Hi everyone!!! I've been a video gamer my entire life and now I'm bored with video games. Please help me. I used to play First Person Shooters constantly but have found that they seem to get old really quick. I mean...it's just shoot this, shoot that, blow that up, blow this up, and so on and ect and stuff. So now heres where I need help. The only game on the horizon that I'm excited for is Prey 2 and possible RAGE. Prey 2 looks like it's a FPS with a few RPG elements involved. I find that incredibly interesting. It moves away from the typical FPS of shooting the crap out of everything just for [censored] n' giggles. I noticed Fallout 3 and thought it was pretty cool because it had that same RPG element to it. I'm completely new to this whole RPG thing. I don't know much about Fallout. Would I have to play the other Fallout games in order to understand Fallout 3? I'll be playing on PS3 and won't be able to get the other ones. So if anyone cares to, would you please explain to me how Fallout's gameplay works. I heard you can create your own character. That's AWESOME!!! But, me being a newcomer to the series, I need to know backstory and things like that. I'm wanting to get into these games that allow for RPG elements. I used to play multiplayer constantly in First Person Shooters but found that people tend to move away from games that have been around for a while and that the multiplayer dies out. So I need an alternative. I want good games, with a good story, and a good RPG system involved. I'm trying something new in my video game life and I need all opinions you can give me. Thanks in advance guys.

By the way, I'm new to Bethesda's Forums!!!

Welcome to the forums!
Fallout 3 is a better introduction to the series than the Originals IMO and is a remarkable game so go ahead and play it!

Pro Tip: Do all of the qests in the first town you get to, it helps.

I never played Fo1 Fo2 or Fo:Tactics and I still found Fo3 one of the best games I have ever played.

If you are interested in an Action/RPG/FPS. Then Fo3 will be your messiah. It should keep you occupied as I have had it all year, played it alot of times, and have still not explored or experienced half of it's content.

Having only played FO3 and FNV I can't comment on the earlier games. I can tell you that FO3 is more of a RPG with some FPS elements than the other way around. You can try to play it like a FPS, but it is much harder, as accuracy in this game depends more on your character's skills than your own. Starting out can be tough, and the character creation process can be a bit mystifying, especially if you are not used to RPGs. Just pay attention to what each stat, and concentrate on those areas that you think you'd like to make use of. Any kind of character can be successful in the wasteland, some builds are just easier to play than others. If you have trouble with anything be sure to check in here, the FO community is pretty good about providing help and/or advice when asked for.

I don't think there is really anything in the back story that you need to know in order to get into the game. Really, your character is supposed to start out ignorant of everything that happened between 2077 (when the bombs dropped) and the present day, so you not knowing it yet can actually help you get into the role playing.

You have alot of learning to do when playing a game like Fallout 3. Fallout 3 in a nutshell is alot of exploring, doing quests, meeting people, choosing sides/your own path and custom character creation. If your buying fallout 3. You might as well get the GOTY and most importantly. The latest game patch. xD

Once you get into the game. It will be pretty much one of the best gaming experiences you ever had. I was just like you playing alot of FPS like Halo and CoD. Fallout offers a very unique gaming experience.
Just give it a shot and I you will probably love it. I sure as hell did. Played that thing for over 400 hours. So it's well worth the money.

You CAN jump into Fallout 3 without playing the Fallout 1 or 2. Tons and tons of people have. Fallout 3 is when the series blew up anyway.

http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Fallout_Wiki

I disagree with the statement that F3 is when Fallout blew up. Both Fallout and Fallout 2 were quite successful RPG's before Bethesda picked them up.

Oh and OP you don't need to know any background information to play Fallout 3, the game is a mash-up of the originals.

Yes, totally agree with this. Fallout 3 was my introduction to the Fallout series, and it was, and is still, my favourite game of all-time (and I include Bioshock in that!!).

You don't need to have played ANY previous Fallout games to understand Fallout 3.
Fallout 3 takes place in the same game-world, but it's located around Washington DC and its suburbs, whereas Fallouts 1 & 2 are located mostly in California and Fallout: New Vegas is located in, well, Vegas.

My advice would be to play Fallout 3 first.

Some further tips:

1. Do NOT assume that you HAVE TO do anything! In other words, feel free to follow the Main Quests OR just go off on your own and explore. In FO3 you do what you want, when you want and how you want. That's the magic of free-roaming RPGs. Take on Side Quests whenever they present themselves. The Side Quests are more varied and interesting than the Main Quests, IMO.

2. Do NOT read the Fallout wiki. You will completely spoil the game for yourself. Fallout 3 holds such magic memories for me because I was totally new to the series and knew NOTHING about the game before playing. The result was an unforgettable journey of discovery and adventure.

I have 13 full playthroughs of Fallout 3 under my belt, totalling almost 2,000 hours ..... seen it all, done it all. If you want some questions answered, feel free to send me a Private Message and I'll help if I can.

One more thing .... have fun :flamethrower:

All you'll ever need ........ if you want to totally spoil the game for yourself.

I'd have to advise against using the wiki, especially during your first playthrough.

That was for OP to look up the stories of Fallout and Fallout 2 if he wished.

Ok, but you didn't say that. You just linked to the Home Page of the Wiki .... on which the link to Fallout 3 is as prominent as Fallout 1 and 2. Plus you said "all you'll ever need", which suggests a little more than just reading Fallout history ......

Either way, it's up to the OP. I just think that wiki is a curse as well as a blessing. Once you know the answers are a click away, it's a great temptation.

I know I should have been more clear, I think the wiki is more of a curse than blessing.