Not true. There are 71.
D_Odds: TBH, I’d think that reading along with this thread (or asking questions here and letting people know that you don’t want spoilers in the answers) would probably be far better than using a guide, at least when you’re still getting to know the game. Just my opinion, of course, but I think that reading too much of the guide can really spoil the surprise and sense of discovery for the game.
/$.02
I don’t know the exact number (Finn says 71 and I’ll buy that), but I know it’s more than 6. Now…there might only be 6 launchers or so out there…I’ve only managed to find 2 so far and I used the first one to repair the second. I’ve used the thing exactly once on some big nasty thing that was taking my small arms and laughing at me…and it was definitely a one shot kill. I’m saving the rest of my shells for what I expect to be some tough hombres in the end game…just like I’m saving the mini-gun for such encounters (plus it will look cool when I get power armor to be using the mini-gun :)).
I’m sure the guide will come in handy. My friend has it. She loaned me the map and I’ve used that just to look for interesting things (I’ve avoided reading the legend that tells what the interesting places are). My advice is basically what my friend told me…go to Megaton, get the quests there and start doing them. In the mean time just wander about and take in the game, explore around and find all the cool things out there. Don’t worry about the main quest until you are around level 10 or so (I’m actually level 15 and still haven’t gone to GNR…though I know exactly where it is). There are some way cool places in the DC Metro area (anyone else lived or worked in DC amazed when you come across places you’ve actually been too?? I’ve had several mind blowing moments wandering about).
There is no rush (for me) to end the game…I’m having a blast playing and just doing random encounters or finding cool places and tons of loot. I have enough caps and ammo to play through the game indefinitely at this point (especially if I take the advice given earlier and find that cache of Chinese Automatic Rifles…and maybe someone selling Sniper Rifles). The only bummer right now is the level cap of 20 and the fact that I’m going to have to go ahead and start knocking out the main quest now to it’s inevitable conclusion (my friend has finished the game so I know what’s in store)…and then wait for the first expansions either from Bethesda or by users to start pouring in.
-XT
Concerning DC:
It’s pretty annoying to me that you can’t scramble over the piles of rubble and that you actually have to take the subway tunnels to get around. That makes it more like an old-school RPG rather than an open-world game. I’d guess this was probably done for technical reasons; they can make the city much more detailed if you’re only in a small part of it at a time.
Yeah, I didn’t really complete my thoughts (damn people here expecting me to work for my pay were interrupting me). I read guides to understand how to do things in game (like reading books, repairing crap, etc, that I glossed over during the in-game tips, how to walk vs. always running, how to disarm mines and traps). Heck, I was several quests into my first attempt when I finally figured out how to use V.A.T.S. I wasn’t talking about learning where to go and what to do. I like heading in the direction of empty triangles…however I wasn’t too fond when one of them sent me to Old Onley!
There’s a bunch stashed away in Eulogy’s Pad in Paradise Falls. They’re scattered about on the floor behind the stairway.
There is a Nuka-Cola bottling plant out there somewhere too…I don’t remember where (which is why I’m not putting this in a spoiler box) but I ran across it in one of my explorations.
-XT
From control-z
It’s pretty annoying to me that you can’t scramble over the piles of rubble and that you actually have to take the subway tunnels to get around. That makes it more like an old-school RPG rather than an open-world game. I’d guess this was probably done for technical reasons; they can make the city much more detailed if you’re only in a small part of it at a time.
Agreed. But it’s still pretty cool to come across actual places I remember well being at in RL and seeing them in game. It would probably be too hard and too memory intensive to accurately model the entire city and surrounding area.
It’s pretty cool though that you can go into the Pentagon and some of the other more famous buildings, and cool that you can walk down the tidal basin and such as well as go into a few of the museums. Also, it’s cool that several of the Metro stops I used a lot are in the game, though it’s kind of a bummer that you can’t use the system more extensively for getting around as a lot of the tunnels are collapsed. I haven’t checked but is the Metro Center building represented? If so I’ll definitely have to check that out especially since I used to go there nearly every day when I worked for US Courts.
-XT
Yeah, but they don’t really have any Quantum around. It had just been released when the bombs fell.
Ah…didn’t know that (or didn’t remember it). I know I have about 40-50 of the things in my house that I picked up in various places. I assumed I got some at the bottling plant but don’t remember anymore.
-XT
Actually:
They do. You can set the bottling line going and it’ll pump out three bottles, I believe. Much, much more importantly you also get the recipe for Nuke Clear and can use it to get the single best item in the game, a mask that gives you extra AP’s.
Bethesda also built in land obstacles in Morrowind and Oblivion. In Morrowind, however, you could built a “fly” spell and get around any obstacle and get to any point on the map in a straight line.
I missed that spell in Oblivion.
Yeah, I know. I was making a comparison to what can be found in other locations such as Eulogy’s Pad.
Anyoned tried installing the game to the 360 HD yet? I’m curious to see if it speeds up loading or performance or anything like that. I know some games seem to respond better than others.
Aye, the Museum of Technology. Great rifle.
If you get more schematics you’ll make more nades for each attempt - 2 schematics give 2 nades, 3 give 3 etc. Same for bottlecap mines.
My personal favourite weapon is the Blackhawk .44 Magnum. Fully repaired and with 100 SG skill it does 55 damage. I occasionally one-shot super mutant masters with it, if I get a sneak attack critical.
You can get it from Agatha as a reward.
Oh, I found something curious in the Germantown PDHQ, not sure if it means anything or not.
Something in a police report about a lady whose car had comeback with the following items in it: 2 pliers, 4 empty bottles of tequila, 1 broken pool cue, 4 garden gnomes and something else, iirc.
It seemed too weird and quite specific for a throwaway comment, so I wonder if it actually means something.
Also, there’s a nice display of the developer’s sense of humour in D.C.
In a shelter between the Chryslus building and the Anchorage Memorial.
Dammit, I keep alt-tabbing when I think of something new… Another absolute favourite weapon is the Dart gun. Brilliantly helpful against anything that needs more than a couple of shots from the Blackhawk.
One hit means you cripple both legs, even on a Behemoth. And the parts are plentiful, just like the ammo.
Really?
I have been drinking it for the effects and I still have ten nuka-grenades!
I find it everywhere- usually just a bottle at a time, but everywhere!
I maxed out at 8 before I started using them- you find one here and there in little crates- they are hard to spot, tho, even using close up- they are the same color as the wooden crates, and fill them up almost entirely, so it doesn’t look like anything is in there.
Hell, I may have picked up as many as six mini-nukes just in that little area near the Ranger’s HQ where the guy is threatening to blow up the block.
By the way, I picked up the Guide last night. I’m almost done with the main quest and explored like 90% of the map, it’ll be nice to know where everything is that I missed.