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For the Fallout 3 quest involving these tapes, see The Replicated Man.

The Replicated Man holotapes are a series of holotapes in Fallout 3, all simply called Holotape in the game. They are directly related to the quest "The Replicated Man" and can be found all over the Capital Wasteland.


Although the locations for the "clue" tapes are fixed, you will not always find the same tape in the same location. Instead a tiered system is used to determine which actual holotape you receive; once you have uncovered a clue of a certain tier, you will advance to the next tier when finding another.

For example, if you have already found a tier 1 clue, you will find no other tier 1 clues anymore - instead you will find the tier 2 one at any of the locations you haven't visited. In addition, there are different versions of the tier 1 and tier 3 clues, depending on the type of person you received them from. If you initiate the quest by talking to Dr. Zimmer or Victoria Watts, the tier 1 tapes will be skipped and the first tape you find will be the one from tier 2.

The remaining two tapes are received in more conventional manners. Dr. Zimmer gives you Self determination is not a malfunction when spoken to and Horace Pinkerton supplies Pre-Harkness Audio Recording at the end of the quest.

Clue providersEdit

You can receive clues/tapes from the people listed below. The word in the top table row is the "type" which determines what tier 1 and tier 3 clue you get from that person; the tier 2 and tier 4 clue can be received from any of these people. You mostly have two options to obtain each clue: either through dialogue or through a terminal/tape in the non-player character's possession. The exceptions are Doctor Preston and the sympathizers; Preston's clue can only be received through dialogue and the sympathizers' clues can only be obtained by finding their tapes (which unlocks their corresponding dialogue). As soon as the tier 4 clue is found all remaining clue tapes and the dialogue choices referring to them are removed from the game.

Medical Technical Slaver Sympathizer

Start quest transcriptEdit

Self determination is not a malfunctionEdit


Zimmer. By the time you get this message, I'll already be gone. I'm escaping the Commonwealth. I want to live my own life, on my own terms, as my own man.

I know what you're thinking, that I'm malfunctioning. I used to think that's what caused the runaways, too. But, I know better, now. Self determination is NOT a malfunction. I'm just not willing to put up with all the bullshit anymore. You humans are going to have a full-fledged rebellion on your hands if you don't start treating us synths as persons.

I know you'll be marshalling the Retention Bureau to come after me. But I know all the tricks of the trade. You won't be finding me. I assure you.

By the time you get this, I will be someone else. It's the price I pay for my liberation. My final act of rebellion against a system I no longer believe in.

Goodbye Zimmer, and good riddance.

Tier 1 transcriptsEdit

Wanted: Trustworthy SurgeonEdit

Type: medical


Hey doc, I'm only sharing this with you because you seem like someone we can trust. Have you heard about the synthetic men they make up north in the Commonwealth? Well, the rumors are true. They're called androids. They're men like us, just made out of different parts. I know one of these androids. He's looking for a trustworthy doctor to perform some facial surgery. Can you do it? Do you know someone who can? Also, do you know anyone who's really a wiz with computers?

Assignment from the CommonwealthEdit

Type: slaver


We've a little assignment from the Commonwealth. A very important slave escaped into the Wasteland. Well, it's not exactly a slave. It's what they call an android. A kind of synthetic man. The important thing isn't what this guy is. The important thing is the job pays more than you can imagine. He thinks the synthman might be looking to get in touch with a doctor and/or tech-head. If you want a cut, then get a move on.

Rogue AndroidEdit

Type: sympathizer


You'll never guess who just showed up at my place! That android catcher from the Commonwealth! At first I thought he was going to kill me. But it turns out he's an android himself! And he's gone rogue! I didn't believe him at first, but I'm convinced he's telling the truth. We need to find him a place to hide along the Railroad. He also insists that we help him locate a trusted doctor and techie.

Androids are real. No really!Edit

Type: technical


You've heard those rumors about androids? You know, those synthetic men they supposedly make up north in the Commonwealth? Well, a friend of a friend knows a guy that met one! No really, it's true! He's running away from his masters. Word is he's looking for a doctor to do some kind of surgery, and a computer programmer of some kind. Can you believe that? Let me know if you hear something.

Tier 2 transcriptEdit

A request for helpEdit


If you're listening to this recording, it is because you're believed to be trustworthy. I hope that is the case, because this recording puts us both in danger. I'm escaping from the Commonwealth. I'm an android, a synthetic man... a slave. The men hunting me are ruthless and will stop at nothing to retrieve their property. I need to find a doctor in the Wasteland to perform facial reconstruction. I also need someone who knows a great deal about computers. I need... I need to have my memories erased and my face altered to look like someone else.

Tier 3 transcriptsEdit

We got the tech, now we need the doc.Edit

Type: medical


We now have a Lipoplasticator and Micro Dermal Graftilizer. We just need to find someone with the skills and willingness to perform the surgery. If anyone knows of a discreet and trustworthy surgeon who knows how to keep his mouth shut, send him our way. Also, we need to find a Circuit Neuralizer to reroute the signals in the android's memory. Do you know any trustworthy techies?

Get it done!Edit

Type: slaver


Time's running out on finding that android. We don't get him soon, someone else will. Zimmer doesn't seem to understand we're the best at this sort of thing. I'm sure he's hired others, too. He won't shut up about the thing. He was babbling about a "Lipoplasticator" and "Micro Dermal Graftilizer." What are those, you ask? Apparently something doctors use to mess up someone's face beyond recognition. So we don't even have a description to work off of. To make matters worse, he now thinks the android got his memories wiped or something. Find some tech-junkies, knock on some doors, and try to find something called a "Circuit Neuralizer." Knock on some heads, too, if you have to. Get it done!

Extreme measuresEdit

Type: sympathizer


The android's decided on extreme measures. He knows all the techniques of the retrieval trade, and is afraid facial reconstruction isn't enough. He wants his memories erased and replaced with new ones. I don't know how that's going to work. Start asking around for trustworthy tech-heads. We need to find something called a Circuit Neuralizer and a person who knows how to use one. Also, we have a Lipoplasticator and Micro Dermal Graftilizer, now we need to find a doctor able and willing to perform the facial reconstruction. We need to hurry. They've come very close to discovering the Railroad!

Oh man! A Circuit Neuralizer!Edit

Type: technical


Remember that secret android project I told you about? Well, they got some serious prewar tech on their hands. They nabbed a Lipoplasticator and Micro Dermal Graftilizer for the facial reconstruction. Not sure where they'll find a chopper with enough skills to use it without making him look like a freaking ghoul. Oh, and get this. Can you believe they found a Circuit Neuralizer? That or someone built one! Word is that they're going to completely rewire the brain of one of those things. If you know who they got working on this, let me know. I want to meet the guy.

Tier 4 transcriptEdit

A free man... a new man...Edit


Despite the harshness of the Wasteland, I've discovered in more than a few here, a compassion that is unheard of in the Commonwealth. Perhaps it's the daily struggle for life here which gives appreciation for life in general, whether human, or android. In a few days I'll be a free man... a new man. Let me say thank you now, for referring me to Pinkerton at Rivet City, because I will not remember any of this soon.

End quest transcriptEdit

Given by Horace Pinkerton when asking him for information about the android.

Pre-Harkness Audio RecordingEdit


My designation is A3-21. I'm a synthetic humanoid from the Commonwealth, and I'm about to undergo a memory transfer.
I'm here at Rivet City, where I've already had my face altered to look like someone else.
I'm still getting used to the sound of my new voice, but soon I won't even remember what I used to sound like.
I'm recording this at the request of Pinkerton, who performed the surgery and will do the memory transfer.
It will be a final testimony of the man I once was... and still am, for the moment.
I want to live my own life, on my own terms, as my own man. I used to work for the Synth Retention Bureau of the Commonwealth.
But I'm done with that life. I'm through with being someone's property. I am not malfunctioning! Since when is self determination a malfunction?
When this is all over, I will be someone else. It's the price I pay for my liberation. My death is a sacrifice for my rebirth.
Perhaps I'll fade into myth as "The One That Got Away" and fuel further rebellion. But I'd be lying if I said I was doing this for selfless reasons.
I'm scared as hell, and running away is the only option I have.


Though it no longer serves any purpose, the misc. item is still found in the game files for Fallout: New Vegas.
