I'm interested in hearing the ways in which everyone implements role-playing aspects of their game. As mods begin to come out many of these game-play aspects will become part of the game's mechanics. But for the moment, we don't have said mods.

I've been trying to figure out a way (without a mod) to make dying in the game more meaningful. I really like the idea of being imprisoned by raiders, held captive by super mutants, etc., etc. rather than simply re-loading the game. Obviously a mod like Skyrim's "A Death Alternative" would be great for Fallout, but without it, what are our options.

Obviously anything implemented without a mod will have to be done another way. While there's really not any way to imprison yourself it would be cool to be forced to somehow retrieve your gear. I'm thinking about an idea where if you die you must reload your previous save, get as close to the point where your death occurred, drop all of your gear and then fast-travel to a specified location. This will create a scenario that will imitate you were left for dead and a kind wastelander came, picked up up and aided you back to health. Now you must gather new gear and set out to reclaim your guns, armor, etc. This is really the only idea I can come up with but I'd love to hear other ideas.

Ugh. I wish you hadn't called it role-playing. I must flame you now: Oh well, at least you didn't call it play-pretend; that would have earned you a double-ugh.

I liken the activity to modding, and in a way, it is. Like a physical mod, your mod changes the game world, except that your change is only imaginary.

Your idea for an alternative to dying is a good one. A similar option could be that your rescuer (maybe a patrol) arrives and frightens your would-be killers away just as you drop unconscious. You might also consider preparing your rescue ahead of time by informing a trusted NPC of your travel plans before you head out (maybe leaving him instructions to come find you should you fail to return by a certain date).

Another alternative is to simply reload, but to make a game of it. When you die, roll a pair of dice. If the result is equal to or less than your Luck score, then load your last save and rule that your fatal encounter never happened (a bad dream, perhaps). If you score higher than your Luck, then go with your left-for-dead option.

Roll 10 sided dice,

If below your luck just reload, because you managed to stand up and keep fighting,

If above luck scrap all your valuable stuff that would have probably been taken by your killers (nothing if it was animal), jump enough to break half of your body and simulate waking up in random factions HQ,

If you roll 1 you die and start over.

It's fun, really makes you walk on your toes and look around a lot.

Or if restarting the game from scratch is too much like work.....

Get a ice pick from the kitchen (people old enough here to know what that is??) and stab yourself in the knee.

Pretend it was a arrow. Suffer thru the pain until you heal well enough to play the game again.