Scientific Pursuits is a Fallout 3 quest. It is also a Xbox 360/PC achievement and a PlayStation 3 Trophy.
Quick walkthrough
| Main Quest: Scientific Pursuits | |||||
| Gain Entrance to Rivet City | |||||
| Talk to Dr. Li about Dad | |||||
| Look for Dad in Project Purity's Control Room | |||||
| Gain Entrance to Vault 112 | |||||
| Reward: 500 EXP | |||||
| Leads to: Tranquility Lane | |||||
Detailed walkthrough
This quest can be started by talking to Dr. Madison Li in the Rivet City science Lab, with or without completing the Galaxy News Radio quest. Also it can be started by picking up the notes in Jefferson Memorial regarding Project Purity, or by entering Vault 112 itself. It is highly likely that you have already visited Rivet City, likely as part of the Wasteland Survival Guide or in the course of visiting the southern Metro Stations to reach areas like Museum of History or the National Archives. In this case, reaching Dr. Li is trivial.
The easiest - as in, quickest and no or almost no combat - way to get to Rivet City is to go back via the map marker in your Pip-Boy 3000 to Super-Duper Mart.
- From there, follow the river (Potomac) south on the west bank, passing Wilhelms Wharf, down to the Arlington Memorial bridge at the Citadel.
- You can either avoid a few super mutants by swimming over at the Jefferson Memorial, or you can cross the Memorial bridge and head south after a brief battle.
- When you have the Jefferson Memorial in sight, head east. Near the Anacostia Crossing metro entrance you will notice a metal construct next to the aircraft carrier; climb it and use the intercom to get the bridge connected.
You can also cross the D.C. urban area, dodging in and out of metro stations, or follow the east bank of the Potomac River, and it will lead you to a lot or at least some more combat.
Depending on your earlier missions - The Power of the Atom in particular - you may run into Talon Company or Regulators.
Talk to Doctor Li about Dad and Project Purity
Dr. Li knows your father, James. She offers details on Project Purity and tells you where James ran off to: the Jefferson Memorial. If you've been to this location and visited the underground tunnel, the game will allow you to tell her that he isn't there; she will instead insist that you go back as his notes were left there.
Look for Dad in Project Purity's Control Room
Enter the Memorial through the metal door labeled Gift Shop, it's on the right front side with a metal frame around it and a set of lights next to it. Be warned that there are a number of super mutants inside. Make your way to the Rotunda by following the signs.
Once in the Rotunda, walk up to the auxiliary filtration unit near the entry way and pick up the Project Purity journals resting here. One of the tapes, #10, will indicate that your father has left for Vault 112 already. The location will be added to your map; there are several other points of interest in the area, which makes it relatively simple to fast travel to.
Gain access to Vault 112
Vault 112 is located hidden underground of Smith Casey's Garage which is due west of Evergreen Mills. Once inside, head past the front desk and into the back room, which is infested with radroaches and mole rats. You will find a switch located on the wall to your left that operates a large hole in the floor. Activate the switch and the door will open. Proceed down the stairway, down the next set of stairs and to the bottom.
You cannot miss the Vault 112 doorway. Activate the door using the panel and you can walk in. Next walk down into the tranquility lab and find the only unoccupied operational tranquility lounger where you will complete the quest. Smith Casey's garage can be accessed straight after the player leaves Vault 101, therefore advancing through a large section of the game's main quest-line.
Achievement
It is possible to skip major portions of this quest, for example by speaking directly to Dr. Li in Rivet City before visiting Three Dog, or by visiting the Jefferson Memorial directly. In these cases, this achievement will still be rewarded at the same time that the Tranquility Lane achievement is received.
In the Xbox and PS3 versions, if you already have entered the Jefferson Memorial (especially the rotunda) before talking to Dr. Li in Rivet City, the achievement/trophy will not be unlocked once you materialize at Tranquility Lane. Thus this achievement/trophy cannot be obtained out of sequence, with regards to the main quest achievements. In order to rectify this, the player can load a saved game at a point where Jefferson Memorial has not been explored and work through the main quest again.
Quest stages
Bugs
If the Broken Steel add-on is installed when this mission is started, a glitch may occur on Galaxy News Radio where Three Dog will occasionally talk about Project Purity being activated, which may give serious plot spoilers to the player. [verified]- The mission marker that should point to Smith Casey's garage may be placed at the entrance to Evergreen Mills. [verified]
Gallery
