But what about the bounty?

Of course you go for the groin....where is my VATS for groin?

I was really engaged in companion quests. They made those dudes alive to me. Real persons. I learn to like Cass for example after I've done her quest despite negative initial impression - and she's now my companion of choice with whom I spend most time. But same goes for others too. Good job there.

Boone's quests (both) for me. After "I Forgot to Remember to Forget", Boone really came alive for me as a character. Finishing Veronica's quest fits into this category too. I enjoy how she's a rebel to the BoS, but still gives them her loyalty and help.

While it was not a quest by itself, Vault 11 and its story is still by far the most engrossing experience thus far for me in the game.

I've had Boone my whole game and I agree with you...he's absolutely come alive for me. A tragic love story and all the rest that made him the way he is...such great writing by the developers. I've also seen some great comments about Cass and Arcade and I'm really looking forward to getting into their stories in future games. I know it'll be the same way with them. All of them will be in future games.

Burning camp forlorn hope to the ground was fun.

:flamethrower: NCR

Another one in the Boone-story camp. I already liked him as a sniper but once I had his full story out of him I wanted so badly to hug the stuffing out of him. I agonized about which dialogue choices to choose with him because I really hoped the right ones would give him a "happy" ending! Later I read about some of his possible epilogues on the wiki and if I'd gotten some of those I probably would have cried. lol

So far Arcade hasn't moved me in the same way, but he's the most interesting/complex companion to me after Boone.

Forlorn Hope affected me somewhat as well, and Chief Hanlon's story too. Vulpes didn't move me, but agree about the voice-acting. It was stellar & hypnotic and could almost convince me to play Legion. Almost.

I didn't like the actual quest but the ending parts of Return to Sender were just sublime I think. Hanlon is one of my fav characters in the game.

I agree.
I think everything with Boone also added depth to the storyline with the Great Khans and how Bitter Springs affected how people see the NCR.

There really are some bits of great writing and story telling in the game. Just IMHO.

For Auld Lang Syne got to me, just listening to the backstories of the Remnants and in particular Judah Kreger, his kind of dejected, resigned-to-fate attitude.

"Ain't nobody left now except us Remnants."

That guy and the whole quest is truly epic...

:tops:

Someone else mentioned that quest and I'm really looking forward to going through it.

So far, Boon, Cassidy and Veronica have all had pretty tough stories. Boone's is just heartbreaking on so many levels. And then in the Khans' camp, some of them comment, "You know you're traveling with a murderer, right?" Wow. Very good writing, devs.

I tried to find some way to help, but Veronica just sounded so sad and alone, when normally she's a fairly cheerful girl. :sadvaultboy:

Another one --first playthrough, too-- was coming out of the Hotel of the dead in Nipton... all the murdered were dirt poor, and "Mayor" Steyn's journal entries and everything. And then getting a sneering earful from Vulpes or whatever his name is about how they deserved to die because "they are all wh@res."

I was stunned. Totally made me cry.

And kill them all, and keep all the rage going through the rest of the game.

Reading the Dermot's journal was pretty grim, too. Made killing Cook-cook a real pleasure before I even met Betsy.

****spoiler alert**** I think the best ending for Boone is the one in which he rejoins First Recon and hunts slavers during his leave time. I much preferred that to him working as a caravan guard, unable to leave New Vegas because of his memories, which is nearly as bad as him committing suicide.

~~~~~~~~~

I wish that the developers gave Arcade more dialogue prior to his special quest. I kept probing him to talk more and all I kept getting was: "I'm not really an interesting person....". :brokencomputer:

What I liked about Arcade was how he'd say stuff in certain trigger areas out of the blue as you explored. I love it when the companions do that. But yeah, he has very little dialogue in his Wheel for a long time.

Re:Boone - yup, the whole depression/anger/suicidal thing with him is what got to me. I could tell his chr. was in that vein pretty early on. I've had experience with situations & friends like that so I guess that's part of why his story hits home for me so much.

Heh, not me. I was grinnin' like a fool.

My favorite part was storming The Fort with Boone, and beating Caesar to death with my bare fists. Thumbs down, you son of a [censored].

Finishing the game and having 2/3s of the groups and characters screwed over or depressed in the end. Basically, despite all I did, only one of them was actually happy.

Was a real downer moment.

The one thing that kinda got to me was the NCR soldiers just outside camp forlorn hope with their arms and legs amputated laying near a frag mine. Seems quite extreme but effective.

For some reason I always feel bad about having to kill Mr. House (when not siding with him), I mean he spent centuries and over 800,000 caps trying to acquire that Platinum Chip, and finally when his dreams are finally coming true after I kill Benny and retrieve the Platinum Chip I snuff him out before he can achieve the goals he worked so hard and long on.

For Auld Lange Sayne was a very sad quest. Actually, it was sad and happy. Seeing Gannon part off with me was tragic, he was my favorite companion, but then just seeing him in his Father's power armor, standing tall and proud in his metal. I became speechless, and then I was proud of him, living up to his father.

The slightly confusing thing about this is that, as a random speech thing, one of the NCR soldiers in Forlorn Hope can tell you to be careful about the Legion using bodies as traps. But when you find them, you can't loot them, which is normal for interacting with a living person. I think the intent was for them to be alive, which is far more brutal and fitting, but that speech thing kind of mucked up my view on it.

Emotional stuff... you can assume bad actions on the part of lots of people in the Wasteland, but anytime I had a chance to shower holy vengeance on a known rapist/slaver, I was very much in my happy place.

On the flip, when Boone tells you precisely how he knows his wife is dead is up there. Hearing Chief Hanlon speak and knowing as soon as he starts what's going to happen. Helping Veronica only for nothing at all to work out like she wants (Felicia Day's voice work really makes this happen).

To get away from answers everyone else has given: I started a second character designed to be a horrible person. After finishing Run Goodsprings Run, I looked around at Trudy, Sunny, Easy Pete, etc., all laying there, and I felt absolutely awful.

So far one of the characters that is really affecting me emotionally is Arcade. At first I thought I'd just recruit him to see how he was for awhile, but now I can't bring myself to let even let him go to try some other companions, like Boone or Cass. I've read about him on the wiki and his personality is just incredibly astounding and... attaching I guess.

I've yet to actually make a decision as to who I am supporting, and I'm on my first play through still. I'm really worried Arcade is going to have a sad ending, so I'm being super careful about my moves lol.

Of course I'm only stuck between NCR, House, or NotA... I'm also conflicted between turning on Mr. House. I know I'll feel bad...

That's why I love this game. It's story and dialogue are top notch, and there is so much to do.

When I met Betsy during " I Don't Hurt Anymore" made hunting down Cook Cook somewhat of a personal vendetta for me. I made his death quite gruesome. Hacked him to pieces with my machete. Then proceeded to toss all his bloody chunks (with the exception of his head) into a flaming barrel. Who's the famous chef now?

Raul's Stories got to me. I really got the sense that he had been through alot and how helpless he felt in trying to change the fates of the people he cared about in his life.

Great stories and characters for every personal taste. It's what makes a great game. imo.

Boone. The entire character, completely depressing. Cass was also depressing, though getting revenge for her was much more satisfying.

They should have been romance options, both of them. Lazy Obsidian bums.

I did the exact same thing to Cook Cook right after i finished doing it to Dermot & Saint James. I would have liked the option to pull out their eyes & [censored] the skulls, oh well.
Back on topic "The Coyotes" quest, their journal in particular got to me. It's kind of a hypocritical with me though, whenever i see the skeletons of children i think to myself "damn that's awesome, wish kids were killable".