Fallout Writer Explains Jet Inhaler Was Inspired By Family’s Asthma

Due to the success of Amazon Prime’s Fallout TV show, fans of the post-apocalyptic wasteland have been heading back into the franchise to replay one of Bethesda’s most beloved titles. This horde of new and old players has seen Fallout 4 more than double its concurrent players on Steam since the release of the show, making it one of the most popular games in recent weeks.

If you were one of those players who just couldn’t say no to the enticing allure of Fallout’s environments, exciting narratives, and complex characters, you might be wondering what the story is behind those Jet Inhalers commonly found throughout the wasteland. Chris Avellone, level designer for Fallout 2 and senior designer on Fallout: New Vegas, including project director and creative lead designer of its add-ons, explains the inspiration behind the inhaler.

Where The Jet Inhaler Idea Came From In Fallout

Speaking to fans on Twitter/X, Chris Avellone tweeted an unveiling of how the idea of Jet inhalers came about in Fallout. For those who aren’t in the know, Jet Inhalers are commonly found scattered around the Wasteland in the games and contain a highly habit-forming drug that is extracted from brahmin (a two-headed cow) dung fumes. By being inhaled, Jet then triggers a euphoric rush of energy and strength. In conclusion, pretty strong and addictive stuff.

Dipping into the game’s lore, Avellone tweeted “Fun note on Jet for #Fallout. The idea for the inhaler as a delivery mechanism came from members of my family, me included, who had asthma when younger.” This prompted a fan to ask him what exactly was inside the canister – was it pure fumes or just actual Brahmin shit? Avellone replied that, at least in Fallout 2, there were “high concentrations of mutated Brahmin feces”.

Another fan asked a question on the same topic if Jet was “further mutated, or all Brahmin? Do the cows need an additional mutation to be a jet-producing herd? Or could anyone with Brahmin make jet, moonshine style?”. “No, it only stems from two-headed/mutated brahmin, and the speculation was that it was because of something they were feeding the brahmin’s ancestors before the war.” Avellone contained, “But yes if people were willing to tolerate the smell (the Mordinos in F2 didn’t have jet-making facilities in Reno for this reason), it’s possible to make your own jet fume farms.”

So not only did fans get the inspiration behind the Jet Inhaler, but they also found out that they could essentially craft it themselves by cultivating their very own Jet Fume Farm – as long as they could put up with the smell.

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