West Virginia Explorer

John Barton

John Barton, father of three, runs West Virginia Autism and the Spectrum Gaming Project. He is a teacher, gamer, grant writer, and fierce advocate for autism families in West Virginia. Questions? Write him at wvautism@gmail.com. Possibly answers to “Papa Wolf.”

The Fallout 76 map of The Forest includes many features borrowed from central and western West Virginia.

Mapping Fallout 76: John Barton explores The Forest

Editor’s note: The sixth installment in John Barton’s examination of a map of the soon-to-be-released Fallout 76 video game investigates The Forest, based principally on the large, hilly heartland of central West Virginia. When players first set foot outside Vault 76,...

Highlights from a Fallout 76 map of the Savage Divide pay homage to the Allegheny Mountain region.

Mapping Fallout 76: John Barton explores The Savage Divide

Editor’s note: The fifth installment in John Barton’s examination of a map of the soon-to-be-released Fallout 76 video game investigates The Savage Divide region, which is based on the Allegheny Mountains region and its lofty Allegheny Front. The Savage Divide cuts...

Highlights from the Fallout 76 of the Ash Heap may reveal as much about West Virginia’s coal-mining history. Image courtesy Bethesda Softworks.

Mapping Fallout 76: John Barton explores The Ash Heap

Editor’s note: the fourth installment in John Barton’s examination of a map of the soon-to-be-released Fallout 76 video game investigates The Ash Heap region, which draws on the bloody history of mining and industrialism in West Virginia’s coalfields. The southwestern...

Highlights from the Fallout 76 of Toxic Valley may reveal as much about West Virginia's Chemical Valley.

Mapping Fallout 76: John Barton explores Toxic Valley

Editor’s note: the third installment in John Barton’s examination of a map of the soon-to-be-released Fallout 76 video game investigates the Toxic Valley region, which, he points out, shares many similarities with West Virginia’s Chemical Valley. “Toxic Valley”...

The Fallout 76 map of Cranberry Bog appears to be located in southeastern West Virginia.

Mapping Fallout 76: John Barton explores Cranberry Bog

Editor’s Note: This is the second installation in John Barton’s exploration of the Fallout 76 map of West Virginia. Here, he surveys Cranberry Bog. Go here to read the first part of Barton’s map exploration: Mapping Fallout 76: The Mire. Cranberry Bog is located in...

The Mire in the new Fallout 76 game appears to include West Virginia's panhandle region east of the "Savage Divide."

Mapping Fallout 76: John Barton explores The Mire

(Editor’s Note: Over the next six issues of the FalloutWV Newsletter, contributing editor John Barton will examine the six principal areas mapped in the new Fallout 76 video game. Please feel free to add your commentaries at the end of the story.) In the Fallout 76...

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John Barton

Mapping Fallout 76: John Barton explores The Forest

Editor’s note: The sixth installment in John Barton’s examination of a map of the soon-to-be-released Fallout 76 video game investigates The Forest, based principally on the large, hilly heartland of central West Virginia. When players first set foot outside Vault 76,...

Mapping Fallout 76: John Barton explores The Ash Heap

Editor’s note: the fourth installment in John Barton’s examination of a map of the soon-to-be-released Fallout 76 video game investigates The Ash Heap region, which draws on the bloody history of mining and industrialism in West Virginia’s coalfields. The southwestern...

Mapping Fallout 76: John Barton explores Toxic Valley

Editor’s note: the third installment in John Barton’s examination of a map of the soon-to-be-released Fallout 76 video game investigates the Toxic Valley region, which, he points out, shares many similarities with West Virginia’s Chemical Valley. “Toxic Valley”...

Mapping Fallout 76: John Barton explores Cranberry Bog

Editor’s Note: This is the second installation in John Barton’s exploration of the Fallout 76 map of West Virginia. Here, he surveys Cranberry Bog. Go here to read the first part of Barton’s map exploration: Mapping Fallout 76: The Mire. Cranberry Bog is located in...

Mapping Fallout 76: John Barton explores The Mire

(Editor’s Note: Over the next six issues of the FalloutWV Newsletter, contributing editor John Barton will examine the six principal areas mapped in the new Fallout 76 video game. Please feel free to add your commentaries at the end of the story.) In the Fallout 76...