Did anyone else find Vault 34 to be insanely convoluted? The maps in this game are very nearly pointless. I understand not wanting to make things too easy by laying out neat and clear maps, but my God what a mess. Especially with everything so damned dark. It took me forever to find my way around. I spent more time running around through corridors checking to see if I missed any doors than I did fighting the insane number of vault dwellers. Grrr.
 
Yeah, I know it's a rant. I really love this game, but every once in a while the devs fell back on bad level design to make things longer and more difficult. It seems much more obvious in New Vegas than in Fallout 3.

You mean maps as in a method of figuring out where you are, not as in level design, correct? 
 
EDIT: wait no...I'm confused...

Yeah, the local map can be pretty useless sometimes.  In vaults and buildings it really needs to be separated by floors.

I never bother with the local maps. Just the world map is all I need.

I agree. I wish the local map was better implemented.

I'm not really worried about the maps inside the vaults or buildings. However, I would like a world map that's more like Morrowind or Oblivion. That way I can get the map in a strategy guide or the game box and post it on my wall.  
 

The local maps could definitely be better. I think they're trying to avoid having perfect schematics of every building though as if the PIP-Boy has to create the maps on the fly with some sort of sonar/radar type technology.
 
Anyway, for what its worth, Vault 34 is way easier to explore if you Speech check the guard at the front door and refrain from killing anyone inside. Once the exploring is done,

Vault 34 was so fucking stupid. If its the one I'm thinking of with "Hard Luck Blues", it was so convoluted and confusing that as soon as I beat it I effectively put the game on hiatus for a few days.

Yep, I always get confused inside any area with multiple floors, especially the vaults. No telling how many times I've looked at the map wondering how the hell I reach where the quest marker is telling me to go, then spent far too long finding the correct path. Unfortunately it isn't always obvious.

Could been better of course, but i think it fits the game, and the pip-boy, just fine.

I hate exploring Vaults. The positive things about Vaults is the creepy atmosphere and journals you can read of people slowly getting crazy or dead. Otherwise they are a bitch to navigate. Luckily I have a good sense of direction and can recognize rooms and hallway layouts to judge if I've been somewhere before, but even still it can still be difficult. But yes the map system could be a lot clearer and the level design needs to be less winding, it needs more structure.

UGH, Vault 34 took me at least two hours to finish because of that. 

" @ch13696: There is one in the strat guide... the only problem is that it's double sided and both sides are useful. "

" @YoctoYotta: That's Vault 3.  Vault 34 is the heavily irradiated vault full of ghouls. "

 Despite its flaws I really liked Vault 34.  One of the things I felt was missing from FO3 was areas where radiation was a real threat, and not merely a mild annoyance.  Sure there were areas with hospots where radiation would spike, but I loved the feeling of exploring a large area that was completely bathed in radiation.  Camp Searchlight was cool too.

" @YoctoYotta: Perhaps some kind of Soliton Radar?.... "

" @nintendoeats said:

" @YoctoYotta: Perhaps some kind of Soliton Radar?.... "

Exactly! You know, now that you mention it, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to imagine the Fallout and Metal Gear series' existing within the same messed up universe. "

"  Despite its flaws I really liked Vault 34.  One of the things I felt was missing from FO3 was areas where radiation was a real threat, and not merely a mild annoyance.  Sure there were areas with hospots where radiation would spike, but I loved the feeling of exploring a large area that was completely bathed in radiation.  Camp Searchlight was cool too. "

" You mean maps as in a method of figuring out where you are, not as in level design, correct?  EDIT: wait no...I'm confused... "

Micro changes in air density, my ass. 

Vault 34 was a total bitch. I found the vaults in Fallout 3 to be fairly easy to navigate and memorize, but in New Vegas they just seemed like an endless labyrinth meant to confuse and muddle the experience. I really wonder how the current version of Vault 34 made it past playtesting.

Glad I wasn't the only one.  That vault F'd me up.  But I still love exploring them though.