Topic: Official Fallout 3 Thread

[Schadenfreude]

After playing Gears of War 2 for several hours today and then going back to Fallout 3...I...I'm starting to think GoldenPhoenix was right about Gears! I loved the first one too.

[matt oz]

I'm enjoying this game so far.  It reminds me A LOT of Mass Effect, to the point where I keep pressing Y to heal myself.  The dialog trees are especially... reminiscent?  I don't want to say "blatant ripoff," but, yeah, you pretty much get three answer choices for questions, one good, one neutral, one evil.  Then you sometimes get answer choices that have to do with your skills, which is similar to the charisma/intimidation in Mass Effect.  Then, of course, there's the whole RPG-shooter hybrid thing going on.

Aside from all that, the atmosphere in this game is much creepier.  I haven't been able to recruit anyone yet (I'm not even sure how that works), so I'm by myself all the time.  The first time I stepped on a frag mine and it blew me up, I think I jumped a few inches off my chair.  I was underground in the train tunnels, then all of a sudden there's some beeping, then a BOOM, then there's blood on the screen.  I was not expecting that.

Right now, I'm taking a break from Fallout 3 to play Mercenaries 2, which I just got from Gamefly.  It's a lot more fast paced, which is nice, and I haven't experienced nearly as many bugs or glitches (ie - Fallout has frozen on me once, and I've seen about a dozen graphical glitches).  And it's not as serious, which is also nice.  Fallout is kind of heavy to spend a few hours with it every day.  For me, at least.

[Flames_of_chaos]

Aside from all that, the atmosphere in this game is much creepier.  I haven't been able to recruit anyone yet (I'm not even sure how that works), so I'm by myself all the time.  The first time I stepped on a frag mine and it blew me up, I think I jumped a few inches off my chair.  I was underground in the train tunnels, then all of a sudden there's some beeping, then a BOOM, then there's blood on the screen.  I was not expecting that.

The recruit people you have to meet a certain condition, there's a ghoul that you can buy his contract or do something else, there's one that you find somewhere in the wasteland, 2 of them only join your if your evil and 2 of them join you if your good.  Some of them are free, some of them you have to pay for, and a few after a specific mission.

[WuTangTurtle]

I'm enjoying this game so far.  It reminds me A LOT of Mass Effect, to the point where I keep pressing Y to heal myself.  The dialog trees are especially... reminiscent?  I don't want to say "blatant ripoff," but, yeah, you pretty much get three answer choices for questions, one good, one neutral, one evil.  Then you sometimes get answer choices that have to do with your skills, which is similar to the charisma/intimidation in Mass Effect.  Then, of course, there's the whole RPG-shooter hybrid thing going on.

Actually Fallout 1 had pretty much the same dialog tree system and I'm sure it was borrowed from other games so it really doesn't matter.  Oh and yeah I was surprised by a mine too, it was a trap guarding a deserted ammo supply.  Luckily I didn't die but it sure did cripple all of my limbs, ah good times!

[Schadenfreude]

You guys need to get Dogmeat. He's not very bright, but he's quite helpful and only needs to be healed once in awhile.

[matt oz]

The recruit people you have to meet a certain condition, there's a ghoul that you can buy his contract or do something else, there's one that you find somewhere in the wasteland, 2 of them only join your if your evil and 2 of them join you if your good.  Some of them are free, some of them you have to pay for, and a few after a specific mission.

I kind of figured that, because when I tried to recruit Jericho, a message came up saying I was too good.  I'm still in the early stages of the game, I assume, as I've only done 2 story quests since leaving the vault.  Does having someone with you make combat a lot easier?  Because I've put most of my skills in science, medicine, repair, and lockpicking.  Basically, I have a lot of weapons in good/great condition, but I suck at using them.

[Dirk Temporo]

I'm enjoying this game so far.  It reminds me A LOT of Mass Effect, to the point where I keep pressing Y to heal myself.  The dialog trees are especially... reminiscent?  I don't want to say "blatant ripoff," but, yeah, you pretty much get three answer choices for questions, one good, one neutral, one evil.  Then you sometimes get answer choices that have to do with your skills, which is similar to the charisma/intimidation in Mass Effect.

So it's exactly like Fallout 1 and 2, and every Bioware game ever.

[Flames_of_chaos]

The recruit people you have to meet a certain condition, there's a ghoul that you can buy his contract or do something else, there's one that you find somewhere in the wasteland, 2 of them only join your if your evil and 2 of them join you if your good.  Some of them are free, some of them you have to pay for, and a few after a specific mission.

I kind of figured that, because when I tried to recruit Jericho, a message came up saying I was too good.  I'm still in the early stages of the game, I assume, as I've only done 2 story quests since leaving the vault.  Does having someone with you make combat a lot easier?  Because I've put most of my skills in science, medicine, repair, and lockpicking.  Basically, I have a lot of weapons in good/great condition, but I suck at using them.

You need to be evil and pay Jericho 1000 caps to get him but he's a waste. If your evil you might as well get Clover since she's a killing machine. If your neutral or good you should get Charon since he holds up well and has the benefits of being a ghoul. If you have a high good rating you should get Fawkes since he is a good super mutant and is a good tank. Dogmeat is awesome because he doesn't count as a person in your party even though he is a party, you can usually only have 1 recruit with you at a time but dogmeat doesn't count toward that limit.

[GoldenPhoenix]

I'm enjoying this game so far.  It reminds me A LOT of Mass Effect, to the point where I keep pressing Y to heal myself.  The dialog trees are especially... reminiscent?  I don't want to say "blatant ripoff," but, yeah, you pretty much get three answer choices for questions, one good, one neutral, one evil.  Then you sometimes get answer choices that have to do with your skills, which is similar to the charisma/intimidation in Mass Effect.

So it's exactly like Fallout 1 and 2, and every Bioware game ever.

Or exactly like Bethesda who basically started this genre long before Bioware got into the mix.

[Caliban]

There's this character that I like listening to and that I wish he had more lines, Gob. He sounds just like Krusty the clown.

The first time I stepped on a frag mine and it blew me up, I think I jumped a few inches off my chair.  I was underground in the train tunnels, then all of a sudden there's some beeping, then a BOOM, then there's blood on the screen.  I was not expecting that.

Hahaha that happened to me also, and in the same area.

[matt oz]

I'm enjoying this game so far.  It reminds me A LOT of Mass Effect, to the point where I keep pressing Y to heal myself.  The dialog trees are especially... reminiscent?  I don't want to say "blatant ripoff," but, yeah, you pretty much get three answer choices for questions, one good, one neutral, one evil.  Then you sometimes get answer choices that have to do with your skills, which is similar to the charisma/intimidation in Mass Effect.

So it's exactly like Fallout 1 and 2, and every Bioware game ever.

Or exactly like Bethesda who basically started this genre long before Bioware got into the mix.

Yeah yeah, I never played PC games, and Mass Effect was actually my first western RPG ever.  I was always a console gamer, and a Nintendo-only one at that until 2001.  I love Mass Effect though.  There's so much wrong with that game, but it does so much right that I have an unnatural attraction toward it.  I almost feel like I'm cheating on it with Fallout 3.

[GoldenPhoenix]

I'm enjoying this game so far.  It reminds me A LOT of Mass Effect, to the point where I keep pressing Y to heal myself.  The dialog trees are especially... reminiscent?  I don't want to say "blatant ripoff," but, yeah, you pretty much get three answer choices for questions, one good, one neutral, one evil.  Then you sometimes get answer choices that have to do with your skills, which is similar to the charisma/intimidation in Mass Effect.

So it's exactly like Fallout 1 and 2, and every Bioware game ever.

Or exactly like Bethesda who basically started this genre long before Bioware got into the mix.

Yeah yeah, I never played PC games, and Mass Effect was actually my first western RPG ever.  I was always a console gamer, and a Nintendo-only one at that until 2001.  I love Mass Effect though.  There's so much wrong with that game, but it does so much right that I have an unnatural attraction toward it.  I almost feel like I'm cheating on it with Fallout 3.

Mass Effect and Bioware's KOTR series are GREAT games. They really built off the genre and created some great experiences.

[Dirk Temporo]

Or exactly like Bethesda who basically started this genre long before Bioware got into the mix.

Started what genre?

[S-U-P-E-R]

Mass Effect and Bioware's KOTR series are GREAT games. They really built off the genre and created some great experiences.

I do not agree.

But Fallout 3 owns. I finished it tonight. Gonna have to go back and do all those side quests, though. Some unanswered questions:

What was the deal with the lone human guy that was locked in the vault filled with super mutants? When you let Fawkes out? It seemed like he might be important but he just ran out and attacked me and I blew him away.
Can you figure out Gallows' name, I wonder?
Liberty Prime fucking rules

[Schadenfreude]

I'm almost level 16 and nearing 30 hours myself. A lot of the sidequests are really fun and exploring is rewarding.

[ReverendNoahWhateley]

Fallout 3 is possibly THE most atmospheric RPG I've ever played, and I've played a lot of them.  I find myself exploring every nook and cranny of the game world, even after beating the main quest, reaching level 20, and accumulating over 50 hours of game time.  Fallout 3 is GOTY as far as I'm concerned, if only for introducing me to Roy Brown.

[Smash_Brother]

I have close to 40 hours logged and I haven't even touched the main quest. I've never been roped in by a game like this before.

[Schadenfreude]

You guys must have leveled a lot slower then I did. I made it to level 20 in under 35 hours.

[blackfootsteps]

Definitely it seems. I'm level 11 at around 32ish hours.

Weapon related spoiler:
Does anyone else have the Ripper yet? Is that not the best weapon ever?

[Schadenfreude]

It's cool, but I never used it. I first saw it during the Superhuman Gambit quest. If I do a second playthrough with bad karma, I plan on putting skill points into unarmed, so I'll probably use it then.

[matt oz]

I'm at Level 13, about 25 hours in.  Two things:

1. I can't get the damn music out of my head!  All morning I've been singing (in my head), "I'm as corny as Kansas in August..."  Make it stop.

2. I think I encountered an achievement bug last night.  I finished Scientific Pursuits and Tranquility Lane in one sitting, but only got the achievement for Tranquility Lane.  The Scientific Pursuits quest is grayed out in my Pip Boy, and there are no more steps to it.  So I assume that I finished that quest by starting Tranquility Lane, but never got the achievement.

By the way, how creepy was Tranquility Lane?  As soon as I saw I was in a sterilized, Rockwell-esque world, I got goosebumps.  After spending so much time in the Wasteland, it was really jarring to be in a "normal" world all of a sudden.  Very creepy.  I only did one of Betty's tasks, because I'm playing with good Karma and I quickly realized that she'd be asking me to do more and more sinister things.  So far, I'd have to say this is the best quest in the game, if only for the mind-forking.

[S-U-P-E-R]

I had the bloody mess perk before I started Tranquility Lane. Lols ensued

[Halbred]

The PS3 version (mine) has an annoying bug where the action just pauses whenever a message from the system pops up onscreen, like "Bob is online." Then, five seconds later, "Bob is offline." It's annoying!

[KDR_11k]

I heard someone complain about NPCs falling off ledges and respawning in an unreachable position in the PC version, is that an issue in the console versions as well?

[S-U-P-E-R]

I've had a problem where the GNR building is locked when I'm supposed to come back and talk to Three Dog, and it won't unlock even when I talk on the intercom. I don't know if this is a bug or if I messed up some kind of event order or what.