First of all, hello everyone. My first question deals with the timeline. Is there an accurate, flowing timeline to the Fallout universe? I've heard things like "semi-canon" and I don't know how the previous Fallout games intermingle with each other (I think I've heard comparisons of The Lone Wonderer vs. The Courier, for example). I don't want to ignore previous games, but I'm using FO3 as my basis for information (how the war started, what's been going on for 200 years, etc). Unless, of course, that isn't a good idea. I had a feeling "Wiki-ing" the story would get rather lengthy and decided 'you guys' would have more concise information regarding the franchise. Any other vital info you would like to add would be highly appreciated, as well.

Lastly is my longing to replay FO3. As of late, I've been in this post-apocalyptic/dystopian future mood pertaining to what I've been reading (Hunger Games, The Road, 1984, Brave New World) and watching (Jericho). The two genres might be my two favorite and I recently had flashbacks to how awestruck Fallout 3 left me at times. Anyway...

I recall beating the game (bought the GOTY edition on Steam) and getting bored toward the ending because I A) played Mothership Zeta which leveled me up way too quickly and felt really cheap with all of the ammo and things I found on the spaceship, was meticulous enough to be diagnosed with OCD in my first and only play through which led to C) having 60+ mini nukes by the time I was walking alongside Liberty Prime. It was all fun and games, but it left the game feeling hollow and not the "fight-for-your-life" like it had been most of the game. Hell, I didn't even get to play Broken Steel or Point Lookout and I was already probably 200-250 hours into the game (yes, I was that meticulous). Anywoo, do you guys have some tips on how to spice things up on my next run through? The list, thus far:

- Perhaps base the character off of myself (in terms of S.P.E.C.I.A.L., skills, perks, and even morality)
- Play much more 'realistically' (1 or 2 main weapons + a sidearm, only carry ammo for those weapons, only carry a handful of clips per weapon, carry only a few miscellaneous "need-based" survival items, only carry one set of armor, etc)
- Save infrequently (haven't decided on a set rule for saving yet - time based? quest based? only when I sleep?)
- Live with your decisions
- Lowering Strength S.P.E.C.I.A.L. to allow myself a decent "max carrying weight" rule (see the first bullet point I made)
- No fast traveling
- Fail a computer hack or lock pick attempt? Too bad
- Keep selling to a minimum (trading-only seems pointless because bottle caps are in the game for a reason)
- Only repair items when you're near a workbench or have someone else do it (if I decide to repair things at all)
- Actually seeing a doctor (don't know what rules to set in place for this, though)
- No perks that make you feel too invincible (Grim Reaper's Sprint)
- Try to actually arm those roaming the Wasteland (judgement is completely mine) and perhaps give them supplies if I have spare (food, water, random items to barter with, etc)
- No companion (a true "Lone" Wonderer)
- Extremely limited use of V.A.T.S.
- Only use medical supplies when there's a med-kit on the wall or nearby (limit carrying a ton of med supplies)
- Keep every skill below a certain value (somewhere between 65 and 75 sounds good) and only increase the skills I've used the previous level

Oh, and I've just recently found out about this "FWE." Sounds like it might alter the base game a little too much, though. Suggestions? Opinions about what I already have? Can a PC player have the willpower to go through with this (have any of you)?

Thanks

Will respond to your first part.

Here is a good timeline ===> http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline

As for "semi-canon" and "none canon."

Wiki is a great example of this (I know the timeline I gave is from wiki) it contains all things Fallout canon or not. Something aren't canon because they were never made such as Van Buren, Fallout Tactics 2, ect, ect.. The "Burned Game" Fallout:BoS is considered not canon because it breaks canon. It's just garbage, not even Bethesda will touch it.

Somethings are "semi canon" such as the Fallout Bible, cause at one point it was considered Canon. This was when Interplay still owned Fallout. Now Bethesda owns Fallout. The Fallout Bible is kind of in limbo because Bethesda respects it, but they haven't said it's all canon. Not to mention the Fallout Bible is seriously out of date and doesn't have anything from Fallout Tactics, Fallout 3 or New Vegas in it. In fact those games contradict sections of the Fallout Bible.

I love the opening line "What follows is the most complete Fallout timeline ever compiled." Should be an interesting read, haha. Thanks for the help and info, Styles.

I also wanted to apologize for the length of the second part of my original post. I like detail...

I've recently come back to FO3 after a couple years as well. I like your idea of not picking Grim Reaper Sprint as it is an overpowering perk in FO3. Not with you on the limited VATS use though lol I love my vats and slow motion kill cams. Its what hooked me with the game from day one. Plus the first person shooting is a bit more awkward for aiming, compared to NV and other FPS's. So VATS stays, but I am limiting my ammo that I carry, and only have two or three guns(third being one handed) and just some grenades or bottlecap mines. I've turned the difficulty up to Hard for this too, and i am eating food and drinking water somewhat regularly, mostly for health so I can stock up on my stimpacks for later use. Super Mutant Brutes and higher up, are actually really tough on this difficulty on the early levels, and with my guns skill only around 75 at the moment. Haven't come across an Overlord yet though.

Not enough detail.
Frankly there is TOO little detail in conversations on the Internet. I hate TLDR, but we are here, or there, whatever.

I choose to follow the rules in http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1176044-fallout-3-hardcoe/. Also in my sig. It is basically mods for consoles. The mod will break when your willpower does. I've been told that this mod is harder than some you might find on PC.

It feels cheap as hell being able to fight a lot of the monsters out there by simply circling them, though. My character, even at lower levels, can take on quite a few beasts by just walking behind them and pummeling them with Unarmed/Melee weaponry. Feels kind of gimmicky I just wish there was something I could lean on that didn't require most of my thought process being "Alright, don't do this. You can only take some of that. Do this only at certain times." Makes me want to contradict myself and look into that Fallout: Wanderer's Edition more and more. My only hope is that I can keep the game as "vanilla" as possible (no new guns/items/etc) and only mess with the restrictions (ammo has weight, carrying 1,000 stimpacks, etc).

I didn't even know what "TLDR" meant until I looked it up just now. I like the Internet and various games, obviously, but some of the diction and acronyms are just annoying to keep up with sometimes, lol. Or sh*t like people fighting over "KD" vs. "KDR" because "It's actually a ratio." Perhaps that's what people get for playing Call of Duty too often...

EDIT: Oh, and Big Daddy. When you said you "hate TLDR," does that mean you hate when people don't read through an entire post? That's what I extrapolated from that statement. Also, the emphasis was probably meant for "little" and not "too."

Yes, that was what I meant. Typing words makes them lose their emotion. We have to work harder to bring that emotion back. You can only do that with detail.
I'm older... I didn't know what TLDR meant up until a couple of months ago.
I have an urban dictionary open on my desktop. I reference it quite frequently.
Those hardcoe rules that I use force you to specialize. I love those early level feelings, of just struggling, trying to get by. So I've continued that feeling with those rules. It was difficult at first, having a strong willpower in the face of so much temptation, but now it's second nature. I like being not overpowered. I like seeing an enemy and thinking, "Uh no. No way can I deal with that." And then sneaking around. I only attack something If I think I can win. My character is gimped from the careful choosing of perks and the SPECIAL. So, they can die fairly easily.
I play COD:UO. I pride myself on my kills to deaths ratio. Which is very, very good.