I recently got Fallout 2 with high hopes that it was one of the best PC games ever. I was discouraged when I found that the first 10 minutes of the game consist of moving through a dank, uninteresting tunnel filled with ants, which each take 5 seconds to use their move points, and come in swarms of up to 6. This game, or at least the part I have had the stomach to play, should be called "Turn based ant kicker 2". Do things improve from the intro of TBAK2, or can I expect the rest of the game to follow this model?

I have a stomach for most broken or frustrating games, but this one seems to be the exception.

It gets alot better, keep playing.

I had the same feeling when i played it

i guess diablo spoiled me

Well don't forget your playing a game released in 1998, there where alot more turn based games, the game comes into its own and becomes alot more open ended the more you progress, so keep at it, you won't be disappointed.

I actually wasn't aware that I had the option to either punch or kick on the first run through. The punches did almost nothing against the ants, making a somewhat frustrating experience far worse. I will definitely give it another try. Thank you!

the beginning of the game is a trial, once you get through the dungeon (ca 10 minutes) the whole world is open to you to explore and this is when the actual game begins. so stick to it and you won't be disappointed.
concerning the ants and the radscorpions, use the spear!

if you dont like it you could send your copy to me since i only have the first fallout at the moment.  that would be a very nice thing for you to do.

The start of Fallout 2 is notoriously slow. Black Isle themselves admitted that they hated the beginning and the tutorial level was forced on them by Interplay.

Stick at it though; Fallout 2 is as good a role playing experience that you'll find.

If you gave up a game because you found the first few minutes lame then i wonder how you got this far as a vidya game fan....

Having problems with the speed is a valid concern though. For the past 10 years I've been trying to get my friends to play this game, since I had such an amazing experience with it. Most of them play for a bit then get turned off because of the slow beginning.

I know everyone will say "oh just work past it" and normally I'm against that, because I agree that the game should pull you in from the beginning somehow. That being said, Fallout and Fallout 2 are 2 of the best games I've ever played. They'll make you laugh, cry, scream out loud as shit blows up, and make you think trying to figure out how to approach each situation in the game. The game absolutely rewards you for the time put in though. You get some great items, great character development, some really amazing stories to take part in, and the list goes on. The developers spent a lot of time crafting Fallout and Fallout 2 and inserting a lot of meticulous created content and I promise you won't be disappointed if you keep playing.

Yeah, I couldnt really get into Fallout either. :(

"I know everyone will say "oh just work past it" and normally I'm against that, because I agree that the game should pull you in from the beginning somehow."

What helped me, and I was coming from Fallout 1, was to pick a character that is actually successful in combat at the beginning of the game.  It's been awhile and i don't remember whether you can put points in skills during character generation or not.  If so, I put most of my points into unarmed.  I'm pretty I tagged unarmed combat simply because of the advantage it gives early game (it does have an advantage or two late game too).  But, since punching uses a low number of AP, you can usually punch and move and make it impossible for critters (ants, scorpions, geckos, rats) to attack back (they only have the AP to move within range).  I doubt you do any less damage on average per round (you can't hit squat in the beginning), but you sure take less.

I realize it's exploiting the combat system, but early game combat is a joke.  Even once you get guns your skills are to low to hit anything.  It's much easier to be able to kick ass unarmed and build your other combat skills as you obtain those types of weapons.  Besides, there are some pretty good weapons to boost unarmed (and I think they still take the same AP as a punch) like brass knuckles and power fists.

Oh, and the Temple of Trials is by far the worst "tutorial" for a game ever.

"Having problems with the speed is a valid concern though. For the past 10 years I've been trying to get my friends to play this game, since I had such an amazing experience with it. Most of them play for a bit then get turned off because of the slow beginning.

I know everyone will say "oh just work past it" and normally I'm against that, because I agree that the game should pull you in from the beginning somehow. That being said, Fallout and Fallout 2 are 2 of the best games I've ever played. They'll make you laugh, cry, scream out loud as shit blows up, and make you think trying to figure out how to approach each situation in the game. The game absolutely rewards you for the time put in though. You get some great items, great character development, some really amazing stories to take part in, and the list goes on. The developers spent a lot of time crafting Fallout and Fallout 2 and inserting a lot of meticulous created content and I promise you won't be disappointed if you keep playing.
"

Agreed on starting out with a "combat-heavy" character.  I probably spent more time on character creation trying to come up with the most interesting character than actually playing the game.  Typically because my ideal build would end up being too weak to make it through the first few quests.

I would like to add that I thought the turn based fighting was SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW.

until I saw that speed slider in the options which makes enemy turns go quicker.

Elevatedms-> In Fallout there are very few character sets that are considered "weak". Almost every possibility you use can get you through the game and being a combat reliant guy, surprisingly, isn't the best and easiest option avaliable. Most of the time (yeah, I still play it, after 10 years) I create phisical weakling with close to none fighting skills and it's possible to get through the whole game not shooting even once and have a lot of fun and new olutions to the problems this way. 


Oh, and regarding the temple of trials You can just run past the ants and scorpions and convince the guy by the door to let you through. Or just steal the key needed to open the door.

The temple of trials didn't seem so bad--I was just put off by how difficult combat was early on in the game.

it sucks if you play it now.
it was good in 98, not really now.  Move along.

Im playin it atm, cant get into vault city cos the guards still want me from a previous robbery XD

As for the battle slowness you describe....try changing battle speed in Preferences, i also found turning up the brightness in there makes the games so much better to play

If you don't like how the combat moves so slow, you can go into options and turn up 'combat speed'.

Yeah, definately turn up combat speed. It will eliminate the problem of the enemies snail-like speed.

I'd also suggest turning up the brightness to Max. It will still be very dark during nighttime but it's tolerable.

Don't forget to immediately go to New Reno, find the Arms Dealer and then save the game, so you can plant a grenade on him and then steal his entire inventory and be decked out from relatively early in the game.  Load as necessary if he kills you ;P