You know how I roll, waiting in the shadows for a game to get really old and then I pounce on it. Haha, and now I own Fallout 4. It's $10 on Steam for the GotY edition which has some DLC included. I was a massive fan of FO3 and New Vegas, but skipped FO4 for whatever reason, probably due to post-release chatter. The upshot is I get it at it's most seasoned, and with a box well beyond what was cutting edge in 2015, so it runs so nicely.

I played a few hours, to level 4, and had a great time. It's said that FO4 is a great game, just not a great Fallout game, but I'll see about that. My early impressions were really good and looking forward to sinking more time in to it. It works better as a straight shooter it seems, and I've completely ignored VATS so far, since the gunplay seems more shooter-like.

Anyone have recommendations for essential mods? I was pleasantly surprised by how good it looks, I think I was expecting something closer to Stalker CoP in terms of graphics, but even right out of the box it looks good.

Any other thoughts you think might help a noob appreciated.

I don't recall any of the post-release chatter being negative. Are you sure you are not confusing Fallout 4 with Fallout 76?

I played through Fallout 4 several years ago but I did not use any mods. You are right that F4 plays more like a straight FPS and I barely ever used VATS. I just didn't find it necessary.

Haha, no I'm not sure, but something put me off. Being such a big fan of the two previous titles it doesn't make much sense that I would skip FO4 unless the chatter was mixed. It could have been one of any number of reasons, but I have it now. I probably hadn't played a Fallout game in six or seven years, when I gave NV another run.

Pretty cool to be back in this universe, with the Nuka Cola, Pip Boy, Dog Meat and all the neat little touches these games have in their alternate reality. I like the idea of no level cap too, so there's always a sense of progression no matter how long one might play.

New Vegas was the first Fallout game I played and I've been hooked on the franchise ever since. The initial release of F76 was disastrous but after multiple updates the game has been vastly improved. After you finish F4 I recommend you give F76 a shot.

Fallout 3 was mine in 2008, and I really liked it. I dug the whole vibe, and played through a couple times. New Vegas was more of the same, better in some ways too. Two really good games, if you are in to this sort of stuff. We'll see how FO4 stacks up with enough seat time behind me.

I'm surprised you are recommending 76, as the chatter on that one was so bad, but it's a good game now? Maybe I will try it. But FO4 looks to have gobs of content and I can't see finishing anytime soon.

I'll try to sort out some mods once I have the lay of that land. Not looking at the moment for anything in particular, but UI mods are always welcome if they improve anything. Just curious which mods folks find essential to help me cut through the chaff. I guess the nexus is the way to go to mod Fallout? Disappointed there's no Steam Workshop support as that makes it so easy.

There were two I spotted that I think I'd like. One is a 'lowered weapons' mod that drops your weapon lower when not being fired. Maybe a weather/atmosphere mod, the mod to always have the dog even if another companion is along. Too early really for me to worry about crafting or settlement addons and the like I reckon. I'll need to have a go with all of that before I know what I might like to change.

The bottom line is that the game was originally intended to be a multiplayer experience only. There were no NPC's and no over-arcing storyline. The subsequent updates added the storylines and NPC's so you now have a full-fledged single player experience like the previous titles. The multiplayer aspect is still there of course but players can opt out of it for the most part if they are not interested. Having said that, I've enjoyed the multiplayer "events" quite a bit.

According to Steam it took me about 225 hours to finish F4 and all of the DLC's so yes, it's quite a time sink if you are a completionist like me who likes to do every side quest.

I am thorough, I'd say, but not the completionist you are. I remember talking about Dishonored 2 and how you had found everything and I was far from that.

There was a time I was like that, wanting to turn over every rock, but over time I started just taking it as it comes, and if I miss stuff so what? I've found this to be quite nice when I almost inevitably play the game again at a later time and actually find things I hadn't before. Just a personal perspective. I tend to avoid spoilers, don't want to look up solutions or any sort of guidance, try to figure it out as I go.

Like when I was creating my character I didn't look for info on best builds, I just went with my gut, trying to put my SPECIAL points in those that would dovetail with the way I envisioned my character. We'll see how it plays out, but I don't think the game will prove difficult enough that I'll regret any choices really. And I guess with no level cap you can eventually get all perks or nearly so anyway. I doubt I'd ever get that far along, but it's nice to know I can.

OK between you two guys I've bought a few games based on just reading your posts.Haven't hit a bad choice yet .so grabbed the GOTY edition.A good price so grabbed the GOTY edition on sale.Sure looks like something I'll enjoy.You guys keep posting and I'll keep reading.

Good to hear! You'll get a lot of playing time out of Fallout 4 assuming it fits your game tastes. The game takes place in the Boston area so you might be familiar with it since I remember you said you are originally from Connecticut.

Yes, that is good to hear. Maybe a bit pretentious to say this, but I write my posts (usually) with a lot of detail and anecdotes, because for me at least, this is the sort of thing I like to read. The sort of stuff that helps me decide if it is something I would want to play. Too often these days folks just post videos, or a brief summation. The game is good!

Yeah, well, that doesn't really narrow it down. And I rarely click a video someone has linked to. Not sure why. I prefer the written word. Weird isn't it? I prefer maps to GPS too. Books to film. Fly fishing versus bait. Stick over automatic. What was I talking about....? Oh yes...

And while this thread hasn't been one of these (yet), it's something I try to do, partly I guess to provide the type of content that I myself would enjoy to read. Like my F1 2020 thread. I could have just said it's a really good racing sim and be done with it. Instead, it's now many pages long, filled with images, AARs, mechanical comments, and well, I think, every nut and bolt about that sim, good and bad. Because that is what I would like to read if I were interested in F1 2020. I don't care to just rate it, but to take the reader along for the ride. Same with Falcon threads, or EU IV, Combat Mission or Total War and well, lots of them.

Honestly I wish there was a lot more of this around here, but that's a different discussion. And to come back to the point, it's nice to read that Russ finds it useful on occasion. And it would be good to get some updates from players who hop on to know how they are getting along with the game. I find it very interesting, especially if it happens top be the game I am in to at the mo.

At $10, this is a heck of a bargain really, for those of us who didn't buy it earlier. Probably easily a 200-hour game for me, and maybe more. That's a nickel an hour haha.

I'll be diving back in to the Commonwealth tonight. Got some exploring to do.

With you right at the same stage in the game as me Russ, I hope you'll make some follow-on posts so we can discuss it! Have fun and thanks for your comment.

PM Yep upstate N.Y.,,R.I. and CT and know Boston well.Walked the Freedom Trail pretty much yearly for a few years..It looks like my type of game.Summers waning so I'll have lots of time to play it.I needed some fresh meat and I've found it.

As for mods, I always use vivid weather makes for stormier storms and foggier fog. Also options for darker nights. Maybe the remove building limit, be careful as you can cause problems if you build up every base massively over base budget.
If you care about steam achievements, you'll want the achievement mod, since any mod will disable any achievements.
Mostly, just give it a whirl the first time thorugh and use mods to fix what you don't like. Too easy, make enemies hit harder or nerf your damage. Too few gun types, download some more. Hate the junk in your outposts, get a mod that lets you salvage it. Power lines too short, yep, there's a mod for that too.

Yes, that's good advice wormfood. I'll see as I go which I might think are needed. Was hoping to use the experience of those who went before to get whatever might be considered essential, like a community bugfix, or UI mod, or another that fixes a broken thing, which I don't know yet is broken.

That's good that you mentioned achievements. I'm not a total whore, but I like to get them. I'll be on the lookout for that mod when I finally get around to installing any mod. Is the nexus the way to go?

One of the things I like best about FO4 compared to 3/NV is the change in the way you converse with NPCs. Before playing, I had visions of the face-lock type convos we had in earlier Fallout games (and other Bethesda games too), which were a bit unsettling at times to be frank. They changed the dialog options too, and too early to know if that's better or worse, but, I expect, just different.

So, better graphics (of course), better shooting and better NPC interaction than what I remember from the earlier games. Lots more still to discover as I haven't been beyond Concorde. I think I'll turn the Red Rocket in to my base. I'm too much of a free spirit to shack up with the other unfortunates in Sanctuary. They'll only weigh me down

There is the unofficial patch that fixes a few bugs: https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/4598

Got to have all six DLC's in order for it to work?

""""Yeah, well, that doesn't really narrow it down. And I rarely click a video someone has linked to. Not sure why. I prefer the written word. Weird isn't it? I prefer maps to GPS too. Books to film. Fly fishing versus bait. Stick over automatic. What was I talking about....? Oh yes..."""""

LOL DB you aren't alone with those thoughts.And I might add I prefer hard cover books to reading some bloody kindle screen.It's almost erotic to sit back open a book and have a beer and a double dose of Jack nearby.And of course my pup next to me.
I need to do a bit of reading today to get started with Fallout and figure out how to use the xbox controller I bought.Haven't got the hang of it yet

You choose the controller over KB+M?

Speaking of dogs, I was experiencing a weird phenomena last night. I have Dog Meat along, and probably will constantly through the rest of the game. He's been great, and has a vicious streak haha. Good dog

As I am playing I am aware of him, and then out of the corner of my eye I spot my real dog as he moves around the room and I think how'd he get over there? Like I'm conflating the two dogs and it's unsettling for a brief moment haha. Strange.,

I said earlier that the game won't prove too difficult but some of the combat is tough. I made the mistake bold choice to follow the quest to clear the Corvega factory and didn't know what I was getting in to. I did it at level 5 (and was 7 when I left) and it was quite a battle. All of those perforated walkways mean the AI can shoot at you from all over and it's hard to spot them. But I made it. I just had to adjust to the way things work in this game and by the end things were going smoothly. It would have been better to wait until I had better weapons and protection, but that's life.

So far it feels like a proper Fallout game. The opportunity cost over perk selection is compelling, but at the same time I know eventually I'll have everything I want. But early on these choices feel weighty. I took Gun Nut at level 6 and looking forward to messing around with weapon modding. Anyone know where a good early-game rifle is? Spoilers OK. I don't want to spend the mats for modding a low level gun if there's a better option close by.

Thanks for that link Wormfood.

Not sure yet DB I bought the controller for a golf game and found out I did better with a kb+mouse.Just couldn't get used to the controller.I'll give it a try for a bit and see if I like it.It was only $20 so if i don't like the feel I can bin it with my other computer extras.I couldn't get used to using rudder pedals for flying due to a left leg that doesn't work so well but at an IL-2 site I go to there was another member I gifted the set to..Reading a bit about F4 and getting a general idea how the game plays.Never played a Fallout game before.Haven't explored yet but is there some kind of easy scenario to use as a tutorial.
Don't know how much I'll get into it today.got my second virus jab yesterday and feeling real tired today..Might end up just slapping on the headset and listening to so good music.