Feral ghouls are downright frightening now. I get where you're coming from, but I feel the opposite. I've always felt like Fallout would make a great horror game. It should be downright frightening to be picking through a destroyed city infested with ghouls and mutants, whereas it mostly comes off as sort of goofy. I mean, I love how light-hearted Fallout is overall, but I feel like running across a pack of feral ghouls during a radiation storms gives us a peek at what Fallout could be as a straight up horror game. The first quest to find the Railroad kinda hints at that, too, when you're creeping through the church.

I don't want to spoil anything, but something happened to me in a quarry/mine that ran along the same lines.

I'm safe in the light. I'm safe in the light. I'm safe in the light.

You know, the biggest next gen thing to me was eliminating button presses. Just being able to look things with no menu pop up was amazing to me. It was like "oh DAMN we're in the future."

Oblivion's graphics were unbelievably good, so that was "next gen," but looting stuff without a menu pop-up?! We've been looting people since the late nineties in the same way! Press button. Take stuff. Exit menu. Now we just take the stuff! It is a huge game changer for me.

I can agree with you, there. I'll be disappointed if I ever have to open a menu to loot something again.

I don't like the radiation storms. They are nifty and add an interesting element to the game and the god rays are cool, but I don't like scary games, or things where it's hard to see. I hate feral ghouls.

Feral ghouls are downright frightening now. I get where you're coming from, but I feel the opposite. I've always felt like Fallout would make a great horror game. It should be downright frightening to be picking through a destroyed city infested with ghouls and mutants, whereas it mostly comes off as sort of goofy. I mean, I love how light-hearted Fallout is overall, but I feel like running across a pack of feral ghouls during a radiation storms gives us a peek at what Fallout could be as a straight up horror game. The first quest to find the Railroad kinda hints at that, too, when you're creeping through the church.

I played for a little bit today, looking for the alien blaster you can see in loading screens. I found it, and then found a side quest involving a Chinese submarine. It only showed up because while I was swimming into the ocean away from raiders, I heard someone yell something. I then swam back and talked to him. This type of thing has happened a few times in the game, where you only get the quest by chance.

It feels like it has happened fewer times in Fallout 4 than Fallout 3, Oblivion, or Skyrim to me. Not sure if it means anything.

I also think that it would be cool if you could figure out if you have done all the quests or not in game. It might ruin the experience though. Not sure.

Yeah, this has always been one thing I've had really mixed feelings about. I think it's a great, natural feeling way to get quests, but I'm always worried that I'm missing out on great content because I wasn't in the exact right place to pick it up. Eventually I'm sure there will be a comprehensive guide or wiki.

Oblivion's graphics were unbelievably good, so that was "next gen," but looting stuff without a menu pop-up?! We've been looting people since the late nineties in the same way! Press button. Take stuff. Exit menu. Now we just take the stuff! It is a huge game changer for me.

And yeah, took me 35 hours to not whip out the pip boy every time.

As for the graphics, it looks fine to me. I'm hearing you only need a 2GB card for the ultra setting. I wonder if the low resolution textures may shorten the load times or something. Other high budget games on maximum settings usually require much more video RAM to hold the textures.

I don't like the radiation storms. They are nifty and add an interesting element to the game and the god rays are cool, but I don't like scary games, or things where it's hard to see. I hate feral ghouls.

I played for a little bit today, looking for the alien blaster you can see in loading screens. I found it, and then found a side quest involving a Chinese submarine. It only showed up because while I was swimming into the ocean away from raiders, I heard someone yell something. I then swam back and talked to him. This type of thing has happened a few times in the game, where you only get the quest by chance.

It feels like it has happened fewer times in Fallout 4 than Fallout 3, Oblivion, or Skyrim to me. Not sure if it means anything.

I also think that it would be cool if you could figure out if you have done all the quests or not in game. It might ruin the experience though. Not sure.

I am in love with this game. As we've discussed in this thread, I don't get the complaints of it not being "next gen" enough. I think it's a perfect evolution of what we got with Fallout 3 (I never played New Vegas, so I can't comment on that). It feels so great to be back in the world of Fallout, and this game is packed with so much world building in almost every little corner. The crafting system fits in perfectly with the nature of the game and the world; making weapons and armor out of junk is just perfect. It doesn't feel shoehorned in like in some other games.

I really enjoy the settlement building aspect, too, although it is not explained very well (or at all). It took me ages to figure out how to make the Local Leader perk work for the supply runs and that you had to actually assign a person to make the runs. It also took me way longer than I'd like to admit that you can't break down all your junk into crafting components, and that it's done automatically just buying storing your junk in the workbenches. That said, the system is actually pretty deep, and I'm sure we'll see some amazing stuff out of it from the community. I haven't been too deep into it, yet, as I'm too eager to experience that real meat of the game.

Some other random thoughts:

-I keep accidentally activating my pip-boy because when I loot stuff, I still reflexively press 'B' to get out of that menu. It's really awesome that it's just a contextual menu that you can just walk away from, but I just can't break that habit!

-Radiation storms are freaking amazing. Seriously, probably one of the coolest effects I've seen in a game ever. Walking through Boston with a green fog, low visibility, and that awesome lightning sound . . . it's seriously creepy.

-I don't get what people are complaining about with the graphics, either. Sure, it's no Destiny, but I think it looks pretty damn good. The details might not look great individually, but the art design is so cohesive and damn near perfect that it looks great as a whole, I think. Plus, I think the Bethesda has done a pretty good job with the faces and facial expressions and animations in general, given what they're known for.

-I'm really digging the companions. I haven not spent a single moment alone, which is saying quite a bit considering that I NEVER used a companion in Skyrim because they were so bad. They still have the occasionally janky pathfinding, or lodge themselves in a doorway, but it's not enough to detract from how interesting they are. I love hearing their quips or finding out their backstories. Been rolling with Piper pretty much since I got to Diamond City, but I only have four of them, I think.

-Power Armor (as discussed in this thread) is awesome. I still only have the starting set, but since we talked about it, I've been using it quite a bit, and it's really fun. I explore without it (I don't have the cores for that!), but if I'm going into a place I feel like might be a tough fight, I go grab my Power Armor and then come back and wreck shit. It's a lot of fun, and a nice change of pace from my normally sneaky character.

FWIW, I'm going for the combat perks I want, and some crafting. No level cap this go 'round, so I'll have everything I want eventually. I am tending to take the combat perks first, though. My logic is that some crafted items (like weapon mods) can be obtained without actually making them, plus I figure waiting until I'm upper-tier to seriously craft things is ok, since most of the stuff I could craft at lower levels would get discarded eventually anyway. Whereas Bloody Mess is fun NOW. :P

I've been doing a mix of both, so I'm okay with it for the most part. Plus, it seems like they've added a lot more magazines with with permanent perk unlocks this time around, so it's not hard to imagine having a character with nearly everything.

I couldn't care less about the settlements. Screw em. No water? I don't care. Go find some water. Not my job. I built up Sanctuary a bit, with a few prebuilt houses, a basketball court, a farm, et cetera, but the moment I had to build an important thing for the story, my first thought was "Fuck it. Put it right in the middle of town. I don't care." It caused caravans to glitch and blocked pathways, and I couldn't have cared less. There are not any spoilers that I know of here, other than there being one object you build late in the main quest.

After this, I quit bothering with the cities.

I know what you're saying. I liked the characters. I liked my character. The kid thing is a lot of motivation that was lacking in the first 3. You want to really continue and find out more.

I really like that angle, too. It's the first time I've played a Bethesda game and worked on the main quest immediately, rather than fifty hours in.

I like that motivator, and I like my character being voiced. I've just as many people complaining about it as I have praising it, though, so it seems like it's a pretty divisive issue. Some have said it affects their roleplay, being "forced" to have a kid, etc. I can see where you're coming from, as your character brings it every chance she gets, but . . . I'm in the camp that loves it, so that obviously works for me.

What did you think about the story for New Vegas?

I'm a little ashamed to admit I never played that game! Despite loving Fallout 3, I just never picked up New Vegas. ):

Unrelated: Zalachenko is Lisbeth's father

You're such a dick. (:

I believe it's Intelligence level nine. Nuclear Physicist or something?

Yes, T-60b. With Armorer and Science! you can up it to T-60f eventually. :D

So, so far that's my only real issue with Fallout 4. I'm at level 14 or 15, and so far all my perks have just gone into all of the things I need for crafting and basic hacking and lockpicking. I guess you don't NEED to be able to craft, but I feel like you'd be missing a lot by ignoring it, so you're almost forced to take those perks.

Oh... question. I was putting the game to bed for the night and was going to fast travel around and check on my settlements. First one was fine but when I got to there I saw a message that I'd failed to defend the second one... How was I supposed to know to defend it? Is there a message or something I missed?

Yes. There'll be messages in the top left corner of the UI every once in awhile about settlements being attacked. They can even happen during story missions, so sometimes you won't really be able to leave and defend them, you'll just have to go and repair things and dispose of bodies.

You can check periodically under "Data > Quests > Miscellaneous" in the pip boy to see if you have any requests to defend a settlement.

You can also pre-emptively check under "Data > Settlements" in the pip boy and see which ones are weak in certain areas (defense, water, food, etc).

What did you think about the story for New Vegas?

Unrelated: Zalachenko is Lisbeth's father

What I didn't expect was to like the story as much as I am so far! Don't get me wrong, Fallout 3's was interesting but I never really liked any of the characters. They were a means for Caps and XP and were quirky and that was about it. Already in 4 I'm loving my character (he responds "correctly" nearly every time I make a speech choice), and several of the story characters and story situations have been a lot of fun. Valentine, for instance. Just perfect, so far. That, and rescuing him from the gangsters in my first real test of my fully repaired Power Armor with plenty of minigun ammo left over? It was glorious. I was like Robocop combined with the Terminator or something. Just walking on in and tearing apart any fool who dared face me while taking a grand total of maybe 20% damage!

Also, the best part of the game by far is its main theme. It's just so heartwarming! It feels familiar too but I can't quite place what I'm relating it to... A cross between the slow Cortana part of the Halo theme combined with those few piano notes when Shepard dies at the beginning of Mass Effect 2, perhaps??

Oh... question. I was putting the game to bed for the night and was going to fast travel around and check on my settlements. First one was fine but when I got to there I saw a message that I'd failed to defend the second one... How was I supposed to know to defend it? Is there a message or something I missed?

There's like two dozen sets. The fusion cores are hard to come by at first though.

I've heard of some crazy stuff out there. So excited.

Plus after a while you're lousy with Fusion Cores, and with the perk that doubles their duration, power is no issue. Playing on normal right now, direct confrontation is always an option, but I still can't be totally stupid. I have plans within plans for the future. It will be glorious.

I think that was my biggest issue. At least at the beginning, the fusion core drains so fast, it just seemed like more trouble than it's worth. What skill is that perk under? The new perk screen looks neat, but it's hard for me to find things. It's just so busy, my mind goes blank and my eyes sort of glaze over.

I believe it's Intelligence level nine. Nuclear Physicist or something?

I did use the T-45 armor a bit today, and it is fun. I'm just draining fusion cores, and I only had four of them, so I parked it. I just joined the Brotherhood of Steel, I'm assuming that'll lead to another set?

Yes, T-60b. With Armorer and Science! you can up it to T-60f eventually. :D

Plus after a while you're lousy with Fusion Cores, and with the perk that doubles their duration, power is no issue. Playing on normal right now, direct confrontation is always an option, but I still can't be totally stupid. I have plans within plans for the future. It will be glorious.

I think that was my biggest issue. At least at the beginning, the fusion core drains so fast, it just seemed like more trouble than it's worth. What skill is that perk under? The new perk screen looks neat, but it's hard for me to find things. It's just so busy, my mind goes blank and my eyes sort of glaze over.

I did use the T-45 armor a bit today, and it is fun. I'm just draining fusion cores, and I only had four of them, so I parked it. I just joined the Brotherhood of Steel, I'm assuming that'll lead to another set?

Also, I have not even touched Power Armor, yet. Am I missing out? I got the first set from when you first encounter the Minutemen, and then I promptly stored it at Sanctuary and forgot about it. Should I be utilizing it more?

I'd say absolutely, but, it's my bag baby as the saying goes.

Rant inbound.

The Minuteman set is very much so tutorial armor. Moving down... um how to say avoiding spoilers... "faction" quest lines will score you *really* good stuff. Coupled with crafting (Armorer and Science! perks) there's some really powerful options.

For example, my Survivor rocks jeans and a t-shirt (literally, no armor) but when I get into my T-60e set (Power Armor overrides whatever you're wearing btw) I've got 1500 damage resist, 1000 energy resist, 1000 rad resist, AOE shock effect, carrying capacity over 400 (with 3 strength lol), and HUD targeting (think constant Boone o' Vision from New Vegas). Plus after a while you're lousy with Fusion Cores, and with the perk that doubles their duration, power is no issue. Playing on normal right now, direct confrontation is always an option, but I still can't be totally stupid. I have plans within plans for the future. It will be glorious.

Finally, it's a lot of fun to park at the entrance of a settlement, pop out, and be like "sup guys?!" Um, so yeah. I'm the Commonwealth's Tony Stark right now. :P

Hardcore mode 4 lyfe obv