Tweaking basically means retconning, but I don't like to use that word. Retconning implies that we just change it at our whim and don't give a [censored] what storylines we render non-sensical or irrelevant (an example for retconning like that would be the necrons in WH40k being drastically altered or all the possible "outcome scenarios" being changed every edition in WH40k). Now "tweaking" implies that we don't just change it, but we explain the changes in-universe as well, the Warp in the West is a great example of this, regardless of your opinion about it.

I think it is wise to have a topic like this, because the people at Beth or Obsidian might see it and consider doing the things we suggest. At the very least NV seemed to have explained a little about the new plasma rifles and whatnot. The Institute might be a rather convenient way of filling in the plotholes of FO3 and explaining away its inconsistencies, though some people might think that having the Institute as another great conspiracy faction would be rather cheap and unoriginal (actually I'm one of those people).

Here's a list of the most popular things that people question whether they truly have a place in Fallout.
Mothership Zeta: The most obvious one probably, lol. If it had been less cliché and had not implied things that destroy the point of the series there wouldn't be near as many problems with it, but as it stands... IMO it should be declared non-canon or at least severely tweaked. The "jet trip" suggestion is my favorite.
Vault 87: Presents too many inconsistencies. The idea of it is not that bad, even if it was just a way to show new players "FEV's [censored] up yo", but it has to be tweaked so that it will fit.
Little Lamplight: Fallout 3's settlements aren't that high up in the makes-sense department, but at the very least they can be explained in you head. This one just can't be explained. It's fairy tale bs. This should just simply be non-canon.
Vault Zero robots: Okay, this is really just my opinion, but the Vault Zero robots have to be explained. It just makes no sense to me that those technological advencements just were there simply and nobody gave a [censored] about it. It's like having today's computers but the corporations and the average person still uses outdated stuff.
Androids: To some The Replicated Man quest suggested that the androids are insanely human, which is unrealistic even by Fallout Science standards.
Too many DC buildings intact: Okay, I'm not sure if this is an inconsistency... Did the Game Guide say that DC had it bad? If not, then we can't know for sure if the damage in DC and the surrounding area was done by ICBMs. For all we know someone could have pulled a House on DC and probably some of the other major cities and the majority of the damage was done by something else.
Old World Blues: I myself think it fits into Fallout perfectly, but some do not think so and think it should not be a part of canon.
Oasis: Harold traveling that far makes no sense. I can accept large armies travelling, especially if they have vertibirds, but a single mutant for no reason? Hell no.

Did I miss any other major ones? Naturally I did not include stuff that has already been declared non-canon (all of PoS) or questionable things that already became a part of the franchise whether we like it or not (tribals and the stupid evil Vault Experiments).
Anyhow, the thread is for what you think should be tweaked and suggesting exactly how they should be tweaked. Of course some of these can be just simply not mentioned at all in any of the future Fallout games, so how they fit into Fallout will entirely be up to your head canon.

Mothership Zeta is at the top of my list for making none canon.

Harold being in Fallout 3 needs to be none canon.

Little Lamplight none-canon or tweaked but I am not sure how.

Androids made none canon or tweaked to be not so freaking human like.

Vault 87 and it's FEV needs to be tweaked. This is how I see Vault 87. It was a Vault built with some FEV in it, the early research stuff before it became the FEV that was at Mariposa. Over time the scientists in the Vault ended up creating a different version of FEV by happenstance and a little knowledge of what was going to happen at Mariposa.

I got to hit the stores now to buy food I'll be back!

Edit: I think Bethesda did declare PoS none canon.

Re the only thing I care about, D.C.

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20081126120602/fallout/images/2/21/Pennsylvania_Avenue.jpg

Just behind that fence is the nuclear ground zero at the White House; no pithy explaination can excuse this.

Imo androids just have to be expanded upon. I've presented this theory already that the androids do all those things, but they don't need to do them. When eating, if you look closely, they're just doing a crude parody of eating, but they were programmed to fanatically believe that that's eating. Similar with [censored]ting, they don't do nothing but their programming deludes them into believing that they're taking a dump. The fact that their skin heals, I think that the skin is actually grown for them was a pretty good explanation, that you yourself provided.

Consider this: the kids at Lamplight are mutated by the Cave Fungus they're eating and the radiation so they stop growing at a certain point. So they only look like kids, but are actually advlts capable of procreating, but they want to keep this a secret. However, sometimes their kids don't have the mutation so they decide to only let them stay until 16.

Mothership Zeta: Completely removed and treated as no more canon than an easter-egg.


Vault 87: Tweaked, but not removed (can't really be for obvious reasons). I also confess I rather liked the idea of FEV being used as experimentation material in a vault.

Little Lamplight: Removed. Its unnecessary and silly. The intial backstory was okay (i.e. a group on a fieldtrip taking shelter and experiencing the nuclear war) but after that it got ridiculous.

Vault Zero robots: Tweaked.

Androids: Removed (IMO.) Don't like the idea, and feel its out of place (plus you know the whole "blade runner" reference just got out of hand).

Too many DC buildings intact: Don't know what to do about this one. Its never bothered me as much as it does some (although I certainly understand why people take issue with it).

Old World Blues: Tweaked just a bit. I don't like things like the teletransponder (completely against instant teleportation crap).