Why did they make VATS svck so bad in this game?? If you use a sniper or any long range gun in this game, VATS is pointless. I have the perks Commando and Sniper and they still have to be super close to use VATS to hit them in the head. I never get to see the cool cinematic "follow-the-bullet" VATS sequences anymore. The only time I use VATS are when they are super close and its not even practical to use a sniper at that point... Anyone else agree with this?

What's your Perception stat?

Perception only minimally affects ranged combat; a better question is "what is your AGI and weapon skill?"

Though to be honest, VATS svcked in FO3, too. At least in NV we have Steady to make every shot dead accurate and from my experience, no matter your skill, SPECIAL or distance (as long as they are close enough to open VATS on them, anyway) VATS will give you 95% chance to hit anything while under the chem's effects.

no scoping with the anti-material rifle

they just go flying

I have my agility at 7 and my perception is at 7 and my gun skill is 95....

In FO3 with up to 148 AP unbuffed, taking only 10% Damage in VATS and Grim Reaper's Sprint restoring FULL AP on a kill VATS was totally overpowered. Besides Giant Rads Scorpions and Super Mutant Behemots even in Very Hard mode nothing would survive a full round of VATS with the Atomic Pulverizer. In FONV VATS is a totally different story...

Bah this opinion is unfounded. I love VATS and find that it works quite well for me.

Define better the problems or they don't exist.

Is your STR too low for the weapon you're carrying?

I have about the same stats as you (my PER is slightly higher, due to traits/equipment, but I think my AGI is also 7), and only 50 gun skill, and I have very little trouble hitting things with VATS. I'm actually surprised at how easily I see 95% for hitting various limbs. Usually it's after they've started closing in, true, but they're certainly not close enough for it to be useless.

Exactly. It was boring and thus it svcked

Until they add the ability to shoot eyes and nutsacks, VATS will always svck.

I loved it, but it had to be nerfed. My point is, that I don't want to play "just another shooter" but really enjoyed the old turn-based decisions. VATS is at least pretty close to that and for me has been more fun than any real time RPG combat system whatsoever... - okay partly because watching bullets decapitating enemys in super slowmo surprisingly never gets old...

I've also noticed that sometimes you'll miss repeatedly when you have a hit chance of 91%. I locked on 5 times at 91% only about 5 feet away and missed every single time.
Other times VATs shells out Less Damage than just Shooting Normally, then again sometimes it deals out more damage.
Also if you have Like 3 eemies firing on you and you enter VATS by the time the animation is done you'll be down to 30% of your Health. It used to be that VATS protected you a bit while the animation ran its course.

I find it to be so unreliable that I'm using it less and less.

New Vegas VATS seems to be more of a supportive tool rather than a combat system. From what I've played it feels like you're meant to engage at a reasonable range and then use VATS the closer you get. The only time I use VATS now is if I get jumped (to find the target) or if I need a few seconds to assess the situation. I've got my killcam set to slo-mo so generally my long range sniper kills get some slowmo treatment.

VATS, to me, feels like it's out of place. Maybe it's because I'm competent at using my mouse to aim for myself, maybe it's just me not liking my success/fail to be anyone's fault but my own, but it just doesn't feel right.


I did play 3 with my 360 pad once, though. Then VATS felt right at home. But I'm on PC, I don't need to gimp myself with an inferior control method. I have enough trouble as it is....

There were a few bumpy spots with FO3 VATS (a patch broke it for a while), but it was much, much better and more useful than in FO NV. They might as well have removed it entirely from this game.

If you want to snipe, you need ED-E. The enhanced sensors perk from having it with you not only lets you see stuff miles away, but also allows you to enter VATS from further away as well. Honestly, I love that lil robot(except for him 'announcing' bad guys with that music when Im sneaking, heh)

Personally, I love VATS on PC.... but then, I use it for short range stuff, mostly. Like when a swarm of Rats / Cazadors / Geckos is bouncing all around me like hyper rabbits on caffeine. I don't have a chance of hitting them (let alone in a good location), so I use VATS. (Of course, at this point, the removal of the damage reduction becomes a problem, since you're no longer able to dodge, and all those melee-range dudes are eating your face. Ah, well.)


Long range sniping? Freehand works a bit better.

It's not a question of what range you enter VATS; even with a highly accurate weapon, good AGI, good PER, and all the increased hit chance perks, at long range VATS chance to hit is almost never above 7 at a range a sniper-rifle is meant for.

It feels much more akin to aimed shots in FO1/2; if they were all the way across the screen you don't have a snowball's chance in hell to hit anything. Might as well not use it and just learn how to aim. Actually, since shooting real-time is skill based, you just need your crosshair to change red and you can hit stuff just the same and it will randomly hit different parts.

Vats isn't as useful as it was in fallout 3. I would still use Vats for headshots if they are within 10 feet but if I have the Sniper Rifle I'll just line up a headshot. :celebration:

Im using it alot less than in FO3, that is for sure. I kinda of like the new system, less of an auto kill button. I think it has a role im short to mid range combat, but sniping is to be done in free hand.

I do think VATS seems very sluggish at time. I'll be spamming the VATS button and sometimes it will just not go into targeting mode.

That's odd. I often get the "follow the bullet" sequences when using a sniper rifle even outside of VATS. So much so that its actually starting to get annoying IMO.

I've got to agree on a few things here....with a guns specialist character, high AGL, high gun skills, etc, I've found VATS gimped.

Whereas in F3 it was my combat style of choice, entertaining and deadly, in FNV it's a bit of a mystery where the rounds go and what's going on. I'm close enough to throw rocks at the bad guys, and all that happens sometimes is I waste ammo. VATS was the way to cull deathclaws, wipe out a mob of raiders etc with a round of deadly headshots to 3 or 4 in succession, and really gave the solo character a fighting chance. In FNV, what it does a lot of the time is alert all those deathclaws that there's some meatsack to be eaten, or tells that bunch of Fiends where you are skulking.

Unfun...If I wanted a starter's pistol for the Deathclaw Scramble, I'd prefer it not to be mine....