Tips on Starting Fallout 2?

[The Paradigm]

So I was one of those people who didn't play Fallout 1 or 2 before playing Fallout 3. Now I really enjoyed Fallout 3, but I've heard that the first two are better (but this I take with a grain of salt.) Anyway, with the looming shadow of New Vegas approaching, I thought I might try to get into Fallout 2 and learn some of the backstory. However, this is one of the first RPG I have ever played, and, although I know enough about it to get started, I don't really know what to do from then.

So, any help for a Fallout fan?

 

[accountdeletethis]

I'd suggest starting with Fallout 1, as a lot of it is referenced in Fallout 2. As for tips on starting, well, I'd say none are really needed, the game doesn't have a difficult or long learning curve.

 

[Flying-Emu]

Read the manual.

Right click on your weapon to switch it to burst fire (if it is capable of that), reload, etc.

If you're going to try and keep your companions alive, don't use miniguns. Or give them miniguns.

Deathclaws are scary and you should be afraid of them.

Melee weapons are worthless for you but deadly for enemies.

In general, Small Guns=Big Guns>Thrown explosives>Energy Weapons>Melee Weapons

Don't just shoot everything.

 

[P47R1CK]

Dont be put off by the start. Fallout 2s opening is notoriously bad. Everyone who stops before it ends hates the game. Everyone who gets past it loves it. Good luck, hope you have fun.

 

[IronDefender410]

Try to stick with small arms if you can.
In Fallout 1, energy weapons are ridiculously expensive and ammo is rare, but they are super powerfull if you can find one.

 

[MiracleOfSound]

Intelligence is by far the most useful SPECIAL.

High Agility is important too.

Skills:

Small guns
Lockpick
Speech

Perks;

Awareness
Action Boy
Better Criticals (especially useful with high points in small guns)

Most important tip:

SAVE ALL THE TIME.

Before and after every conversation and fight.... save save save.

 

[Faladorian]

My only tip for starting Fallout 2 is: Don't. Just don't.

 

[Tattaglia]

Pick Small Frame as a trait at the start, you'll get an extra Agility point at the cost of some inventory space.
Never kill children or join the Slavers or everyone will hate you.
Quicksave before every fight, conversation, or every trip across the Wasteland.
And when speaking to Lynette, don't piss her off. It's harder than it sounds.

 

[Flying-Emu]

Bloody mess is fun.

 

[SimuLord]

First and most important thing to remember is that in terms of difficulty, Fallout 3 : Fallout 2 :: hitting a punching bag : fighting Wladimir Klitschko. If you give up easily because a game is hard, you're going to hate those early Fallout games.

 

[thenamelessloser]

Play the first one first if you have it. The first one has a better beginning. A lot of people HATE the first area in the second one. (even though the second one is a better and longer game overall) Also, unless you have a lot of free time, I doubt you're going to beat Fallout 2 before New Vegas comes out.

Also, pay attention to the dialogue, going to an area totally out of order when you're new to the earlier Fallout games will be very annoying.

 

[thenamelessloser]

First and most important thing to remember is that in terms of difficulty, Fallout 3 : Fallout 2 :: hitting a punching bag : fighting Wladimir Klitschko. If you give up easily because a game is hard, you're going to hate those early Fallout games.

Not necessarily, I sometimes do not like games when they get too hard, but if I lower the difficulty settings Fallout 1 and 2 weren't that hard. Another thing for the topic creator, if the game is too hard, recommend to put it on easier difficulties until you get used to it.

Make sure to look through the option screens for fallout 1 and 2. If I remember correctly you an speed up the turn based combat a bit with things like animation. The games on their default settings, the battles may last too long. I may be wrong here.

 

[sanguinator]

i too started with fallout 3 but soon after beating the game i got the first two. i say that you really cant say that the first games are better because the gameplay is so different from fallout 3. just start with fallout 1 now because there is an insane amount of neccesary previous understanding in fallout 2. just do one.

 

[Dr. wonderful]

So I was one of those people who didn't play Fallout 1 or 2 before playing Fallout 3. Now I really enjoyed Fallout 3, but I've heard that the first two are better (but this I take with a grain of salt.) Anyway, with the looming shadow of New Vegas approaching, I thought I might try to get into Fallout 2 and learn some of the backstory. However, this is one of the first RPG I have ever played, and, although I know enough about it to get started, I don't really know what to do from then.

So, any help for a Fallout fan?

Who are are you going to play as?

A fast talking guy?
How about a sneaky woman?
Maybe you rather be something in between.

Also, earn some cahs first, watch killing kids and check your radiation levels.

Get the magnum as early as possible, good damage.

Also, fool around.

 

[Altorin]

I suggest just finding a Let's Play.

 

[WolfThomas]

Play Fallout 1, it's slightly easier than 2 and it's what 3 was largely based off. The world of 2 is a lot more developed, society having had a chance to rebuild somewhat.

When playing really think about what you character will be. When creating a character you can make a Jack of all trades style character for your first to start off, but usually you can have a lot of funby focusing on a few attributes. Agility is very imporant for small guns and determining how much you can attack in a turn. Intelligence and Charisma (often working in unison) can get you through a lot of stuff without fighting, having no intelligence reduces you to being basically a grunting caveman. Super high or low luck can have hillarious results.

Do everything you can in each area. Especially in Fallout 2 the difficulty curve is quite steep. If you do insist on playing it before 1, skip Klamath to the Den, kill Flick the merchant and go back to Klamath, makes things a lot more easier. He's a merchant, it's no karma loss and usually has a magnum, a rifle and a shotgun or some sort of variant on that.

 

[TheSentinel]

-Don't take Gifted. Everyone does.

-If you are using a Small Guns build, put some stock in Perception. Without good PER, your aim will be for shit.

-Download Killap's Fallout Restoration Mod. It restores a lot of cut features, as well as fixing a good amount of bugs.

-Save. Many, many times. Save before travelling. Save before talking to people. Save before fighting.

-You can have multiple companions, dependant on your Charisma. You can have one companion for every 2 points of CHA.

-If you want your playthrough to be... unorthodox, set your Intelligence < 4.

 

[robotam]

I bought the Fallout collection last month to prepare for New Vegas. I recommend playing FO before FO2.

Some general advice:
For traits I'd pick "Gifted" and "Fast Shot"

I'd specialise in "Small Guns", maybe "Speech" and perhaps "lockpick" or "science".

Save all over the show.

If the game is getting to hard, you can change the difficulty at any time and it doesn't affect your XP.

I wouldn't go overboard on building up your strength, if you are planning to get the Power Armor.

Have High charisma and Intellignce to avoid unnecessary violence.

In fallout 2 the time limit is ridiculously long, (seriously it's something like 19 in game years) so don't worry about taking your time.