I have just brought the GOTY edition and have begun my first playthrough (about 3 hours in). Could you please let me know the best order to play the game and DLC in. I am planning on doing all quests (both main and side). I am aware of the need to be wary of my actions in game to allow quests to open etc.

Thanks

My personal order was to go with the Main Quest, but complete any Side Quest I get along the way, even if it does require me to go elsewhere.

As for DLC's I did them in the end, since I downloaded them after I had finished the main game anyway. However, you don't have to do that, and you get some things from DLC's which may help you during the main quest, so there's no real point in avoiding them, aside from the fact that in most DLC's you actually (or virtually) leave the DC Wasteland, which wouldn't be in character with LW unless the actual story is finished.

As for DLC order, I did;

Broken Steel
Operation Anchorage
The Pitt
Point Lookout
Mothership Zeta

Save Mothership Zeta for last. Other than that it doesn't really matter to much what order you do it in.

Most fun playthrough I had involved doing Mothership Zeta first and creating an energy weopon evil character build. Very good for weopons and items, and I was never short of caps for that entire game as a result of the excess loot to sell. One downside is the amount of XP gained, I was level 8 or 9 when I came back to the wasteland.

Anchorage is also a nice easy DLC to do right at the start and it provides some of the best armor in the whole game (considered overpowered by some who want more challenging gameplay).

But you can do the DLC in any order.

I do Point Lookout first so that I can get a certain rifle.

When is it possible to do Point Lookout? You can do it at any level, I know, but when is it best to do? I'm talking about the toughness of the Swampfolk...

I did this:

O:A
Broken Steel
The Pitt
Point Lookout
Mothership Zeta

I always save MZ for last, just because it is my least favorite DLC. :shrug:

Seeing how it's all integrated in the game, I do OA right away, do some quests, do a little exploring, do one DLC for a little while, go back home, go exploring, maybe go back or start a new quest from a different DLC. Mix it up!