We cannot understimate the value of swamp, rainforest, and wetland in subtropic climate. Especially given the existence of fantastical mutation and bioengineering tech. We could have a game where atompunk and biopunk ala bioshock or witcher merged seamlessly for the worldbuilding and gameplay purpose. To say it in general sentence, instead of the struggle of finding water and lands free of radiation as in the West Coast Wasteland, it's the struggle about taming the wildlife and hostile ecology to producing fruits and no thorn with your effort.
In another words, there are plenty of Punga Fruit level of holy grail lifeforms in these region. Stuff that could boost the human life quality and economy. In the fanfic link that I posted before, it is suggested that southern wasteland has plants and animals that produce powerful compounds that would make vanilla stimpak being no better than cough syrup. And there are also stuff for crafts and luxury goods too.
And what I am saying is also represent my resentment of the over addition of apex predator in recent Fallout games. I want something closer to Far Cry 3, if you know what I meant.