Can't you hotkey them? In the 360 version you can hotkey items and weapons on the d-pad

Can't you hotkey them? In the 360 version you can hotkey items and weapons on the d-pad

The 1-8 keys are bindable to any inventory item.

 

But I think Gorgon's complaint is more that the game included no limitations on what you could do in the Pipboy menu while engaged in combat (with the exception of Fast Travel). The game lets you repair items, change from your sun dress into your power armor, and use as many drugs/stims/food as you want while the game is paused. It's actually harder to change weapons because there's an animation involved with stowing one weapon and taking out another.

BTW, I think the mod called "Better Stims" (or something like that) is great. It's basically healing over time, like Oblivion. It makes combat a lot more tactical since you can't just run into a group of three Regulators like a mindless slob.

 

 

That must be somewhat difficult. At times there is so much incoming damage, like when you are in the middle of a scuffle with 4 raiders, three wild dogs, and a MR. Gutsy, that I can't imagine how a healing over time would help.

 

Part of the problem is that combat is not particularly tactical at all. Its more just a war of attrition: whoever has the most stimpacks wins.

Edited February 23, 200916 yr by CrashGirl

Wait, are you playing both 360 and PC versions at the same time?

Pros only.

 

That must be somewhat difficult. At times there is so much incoming damage, like when you are in the middle of a scuffle with 4 raiders, three wild dogs, and a MR. Gutsy, that I can't imagine how a healing over time would help.

The idea is to not get in the middle of such a scuffle. I should say that you still get over half of the stim's benefit in the first five seconds, but the second half trickles in over the next 10-12 or something like that.

 

Part of the problem is that combat is not particularly tactical at all. Its more just a war of attrition: whoever has the most stimpacks wins.

Which, for practical purposes, means you win every fight if you have enough stims/a high Medicine.

Does using VATS change the nature of the combat? For better? For worse?

 

For whatever reason, I never use VATS. Just out of habit, I guess. Fallout 3 looks like an FPS, so I play it like an FPS without thinking about it.

VATS gives an enormous advantage to the player, since attacks occur in "magic time". Even against a large group, it's not uncommon for the PC to get off five or six attacks vs. a total of one or two from the enemy. Also, there's no penalty for VATSing with a firearm in close quarters, so the preferred tactic is to rush forward with a combat shotgun and VATS them at point blank range.

 

EDIT: There's also a mod at the Fallout 3 Nexus that gives penalties for VATSing with firearms at close range. I recommend it if you want a more challenging experience while still using VATS.

Well, I guess that explains why I've been scratching my head in puzzlement at all the posts I see talking about how easy FO3 is. I've been finding combat plenty hard and a huge drain on ammo and stimpacks. But apparently, that's because I'm not using the VATS thing.

 

Next time I play I'll try to remember to use it just to see what it is like.

 

How the heck do I turn it on anyway?

 

*looks for manual*

V

V

 

 

Thank you.

 

 

That sounds familiiar. I think I might have used VATS once or twice when I first installed the game. I must not have liked it though. FOr some reason.

A huge collection of mods.

 

 

Indeed, or you might try the place I work for, we have a bunch too.

V

 

 

Thank you.

 

 

That sounds familiiar. I think I might have used VATS once or twice when I first installed the game. I must not have liked it though. FOr some reason.

I'd suggest re-binding either it or the "change view mode" key that by default is assigned to "F." I don't know about anybody else, but I had an irritating recurring habit of trying to stretch over and reach the "V" with my right index finger, but falling short and instead hitting the area right between "F" and "V." Having the game back out into 3rd person mode when you expect it to be pausing because a Mirelurk is about to start wailing on you is rather disconcerting. Eventually, I wised up and moved the "view mode" key over to "J."

A huge collection of mods.

 

 

Indeed, or you might try the place I work for, we have a bunch too.

 

And your site isn't run by asshats!

Give it a rest.

 

I've been finding combat plenty hard and a huge drain on ammo and stimpacks.

 

That does tend to happen if you use normal time, just because everybody freaking runs at you like horses on heat. I ended up playing mostly normal-time near the end, though, just because VATS got so boring.

Tigranes must have an interesting relationship with horses.

V

 

 

Thank you.

 

 

That sounds familiiar. I think I might have used VATS once or twice when I first installed the game. I must not have liked it though. FOr some reason.

I'd suggest re-binding either it or the "change view mode" key that by default is assigned to "F." I don't know about anybody else, but I had an irritating recurring habit of trying to stretch over and reach the "V" with my right index finger, but falling short and instead hitting the area right between "F" and "V." Having the game back out into 3rd person mode when you expect it to be pausing because a Mirelurk is about to start wailing on you is rather disconcerting. Eventually, I wised up and moved the "view mode" key over to "J."

 

 

What do you use to move?

 

Using WASD I find hittnig V to be a simple move with my left index finger. My right index finger is on my mouse! Are you a southpaw?

Yeah, I was thinking Left when I typed Right.

 

The V key is just far enough of a stretch for me to miss it (or just get the edge of it) often enough to be annoying. (This might have to do with my keyboard, the way I position my wrist, or my physiology. YMMV.) It stopped bothering me when I made the F key non-functional, because then I could indiscriminately hammer that general area and get the desired effect without the risk of a distracting change in view mode.

Hahaha.

 

I know the keyboard pretty well so even with the shift along home row, hitting that V is just the same as hitting the B.

Yeah, I was thinking Left when I typed Right.

 

The V key is just far enough of a stretch for me to miss it (or just get the edge of it) often enough to be annoying. (This might have to do with my keyboard, the way I position my wrist, or my physiology. YMMV.) It stopped bothering me when I made the F key non-functional, because then I could indiscriminately hammer that general area and get the desired effect without the risk of a distracting change in view mode.

Did you lose your hand and have it replaced with a 5 year old's or something? V isn't far away at all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

... I kid.

You can't change the keyboard assignments for select functions (bloody amateurish by the way) but you can bind those functions to your mouse, if it's even half decent.

VATS the best thing to ever happen to a game. It may be munchkin playing but its frikkin awesome.

I only starting using VATS after I got really angry that the gun would miss even though there was no reason for it to miss.

What I really liked about the game was a neat touch that weapon reload animations got more intricate with weapon degredation.

Explosive death in VATS FTW. Amazing that a 10 MM pistol can blow the heads, legs and arms off in one shot.

Amazing that a 10 MM pistol can blow the heads, legs and arms off in one shot.

 

 

Amazing is one word, yes.

 

Stupid is another. lol.

It was a lucky, rebounding shot.