How to get the most out of Fallout: New Vegas (and games in general)

[Windcaler]

New vegas is IMO the hardest of the fallout/elder scrolls games to get into. In every other game information about the various factions is readily available. However getting information on the NCR/Legion is much harder early on. For me I didnt really discover what the legion was about till I was at their camp across the river which is probably 3/4ths through the game. Yes early on theyre painted as uncaring slavers but theres more to them then that and you just dont get to see that early on.

The NCR, as I recall, didnt have anyone to really spell things out till you get up to the air force base and thats probably 1/4 through the games main story.

The powder gangers you can get to know pretty much immediately talk to Joe Cobb and the lady that runs the bar (I forget her name). Every other faction you can pretty much get to know as soon as you meet them but the two big ones were not introduced in their entirety early on which Ive always felt is a problem. IMO they went out of their way to paint the legion as the bad guys early on hoping players wouldnt want to get to know the real legion and instead responded to their emotional/phsycological states of mind rather then rational and informed thought (that said I will still burn the legion to the ground everytime)

Lets also be honest, New vegas' "lanes of travel" as I call them really made the area feel much smaller then the other games. Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, and fallout 3 all feel huge because you can go anywhere. While new vegas has way to many invisible walls and unpassable areas. This made the game hard for me to get into as well as many people I know, you may be the same way.

It may help to just take a neutral stance on everything for now until you can find the information you're looking for.

 

[The Random Critic]

In their defense, they only have a year to make it... so

As for the second point, while it is undoubtedly true that I enjoy the writing in New Vegas, I do believe that the author took a little bit too much stance on some of the points within the game. (Some of that cut dialog of the game shows)

Overall, as for your first point regarding difficulty, I actually believe that New Vegas is the easier one to get into. (Actually, the easier one in general)Despite all the quest marker, I still got lost easily in Fallout 3. Meanwhile, save for a few dungeons(vaults) I know exactly where to go. This is considered a good thing on Fallout 3 btw, even though "those few dungeon" in New Begas are absolutely wonderful on it's own.

Though then again, some of the vaults in Fallout 3 are kinda memorable too.

Finally, as a late Fallout fan, and as someone who spend way to much time on both Fallout 3 and New Vegas, I would say I understand why a certain someone would enjoy one game and not the other. This is because one game is design where the main story takes the center stage, and all the side quest exist to flesh out the main story. (with a few exception... as stated) Where as the other game is design where the main story takes the backstage, and all the side quest/unmarked objectives/Easter eggs along with the setting (background and art design porn, more leaned towards in this particular games case) Both design are valid really, imo. (though they could be judged on their own merit)

To be honest here, I'm kinda just glad there are two more Fallout games, and I somehow liked them both. (though the latter a little bit more thanks to it's world's placement/and the fact it's not level scaled)

Alot of this is bias opinion though, since nostalgia here is a huge factor

Edit for the smartasses: I know it's level scaled, but really... it's not

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

The fun you get is how you play it. If you just want to complete it and do all main missions, then it will be a chore. If you play with an open mind, to explore and take interest in the world. Then you will love it more. Same with all open world games, you need to be a part of that world, to explore and see things. End of the day its a post apocalyptic world, there is a lot of nothing. An a lot to explore in the game. New groups like Brotherhood of Steel and new people to find and join you in your quest. If your not enjoying it then maybe its not for you. Exploration and communicating with the NPCs is a the way you learn about the world, like with Skyrim etc.

One hint, dont play it like a cod game. A friend didnt like it cos he got killed loads. Turned out he played it the same way as cod.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

I spent the majority of my FANV play time running from deathclaws, or so it seemed. I was desperate to join caesar's legion so spent a lengthy amount of time trying to figure out how in the world i was going to do that.

Dont forget Cazordores.....them flying death things. Those were tough and legged it from them all the time. Love games that have that, no matter how tough you are there is always something tougher.