example, I was able to get to know the voices of my future teammates before release. Some of which were really great people, and I’ve now met a few in real life.” He goes on to say “When I founded V.T.G. in December 2016, I didn't expect the group to have several thousand members in just a few years. Even more so, I never thought Bethesda would take notice of the group and suddenly contact me. I am very grateful for everything that happened to me.”

Anyone in a group Discord or forum, knows that players come and go. But Billy points out that “what remains are the long-time players and fans. And they find a community together in VAULT-TEC GERMANY. Often new people join on Discord, and will say something like "My buddy, with whom I usually play, is playing something else. That's why I wanted to have a look here." You’ll find hardcore fans in our group, with whom you always can go and explore Appalachia.”

What sort of activities does a fan group like VAULT-TEC Germany organize? Turns out, almost anything you can imagine! Billy explains “thanks to the second C.A.M.P. module, we recently built our own city near Watoga, which we named "Vaultoga". Complete with 24 inhabitants and an agreed upon constitution.” One of his favourite moments in game was “during one of our photoshoots, we staged the Blue Ridge Caravan meeting a Sheepsquatch. My absolute favourite photo.”

When building these type of player communities, the group inevitably grows pretty close. And sometimes the online fun spills over into offline meetups and lasting friendships. “If there is no pandemic, I also like to arrange meetings with some members during events like Gamescom. We also used the Fallout C.A.M.P.s and the Bethesda Christmas Parties in Cologne to see each other. The next upcoming thing is a trip to a theme park together in July. (Unfortunately, not Nuka-World).”

We thank Billy for allowing us to spotlight him this month and wish for a wonderful and safe meet up for his community! Thank you all for the fun you’ve brought to Fallout 76.

Find Aufseher Billy and the VAULT-TEC-Germany group on Discord and Facebook here!