Fallout: New Vegas

[Mav]

So far, this game is awesome! A couple of queries to add to my list:

 

1. Is there any way to slow the combat down besides VATS?

2. The compass and maps are way confusing, and I get lost easily. Any tips?

 

Thanks!

If you're mod savvy, which you should be if you're at the Knights section of LF, there are some options... such as slowing down combat there may be some UI mods that edit the map functions as well, I haven't browsed the mods that much yet, I like to do my first run mod-free. Also keep in mind that a lot of the mods are basically ports from FO3, so yeah things aren't always guaranteed to work... not that they ever are with mods. Actually, as it has been redundantly stated so far this game isn't guaranteed to work out of the box anyway.

 

In fact, I may have just noticed my most serious bug on the game in Caravan right now. No-bark Noonan and Cliff Briscoe at that giant dinosaur, both in the Novac town, don't seem to have any Caps with them to make bets. I can still play them but it won't do my wallet any good.

If you wait 3-4 game days all the NPC's should have a fresh supply of caps and new inventory for stores, etc.

[DarthParametric]

I don't know what you're talking about.

It's quite simple. Look at this map I've roughly compiled from PipBoy screenshots:

 

 

Notice anything? As I said in my previous post, at least a third of the map is empty and inaccessible (unless you use noclip). And looking at it again, it's actually more like half the actual physical landscape. So either they are planning on using that space for DLC, or they just made it that big to give the illusion of something comparable in size to FO3.

[Sabretooth]

Or maybe they've reserved it for the mod community. Or maybe they made all that space and ran out of ideas to put into it (or time to implement them). Or maybe they figured that the game was ginormous enough as it is and left all that other space because, you know, the map is supposed to be a square and can't be cut up in odd shapes.

 

 

Notice how weird it would be if the PipBoy map looked like that?

[DarthParametric]

Dunno why it would be weird considering that you don't see the whole map at once in the PipBoy. All you ever see is one very small square section defined by the limited viewing window, so the overall shape of the map is pretty irrelevant in that regard.

 

As for leaving the rest for modders, that seems highly unlikely. Half the area they did put content in is essentially empty, which is what modders are focusing on (i.e. putting interiors in all those boarded up buildings, etc.).

 

I have no problem with them compressing what content they have into a confined space. The less aimless trudging through empty terrain the better in my opinion. It just seems an odd play to include that extra unused space.

[Achilles]

Or maybe they've reserved it for the mod community. Or maybe they made all that space and ran out of ideas to put into it (or time to implement them). Or maybe they figured that the game was ginormous enough as it is and left all that other space because, you know, the map is supposed to be a square and can't be cut up in odd shapes.

This.

 

Dunno why it would be weird considering that you don't see the whole map at once in the PipBoy. All you ever see is one very small square section defined by the limited viewing window, so the overall shape of the map is pretty irrelevant in that regard.

 

The 360 version has two maps; Local (the one it sounds like you're referring to here here) and World. The World map can be navigated, the view can be zoomed, makers can be placed, etc.

 

Out of curiosity, DP, have you ever found a game that you actually liked?

[DarthParametric]

The 360 version has two maps; Local (the one it sounds like you're referring to here here) and World. The World map can be navigated, the view can be zoomed, makers can be placed, etc.

The interface is the same across all versions. I was referring to the world map. The fact that you can (and indeed have to) scroll around emphasises precisely the point I was making. That is, that a rectangular map would be perfectly fine as you can never see the entire map at once, you only ever see a zoomed-in square section of it. And even if the drawn map you see on the PipBoy needed to be square, that wouldn't necessitate actual physical geometry in areas you couldn't normally see or access. Which goes back to my previous point about the mystery of the inaccessible areas. Including them merely to make a square map wouldn't seem to be necessary, thus I am curious about their purpose.

 

Out of curiosity, DP, have you ever found a game that you actually liked?

I like lots of games. For instance, the fact that I am heavily involved with a certain mod attempting to recreate a ludicrously large game in another engine that has already taken a year and will likely take several more (assuming it reaches conclusion) could possibly indicate some level of fondness towards it. However, liking a game doesn't mean that I can't be critical of its flaws. Generally speaking, the more I like a game, the more I hold it up to close scrutiny (we hurt the ones we love the most and all that). As an example, you don't see me posting the Fable thread/s because I played the first one, found it to be garbage and walked away from the series completely. I liked Fallout 1 and 2. I wanted to like Fallout 3 (and it did have its moments, despite Bethesda). New Vegas is not without its charms, but unless you are a blindly rabid Obsidian fanboy it is also very clearly not a game without flaws.

[Sabretooth]

Including them merely to make a square map wouldn't seem to be necessary, thus I am curious about their purpose.

You do realise that the way a game like this is constructed, it is quite likely that the overarching map was built up first on specifications and the actual locations were added while the characters, quests and stories were developed?

 

Why is that huge extra space, that *is not even part of the game* such a big deal? Did you also complain when Age of Empires 2 left easter eggs for cheaters by saying that they weren't making full use of the map?

 

Show spoiler

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Look how much the scrawny bastards at Black Isle left unused:

[DarthParametric]

Heh. For your examples there I'll refer you back to my point about a drawn map with lots of empty space not requiring physical geometry.

 

Anyway, no need to get your knickers in knot over it. Its not like I denounced the game for including those areas (not that I'd have thought you'd care either way about my opinion). The game is full of invisible barriers which annoy the hell out of me, and when I decided to go see what was on the other side it simply raised a few questions. If you want to hear about genuine complaints I have with the game I have plenty of those lined up.

[ChAiNz.2da]

Loving it so far.. though we know I'm fanboi for anything Beth, so there

 

Hardcore mode takes some getting used to, but I'm enjoying it so far. Beats having to make a mod for it (I bought both Xbox & PC versions ) hehehe

 

Loading times are a freaking nightmare on console though.. gawdz, are they loading the entire game in memory?!? I hope the PC version is at least dependent on specs. At least then I might be able to not cringe every time I see a door that leads to an inevitable waiting period

 

Buggy, but no worse than FO3 initially was. Hopefully we'll get more than one patch from Obsidian this round... have already run in to an NCR mission that can't be completed until it's patched.. * sigh *

[Ctrl Alt Del]

Loading times are a freaking nightmare on console though.. gawdz, are they loading the entire game in memory?!? I hope the PC version is at least dependent on specs. At least then I might be able to not cringe every time I see a door that leads to an inevitable waiting period

No, at least on the PC the loading is just fine. Takes just a few seconds.

 

So I've paid a visit to the Kings in Freeside and a question came to mind: are there any Elvis's songs on the game?

[mimartin]

So I've paid a visit to the Kings in Freeside and a question came to mind: are there any Elvis's songs on the game?

 

I don't remember hearing any. I wouldn't have minded hearing some "Viva Las Vegas" or "Burning Love" I did like the Jail House Rock outfit, too bad it is fraction stamped.

[DarthParametric]

Loading times are a freaking nightmare on console though.. gawdz, are they loading the entire game in memory?!? I hope the PC version is at least dependent on specs.

Loading times on PC don't appear to be excessive, but presumably based on specs as you said so those with low end machines are likely iin the same boat.

 

Buggy, but no worse than FO3 initially was. Hopefully we'll get more than one patch from Obsidian this round... have already run in to an NCR mission that can't be completed until it's patched.. * sigh *

The patches (and DLC) will be from Bethesda rather than Obsidian from what I can tell. Sawyer (or possibly it was Avellone) said the other day that all the NV staff have been shunted off onto another project.

 

I had two NCR quests and a follower quest that were broken in my first playthrough. You're out of luck on a console, but there are a couple of mods surfacing that fix several quest issues for those on PC. Not the one I suspect you are talking about though.

 

So I've paid a visit to the Kings in Freeside and a question came to mind: are there any Elvis's songs on the game?

I don't think so. They probably didn't want to pay the license fee (which would have been steep no doubt). You could always add your own.

[Mav]

Buggy, but no worse than FO3 initially was. Hopefully we'll get more than one patch from Obsidian this round... have already run in to an NCR mission that can't be completed until it's patched.. * sigh *

I think the biggest problem I've run into is...

after Caesar's contact approaches you and gives you the "Mark of Caesar" it's supposed to prevent them from being immediately hostile towards you... well I went to Caesar's house... and they were righteously pissed.

[Sabretooth]

Loading times on PC don't appear to be excessive, but presumably based on specs as you said so those with low end machines are likely iin the same boat.

 

I don't know - I have onboard graphics, a 9950 quad core and 2 GB of RAM on Windows XP and I think this game has some fantastic loading times. The Witcher could learn a thing or two from these guys.

[DarthParametric]

2 GB of RAM

That's the only relevant spec. Compare that to 512MB for the consoles (dynamically shared by the CPU/GPU on the 360 and split 256/256 on the PS3) and there's your answer. The consoles are bottlenecked by poor memory (which is why they struggle to maintain 720p).

[Meowster]

Why is it that the ONE time I get a bug, it has to happen at the end?

Game crashes during ending cinematic, I have no clue why. At first I thought it was a mod problem, but I removed everything and it was still messed up. My other playthrough from earlier worked just nicely (I checked it out right after this crash). Oh well.. it ended with her rebuilding New Vegas from the ground up with Yes Man's help, and ruled it benevolently, and was liked by almost all of the factions (aside from Caesars Legion and NCR, whom she pushed out of the Strip).

 

 

Is it just me, or are the new companions grand? Veronica probably has more character than any of the characters in Fallout 3. Boone's storyline was great.. I felt bad for him, and his mission was fun. Cass was a lot of fun too.

[Ctrl Alt Del]

If you wait 3-4 game days all the NPC's should have a fresh supply of caps and new inventory for stores, etc.

No luck. It might be a bug considering even people I have never played against simply make no bets. At least I'm making some solid money at Blackjack.

 

Is it just me, or are the new companions grand? Veronica probably has more character than any of the characters in Fallout 3. Boone's storyline was great.. I felt bad for him, and his mission was fun. Cass was a lot of fun too.

Still have only met two companions so far: Arcade and Rex. Rex is meh, about the same I expected from Dogmeat and any dog really. People go all "that's the ****" when we're talking about a dog companion but I never saw the fun on it, in this game nor in Fable. Alas.

[DarthParametric]

Veronica probably has more character than any of the characters in Fallout 3.

That's not exactly difficult.

 

Whilst I love Felicia Day and am pleased to see her doing game VO work, I'm not sure Veronica is that great of a character. But maybe I'm just too rigid in my thoughts on her "family" and what they should be about. At the very least from a game mechanics point of view, having her as a melee specialist annoyed the hell out of me. Good thing I used the essential companions mod what with her constant habit of leaping in front of my guns, especially given her non-level up bug.

[jrrtoken]

Veronica is actually rather valuable, especially when you're dealing with creatures and melee users. If you upgrade her power glove with, say, a displacer glove, deathclaws go down in two hits. She's more useful than Lily and her sword, ironically enough.

[Sabretooth]

What I'm disappointed with is that they managed to get Danny Trejo in the game and not give him an absolutely badass federale role.

 

[ChAiNz.2da]

finally finished my massively long-ass initial run (168+ hours), because you know, it ain't played till you've mapped out the ENTIRE map inside & out

 

Decent game.. buggy as hell though (kept getting worse the farther you get in to it) and loading times for xbox are enough to throw your controller thru the wall. I am honestly debating on whether I want to play it again for the other possible endings. I really wasn't that impressed with it

 

Felt to me like nothing but a massive retail package of all the Fallout3 mods on Nexus tied in to a less than impressive story line.

 

Though I KNOW I will play it again as much as I complain, seriously doubt I'll explore as much in-depth as my first (now that I know where all the good stuff is hehehe).

[DarthParametric]

There's supposed to be a "comprehensive" patch in the works, to be released in a few weeks (presumably after MS and Sony rubber stamp it) - http://bethblog.com/index.php/2010/11/05/more-news-on-new-vegas-updates/ Of course I wouldn't count on it resolving too much, as a lot of NV's issues have been there since Oblivion. Hopefully though it will cure some of the NV-specific ills at least, such as broken quests and the like.

[Tysyacha]

I'm getting crashes to my desktop on the PC version, too. Totally annoying, this is.

 

By the way, more (dumb?) questions:

 

1. Is Cherchez la Femme worth it, since you hardly ever fight any girls in the game?

2. Is it worth it to bump your AGL all the way up to 10?

3. Is Science good for anything other than opening floor safes and losing karma?

4. Can you survive this game and NOT put any points in Guns or Energy Weapons?

5. What do you do if you run out of Energy Cells in the middle of a big battle?

 

Thanks!

[Sabretooth]

1. Agreed that there are far few women to make it worth it, but you do get special dialogue options with it, so if you're more of a Speech type, then getting it is a good idea.

2. It increases the number of VAT points you get - so it's useful there. If you haven't got a lot of points in the Guns and Sneak skills, then AGL gives you bonuses in that direction. If you've already got them to 100, then it's useless.

3. You get to read some e-mails or messages that may contain quest-important information, stuff you'd otherwise have to acquire with Speech etc. There's also a bunch of checks across the game about it - like when you have revive a robot, for example.

4. There's a guy who managed to win the game without killing anyone, so it's definitely possible. You could always invest in Explosives and blast your way through. Melee/unarmed is difficult at first, but if you invest in it, you get some terrific weapons later.

5. Switch to unarmed and cross your fingers, or run as fast as your crippled legs can carry you.

[mimartin]

1. Is Cherchez la Femme worth it, since you hardly ever fight any girls in the game?

 

1. Agreed that there are far few women to make it worth it, but you do get special dialogue options with it, so if you're more of a Speech type, then getting it is a good idea.

What Sabre wrote. I have it and I would not play a female character without it, but I only have it for the dialogue options.