Guns or energy weapons?

my impression is that energy weapons do more damage in the late game but they don't have AP ammo and can't be silenced

you can make up for the lack of AP with overcharge/max charge but you're stuck with no silencers

 

Overcharged cells are the same as armor penetration ammo IIRC (-enemy DT, +10% damage, -CND).

Max charge on the other hand is the same as hollow point IIRC, where it does the maximum +damage but also increases enemy DT.

Regarding mods, I can't say, but energy weapons will most likely have different mods from conventional arms.

I see it more as an issue of flavor as opposed to power. 10mm pistols do a ton more damage in this game than they did in FO3, and 10mm SMGs are of the most powerful weapons early game. Pick what you like and make it work via associated perks.

 

I've allready seen like 6-7 doors and also some safes which I can't get open. And I'm just 4 hours in, so I say lockpick.

 

Lockpick is needed everywhere. I've also seen quite some uses for repair and science but not as many. Lockpick just isn't as fun as repair or science, since they usually involve robots and interesting dialogue options.

 

Repair and Science also help you more efficiently create/convert ammo for Guns and Energy Weapons, respectively, at Reloading Benches and Workbenches, so these skills have more direct involvement with combat.

 

GECK says
overcharge = +25% dam +50% wear
max charge = +75% dam +150% wear

 

Yeah, overcharge and max charge are NOT the same as AP and hollow point.

Also tagging skills is no that important now. You just get +15 to skill, and that's all. They went with Morrowind/Oblivion system this time. It's just a matter of one level.

 

I went with guns, I despise energy weapons in general. Despite its heavy grounding in the Fallout series I really hate sci-fi/spacey pop culture and do my best to overlook it when I can.

The good news being Energy weapons is actually a viable option the entire game this time around where as in F3 it was more endgame. I found an energy pistol before I found a regular gun in the doctors house.

 

Early game viable laser guns? Count me in, I will buy this game on Steam NOW!

Are the lasers still awesome Warhammer 40k beam style? Or did they change to lame Star Wars pew-pew style?

Do the lasers actually kick ass? Power Armor's 19/90% in Fallout 1&2 was not fun for laser lovers like me...

 

Eh, lazers actually kick ass, and standard armor protection doesn't work against them. At first I was afraid I am going to be hunting for a few cells though, but the doubts went away when I saw random raiders with lazer pistols and TONS of ammo.

By the way, now NPC have real amount of ammo. In FO3 I was wondering how do they shoot me for 5 min when they have only 5 bullets in their inventory.

P.S. You not only find plasma/lazer weapons early, you can quickly find a few traders to mod them straight away. Just shoot a lot of raiders for their guns to get your caps for those cool mods.

 

Energy Weapons and Guns seem pretty balanced. You find Energy Weapons fairly early on if you look for them (you might have to steal them though), but there's a lot more variety in Guns, considering all the new rifles and shotguns available. It's definitely not the same situation you get in the first two Fallouts, where Energy Weapons only become relevant 65% through the game.

 

the 10 mm smg has ended all fear of nightstalkers for me!

 

It depends what you want to do with the char. Playing solo and in hardcore you need a high strength for the carry weight really and/or carry weight perks.

I dropped my luck a few points to bump up other stats and took small frame for +1 AGI and even with the low luck I still get loads of crits.

 

High INT is problly good in the long run due to the extra skillpoints. CHA improves your companions "Nerve" which I think is their damage and health etc.

No idea about dialogue options.