Weaning Away that Gaming Virginity

[Ranis]

So, I just acquired Fallout and Fallout 2 from a friend, and I must say, I was a skeptic. Now I'm a believer. After popping in Fallout and getting a basic, general feel for the game, I'm not only impressed that a game like this was made about ten years ago, but how in the blazes Interplay has waited forever and a beholder's age to make Fallout 3. This game is absolutely brilliant!

So, any tips for a beginner to all of this? In the first Fallout, please.

Note: Please don't turn this into one of those crazy Fallout 3-hype threads. There's enough of those already.

[Lokey]

AP ammo is way weak in both games I think. Doesn't work as it's supposed to (piercing armor, busting up robots...).

Mostly things are balanced really well (compared to most other games, amazingly well). Weapons conquer all (especially in Fallout 2, Small Guns is all you need in combat), but you can hold your own as a meleer or hand to hander too.

Fallout 1, do not give your companions full auto or concussion weapons. Probably don't do that in 2 either :smallwink:

Most importantly, be sure to patch!

[Tom_Violence]

Be prepared to occasionally reload because things didn't quite go your way. I remember plenty of times finding the odd encounter that I was a bit unable to deal with.

Its kinda hard to **** up in Fallout, really. Get at least one combat skill and you'll be fine. Just have fun! :smallbiggrin:

[Xuincherguixe]

Save often.

If it gets too frustrating, hack your characters stats up :P

Best to do that after you've at least beat the game once though.

[Ranis]

Most importantly, be sure to patch!

You mean get patches for the game, or patch, i.e. get a medkit?

[Erloas]

Get the patches for the game. It is almost unplayable without the patches. Of all the things great about Fallout, a stable and bug free release was definately not one of them.

If you do a bit of searching the offical patchs aren't hard to find. Though I would recommend finding some of the player made patches as well. There are a few people that went through the game and continued to fix the game even after Interplay died. Be sure to get the ones that don't make modifications to the game but simply fix bugs.

[Triaxx]

If you bought the pair in the back to back jewel cases, they should come prepatched.

Best I can say, is that the second was definitely a perfect refinement of the first, and if I may say it, far superior.

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Small guns is great. It covers the SMG, the Pistols, the hunting, and sniper rifles along with the shotguns. Unless you really need those big miniguns, or a rocket launcher, it's an all purpose ability.

[sealemon]

Another vote for small arms. They cover all the essential weapons.

For some cheesy fun, play around a bit with the Sniper feat plus the crit enhancing feats. Turns head shots into insta-deaths.

[Assasinater]

Actually, having finished the game with both a small gunner and hand-to-hander, I would say that hand-to-hand combat is far easier when you acquire those power fists. Yes, gauss rifle beats all, but you get those at the very end anyway.

But regardless, first time players should certainly go the small guns path for the sake of atmosphere.

Oh, and, first time players should NOT (for their own sake :P ) take the Fast Shot trait in character creation, since aiming is half the fun of the battles.

And finally, like in Planescape, mental stats actually do something in Fallout (albeit less than in Planescape), so, don't dump intelligence and/or charisma unless you really want to play that way (and miss some of the fun).

[Triaxx]

On the other hand, when you realize that with 10 agility and two action boy perks, plus Bonus Rate of Fire/Fast Shot means you can empty your .44 magnum revolver in a single turn. Or aim it four times with Bonus ROF.