Official Fallout 3 Thread

[dougp]

Originally posted by: erwos
The current buzz I've seen is that, in terms of perks, you should basically be putting most of them into Intense Training - higher stats apparently being a better bargain than slightly improved skills. Besides IT, the other ones I see bandied about are Educated (+3 points skill every level), Comprehension (there are apparently a lot of books lying around!), Lady Killer / Black Widow (dialogue), and Child at Heart (dialogue).

For stats, apparently dumping everything into intelligence is the way to go (to max out skill growth early). IMHO, you can make do with 5s in everything else.

Some of the perks require 6 in certain fields - mostly Sniper would be the one I'm most interested in.

I'm going to play this through - I think I'm only lvl 9 or so, so I might not be as close as I think, but meh. I stayed up late trying to do the whole project thing in the memorial.

 

[erwos]

Originally posted by: dreadpiratedoug
Some of the perks require 6 in certain fields - mostly Sniper would be the one I'm most interested in.

Well, yeah. But that's what intense training is for. All of the really interesting ones take a few levels to get anyways.

I'm going to play this through - I think I'm only lvl 9 or so, so I might not be as close as I think, but meh. I stayed up late trying to do the whole project thing in the memorial.

You're probably not that far in, then.

Honestly, I spend most of my time totally dodging the main quest. There's a lot of other stuff to do.

 

[dougp]

Originally posted by: erwos

Originally posted by: dreadpiratedoug
Some of the perks require 6 in certain fields - mostly Sniper would be the one I'm most interested in.

Well, yeah. But that's what intense training is for. All of the really interesting ones take a few levels to get anyways.

I'm going to play this through - I think I'm only lvl 9 or so, so I might not be as close as I think, but meh. I stayed up late trying to do the whole project thing in the memorial.

You're probably not that far in, then.

Honestly, I spend most of my time totally dodging the main quest. There's a lot of other stuff to do.

I'm actually dodging most of the side stories - I wanted to get through before GoW2 came out, and then do a more thorough followup after Nov 19th. I'm at the part after the surprise in the jefferson, and then leading that group.

 

[AstroManLuca]

I'm personally a big fan of just playing through the game without using guides or walkthroughs the first time. I picked my stats, perks, skills, etc. based entirely on my own personal decisions. Next time through I'll look up some information on how best to set up a character. I'll probably try upping the difficulty as well.

 

[dougp]

Originally posted by: AstroManLuca
I'm personally a big fan of just playing through the game without using guides or walkthroughs the first time. I picked my stats, perks, skills, etc. based entirely on my own personal decisions. Next time through I'll look up some information on how best to set up a character. I'll probably try upping the difficulty as well.

Pretty much what I've done except for decisions on SPECIAL. I eventually wanna get a min/max combo though for playing the entire game (side quests, etc.)

This is one of the few RPGs besides KOTOR I've wanted to do this on. Hell, I haven't even finished Mass Effect.

 

[oznerol]

Alright, I just had a good conversation with a friend of mine, and we've come to the conclusion that Fallout 3 is kind of mediocre.

Oblivion was better.

There, I said it.

 

[dougp]

Originally posted by: ducci
Alright, I just had a good conversation with a friend of mine, and we've come to the conclusion that Fallout 3 is kind of mediocre.

Oblivion was better.

There, I said it.

Any reasoning?

 

[Yreka]

Originally posted by: Queasy
Sounds like the PS3 version has some issues

While my experience with the Xbox 360 version of Bethesda's Fallout 3 was rather pleasant, PlayStation 3 owners don't seem to be getting on nearly as well. Complaints of choppy frame rates and graphical glitches are peppered throughout Bethesda's forums for the game, with others complaining about random lock ups and various other issues - textures not loading, significant slowdown etc. Two major bugs have already been addressed by Bethesda in the forums, one concerning the game freezing during the GOAT test earlier in the game, and another dealing with the game pausing whenever a PS3 notification occurs. The first issue can apparently be solved by saving and restarting, while they suggest turning off notifications in the XMB for the second.

We've contacted Bethesda regarding these issues, specifically inquiring as to the possibility of a patch to fix problem with the PS3 version.

PS3 Issues Forum at Bethesda

Son of a biscuit.. I bought the PS3 version too, figured I would give the ol XB a rest after Fable 2

Oh well, its still sealed.. Maybe Ill take it back and swap it for the XB360 version.

 

[Jules]

Originally posted by: ducci
Alright, I just had a good conversation with a friend of mine, and we've come to the conclusion that Fallout 3 is kind of mediocre.

Oblivion was better.

There, I said it.

Um ok.

 

[oznerol]

So here's my rant. All I've seen has been praise of this game, so let's see if anyone agrees with me on why I dug Oblivion more than Fallout 3.

Maybe spoilers? I'll try not to get into specifics.

First and foremost - these games are all about your character. More importantly, they're about how you feel about your character. How you can relate to him/her. In a way you become the person you create - and that's one of the places I think Fallout falls short of Oblivion.

Few reasons why - first, only 1 true character close to you develops over the course of the story - that being your father.

At the start of the game you're shown growing up with a little girl (Amata), and I immediately assumed she would be some kind of love interest (I also assumed if I chose a female character, Amata would have been a boy - not true - she's always a girl). But instead, she disappears from the game once you leave the vault. Her story is done. If you kill her dad, she hates you. If not, she has hope she can turn him around. Either way, she's done with the game.

Another reason - and this is subtle - Oblivion's weapon/armor menu had a display of your character. When you put on new equipment you could see it on your character - fully 3D. In Fallout - equipment is not much more than a stat. You only have 2 ways to see your character - one is to go into the horrid 3rd-person mode and watch the terrible animations from the back of his/her head, or you can see them in VATS mode - which further takes you out of character as your watching them do something rather than doing it yourself. You can't play "dress-up".

Second - and I think this is my biggest gripe with the game - is the overall lack of community. I understand that's the entire premise of the game - post-apocalyptic Washington with people barely surviving - tiny communities forming everywhere - so it's not necessarily a game flaw - but it really leaves me feeling unsatisfied. Oblivion had giant, booming cities and kingdoms. It had communities within those cities - the guilds. I could join them, do guild-specific quests - gain ranks within the guild, etc. There was a coliseum you could fight in and earn the title of Champion. Characters around the world would recognize you.

In Fallout your character is a loner. Sure, you can buddy-up with certain people you meet up with over the course of the game - and sure you can be a "vampire" and become an "honorary soldier" at the end of the game. But the same level of depth just isn't there.

So fine, I'll just be a loner. The character I like creating is a quick, stealthy thief. The setting in Fallout also prohibits this. Everyone is poor. There's very little wealth in the game. There's little to no times where you can pickpocket someone to steal a key or a cool item to use somewhere else. Stealing in this game is just to basically get more ammo, and since everyone is barely surviving as it is, it kind of just makes you a dick.

The VATS combat mechanic is an improvement, definitely. But it has flaws. For one thing, wall detection is terrible - I could have 95% accuracy on someone's head, but be crouching behind a wall, so the shots go right into the wall instead of above it. Similar thing happens if you get rushed - if an enemy gets too close, you can put your gun through the guy's head and wind up shooting through him. Plus there's times where it says 95% chance of hitting and I'll straight-out miss. 95% means 95/100 times I'll hit, not "very likely you'll maybe hit".

Also - at the ending - not to spoil too much - but why the hell couldn't the green guy go into the tank and enter the code? He's immune to radiation. He did it once already. I asked him to, and he said he didn't want to interfere with my moment. Definitely not the game's strongest moment.

But I will say the story is much better than Oblivion - definitely more focused. I really enjoyed the twist with the President. The Transformer/Power Ranger at the ending was interesting, but it kept you from really having to do much of anything. The best moment was getting EDEN - then, the explosion, then the events which followed - that caught me off-guard.

Plus, they included bathrooms and children in Fallout. But why can't you kill kids? Seriously.

 

[EvilComputer92]

Originally posted by: ducci
First and foremost - these games are all about your character. More importantly, they're about how you feel about your character. How you can relate to him/her. In a way you become the person you create - and that's one of the places I think Fallout falls short of Oblivion.

Few reasons why - first, only 1 true character close to you develops over the course of the story - that being your father.

At the start of the game you're shown growing up with a little girl (Amata), and I immediately assumed she would be some kind of love interest (I also assumed if I chose a female character, Amata would have been a boy - not true - she's always a girl). But instead, she disappears from the game once you leave the vault. Her story is done. If you kill her dad, she hates you. If not, she has hope she can turn him around. Either way, she's done with the game.

Oblivion was even worse in this area. You couldn't relate to your character at all in Oblivion because at most you had like 2 dialog choices which were the same for 90% of the guys you met. Seriously, the dialog in Oblivion is the worst I've ever seen in an RPG. It has about the most dull, generic characters wandering the cities.

"I saw a mudcrab the other day, disgusting creatures"
"Goodbye"
"I'm through talking to you"

repeated about 1000 times by different characters across various areas of the game.

There were zero romance options in Oblivion also. Not to mention the terrible leveling system.

If Oblivion didn't have mods I would have probably sold it, but with mods every shortcoming I mentioned here was rectified.

 

[dougp]

Just beat the game last night - several times to see what happens with the different options.

I'm pretty disappointed that I can't continue to do quests after beating the game - so I guess it's time to start over again to do "everything."

 

[Queasy]

Surprise! Fallout 3 is a successful seller.

Bethesda Softworks Announces Successful Launch of Fallout 3

$300 Million Worldwide Launch Across Three Platforms

November 6, 2008 (ROCKVILLE, MD) ? Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax Media company, announced that its hit title, Fallout® 3 has enjoyed record sales at launch, reflecting the huge consumer demand for the game. Approximately 4.7 million units of Fallout 3 were shipped worldwide last week for the Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, and Games for Windows® representing retail sales in excess of $300 million.

Released on October 28 in North America at midnight store openings in over 2,000 retail outlets nationwide jammed with fans eager to get the game, Fallout 3 quickly became one of the industry?s top sellers around the world. For example, in the United Kingdom where it was not released until Friday, October 31 the rapid sales of Fallout 3 have led the game to be ranked number one among all video games, as well as being the number one game on each of its three platforms.

Hailed as one of the most anticipated games of 2008, Fallout 3 received a 10 out of 10 review score from Official Xbox Magazine, a result then repeated around the world with perfect scores by some of the industry?s most influential and respected critics including: Gamespy, GamePro, UGO, the Associated Press, MSN, The Washington Post, Guardian, FHM, Scripps Howard, G4-TV, The Toronto Star, MSN, and Eurogamer. MSNBC?s review offered the observation that it viewed ?Fallout as a no-brainer for game of the year.? The Daily Star in the UK echoed that conclusion, saying ?You can hold all bets on game of the year ? I think we have a winner.?

The successful launch of Fallout 3 by Bethesda Softworks follows the success of The Elder Scrolls® IV: Oblivion®, which remains one of the highest scoring games ever published and earned ?Game of the Year? honors in 2006. Fallout 3 has been featured on over 100 magazine covers across the globe and is available in eight languages. The initial retail shipments of Fallout 3 included both the Regular version of the game as well as a limited ?Collector?s Edition.? A Fallout 3 Official Game Guide in both the regular and collector?s edition versions has also been a strong seller. Fallout 3 is slated for release in Japan on December 4th.

Fallout 3 features one of the most realized game worlds ever created. Set more than 200 years following a nuclear war, you can create any kind of character you want and explore the open wastes of Washington, D.C. however you choose. Every minute is a fight for survival as you encounter Super Mutants, Ghouls, Raiders, and other dangers of the Wasteland.

 

[tatteredpotato]

!!!Warning Spoilerish (Maybe, but only if your hardcore about knowing nothing)!!!

Originally posted by: ducci
But instead, she disappears from the game once you leave the vault. Her story is done. If you kill her dad, she hates you. If not, she has hope she can turn him around. Either way, she's done with the game.

There is a side quest with her that wraps things up a bit.

 

[dougp]

Originally posted by: ObscureCaucasian
!!!Warning Spoilerish (Maybe, but only if your hardcore about knowing nothing)!!!

Originally posted by: ducci
But instead, she disappears from the game once you leave the vault. Her story is done. If you kill her dad, she hates you. If not, she has hope she can turn him around. Either way, she's done with the game.

There is a side quest with her that wraps things up a bit.

Do you have to go back into the vault to get it?

 

[oznerol]

Originally posted by: ObscureCaucasian
!!!Warning Spoilerish (Maybe, but only if your hardcore about knowing nothing)!!!

Originally posted by: ducci
But instead, she disappears from the game once you leave the vault. Her story is done. If you kill her dad, she hates you. If not, she has hope she can turn him around. Either way, she's done with the game.

There is a side quest with her that wraps things up a bit.

I learned this after posting. I've been doing the other side quests for achievements (Oasis apparently has more meaning if you play older Fallout games). I'm going to do this one tonight.

Does the quest still exist if you killed her dad? I didn't, but I'm just curious.

 

[AstroManLuca]

I got Amata's side quest later in the game. As I was walking near Vault 101 on my way to a different quest, a notice popped up saying that the "Vault 101 Emergency Frequency" was picked up. So I went into my Pip Boy and listened to it, and it's a recorded distress call from Amata to you. There were some problems at Vault 101 and you have to go and fix them.

Oh, and I did kill the overseer in my game, so you can definitely get it if you do that. There are several ways to complete the new quest, too.

 

[oznerol]

So you can find people throughout Fallout 3 to change your original settings - appearance, hair, etc. Is there any way to reallocate your skills/points or do you need to start from scratch?

This is one of the things I miss about PC gaming - you can easily just download a cheat or something to alter your stats to whatever you want.

 

[erwos]

Originally posted by: ducci
So you can find people throughout Fallout 3 to change your original settings - appearance, hair, etc. Is there any way to reallocate your skills/points or do you need to start from scratch?

Nope. You start from scratch. But, really, this is the kind of game that I think most people would do two rounds through. I'm already super-excited about doing a bad karma run, because there were a fair few folk that I just wanted to put a bullet into the first time around.

 

[warcrow]

Originally posted by: ducci
So you can find people throughout Fallout 3 to change your original settings - appearance, hair, etc. Is there any way to reallocate your skills/points or do you need to start from scratch?

This is one of the things I miss about PC gaming - you can easily just download a cheat or something to alter your stats to whatever you want.

For such a mediocre game you sure seem to be spending a lot of time playing it. There are so many good games out there, why not move on? Perhaps you mispoke and the game isnt mediocre? I now seem to recall that this is a habit you have with games in general if I'm not mistaken. Complain wine and moan, right?

 

[oznerol]

Originally posted by: warcrow

Originally posted by: ducci
So you can find people throughout Fallout 3 to change your original settings - appearance, hair, etc. Is there any way to reallocate your skills/points or do you need to start from scratch?

This is one of the things I miss about PC gaming - you can easily just download a cheat or something to alter your stats to whatever you want.

For such a mediocre game you sure seem to be spending a lot of time playing it. There are so many good games out there, why not move on? Perhaps you mispoke and the game isnt mediocre? I now seem to recall that this is a habit you have with games in general if I'm not mistaken. Complain wine and moan, right?

Me? I think you're mistaking me for someone else? I also don't think I complained, whined, and moaned, anyway.

Like I said - game is alright. I liked Oblivion better. Would you rather I played Oblivion instead?

Anyway, I would have probably stopped playing if I got Fable 2, but the MS store is slow, so it will probably be a while. I'm currently working on getting achievements. Looking back, I made some mistakes with point distribution, and I don't want to start a new character, really, so I wanted to know if I can change the points.

What other game do you suggest I play?

Am I free to openly critique that game or will I have to completely enjoy it?

 

[warcrow]

No no please continue on with the uninformed commentary--it's really entertaining.

 

[oznerol]

Originally posted by: warcrow
No no please continue on with the uninformed commentary--it's really entertaining.

Alright. So there's really very little need to be a douchebag about it, then.

 

[warcrow]

Originally posted by: ducci

Originally posted by: warcrow
No no please continue on with the uninformed commentary--it's really entertaining.

Alright. So there's really very little need to be a douchebag about it, then.

Haha--nice. That's pretty much the reaction that's on par with what we expect from you.

 

[dougp]

Originally posted by: ducci

Originally posted by: warcrow
No no please continue on with the uninformed commentary--it's really entertaining.

Alright. So there's really very little need to be a douchebag about it, then.

You realize that you're trying to be snide to someone who reviews for a living, right? It is funny to see you simply state that Oblivion is better and then keep going on. That's like someone saying CoD5 is better than CoD4 but they keep playing it. If there's a better game, play that.