Fallout 4

[SkeptiQueer]

Also IMO the laser musket is the best sniper in the game.

No it isn't.

Well that's just excessive...

[EvilNick]

I wonder if you can coax guys out of their power armor...

Pickpocket their fusion core.

Oh, brilliant!  I need to up my sneak ability, then.

[SkeptiQueer]

Has anyone else encountered a max sneak attack bonus over 5.3x? Someone had a video of hitting 6x, saying it varied depending on what order you got the perks in.

[Johnny Slick]

What I am reading is that it is now less of an RPG and more of an action shooter, that the conversation choices have been simplified and that the PC controls/HUD are poorly designed.

Sounds like Mass Effect and Dragon Age all over again to me.

I think it's more Skyrim: The Apocalypse. The plotting is a bit better than in Skyrim, although in fairness the Elder Scrolls games are not exactly known for their rich plotting and exquisitely drawn characters, but it feels a *lot* like that game. The crafting element that was introduced is interesting if only as a way to upgrade and customize your weapons. But mostly it's just about collecting missions, grinding your way through dungeons (oops, sorry, abandoned buildings), and finding your way through to more and more advanced monsters with cooler treasures. I like that they didn't go back to the Oblivion model of ramping up the in-game difficulty along with your level. I like to play stealthy sniper types in these games and they never seem to level properly the way straight up shooty or melee types do. I'm perfectly okay with grinding a little bit more in order to get my character to a high enough level but in Oblivion in particular you'd get up to like level 10 and you'd be pretty much toast because that bad-ass stealthy first hit doesn't mean a lot when your opponent still has 10 billion hit points.

[EvilNick]

What I am reading is that it is now less of an RPG and more of an action shooter, that the conversation choices have been simplified and that the PC controls/HUD are poorly designed.

Sounds like Mass Effect and Dragon Age all over again to me.

I think it's more Skyrim: The Apocalypse. The plotting is a bit better than in Skyrim, although in fairness the Elder Scrolls games are not exactly known for their rich plotting and exquisitely drawn characters, but it feels a *lot* like that game. The crafting element that was introduced is interesting if only as a way to upgrade and customize your weapons. But mostly it's just about collecting missions, grinding your way through dungeons (oops, sorry, abandoned buildings), and finding your way through to more and more advanced monsters with cooler treasures. I like that they didn't go back to the Oblivion model of ramping up the in-game difficulty along with your level. I like to play stealthy sniper types in these games and they never seem to level properly the way straight up shooty or melee types do. I'm perfectly okay with grinding a little bit more in order to get my character to a high enough level but in Oblivion in particular you'd get up to like level 10 and you'd be pretty much toast because that bad-ass stealthy first hit doesn't mean a lot when your opponent still has 10 billion hit points.

I read an article over at Kotaku about the changes in Fallout 4, and it spotlighted that you can't just talk your way through many situations, which I have noticed.  It is much more shootery than Fallout 3 or New Vegas.  I spent most of my time in New Vegas talking my way though quests, which was a fun challenge.  It's a little disheartening that my powers of persuasion are mostly used to "pay me more caps." 

So far, I would have to say this is my first major gripe with the game upon fully realizing it--I can't just talk my way through things. 

[SkeptiQueer]

What I am reading is that it is now less of an RPG and more of an action shooter, that the conversation choices have been simplified and that the PC controls/HUD are poorly designed.

Sounds like Mass Effect and Dragon Age all over again to me.

I think it's more Skyrim: The Apocalypse. The plotting is a bit better than in Skyrim, although in fairness the Elder Scrolls games are not exactly known for their rich plotting and exquisitely drawn characters, but it feels a *lot* like that game. The crafting element that was introduced is interesting if only as a way to upgrade and customize your weapons. But mostly it's just about collecting missions, grinding your way through dungeons (oops, sorry, abandoned buildings), and finding your way through to more and more advanced monsters with cooler treasures. I like that they didn't go back to the Oblivion model of ramping up the in-game difficulty along with your level. I like to play stealthy sniper types in these games and they never seem to level properly the way straight up shooty or melee types do. I'm perfectly okay with grinding a little bit more in order to get my character to a high enough level but in Oblivion in particular you'd get up to like level 10 and you'd be pretty much toast because that bad-ass stealthy first hit doesn't mean a lot when your opponent still has 10 billion hit points.

I read an article over at Kotaku about the changes in Fallout 4, and it spotlighted that you can't just talk your way through many situations, which I have noticed.  It is much more shootery than Fallout 3 or New Vegas.  I spent most of my time in New Vegas talking my way though quests, which was a fun challenge.  It's a little disheartening that my powers of persuasion are mostly used to "pay me more caps." 

So far, I would have to say this is my first major gripe with the game upon fully realizing it--I can't just talk my way through things.

One of my favorite late-game replays was always the Benevolent Doctor or Mad Scientist, using violence as little as possible. That appears thus far almost impossible. The game is far too combat-oriented IMO. Here's hoping the mod-gods bless us console peasants.

[Sordid]

I seriously doubt mods could fix such a problem. That would require overhauling all the quests, conversations, and scripts, which would be an insane amount of work.

[SkeptiQueer]

Never underestimate the moderati.

[Rai]

I am more hopeful for an Obsidian spinoff like NV.

[SkeptiQueer]

I was thinking that this sort of felt like FO3 in that it was a good basis for Obsidian to make a next-gen game. I wonder where, though? We've been all over CA, to Vegas, and into southern Oregon too, DC and now Boston. I wonder if we could see St. Louis or Chicago? Maybe Vancouver...

[Gerbig]

New vegas was great, you could completely avoid shooting a single bullet and complete the main quest.

[Rai]

I was thinking that this sort of felt like FO3 in that it was a good basis for Obsidian to make a next-gen game. I wonder where, though? We've been all over CA, to Vegas, and into southern Oregon too, DC and now Boston. I wonder if we could see St. Louis or Chicago? Maybe Vancouver...

Fallout Tactics was based in the Chicago area, even if it is dubiously canon.

I'd like to see a Fallout game in the Appalachians, but the setting matters a little. Fallout 1 had Los Angeles in it, but not really as Los Angeles and other than that, it had no recogisable landmarks I can think of. You could set it even in the middle of Nebraska and it would be good if you populated the map with enough interesting post-apocalyptic development.

[EvilNick]

I seriously doubt mods could fix such a problem. That would require overhauling all the quests, conversations, and scripts, which would be an insane amount of work.

Mods have done that kind of work before.  But, even though the XBO is going to allow Mods for Fallout 4, I doubt they'll be to the same level as on Steam, and I doubt any of them will overhaul the game to quite this level. 

I still enjoy the world and exploration, and have a new goal now--I need to build a new Power Armor garage.  Found the X-01 last night.  Now I have 6 suits.

[Gerbig]

I wonder if bathesda will learn from the collective "meh" of it's fanbase after the hype died down.

[Sordid]

I wonder if bathesda will learn from the collective "meh" of it's fanbase after the hype died down.

They didn't learn the last three times, so I doubt this time will be any different.