Avid Skyrim player. Also played Oblivion. But was looking for something new so a friend lent me Fallout 3. I have been playing it and although I do not like it as much as Elder Scrolls games, its ok. I have a few questions:

1) What's the deal with age in the wasteland? Do people not age? I am meeting all these NPC who talk about life before the war WHICH WAS 200 YEARS AGO! Like all these kids who got trapped in a cave just as the war began AND ARE STILL THERE.

2) I have no idea about how weapons work. I tried killing Enclave guys with my trusty Chinese Assualt rifle but they just wouldn't go down. They all seem to use energy weapons which were kicking my butt. Should I use energy weapons on them? Do energy weapons penetrate armor or something? Which weapons are better against which targets?

3) Is there any safe storage available?

ADDED:
Does anyone use VATS? I tried it out and hated it.