I want to buy FO3 Game of the Year edition which includes the 5 DLCs, but according to their descriptions here on Giant Bomb, some of them change the Fallout 3 ending (Broken Steel), or add post-ending stuff, etc.

So how do you start playing an edition of a game that has post-ending DLC integrated into it, when it's your first time?

EDIT: Another problem is that so many FO3 mods have updates for the 5 DLCs, but I just want to download the original mod and enjoy it in the original FO3 campaign, before going into DLCs and downloading mod updates for DLCs..

A couple of them are more or less self contained combat-focused add-ons. Operation Anchorage(or whatever its called) I believe is something I tend to tackle fairly early due to the rewards it gives (which I won't spoiler further).

A couple of self-contained story arcs which might have a recommended level but I can not recall off the top of my head.

That said most if not all of these more or less take away your stuff and start you fresh with their own mechanics/items. So they can be tackled as you like.

The one DLC that alters/effects the ending is not so much a "Don't do it till you see the ending!" but more of a "you used to not be able to play the game once you completed the main campaign, now you can and here is even more content. It is, in essence, more game. You only run into it after you complete the main quest, and before that it does not alter anything (save a few things people complained about, so your not missing anything at all by not playing the original ending, you get that but better)

If you're talking about PC mods, those DLC updates are usually compatibility updates. If you're running mods with the official DLC, make sure that stuff is updated and that your load order is set properly. Otherwise, it'll get frustrating. Fast. If you're new to modding, I wouldn't go crazy with the mods. The fewer mods you have, the easier it is to troubleshoot when you start getting crashy.

Broken Steel essentially retcons the ending. You win the base game, get your just rewards, and the Broken Steel DLC starts with you waking up a few days later. The other DLCs are just side quests. You'll run into the NPCs in the world, they'll take you to a new place, and you'll do the side quest and come back.

Might be misunderstanding the question here, but broken steel more adds another ending than changes it. Originally you had 1 choice at the end which left no option for a post game you had to play around before the last mission just. That option is still available along with others but now you can continue playing after that last mission as well as there being a couple extra main story missions. (That being the broken steel missions). So really you can play the base game with no issues and start the others at any time.

As regards order of playing the DLCs. I'd say broken steel missions at the very end after all the rest. Besides that leave the Pitt fairly late if I remember it was kinda difficult and might want to do anchorage early(ish) because I think you get some good weapons and armour.

I don't know exactly what order - but I enjoyed playing them whenever I started feeling bored with the main game.

But don't feel obliged to play them all. The best, by far, is Point Lookout, which feels like a miniature Fallout game unto itself. Operation Anchorage is pretty throw away. The others are very middle of the road.

Wait, so basically the DLCs are separated from the original game and contained as new episodes in the main menu? They don't integrate into the original game the way Dragonborn was added onto Skyrim as a new area?

Thank you, this is what I'm trying to understand - how the DLCs materialize in the game, whether they're separate episodes in the main menu, or added into FO3 as side quests, or what...

And how they affect my playthrough of the original game if I touch them early on.

@terminatorz: They are all integrated into the world in that they start from a point in the wasteland, but then you are teleported to a self contained DLC zone. You basically receive radio messages for each installed dlc and get a marker on the map to go to.

I would at least wait until you've reached Rivet City before touching any of them. You can't bring followers and you can't return to the main wasteland until the dlc story is finished so you'll want to make sure that you already have some decent gear/perks.

I'd recommend you wait until around level 7-10 to tackle Anchorage and The Pitt, 15ish for Point Lookout and Mothership Zeta, and Broken Steel just continues the game after where it normally would have ended, so that ones up to you. Treat them like big, long side quests.

All of them are accessed from in game, but except for Point Lookout and Broken Steel they take you away from the main area until you're done (Anchorage you cannot return to afterward, and large chunks of Zeta cannot be returned to, so if you want to miss nothing, check a wiki or FAQ before finishing their questlines). The game has built in quest markers for where to start them.

In terms of what they do to your playthrough? Pitt has some decent mid tier gear for each playstyle, Anchorage gives you power armor training very early and a suit of it, plus some broken good stealth armor, Zeta is an energy users paradise, Broken Steel extends the game and Point Lookout adds a huge new area to explore with lots of cool gear (especially for Gun and Melee users).

@beachthunder: @zelyre: @canteu: @bceagles128: @mortuss_zero: @sean2206: @bladededge:

I can't pick a best answer, you're all great, thanks fellas. (best answer feature is not working for me anyway).

@terminatorz: Happy to help, I love Fallout 3.