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Nuka-Cola vending machines are stationary elements of furniture designed to sell Nuka-Cola Corporation's beverages, in Fallout 3.

Overview[]

The Nuka-Cola Corporation aggressively marketed their flagship product ever since its introduction in 2044. Low-maintenance vending machines were a crucial part of the strategy, and the corporation's generous investment eventually led to a vending machine on almost every street in the United States by 2067, available in a broad variety of types.[1][2]

Model[]

A large, imposing machine with a built-in monochrome monitor at the top for playing advertisements. The machine has been modified from the previous model to allow new bottles to slide into the trays, rather than being deposited mechanically and risking injury. As with the previous model, it's coin-operated with coin-changing functionality.

Variant[]

Locations[]

In Fallout 3 there are 152 of them located throughout the Capital Wasteland, in metro stations and various buildings. The contents of a vending machine are randomly set the first time the player character enters a map cell and remain that way for the rest of the game. In all other respects, it is a standard container and can be used for long term storage throughout the game.

A fully stocked vending machine contains nine bottle caps, three Nuka-Colas and a Nuka-Cola Quantum, but it is an extremely rare occurrence. The minimum a vending machine will contain is a single Nuka-Cola with the rest being random. There are two chances (75%) for an additional Nuka-Cola. There is a chance (10%) for bottle caps (probably 11% for 9) and a chance (10%) for a Nuka-Cola Quantum. The odds (based on the above figures) for a fully stocked machine are 1 in 1,600 or 0.0625%. That works out to 1 fully stocked machine in 10 1/2 complete games (visiting every machine on the map).

Since the contents of a vending machine are set the first time the player enters a map cell, it is possible to "roll" for Quantums (save, enter the cell, check for Quantums, reload). In a map cell containing two vending machines, the odds are 1 in 100 of finding a Quantum in both of them. For three machines, it is 1 in 1,000 and so on.

A pristine Nuka-Cola machine can be bought for the house in Megaton or the suite in Tenpenny Tower from Moira Brown and Lydia Montenegro, respectively. Putting a regular Nuka-Cola into the pristine vending machine converts it into an ice cold Nuka-Cola, improving the health benefits (+20HP/+1RAD vs. +10HP/+2RAD). Once converted, they are no longer available for the Quantum Chemist Broken Steel perk. As with all other vending machines, the one in the house/suite is a regular container and can be used to store anything else in the game.

According to Ronald Laren, Nuka-Cola vending machines have a label on them reading "Warning: If you tamper with this unit you will have to answer to the Nuka-Cola Corporation."[3]

Map Marker Map Cell Quantity Notes
Alexandria Arms 1 Directly southwest of the fast travel spawn point, in a building full of traps, next to the entrance.
Alexandria Arms 2 Up the main stairs, through the double doors to a large room. They're across the room from each other.
Alien homing beacon Mothership Zeta (add-on) Engineering Core 1 South of the steamworks entrance (the machine appears only after sufficient story progress).
Anacostia Crossing Station 4 The first is around the corner from the Anacostia Crossing Station entrance. One is on the upper level on the north wall behind the raider barricades. Another is on the lower level in the southeast corner. The final one is around the corner from the Seward Square entrance.
Anchorage Memorial Facility 1 On the lower floor, west of the door to the Memorial Facility Bay.
Facility Offices 1 Opposite the restrooms, near the big hole to the underground passage.
Arlington Cemetery North 1 On the western wall of the Arlington metro station.
Arlington Cemetery South 1 Outside the entrance to Arlington/Falls Church Metro.
Arlington/Falls Church Metro 1 Close to the entrance from the cemetery.
Arlington Library Children's Wing 2 Both machines are in the corridor running around the central room, one to the north and one to the south.
Lobby 2 Both machines are on the ground floor in the corridor beginning between the two stairs in the lobby room.
Media Archive 4 Two machines are on the ground floor, one in the first room to the right after entering from the lobby and the other east of the pitching machine. One machine is in the billiard room in the southwest of the 1st floor and another stands in the corridor leading to the children's wing on the 2nd floor.
Bethesda ruins Bethesda underworks 1 Close to the main entrance from Bethesda ruins.
Canterbury Commons Dominic and Machete's house 1 In the locker room.
Chaste Acres Dairy Farm 2 Due west from the spawn point about 1/3 of the way to Old Olney, there is a Red Rocket. The machines are at the very back of the crashed truck.
Chevy Chase East Metro Junction 2 One is near the Chevy Chase exit. The other is in the passage from the mezzanine to the Dupont Circle exit.
Chevy Chase North Tenleytown/Friendship station 2 One is close to the entrance from Chevy Chase and the other is in a service tunnel southeast of the door to Farragut West station.
Chryslus Building Basement 2 One is directly opposite the stairs from the reception area. The other is to the northeast of the stairs from the lower offices in the dead end of a corridor.
Lower Offices 2 One on the ground floor, southeast of the door to the basement. The other is on the 1st floor in the central room with many desks and broken terminals.
Reception Area 3 Two are on the ground floor, one in a corridor south of the reception desk and one in the northern room behind the locked door with the terminal. Another is on the 1st floor slightly north of the western staircase.
Dunwich Building Dunwich Building 2 One is north-northwest of the entrance on the 1st floor, the other is on the 2nd floor in the southeast corner of the building.
Dupont Circle station Dupont Circle station 1 Close to the entrance from Dupont Circle.
Fairfax ruins Fairfax Metro station 1 Close to the entrance from Fairfax ruins.
Flooded Metro Flooded Metro 1 Close to the entrance from the Capital Wasteland.
Flooded Metro (fake) Arlington Wasteland Metro 1 Close to the entrance from the Capital Wasteland.
Fort Independence Fort Independence 1 At the bottom of the staircase just prior to entering the lower level.
Georgetown North 2 North of the spawn point and the entrance to the metro.
GNR building plaza GNR building plaza 1 On the ground floor a room in the northwest corner of the building.
Grayditch 1 Inside the Dot's Diner west of the fast travel spawn point.
Hubris Comics Publishing 1 In the far southeast corner of the level, near the room labeled "Beta Testing."
Jefferson Memorial Museum and Gift Shop 1 Close to the southern door to the rotunda.
Jocko's Pop Stop 1 Outside the building.
L'Enfant Plaza 1 Behind the entrance to hazmat disposal site L5.
L'Enfant South 3 One behind the irradiated metro entrance, and two at the building north of the "L'Enfant Cafe."
Falls Church East 1 In the destroyed building to the west on the ground floor at the western wall.
L.O.B. Archives 1 In the southeast corner of the map.
L.O.B. East Wing 1 In a room on the ground floor in the northwest corner of the map.
L.O.B. Enterprises 3 All machines are on the ground floor. One is in the servery in the northeast. Another in the corridor west of the servery and close to the stairs leading down to the archives. One more is in the west near the staircase leading up to the east wing doors.
Mama Dolce's Food Distribution 2 Both machines are on the upper floor. One is in a nook next to the western door to the loading yard and the other is in the southeast corner in the room between the two factory halls.
Marigold station Marigold station 2 One is close to the entrance from Grayditch and the other is in the service space between the eastbound tracks.
MDPL-13 power station Derelict Power Plant 1 Next to the double door entrance.
Metro Central Metro Central 1 West of the entrance from Pennsylvania Avenue.
Museum of History Museum station 1 Around the corner from the Museum of History entrance.
Lower Halls 2 Both are on the ground floor in the southeast corner of the map.
Offices 1 Behind the wall to the south from the top of the stairs.
Museum of Technology Atrium 1 In the northeast corner of the atrium.
West Wing 1 At the top level of the Delta IX exhibit in the northwest corner.
Nuka-Cola plant 1 In front of the building, south of the Nuka-Cola fountain.
Factory Floor 1 In the southeast corner of the building.
National Guard depot 1 Next to the entrance.
National Guard depot 3 All are in the southeast corner of the building, two are in the room with the exit to the depot training wing, and one in the room with the exit to the depot offices.
Old Olney S. Wilson Building Broken Steel 4 One is on the 1st floor on the north wall. One on the 3rd floor in the southeast corner. Two machines are on the 4th floor, one halfway along the western wall, and one in the northeast corner.
Underground Broken Steel 3 All are in the ruined hospital halfway through the map. One is at the bottom of the stairs in the northeast (on the middle floor). One is at the top floor in a short corridor southeast of the large hole to the basement. One is next to that hole on the middle floor.
Our Lady of Hope Hospital Our Lady of Hope Hospital 3 One in the corridor at the eastern side of the building, one south of the side entrance, and one next to the stairs leading up to the 2nd level.
2nd Lvl 1 Southeast of the entrance from the 1st floor.
Paradise Falls Paradise Falls 1 In the food court.
Slaver Barracks 1 Southwest of the entrance.
Penn. Ave Northwest Penn Ave Georgetown Metro 1 Close to the entrance from Pennsylvania Avenue.
Pitt steelyardThe Pitt (add-on) Pitt underground 1 On the ground floor in the middle factory hall to the northeast.
Pitt Uptown The Pitt (add-on) Abandoned apartments 1 Opposite the eastern entrance.
The Mill 1 On the upper floor, in the corridors southwest of the locker room.
Ranger compound 3 The machines are on the 4th floor and require a significant amount of effort to access. See the ranger compound page for more information.
Red Racer factory Bailey's Crossroads Metro Operation: Anchorage (add-on) 1 West of the mezzanine in the large hallway.
Factory Floor 4 One is on the top floor in the corridors north of the exit to the CEO offices. The remaining machines are on the ground floor, one in the western production hall below the exit to the CEO offices, one in the room north of the northern production hall, and one in the corridors southeast of it.
Rivet City Broken Bow 1 In the southeast corner in the room next to Pinkerton's.
Market 1 In the far corner from the outside entrance.
Midship Deck 1 In the Capital Preservation Society.
RobCo facility Offices & Cafeteria 2 Both are in the first room.
Robot repair center Robot repair center 1 In the room west of the entrance, to the left.
Rockbreaker's Last Gas 2 Inside the fence, next to the Red Rocket.
Roosevelt Academy Roosevelt Academy 1 On the ground floor in an alcove of the east part of the northern hallway.
Roosevelt Arts and Athletics Hall 3 One is on the 1st floor north of the ladies restrooms and two more are on the 3rd floor in the southwest corner.
Seward Sq. Southeast 3 Northwest of Anacostia Crossing Station at Seward Square. Two are on the northern wall of the Broadway Cinema and one is at the eastern border of the square (to the northeast from the cinema) opposite a bus stop.
Sewer waystation County sewer mainline 1 To the northwest in Gallo's home.
Smith Casey's garage Smith Casey's garage 1 Opposite the entrance.
Springvale 1 Under the Red Rocket east of the spawn point.
Springvale school Springvale school 1 On the 2nd floor on the balcony over the main entrance.
Super-Duper Mart 2 In front of the building (east side).
Super-Duper Mart 1 Close to the southern entrance.
Takoma Industrial 1 Southwest of the factory, in front of the Takoma Motor Service and Repair.
Takoma Park 1 Halfway up the road to the east, next to the Cornucopia Fresh Groceries.
Vernon East/Takoma Park 3 One is close to the entrance from Takoma Park and one more west of the nearby ticket booth. One is between the tracks west of the Abernathy Metro station part.
Tenpenny Tower Suites 1 To the south in an alcove of the circular hallway.
Willy's grocer 1 Inside the building next to the Red Rocket east of Tenpenny Tower.
The Citadel A Ring 2 Both are in the c-shaped hallway, each to the west of one of the doors to B Ring.
B Ring 1 Close to the southern door to A Ring.
National Archives National Archives 2 West of the entrance hall, near the restrooms. The other next to a refrigerator in the basement between the backdoor and Archives Sub-Basement entrance.
Statesman Hotel 4 One is on the ground floor of the ruined building to the northwest. Three are outside the cinema to the north-northwest.
Mid Level 2 One is on the 1st floor, in the south-most room. Another is on the 2nd floor to the northeast of the southwest staircase.
Restaurant 1 West-southwest of the stair entrance from the mid-level.
The Statesman Hotel 2 One is on the 1st floor in the corridor behind the southern stairs and one is on the 2nd floor in a room adjacent to the eastern corridor.
Vault 92 Sound Testing 1 Downstairs in the room below the western exit to Vault 92.
Vault-Tec headquarters 1 Close to the entrance.
Corporate Offices 2 One is on the lower floor, in an alcove halfway down the eastern corridor. One is on the upper floor to the west, in an alcove next to the ladies' restrooms.
Guest Relations 2 Both are upstairs on the west side of the lobby (one is only reachable from the administration section).
White House Presidential sub level Broken Steel 1 To the north in a utility room, reachable from the subway tunnel.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. Fallout 4 loading screens: "Amateur chemist John-Caleb Bradberton discovered the formula for Nuka-Cola in 2044. Within a year, Nuka-Cola could be purchased across the entire United States."
  2. Sierra Petrovita: "When Nuka-Cola was invented by John-Caleb Bradberton in 2044, it quickly became the world's most popular soft drink. The wonder drink soon drew a dedicated following which prompted the Nuka-Cola Corporation to release many promotional items like these. By 2067, a Nuka-Cola machine such as this rare pristine model could be found on almost every street in America. Even in today's crazy world, Nuka-Cola is still the number one choice of refreshment among Armageddon's survivors."
    (Sierra Petrovita's dialogue)
  3. RonaldLaren.txt, see response 33
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