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I haven't noticed any difference with the lighting since the patch, but I'm playing on PS3 so maybe it was unaffected. I actually like the brighter wasteland of the Mojave. The area around Vegas wasn't hit nearly as hard as D.C., and it's been over 200 years since the war so it makes sense to me that the Mojave would be less devastated.
Of course, if you prefer things dark and obfuscated, you'll probably enjoy The Cloud. The Sierra Madre is cloaked in perpetual, unnatural night thanks to the mineral-rich haze that hangs over it.
Looks like it's some strange atmospherics around certain parts of the river near Hoover Dam, but not an overall change to the game weather. I gave SM a chance, and have temporarily begged off--it got tedious real fast. I played for over an hour and never found another collared companion. The whole red cloud thing reminded me a little of Doom. The holographic ghost trappers are bothersome since some of them can be dispatched and some can't. And trying to race around looking for a door I can open before being completely drained by the 'Oort Cloud,' or having my head explode from my neck because of some strange signal interference that only manifests via a beeping, became more than I was willing to deal with at one in the morning. I'll give the expansion a shot another day.
Overall, this trend has been my biggest complaint with the game: unlike F3, where it felt like there was always something to see around every corner, FNV feels like a lot of walking and nothing else.
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I really enjoyed exploring the main NV game map and I still like roaming the desert, but the environment of Dead Money makes it difficult to safely explore the area around the Sierra Madre. Chris Avellone said in his blog that they were shooting for a horror experience when they put Dead Money together, but he admits they didn't capture that element as well as he would have liked.
The trick to exploring the villa safely is taking it slow. Between The Cloud, the traps and the Ghost People, there's enough reason not to rush and, given the lack of resources, you'll want to move slowly enough to spot all the loose items stashed around the ruins. Dog/God is the easiest team member to find since he's the closest to where you start. The next time you try Dead Money, select the mission to get him on your Pipboy. Your compass should lead you to the Villa Police Station in the southwest corner of the map. Once you're inside, Dog is locked in the cell right in front of you. You'll have to explore the police station basement to get him out of the cell.
It might also be useful to not use Hardcore mode the first time through Dead Money. The Cloud isn't a constant drain on your life that way and you don't have to worry about companions dying.
Dead Money is atmospheric on a level I rarely if ever see in western games. It's Silent Hill levels of atmospheric, which is rediculously high praise for me.
I finally bit the bullet (heh heh) and bought the Xbox version of this game after a friend gave me the strategy guide. I've been playing like mad since Thurs night, and will continue to do so through a vacation (staycation) this week. No crashes or major bugs.
I did want to point out there appears to have been a new patch for the 360 version this weekend. So maybe that's good news for us w/ this version.
Initial thoughts: Companions are so much better done than Fallout 3, and I like the new crafting system. It remains to be seen whether I like the storyline as much, but I'm having a blast w/ it so far.
I might gamble and stay away from energy weapons this time, since the game seems to want to play up all the various non-energy weapons (guns especially), given the variety and ammo types.
Taking my time w/ the main quest, and just exploring w/ ED-E (love that little guy!). I don't think I can "outfit" him w/ better armor or weapons, though. I'll just have to do his Side Quest and improve one or the other.
Wish there were a way to shut off the decapitation animation w/ mortal headshots...I could do w/out that.
Few questions/comments if anyone's still reading this.
1) I have a safe in my motel room in Novac (love how it got that name). I'm hoping it has no limit to how much I can store in it, but the real question: anyone have items disappear via a bug from the safe??
2) Just picked up Boone as my 2nd companion and took him for a trial run. The good news: between him & ED-E, enemies barely make it to me. The bad news: I don't want to be an inactive observer for fights. Also, it appears I was getting a lot more experience per kill w/ only 1 companion. Now it's dropped off. Hoping that's just b/c I'm higher level but we'll see. (Anyone confirm you get less XP w/ more companions I guess is the ?)
Also, when Boone crits & kills an enemy from range, I might not know where the damn body is to find and loot. That might be annoying.
3) Any way to tell what weapons your humanoid companions are actually using? I know you want to upgrade weapons & armor for them, but the game only shows you their armor. Frustrating.
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1. I only ever store garbage in the Novac safe. As far as I know, I've never lost anything from it. If I have, it was beneath notice since it was probably only some dishes or a pack of cigarettes. I organize my gear by container and I've never lost anything from the footlocker (weapons,) wardrobe or dresser (armor,) fridge (food & campfire items,) or desk (workbench items.)
2. Far as I can tell, your companions never affect your gained XP. You get the same amount per kill no matter who kills what. It might have more to do with what you're killing. XP doesn't scale with level so a 10xp raider is always going to be worth 10xp. Also, there are slight variations of some creatures so two geckos that look alike might actually be a 25xp gecko hunter and an 10xp ordinary gecko. If you're actually hurting for XP, snipe bighorners south of Novac. The bulls are worth 50 points alone and their a total cinch to kill.
If you're really concerned with picking up every piece of loot, ditch ED-E for Rex. Rex's sensors highlight containers (including corpses) when you focus your aim. Otherwise, switch Boone to passive and/or pay attention to the direction you're facing after the kill-cam stops. The game will reposition you so you're facing the direction Boone was shooting and give you a clue where to look. Overall, I wouldn't let Boone's itchy trigger finger get to you. Most of the people worth looting are usually at arm's length when the shooting starts because they've been monologuing.
3. If you can't see your companions' weapons and armor in the list of gear, you probably haven't given them any. Companions each have unique weapons and armor you cannot take. Boone doesn't actually acquire his unique armor until after you finish his side quest so he starts with a Merc Grunt outfit you can take if you upgrade his armor. Even if you give the companion better gear, their unique items won't appear in their equipment list. You can, however, view their unique weapon's names on the companion wheel if you scroll to the option to switch from ranged to close combat. Lily, for instance has Lily's Vertibird Sword and Lily's Assault Rifle. You can only see these items if they haven't been replaced. There's no way to view the unique armors, but your companion will automatically switch to something better if you provide them with new threads.
1) No every piece of equipment I stuck in a box/safe/locker was always there when I when back for it. Also boxes, safes, and lockers have no storage limit.
2) You will have the same problem if you have any combination of two companions. It got to a point I sent them all away and played solo.
3) you can only upgrade their armor, their weapon load-outs can't be changed.
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2) You will have the same problem if you have any combination of two companions. It got to a point I sent them all away and played solo.
3) you can only upgrade their armor, their weapon load-outs can't be changed.
I totally agree with you on 2. The companions will attack anything within range that is even remotely hostile to the player. You've either got to get used to it, ask them to wait for you somewhere else or play without them.
You can upgrade the companion weapons. You just have to give them something better than their starting gear. Since their unique equipment is pretty good, this is sometimes hard to do. Here's a short list of weapons I remember convincing the companions to use.
Cass - Anti-Materiel Rifle, Brush Gun
Lily - Oh Baby!, Annabelle, Minigun
Boone - Anti-Materiel Rifle, Machete Gladius, Gobi Desert Campaign Rifle
Veronica - Pushy, Pew Pew, Oh Baby!
Arcade - Pew Pew, Multiplas Rifle
Raul - Brush Gun, Mysterious Magnum, Liberator
I think the trick is to start with weapons that are close to fully repaired, if not completely repaired and then find a weapon that probably outclasses the weapon the companion uses. Raul's pipe and Cass's shotgun are good examples of low-end weapons that are easily uprgraded.
Thanks so much for these helpful tips & confirmations!
I figured out the EXP thing; that's a relief.
I must have Boone on Aggressive; I'll change that. And now I know where to look after he 1-shots an enemy.
I never even thought to divide loot in the motel room in different locations. Clever!
I've upgraded Boone's armor already (reinforced leather + helmet). I just wish I could see (but not touch) their weapons, so I can check out the stats and decide whether I want to tempt them w/ something else.
It's going to be tough when I get to choose other companions, as the longer they've been w/ me, the closer I feel to them. Then again, I'll choose the others at least temporarily to do their side quests. I love the little battle music ED-E makes when it's time to rumble!
This game becomes more fun by the day. I'm so glad I finally went for it. Over 45 hours, 15th level, and no crashes or major bugs I'm aware of. Hope I didn't just jinx myself ;-)
I haven't even moved close to New Vegas or the end of Act 1. I like to fill out the map w/ major and minor locations, though I know I'll have to get there sooner or later.
If you do decide to give your companions weapons, especially melee ones, you run the risk of losing them as enemies tend to disarm companions. I had given Boone Nephi's 9 iron and the named machete from the Legion camp. He lost both when we cleared out the raider Vault. I went back and found the 9 iron on the floor but never did find that machete again.
So yes, you can give them better weapons, but give them weapons you are not going to be too attached to if you lose them.
Does anyone play on the PC? I have it for the Xbox but am thinking about picking it up for my laptop. I was wondering if any of the mods out there were any good.
I need to point out that now I don't believe there was a recent Xbox patch after all. For some reason when I clear my system cache, and then go to play the game, I get the "update available" message. Strange that there's something in the cache re the patch.
Anyone manage to escape with all the Sierra Madre gold? Without a stealth boy, I don't know how to sneak past Elijah.
I only managed to get out with about 7 bars, anymore than that I got overweighted. The key is to very quickly grab the gold as the vault door opens to let you out and dump it just outside. Then go hide around the side of the vault opposite of where Elijah comes in. Wait until he gets trapped in the vault then grab your gold and run before the whole place blows.
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Anyone manage to escape with all the Sierra Madre gold? Without a stealth boy, I don't know how to sneak past Elijah.I only managed to get out with about 7 bars, anymore than that I got overweighted. The key is to very quickly grab the gold as the vault door opens to let you out and dump it just outside. Then go hide around the side of the vault opposite of where Elijah comes in. Wait until he gets trapped in the vault then grab your gold and run before the whole place blows.
I have done so many variations of this it makes my head hurt. No matter what I do he never comes in the vault--he makes his way to the computer at the entrance, says something about being tricked, then we fight.
I've also tried getting blown through the forcefield, but the elevator is already locked, so I'm trapped.
I've also tried laying enough explosives to start a war, but he walks right through them. When that happened, I emplaced gas bombs, frag mines, and C4 all in a circle around where I knew he'd be standing--everything went boom and he wasn't touched.
I've also tried to kill him from a hide site as he approaches the vault, but point-blank shots do nothing until he draws his gauss rifle, then I can kill him. Having to escape through the labyrinth has worked about a half-dozen times, but I'm pretty sure I hit the elevator at the literal last second.
Weirdly, I've been at this so g%###&ned much, I almost feel like I've been sucked into the actual Sierra Madre... I must have that treasure!
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I did it! I laid C4 at the foot of the stairs, then stood at the top against the force field. The moment I destroyed the nearest turret, Elijah decided to take care of things himself. As he goes through the force field I go to. I immediately head to the executive elevator and hit the detonator as I go. Elijah dies, I go through the red door, and I'm 37 bars richer. Level 23.
I did it! I laid C4 at the foot of the stairs, then stood at the top against the force field. The moment I destroyed the nearest turret, Elijah decided to take care of things himself. As he goes through the force field I go to. I immediately head to the executive elevator and hit the detonator as I go. Elijah dies, I go through the red door, and I'm 37 bars richer. Level 23.
How did you manage to get 37 bars out?
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I did it! I laid C4 at the foot of the stairs, then stood at the top against the force field. The moment I destroyed the nearest turret, Elijah decided to take care of things himself. As he goes through the force field I go to. I immediately head to the executive elevator and hit the detonator as I go. Elijah dies, I go through the red door, and I'm 37 bars richer. Level 23.How did you manage to get 37 bars out?
Gather all the gold before you speak with Elijah. Then toss the gold at the door of the vault (it drops as one bar, rather than the actual 37). As soon as Elijah tells you he's on the way, turn round, run to the door, grab the bar, open the door, and start sloooowwwwly walking to the forcefield (it'll be on before you can get there). Prior to entering the vault, you need to have seeded the stairs around the vault with C4 and mines. Stand against the forcefield. As soon as you destroy the closest turret, Elijah will decide to come out. It's a glitch I suppose, but when he does, you switch places with him and now you are on the other side. Immediately start for the executive elevator. By the time you get there, with 37 bars weighing you down, Elijah will be in the exact best place. Detonate the C4 and all the rest, he dies, you go through the elevator, and then make you way to the wasteland gate. I tossed the gold in the bunk room with all the other junk I collected. I'll use his room in the BoS bunker as a secondary rest area.
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I've never even tried to get all the gold. By the time I get to the Sierra Madre, I usually have a surplus of +80K caps saved up that I'll probably never spend so I never thought to try to take it all. I'll grab one or two to use as paperweights in my safe houses and then I split.
Also, a new patch is due tomorrow and new DLC is, apparently, due out soon as well.
There is a new DLC coming out? What is the ETA and what is it's name?
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Honest Hearts is the title of the next DLC. It will feature New Canaan, and Joshua Graham, aka The Burned Man, will be a central figure in the plot. No release date has been confirmed, but it's been reported the DLC is finished so it's only a matter of time. Judging from the teaser image posted to XBOX live last week, I'd guess beginning to middle of May is a safe bet. Tomorrrow's patch is apparently being installed to make HH run smoother with the game ahead of its official release.
The other two DLCs will be titled Old World Blues and Lonesome Road, but nothing much is known about either aside from hints dropped through Dead Money and the main game. One thing that is certain is that Ulysses, a man with ties and to the Courier and a grudge to settle, will appear for a final battle by the time all the DLCs are complete. There's been no word on when those will be released, but the rumors are they'll be out within months of the release of Honest Hearts.
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I've never even tried to get all the gold. By the time I get to the Sierra Madre, I usually have a surplus of +80K caps saved up that I'll probably never spend so I never thought to try to take it all. I'll grab one or two to use as paperweights in my safe houses and then I split.
Also, a new patch is due tomorrow and new DLC is, apparently, due out soon as well.
I've got plenty of caps, weapons and armor, and I grabbed every SM chip I saw, so with access to the vending machine in the BoS bunker, I've got plenty of everything else, including stimpacks and weapon repair kits. I really have no need for the gold, and I'm sure I won't get value at a trade for caps. I don't know... Getting that gold out of there became a creepy obsession...
Also, Christine lived and stayed on at the resort. Dog escaped back to the wastelands. Only Dean died...at the end of my bear trap-enclosed mighty fist...ahem, sorry, Dean...
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My only obsession with the Sierra Madre was escaping. Dead Money isn't a bad DLC, but I found parts of it kind of monotonous. I played it twice to get all the PS3 trophies (100% completion, woohoo!) but I've skipped it since unless I decide I really want the Sierra Madre Security Armor or the Assassin Suit.
I'm excited for Lonesome Road though.
AWESOME!!! I hope that the next DLC is good. ~thinks~ Time to start playing Fallout New Vegas again.
I've got plenty of caps, weapons and armor, and I grabbed every SM chip I saw, so with access to the vending machine in the BoS bunker, I've got plenty of everything else, including stimpacks and weapon repair kits. I really have no need for the gold, and I'm sure I won't get value at a trade for caps. I don't know... Getting that gold out of there became a creepy obsession...
As I recall, that was the point.
Dead Money is about greed, obsession, and the need to let go.
If you're dying and having problems finishing because you need to grab as much gold as you can, then the game has you ensnared exactly as was intended ;)
I've got plenty of caps, weapons and armor, and I grabbed every SM chip I saw, so with access to the vending machine in the BoS bunker, I've got plenty of everything else, including stimpacks and weapon repair kits. I really have no need for the gold, and I'm sure I won't get value at a trade for caps. I don't know... Getting that gold out of there became a creepy obsession...As I recall, that was the point.
Dead Money is about greed, obsession, and the need to let go.
If you're dying and having problems finishing because you need to grab as much gold as you can, then the game has you ensnared exactly as was intended ;)
~looks around from the inside of the SM Vault~ Hmmmm... How do I get out of here? ~looks at the door that is sealed shut~ Dratted gold.
~GRINS~
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2 weeks ago i walked past a game stop with a special sales banner. i decided to go in and found new copy of new vegas still in the sinkwrap for only 20 bucks. i wnted to wait for a game of the year edition or complete vertion like gta/dragonage did but figured at 20, it would be about the same price give or take 10 bucks after all the dlc so i finally picked it up. i really loved fallout 3 when i recently bought a ps3 but bought the goty edition and would hate to pay an expected 100 bucks for the whole vegas series. so those who were waiting for a good selling price may be ble to get it now at that price. does anyone know if they offered any type of deal for the collected dlc for fo3? somthing like buy 2 for 15 or all 4/5 dlc for some other type of discount?
funny thing is the store had boarderlands goty edition also for 20 so i bought it and am trying to finish it before opening fo nv. i really dislike the forced fps view for the whole game and look forward to returning to the 3rd person view of fo.
Working on Dead Money myself. I like the companion characters a lot, especially when Christine dropped some hints on "things to come" which just happen to set up the next three DLC Honest Hearts, Old World Blues and Lonesome Road.
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From the Obsidian website:
"Today we’re excited to shed light on New Vegas’ upcoming game add-ons: Honest Hearts, Old World Blues, and Lonesome Road.This DLC will be out on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC in two weeks (May 17th), and users should now be able to grab the proper game update to play the content. Read all the details in the full press release over at the Bethesda Blog!"
The Blog goes on to say Old World Blues and Lonesome Road will be released June and July respectively.
From the Obsidian website:
"Today we’re excited to shed light on New Vegas’ upcoming game add-ons: Honest Hearts, Old World Blues, and Lonesome Road.This DLC will be out on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC in two weeks (May 17th), and users should now be able to grab the proper game update to play the content. Read all the details in the full press release over at the Bethesda Blog!"
The Blog goes on to say Old World Blues and Lonesome Road will be released June and July respectively.
If the new DLC is as good as Dead Money, then I've found the defense for DLC's existence.
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The Blog gives a brief description of each DLC. Old World Blues sounds awesome and I hope they use it to bring back the Floaters from Fallout 1 & 2. The Wannamingos from Fallout 2 are officially extinct according to J.E. Sawyer, but it'd be neat to see them get a mention in a holotape or something.
Lonesome Road sounds a little like Roger Zelazny's Damnation Alley. I wonder if it was an inspiration for the setting?
Awesome!
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Maybe some of you have already found this, but I figured I'd share something I recently discovered near Camp Guardian; a way to escape the map.
You can go beyond the barriers of the game map and explore an endless desert by climbing to the top of Guardian Peak. Here's how:
1. Get to the camp at the top of Guardian Peak and turn toward the cave entrance.
2. Leap up the hill until you're above the cave and standing on top of the mountain.
3. Walk around the east part of the mountaintop and you should find a sliver of rock jutting east out of the top of the mountain. You should see a path far below you under a gap to another part of the mountain.
4. Save your progress. You're about to jump the gap and the fall will kill you if you miss.
5. Once on the other side of the gap, head southeast toward the big hill of rock and start leaping up and over it. Once you're about 1/2 of the way up, it shouldn't matter how you get over the hill as long as you're facing an easterly direction. You don't need to go all the way over the top. You just have to get to the other side.
6. Welcome to the endless desert. There are only two ways to leave. Go back the way you got here or fast travel. If you try to return to the map from anywhere but Guardian Peak, you'll be stopped by an invisible barrier.
Your companions can't follow you since they can't jump, but they will track you along the edge of the map. There isn't much to do out there, but there is a lot of weird stuff to see.
The first thing you'll probably notice is the Colorado River stretching far into the east. Try to stay out of it unless you've got lots of Rad-X and Radaway. Most of the water in the endless desert is radioactive. Not far to the south, you can find Caesar's ghost camp, a collection of half-rendered tents on the east side of The Fort. Nobody lives there and you can walk through the walls of the tents. If you wind up walking entirely off the map, you'll start to see what look like glaciers. The glaciers will vanish like mirages when you get close to them as the game converts them into more random desert terrain. Other things I've found are a line of high tension towers that stretch out into the middle of nowhere north of Nellis, a seemingly bottomless black hole south of Nellis, gigantic black bomb craters south of the Nuclear Test Site and the road to the NCR west of the Mojave Outpost.
The other strange thing about the endless desert are the sounds without a source. Turn off the radio on your Pip Boy and you'll occasionally hear random sounds like gun shots, nightstalkers and tin cans getting knocked around.
The only thing I found living in the endless desert was a ghoul who spawned at the top of the mountain south of the Mesquite Mountains Crater near Primm. He was stuck in the rock so I shot him in the face. Another ghoul spawned in the air above the crater and I watched him fall to his death through my rifle scope.
If you're looking for easy XP, bring a ranged weapon into the endless desert. You can shoot through the invisible barrier targeting critters and they can't come after you.
The Honest Hearts trailer is up on YouTube- looks pretty interesting.
Has anyone heard what the recommended level will be for Honest Hearts? Dead Money was 20...I really hope some of the dlc will allow for low-level characters. I hate the assumption that everyone will be using the same character they've been running from Day One.
Has anyone heard what the recommended level will be for Honest Hearts? Dead Money was 20...I really hope some of the dlc will allow for low-level characters. I hate the assumption that everyone will be using the same character they've been running from Day One.
It really doesn't take all that long to reach level 20. Maybe download a few new mods to add some fresh content to level on, and in a few hours you'll be right where you need to be for any DLC.
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Has anyone heard what the recommended level will be for Honest Hearts? Dead Money was 20...I really hope some of the dlc will allow for low-level characters. I hate the assumption that everyone will be using the same character they've been running from Day One.It really doesn't take all that long to reach level 20. Maybe download a few new mods to add some fresh content to level on, and in a few hours you'll be right where you need to be for any DLC.
Hmmm... I was at around 40 hours when I hit Level 20.
Hmmm... I was at around 40 hours when I hit Level 20.Has anyone heard what the recommended level will be for Honest Hearts? Dead Money was 20...I really hope some of the dlc will allow for low-level characters. I hate the assumption that everyone will be using the same character they've been running from Day One.It really doesn't take all that long to reach level 20. Maybe download a few new mods to add some fresh content to level on, and in a few hours you'll be right where you need to be for any DLC.
I have less than ten hours on this run-through, and I just hit 27. It goes by remarkably fast if you're focused on killing, especially if you head to high-value target areas like Deathclaws. Heck, once you feel comfortable with it maybe charge into the Legion camp, guns blazing. Target-rich environment, that one.
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Hmmm... I was at around 40 hours when I hit Level 20.
I have less than ten hours on this run-through, and I just hit 27. It goes by remarkably fast if you're focused on killing, especially if you head to high-value target areas like Deathclaws. Heck, once you feel comfortable with it maybe charge into the Legion camp, guns blazing. Target-rich environment, that one.
Ah, yes. I do spend inordinate amounts of time just wandering around, often killing nothing but time.
Has anyone heard what the recommended level will be for Honest Hearts? Dead Money was 20...I really hope some of the dlc will allow for low-level characters. I hate the assumption that everyone will be using the same character they've been running from Day One.It really doesn't take all that long to reach level 20. Maybe download a few new mods to add some fresh content to level on, and in a few hours you'll be right where you need to be for any DLC.
The time issue isn't the problem, I'd just like somewhere interesting to go right after Goodsprings...without using console commands.
In Fallout 3 you had options: cool stuff (after leaving 101) in every direction without any major problems. Whereas in New Vegas, a new character can expect these options: go North and die, go Northeast and eventually die, go East and eventually die from poison, go Southeast and pick up Powder Ganger infamy, or go South and follow the linear path. I don't mind challenges, but I don't like to be herded around the "sandbox". We all know where Lonesome Road will begin and I'm positive that will be another high level dlc.
That said, I'll check out some community mods (never occurred to me); I wonder if there's anything comparable to Point Lookout (in theme - not scale)...
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The time issue isn't the problem, I'd just like somewhere interesting to go right after Goodsprings...without using console commands.
In Fallout 3 you had options: cool stuff (after leaving 101) in every direction without any major problems. Whereas in New Vegas, a new character can expect these options: go North and die, go Northeast and eventually die, go East and eventually die from poison, go Southeast and pick up Powder Ganger infamy, or go South and follow the linear path. I don't mind challenges, but I don't like to be herded around the "sandbox". We all know where Lonesome Road will begin and I'm positive that will be another high level dlc.
That said, I'll check out some community mods (never occurred to me); I wonder if there's anything comparable to Point Lookout (in theme - not scale)...
Same complaints. Sadly, I've invested over 50 hours playing this game; killed House and installed the crazy robot, killed the management at the Tops and Ultra Luxe, pissed off the Legion, the NCR and the Powdergangers; Fiends hate me (and everyone else, too, I suppose)... and I'm not sure if I've completed the central quest or blown up the tracks for that railroad job. The SM DLC was the first real fun I've had with the game in several months. I'm not overly impressed with the Honest Hearts trailer (it reminds me of the druid-nature clan-cult in FO3). I am definitely looking forward to the Big Empty later this summer.
Yeah...don't know where I was going with this...
On a positive note, I have managed to wrapper the PC version of the game, so I plan to give it a shot on the Mac. I think I'll follow the main quest this time and see what happens.
I really really want to like this game. I played it when it first came out, but quit due to all the glitches and bugs. (ED-E please come back with my collection on unique weapons) During the PSN crisis I went back to it, hoping that the various patches had fixed it. Played it constantly and finally got to the New Vegas strip around level 28 or so (I like doing the side quests) Once I started hitting the casinos it all went to hell again. ED-e got lost in the Lucky 38 somewhere. Same as before. He wasnt told to wait or anything, NPC's comment on my weird eyebot and stuff, he just isnt there. I could live with that however. What irks me is everytime I enter a casino, the game lags extremely extremely bad. Only in a casino though. Im fine on the strip or anywhere in the Mojave.
The Mojave parts of the game seem so well done and are so thoroughly enjoyable, that it makes the weak storied and ill executed Vegas parts seem that much worse in comparison. I also hate that when you start the Mr. House related quests, your Caesar and NCR faction status basically reset. You mean I could have been a total jerk to the NCR all along, and they would have forgiven me when I talk to their ambassador?!? Ugh.
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I don't know what to tell you about the bugs. Since the latest patch, the only problem I've had is accessing Dead Money and its related perks. I can still play to level 35 and the main game plays fine. The frame rate might slow down a bit if I've been at it for a few hours but, when that happens, I concede I've got better things to do with day so I shut it off.
I don't see a problem with the reputation reset once you meet House. It makes sense from a story perspective. Both Caesar and Kimball see that you're in with House and they're willing to look the other way hoping they can use you to get to him. Holding the dam and the Mojave is so important to both sides that I can see either of them letting you get away with the wholesale slaughter of their troops if it meets winning you over. It isn't like either faction leader is a shining beacon of good. If you just feel like you wasted all your time being diplomatic, nothing's stopping you from starting over or playing it again later as a complete tool.
I hope the frame rate thing is just a product of playing too long. Im going to be severely po'd if I cant complete the main quest again due to bugs. I didnt try it tonight but maybe I will tomorrow. I hope youre right! Also when I say the frame rate drops, I mean it severely drops. It took me a half hour to walk from the elevator in the Tops to the door back outside. due to the lag. It was crazy. But once back on the strip, everythings fine. In the Ultra Lux, everything was fine until I got Ted Gunderson out of the Freezer, then it too went all to hell. And now Yes man wants me to talk to the Omertas and Im literally afraid to step into their casino.
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I've noticed it only lags in certain areas if I've had the game running longer than about four hours. Freeside, The Fort and Mcarran are where the problem is most prevalent for me. If it's happening no matter how long you've been playing, try re-installing the patch, or the whole game if it isn't too big a hassle. The Fallout New Vegas wiki has a lot of tips on why things might go wrong and how to fix them.
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Hmmm... Interesting snag I've run into. I ran through Jed's dialogue tree, told him I'd be back (because I also wanted to talk to the other NPCs, especially the dude supposedly from Vault 22, ahem, 2-2), and when I returned Jed only offered me one option: telling him that both of us (Veronica and I) were ready to go. He then tells me only one of us can go, but there's no option open after that. I even tried leaving V at the Sierra Madre bunker and going to Jed by myself. He still tells me I have to leave her behind and then doesn't give me an option to continue.
Anyone else experience this? There's nothing on the Vault message boards yet.
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If you have a companion, you have to part ways; telling them to wait for you, no matter how far away from the Northwest Passage, simply results in Jed telling you only one of you can go. Luckily, Veronica will wait for you at the Lucky 38, but I don't know about the other companions.
The baddies of Zion are ultra hard to kill. Unless you get a surprise headshot, it can take as many as four 308 rounds to fell a half-naked local.
Weather effects are awesome. I've always wondered in the Capitol Wasteland why there was never any snow or rain, fog along the river, etc. Rain effects in Zion are well done.
Don't worry about leaving behind a lot of gear before you can head to Zion, as there'll be plenty within a few minutes of getting there...