I got Fallout 3 AGES ago now.  I played it for quite a while and I found myself not liking it. I can't say why I didn't like it. I just didn't. However in the back of my mind I can't help but feel I really want to enjoy this game. I want to enjoy it so much. Some people have put 100 hours into this game and here I am, wandering around Ten Penny Tower saying "Feh... this game"

I've got the feeling me starting a new game on Fallout 3 is somewhat inevitable. I'm bound to return to it eventually. I still can't stomach the idea of having to sit through the BIRTHDAY PARTY and THE TUNNEL SNAKES all over again because that intro is really really long. But when I do, I'll be out in the wastelands not knowing quite how to have fun.

So, I ask you Gaming World. What is the best way to enjoy this game? I'm just looking for some general advice on what to do, what not to do right at the beginning. You know, maybe some stories on how you started out and what you did. Yeah, I REALLY WANT to like this game (Plus it cost me like £25....)

First of all, do you have it for PC or console? If it's PC then get some of the more well known mod packs, but I'm not gonna bother talking about them as you might be on console.

Second, when you do restart and are just about to leave Vault 101, save. Load that save when you make a new character, as at the door you get the chance to change anything about yourself. This trick also worked in Oblivion, and to be honest I think the game makes a permanent autosave at this point anyway, so check your saves, it might be there.

However, that being said, if you don't enjoy the game, you won't like it. Most of the time it's really as simple as that :/. The people who put 100+ hours into it just.. really like it. I like how detailed the game is, how free you feel, and I enjoy making new characters because I get to do things even more efficiently than I did last time. I don't know what to say to help you enjoy a game you don't seem to :|.


Edit: Oh, and what I do straight from Vault 101 is take a trek over to the Junkyard, it's south...east(?) of Minefield. You can see it from Minefield. If you don't know where Minefield is, do Moira's quests in Megaton and she'll lead you there eventually.

Well, I say I go to Junkyard, but I go to Megaton first and unload all my crap, THEN I go to Junkyard. I find the game more fun once exploring Junkyard, but that might just be me. I admit it does make sneaking a lot harder, afterwards.

Oh and also since I play PC version I make all companions essential. They are all too squishy early on in the game, it's no fun seeing Jericho getting blasted away by Regulators 50 times in a row.

Don't feel you have to adhere to the quests. Just ramble, it's so much more fun that way.

Don't feel you have to adhere to the quests. Just ramble, it's so much more fun that way.

Oh yeah, and definitely do this. There's no quest for Junkyard. A ton of places have no quest associated with them, and even more only have a quest after you discover them. You'll miss out on a lot of game if you don't freeroam.

Also you yourself are very squishy at the start. One of the most fun things about F3 is that the genre itself seems to change slightly as you level up and better equip yourself - at the start it is almost a stealth/horror game, you are terrified those bandits over there have spotted you, and an encounter with a super mutant might be fatal. Fighting tends to be long distance, either sniping and then running away when you miss or filling them with poison darts and then hiding. But as you get better armour and bigger guns it becomes a full action fest, you tend to stop sneaking altogether and welcome a fight with 10 super mutants, running in with your Power Fists or Super Sledges and smashing them apart.

I like how I barely even noticed the change until I really thought about it.

I've got it on console sadly.

Also I do have an auto save of just outside the vault. So that's a pretty sound piece of advice, thanks. I'm gonna go do this now. Wish me luck and thanks for the advice.

Edit: What's the recommendation on auto-save. I probably don't want it to save every time I jump into a sewer, no?

I can imagine this game would be better with vehicles! Driving around in a jeep like in fallout 2 would be pretty cool. I also don't think the fallout 3 DLC's are that great either...

12 minutes in. I am having fun!

14 minutes in. Killed by raiders

When I first played fallout 3 it was on a friends ps3. He rented it and said that he loved the game cus of the graphics and the free roaming gameplay. He complained to me that the game was crap because as he progressed he moved slower and slower. So then I play his save, me being used to the oblivion controls, and him never playing anything like this before, I check out his items. He has cigarette cartons, tin cans, teddy bears, useless fucking shit. After I told him that items had certain value and use, he gave up on the game.

I've put in almost as much hours to this then I did to morrowind. Right now trying to get all the achievements.

To enjoy this game you'll need patience and a desire to explore for countless hours without realizing it is a waste of time mostly.

12 minutes in. I am having fun!

14 minutes in. Killed by raiders

This is why yes, you want it to save every time you "jump into a sewer". The game is largely unpredictable, so it pays to save often unless you don't mind replaying parts.

Yeah, it's been fun. I'm in Megaton now. I've done a bit more exploring than I did last time. It's all been pretty fun. I'm like one hit away from death, so I guess I'll need to find a bed at some point.

Question about distribution? I've just been piling everything into one thing with each level up. I assume it's better to do it that way because you get better at some things quite quickly than everything really slowly? That's the right thing to do correct?

i level up stuff slowly, balancing out

talking about fo3 i didn't like it at first then got into it, and now with mods i can't stop playing it. Mycurrent character at the moment, I've got it so it's a zombie/gouhl infested wasteland (no normal monsters) which swarm out of nowhere and it's really gr8. Alternate start mod is also cool/useful. Pipboy is now a smartphone. Fellout is useful as is DC interiors and Busworld(allows you to go inside all buses and train carriages in the game). Also the weapons modding mod is really damn cool. Since the summer Ive played FO3 for what must be around 200 hours on different characters, using random mods as I go along. But this zomb/gouhl one is sweet.

I'm offf to make a lego police car. screw you clowns.

Question about distribution? I've just been piling everything into one thing with each level up. I assume it's better to do it that way because you get better at some things quite quickly than everything really slowly? That's the right thing to do correct?

no. pick two or three things to level up and it also all depends on where you are in the game, certain skills make certain parts a lot easier.

Question about distribution? I've just been piling everything into one thing with each level up. I assume it's better to do it that way because you get better at some things quite quickly than everything really slowly? That's the right thing to do correct?

Here are my thoughts. Just know that I haven't played the game in almost a year so I may miss a few terms here and there.

I wouldn't suggest putting anything higher than 9 in any stat ( or 8 in the case of str or the other stat perk you get as a reward for completing the ant quest). [Most] Bobbleheads can be found at your leisure and they permanently boost your character (+1 for stats and +10 for skills). As for skills themselves, I wouldn't suggest anything higher than say.. 80. The 10 from the bobble heads are a given but then you have the books (which are everywhere) that add +2 to a specific skill.

As for what to raise first though... I say lock pick and technology (or whatever you need to hack computers, It's been a while for me). You can get by on raising the other skills at your own pace, but neglecting these skills can really slow a game down. Keep any item that buffs/ boosts these skills/ stats temporarily as they may come in handy. You may get addicted to a given drug.. but removing it is a small price to pay considering the amount of time said items save. Just know that the lock/ hack requirements are at 25 level intervals so if the end result of dumping your skill points into said skills comes close but does not reach levels 25,50,75, (or if you ignore the advice above, 100) don't use all of your points in these skills just to come up short: you wont get any more utility value out of them until you level up again so your points are better off being used elseswhere.

Also, there is a perk that lets you increase the amount of points you get per level, get that perk asap. As for maximizing the amount of points even further... an experienced player would start the game with 9 int then make the long fucking run to rivet city to find the int bobble head before they level up again.

yeah don't hit the 100 cap for anything early on unless you absolutely need it for something. i ended up doing that with a bunch of them and getting bobblehead/books and wasting so many points that could have gone elsewhere.

Yeah, it's been fun. I'm in Megaton now. I've done a bit more exploring than I did last time. It's all been pretty fun. I'm like one hit away from death, so I guess I'll need to find a bed at some point.

Question about distribution? I've just been piling everything into one thing with each level up. I assume it's better to do it that way because you get better at some things quite quickly than everything really slowly? That's the right thing to do correct?

btw, early on in the game, before you have a house it's best to just drink radiated water (sinks are always the safest bet) and then use any RadAways you found on your travels. Let's you heal up anywhere and I think it saves money in the long run.

And pretty much what Coke said, pick two or three. You should always level up something that lets you get by places (science, lockpicking, sneaking or speech) as well as a combat skill. just don't be dumb and specialise in sneaking and big guns ffs

Getting there. I guess I'm going into it as the exploration is something to be excited about. I'm taking it all in a bit more and trying to notice it. Yeah, enjoying it a lot more this second time round. We like it.

I am in the scrapyard. I repeat I am in the scrapyard. I am EXCITED about this.

Edit: Oh man. I have a pet dog!