Fallout 3

[Artlover]

Seriously, though, I ended the game with like 120 stimpaks, and that's AFTER I gave like 40 of them to Fawkes.

That's it?

 

Over 400 stimpaks here.

 

The only time I even used the RadX and RadAway were when I needed it (like going into a really irradiated place or something).

Exactly my point. Supply is much higher then demand.

 

To each their own. I just look at it as free health since you trip over food/drink/radaway all over the place. Might as well use them for something.

[Artlover]

I was getting really annoyed by the fact that Valut 87 is the ONLY place left on my map that is considered undiscovered, so I decided to give something a try.

 

I had over 100 RadAway's. So I mapped them to a DPad controll, took some Rad-X, donned the advanced rad suit, and made a dash for the entrance, hitting the DPad every second to keep dosing myself up as I went (I imagine this would be easier on the PC then the 360, which is tricky as hell to do). Rad levels down there are insane, 500-700/sec in spots. Anywho, I made it to the door, only to find it's inaccessable. By this time, I was almost out of RadAway and couldn't get back out of the area in time. There is a dead guy there with a suitcase, but I never had the chance to open it.

 

Despite getting to the front door, it still didn't unlock a discovery, like it would have any place else. So it looks like Vault 87 is just flatout undiscoverable.

 

I guess in a way it's good. It would suck to accidently fast-travel there.

[S1500]

I took Rad-X in the wet areas in the Nuka-Cola factory, and I still got rads(1/sec). I'm starting to think this Rad-X is a placebo.

[Artlover]

I took Rad-X in the wet areas in the Nuka-Cola factory, and I still got rads(1/sec). I'm starting to think this Rad-X is a placebo.

No, it works. But there is a lack of consistancy with what gigercounter values mean.

 

The higher your rad resistance, the less rads you absorb for a given exposure level.

 

You can confirm this with your PipBoy. Go to STATS then STATUS then RAD. It shows your resistance level and the actual number of rads you have.

 

With a low radiation resistance, make note of the number of rads you have, then go to an area giving off 1 rad/sec and stay there for like 5 seconds or 10 seconds, then leave. Go back and check your PipBoy again and see how many rads you have. Now, take some Rad-X and do the same thing again. You'll notice you gained a lot less rads for the same time spent at the same exposure level with the Rad-X then without.

 

Whats strange is the fact that while rad resistance alters the gigercounter readings, the gigercounter readings still don't reflect your absorption levels. That and that the game runs at an accelerated time scale. For example:

 

Without Rad-X, when I run into the Vault 87 valley, rad levels hit 1200+ rads/sec. But with Rad-X, they don't go much above 600 rads/sec. - Fine, fair enough.

 

Without Rad-X if I spend 10 seconds in a area giving off 1 rad/sec, I end up with 34 rads. But with Rad-X I only end up with 4 rads. - This makes no sense given the above. Why display a higher rad level then what I'm actually absorbing.

[S1500]

Gotcha. I'll just steer clear of the super-radioactive areas then.

 

I just visited paradise falls. What a creepy, disturbing town to be in. Jeesh! Got my bobblehead & left. I'll try later to steal some nuka cola quantum and see if the whole town goes freakin nuts after me.

[2600Lives]

I just slaughtered Paradise Falls from the get-go, no questions asked. Good place to pick up Chinese Assualt Rifles and armor. It's also WAY easier to get into Little Lamplight if you do it this way.

[Artlover]

There is a dead guy there with a suitcase, but I never had the chance to open it.

Addendum: Suitcase is empty.

 

Gotcha. I'll just steer clear of the super-radioactive areas then.

That's easy enough, there is only one! Everything else is chicken feed in comparison!

[rsiddall]

There is a dead guy there with a suitcase, but I never had the chance to open it.

Addendum: Suitcase is empty.

 

I went back to Vault 87 (from Lamplight Caverns) and made it to the entrance only to find that when you open the vault, there's nothing on the other side. You can't exit from the shelter...well, you can but it's like walking into emptiness.

[Artlover]

...well, you can but it's like walking into emptiness.

Let me guess, PC version using no-clipping cheat?

[rsiddall]

...well, you can but it's like walking into emptiness.

Let me guess, PC version using no-clipping cheat?

 

Nope...this was done with the 360 version.

[Artlover]

...well, you can but it's like walking into emptiness.

Let me guess, PC version using no-clipping cheat?

 

Nope...this was done with the 360 version.

How did you open the door?

 

Edit: Never mind, I'm an idiot.

 

Unreleated: I was exploring Vault87 trying to figure that out, and ran into DogMeat deep inside the place. WTF? I left him at my house in Megaton, how the hell did he get here.....

Edited January 6, 2009 by Artlover

[rsiddall]

How did you open the door?

 

Unreleated: I was exploring Vault87 trying to figure that out, and ran into DogMeat deep inside the place. WTF? I left him at my house in Megaton, how the hell did he get here.....

 

Like you, I set out to make vault 87 become a "fast travel" location or at least show up as explored on the world map. I assume because of the high level of radiation, it's impossible to fast travel to - doing so would result in almost instant death. And since you can't fast travel to a location inside of a building, etc. there's no way to accomplish this (fast travel).

 

But you can make your way to the inside entrance of vault 87. Once you get to the entrance/exit (inside of vault), there is a control panel that will open the huge cog-like door just like all the other vaults. Which is to say, you can open and close all of the vault doors that haven't been damaged from the fallout. Ultimately, you will end up back in the test area section of vault 87 if you proceed into the emptiness. I believe it's the same area where the Enclave abducts you from your first visit to 87.

[Artlover]

Ultimately, you will end up back in the test area section of vault 87 if you proceed into the emptiness. I believe it's the same area where the Enclave abducts you from your first visit to 87.

For me it drops me into the hallway just before that room/area that the Enclave gets you. Also, the door that leads to the vault entrance is the same door that the Enclave comes through now that I think about it. That said, I don't think you can access that door the first time through. Only after you get the GECK, complete RavenRock and return to Vault87 a 2nd time can you go through there. This also lends me to ask, how did the Enclave get through the valley and open the inaccessable door to gain entrance so they could ambush me?

 

I will say this: This was quite a HUGE disapointment and shows someone wasn't thinking somewhere. Did they not think someone might return to Vault87 and explore? The vault entrance is right there and can be opened. It was cheap and dirty to do it like they did. They should have mapped it to "something", else not allowed the door to open.

 

Here are some ideas that would have been better.

 

1) Door opens to the same kind of tunnel like every other Vault does, but would have a very high level of radiation because of it's proximity to the valley that the tunnel would exit to, but not neccessarly a lethal level at first. On the valley side of things, you can get quite close with rads in the 30-50/sec level before they suddenly start climbing to lethal levels. Use the same mechanics in the tunnel. Walk out the vault door, 30-50 rads/sec, each step closer towards the end increases it, with lethal levels near/at the tunnel valley exit door. This way, the vault exit is rendered consistantly with the map and gives you a fair chance to live (and if you're daring and have enough Rad-X & RadAway, exit and dash across the valley to saftey).

 

2) Door won't open because sensors are detecting lethal radiation levels outside.

 

3) Door opens to a normal vault tunnel, but you are instantly hit with lethal radiation levels equal to that in the valley.

 

Thank the lord this seems to be the only major bug/fault in the game. All I can assume is that they never expected anyone to return to the fault after getting the GECK since it was the only objective of Vault87.

Edited January 6, 2009 by Artlover

[S1500]

I gotta stop watchin' youtube videos that minorly spoil the game for me, but then again this game is so huge it doesn't spoil it 100%.

 

Anyways. Funny incident last night. Baddies will follow you IN to buildings. I've had raiders come out of the raid shack after I barged in. I was coming out of the grocery out of Seneca station & heard "There he is!", so I zip back into the store, hoping to be protected. Nope. They "appear"(ie go through the door) in a group of 4, and hilarity ensues. Just like before, I'm almost dead at one point in the battle, but get past them.

 

Odd, I've been to all the referenced locations in "blood ties", but can't find any trace of them. All I found was a geeky Ghoul who will pay me 15 for each sugar bomb. Seems easer than trying to find 20 Chinese assault rifles, which seem to be more rare than Mini Nukes. Like I could find them.

[rsiddall]

I will say this: This was quite a HUGE disapointment and shows someone wasn't thinking somewhere. Did they not think someone might return to Vault87 and explore? The vault entrance is right there and can be opened. It was cheap and dirty to do it like they did. They should have mapped it to "something", else not allowed the door to open.

 

Thank the lord this seems to be the only major bug/fault in the game. All I can assume is that they never expected anyone to return to the fault after getting the GECK since it was the only objective of Vault87.

 

I'm inclined to agree. The only reason I went back was to fast map it and re-loot some doors/safes that I couldn't open the first time.

Waiting for the downloadable content now...

[+remowilliams]

Seems easer than trying to find 20 Chinese assault rifles, which seem to be more rare than Mini Nukes.

Well, I know of at least one place that has a whole lot of Chinese assault rifles.

[Artlover]

Odd, I've been to all the referenced locations in "blood ties", but can't find any trace of them.

Grrrrrr. We just had like a 2 pages discussion about this in this thread a few pages back.

 

Nutshell without giving much of anything away: The old man knows 4 locations, not 3. However, you likely do not have the skills/stats needed to unlock the dialogue options for that 4th location. As you know, the 3 location he does tell you are not it, but one of them does lead there. You can also ask the ghoul about it, he has some hints for you regarding it. It's right under your nose, search around!

 

All I found was a geeky Ghoul who will pay me 15 for each sugar bomb.

15, eh? Guess you failed the speech challenge.

 

Seems easer than trying to find 20 Chinese assault rifles, which seem to be more rare than Mini Nukes. Like I could find them.

Chinese Asault Rifles aren't rare. You just need to kill & loot more.

 

Sugar Bombs on the other hand are rarer then you might expect. Probably second behind Mini Nukes.

[S1500]

SO I did a playaround(ie don't save), and embarked on "tenpenny towers". Without even trying, Ghoularity Ensued. Fun stuff!

[S1500]

WOW is that ghoul mask useful when zipping around the underground tunnels. No way I would have survived there on guns alone. Okay, I probably would have, but this is much easier. Of course, I fall in the water and can't swim out, promptly die.Ugh. It's okay. Didn't loot too much when "ghoularity ensued" as I couldn't find Alistair tenpenny, and alas I couldn't get his nice sniper rifle. Oh well. Now I'm at a neutral karma level from all that stuff. can't find that church guy to make a donation. Hmmm..

[moycon]

I will say this: This was quite a HUGE disapointment and shows someone wasn't thinking somewhere. Did they not think someone might return to Vault87 and explore?

 

Maybe they thought about it and decided that the number of folks that would care was so minute it wasn't worth spending time focusing on. When you consider the game as a whole. I'm inclined to agree with them. If that is considered a HUGE disappointment in your life... you got it good!!

 

I know what you mean though kinda. When I played through Dues Ex for like the 3rd time. I augmented my body so I could get over the various fences that made up the play fields. Like you getting around the barriers into the "wasteland", I too went where no man was ment to go. I was hoping there would be some SUPER rare equipment or something. Nope. There was only vast nothingness...and crates so i could get back over the fence where I belonged. I guess I should be thankful for the crates. The crates proved people figured you could get over the fences. Still I couldnt help but be disappointed they didn't run with it. Me and 5 other guys probably cared.

Edited January 8, 2009 by moycon

[2600Lives]

Give the guy sitting outside Megaton purified water instead of donating to the church guy. You'll get more karma that way, and you can just wait it out while your house robot makes more water every few days.

[Artlover]

I will say this: This was quite a HUGE disapointment and shows someone wasn't thinking somewhere. Did they not think someone might return to Vault87 and explore?

 

Maybe they thought about it and decided that the number of folks that would care was so minute it wasn't worth spending time focusing on. When you consider the game as a whole. I'm inclined to agree with them. If that is considered a HUGE disappointment in your life... you got it good!!

 

I know what you mean though kinda. When I played through Dues Ex for like the 3rd time. I augmented my body so I could get over the various fences that made up the play fields. Like you getting around the barriers into the "wasteland", I too went where no man was ment to go. I was hoping there would be some SUPER rare equipment or something. Nope. There was only vast nothingness...and crates so i could get back over the fence where I belonged. I guess I should be thankful for the crates. The crates proved people figured you could get over the fences. Still I couldnt help but be disappointed they didn't run with it. Me and 5 other guys probably cared.

I dunno. When you consider the game on a whole, I think it's actually impossible to agree.

 

The entire game is based on the principle of exploring, building your skills/stats up and returning to previous areas to get stuff you couldn't before. Vault87 is no different. There is stuff you can't do there the first time inside, and that just INSURES that people will go back to do those things later when they are able, just like they expect you to do everywhere else.

 

To say that at all doesn't hold water anyways because the entire game on a whole is about focusing on details. Even dead ends and out of the way hard to reach empty areas of no value were prefectly done and completely finished off. There are MANY places you are a lot less likely to ever go or see then the Vault87 vault door. A good example is Isabella Proud, that 99.999999999% of the people playing will never find. It's not referenced in the game, offers nothing, serves no purpose, is not a mapped location, yet exists as a finished easter egg you can very easily get to (if you know it's there). - So they can't focus on finishing an area you're allowed (and enticed) to enter, but they CAN focus on useless easter eggs that are nearly impossible to find?

 

The Vault87 door is not somewhere you're not ment to go. It's not a bug where you are escaping from the map or anything. No secret tricks, cheats, special abailities or anything are required. You just walk there and open the door. It's a door you can open in a room you freely have access to. It's on your local pipboy map. It's 100% within the normal map and game play mechanics.

 

Not waste time focusing on it? All they had to do was not let you open the vault door. I'm pretty sure THAT would have been simpler and taken less time/code then allowing you to open the door and run through the vault opening sequence. Better yet, why bother rendering those two rooms and vault door at all? Just leave the interior door inaccessable in the ambush chamber. That would have been even easier and taken even less time/code.

 

Further, they already did waste time focusing on it; by creating the areas to begin with and allowing you to access to them. It's quite obvious they ment for you to find it. That said, there is no excuse to not having finished it off somehow (like any of the above examples I gave in this post or the previous one).

 

With all that said, to specificly take the time to create these areas, specificly allow you to find and interact in these areas, only to throw non rendering empty engine in your face before being teleported back inside for this one area, and this one area alone....sorry, but that's sloppy and out of touch with the attention to detail they gave to all the even less signifigant areas in the rest of the game.

Edited January 8, 2009 by Artlover

[Artlover]

Speaking of Isabella Proud.....

 

Turns out you can escape from the map there too, just like in the Capitol building area. Little harder to pull off.

 

Odd area.

 

It's not so sparce exactly. There seems to be several physcial plains of terrain here and there are hills and mountains around. Ok, it is sparce in as much as only this area is like this, and off in the distance there is nothing but flat land all around, but it is remarkedly different then the DC area.

 

This area has a lot of invisible walls inside the map area, so you can actually explore alot of the area inside the map without being "inside" the map, and without being able to accidently fall back in. (Actually, it's quite hard to get back in). There are alot of places you can get stuck tho, and need to reload a previous save. You also really see some odd effects with perspective and maping if you just monkey around the edges of the area. Example: Standing on a cliffside over the burnt out truck in front of the entrance to the house. See it all. Staying outside the map zone, run down and around to the otherside, nothing there. I can see the same cliff I was standing on, but everything that was inside the map zone is gone now. Ran into some raiders too. They were inside the normal boundry areas, and I wasn't. They can still spot you and do damage to you, as you can to them.

 

Part of the Washington Momument is here off the distance, but you can't get inside in any way.

[Artlover]

So here's a question.

 

How common is it for the dead chinese soldier with the radio beacon to be placed somewhere inaccessable?

 

In one of my games, I'm picking up his beacon in front of Alexandria Arms. The problem is he is no where to be found.

 

When I go inside, I no longer pick up the voice transmission, but still have signal. Take a few steps further inside and I loose the signal. In scouting around outside, I located where the edge of the signal is all the way around. The center point of the beacon is in the courtyard infront of Alexandria Arms. Strongest signal seems to be around where the two trees are. No bodies are here tho. Not up in the tree either. There are piles of rubble near by where the signal is also pretty strong (despite being on the edge of the signal area), nothing there either. I have combed every inch of area inside the signal circle and there is no dead china man. Started thinking maybe he's on the roof, but there is no way to get access to the roof. Grrrrrr.

[moycon]

When you consider the game on a whole, I think it's actually impossible to agree.

 

The entire game is based on the principle of exploring, building your skills/stats up and returning to previous areas to get stuff you couldn't before. Vault87 is no different.

 

Here's the thing, of the millions of people playing and exploring, something you are obviously still doing months after the games release. You're the only one I've seen that gives a crap enough to spend time and effort bitching about it and regardless, you're still exploring in spite of the fact you can't get into the vault so why was it that important that they overlooked that? Honestly if the sloppiness bothers you so much, just sell the game and spare us all the extreme pettiness. I understand you wanting to mention it..but "HUGE disappointment" ?? LOL Come on.

Edited January 9, 2009 by moycon