I just did it on a dare.

Damn, it's quite an experience. The first thing that popped out for me was the scenery. Without the filter of health bars and AP counters, you really take the time to appreciate the world you're put in. Little details become more vivid. For example, little scrawlings on the wall, messages from people long past - "let it all end". You see the truly pervasive nature of trash and scrap, dirt and detritus.

The next thing that comes up is the renewed nature of scavenging. You cant simply swing vaguely in something's direction, and tell what it is. You cant know if a container is full to bursting, or empty as the rest of the wastes. Locks are mysteries until you try them, terminals stand indistinguishable from one another, and a thick dust presents a film which obscures everything it touches. You're forced to try every option, get up close to everything, search each individual shelf, aisle, and box. You have to scrounge in the dust and grime to simply find the supplies you need to live - literally, in hardcoe - and often can only identify by sight alone.

Then you start to get in to combat. Before anything else, you'll pine for when you could simply check your health or ammo with a short glance. No, the most you'll get is a faint indicator of when your thirst or hunger becomes unbearable, or when injuries become overwhelming. Tantamount to our own natural indicators.

When the shooting really starts, the entire process is different. You have to rely on your own perception, rather than your perception stat, to find your enemies. Corners and walls are uncertainties, not minor veils. Shooting itself becomes much more of a skill-based affair. You can no longer fire from the hip reliably, with iron sights being much more useful. Not even VATS is as reliable as it was before, as the positioning required to attack effectively with it is so much harder to attain.

Overall, I think it really changes up the game a bit. It shaves some of the veneer from what we normally interpret as a jaunty, if subliminally bleak world. It gives insight in to how people would really have to live under such circumstances, and Im not really sure it holds in line with what the game was intended as.

Still, it astounds me that such a simple change can alter the game in to something almost entirely different, and I really encourage everyone to do it, even as a temporary experiment.

Anyone else done something akin to this? I'd like to hear their experiences.

Been there done that, Iron Man playthrough (No reloads or saves except an auto), no HUD, hardcoe, Highest Difficulty.

I got to the Sierra Madre... dat gold.

You can turn of your HUD?

Turn HUD Oppacity slider to 0, and it will not come up.

On PC, use the One HUD by Gopher (combines his earlier three HUD mods including immersive HUD).

One thing, though... in an RPG, you should not have to rely on YOUR abilities for anything because you are supposed to be role playing a character and everything that happens should be based on the character's abilities, not your own. You can adjust the settings for immersion using the Mod Configuration Menu by Pelinor, though.

I did it as a role-playing experience, I set the game to the hardest difficulty and played without HUD. I also tried to play in a completely different style than I usually do.

Christ, it's tough.

Hm, I find it to be more fun on very hard as with a dead is dead charter.

Still fun every time I do it.

Thank you for posting on this topic, Twisp.

You highlighted some interesting and immersive aspects that I am eager to experience.
I have been reluctant to attempt such a endeavour, as to turn the HUD off because, I felt I needed to be aware of my CATs condition (HCM). I feel confident now, that I have the ability to recognise when my CAT need what. I roll with the HUD opacity at ~5 usually, as I found it to be unnecessarily glaring and obstructive.
After your pitch I am looking forward to turning the HUD off.

I hadn't realise the benefits (no reticle text). Thank you again.

I did one on Fallout 3... quite the experience indeed.