I have been playing this DLC for about an hour now, and the frustration seems never-ending. I utterly despise running around this Villa-maza with crappy air and death at every corner. Does it continue this way, or will it returns to something resembling "normal" Fallout playstyle?

no it will continue for awhile, the game is supposed to make it furstrating, so it's doing it's job. IT IS NOT A HORRIBLE DLC...well...story-wise. Not sure why everyone is crying about this DLC when I completed my DID playthrough as an pure Explosive Demoman.

* SPOILER *

I have gathered the 3 other people and is now tasked with placing them at various spots, and this is supposed to unlock the entrance. Once I have gained access, will the game become more normal?

we all know Dead Money pretty much, and meh, no deathcloud at least until you entre the vault. Derp.

Wrong forum and for the love of Bruce Willis just adapt to the damn gameplay.
Instead of complaining about how dangerous it is; adapt to the new gameplay mechanics and slow down your pace.
Take it chill, when you find a speaker, figure out where it could be, try to move forward a couple of meters and look around, if you hear the beeping getting too intense before you've found it then step back to make the beeping stop and try again, if you still can't find the speaker then try a different route.

It's amazing how people complain about Dead Money being crap when they themselves aren't even trying to find something positive in it.
It's like you're completely stubborn in not changing how you play and complaining that you die because of it.
It ain't the DLC's fault, it's yours.
The DLC isn't bad. You just won't accept changing playstyles for it.

So no, it won't change back to the original gameplay, deal with it, adapt to it and stop complaining.
Because once you figure out how to play Dead Money, how it's mechanics work and what it's about only then will you start having fun in it.
So it's up to you, do you want to have a horrible gameplay experience or do you want to have fun?

Think of it this way, it's a new challenge, it's a new gameplay type you're not used to.
Why not figure out what that gameplay type is? What's it's mechanics? How do they work?
What can you do to overcome them.
Don't think about Fallout: New Vegas' gameplay, where anytime you get a crippled limb you can just pump Hydra into you or fasttravel to a doctor.
Don't think about how when you get low ammo you can just fasttravel to a merchant and buy more.
Don't think about any of that.
Keep your eyes forward, think about what's in front of you.
Accept what you're in and try to make the best out of it.

I promise you, if you actually try to adapt to the gameplay instead of rushing it with a firm belief that you should be able to play like you always have then it will become so much more fun.

THIS. I'm so so sick of people saying "the DLC svcked hard derp a derp I ran around like an idiot and my head blew apart wtf, lame, I go cry now"

Dead Money is a very... different DLC. Most people either hated it or loved it, and I'm part of the latter crowd.

I have tried to adapt, but it's kinda difficult when the air is killing you and unkillable people lurk around every corner. With better weapons and stims I would certainly have taken it slow, but going slow with a companion that engages the unkillable monsters is not an option. And leaving my companions and only using Fast Travel is equally impossible, as the monsters seems to be everywhere.

FO3 and New Vegas has quickly become one of my favourite games for a great many reasons, but this DLC changes many of the core aspects in an effort to set it apart from just another DLC, but in doing so it goes to far and in the wrong direction. The game should not be frustration but challenging and entertaining, and if I am not the only one complaining perhaps there is something to it.

If you like it - fine, I have no problem with that - but respect that others have different opinions and let's stop this right here.

(I play on Very Hard, hardcoe. Currently level 32 I believe.)

Edit: And apparently it's also impossible to shoot the gas tanks they are now carrying.

Unkillable people?
Just shoot them in the head.
Cake walk.
If they are too hard to shoot in the head cause of console controls: VATS.

[edit]
And the entire point of the DLC's is survival.
Better weapons and more stims would destroy the whole structure.

But... *sigh*... In the Hospital on the front desk there is a holotape for Stimpacks, go get it.

Wait wait wait....are you in the Casino WITHOUT exploring every inch of the Villa and picking up everything that isn't nailed down? Especially Holotapes, Cigarretes, Sierra Madre Chips, & medicine? My looter's sense is tingling...

-Nukeknockout

Hats off to you.

You mean that there are people who don't look through every single cubic-inch of a room in order to find every single pencil and wonderglue? I...I don't understand.

Yep, Dead Money is a jewel. Why, I still run around with a Bear Trap Fist on occasion.

I'm still trying to get the beartraps off my achin' ass. Should never sit down for a rest without looking first, in that DLC.

Horrible? No. Worst of the NV DLC? I think so.

Lol I guess I was being a bit of a troll. I just take everything either to sell or craft, that way I know if I need something later, it definitely isn't in this place or that place that I already looted. My way is not necessarily his way. There is no right way to play this game, after all

-Nukeknockout

Finally made it into the casino, and at this point I must admit that I have judged this dlc a bit too harshly.

I eventually figured out that:

1) I could shoot'em in the head.
2) The air would only drag you down to 1 but not actually kill you.

So yes, this dlc is playable, but, for me, not enjoyable (I despise running around mazes) and I will never revisit it again.

Pretty much my feelings in a nutshell. I will go though it with my current character (probably my last), just because I'm a completionist sort. I'll admit the story and writing was pretty good, but that's about the only thing to it's credit. Other than the gold bars and the Holorifle... :biggrin: But as for the actual 'gameplay', environments, and enemies... most were rather droll, dingy, annoying, repetetive and not much fun to play through. Just happy once you're through it and done with it all, basically. The story was fine, getting through it was a chore.

The DLC kind of svcked, especially the first time. After you run through it once, it is pretty simple. The ghost people aren't very hard at all, but there are several good weapons that come with it, and of course, the vending machines and the treasure. The biggest decision in that DLC is what to take with you and what to leave... I actually enjoy it more now, but this game has such good DLC that it might be my least fav. of all of them. Still though, it was totally worth the money, and I play through it early every time I play a character. I think with my last character I went straight to there and played it at around a level 4. On the hardest level/hardcoe, DM was very, very challenging!

You're the reason developers are afraid to make challenging games.

We're talking about Dead Money, not Old World Blues. :whistling:

Edit: If you want to milk Dead Money for all it's worth OP, break the bank at the casino section of the Sierra Madre, and try to take everything out of the Vault at the end.

Increased Wasteland Spawns + Project Nevada rebalance + Dead Money = :mage:

I love a good challenge though... CoD games on Vet difficulty are not much of a challenge anymore since all of them have the same gameplay. Although I have never quite beat the bonus airplane level of MW1 on veteran... came within 1 second though :banghead:

That must be why I play FO:3 with the Wanderers Edition + Marts Mutant Mod. Because I don't like challenges.

Challenging games != frustrating gameplay.

It's not horrible, just pretty tedious :/

Let's get him!!! :swear: