What is VATS?

Vault-Tech Assisted Targeting System

When under fire you can hit the "V" key and it allows you to pause the game for a second and select a specific target on your enemy (i.e. Head, Torso, Leg) and how many shots you want to take. It's not fool-proof though, that would make it too easy. It's good to use against extra tough opponents. Each area has a specific chance for a successful hit. In Fallout, shots to certain parts of the body cause more damage than others, so in a fire fight against a very nasty enemy it can be crucial to make every one of your few bullets count. There is a cool-off period, so you can't use it for every shot.

Thanks, Trail. That's the first I have heard of it (or maybe I didn't pay attention to it before).

TM-

Thanks so much, well I will save some money and I just bought Kings Bounty Legend, so that will make me happy. Thanks again.

maggie

@Orient

EDIT: Oh, ok, thanks, Orient. I decided to remove my original comment, so people can find out the consequences for themselves. Heh heh.

TrailMystic, regarding VATS, - I feel pretty sure that it's not a case of your PC that can't handle it, because your VATS shots are supposed to happen in slow motion. Some of it is pretty gory- I suppose that's specially for lovers of gore.

Moondancer, that isn't exactly true:

Critical hits and finishing blows in VATS are particularly slow-motion-esque by design.

I was aware of the slow-mo effect they use, kind of cool actually. I lose frames at the point of shot selection, in other words while I'm still in the VATS interface. It's most likely because of the layering they used to outline the target body parts. It just surprises me, the machine I'm using has two overclocked 8800GTS vid cards. They should be laughing at this graphics engine. It's not a stability issue either, everything else runs at max settings without an issue. I'll track it down..

I just bought this game. Are there any patches I need to download before I start playing?

Rowan, there are no patches. Go ahead and start.

I'm really getting tired of running around underground and looking for the Fire Ant Queen's nest. I wonder if anyone would be so kind to tell me if I should be

I haven't done that quest Moondancer, but is there a chance that the maps or HUD arrow on the Pip-Boy would help?

Ah - I finally found it. It was a way through that I hadn't thought to investigate. You see, I could see the quest marker, but couldn't figure out how to get there. Got it now, though.
Thanks anyway!

Moondancer

Have fun

Fallout 3 Patch now Available.

You can either download it though your LIVE account if you have one (see the LIVE selection in the main menu). Or go to the following link and download it the old fashioned way

FALLOUT 3 PATCH US ENGLISH v 1.0.0.15

Listen guys - when I want to put my weapon away by pressing "R", it doesn't want to "take" most of the time. I end up hitting the R button a million times in frustration.

Is there perhaps some trick to get my avatar to put his weapon away?

For me, holding the R key down for @ 2 secs. works

I've been wandering around Megaton looking for a bed. None of the beds let me sleep because they don't belong to me. The only offer for a bed is from a prostitute in the saloon. All I want to do is sleep to heal up. Where can I do this?

Also, has someone found a purified water source for that beggar outside the main gates?

Rowan, I haven't played this but I googled and found the following:

One person said the bar--but you already know that

Another said the Common House, but someone else disputed that

Another one said if you just need to heal, go to the clinic and they will heal you for free.

And another said to deactivate the bomb and the town will give you your own bed.

I hope one of those works for you

Ah - thanks boshettee - I tried it and it works. Thanks! Guess I'm generally too hasty, eh?

For sleeping, the Common House didn't work for me, either, and you have to pay at the bar.

Did you try the clinic?

I haven't tried the Clinic, but I found that Nuka-Cola is tops for healing if you don't have a stimpack. Of course any food helps, but your radiation is higher with normal food.

If you've already done the Super-duper Mart quest, you can always transport there, and sleep in the beds they have in their toilets.

Before I got my house, I used to sleep in the Gibson house at the minefield. The Teleport puts you right outside the house. I ran into respawned raiders when I used the supermart. The Springdale school is another place once you clear it out.

I haven't found any purified water in all my travels. It must be pretty rare.

Also, if you talk to Lucy West, she will give a quest and a map marker for Arefu, not a difficult travel. There is a house at the back of the village that has a bed you can use. On the road to Arefu, there is a Jury St metro station that has beds and a lot of good loot. A few raiders too. There is a bed in a trailer shortly before that.

Pokey

Nothing like someone who has already played the game

The best thing is to do the bomb quest to get the key to the empty house in Megaton. Your explosive skill needs to be above level 25, but I would save just before doing it anyway, just in case you manage to give the town a case of terminal sun tan

Also, you'll find a source for purified water in that house.

Healing is a difficult and sometimes expensive endeavor in Fallout 3 so don't forget to throw a few points into Medicine as you level. That way healing medicines and such have a more pronounced effect.

Thanks for all the tips. So far the only place I was able to sleep was at the Wests' house. But that is too far through dangerous territory. I'm paying a fortune for stimpacks and healing from the doc. When I do find a bed it either isn't mine or there are enemies nearby. My bomb disarming abilities are too low for me to attempt that, so no personal real estate for me yet. I'm so poor and I'm a lousy shot. I wish I had my trusty bows from other games. I'm great at shooting arrows but not bullets. I'm finding this game difficult. I'm playing normal level. Maybe I should restart and try easy level.