I hacked the computer for the turrets, then picked up the gold and ungodly amount of ammo in the tool cabinet then accessed the terminal and talked to Elijah. After getting him down there with a speech challenge I left the vault, then once I was halfway to the forcefield Elijah stops at popped the Stealth Boy I had found somewhere in the suites. Then I chucked the gold through the forcefield once he starts talking and the turrets go hostile (this took a few attempts and exiting and re-entering the game) then run back to the vault and reprogrammed the turrets (hack it before you start the final sequence to save time)...then ran like hell for the exit and waited for the turrets to kill Elijah and the field to drop. I unequipped a weapon then ran like a scalded cat back the way I came, then picked up the gold then back out the door to the elevator (open the first one on your way by it to the gold to save time), then past the last door then head for the elevator door while spamming the A button. Got out with maybe 1-2 seconds to spare. I do understand what they were trying to do...and it was a good point, and well written....not to mention I was taking a way bigger chance that I would have been willing to take in real life, but this is a game and I like to *win*...and getting out with the gold the devs didn't want me to have is full of win.

To everyone saying I should "let go" of the Gold, or finding innovative ways to get it out is cheating- I have one thing to say:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobayashi_Maru

I don't take moral lessons from video games. I take gold from vaults.

:tops:

And this definitely is NOT a no-win scenario. You can and should get all that gold. Trick is to drop it close to the barrier and then run around (the race for your life) and grab it from the other side using the camera trick (and then hope you were fast enough to give yourself enough time to reach the elevator before your head pops)

really interested in the camera trick. I have dropped the gold as near I as can (a number of times) and haven't been able to reach it through the field. I know, I'm greedy.

It only works for me when I switch to 3rd person view. I aim at the gold, then switch to 3rd, and it gives me "A) Pick Up Gold"

It took me an hour of trial and error and swearing and smashing and biting and screaming before I was able to get out of there with all the bars.

There was no way I was walking out of there with only 4 bars. No. Way.

I'll have to keep at it (I only gave it 1/2 hour). Thanks for the tips. I don't need it, I just want to see if I can do it (kinda like dodging the speakers).

You guys are making it far to difficult. Use this method, its very easy and I got it done first try. Thank Sasholon for the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVfPfhBAVqA

Yes, easiest way.

If you don't want to watch the video, here's the rundown.

Take some gas bombs and mines with you to the vault. If necessary, buy some demolition charges from the vending machine.

After you get through all the speakers and holograms and finally make it to the vault, you'll want to open the vault and sneak in partially- make sure not to go all the way in because the door will shut. Access both terminals and shut down security. Also use melee to destroy the generator under one of the terminals. Then go and plant your mines in front of the steps that Elijah will come down. You can save and do a dry run if you wish to see where he walks.

Then after you plant your stuff, set your difficulty to V. Easy so elijah will be weaker, go into the vault, and steal everything. Then go to the far end terminal, read only the first message, and exit. Talk to elijah, and goad him into coming down to see you. You don't have to pass checks, you can just say you'll cooperate with him and he comes down.

As soon as you exit dialog, go over to the forcefield he has now activated and crouch walk against it. He'll deactivate the shields for a split second so he can pass through. You will then be flung through the other side of the field and he'll walk into your trap and die.

Now, you just walk over to the elevator and voila! You made it!

I didn't have any explosives when I went in to the vault. Also, I didn't want to kill Elijah - I want him to be trapped down in that hole with nothing. That is much more fun for me (and well worth the annoyance of the 'hard' way).

There's a vending machine down there, so you could buy some.
And you can always just make a save before talking to elijah, and then a save after you got past the force field. Then you can reload and trap him in the vault, to get the achievement or just for your satisfaction to hear him get mad at you (What I did) then load your other save and escape with your gold. (Just imagine you trapped him and got out with the gold anyway).

But I'm glad you found a way to get out with the gold and get satisfaction from trapping the old man.

Not sure if it's worth reloading a 4 hour save just to get the gold bars...

The decisions, the decisions...

If you have the code, you can buy them. I didn't have the code; didn't find it until after I got out of that hole.

And I don't want to leave Elijah there just for the achievement (I have both achievements for completion). I just want to leave Elijah trapped in the vault. Just because. And I want the gold - all of it.

The long and short of it is: I can have my cake and eat it, but it's extremely irritating to do so. Worth it in the end. I (slowly) walk away a rich man and Elijah enjoys death by deprivation in the Sierra Madre vault. Killing him outright is not at all satisfying after he thought it okay to collar me and make me his [censored].

Finally waltzed out with all the bars. It was a mix of techniques, but easily repeatable. Just for the record.

Enter vault
hack terminal
Take every bit of gold
Get Elijah to com down
walk/sneak through to chamber entry point and turn right heading to the field door opposite of Elijah (closest to maintenance door) .
drop bars THROUGH field
Kill Elijah or/and redirect turrets
Run for the elevator and pick up gold on the way
Awesome to have all that gold laying on the bed in Novac. I will never spend it! :drool:

[censored] YEAH! What this guy said!

Sold my first gold bar to the Gun Runners today with a Barter of 100 for about 9,500 caps.. implants <3

I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH all you have to do is go to were father elijah is stand as close as you can to the force field then get rid of the gold, if u do it right it will put it almost right next to were he's standing, then go and reconfigure the turrets and then go to the door were your supposed to run through after you kill him, then kill him and run as fast as you can then just pick up the gold when you get back to the elevator part, your collar should just be about to blow up when you get to the elevator and hit "A"

Just copy the vid without explosives, he gets trapped, you get out.

I found a way to get the gold without a glitch, kill elijah and put all the gold in his body, and run while holding his body, I got out with all the gold because of this.

:D

Technically thts no more of a glitch than the forcefield. You putt all gold in a container and drag it, we just go through va door the split second it opens.

Heck you want caps just break the bank at a casino lol i have i think 400000 caps on me.

Ah, but it was an intentional function.

Caps aren't SHIny.

I polish mine regularly... usually with this grease I get from killing raiders and wringing out their hair, and then mixing it with candle-wax and a bit of Abraxo. You've never seen anything sparkle as nice as my caps. All that glitters, my ass.

There are several hologram vendors that have 2500 pre-war money, and you can trade gold bars to them. You can go back into the casino after you escape the vault and exchange pre-war money for casino chips. You can even gamble too.