I personally don't use V.A.T.S. As my character didn't exactly come from a vault in this game, I just practically use it as a stat-checker, making sure I'm not too dehydrated, that I still have ammo aplenty etc. I'll use it occasionally when the enemy is like an inch from me and I'm pretty sure I can get a 95% chance to shoot them in the head with my shotgun, but apart from that I find it rather useless. Iron-sighting I believe is alot more realistic, and at a distance, I can score hits to and fro.

What about you guys?

When I first started playing the game (pretty much right after the release) I almost exclusively used VATS. It seems like I didn't even realize it was possible to play without VATS.

But as I continued to play I started to use VATS less and less.

Not I don't really use VATS very often. Maybe in some certain conditions. Like trying to target a specific (non-head) part. Like a Tri Beam off of a Overlord or a antenna off of an ant. Also maybe if the target is moving a lot. But I prefer to not use VATS. It seems more fun, in general.


EDIT: Opps, sorry I just noticed that this was about New Vegas. My comments above are about Fallout 3. I haven't installed New Vegas yet. But I suspect the feeling will be much the same.

I dont use VATS with my 1st character cause i wanted to see and use the new iron sights

I've almost stopped using V.A.T.S. completely since it was for all intents and purposes neutered for this game. I loved it in FO3 and it makes no sense to have it be so much less effective in this game. One can always hope for Obsidian or Bethesda to recognize this and fix it via a patch.

I like V.A.T.S. Feels a lot more like a RPG than FPS and I use it almost exclusively.

Yep!

I don't use VATS for combat at all. It's part of my Apocalypse COW!boy gameplay. No VATS, hardcoe, only guns, hatches/knives, and dynamite...

I use VATS in "pressure situations" where I have multiple enemies and need precision with my shots. If I'm just wandering around I tend to not use it.

I've found the using VATS (at least with my build) is a lot stronger than not using it.

For example - Out of VATS it sometimes takes 3-5 rounds to drop your average Fiend with a decent weapon, with VATS its always 1 shot kills for me. Using VATS conserves my ammo supply by a lot, which is useful in hardcoe since I don't have the ability to carry thousands of rounds of ammunition with me

The only thing that annoys me with VATS is how hard is to target certain body parts from time to time....like Cazadors, I can NEVER seem to get VATS to target their heads...so I always have to shoot their wings off instead.

How is it less effective? Everytime I fire a shot in VATS with my character, limbs go flying (even when they are far away and at full health)

Normal Difficulty - hardcoe ON

I played Energy Weapons on a 360 controller.
It ain't easy to hit stuff without VATS hwen you use plasma weapons.
So I had to use it at fist but then I realized all weapons were crap excluding the RCW and Gauss Rifle and I stopped using VATS all together.
Playing unarmed now.
I sometimes use VATS for [censored] and giggles but I don't really primarily use it.

V.A.T.S. for close to point blank.
V.A.T.S. for all plasma weapons.
"Real time" for everything else.
Iron Sights never.

Sniper + Commando + Gunslinger perks.

I use VATS but I'm sure it's A LOT less then most. For me it's either in case of emergency or while fighting multiple enemies.

I need V.A.T.S.

I don't really see the point in using VATS anymore, at least for my melee character. Melee still can't target specific body parts, special moves aren't really that great, and you can die in VATS now. Getting a few seconds of invincibility was the main reason to use VATS in fallout 3, particularly in close-quarters situations. I still use it from time to time just for the fun of watching someone's head explode in slow motion when I hit 'em with a chuck of concrete.

I use VATS most of the time and also haven't felt much of a different from FO3. I notice that the AP cost for some weapons has gone up (or perhaps my AP pool has gone down) but the weapons themselves have been tweaked a fair bit.

I don't mind aiming by hand (although I disabled iron sites, I understand it's popularity with gamepads but it feels awkward to me with a keyboard and mouse) and don't use VATS much with melee weapons or easy enemies but I do prefer VATS.

I use VATS most of the time, but sniping w Gauss rifle from long range can not be done in VATS, had to use scope. Sometimes skip VATS in close range combat against easy foes, using Laser RCW ( Laser "Tommy gun")

Sniping head shots people from far away just doesn't feel as rewarding as if you were to cheese it in VATS.

I barely ever use it, the hit percentage is so insanely low I can never hit anything in V.A.T.S, but outside of it I can hit stuff 300 feet away with a revolver iron sight lol.

Only time I ever use it is if like a deathclaw is in my face, I use it then 'cause you take less damage in V.A.T.S.

Not true.

Damage reduction in V.A.T.S. has been removed (as per Guide p.29, and http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:rryiVHytmmYJ:forums.penny-arcade.com/showthread.php%3Fp%3D17109328+vats+new+vegas+damage+reduc&cd=8&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca&client=firefox-a)

I hate using VATS for pretty much anything. It's somewhat slow and just feels cheap to me when I use it.

The gunplay in New Vegas is much better so I really don't see the point of anyone using it.

I free aim and iron sight at range to take out a few targets in a mob, if they get closer or when there's only a few left, I'll mop them up with VATS. I dig it.

I use VATS as a finisher or to cripple choice targets. Otherwise I like to engage enemies real time, whether it's mashing punches or sending richochet grenades around corners.

It's also great in a life or death situation where Iam being mobbed or facing a charging Deathclaw with no cover availiable. Kind of like Turbo. heh!

When i play melee, yes. The ripper vats move is so good.

I only use VATS when things get too hectic.

With the guns I use, I can only shoot 2-3 times with V.A.T.S. But I use it every time i can. Of course when I'm out of action points, i use iron sight until my action points are restored. I feel like it's an essential to the Fallout series.

Now that I think about it, I don't think I've used VATS in combat yet in NV. I occasionally use it to try to locate distant enemies (if I have a tick on my radar but can't see the enemy) and to check the health of my companions.

In FO3 I used to use it about 50% of the time, but I gradually started using it less and less.

I've been enjoying the feel of the guns in NV, both in Iron Sights mode and free-aiming 'from the hip'.