Fallout: New Vegas

[WorstUsernameEver]

Anyway, I'd appreciate someone else's analysis of the writing.

 

I'll give you one when I finish the game but for now I'd say:

-better than Fallout 1;

-noticeably worse and blander than Fallout 2.

 

I just arrived to The Strip though, and have done very little there aside from the main quest missions so I may change my opinion.

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

Finished the game. It would've been great had the game not ended with a really dumb boss fight (ballistic power gloves are stupid and ruin the endgame), seeing how much the story is flexible (I'd say more than Alpha Protocol). Although I ran through the game much too fast, so the ending feels a bit weird.

[Mirage]

Anyway, I'd appreciate someone else's analysis of the writing.

 

I'll give you one when I finish the game but for now I'd say:

-better than Fallout 1;

-noticeably worse and blander than Fallout 2.

 

I just arrived to The Strip though, and have done very little there aside from the main quest missions so I may change my opinion.

 

Interesting perspective...and yeah the side quests in Freeside/Strip are generally somewhat interesting, and the main quest branches obviously once you get a little farther. Personally, I found the writing to be decently better than F3's, which doesn't require much effort I suppose. But, I'm reserving complete judgement as there is still a lot left of the Mojave for me to conquer.

[WorstUsernameEver]

One thing that bothers me a lot is that there is absolutely no improvement on the interior design. Places still feel like mazes and the pipboy map is still useless. Dammit.

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

One thing that bothers me a lot is that there is absolutely no improvement on the interior design. Places still feel like mazes and the pipboy map is still useless. Dammit.

This. The Pipboy map is a nightmare. How hard can it possibly be to make multiple floors and actually draw straight lines? The damn thing just looks like someone spit all over it.

[RPGmasterBoo]

I'm getting it in a day or so and then you're gonna get an opinon.

 

Am not really encouraged with all the bug blues.

[WorstUsernameEver]

For what it's worth, bugs are not my problem with the game. And I have problems. It's a good game, not Obsidian's best game (which remains Mask of the Betrayer) but it feels far more coherent and better realized than, say, Alpha Protocol.

Don't expect something completely different from Fallout 3 though, while the main quest and the world structure are very different, Obsidian's tweaks still don't change the overall feel of the combat (which still makes the crux of the game).

[Mirage]

Indeed MoTB was awesome. Also, I think Obsidian has real potential, NV shows signs of that.

[RPGmasterBoo]

For what it's worth, bugs are not my problem with the game. And I have problems. It's a good game, not Obsidian's best game (which remains Mask of the Betrayer) but it feels far more coherent and better realized than, say, Alpha Protocol.

Don't expect something completely different from Fallout 3 though, while the main quest and the world structure are very different, Obsidian's tweaks still don't change the overall feel of the combat (which still makes the crux of the game).

 

I hated F3's combat, art direction, graphics, animations, interface, inventory, story, writing, dialog system, sound, characters and brown. Everything was disgustingly yellowish- brown.

 

But I'l swallow that steaming pile if there's a good story. I did it with KOTOR II, and MotB and I can do it again :D

 

What I want to know is, is the amusement park syndrome still plaguing the wastelands or are we getting a real apocalyptic game. Not to sound old school biased, this has been a problem since Fallout 2.

Edited October 23, 2010 by RPGmasterBoo

[WorstUsernameEver]

For what it's worth, bugs are not my problem with the game. And I have problems. It's a good game, not Obsidian's best game (which remains Mask of the Betrayer) but it feels far more coherent and better realized than, say, Alpha Protocol.

Don't expect something completely different from Fallout 3 though, while the main quest and the world structure are very different, Obsidian's tweaks still don't change the overall feel of the combat (which still makes the crux of the game).

 

I hated F3's combat, art direction, graphics, animations, interface, inventory, story, writing, dialog system, sound, characters and brown. Everything was disgustingly yellowish- brown.

 

But I'l swallow that steaming pile if there's a good story. I did it with KOTOR II, and MotB and I can do it again :D

 

Can't understand how one could hate Fallout 3's art direction (its realization in the engine wasn't always that strong, I'll give you that, but it was pretty well thought-out), and the dialogue system was pretty much the same you see in any other RPG. But aside from that, yeah, the story and setting are much stronger imho.

 

EDIT: I don't think that there's a theme park problem in New Vegas, it's better than Fallout 2 and 3 from that point of view. I have the feeling that it may not play to the strength of the engine (which really encourages exploration above everything else) as much as Fallout 3 though.

Edited October 23, 2010 by WorstUsernameEver

[LadyCrimson]

I realize you can't tell in the below image, but it's my first noticeable bug. The gecko was stuck inside an invisible wall or something, running in place, altho it noticed me & kept 'screaming' and clawing. Couldn't get to me, I couldn't hurt with gunfire. Amusing. When I armed myself with a machete I was able to whack it to death instead, but that caused a crash to desktop. On the plus side, when I reloaded, the gecko was no longer stuck & on I continued.

 

[C2B]

J.E. did everything right with the guns. Everything. Everything and more.

 

Agree on this.

[sorophx]

enemies get stuck all the time, that's why I only engage large groups from a cliff

 

that's the reason for "hovering" btw, NPCs need a way to overcome obstacles

[WorstUsernameEver]

I can't say I've ever noticed something like that with New Vegas, but it happened with Fallout 3, so I'm guessing it's a legacy problem. Pretty annoying that the game retains so many bugs from its predecessor, but since most of them were Oblivion bugs and Bethesda (with the expertise and knowledge about the engine) didn't fix them themselves, I never really expect Obsidian to do that.

[LadyCrimson]

enemies get stuck all the time, that's why I only engage large groups from a cliff

 

that's the reason for "hovering" btw, NPCs need a way to overcome obstacles

Beyond the stuck enemy stuff - which I've seen in a lots of games over the years/is usually minor - what's odd (to me) is how the enemies seem to spawn in different locations if you reload. By that I mean, I save at a point where I can see an enemy in the distance, with red marks on my UI. If I reload, the red mark disappears and I can't see them anymore. Sometimes they've even disappeared entirely from the immediate area, where I run around all over & there's nothing to be found. Maybe this is normal for the way the game places spawned enemies upon reload, but it feels bizarre.

 

Also, there's this huge delay between my picking a plant and the UI message/sound effect that it's been added to my inventory. Like, 10 seconds delay. Is that normal?

 

2nd edit:again, I know it's a minor thing. Not saying "omg these are ruining the game for me"...I just find it curious. heh

Edited October 23, 2010 by LadyCrimson

[sorophx]

Also, there's this huge delay between my picking a plant and the UI message/sound effect that it's been added to my inventory. Like, 10 seconds delay. Is that normal?

I get this all the time, not only when picking up/using stuff.

 

also, I don't like how the game forces you to level up once you ding. I've not tried canceling it yet, but it makes sence really, if it doesn't allow that. still hate it

[Nightshape]

Who handles the lion's share of the bug testing anyways, the publisher or developer? I'm a bit shocked about the 360 problems, that's hard to overlook. Of course, I had Fable 2 crap out on me on the 360 back in the day.

 

Different kinda of QA done by both developer and publisher, the majority is usually the publisher mind.

 

Fable 2 would crap out because they did some really really evil stuff with their streaming/loading which no other company would have gotten away with. The result is that the disc is perminantly spinning, wanna screw your Xbox 360, just play Fable 2 from disc. Full install fixes it mind.

[Nepenthe]

Haha that is true. The guy definitely has his tastes and they are much more in line with FO3.

 

I'm of the opinion that liking FO3 isn't a matter of taste, but lack of it.

[Starwars]

I've done a bit of the main quest and a sidequest or two so far. It's pretty much what I'd expected so far. Improved version of Fallout 3 mechanics but with some things/mechanics taken from the old games mixed into it.

 

I think writing and general atmosphere are vastly improved in particular. The writing especially does a lot. Fallout was never a series with amazing writing if you ask me, it's mainly there to serve the player with info (and empower him with skill choices) with very little "emotional" stuff. New Vegas does that very well so far at least.

Atmosphere is also great. From the moment I walked out into Goodsprings, it already felt a 100 times more credible than anything in F3. Plus, the music offers a nice feel to it all.

 

Hardcore mode doesn't things *that* hard so far but it's a nice additional layer. And while combat itself seems fairly easy (on the main path and connecting areas at least), handling crippled limbs and healing over time adds a very welcome "bite" to the combat. The Iron Sights makes shooting feel so much better though I find it too easy to pick off targets at range, even with very low weapon skill (which was a problem in F3 as well).

 

Only bug I've run into so far is a NCR trooper being stuck in the terrain and moving forward in a chopping way (made him look like a sorta submarine or something) which was very amusing. I also get occasional white "flashes" or blips in the terrain, not sure what causes it. Might be that Nvidia will fix it in a driver or something.

 

Greatly enjoying it all in all so far.

[PoetAndMadman]

For what it's worth, bugs are not my problem with the game. And I have problems. It's a good game, not Obsidian's best game (which remains Mask of the Betrayer) but it feels far more coherent and better realized than, say, Alpha Protocol.

 

I can't agree with you.

Personally I loved MotB for it's story, characters and setting.

But Fallout New Vegas is better experience as a whole.

Maybe the story isn't as good (I don't know it for sure though, as I didn't even got to strip yet).

But the game is more balanced, has more C&C, gameplay is more enjoyable and writing is pretty cool so far.

The funny thing is that even not important characters, are better written than the main characters in Fallout 3 .

I'm just doing quests for Brotherhood of Steel, and I find them to be even cooler than in Fallout 1.

I also love the new western theme. It feels vey refreshing and awesome.

I find this game to be the best open ended RPG since Arcanum. And I will take this statement to the grave .

[HoonDing]

I've experienced the bug where I killed a coyote with a police baton, which send the beast flying off across the screen.

 

Also, several bark scorpions stuck in the ground, making for easy pickings. The mountains in the distance also have a penchant for flickering, which is maybe due to my Nvidia card.

 

What is very positive though, is that there isnt' any frame-skipping so far.

 

I don't think the atmosphere is better than FO3; if anything, FO3 felt more threatening because it offered complete freedom once you got out of the Vault. NV seems to be more story-driven where a tutorial NPC immediately takes you by the hand and warns you even not to stray too far from the roads.

[Blodhemn]

I've experienced the bug where I killed a coyote with a police baton, which send the beast flying off across the screen.

 

[sorophx]

oh, I don't know. some of the dungeons here make me feel like I'm playing a survival horror game (Vault 34, hi!). and it's not like they're not letting you explore, it's just like in F2: sidequests pull you away from the plot to make the game last longer

[Malcador]

I've experienced the bug where I killed a coyote with a police baton, which send the beast flying off across the screen.

 

 

Why do you think that's a bug ?

[Irrelevant]

J.E. did everything right with the guns. Everything. Everything and more.

 

dunno 'bout that... and at one point didn't he suggest that perception would impact ranged accuracy? am not seeing any change based on decreased/increased perception.

 

some folks is trying real hard to ignore problems with new vegas. am not certain why.

 

HA! Good Fun!

 

 

I can't look at enemies without their body parts violently exploding. It's like I have bloody mess, though I know I didn't pick it.

*point pistol at Gecko outside of VATS range*

*pull trigger*

*head explodes*

 

I kind of miss enemies just falling down dead.

Yup, no heavy weapons skill either(there was supposed to be one right?)It also feels like Charisma is pointless, although

my doubts are trumped by the cute animated avatar.

V.A.T.S. has a range?