almabrds: I consider this one of the qualities of the game, there's no hand holding. You want to be rewarded with xp, without any effort? If you're stuck, keep trying.
If you have absolutely zero patience, use Per Jorner's guide.

Telliks: Yes yes... I have a complaint about how the game gives you vague objectives and that means I want the game to play itself, right?

*yawn*

The point is, I really shouldn't have to read a guide just to have a clue of what the next objective is.

Not that this thread is going to change anything. I'm more or less just blowing off steam. Just some commentary on one of the things I really hope never returns to modern gaming.

Telliks: Yes yes... I have a complaint about how the game gives you vague objectives and that means I want the game to play itself, right?

*yawn*

The point is, I really shouldn't have to read a guide just to have a clue of what the next objective is.

Not that this thread is going to change anything. I'm more or less just blowing off steam. Just some commentary on one of the things I really hope never returns to modern gaming.

GabesterOne: That is a problem with most modern games is the lack of adventure feel in most games. In fall out, you are a no body that struggles to survive in a harsh world, with decision power with immediate and future consequences. You have to explore the land, know the culture and inhabitants, be connected to the world to play. That is what makes it one of the best RPG's ever made, as the players are not being guided in a linear decision by the developers, making the world feeling more real.

GabesterOne: That is a problem with most modern games is the lack of adventure feel in most games. In fall out, you are a no body that struggles to survive in a harsh world, with decision power with immediate and future consequences. You have to explore the land, know the culture and inhabitants, be connected to the world to play. That is what makes it one of the best RPG's ever made, as the players are not being guided in a linear decision by the developers, making the world feeling more real.

almabrds: Hard to believe this is something that bothers you so much, because there's this thing called walkthrough, that you can use when you're stuck in a game (Here you can read about Bust the Skulz quest).
You can even watch someone playing Fallout in YouTube, if you don't want to read.
It's like getting pissed because you're lost in the city, but there's a map in perfect conditions in your pocket.

squid830: Agree 100% with this!

I personally hate it when games flash objectives and waypoints in your face, with a big fat arrow showing you exactly where you "should" be going.

In general, games like Fallout do show you what your current objectives are though - generally they appear in your pip-boy so you don't forget them (which is good), and naturally locations on the map are revealed when people tell you about them (also good).

This isn't always consistent in the Fallout games though, so I agree that if they're going to put some objectives in your pip-boy, then they should probably put all of them in there. And I also agree that if someone gave you an objective to complete, you should either have a record of this in your pip-boy and/or you should be able to get the info again by asking the character.

Telliks: Because I don't LIKE looking stuff up online and reading guides.

UniversalWolf: It's good you're just blowing off steam, because if you were actually trying to claim that something is wrong with Fallout based on the arguments you've made, you would have zero chance of persuading anyone. If anything you're providing ammunition for the notion that games have regressed, because people who become accustomed to being led by the hand all the time can't handle the slightest difficulty posed by older games.

There's an alternative to looking up a guide to get an answer: take a break from playing for a time, think about things you might try in order to achieve your goal, then come back later and try them. Or you could just skip the Skulz. Or you could murder everyone. Fallout is non-linear, so it's not like you have to do things in order A-B-C-D. In fact there are only a couple of things you actually have to do at all.

There's really no "solution" to most of the quests you get. What you ought to be doing is asking, "What would my character do in this situation?" If he's a thief, trying using sneaking and stealing to solve your problems. If he's a scientist, try using his knowledge to solve your problems. If he's a dim-wit, maybe you'll have to try something else. The goal is not to "solve" every "quest" your given, but to play the role of your character.

Telliks: I'm playing the original Fallout for the first time. The recent announcement of Fallout 4 spurred this decision, even though I've had the originals in my library for a while.

Anywho, I find the lack of direction... disturbing.

Normally, I enjoy a game that makes me hunt around a bit. Part of it being a game. But unless I'm missing something, the original Fallout gives you NO DIRECTION whatsoever.

I'm currently roaming around Junktown. My pipboy has an objective here to "Bring down the Skulz gang."

That's all fine and dandy... except I have no idea how to do that. Killian has no relevant dialog... I've spoken with all of the NPCs I can find in the area and they all have nothing to say.

I've apparently spoken to Vinnie at some point and accepted a quest from him because any time I try to speak with him he just says "Do you have it?" ... no... "Why are you wasting time then?"

And of course, I can't just kill the Skulz gang... because then all of the Junktown guards attack me on sight. Even if I don't actually go in blasting and just goad one of the gang members into attacking first... it's apparently my fault.

So as the title says, this is why old games suck sometimes. Little or not direction. Say way you will about "Follow", but I would much rather have a waypoint, or at least a damn mission journal that keeps track of objectives and what I'm supposed to be doing. I'm getting old... I can't always remember conversations I had with NPCs when I last played two days ago, you know?

/rant

drealmer7: The whole GD point is that you don't know WTF anything is or where anything is or anything because you are a vault-dweller sent into the radiated wastes. Overseer pretty much send you out there like "hah! Good luck making your way/not dying! we're FUCKED" attitude. So, embrace it, play it, be patient, and it will probably grow on you. You will learn the things, discover the things. Make a lot of save games. Explore. Talk to everyone. HAVE FUN!

Tankman101: I actually have to agree with this. There's a difference between not holding your hand and obfuscating vital information for the sake of being vague, and Falliout 1 is extremely guilty of the latter. It's why I got to Necropolis before quitting because I had no idea what I was supposed to do (I had already wandered around for around an hour searching for things). And it's only by pure luck I managed to get even that far (I was looking for stim-packs, stumbled upon guy with rope).

I'm not looking for a giant flashing arrow, but I would like a nice wide cone that says "Somewhere in this direction" instead of the giant circle that is "MAYBE IT'S SOMEWHERE IN THE VICINITY OF THE EARTH!". Hell, let me ask some guy where I can buy a rope. At least then I won't run around for two IRL hours looking for something I'll never find.

There is a lot of fanboy (Not neccecarilly bad) nostalgia around F1. The industry has had quite a few advancements since then. For one example, the entirely roundabout un-intuitive UI with no explanation whatsoever. I'd rate that thing a 4/Dwarf Fortress.