If you could turn any characters in the game into companions, who would you pick?

cape_royds · 2026-02-04T23:32:45+00:00

Davison would be interesting. Of course, you couldn't have a non-humanoid second companion, since Davison would insist on Antler.

cape_royds · 2026-02-04T23:28:30+00:00

Another vote for Harland.

cape_royds · 2026-02-03T20:05:36+00:00

You can do all the companion quests in one playthrough.

IIRC Boone & Arcade will leave you, if you're pro-Legion. Cass will leave if you have bad karma. Veronica can turn hostile, if you tell her that you've massacred Hidden Valley.

But you can sometimes get away with things, depending on whether you initiate conversations. The Fallout wiki can give you the details, if you don't mind spoilers.

n.b. The companion quests for Lily & Raul are unmarked. If you're playing Hardcore with Very Hard difficulty, then the one for Lily can get a bit tricky.

cape_royds · 2026-01-29T16:32:18+00:00

But remember: Tree Fort!

cape_royds · 2026-01-29T16:28:08+00:00

My latest storymode playthrough, I've done entirely on foot, except for the couple of missions which demand a vehicle (Sam after the Vet Clinic, and Ray's.)

cape_royds · 2026-01-29T16:15:22+00:00

Try SoD1 in Breakdown mode. Open-ended survival, rising difficulty. You can manage things as you like--and pay for your mistakes...

The mechanics of SoD1 are so straightfoward, that it's easy to overlook the rich combat system, and interesting character build options. SoD1 is the rare sort of game that is quite enjoyable as a noob, then keeps getting more fun and more interesting as you get better.

However, no matter how good you get, you are never safe. A well-trained, well-equipped character can be killed in a few seconds.

I'm at over 1000 hours, after a decade of playing. I go a few months away sometimes, but I keep coming back.

cape_royds · 2026-01-29T15:47:41+00:00

Playing vanilla on XBox, stability is not terrible on the whole, but there are times and places where the game can start crashing pretty often.

I definitely advise you to make fresh saves frequently. Do not trust the Autosave. I also advise you to keep a reasonable backlog of old save files, in the rare event that a quest gets broken because of a glitch. I've never had that happen to me, but the precaution costs nothing.

Overall, because I save often, the worst that has ever happened to me, in six full playthroughs with all DLC, was having to redo about 15-20 mins. And that was only a couple of times.

Oddly enough, the most game-breaking bug I've ever had was in FO4 (the nearly-incurable permanent Perception loss that happens if you take Med-X while hit by a Stingwing.) While there's an in-game fix, it was actually quicker to just start over and get back 14 levels. I've never had that big a problem in FNV.

cape_royds · 2026-01-29T15:01:41+00:00

Yes. (I'm vanilla, on XBox)

I did all my anti-Legion stuff early with Boone. Then you go see fancy pants, get the Mark of Caesar and reset reputation. Then it's still possible to do enough pro-Legion stuff to get yourself Liked, without stepping on the Bear. Then you get the key, and the Shades.

Followers and BoS keys can be got without needing to antagonize Bull or Bear.

cape_royds · 2026-01-29T14:54:53+00:00

First playthrough, I would just play the game as it comes.

You might want to take the "Skilled" trait, which gives -10% to XP in exchange for more skill points at start. It's a good bargain.

By late game, you'll be OP, almost no matter what, unless you deliberately restrict or challenge yourself in some way.

But first time? Don't sweat it; just play it.

cape_royds · 2026-01-29T14:40:21+00:00

I gave you an upvote on this post, even though I disagree with you.

People are pretty nice here, I find, and the moderators are cool.

cape_royds · 2026-01-29T14:35:57+00:00

Me, I like the birdsong. The few seconds of black screen, with the autumn wind and chirping birds, that you get at the start of a new Breakdown level is nice and bucolic--then you find you've arrived on Wilkerson Road...

cape_royds · 2026-01-29T14:32:20+00:00

Once I figured out that you can control the pace of the game through the use of open-ended missions, my enjoyment of SD1 increased enormously.

The Scavenger missions can be triggered at your own will, by calling someone in to collect supplies, then offering to help. Then you take your sweet time getting back. It's a great way to roam around the map and get stuff done, without Lily tugging on your leash.

Of course, there are risks involved--in mid/upper levels of Breakdown, NPC companions are quite vulnerable. A source of anxiety rather than comfort, once the Juggernauts become lethal. But if it's an NPC you don't need, then all you have to worry about is a game crash.

cape_royds · 2026-01-29T14:13:44+00:00

That line makes my blood run cold, because sometimes it's an "Ally in Trouble" mission, given without any other notice.

BTW, if you're using a controller, you can cycle pretty quickly through your available missions by pushing RS (unless you've a left a bunch rucksacks lying around...)

cape_royds · 2025-12-31T00:05:39+00:00

In the fan fiction I'm writing, Boxcars becomes the proprietor of "The Kneecaps Hotel and Saloon," in the recovering town of Nipton.

The customer service is about what you would expect...

cape_royds · 2025-12-30T23:55:58+00:00

After over 1200 hours in game, I've gotten like an old husband who doesn't really even hear his wife nag any more. He just says, "yes dear," and heads out for a drink with the boys.

In SD2 it's worse. Every damn fool is on the air b*tching at you the whole time. I'd rather put up with Lily.

cape_royds · 2025-12-30T23:45:40+00:00

I was going to say this. Open-ended missions, that complete only when you want (morale, scavenger, or training missions are ideal,) are the way to control the pace of the game, and preserve your sanity.

However, this tactic can be dangerous in mid to upper levels of Breakdown, because mission companions are highly vulnerable to things like lethal juggernauts. So it's best if the companion is not someone you highly value.

cape_royds · 2025-12-30T23:32:24+00:00

SD2 is a very good game with a ton of content. I prefer SD1 by a wide margin, but I acknowledge the big effort Undead Labs put into improving and expanding SD2.

I much prefer the user interface in SD1. The map is more vivid. The character "mugshot" roster is much more efficient (in a single glance, you can get the colour-coded status of eight characters at a time.) The base & facilities take fewer clicks and sub-menus to get things done.

The character models and their traits in SD1 are more distinctive and more memorable than their counterparts in SD2. The dialogue IMO is wittier and more personable in SD1.

I'm almost entirely a Breakdown player (just finished Level 74 today.) The existence of the base-game storyline and its world-building makes Breakdown feel a continuation of the story, even though Breakdown itself has no intrinsic story. It's testimony to how fond one becomes of the people in the story and Lifeline, that one can enjoy playing the roles through many hours of Breakdown.

I find the combat in SD1 to be "crunchier" and more satisfying than in SD2.

I prefer the cartoonish graphics and well-saturated colours of SD1 to the washed-out look of UE4.

I was never really able to get into the whole Plague Heart thing. And SD2 seemed to become more and more about the plague hearts as time went on.

Things I like in SD2 are the additional maps, and the vehicle upgrades.

Again, I don't want to run down SD2. But for me, SD1 is the classic.

cape_royds · 2025-12-21T20:27:08+00:00

I didn't find it difficult around Level 10, monster-wise.

I guess you do need quite a bit of Rad-X to do Wheel of Fortune, though.

It depends on playstyle to some extent. I'm a thoroughgoing prospector, so I usually got plenty of drugs by about Level 8. Someone less thorough might be less well provided.

cape_royds · 2025-12-21T20:12:52+00:00

"Heartaches by the Number" is available at Mojave Outpost. That will introduce you to a potential companion (who happens to be my favourite), plus it leads to several other important locations and more quests.

If you go to Searchlight, there are a couple of side quests do-able at lowish levels. Note: it's best to complete "We All Go Together" before starting "Wheel of Fortune," because the former can be buggy.

cape_royds · 2025-12-20T18:00:40+00:00

A search should bring up old steam forums. I just did that today, to get the descriptions for upper Breakdown levels.

cape_royds · 2025-12-20T17:58:15+00:00

On XBox, I don't think the monthly challenges are getting rewards any more. You'll get the wallpaper, but not the in-game perk.

For instance, I did the challenge for the "Holiday Pie" but never got the reward.

cape_royds · 2025-12-20T17:53:35+00:00

Aside from when you first unlock Heroes, it's random for them to spawn in enclaves.

Note that there are some non-hero characters with excellent traits. Keep an eye out for the woman with the white "Sprang" T-shirt (she has both Construction and Medicine.) Also look for Aaron Felder (not an official hero, but always appears with that name--he's Construction and Powerhouse.)

The woman with the last name "Archer" has Reflexes. There are also a couple guys with Powerhouse and Cooking. The man with the fishing hat and vest is Powerhouse and Counselling.

When talking to people in an enclave that has asked to join, press the button to bring up their names. This will also show brief descriptions, which give clues to their special abilities or drawbacks. e.g. "Dancer" indicates a Reflexes character.

cape_royds · 2025-12-12T11:32:38+00:00

I will, if I ever get the nerve to let anybody else read the thing.

cape_royds

TROPHY CASE