Okay, so I've finally gotten around to purchasing Fallout: New Vegas. I followed the game a good deal through development but then was too busy to really sit down and dedicate the time I wanted to playing it. Since the game was for $20 on an Amazon daily deal last week, I decided to take the plunge and get it for my PS3. The idea of the "hardcoe mode" always intrigued me when I heard it mentioned near the release, but I never really read up on how difficult it was when finally implemented into the game. My question is simply, how hard is it really to manage the food and water, and should I attempt to play it in this mode for my first go around with the game? I've played the first three games, so I have a good deal experience with the series, but this is obviously something different. Any advice, how curt or damning, is welcomed.

hardcoe mode isn't really all that much more difficult, at least in my opinion. Go ahead and start your first game out in hardcoe mode - if you don't like it for whatever reason, you can always switch to "normal" mode in the middle of your game (although I'm not sure if you can switch back to hardcoe mode once you do that).

Also, I play all my games in hardcoe mode because it makes me feel more accomplished, plus gives the Survival skill and food/water items a whole lot more meaning and usefulness during the course of the game.

yes

It depends on what you want to get out of it. In it's simple form over time you need to eat, drink and sleep to survive, which is pretty easy. There is more than enough food and water in containers so you don't have to worry about the survival skill. Or you can regulate your self, depending on how much of a challenge you want. Say to your self I'm only gonna eat food I killed myself, then you open up a whole new world. Using ingredients from flora and fauna to make interesting meal, making you own water. But hardcoe (for me), doesn't have to end with eating, you can make your own ammo and chems. A true challenge is not to pick up Caps from dead bodies or containers. Earn money by trading and crafting items.

You can do what ever you want to make your experience more enjoyable. The hardcoe setting is just a starting point for you to see how far you're willing to go.

And like what was said on another post you can turn it off, but once off it can't come back on.

I did it on my first playthrough, no problems.

Go for it, it's fun and it makes being a walking arsenal impossible.
It's not at all difficult, it only makes you think twice, plan ahead and keep a sharp eye for helpful resources

It's more of an annoyance than a challenge, at least on normal and below.

Play on very hard and you'll have a very VERY difficult time, at least in my opinion.

Also, the needs (water, food, sleep) are neglegible. Seriously, you find food and drink constantly, and there are beds everywhere.

Now the crippling injuries are very much more challenging than normal. You need a doctor or a doctors bag to heal your crippled body that led me to making a sneaky build, so nobody sees you and therefore hurts you.

The ammO weight is annoying but realistic and I think it is great. On average I carry about 30 000 bullets on normal mode ,'but you can't do that on hardcoe. Which Is fine

So No. Definitely go with the normal mode on your first go. Get used to the game and it's feel, immerse yourself in the world and all that shizzle. Play multiple characters and have tons of fun.

THEN, when you want a serious, hard, gruelling experience pump it up tO very hard hardcoe.

That's my advice

i never had a tamagotchi [spelling?] but from what i think they are, it's like fallout with a tamagotchi on your pipboy. feed it, touch it, wipe it and all that.