The Gaming Den

Note that this post will be my random musings about my experiences with Fallout 3. Most of it will probably be very interesting to the public at large. Keep in mind that this is a new experience for me (I tend to buy games either in bundles or with the DLC).

I am currently at level 8 at the time I posted this, put a lot of effort into getting my Int to 10 for the skill points (although to be honest, I'm not sure what effect ranks in weapons have).

I did the Operation:Anchorage DLC already. I think that was a mistake, because it was a pain in the ass to get through (fucking flamethrower dudes around corners that somehow are immune to grenades), and the gear I got (a 50% DR armor, a different armor with a DR in the 20's and stealth bonus, tons or really good weapons and a whole bunch of ammo and chainguns and expensive power armor to either sell or use for repairs) was WAY better than what I had (A DR 7 jumpsuit, a crappy pistol, some brass knuckles, and a rocket launcher with 10 rockets that I didn't want to use because I only had 10 rockets).

So I'm pretty sure I went there too early and now am overgeared. Although finding gear to repair this stuff might be a treat for a long while (what the fuck repairs a chinese stealth suit? I've learned very quickly that stealth rules in this game; fights are a lot easier when you're not eating lead and you can knock things out with one hit).

"Super Mutants" got me a little scared by their names, but they drop quickly enough.

I'll say this: this is the first game where I will admit that deteriorating gear doesn't feel like a scrappy mechanic. It really gives me the feeling of being in a decaying world and scavenging whatever I can find for spare parts. I would complain about how broke all the merchants are, but it also adds some interesting flavor (money accumulates slowly, but you can get the merchant to throw in some stimpacks or rad-away to even the deal).

I've got a house already, and it feels like I should be on Hoarders already with all the crap I'm storing there. Still looking for power fists or stuff I can make a deathclaw gauntlet out of (I've got enough to make one, except I don't have a deathclaw hand and I'm not sure I could take one out, although having a chaingun and about 400 bullets might help...)

The Chinese Stealth Armor is repaired by Recon Armor, which IIRC is sold in Megaton and Rivet City.

The Winterized Power Armor is probably the best armor in the game with regards to DR and basically never breaks, having like 9001+$TEXAS HP.

Leveling up guns skills increases accuracy and damage (the former most easily noticed in VATS.)

Deathclaws are tough, but far from invincible, although I'd probably wait a few levels before taking them on.

Taking all the perks that give VATS bonuses and using headshots with the best ranged weapon you can find basically kills anything in the game in one hit other than the highest level Super Mutants and Albino Giant Radscorpions, and maybe a few others I'm forgetting about (basically all the highest level shit added by the Broken Steel DLC.)

This is all from memory, so take it with a grain of salt.

If you have the Broken Steel DLC, then when you get to really high levels, watch out for albino radscorpions.

I have the PC verison, and have fiddled around with it to make the level cap 60 instead of 30, because I like overpowered characters. I have also made (through use of the GECK*) some powerful-ass weapons that do like literally thousands of damage... and still those arachnidy bastards are really tough challenge for me.

Also, Super Mutants get tougher as you level up.

Out of curiosity, are you playing a Wasteland Saint, going around and making the world a better place, or are you a TOTAL ASSHAT(TM), going around killing people whenever possible and making the world even worse?



*The official editor for Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, it can be downloaded for free and allows PC users to create and add their own content to the game.

I found it funny how much I used the hunting rifle. It'll drop most enemies in 1-3 hits if you use it well. A lot cheaper to fix than a sniper rifle, but not as strong.

The FOOK mod is pretty decent. I just wish Fallout would fucking run. That is mainly a save corruption issue, though.

FOOK mod?

Shrapnel wrote:FOOK mod?

According to a Google search, FallOut (3) Overhaul Kit.

That. I also recommend Project NEVADA for New Vegas. It's a hell of a lot better than FOOK, IMO.

That, then get both games and use Tale of Two Wastelands. It's pretty much a dream come true.

http://www.taleoftwowastelands.com/

Project Nevada for New Vegas is their version of Fallout Wanderer's Edition for F3, and is made by the same people. I didn't even realize people still used FOOK.

I played with FWE, and it took a bit to get used to at first but I really did love it. Made the game a lot more memorable than my first playthrough. Fallout 3 is one of my favorite games of all times.

Shrapnel: My usual is to play as good. I have done a few dishonest things but my karma is upwards oriented. Although I might cap the bar owner in Megaton for how he treats Gob.

Killing the bar owner in Megaton should be a good thing; he's a slaver and blackmailer, abuses those who work for him, and he hires you to kill a former "employee" of his.

So even if you took a Karma hit I wouldn't consider that a "bad Karma" thing to do.

For Deathclaw hunting, Mines and higher elevation might say ya instant death for small time goal. Of course, there is always the ever so janked Dart Gun that'll ensure ye can basically just run n gun them away.

I will note, roleplaying wise, Fallout: New Vegas I felt gives you more opportunities to do so, while in Fallout 3, moreso kinda forced into a persona based on the backstory ye were given.

Looking forward to more of your adventures, especially with one place "Super-Duper Mart", something about it, I find it just ever so cool and endearing.

I did the super-duper mart, and learned that even backing out of the hacking mini-game every 3 misses I can't do it worth a shit.

Where is a good place to hunt rad scorpions to make dart guns? I killed one but sold the stinger because I didn't know what it was.

Also, are the other crafted weapons as awesome?

Nice! how'd your newfound "overleveled gear" prove for your adventures there?

I wouldn't be able to tell ya there, can find em fairly often in the wasteland, probably not so much in areas filled with super mutants though. Might be easier to just "buy-back" or if wasn't too long ago, re-open a save where it's still in your inventory.

As for the last question, conceptually, yes, one shoots Railway spikes making train-like sounds, and one is a "Rock-it-Launcher" important as, it basically fires ANYTHING (Including Garden Gnomes).

Oh, at some point, I'd be curious enough to see what your character looks like (face and all that, so no armor at all would be acceptable, given stealth suit covers so much).

I will see if I can get a pic off the TV.

And I did the mart prior to the anchorage DLC. It was difficult enough to keep me interested but not hard enough to make me drop the difficulty below medium.

Raiders are a joke; they drop like flies.

Interesting note that has nothing much to do with anything: If you listen real close when re-loading a Fat Boy, you'll hear a little ding!. That ding is actually the from the dinner bell in the Bethesda office dining room.

Raiders might be a joke, but I suck at video games. I couldn't hit them at all unless I was at point-blank range. Mostly because like Oblivion on the xbox, everything is too goddamned dark even with the brightness turned all the way up. I can't hit them, and usually I can't even see them unless I'm smacking into them (which is why I mostly just punch things to death).

That reminds me. The best mod I ever installed removed the green tint on everything. Much brighter.

Meikle641 wrote:That reminds me. The best mod I ever installed removed the green tint on everything. Much brighter.

Thread Necro time!

That was the first mod I downloaded. Actually, it was part of an overhaul that fixed a lot of things. The winterized t-51b power armor degrades like normal now, but you can use t-45d and Brotherhood power armor to repair it (but not anything the Enclave uses).

And now that I can see what the fuck I'm doing, it's a breeze. Like, almost too easy. I just hit level 21 and am just now finishing the main storyline. I seem to be doing well so far with my standard loadout:

Armor: Ledoux's Hockey Mask, Tribal Power Armor

Hotkeys:

1. Shishkabob
2. Plasma Pistol
3. Terrible Shotgun
4. Metal Blaster
5. Gauss rifle
6. Flamer
7. Heavy Incinerator
8. Stimpack

Although I might switch that Plasma Pistol out for a Deathclaw gauntlet (yeah, I tend to ruin Deathclaws' collective shit now) as I don't actually USE it very often and I just took Paralyzing Palm. Also, yes I took Pyromaniac, thanks for noticing. And yes, I have powered armor plust two heavy weapons. I'm at the point where I just loot extras for spare parts and repairs and ammo as I literally have nothing to spend caps on.

It seems like skills in this game are not much big of a deal than fallout 2

Well, science and lockpick are VERY damn important. Because Science allows you to crack passwords on computers and Lockpick allows you to get into places you are not supposed to be getting into.
Repair as well, to keep your gear in working order.
Otherwise, the combat skills i think only influence to hit chance and crit chance especially but not only in the VATS mode.
So if you only do FPS without VATS, you can probably cope with that.
Otherwise, skills sometimes influence stuff you can say to people.
Speech-Skill mostly, but also sometimes science or a related skill.
But that can also happen with Attributes, so eh . .

Yeah, for the most part I recommend:

Take the Educated Perk as soon as you possibly can.

Guns: More damage, more accuracy, even out of VATS. Guns are the only acceptable weapon choice.
Repair: All your gear. Also Jury Rigging is essential and you need it the second you can.
Science/Lockpick: Lockpick is better. Also the breakpoints are 25/50/75/100 and numbers between that are meaningless.
Speech: CHOICES
Medicine: More heals, and a lot of speech choices too.
OTHER SHIT THAT BARELY MATTERS AT ALL.