Fallout 3: Main quests 8 - Tranquility Lane - walkthrough Fallout 3 Guide

Last update: 02 November 2022

MAIN QUEST 8: Tranquility Lane

Received from: automatically upon completion of Scientific pursuits [Vault 112]

Solution: This is by far one of the most interesting quests in the entire game, because it takes place entirely inside a virtual environment, created by one of the scientists of Vault 112. Notice that you're playing a role of a young boy and instead of Pip-Boy you only have a watch. Wait for George Neusbaum to welcome you as a new guest of Tranquility Lane. Once this conversation has ended, you will have to decide how to play this out.

Positive outcome:

Good ending is definitely easier to reach, because you'll only have to perform a few simple tasks. I have to warn you, though, because you'll miss out on several funny and interesting scenes. Ignore Betty entirely and instead try searching for Old Lady Dithers. She's probably the only person who suspects this is not real environment you're living in. Dithers will mention an abandoned house and that all tenants of Tranquility Lane are forbidden to go inside that building. Obviously you will have to disobey. Find an Abandoned House and use the front door to take a peek inside. Take your time to inspect your surroundings. Notice a few interactive items in the room. By touching them you'll hear distinct sounds. The objective here is to touch the objects in a correct order. Here it is: radio, pitcher, dwarf, pitcher, cinder block, dwarf, bottle. The last object can be found near the door, so you'll have to turn around (screen).

If you entered the correct code, you will notice that a computer terminal has appeared to your right. Obviously you must approach the terminal. Press the action key to use it. Choose the Chinese invasion program from the main menu (it's the first option on the list - screen). Note that you'll have to read the documentation (second option in the menu) before you'll be allowed to execute Chinese invasion. Once this is done, leave the building and look at what you've done. The citizens of Tranquility Lane are being hunted down by Chinese soldiers. Thankfully, you won't have to worry about being attacked, because the soldiers will ignore your actions entirely. Head over to the playground and talk to Betty. Ignore her answers, because she (or rather he) can't harm you anymore. Ask Betty about your father, about the G.E.C.K. and the virtual environment. In order to leave Tranquility Lane you must use a small door which will appear next to Betty.

Negative outcome:

Ignore Old Lady Dithers entirely and be rude towards her if she tries talking to you. Instead, head over to Betty. You can find her near the playground (central area of the map). You will have to perform four dirty deeds for Betty before she allows you to leave. The first task will require you to make Timmy Neusbaum cry. You can find Timmy outside the Neusbaum residence and you'll recognize him from the rest of the group by the fact that he's selling soda. There are four ways of making him cry. First of all, you can talk to Timmy and use your speech skill to convince him that his parents are taking divorce because of him. You can also inspect Neusbaum residence and you'd find military school brochure. Go back to Timmy, show him the brochure and suggest that his parents want to send him there. You can also kill one of Timmy's parents which shouldn't be difficult, especially since the person you're about to attack won't fight back. Finally, you may attack Timmy himself (screen). A few punches will be more than enough.

Return to Betty. You will be allowed to ask her one question (about James, about her true identity or about Tranquility Lane), but it doesn't really matter which one it's going to be. Don't even think about attacking Betty and don't make her angry, because you would have died and you can't kill her using standard methods of engagement. The second challenge for Betty is going to be a little more complicated, because you'll have to make Rockwell's marriage fall apart. Head over to Rockwell's residence. Before you talk to Janet or Roger, use the stairs to get to the first floor. Find the bedroom and pick up Janet Rockwell's diary. Read it and you'll find out that Janet has some doubts whether her husband is cheating on her or not. You may now talk to her or to Roger. If you're convincing enough, you can win this speech challenge right away by making Janet believe that her husband is a cheater. Otherwise leave Rockwell's residence.

Head on to Simpson's residence. You can to talk to Martha Simpson if you want to, however this is optional. Once again, you must use the stairs to get to the upper floor. Find the bedroom and take underwear from Martha's bed. Go back to Rockwell's residence, however this time you should proceed directly to the basement. Find Roger's desk and place the underwear on the desk (screen). Once this is done, go back up and locate Janet. Tell her about the item you "found" in the basement and follow her to that location. Once Janet has made the discovery, you'll have to talk to her again. You can convince her that her husband cheated on her or that he likes to wear such clothes. Either way, you'll get the job done.

There's also a different way to complete this part of the main quest and that is to murder Martha Simpson. Start inside Rockwell's residence. This time you'll have get to the kitchen which is located near the basement. Notice a rolling pin on the kitchen table (screen). Obviously you must take this item with you. Exit the house and proceed to Simpson's residence. Find Martha and use your newly acquired rolling pin (not the fists!) to kill her. Once this is done, go back to Rockwell's residence and show the rolling pin to Roger. Convince him that his wife has murdered Martha, because she was suspecting that he had an affair with the neighbor. Return to Betty once you've completed this task. Just as before, she will allow you to ask one question.

The third assignment from Betty will require you to kill Mabel Henderson. The trick is that it can't be a typical death. You will have to be creative in order to prevail. Look around and ask a few of your new neighbors about Mabel. You'll find out that she's an excellent cook. Now you can find Mabel and ask her to make you a pie. Run to her house - Henderson's residence. You can kill her using four different objects. If you want her death to be in the kitchen then you must examine her oven. Interact with this object, move back and wait for Mabel to get here. She will die in flames (screen).

The second option will require you to reprogram a cleaning robot which can be found near the entrance. Wait for Mabel to arrive and hack into a security terminal which is located in the kitchen. First of all, you must disable the protection system. Once this is done, order the robot to "clean" the place. Don't forget to disable it once Mabel is gone. The third solution is to mess with a large chandelier located in the saloon. Click on this object and choose an interaction with the chain. The chandelier will fall down when Mabel is standing beneath it, killing her on the spot. The final solution will require you to go up the stairs. Find a skateboard (screen) and press the action key. Push the skateboard towards the stairs. Now you must patiently wait for Mabel to use the stairs. She will fall down and break her neck. It doesn't really matter how she dies, because eventually you'll have to return to Betty to continue on with the main quest.

The final assignment is by far the most enjoyable one, because you're going to become the Pint-Sized Slasher, a fictional serial killer. Head over to an Abandoned home, however don't enter it. Instead turn right and locate a dog kennel. Interact with this object and your character will automatically wear two objects - a slasher knife and a slasher mask. You may finally proceed with the killings. You must kill everyone you encounter with the exception of Betty and a large dog. If you're having problems locating missing people, check areas near the fence, because that's where they like to hide. Once everyone is dead, Betty (Braun) will allow you to leave Tranquility Lane. Turn right and use a small door to get out of here. It's time to go back to the real world, Neo.

Ending the quest

Once you've safely returned to Vault 112 you can talk to James who's also been released from the virtual world. Listen to what he has to say about the virtual environment and his usefulness to the finalization of the Purity project. I would recommend that you agree to his proposal to travel together to Rivet City.