Fallout New Vegas

[lugaru]

So as you guys know I'm a big Fallout 3 evangelist... played the heck out of it and even made some mods. Well I pre-ordered New Vegas and so far (about 4 hours in) I'm loving it. If you play on Hardcore (which you must!) it is a lot like playing Fallout 3 with the great "wasteland wanderer edition" mod. Hardcore = healing is more complicated and you must eat/drink/sleep to live.

So far the game is smarter too, you see hints of agriculture, economy and cattle raising. Fallout 3 lacked in those departments, but in New Vegas you can be mixing stuff out of plants you harvest and curing hydes in no time. The game needs some more scarcity though, I'm a newbie and I'm pretty well armed, armored and equipped at level 2.

The voice work, quests, level design and such feel like an improvement so far... although I swear this game recycles some of my least favorite Fallout 3 graphical assets.

Any thoughts?

[Courtnall6]

I was really looking forward to getting this on launch day...but my video card died and that needs to be replaced before I can get the game. My friends keep bothering me to just get it for console...but they just don't understand how huge the modding comminity is for Fallout.

I love the details on the Hardcore mode.

[lugaru]

Yeah... fallout 3 (and soon Civ 5) has a lot of options with mods.

Wish you where in my neighborhood... there is an "electronics recycling" place that has two 512 meg video cards for under $50 each. Same place where I bought somebody a 5th generation nano for like $70. I also got them to pick up my old tv (I gifted it to them) when I found a huge, much more modern one on moving day.

Back to the game honestly I dont know how big it is and I'm not checking but the cities and settlements seem more diverse. I guess since they did not have to build an engine they focused on a larger world, and the fallout 3 world was already good for hours of exploring.

I just need to try hard to finish the game before I start my bad habbit of creating a dozen characters, which I do with pretty much every game.

[daerdevil]

I'm a huge fan of the Fallout series, and contrary to most diehards found FO3 to be my favorite.  I actually hesitated on purchasing New Vegas, but finally logged into the games' website and was swayed by the new trailer.  That, and I wanted that pre-order Vault 13 suit and canteen (which turns out to be a life saver in Hardcore mode).

I gave it a test drive last night, and I'm loving it!  Obsidian has addressed some of the issues with stats, perks, and traits that were a little watered down in Fallout 3.  The SPECIAL stats are better tied to the in game mechanics and skills, for example: Strength determines melee damage unlike FO3 where it was endurance.  There's also some opening Traits similar to FO1 and 2 that give you some bonuses that come with a penalty (Small frame gives you +1 agility but -2 Damage resistance).  Speaking of Damage resistance, now you have a quantifiable stat tied to your endurance and armor...FO3 did it I believe based solely on your armor and later perks (Barkskin).  The game introduces a faction relation system that effects how people react to you.  No more attempting to steal everything not nailed down w/o gaining a bad reputation.  The next cool feature is the crafting system.  Now you have a survival skill that allows you to make food, healing, and other beneficial items at a campfire.  Add this to the hardcore mode (can't imagine why you'd choose to play without it) where you have to eat, drink, and sleep, and you have a great survival simulator.  You can still build weapons, and even ammo at work benches.  The best news, is there's no searching for recipes:  a handy menu pops up showing what can be built, what the ingredients are, and what skill level you need.  Finally, a use for all that wasteland junk!  I hate to say it, but I can see myself just trolling around the wastelands, living off the stuff I scavenge.

Onward to the story and setting.  We're back in the American southwest where this whole Fallout storyline started.  We have the NCR from FO2 and a story that seems to be a true sequel to the original games.  The geckos are back, and I'm sure some of the more familiar fauna from the originals.  There's even a gang called the Great Khans which is the evolution of the first group of baddies you encounter in Fallout 1.  I expect to see some familiar stuff in this setting.  I'm still learning the ropes in this game, and haven't ventured out of the first village, but so far so good.

The graphics are well done although not much has changed from FO3 (which I liked anyways).  I was hoping to have a better character face generator, but this one is pretty much a carbon copy of FO3, with maybe an extra hairdo or two for the ladies.  The voice acting and dialogue is well done, and it appears to be more tied to stats, perks, and your relation with the faction.  The radio has some nice music consistent with the SW setting and a bit of Vegas flare. 

Well, that was a bit more typing than I intended.   

[Deaths Jester]

The biggest hatred I have with fallout:New Vegas right now is that it requires Steam and an internet connection.  As most of you know, I get my internet connection from a, shall we say, less than reputable style and it's a bit sketchy at most times.  So here I am, already bought the game and now I've got a less than useless disc for frishbee.  Wish Bethsada hadn't have odne this to those whoa ctually went out to the retailer and bought the game.

[GogglesPizanno]

I'm on the fence right now.
While I love the idea of the PC version for Mods and what not, Im in the same boat as DJ with a less than stellar internet connection. Plus its a principle thing. I don't believe any single player game should have to rely on an internet connection for anything. Period.

That said I will probably end up getting the 360 version. I'm just waiting to hear about how the numerous bugs people have been getting plays out. As someone pointed out on another site. Obsidian really should be a Pen and Paper RPG game company as their stories, dialogue and ideas are fantastic, but their software always leaves a lot to be desired in terms of stability.

[JeyNyce]

I'm going to hold off for a while.  I keep hearing that the game is buggy, and it's feels like playing the first game.  So I will go back and finish Fallout 3 and then pick this one up.

[detourne_me]

I've become a trade waiter for video games.  GOTY or nuthin....
At least for games like fallout,  I'm still probably going to get vanquish when it comes out

[Evil Phoenix]

i playing it now sometimes,its have some new things like you can fix armor or weapons with other same weapons,you can make itmes in Campfire,and on 3 or more other things,your status shows how people react on you,in F3 there is not much choices,you can be Devil (bad) God (good) etc,here you have 1 of 10 or more choices,you can be Little Bad ,Little good at the same time ,or Bad ,Bad. you can use other bullets for some weapons,like Revoler have standard bullets and other that are more powerfull,now you need to sleep,eat,and drink,on Pipboy you can see how much % of Food you need and same with drink and sleep, you can play on Very Easy,Easy,Normal ,Hard ,Very Hard.

Im Playing om Easy but with Hardcore , Hardcore is cool thing ,when you select it you cant heal crippling by stimpaks or sleeping like without it,you only can heal it by talking with Doctor or by using Doctor Bag,animations a little better for Riffle,it looks like from one of the F3 mods,i played only a little but i didnt saw those damn annoying Undergrounds like in F3, characters faces sucks ,hope company would gets bankrupt for that ,F3 sucks but here is much worse ,iv heard that you can ride on some cars but i didnt tryed ,more items like Super Stimpacks,in Hardcore mode ammos have weight too.

Well some things better than in F3 ,so if you like F3 you sure going to like New Vegas ,i Recomend for those who would play it try to choose difficulty but with Hardcore Mode,since its realistic and you will get reward in the end of the game.

[lugaru]

As Evil Phoenix says... some things are better but so far nothing is worse.

@ detourne_me: purchasers of the last GOTY edition got all the fairly good DLC for free, so if this game does the same you should end up winning by doing that. I'm an early adopter with games, dont know why, probably because I review them and because steam makes it easy for me.

[Evil Phoenix]

for those want DLC ,as i know they should be with game (Pre order) or download pack with all 4 DLC,yeah and does somebody know there is safehouse except Goodsprings ? i need to put some DLC items ,they heavy,but i dont want to sell or drop them