» Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:59 pm My rule of is to always use observe (is it called that?) on every NPC whenever I enter a new room. That way I can get a feel for the locals, and pick out any unique NPCs that may have quests. Not all of them are going to necessarily look different.
Pretty sure it's "examine," though that's not terribly important.
Also, unlike in Fallout 1, where all enemies dropped whatever armour they were wearing, enemies in Fallout 2 do not. While it may not make a bit of sense....
I disagree with you here. It's reasonable to presume that, once a person is dead, their armor is full of slashes and bullet holes, has chunks torn away from it / is burned to a crisp / is sliced in half / is turned to ash (just look at some of the death animations), is covered in blood and guts, is difficult to remove, and has little or no monetary or protective value.
In other words, I think non-lootable armor makes just as much sense as lootable armor (if not moreso), given the context.
Also don't make the mistake of thinking that strength is worthless to a gunslinger character. During the start of the game your forced to rely solely on the melee and unarmed skills, plus many weapons have a minimum strength requirement for proper use, or else your aim is going to be pretty lacklustre.
Strength 5 is what all characters should probably start with, even melee brawlers, and even if you aren't trying for a "perfect build," because Power Armor greatly increases base Strength. There's another boost I won't spoil, plus a Perk if you for some reason start at Strength 4.
Also, you aren't forced to rely on melee or unarmed combat at the game's start, because you aren't forced to fight (it feels like you are, but walking away is a valid option). One can simply run past all of the weak enemies to the final room, and of course any experienced player can kill those first enemies easily (no matter what their stats and skills are) by careful AP use and patience. There are two non-violent ways to finish up the beginning as well.
By the way, remember that it always pays to be perceptive of everything NPCs say. You never know what you might pick up.
Definitely. Fallout 2 has many quests that will kick your ass if you don't pay attention, and you can miss a lot by being inattentive. Some of the quests are so intricate, even after playing the game thirteen times since 1998, I still need a walkthrough to complete them without screwing them up accidentally (becoming
Spoiler
being a prime example).Captain of the Guard in Vault City
Other quests require you to be very careful and discreet, like many of the New Reno crime family quests. It's easy to piss off a boss and take a dirt nap for doing something extremely subtle.
