FO3 or FO: NV?

[Yamu]

If not railroaded, one could make a case for it being "traffic copped," at the very least. They strongly suggest a route to you at every chance they get while making it the clear path of least resistance, and every other way forward is complicated by obstacles it would be unrealistic to expect an inexperienced and/or unlucky player to overcome.

That said, if you know what you're doing it is entirely possible with some luck and the right build to sneak your way through Deathclaw country or even blow your way through the Cazadores at the tribal village before you're within spitting distance of level 10. The game bends over backwards trying to make you think otherwise, though.

 

[Tagaziel]

It does? It does suggest taking the route south, but nowhere does it explicitly prevent you from making a beeline for Vegas or bypassing entire stages of the quest. Hell, the game makes perfect sense even if you don't visit the south until much later in the game.

 

[Yamu]

They don't block your way with any invisible walls or anything, but to most level two characters armed with early-game gear, deathclaws, cazadores, and giant radscorpions are every bit as prohibitive. As I said, I acknowledge that it's nowhere near impossible to bypass them, but in my experience it takes a good degree of luck, finesse, and save-scumming. There are less perilous bypasses, of course, but they generally leave you somewhere short of Vegas on the Primm - Boulder City horseshoe. In all earnestness and without a trace of hauteur, if there's a better way I'd love to hear about it.

Also, about that "ample motive to go to Vegas" bit, I can't remember-- were you aware that the guys that jumped you were headed for Vegas, or just that they were taking the road south? It's been awhile since I played.

 

[Tagaziel]

The inhabitants of Goodsprings mention that the group was headed by a New Vegas type in a checkered suit. I think, at minimum, Trudy and the General Store proprietor mention this fact.

 

[Mameluk]

While Fallout New Vegas indeed also starts out very rail roaded, once you reach New Vegas itself you are free to explore the whole map on your own. (the early set path even feels more like an introduction of the world and the gameplay for the player)

New Vegas. Is. Not. Rail. Roaded. At. All.

You can get to Vegas from Goodsprings in a perfectly legitimate way with no exploits at the start of the game and you have plenty of reasons to go there.

Good luck getting past giant radscorpions, deathclaws and cazadors as a level 5 character.

 

[Tagaziel]

I did it with a level 3 character. You get a Stealth Boy at Goodsprings and some dynamite, which is enough to either push through the tribal village with a bit of luck and then to Red Rock Canyon and beyond, or through the Primm pass to Novac and up north. You can also use the pass between Hidden Valley and Helios One or even go up I-93 if you're particularly brave/stupid.

 

[Languorous_Maiar]

What about going throught Hidden Valley - scorpion gulch and then straight to New Vegas? No cazadores, no giant radscorpions, no deathclaws.

In FNV developers intentionally created few shortcuts like Primm Pass, mentioned before scorpion gulch etc to allow player skip specific arenas if he want.

 

[Mameluk]

Never thought of that, nice job I think I'll try it on another NV playthrough.

 

[woo1108]

There's bunch of way to go to Novac.
1. Follow main quest.
easist way
2. using Primm pass
Problem is a blind deathclaw.
but using dynamite to break it's leg isn't that hard.
3.follow railroad then you can arrive Nipton without danger.
after nipton isn't that hard.

and Bunch of way to arrive Vegas.
1.Following main quest
2. kill some cazador at north of Goodspring and just go north.
Fiend would be problem though.
for cazador, 9mm smg with vats can help. or victor will help if you didn't talk to him.
3. using stealth boy to pass through deathclaws.

But for fo3.
there's only one way to beat the main quest.

 

[woo1108]

I did those at level 1.
With Jsawyer.esp, hardcore, Very hard.

 

[Yamu]

I think my all-time favorite method of forging straight on to Vegas was bumming around Goodsprings 'til level six and then climbing the cliffs behind the Tribal Village and raining a rucksack full of improvised ordinance down on the cazadores courtesy of the Mad Bomber perk.

I usually don't count bypassing Nipton as skipping out on the "intended" game path, as it leaves you just one town up the road. Keeping to the high ground through Scorpion Gulch is a favorite trick, but it still only gets you as far as Helios One. As to the Primm Pass deathclaw, he'll often detect you even if you've used a Stealth Boy, and crippling him before he takes you out at low levels usually amounts to a real feat of luck (in my experience, at least). Using the Stealth Boy to sneak north from Goodsprings is a very viable option, though. I had forgotten they give you that thing. I usually tend to actively ignore them, as there are too many situations where using them amounts to weapons-grade enriched cheese.

 

[Languorous_Maiar]

Keeping to the high ground through Scorpion Gulch is a favorite trick, but it still only gets you as far as Helios One

You realize that, after skipping to Helios One, you could skip also Helios One and Boulder City and go straight to New Vegas, without having any fights?

 

[Felspawn]

New Vegas., its everything decent about FO3 combined with real continuity with FO1 and 2

 

[Makta]

But for fo3.
there's only one way to beat the main quest.

You can skipp a big part of the main quest by going straight for your dad.

New Vegas. Is. Not. Rail. Roaded. At. All.

You can get to Vegas from Goodsprings in a perfectly legitimate way with no exploits at the start of the game and you have plenty of reasons to go there.

The same could be said of Navarro in F2 you know

 

[Dukeanumberone]

Tagaziel

New Vegas. Is. Not. Rail. Roaded. At. All.

You can get to Vegas from Goodsprings in a perfectly legitimate way with no exploits at the start of the game and you have plenty of reasons to go there.

Really? Seemed very heavy-handed to me. First encounter with multiple Regular/ Large Radscorpions , cazadores , dethclaws in a way to make a bee-line for vegas ended in maximum disappointment and some game deleting saves to backtrack and take the "suggested" in-game southern route. I tried the deathclaw sneak for an hour, with save-spamming, and each time ended up cornered and out gunned, on first play through. Now, its probably avoidable with first-hand knowledge of the gameworld, but I think for most 1st plays, it is just wayy easier to take the southern route.

Also several NPC's push you south, Trudy (bartender) and Victor push you south through dialogue to PRIMM.

I did it with a level 3 character. You get a Stealth Boy at Goodsprings and some dynamite, which is enough to either push through the tribal village with a bit of luck and then to Red Rock Canyon and beyond, or through the Primm pass to Novac and up north. You can also use the pass between Hidden Valley and Helios One or even go up I-93 if you're particularly brave/stupid.

Was this on 1st play through though?

 

[Languorous_Maiar]

but I think for most 1st plays, it is just wayy easier to take the southern route.

The point is, it should be like this.
For 1st players, the best way, is southern way and no one is saying otherwise.
However, FNV is completely sanbox, and if you want, you can skip everything and end game in 40 min, not using any bugs.

You can tell me, that same thing apply to Fallout 3? Hmm?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRZTmZGns60&list=PLBSU97iuIcUOYfPtaNP4MhkP-Jq5cigs1&index=5

 

[woo1108]

Actually fo3 also skip some point by go to the vault where mutants doing party in there. but it's just bug like oblivion fastrun.

 

[Dukeanumberone]

However, FNV is completely sanbox, and if you want, you can skip everything and end game in 40 min, not using any bugs.

You can tell me, that same thing apply to Fallout 3? Hmm?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRZTmZGns60&list=PLBSU97iuIcUOYfPtaNP4MhkP-Jq5cigs1&index=5

Nice vid 41:26 total video time with ending

BS on no bugs though, the swinging arms thing isn't a bug?????

F3 speedrun

http://youtu.be/89bAbk3agws

TOTAL TIME W/ending 38:54

and debating speed runs is pointless. Because neither game was developed to be played that way.

The point is, it should be like this.
For 1st players, the best way, is southern way and no one is saying otherwise.

Ok , then how is the whole "direct to NV" considered a legitimate point against it being on rails? You still have to exploit 1st hand or previous gameworld knowledge to do it.

 

[Languorous_Maiar]

http://youtu.be/89bAbk3agws

TOTAL TIME W/ending 38:54

You're serious?
You even looked at this speedrun?
Look at action in 15 min. skipping half of game using bug.
I said:

not using any bugs.

So still FNV > Fo3.

and debating speed runs is pointless. Because neither game was developed to be played that way.

No, it isn't. And in this case, even more.
You said FNV is rail-roaded, but I already showed by vid it isn't and you can complete it every way you want, even in 40 min.
Then you showed me video of guy skipping a some part of FO3 using bug...,
pretty comfortably but only bullshit from you.

Dukeanumberone and if you think FNV is rail roaded, then what game isn't by your weird/stupid standards?

 

[Lexx]

Haha, oh wow. Some people really believe that New Vegas is a railroaded game? Jeez, folks...