Inspired by a topic about the Concentrated Fire perk; how do other Fallout 3/NV players use VATS? Personally I don't use it unless the enemy is very very close, such that my chance to hit is in the 80's or 90's. The effective range on VATS feels too short to justify its use at anything beyond short short range. At a normal fighting distance, I can be more accurate with less work by free-aiming and also make better use of cover. How close does the enemy have to be before YOU start spending your action points?

I use it at any distance. There is always a chance to hit them.

I use it as a panic button when swarmed by a few deathclaws or caza's, but that's about it. Either I snipe or run/backpedal/gun, or if they're not heavily armored I start bashing them with my spiked knuckles. Or I run away. It's always a strategic retreat, of course.

For some reason, after introducing the iron sights I find myself using VATS less and less.... maybe only during some flashy melee brawls. :shrug:

In NV, I use VATS primarily as a target-finder, spotting my enemies/"aiming" with it then fighting in real-time. You're much, much more accurate out of VATS than in it, particularly over long distances, so it's more effective to target a headshot in VATS, snap out of it then fire immediately in real-time rather than take the shot on in VATS. Feels a bit expoit-y, but it's hugely effective. I'll only actually fire in VATS if multiple enemies are in melee range, where it becomes a kind of panic button.

Oh, and if I'm running around town looking for someone I'll use VATS to try and locate them, odd that no-one seems to mind having a gun pointed at them.

I try not to use VATS, although it's tempting when I get overwhelmed at a close distance. It also depends IMO what platform somebody is playing on: I used a lot more VATS than free-aiming on a console because I find the aiming terrible or perhaps I just svck at FPS with a gamepad. Also ironsights is a big help.

Never use VATS. Too immersion breaking. I use a bullet time mod instead. At least the slow-mo is cinema cool and all that.

On my most played character (which only uses shotguns), I tend to only use VATS in close-quarters, and even then typically only after getting a stagger from a head/torso shot or trying to cripple a leg/arm. I get more mileage out of the "Player View" kill cam, honestly.

I used to see 0% in VATS when I tried sniping at a distance. (I have enemy view distance cranked to the max, so I can see them a long ways off.) But I could still hit them outside of VATS.

After a short time I found that I can easily free-hand them from the hip even when VATS says 0%. So I use VATS when they're close enough to picks body parts with ~60% or better chance.

And VATS's target selection is seriously goofed up, IMHO. It takes me 5 times longer (in real life) to kill something with VATS. But it's often more fun...

One issue I have with VATS is it felt like half the time I couldn't target anything with it, because of the angle/something's in my way (rock, tree, bush, companion, overlapping enemies or whatever, forcing me to hit the button and move a little anyway. Or it targets the wrong enemy. Or it targets my companion (!) because they're the closest to me. I did try it at first, but after a while I realized I personally did a lot better without it. NV doesn't have the best FPS mechanics I gather, but it does all right once you get used to it.

Rarely use it in New Vegas. Short ranged panic mode head-shots is about it. Don't even have a single VATS related perk on my current character.

I like to shoot grenades or dynamite in someone's hand before they throw it.

Very pleasing to do with a laser pistol on the first shot.

I only use VATS when there is a swarm of enemies. Ironically, I have to use up some Perks to get the most out of this need as I need to target a number of enemies when I do use VATS so Perks like Action Boy are needed.

However for single shots and sniping, it's all me baby.

When I find myself swarmed suddenly, I use VATS to asses the number of enemy and the situation (who has melee, who has guns, who to shoot first, does it look like a companion is lined up for the shot, etc). Using a sniper rifle a great deal, I prefer iron sights to VATS and use it very little.

Normaly I use it very rarely, but now I am playing vats only character.

I usually use VATS just to finish off an enemy. I prefer to use the iron sights and give enemies several shots to the head with my trusty Trail Carbine.

I use VATS when i'm just about to kill them, asj I enjoy the slow-mo scenes of headshots.

I use it in much the same manner that LadyCrimson does. It's an "Oh !" button to me.

In standard combat I aim... I love iron sights! :gun: :bolt:

I use vats when I need a strategic advantage. If I'm getting rushed by 2 or more enemies its helpful to stop things and plan out my shots. Its also very useful for scoring headshots at close range when I really don't have luxury to miss. For some reason I never use it with riot shotguns, because its much easier to aim in general direction and just keep shooting

I don't have any rule for when I use VATS I tend to use it whenever I feel like, although with a missile launcher I use it almost every time, as nothing beats the slow missile with the smoke coming out heading towards the NPC and then watching them fly

Only time I don't use is if I'm attacking a lot of enemies that are close and powerful.

I use it a several ways:

1. For anything within melee range, the "Oh ****" button that most posters agree it's best for.
2. For any ankle-biter critter where I have issues finding the little buggers at my feets to shoot em (mantises, bark scorps, rats, etc)
3. Ammo conservation in early game. I wish I had ammo issues throughout the game, it would feel more Wasteland-y, but yeah, no need to waste 45-70 gov rounds.
4. Any melee/unarmed character. Otherwise you are whiffing like mad (hunting knife), or killing your allies by accident (Fire Axe)
5. Fast critters: Cazadores, Nightstalkers. I can not hit them unassisted, at least not without burning dozens of shots. Probably as much to do with my 5-yo system.
6. Fleeing enemy, in melee. Getting close to a fleeing enemy with a melee and hitting VATS allows you to repeatedly warp to the target and swing, otherwise it becomes an excercise in frustration catching the annoying buggers.

i only ever use it as a last resort or if the chance of hitting is above 80%

I use VATS most of the time because I like the slow motion cinematic views. In Fallout New Vegas I use it about 75% of the time which is down from 95% in Fallout 3. With New Vegas's iron sights and kill cam, I've been free shooting a little more often, which is nice.

usually i only use it at close range. as in like some dude trying to melee me. the biggest think i dont like about it is they drastically increased the damage taken during VATS, and since you cant move your character at all that means that I often take large amounts of damage while trying to shoot at like nightcrawlers or cazadores.

TBH, I woulda liked just a slow-mo mode as an option rather than VATS, so I can still move while shooting. make sniping cooler too.

I use it all the time. Not much of a fan of FPShooters so VATS reminds me that Fallout is not CoD. Don't care for iron sights.
Unfortunately VATS is badly nerfed compared to Fallout 3.

Mostly as a sniping/spotting aid to figure out where enemies are and what my likelihood of a good hit is, or in close combat. I do use it at long ranges against Cazadores though.