Game Skyrim Forum

(this isn't supposed to be a circlejerk Bethesda thread)

Just a discussion thread about New Vegas compared to 4, how 4 improved on New Vegas, what they didn't improve, etc.

Personally I think Bethesda could have used skill checks in dialogue a lot better in 4 instead of just being non existent.

No.

I thought there was a lot of similarity with the story structure.

First, you start out with a McGuffin to chase to get you out there into the world. In New Vegas you are pursuing Benny, who took something (chip) from you and shot you. In Four you are pursuing Kellogg, who took something (son) and shot your wife.

You chase the McGuffin down and find what was taken only to find yourself in a wide open situation where you are being courted by competing factions and in a position to determine the balance of power in the Wasteland.

I was actually rather surprised that the hardcoe Mode (Hunger, Thirst, Rest) from NV didn't make it into FO4. I mean, I can take it or leave it, but I really thought that feature would make the cut.

I love FNOV, I've played over 1200 hrs with 6 different characters over the last few years. That said, I've played it heavily modded from the Nexus, which dramatically improved the base game with not only graphical updates, but AI improvements, NPC improvements, new NPCs, better crafting, ect. So a modded FNOV is at this point a better game (to me ) than what FO4 is currently. But that's an unfair comparison. I think a year from now, once the creation kit has been out and the mods start flowing, FO4 will be the equal or better than FONV.

Comparing un-modded base games of each, I give the nod to FO4. I haven't finished it yet, and I'm up over 200hrs, but here are some of the things I like the best.

1- Settlement building. I love it, but it's got tons of little quirky bugs that have been well documented on these forums. I know Bethesda will fix some of them, and modders will greatly improve the whole building/supplying/defending scenarios.

2- Atmosphere, especially exploring cities/towns/factories ect. is awesome, often tense. FNOV was more out in the open exploring.

3- NPC Companions. This is kind of a toss up between both games when comparing the base game. Mods greatly improved the Companion of FNOV, and I'm sure that will eventually be the case with FO4. Right now the interaction is just a little to sparse and needs to be fleshed out more.

4- Combat is just awesome. It requires planning in many cases of you'll get your ass kicked quick. It can also be fast and furious. Awesome guns.

5- Crafting, comparing base games, it superior in FO4. I love the system, although it also needs some work to make it better. (Modded FNOV crafting at this point is superior)

6- hardcoe mode. An option that FNOV had at the beginning of the game that required you to eat/sleep/drink within a certain time period or your stats would decrease. I loved that, it provided an environmental challenge to the game. The nod goes to FNOV on this one for having it from the start.

7- Factions. I'm uncertain at this point, though they are crucial to both games. I haven't gone through enough in FO4 to offer a true opinion.

These are just thoughts off the top of my head, I'm sure there are more comparisons to be made.

The reason you're just a mailman is to leave everything about your character up to interpretation to increase roleplaying. No set character like in Fallout 4.

Someone who tried to kill you and took a really important chip from you that everybody wants is a pretty good reason for you to chase after the guy.

And you could say "well why do i care once i kill benny" well now that you've involved yourself in the fate of New Vegas, that's something to care about.

I hope we are not here to argue which one is best. I think both games are very good. Though I like Fallout 4 better.

But why would I care about New Vegas? I don't gamble. I don't like [censored]s. The populous is just pathetic and there isn't a likeable faction of subfaction there.

That's where I ran up against the wall.

I got my revenge. Now y'all go away. I'm going to go out in the desert and live with the ants. At least they're interesting.

Interesting, I would have actually preferred a backstory like Fallout NV for Fallout 4. For me, the Fallout 4 backstory is one of my dislikes about the game.

There was a backstory to NV? What was it? I mean, other than the mailman gets wacked and then comes back to delivery his/her last package.

Sounds like really lame Tales from the Crypt episode to me.

Some people prefer the freedom to develop their character as they choose. Others are more comfortable with having a lot of the details filled in for them. People like different things.

I prefer to write my own story.

Who said the Courier didn't know who the NCR was? Sometimes when I ask a question I'm actually more interested in a given person will say than I am 'the' answer. Asking about the NCR may have been more about seeing what the asked person would say about the NCR than literally wanting to know what the NCR was. Would what they say about the NCR be positive? Negative? Would they call you an idiot? Either way, you learn something about the person you are talking to without directly interrogating them about themselves.

Let me also point out not everyone wants a cliche story of a father/mother who wants to find their son.

Caesar's Legion being recreated after the bombs fell is pretty original.

My main problem with New Vegas is that i don't care about the Courier, or his/her story. I know people like that blank slate, and fill in the blanks themselves, but to me that just doesn't work that well. I can do it in Elder Scrolls, but it has 10 races to choose from plus gender, so makes it abit easier. Fallout 4 strength for me is the combination of the personal story with the factions. Your ultimate goal is to find your son (Fallout 3 story redone), but you end up in a faction struggle (New Vegas) its the best of both worlds, and i simply cared more because it had both parts. I also like the voice for the protagonist alot, and the focus on them growing more during the course of the game. The thing that is sorely lacking in Fallout 4 is good dialogue in sidequests, i think its fine for MQ and companions, but other than that it needs work. DLC's can fix this.

I do think New Vegas has alot of strengths compared to Fallout 4, the dialogue beeing one of them, but its difficult for me to put the games up against eachother now. When i play New Vegas its with the DLC's and what they add to the story, and i want to see what Fallout 4 brings before i compare them more. So yeah that is my thoughts atm.

As I've said before. One thing I do love about NV is that, like Skyrim, you can quite literally live an entire life in the game and never have anything to do with any quest or faction at all. That I do vastly respect about NV.

My only complaint was with the confusing and ultimately unmotivating storylines for me.

Don't get me wrong though. I did enjoy NV and will most definitely play it again1

No, but not everyone wanted the story of New Vegas either, it works both ways.

Oh of course, but factually one is more original than the other.