New Vegas

Desert Metropolis of Innovation and Excess

Rising from the scorched desert 300 miles southwest of Horizon City stands New Vegas, a monument to human ingenuity and ambition that thrives in one of Earth's most inhospitable environments. What began as a corporate research outpost has evolved into a sprawling metropolis where cutting-edge technology, extreme wealth, desperate poverty, and dangerous experimentation coexist in a delicate balance outside the regulatory constraints of Horizon City.

Physical Environment

New Vegas presents a striking contrast to the barren desert surrounding it:

• Solar Arrays: Massive fields of solar collectors stretch for miles around the city, harvesting the intense desert sun
• Skyline: Towering casino-hotels and corporate headquarters dominate the central districts, many featuring their own artificial environments
• Research Facilities: Underground complexes house experimental laboratories where corporations conduct research too dangerous or restricted for Horizon City
• Luxury Districts: Climate-controlled areas with artificial waterfalls, gardens, and entertainment venues for the wealthy
• Outer Rings: Gradually deteriorating neighborhoods that transition into sprawling slums at the city edges
• Desert Perimeter: Extreme temperature zones that serve as both natural barrier and testing ground for heat-resistant technologies

The city's architecture combines nostalgic references to old Las Vegas with futuristic designs that showcase technological prowess. Water, a precious resource in the desert, is conspicuously displayed in luxury areas as a symbol of wealth and power.

The New Vegas Consortium

The city operates under the control of the New Vegas Consortium, a coalition of technology companies and wealthy investors who established their own governance structure:

• Corporate Territories: Major companies maintain their own secured districts with private security forces
• Neutral Zones: Designated areas where representatives from rival factions can meet and negotiate
• Research Governance: Minimal oversight of experimental technology, attracting projects that would face restrictions elsewhere
• Security Forces: Well-equipped private military contractors who maintain order according to Consortium directives

This governance model creates a city where almost anything is permitted for those with sufficient resources, while maintaining enough stability to prevent complete chaos. The Consortium's primary concern is protecting research investments rather than citizen welfare.

Research and Innovation

New Vegas has earned its reputation as a center for technological advancement through its numerous research facilities:

• Quantum Computing: Laboratories developing next-generation computational systems
• Neural Interface Technology: Experimental work on brain-computer interfaces
• Environmental Engineering: Research on surviving extreme conditions, including heat-resistant materials
• Energy Systems: Development of advanced power generation and storage technologies
• Prohibited Research: Experiments in areas restricted or banned in Horizon City

These facilities attract brilliant minds like Benjiro Takahashi, who conducted groundbreaking research in the city's laboratories. The promise of unrestricted experimentation and generous funding draws scientists and engineers willing to work in the harsh desert environment.

The Temperature Anomaly

Among New Vegas's most notorious features is the extreme temperature zone located in a section of desert outside the city, where temperatures reach levels far beyond normal desert conditions:

• Origin Theories: Officially attributed to climate change and geological factors, though rumors suggest it resulted from experimental energy research
• Research Value: Provides a natural testing ground for heat-resistant materials and cooling technologies
• Security Perimeter: Monitored boundary to prevent unauthorized access to the most extreme areas
• Scientific Interest: Regular expeditions by researchers studying the phenomenon and its effects

This area, where water bottles boil within minutes of exposure, has become both a scientific curiosity and a practical resource for the city's research community. Mr. Hope's facilities are known to conduct regular tests in the zone, developing technologies that can function in these extreme conditions.

Cultural Significance

To different groups, New Vegas represents vastly different things:

• For Corporations: A haven for research that would face regulatory hurdles elsewhere
• For the Wealthy: A playground of excess where any experience can be purchased
• For Researchers: An opportunity to push boundaries without restriction
• For the Desperate: A harsh but potentially lucrative alternative to Horizon City's rigid social structure
• For Horizon City Authorities: A problematic neighbor that operates beyond their jurisdiction

The city's reputation for both technological innovation and moral flexibility makes it a complex symbol in the post-collapse world - either a glimpse of humanity's potential for adaptation or a warning about the dangers of unchecked corporate power, depending on one's perspective.