Trying for the first time a little frustrated.

[Mundus33]

I am playing fallout 1 for the first time but am finding the combat very clunky basically what I want to do is have my main character sneak around and have my companion go into the room before me drawing attention so that I can pick of enemies while he/she is fighting.

I view my character as the kind of guy who manipulates people into doing his dirty work but tries to keep himself out of harms way is this possible without taking a potshot at the enemy first.

Also I am at vault 15 and I can't hit anything I know that flares can be used and I did take good natured but geez this is a little too much

 

[Sub-Human]

I believe you can't tell your companions where to go, but with a few tries you should be able to lead them into the room. Anyways, make sure your sneaking is high enough (you tagged it, right?). And you'll draw enemies to yourself as you open fire anyways.

Being at Vault 13 and not being able to hit anything is normal for a roleplaying game. Did you tag any weapon skill, and are you using it (i.e. fists, knife, pistol?). Tone down the combat difficulty (and game difficulty) in the options to the lowest if you can't seem to progress through the game. And with that trait of yours... Not sure what you're expecting.

If you can't go through the cave without being beaten to a pulp or wasting all of your ammo, just run past the rats. These critters can't move that far and generally forgetful, so you shouldn't face any trouble.

http://user.tninet.se/~jyg699a/fallout.html

Here's a good guide by a user called Per (he's on this forum), you might want to check out the Preparations and Character Design sections in case you want some tips on character creation (you can still keep the identity of a coward). Don't dwell too far though - you don't want your experience spoiled.

Trust me, when you get your hands on a decent companion and great firepower (AR/energy weapon), combat will be very fast, and engaging.

 

[Mundus33]

I believe you can't tell your companions where to go, but with a few tries you should be able to lead them into the room. Anyways, make sure your sneaking is high enough (you tagged it, right?). And you'll draw enemies to yourself as you open fire anyways.

Being at Vault 13 and not being able to hit anything is normal for a roleplaying game. Did you tag any weapon skill, and are you using it (i.e. fists, knife, pistol?). Tone down the combat difficulty (and game difficulty) in the options to the lowest if you can't seem to progress through the game. And with that trait of yours... Not sure what you're expecting.

If you can't go through the cave without being beaten to a pulp or wasting all of your ammo, just run past the rats. These critters can't move that far and generally forgetful, so you shouldn't face any trouble.

http://user.tninet.se/~jyg699a/fallout.html

Here's a good guide by a user called Per (he's on this forum), you might want to check out the Preparations and Character Design sections in case you want some tips on character creation (you can still keep the identity of a coward). Don't dwell too far though - you don't want your experience spoiled.

Trust me, when you get your hands on a decent companion and great firepower (AR/energy weapon), combat will be very fast, and engaging.

Thanks for your advice I was a little worried I would get flamed so I appreciate your courtesy. I can definitely tell there is a good game underneath my frustration. But I wanted to play something different than the typical "rambo" shoot people in the face over and over since I am tired of playing those types of characters. But not being in the action at all would be boring too so I am torn.

 

[Sub-Human]

But I wanted to play something different than the typical "rambo" shoot people in the face over and over since I am tired of playing those types of characters. But not being in the action at all would be boring too so I am torn.

I think the problem with a lot of RPGs (including 90s Gold hits) is that they focus on combat, and what's worse there's always a preference in what type of weapons to use. For example, energy weapons are clearly the beast of the game - if you tagged Unarmed or Melee, you're going to get killed.

You can't avoid combat in Fallout. Generally, I create an Agile (9 Agility) character with a focus on Small Guns (and later tag Energy Weapons after perk), and a decent Perception, but also up Charisma and Intelligence, tagging Speech. This means that I can generally kill anyone who comes within a few hexes from me, and talk my way out of most otherwise brutal encounters.

Of course, if you want a really diplomatic character, then get everything associated with it and equip your companions with everything you can afford. But keep a firearm just in case.

 

[Per]

It may not be possible to avoid all combat, but you can avoid most of it, even though you may not find it easy to do so in your first playthrough. Fallout is a bit nifty that way.

 

[Mundus33]

I don't want to necessarily avoid combat but I just wanted to have my companion do the grunt work and be the tank but it seems difficult to do so especially when he lags like 10 hexes behind even though I have him set to stay close and am out of combat. *shakes fist*

 

[DGT]

It may not be possible to avoid all combat, but you can avoid most of it, even though you may not find it easy to do so in your first playthrough. Fallout is a bit nifty that way.

Wasn't it you that pointed out that you could, in fact, complete Fallout 1 without killing anything? Been forever since I did a diplomatic run, but I remember a lot of running and I don't remember killing anything.

Edit: Also, "tanking" isn't really possible in FO1/2. The enemies shoot who they shoot, and more often than not it will be you in FO1.

 

[Sub-Human]

That was actually Fallout 2, where the developers said you could go through the whole game without killing anyone, or anything, at least via conventional combat.

 

[Per]

Wasn't it you that pointed out that you could, in fact, complete Fallout 1 without killing anything?

I think it's possible, but it's not realistic to think that someone should manage it in one of their first playthroughs, since it involves a lot of running and some fairly specific planning in the Vats and the Cathedral.