Has anyone noticed differences in the game on subsequent play throughs? Don't get me wrong, I am happy that its not exactly the same or else playing the game over would be boring. However some of the things are puzzling and I wonder if they are bugs since there seems to be quite a few in this game.

I played my first character to level 25 avoiding the MQ line for the most part to just explore and learn the game. I stopped when I got the NCR quest to either recruit House or get rid of him. I took ED-E and Boone as companions and kept them til I quit this character. I plan on soloing this time through because even with those two set on Passive, they continued to attack on sight. I'd be trying to stealth away from a large group of enemy and ED-E would start playing western music and Boone would yell "this one's mine" and we'd end up in a furball.

These are some of the things I noticed on starting a new character who is only level 3 just having finished the Primm quests.

When I left Goodsprings the first play through I was idolized. The second time I'm only on friendly terms. Did all the same quests etc. Only difference the second time was my character has one less charisma. Can just one point in charisma make that much difference? Primm only likes me too even after I brought the law back.

The first play I ran into and killed alot of Powder Gangers on the short road from Goodsprings to the main hwy by the flight school. Seemed they respawned everytime I went down that road hunting geckos. Second time, not a single one until I got to their south camp on the road to Primm and there were only two this time when there were four the first time. Also when I got to Primm, there were no gangers roaming the town as there were the first time when they were all over town, even patrolling on the rollercoaster. This time had to go into the Bison to find them and there were only maybe a dozen. There weren't any gangers in the towers or in the yard when I got to the NCR prison either like the first time. Is there a stat that governs random encounters? I also lowerd my luck stat, but I'd have thought with worse luck you'd run into more stuff.

On the new character I decided to travel across the map to get Ratslayer. This was very exciting at level two, but I wanted the rifle early as a sniper weapon. On the way there I ran across a trade caravan being attacked by the Legion. Although the caravan seemed to have the fight in hand I did join in and headshot the last legionaire. I immediately got a notice I was vilified by the Legion and they would come to get me. Now I'd gotten that same notice on my first character all the time as I'd killed every legionaire I came across from Nipton on but nothing ever came of it. This time I'd not gone but a couple of yards away and three legionaire assassins jumped me with SMG's blazing. I ran back to the caravan and they helped me kill them but afterwards I got several quest failed messages, I assume because I would not ever be friends with the Legion now. Is this due to my lower charima also?

Ratslayer seemed to be much more fun in the first play through. Now in VATS I can only get off one shot with my current APs verses four with the cowboy repeater. Also I can't seem to hit the broadside of a barn with my one shot in VATS, however if I just use the scope I can get a crit headshot most of the time. Per and AG both 8. Which is broke, the rifle or VATS?

So still early levels on my second play through and not sure if it was my first time which was bugged and broke or if its this time. Anyone have any thoughts? Sorry about the wall of text.

from my experience, to clarify your goodsprings rep. in order to get it to idolized i believe you have to do the tutorial with sunny and at the third gecko spot she takes you to there is a lady being attacked by geckos you kill the geckos and you talk to the lady and you get a rep bump with good springs so i dont believe your char is affecting this. I also notice the powdergangers kinda wander around the rails and i believe they respawn every 3-4 days when shops restock. at least this is from my experiences. The legion assassins, i notice they start randomly coming at you once you are vilified with the legion. i noticed them patrolling through the wastes looking for me once i think its a scripted event and sometimes the patrol gets 'lost' i had them attack me in the dino mouth while i was waiting for boone to come up on shift heh. they somehow all just popped in there as i was waiting.