Slowtrain

Yeah. I don't get Guitar Hero either. Except as some party thing like twister. And I wasn't saying skateboarding is easy. I'd kill myself if I tried, but the point is that if you want to skateboard, there would be much more attraction and satisfaction at getting out and learning the real thing, even if on a limited level. I think its cool when games can provide simulated experiences that are impossible or difficult to get. I love flight sims for example. Although it is possible to get a pilot's license, it is a lot more difficult than getting a skateboard.

Have you seen the animation of running with pistol out in FO3? If FO3 can get away with something so bad, it's unlikely Bioware is going to worry about their animations overmuch.

If anyone is interested here is a link to a slower leveling mod for FO3. http://files.filefront.com/Slow+Level+Mod/...;/fileinfo.html I don't know if it is exactly the one SPider is using, but it seems pretty good. COmes with 4 variations. I'm using the max XP reducer version. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm curious what level difficulty people play on? I've been playing on normal and it seems all right. SOme places are easier than others and some places are tougher. I go through a lot of stimpacks. But I hear a lot of people saying that FO3 is too easy and should be played on max difficulty. HAs anybody done this? What did you think?

Thanks, Spider. That's awesome. I am going to try and track it down. *Exerts google powers*

That was pretty good. He had a bit of a cold though, which hurts the delivery. On a related note: Why would somebody play a computer game about skateboarding when they can go out the front door and do it for real? I admit I've never really understood the concept of computer and video games that are built around doing things that it are very easy to do in real life. I'm waiting for the XBOX exclusive: Clothes Washing 2. Eurogamer gives it a 10.

Are there any mods that reduce XP rewards? I am afraid I am going to run into Baldur's Gate syndrome, where my character hits the level cap long before I finish the game.

I just write it off to the fact that the games main focus isn't FPS combat. WHich I think is too bad, really. If they had made it a little more of a well-done fps, I think it would game improved the game dramatically. I think the game a suffers a bit from being stuck halfway between a crpg and an fps.

Agreed. As an FPS, it's OK, but more than a little clunky.

10 strength, 10 endurance, some cool goggles, and a really big hammer. When people get on her nerves; everything just gets ugly fast.

It's odd how the current Bethesda team has such difficulty coming up with compelling scenarios, characters, stories, consequences, that make me feel like I am playing a crpg in a world that involves me. Starting with Morrowind, they actually seem to be getting worse at it, rather than better. But still, you can tell they are trying really hard; some of the individual pieces are really good. But Bethesda seems to have real difficulty providing an overarching significance that would make me care about this game world and the people in it and the actions that my character takes. Which to me, is the heart of a crpg. Otherwise, you just have an action game. ANd a good action game can be quite fun, but generally for me lacks the real interest that a crpg can develop. I'm enjoying FO3 because I really love sandbox games, and FO3 is a very good one, much much better than Oblivion. SO that's a plus.

I didn't install any patches, except the one to brign back the blood effects.

SO I've been playing FO3 for a while. I've got 2 charcters both around level 6 (which doesn't take very long; leveling is a bit too quick for my taste). Unless things change I have to say that FO3 is a terrible crpg. It may possibly be worse than Oblivion in that regard. However, as an exploration/sandbox game filled with all sorts of disconnected yet interesting bits, it is quite good. Even some of the small mini-quests (such as the Arefu/Family thing are pretty interesting. The problem, which was the same in Oblivion, is that nothing goes anywhere or matters. 2 Examples (which may change if something comes of them later) 2 potentialy interesting scenarios that could have had interesting stories and consequences attached to them, but Bethesda fails to do anything with either. They do the setup, but then just drop it. TIme to move on to the next, I guess. If I've missed something regarding these two quests, please let me know. It would give me reason to do others in the game. On the plus side, crushing a raiders skull with a sledgehammer is a darn hoot. Fallout 3 as a crpg; 0/100 Fallout 3 as an FPS: 70/100 Fallout 3 as an exploration/sandbox game: 85/100 If you consider exploration/sandboxes as alll that is needed for a crpg, then you are in fabulous luck with this game. It is YOUR game.

Tom Sawyer: Cyboog, Ninja, Assassin. It's beyond stupid. Eurogamer will give it a 10 though. It will mostly run OK.

http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/...vion?q=oblivion lol

Unless the Origin variations open very different avenues of the game, it seems a better investment of time is just to make the core of the game, which every gamer will experience, better for all gamers.

I don't understand why deveopers would choose to waste time and resources putting in origin stories that don't really add much to the game. Wouldn't that time be better spent creating new areas or increasing the complexity of the plot or the depth of the npcs or even just fine-tuning combat and adding options so it is more enjoyable?

See how easy it is to give out low scores? One wonders why major sites and mags find it so difficult, eh? Bioshock 4/100!

I can already think of a few games. Morrowind: 1/100 Oblivion 2/100 Wow, I should have my own review site!!! No, see you've got it backward. And you were a little to harsh on one and little too lenient on the other. Allow me to correct it for you. Morrowind: 3/100 Oblivion 0/100 Better!

So what you're saying is that if three games come out that all deserve tens, the third game shouldn't be getting it because that would be "handing 10's out like candy"? Flawless logic there. I'm pretty sure they (try to) score each game what they think it deserves, relatively independent of whether they've already given a ten that month/week/day. Sadly 10s are pretty much meaningless these days, or at least have lost any meaning they once had, since 10's ARE handed out like candy. Maybe those three games did deserve a 10, but it doesn't mean anything because the eight before those three probabaly didn't deserve the 10s they got. How many 10's would Yahtzee give out, if he handed out numerical scores? Not many. We need more 1 ands 2. Without a low end, a scale has no meaning.

Very tiny people?

Well, in the US, the huge retail chains, such as WalMArt, have a lot of influence over what can be in a game, because if they don't like it, they won't carry it. And if Walmart and others won't carry a game that is going to be a big blow to retail sales.

I can't trust reviews that say stuff like this, since losing breath was actually a huge factor in Jag 2. Most of the mercs who died in my campaigns did so after neing incapicitated by breath loss, either from stun grenades, explosives, or just from sustaining heavy repeated fire while wearing full Spectra.

Is there going to be a collector's edition? I'd like to place my preorder, but would like a CE if one is coming.

That's cool. I'm really looking to approach at as a casual gamer. I know that's a horrible thing to say...