Fallout: worth picking up?

[XCorvis]

Again, thanks for the advice, guys. Now, I'm hoping you can answer a couple of questions without giving away too much. I could go dig up the answers on my own, but in doing so I'd wind up diving headlong into spoilers--and what is an RPG without surprises?

The first has to do with recruits. The manual makes no mention of this critical portion of the game. Can I have multipe teammates? Obviously on the one hand, I don't want to dismiss the one I have for no good reason, but on the other hand, I haven't had any other opportunities to recruit so I have to wonder if he's keeping me from getting someone better.

The second has to do with Science skill, despite it being described as "critical" in the manual. Am I missing opportunities to use it, or is it just something that's highly situational (e.g. in vaults with functioning tech)? I don't need specific uses explained, just confirm or deny its criticality.

I can't recall if this is different in Fallout 1, but in Fallout 2 you can have more than one companion, but it's based on your Charisma. If you dismiss someone, they stand there, and you can go back and get them again.

Science is used primarily for computers, so you probably just haven't seen any yet. There are some other uses, but obviously, they all involve technology. It's not "critical" but very useful later in the game.

 

[Grog]

There's no limit to the number of NPCs you can recruit in Fallout. But there are only three or four recruitable NPCs in the entire game, and a couple can be pretty hard to find.

FWIW, I don't think NPCs were handled very well in Fallout. The only way to change their inventory is by using the Pickpocket skill, and they never level up, so they don't really keep up with you very well. One of the things I liked about Fallout 2 was that it handled NPCs much better - they could gain levels, there was a system for handling their inventory, and you could set their behavior in combat.

Oh, and if you're still having trouble with combat, here's a tip I forgot to mention before - forget about AP ammo for guns. Seriously. The damage formula is really screwy. AP ammo is a little better at getting through armor, but does really insignificant damage. The best ammo in the game is the JHP ammo, which does a lot more damage, even to heavily armored targets (go figure, huh?). This is true for Fallout 2, as well.

 

[Ferret]

NPCs were vastly improved in Fallout two. It's a much better game I think, overall!

 

[Felon]

Thanks, I'm beginning to seriously consider just jumping straight to 2.

 

[stonegod]

But then you'd be missing the best NPC companion in both games, though he doesn't talk much. Don't know how far you've gotten, so I don't want to give too much way. But not all companions are humans.

 

[Keldryn]

But then you'd be missing the best NPC companion in both games, though he doesn't talk much. Don't know how far you've gotten, so I don't want to give too much way. But not all companions are humans.

Yes, wear a leather jacket armour while exploring and talking to people in Junktown. I think it's Junktown anyway.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

But then you'd be missing the best NPC companion in both games, though he doesn't talk much. Don't know how far you've gotten, so I don't want to give too much way. But not all companions are humans.

Yeah, I actually missed him my first play through - he died before I could get to him. And you would not believe the number of puns I have repressed while typing these two sentences.

The Auld Grump

 

[Blackrat]

Oh. A suggestion for the time you have already played the game and just want to have some fun. Make your character with Luck 10. There's a bunch of random scenarios that can only be accessed with high luck. And you might also want to check this site someday. It's a good recourse of info on the game.

 

[Ferret]

You can encounter non-human NPCs in fallout two if you're lucky....

In other news I managed to lose all my save games form fallout two! Time to play someone evil!

 

[Keldryn]

If you do visit No Mutants Allowed to check out more Fallout info, prepare yourself for what is possible one of the most hostile and unfriendly message boards on the Internet. Some of these guys have huge chips on their shoulders about anything that takes RPGs farther away from the mold that Fallout 1 and 2 created.