Fallout: New Vegas

[el badman]

Yeah I found it pretty tough too but I guess it makes sense that you can't please everyone.

[Andrew]

Not with the way factions are implemented in this game, at any rate. It certainly encourages some staggered save points and repeated playthroughs, though.

[Patr1ck]

Anybody think New Vegas was much harder than Fallout 3? It seems there aren't as many epic weapons that I can use to dominate.

I'll have to try three different ways to finish.

[Andrew]

I agree, there are some deceptively deadly mutated creatures once you wander off the path and with damage threshold back in the game, guns aren't quite as effective as in Fallout 3. Grim Reaper's Sprint also only adds 20 Action Points instead of restoring all Action Points so it's harder to clear a room with VATS and with food healing over time instead of instantly, you've got to rely a lot more on Stimpaks in the middle of a firefight. All of that definitely makes it a more challenging game.

[el badman]

I would agree that it seems a bit harder than F3, but at high levels, weapons like the Gauss rifle or the Anti-material rifle are still pretty damn lethal...
Downloading the huge patch thru Steam right now, hopefully it won't mess up my settings.

[Andrew]

Fair amount of changes in the latest update. Full list here.

[Lean]

Just started mine and added in the Fellout visual mod. Anything I should be aware about (without spoiling plots)?

[Andrew]

It's a good idea to keep some staggered save points so you can go back and take the different forks in the road without starting a brand new game. Be wary about straying off the roads as there are some pretty nasty mutated creatures in New Vegas, such as the Cazadors.

[Lean]

Heard of it, seen my brother's playthrough. He told me that Cass is Cassidy's (a Fallout 2 companion) daughter.

[Patr1ck]

Take the right path and do her.

[Andrew]

Heard of it, seen my brother's playthrough. He told me that Cass is Cassidy's (a Fallout 2 companion) daughter.

That she is. She's my companion of choice too as she's pretty handy in a firefight.

[shadowgrin]

Take the right path and do her.

Pdub shares his wisdom.

[Andrew]

I went ahead and finished the game for the first time after taking a break for a while, opting for the NCR ending. Has anyone managed to defeat Lanius in combat? I tried a couple of times before I ended up going the speech challenge route. All in all the ending was much more detailed than Fallout 3 thanks to all the factions and the different paths you can take with the side quests and the Wild Card quests, which I definitely liked.

[Patr1ck]

I hated the ending for the path I chose. I didn't realize how my actions would have affected certain factions' futures in such a negative way. I could not defeat Lanius I'm combat but I got really close.I could have done it but got frustrated and just did the speech option. I saw a video of someone completely destroying him with melee and vats. I mean he was untouched. Just power fist him to death.

[el badman]

I hated the ending for the path I chose.

Same here. I was playing with good karma during the whole playthrough, but my actions eventually made me become Mr House's bitch. I had a great relation with NCR but I eventually betrayed them by allowing Mr House to organize his securitron army. Not sure how I didn't that coming, I guess I was still hoping for a different "good guy" kind of ending.
That's why I'm doing a second playthrough being a prick to pretty much everyone this time around, and I'll see if it's possible to become New Vegas' new tyrant at the end...

[Patr1ck]

and I'll see if it's possible to become New Vegas' new tyrant at the end...

That's the ending I am talking about.

[Andrew]

I'm guessing that's the Yes Man/Independent path. That'll be the one I try next.

[Andrew]

Tried the Yes Man/Independent ending. I'd say it's a better ending for Vegas and a fair few of the factions, though true to the Fallout spirit it isn't perfect. The fact that it mentions the end of Mr House's tyranny makes it a little strange that you get negative karma for killing him, I guess you're supposed to leave him to die within a year instead of putting him out of his misery once you open his life support chamber.

In that ending, I also managed to defeat Lanius in combat with the help of Cass, Cannibal Johnson, a stealth boy and the anti-materiel rifle.

[[Q]]

so i just got it would you guys suggest multiple saves in case i mess up? i played only a little bit of fallout 3 so i'm kinda new to this game.

[Andrew]

Always a good idea, though it's not feasible if you play on Hardcore Mode...of course, if you're new I wouldn't advise doing that anyway. With the way the storyline branches off, I'd definitely recommend some staggered saves so you can go back and play the different routes, but keeping a couple of different saves is always a good idea anyway in case you mess up and get yourself into a really bad situation or a bug corrupts a saved game.

[[Q]]

so i got myself started up, killed the guy that tricks you into killing the geckos for him, killed a few powder gang guys by the skydiving area, and went to primm. saved it and attempted to go in, but i kept getting killed so i'm not sure where to go next. up north towards sloan & vegas?

oh and also a general strategy question. i find myself losing (what i think is) a lot of health fighting creatures and whatnot... when is a good time to use stimpaks and when should i use the doctor bags? i feel like i'm wasting them since i've already gone through a few and i don't feel like i'm very far into the game. how do i get my HP back up without costing me much money?

[Patr1ck]

As for multiple saves, everytime I save the game it is a new one, unless it is a quicksave or autosave.

Q, try to use stealth in primm. Beware of the outfit you are wearing, as certain factions outfits can cause people to be immediately hostile to you.

[[Q]]

so should i go at night? i figured i could sneak around if it's dark, but i'm not sure where to go if i do get in. i wore the gang outfit inside and they still shot me so i'm not sure if its possible to disguise myself there.

[Patr1ck]

Just go naked, or get a mercenary outfit if you can.

[Andrew]

Doctor's bags are only good for healing crippled body parts. It's best to use stimpaks in the middle of a firefight when you're losing health rapidly and need to recover it. While you're travelling, that's when you should use food to restore your health. If you find a place to sleep or a water source to drink from, that's also a good alternative.