Fallout: Las Vegas Survivors' Journal

[Gfted1]

I didn't know there would be so many skill-based options & I spread my points out a little much at first.

 

Yeah, I think I did the same. I originally tagged Repair, Speech and Medicine and thought I could get by every level up with adding a few here, a few there, a couple to Lockpick, etc... but its become obvious to me that I should probably concentrate on those. Hence why I had to make such a radical move (dumping 15 points into repair in one level up just to repair ED-E).

[Tale]

Something unarmoured, you want more DPS.

*cough* ammo waster *cough*

[Deraldin]

Something unarmoured, you want more DPS.

*cough* ammo waster *cough*

 

Someone has to use all those bullets. Might as well be me. At least I'm hitting the things I'm shooting at.

[sorophx]

Are you using the cheaper boxed ammo? That's supposed to degrade them faster. I haven't had a problem with them degrading much at all, but I fix them past 75% as soon as possible, too...

I am using the cheapest ammo available, but that's because I keep forgetting to switch to another type of bullets.

 

Vault 11 is very cool by the way

[LadyCrimson]

--I don't suppose I'm missing some alternate weapon switch key option somewhere? It's becoming annoying having to go into PipBoy to switch weapons mid-fight :/

--Is the Caravan game worth bothering with? I don't usually like mini-games...haven't been buying cards either, tho someone gave me a deck & I have ones that were findable.

[Gfted1]

Are you using the cheaper boxed ammo? That's supposed to degrade them faster. I haven't had a problem with them degrading much at all, but I fix them past 75% as soon as possible, too...

I am using the cheapest ammo available, but that's because I keep forgetting to switch to another type of bullets.

 

Vault 11 is very cool by the way

 

Just to clarify, there are two types of "regular" ammo. For example, iirc, in the General Store in Goodsprings you can buy ammo directly from the proprietor or alternatively, he offers "cheaper" regular ammo that costs less but tears your weapon up faster. Ive never bought the cheaper stuff so I cant speak for it.

[Gfted1]

--I don't suppose I'm missing some alternate weapon switch key option somewhere? It's becoming annoying having to go into PipBoy to switch weapons mid-fight :/

 

From the weapon screen in your pip-boy, press and hold any number key except number two (number 2 is already slaved to switching ammo) and a sub-screen will pop up. From that screen you can click a weapon and it will be assigned to whichever hot key you were just holding down.

[WorstUsernameEver]

Anyway, here's my character, screenshot is in Boomer's outfit but mostly just because I thought it looked good. (a bit late, but yeah)

 

Razor

 

S 4

P 7

E 7

C 7

I 6

A 7

L 3

 

Tag skills: Guns, Speech, Survival (all brought to 100 by the end, level 21 btw)

 

Traits: Small Frame, Trigger Discipline (wonder what the difference would have been without it)

[WorstUsernameEver]

And the screenshot, of course.

[LadyCrimson]

--I don't suppose I'm missing some alternate weapon switch key option somewhere? It's becoming annoying having to go into PipBoy to switch weapons mid-fight :/

 

From the weapon screen in your pip-boy, press and hold any number key except number two (number 2 is already slaved to switching ammo) and a sub-screen will pop up. From that screen you can click a weapon and it will be assigned to whichever hot key you were just holding down.

That's definitely not noted under "Settings/Controls". heheh. Much better, you're a lifesaver.

 

Also...I accidentally dropped my own weapon in a town & it turned 'red' on the ground. That feels so wrong. lol

[Thorton_AP]

Was it a previously stolen weapon? I have heard that that happens.

[Enoch]

--Is the Caravan game worth bothering with? I don't usually like mini-games...haven't been buying cards either, tho someone gave me a deck & I have ones that were findable.

I think it's a well-designed game. Good balance of luck and strategy, and the strategy element of when and where to use face cards is multi-layered and has some synergies with deck construction.

 

But the interface for picking out your deck is soooo clunky (on PC, anyway) that I just get infuriated whenever I start playing, so I haven't been playing that much. It's actually the one area where I'm having persistent glitching/performance issues. Moving side-to-side through my deck, one press of the arrow key usually lags and often moves me 2 cards instead of 1. It makes selecting the card I want quite frustrating-- I can't help but picture how much more easily and smoothly it would go if I could use my mouse, like I can in every other game designed post-1990.

[LadyCrimson]

Was it a previously stolen weapon? I have heard that that happens.

I can't remember 100% but at this point I'm fairly sure not. Most of my current weapons have fallen from enemies, but perhaps the game considers that 'stolen.' I rarely steal red items unless/until I'm either hated anyway, it's something must-have like a skill book or very late in the game when I don't care anymore. I have a hard time being seriously evil even in fantasy.

[Deraldin]

But the interface for picking out your deck is soooo clunky (on PC, anyway) that I just get infuriated whenever I start playing, so I haven't been playing that much. It's actually the one area where I'm having persistent glitching/performance issues. Moving side-to-side through my deck, one press of the arrow key usually lags and often moves me 2 cards instead of 1. It makes selecting the card I want quite frustrating-- I can't help but picture how much more easily and smoothly it would go if I could use my mouse, like I can in every other game designed post-1990.

 

I haven't bothered to manually pick out my cards. I just set it up randomized and go from there.

[HoonDing]

What I find weird is that so far a sneak critical from the Varmint rifle owns almost everything I've encountered so far, including enemies that give 50 xp like Bighorners bulls. Even raiders in metal armour fall in one shot. Does this weapon have a higher critical multiplier or something?

 

And really, so far weapons & armour are even easier to come by than in Fallout 3. I even found a laser rifle lying next to a dead wastelander.

Edited October 25, 2010 by virumor

[LadyCrimson]

But is there some big end prize for playing enough or some such?

What I find weird is that so far a sneak critical from the Varmint rifle owns almost everything I've encountered so far, including enemies that give 50 xp like Bighorners bulls. Even raiders in metal armour fall in one shot. Does this weapon have a higher critical multiplier or something?

Yeah, I noticed that too, which is why I still use it (with night scope/bigger magazine) for distant sniping even w/out VATS.

Edited October 25, 2010 by LadyCrimson

[Tale]

I'm actually surprised you can take down Bighorners with that. But all single shot rifles can be silly. Try doing the same with the hunting rifle or sniper rifle. My Anti-Materiel rifle would do that same thing without sneak.

 

The ridiculousness of rifles is why Boone is the best companion for combat. If you're both using rifles, enemies won't even get close to you.

Edited October 25, 2010 by Tale

[WorstUsernameEver]

And really, so far weapons & armour are even easier to come by than in Fallout 3. I even found a laser rifle lying next to a dead wastelander.

 

Good guns are pretty difficult to find. I don't find it a bad design choice to make energy weapons more available though.

[Thorton_AP]

Sneak criticals do an extra double damage on top of the critical I believe.

 

i.e. normal damage = 20, crit is +20 (so 40), but with Sneak Critical it's x2 so 80 damage total. The better criticals is added onto this which would bump the damage up to 120.

[HoonDing]

A sneak critical with a fully repaired Varmint is apparently 72 damage without Better criticals according to the wikia. Combined with Hunter perk & Better criticals, it's 100+ damage.

 

Pretty ridiculous for the first weapon you get in the game.

 

But my character with luck 10 has 25% chance of doing critical damage with VATS, turning even a 9mm pistol into a tool of destruction. When I take Finesse perk and get a weapon with a higher critical multiplier, about half of my shots should be criticals.

Edited October 25, 2010 by virumor

[sorophx]

The ridiculousness of rifles is why Boone is the best companion for combat. If you're both using rifles, enemies won't even get close to you.

if only he'd use his rifle all the time... he switches to his machete almost every time, even if the enemy is pretty far, and charges at it.

 

also, I have this issue with doors, some doors won't let companions through. I have to go back and send him/her back to his home, follow him and recruit again. really frustrating.

 

anyway, wanted to ask: how long do I have to wait for the Brotherhood to become active again after I deliver the parts for the filtering system/help impeach the elder? and is there a deep impact on the story if I do choose to use the Chainwhatever against the current elder?

[Thorton_AP]

I have no issues with Boone. He pew pews 90% of the time for me.

 

 

@Virumor - Which weapons have higher crit chance?

[sorophx]

straight razor does also, I think I saw a gun with higher criticals, not sure though, I'm also amazed by the number of custom weapons that are worse than their normal versions, makes me wonder if they have hidden attributes

Edited October 25, 2010 by sorophx

[CoM_Solaufein]

Spoilers continued here.