A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electrical signals and power. The transistor is one of the basic building blocks of modern electronics, as the foundation of integrated circuits and then chipsets.

In the Fallout series, one of the aspects of the divergence is the fact that transistors did not became as popular, with vacuum tubes continuing to be the dominant building block of electronics into the 21st century, and the term "chip" typically (but not always) refers to processing units using vacuum tubes, such as the water chip.

Background

Integrated circuits were available as early as 2023, though vacuum tubes remained the predominant basis for electronics, in particular consumer-grade devices.^[1] The compact size of transistors made them the preferred choice for Mister Handy series among others.^[2][3] Perhaps the most impressive example of this technology in practice was the platinum chip, an incredibly capacious storage device in the shape of a large casino chip.^[4]

However, transistors had one drawback: They were more susceptible to electromagnetic pulse interference and damage.^{[Non-game 1]}

Usage

• The platinum chip is an incredibly sophisticated piece of technology using integrated circuits, originally printed at Sunnyvale, CA, on the eve of the Great War. It combined the functions of an electronic key and storage device, containing upgrade data for Robert House's Securitron army and operating software of the Lucky 38.^[4]
• The fuel cell regulator used in electric cars like the Chryslus Highwayman uses integrated circuits in its chipset.^[5]
• Mister Handy units use transistors for basic operations.^[2] Memory transistors are also essential for the proper functioning of these robots.^[3]
• Slave collars use transistors. Tweaking them permits disarming them.^[6] Their integrated circuit architecture was notoriously messy.^[7]
• Jack Cabot utilized new transistors to create a portable version of the Abremalin field generator in 2023.^[1]
• Transistor radios were popular before the Great War.^[8][9] General Atomics BS7 transistor radio was an example of a commercial-grade radio.^[10]
• Hologram emitters use integrated circuits to function.^[11]
• Big MT used integrated circuits for various experimental circuits, such as IFF systems in the X-13 research facility laser emitters.^[12] Doctor Mobius also used them extensively for various Sink appliances, including the light switches,^[13] the water tap,^[14] the Biological Research Station,^[15] and even used memory transistors in the Brain Tank robobrain chassis.^[16]
• Duraframe eyebots use printed circuit boards,^[17] especially for upgrades.^[18]
• Scrap electronics include printed circuit boards with integrated circuits using transistors.^[19]
• Poseidon Oil was an example of mixing transistors and tubes: The navigation computer module combined integrated circuits with tubes, and enabled completely automated sailing for even the most ancient of vessels.^[20]

Demo

• The personal computer found in the Crypts' gang house uses transistors and requires popping in a chip to make it work.^[21]

Non-canon

• In Fallout Tactics, the Reavers worship transistors.^{[Non-canon 1]}

Behind the scenes

Vacuum tubes vs. transistors

• The preference for vacuum tubes was a conscious choice made early in Fallout's development. Leonard Boyarsky pitched the idea to Tim Cain during the development, proposing that in the universe of Fallout, humans never went beyond transistors (i.e. the transistor was invented, but microelectronics did not catch on) and stayed with vacuum tubes. The idea originated in a proposal to feature a lot of vacuum tubes, since "everything would look cooler if it had vacuum tubes". Cain agreed, adding that vacuum tube electronics would be less susceptible to electromagnetic damage. Leonard Boyarsky recounted the story in 2018, in an interview on Matt Chat.^{[Non-game 1]}
• This was not consistently implemented, as noted in June 2003 by Joshua Sawyer during an exchange on No Mutants Allowed: When a user stated that Fallout is set in a future where the transistor was never invented, he pointed out the fact that EMP grenades in Fallout and Fallout 2 are incredibly powerful against robots, which would not be the case if they were based on vacuum tubes.^{[Non-game 2]}
• During the development of Fallout 3 (2008), and later Fallout 4 (2015), Joel Burgess argued with the team numerous times over the effects the absence of transistors would have not just on the basic mechanics, but also on the culture of the world. In his own words, the butterfly effect change of not inventing a transistor, "[w]hat does that say about the cultural priorities of the people who live in that world?" Burgess recounted this in 2016, in a Ubisoft livestream's closing Q&A.^{[Non-game 3]}
• In Fallout: New Vegas (2011), developed under the leadership of Joshua Sawyer, the platinum chip is an incredibly capacious electronic device and key, printed in Sunnyvale, and an example of integrated circuit technology. Robert House's life extension chamber also include a brain-machine interface, which was described in concept art as mounted on the top of House's head, featuring transistors and vacuum tubes wired directly into the brain after the skull was removed.^{[Non-game 4]} Integrated circuits and printed circuit boards are also referred to occasionally in the game and its downloadable content.
• In a Tumblr question in March 2019, Sawyer maintained his position on transistors in Fallout, reiterating how robots in the series are affected by EMP blasts and pointed out that "the state of technology isn’t represented consistently", in his Fallout: New Vegas included. He also noted that he believed the whole idea was secondary to the setting in his opinion, though it did push interesting ideas (citing the fact that the Soviet MiG-25 used vacuum tube electronics that would theoretically make it less vulnerable to EMPs).^{[Non-game 5]}

Miscellaneous

• Although labeled a memory transistor, the item to the right visually resembles and the designations refer to a real-world 6-volt octal (8 pin) vacuum tube. The designations of "6AC7" and "6Ж4" refer to two equivalent vacuum tube types in the North American RETMA tube naming convention and the Russian tube naming convention in Cyrillic, respectively.
• The idea of using vacuum tubes to build chips superior to ones using just transistors and integrated circuits has been explored in recent years.^{[Non-game 6]}

References

Non-game

Non-canon