Which weapon type do you prefer?

I kinda mix it up. Currently carrying Blackhawk, Metal Blaster and a mini gun at the moment. Sometimes I roll with the Guass Rifle and Wild Bill's Sidearm. Metal Blaster is nice as it's a fairly accurate laser shotgun.

I usually stick with small guns because early on in the game it is easier to find small guns and also you find alot more small guns in the game. Also i just prefer them better, yet I don't mind energy weapons ( In later levels I use A3-21 plasma rifle).

I prefer the energy weapons in New Vegas, there are just so many more to choose from. So in Fallout 3 I usually go with small guns, since they are readily available right out of the vault.

Early-game energy weapons are hard to come by in Fallout 3. I know of a few, but this isn't the Cheat & Hints section.

I prefer Energy Weapons, but I also use the EVE mod. Still, even without the mod, my characters prefer Energy Weapons.

They also like Explosives.

The only problem I have is that I tend to play on max difficulty and ammunition becomes an issue.

I don't really agree that there are more Small Guns early in the game, but I agree that it sort of seems that way, mainly because the Raiders use them rather than Energy Weapons. Still, you only need a couple of weapons, after all, and several of the Small Guns are almost useless on max difficulty (i.e., they don't do enough damage to be worth the trouble of using them). The Energy Weapons are available, but you have to go get them rather than simply picking them up off Raiders.

I only know of a few of the early game energy weapons in F3. But as you rightly mentioned, ammo is a serious concern and the 10mm pistol does most of the work for the first five or six levels (at least for me). Incidentally, by early game I mean immediately out of the vault so that you can starting pouring skill points into the EW skill right away, rather than relying on small guns until level six or seven.

Could I interest you in a 'Early game Energy Weapons' thread in the Cheats & Hints section? :icecream:

Well, the laser pistol is available almost right away when you leave the vault... you just have to go get it. Same with the Wazer Wifle.

... that pretty much covers the necessities for about 20 levels...

Small Guns all the way.

Always go with Small Guns, I can't really get into using energy weapons, I mean, after all of my play time, I've just started liking the Plasma Rifle...

It also requires using knowledge my character doesn't have.
Since my characters don't trek half way across the map to get a weapon I know exists but they don't the only energy weapons they're likely to find early on are the mediocre and expensive to repair laser pistol and rifle. Early on I much prefer small guns. Easy to get, rarely need to buy ammo or pay for repairs, and outperform the commonly available energy weapons.

I prefer small guns with FWE increased global damage but higher gunspread. But for distance fighting the Laser Rifle 2000 seems to know what I want to hit as I discharge red rhythmic death. Plasma bolts are far too clumsy for my incompetent aim while the enemy does the magic dodge dance.

I like energy weapons, but the lack of ammo for them makes it hard to use them as a primary weapon. I had to make a mod that adds more energy ammo to the loot lists when I played an energy-based character. She used the Wazer rifle, and a modded energy sniper rifle (I did not do Anchorage with her to get the gauss rifle, as it just did not feel in character). Big Guns is even worse on finding ammo. So Small Guns are usually the way I go.

Small Guns. I don't like leaving piles of goo scattered across the wasteland.

You forgot to mention that small guns are also not in character for many characters, therefore they are not an option for many characters. This is the exact same problem as your view that your character does not have certain knowledge. However, I was not suggesting trekking across the wasteland with the goal of picking up a weapon. I was merely pointing out that they are there and anyone who is exploring thoroughly will almost surely find them early on without planning to find them.

I'm not sure where the comment about expensive to repair laser pistol and/ rifle comes from. I don't find them expensive to repair in my games.

Likewise, energy weapons outperform small guns as far as damage and other features, so I'm not sure where that comment came from, either. This can be seen from the official guide. Then again, that's why they are not quite as commonly available.

My characters do not like small guns because the entire idea of projectile weapons simply goes against their overall build as well as research interests. I leave the small guns to my shoujo companions.

To each their own. The point is to have fun.

I love small guns... god that sniper rifle!

I didn't mention small guns being out of character for some builds because I was speaking for myself.

As for coming across the Wazer Wifle early on I think you must have a different definition of early than me. Its quite a distance from where you start out and its a fair while before you get a quest that takes you where its located. Its also not neccessarily an easy place to get into.

Its cheap to repair small guns because you can pick them up off dead opponents frequently. Laser pistols and rifles are much less common so you are more likely to need to pay to have them repaired for you. Thats expensive especailly for a beginning character.

Based both on my own play experience and the Wiki I'd stand by my statement that the laser pistol and rifle are mediocre. I'd much rather have the more common 10mm SMG, combat shotgun or Chinese assault rifle which have much better DPS.

Depends on my character. I also use mods that add lots of weapons (it's not a cheat since those same weapons are used against me, and I have to kill to get them.) With my current character however, I nearly always use handguns (14mm pistol, it's a beast), on other characters I will only use traditional weapons until I find a decent energy weapon and can stay stocked up on ammo for more that five minutes.

My preference is really small guns though, even in New Vegas.

Energy Weapons without a doubt. Correct they are hard to come by but i found 500-700 Microfusion cells and many plasma rifles during the missions involving Liberty Prime.

I currently have over 1800 Microfusion cells as i have completed the BS add on. Enclave creates carry many Energy cells.

Big Guns :biggrin:

Small Guns. Although I like Energy Weapons better, ammo is really hard to find. Small guns can be found anywhere and are reliable.

For the aforementioned issues of "apparent" availability, I've always played small guns. Would be intriguing to try to do a play through with a character focused on big guns or energy.

energy weapons

Generally I prefer Small guns but I do love my plasma rifle.

If I had to choose one it would be small guns and That Gun or Mysterious, Riot Shotgun, 12m MG, anti-Material and Sniper+. The only energy weapon I use a lot is the unique Gause.

I usually prefer small guns, but when playing an energy weapons player, I always make a point to get Protectron's Gaze fairly early - A fine weapon!!!