New Vegas review from NMA, too good to be true???

[Zomg]

Has anyone been haunting other message boards and seen Sawyer defend the +skill clothing and magazines? It's just so obviously stupid, not even considering realism but just meta-gaming and tedium generation like people putting on their barter hat to sell shit.

Also Morrowind "difficulty" is a big fucking mirage considering that you can unilaterally crush it at any time with one of a million tricks. Setting the difficulty slider is just adjusting whether fights at the character power level you care to have exploited to are 1,2 or 3 whack affairs. It's not even a game, it's a CAD environment with lore; you know it, don't lie bro don't romanticize it please. You got to confront the fact that you can like a game with terrible gameplay. The reasons are dark and murky but everyone that doesn't exclusively play competitive-ass human-v-human games doesn't really care all that much about gameplay.

 

[Relay]

Has anyone been haunting other message boards and seen Sawyer defend the +skill clothing and magazines? It's just so obviously stupid, not even considering realism but just meta-gaming and tedium generation like people putting on their barter hat to sell shit.

I wouldn't hate it so much if the bonuses weren't so huge. I mean, get the Hat+Outfit and the magazine and you get a total of +30. What the fuck.
And things like the stealthboy. There are enough stealthboys in the game to allow you to steal anything worth stealing and sneak attack the biggies like the deathclaws so you never need to put a single point into sneak.

This game rewards the incompetent.

 

[Twinkle]

This game rewards the incompetent.

Indeed, it's truly a land of equal opportunities. How else can you explain that Ugly Retardo (1 CHA, 1 INT), only with max speech skill can successfully pass hardest speech checks in the game? Proof with obvious HEAVY SPOILERS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIXPS2GaoWc

 

[Tel Prydain]

Well, shit. I used to think that the NMA crowd played rough, but I’ve just read the last 54 pages and I don’t think I’ve ever laughed, cried or cringed so much before in my life.
10 pages of vitriolic rants triggered by one single dog in a tutorial. The ghouls from space. Two pages discussing proper grammar. 1eye’s epic flip flop. Lord, it’s like a pack of caged monkeys got their hands on high explosives.
I used to drive by to read the news and smirk at the Bioware putdowns in the comments section, but I’m going to have to lurk in the comments more.

For what it’s worth, I’m a bit of a storyfag and love me some C&C, so New Vegas works for me. Best RPG in the past five years, and quite possibly the last console RPG worth playing. I’m shocked they managed to shoehorn an RPG into the engine.

Currently playing the White Glove Society quest and it does have an awesome amount of multiple solutions, with many different possible dialog checks. It's kinda stupid because it's about cannibalism (not half as bad as FO3's cannibals-become-vampires quest, but being even half as bad as that one requires huge amounts of derp), but it's awesomely designed.

I can’t help but feel that many of the things in this game are direct shots at Fallout 3.
“Fucken vampires?! Fuck them – these are cannibals.”
“Find glowing colas?! Fuck that. Check out these blue star caps, bitches! Meaningless item collection done right, motherfuckers.”
Lots of quests and factions feel like they were created as an answer to the pants-on-head retarded Fallout 3 versions – the BoS and Enclave are also good examples if Obsidian setting the record straight.

To see if the game can be completed, if I kill every named NPC.

It can be. Yes,man is the only unkillable NPC (other then kids) and he’ll provide an ending for anyone who has wiped out all other life.

 

[Tel Prydain]

Indeed, it's truly a land of equal opportunities. How else can you explain that Ugly Retardo (1 CHA, 1 INT), only with max speech skill can successfully pass hardest speech checks in the game?

I assume that this is an engine thing. I'd have loved to see ability=(skill x special stat) return. Not just for guns, but for everything.

 

[baronjohn]

I'm playing a character with 10 INT and I'm seeing lots of special dialogue options with intelligence checks. Example: in the NCR base there's a legion prisoner and using several [intelligence 8] checks I convinced him I was actually sent by the caesar to kill him for his treason. I mindfucked him so hard he fell apart and told me everything

 

[Elwro]

These [Intelligence 8] options are also visible if you have Intelligence 7 (I checked, before using Mentats). I wonder if you'd see them with INT 1, for example.

edit: Have you seen an INT 10 option? (I haven't finished the game yet.)

 

[Topher]

I think all the checks show up no matter how close or far away you are in skill but I'm not sure.

 

[DalekFlay]

I think all the checks show up no matter how close or far away you are in skill but I'm not sure.

Yeah, they all show up, but the thing you say is stupid and unconvincing if you don't have meet the requirement. I never put points into Barter and a lot of the failed Barter speech options were funny as hell. "Why don't you just... you know.... uh... give it to me anyway?"

 

[Admiral jimbob]

Never seen any stat (not skill) checks I haven't been able to pass, except one luck one that I was 1 point away from. Can't really confirm either way.

 

[Silellak]

This game rewards the incompetent.

Indeed, it's truly a land of equal opportunities. How else can you explain that Ugly Retardo (1 CHA, 1 INT), only with max speech skill can successfully pass hardest speech checks in the game? Proof with obvious HEAVY SPOILERS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIXPS2GaoWc

Is this different in FO1 or FO2? I honestly can't remember, but I'm pretty sure you could have 1 CHA and 1 INT and still max the Speech skill, it would just be harder.

Also, did anyone really approach the massive fetch quests like the Brotherhood quests and the "Ranger station" quest by doing them all at once? Whenever I saw quests that would take me across the entire map, I just made note to visit those locations when it was convenient, unless of course I'd already visited them and could just fast travel.

 

[Twinkle]

These [Intelligence 8] options are also visible if you have Intelligence 7 (I checked, before using Mentats). I wonder if you'd see them with INT 1, for example.

It depends on the situation. For example, the whole prisoner sequence requires INT 8 for special int-based dialog options to show. It is of no real value, though, as INT 1, CHA 1 char can still use [speech] options to succeed even if their lines aren't as funny. Moreover, you receive small xp reward for using speech checks while intelligence dialog lines give you nothing.

 

[Silellak]

These [Intelligence 8] options are also visible if you have Intelligence 7 (I checked, before using Mentats). I wonder if you'd see them with INT 1, for example.

It depends on the situation. For example, the whole prisoner sequence requires INT 8 for special int-based dialog options to show. It is of no real value, though, as INT 1, CHA 1 char can still use [speech] options to succeed even if their lines aren't as funny. Moreover, you receive small xp reward for using speech checks while intelligence dialog lines give you nothing.

It was of value to me, because at that point my character didn't have enough Speech to pass the checks. I may not've gotten as much XP, but it's not like XP is exactly hard to come across in NV.

 

[Twinkle]

It was of value to me, because at that point my character didn't have enough Speech to pass the checks. I may not've gotten as much XP, but it's not like XP is exactly hard to come across in NV.

Maybe, but my point still stands: low to medium INT, CHA chars with high speech skill have an overwhelming advantage over charismatic intellectuals with low to medium speech. Besides, final "boss" encounters can be avoided only with speech checks as my video proves.

I honestly can't remember, but I'm pretty sure you could have 1 CHA and 1 INT and still max the Speech skill, it would just be harder.

Such character will have hard times even in Shady Sands, even if he/she tags speech and takes Skilled/Good Natured traits. Aradesh won't even give you "Save Tandi" quest, Ian can't be recruited and tells you to fuck off in a very impolite manner.

 

[HanoverF]

Not having Ian as a companion is probably the best thing that can happen to you.

 

[Jaesun]

Ian is awesome! Just NEVER FUCKING GIVE HIM A SMG! And stay out of range with him.

 

[Sceptic]

Is this different in FO1 or FO2? I honestly can't remember, but I'm pretty sure you could have 1 CHA and 1 INT and still max the Speech skill, it would just be harder.

If you tag it? piss easy. The contribution of your stats to skills is usually very low (it was even lower in one of them, FO2 I think). I always disregarded stat contribution when planning skills - their contribution to derived attributes is several orders of magnitude more important.

 

[Xor]

Well, there are tons of stat checks in Fallout 2 and if you have a low charisma or int you'll suffer for it on many quests.

In Fallout 1 on the other hand you can get away with enough int to not get stupid dialogs and a charisma of 1.

 

[Jaesun]

My somewhat drunken report of New Vegas is as follows:

It IS the best Fallout experience you will have aside Fallout and Fallout 2. It has shitloads of Stat checks, and the world just "feels" more like the fallout world. New Vegas has been resurrected by the Mysterious Mr. House, and the encroaching NCR wants to (eventually) control it. As well as Caesars Legion. YOU get to make a choice on who will ultimately control New Vegas. Unlike Capitol Wasteland, which Bethesda tried to struggle with understanding what the "Fallout World" is... and well, they could not figure it out, and we were given Capitol Wasteland. A giant shit pile on a plate.

Side quests are great, as is exploration. You will either fail or achieve quests in the way you want, depending on your stats (Or stat enhancing items). I enjoyed this the most. As well as the various companions who also have specific goals and ideals. Want to take Boone to a Legion camp? Think again. He will kill them all on sight. I could expand on this more, but I am tired. heh.

Where New Vegas fails (for me) is the shitty Capitol Wasteland engine. Obsidian tried to "improve" on this established engine, but could only do so much. All they could ultimately do better, was in story, dialogue and quests (which they did quite well). You however are then stuck in the shitty Capitol Wasteland engine.

Personally, *IF* someone could actually port New Vegas fully to the Fallout 2 engine, It WOULD be my personal favorite 3rd Fallout game. But the sheer amount of art and the CEASE AND DESIST notice Zenimax would slap on anyone bold enough to work on such a mod, would be cut short.

 

[Ruprekt]

Seriously tho play the game on at least hard. Otherwise you lose c&c when you can easily overpower any faction without thinking twice.

 

[Crooked Bee]

I think all the checks show up no matter how close or far away you are in skill but I'm not sure.

Yeah, they all show up, but the thing you say is stupid and unconvincing if you don't have meet the requirement. I never put points into Barter and a lot of the failed Barter speech options were funny as hell. "Why don't you just... you know.... uh... give it to me anyway?"

Just wanted to second this. Some funny lines there.

All in all, the game's awesome, which is a wonder given the engine and all. Shithead-hunting, yay!
(I killed Cass on my second 'evil' playthrough though )

 

[314159]

I'm not going to read previous pagas. So if my question has already been adressed, please forgive me, gentlemen fuck you, bastards
So what I can't understand is this: why caravan? Why not poker? What the fuck? WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK? Poker is simpler, deeper and just so much better than caravan it's not even funny. What were they thinking? Are they going to include it in some lame DLC? Or what?
Yes, you can play poker heads up (one on one). No, it's not boring.
Or, and if they couldn't be bothered with programming the AI, they could've easily outsourced that. That probably would've been even cheaper than inventing this caravan bullshit.

 

[Twinkle]

So what I can't understand is this: why caravan?

Because Obsidian is so awesome at designing game mechanics.

 

[Admiral jimbob]

Are the casino games any better? I'm rolling in caps anyway, and Caravan put me off trying them.

 

[Relay]

It IS the best Fallout experience you will have aside Fallout and Fallout 2.

Sorry but a walking simulator will never, ever approach anything like being a successor to Fallout unless you're dreaming of sucking Avellone Long Dick Johnson cock. The gameplay is just too awful for words. The "best" Fallout experience doesn't involve hours of sheer walking across ugly landscapes with little to kill (I recently did my yearly FO1 playthrough and I can't remember having stared at the screen for hours doing nothing like I did in NV. Never. Lots of random encounters involving combat, much more combat than I have ever seen walking through the mojave desert.)

Obsidian should reconvert into making hentai visual novels for people who just can't help but swallow their every drops.