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[Mr. Durden]

I've put around 250+ hours in Oblivion, and I'm still interested in more. (especially after Shivering Isles)

Fallout 3 was fun, played it for about 90 hours, and I'm done with it.

Matter of taste really.

 

[BitchTits]

I played through vanilla Oblivion twice on the 360 putting in 300+ hours, and I bought the GOTY edition for PC, but by that time I'd had my fill, so I never got to grips with all the mods really.

Loved them both though. I think Fallout 3 benefits from being the later game and ironing out some of the criticisms of Oblivion. The post-apocalyptic setting is also a plus, giving it a valid reason as to why the landscape was so desolate, but the gameplay for me was largely the same in both games.

If you liked playing Fallout 3 stealthily, like I did, creeping around the old buildings, looting, you can get the same kind of experience from creeping around old dungeons and temples in Oblivion. They do tend to get a bit repetitive after a while because the ones with decent loot are few and far between, usually quest locations. There are SO many of them though, it is great fun exploring areas of the map for the first time, coming across a new cave or ruin high in the hills and creeping in in stealth mode, using range weapons and magic on the unsuspecting Necromancers or ghosts!

 

[tahrikmili]

Short answer: No.
Long Answer: Definitely non the consoles.
Longer Answer: Even then not very likely.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

Never played w/ FCOM. I had OOO 1.3 with the loader and around 40-50 mods going. I ran some of the first unique landscape mod packages but my game was broken and corrupted and I had no interest in starting from scratch. I got hundreds of hours from it though. FO3 not so much. At first it ran fine and I got up to around level 10. Didn't play much like FO, but felt like a good sci fi TES game. Backed up my save, reformatted and then reinstalled windows and kept getting constant freezing and ctd. I tried the first patch and gave up.


I'm kind of waiting for an FCOM type mod for FO3. I have to admit, I don't like VATS, but I do like true turn based RPGs like the originals, TOEE, X-Com etc. I'll check out that link, is there anything comprehensive that enhance, plus fixes all aspects of vanilla FO3 ?

The balance of the combat felt off to me. But I had the same problems with vanilla Oblivion, so I have an open mind it could be made enjoyable.

However, Bethesda really needs to take a clue from Bioware and hire more voice acting and better writers. The writing and plot/lore has gone off a cliff since Daggerfall.

the fcom of fo3 right now would be

fallout wanderers edition + F.O.O.K 2.0 + Martigens Monster Mod + Weapon Mod Kits + E.V.E


Here is some infos on the mods

General

High quality control of added models and textures
- Many lower-quality FOOK weapons and other items removed
- Many existing models and textures improved to higher standards
- Many new high-quality models and textures added (see below)

Integration & Balance
All added weapons and items fully integrated into Fallout 3 gameplay
- Leveled loot drops include new weapons and items
- Static loot placed in the world updated to account for new weapons, ammo, and items
- NPCs use new weapons and gear, with clear, faction-based variety
- Complete overhaul of the NPC templates and leveling system for all major factions (BoS / Outcast / Enclave / Mutants / Raider / Slaver / Regulator)
- Vendors sell new weapons and items, with increased variety, increased changes to stock over time, and more specializations for certain vendors
- All weapon and item stats completely reworked and balanced for consistency
- Quest-lines, Messages, Notes, and other text that deal with specific items have been updated to include new items and changes where appropriate

All this means a massive increase in the diversity of weapons and items you encounter throughout the game! All added mod features fully integrated into Fallout 3 gameplay. Names of all vanilla FO3 and FOOK weapons and items standardized for consistency. Many new PipBoy icons modified or completely redone in a consistent "Vault-Boy" style (all will be done). All additions and changes either abide by existing Fallout lore, or explained by new backstory appropriate to the Fallout world


Weapons
Over 150 weapons added!
- 11 Grenades and Mines
- 22 Melee Weapons
- 14 Shotguns / Rifles
- 25 Pistols
- 21 Sub-Machine Guns
- 36 Assault Rifles
- 11 Sniper Rifles
- 21 Miniguns, Gatlings, Machinguns and other Heavy Weaponry

*Majority of these are brand new to FOOK!
*High-quality retextures of all vanilla Fallout 3 weapons
*Hundreds of brand new, custom textures for vanilla FO3 and FOOK-added weapons
*New unique variants of many vanilla FO3 and FOOK weapons
*Realistic, high-quality shell casing models and textures, plus greatly increased persistence
*New and improved weapon sounds
*Seven added ammo types, simplified from earlier versions of FOOK

Armor & Apparel
Large variety of Armor, Apparel, and Accessories added!
- Several new types of Civilian Clothing
- Many new Outfits and Armor types including varieties of Combat Armor, Light Armor Outfits, Military Uniforms and more
- Lots of new headgear such as Hats, Berets, Helmets and more
- 2 types of Backpacks in several varieties
- Large collection of extra head wear accessories such as mufflers, earings, blindfolds, eye patches, collars and more

*High-quality retextures of a huge part of vanilla's FO3 Apparel items
*Many brand new, custom textures for vanilla FO3 and FOOK Armor and Apparel items
*Complete overhaul of all Power Armor and Helmets with Ultra High-quality textures


Ammo, Aid, & Miscellaneous Items

*High-quality models and textures for FOOK-added ammo ground models (ammo clips and boxes)
*High-quality retextures of vanilla FO3 ammo boxes
*High-quality retextures of more than 80 vanilla FO3 clutter items
*New names, models, and quality textures for most food items
*10 new food items added!

Gameplay & Mechanics

Overhaul of Food and Chem effects
Careful adjustment to key Game Settings
- Maximum Damage Resistance increased to 90%
- Slower Weapon and Armor degradation
- Effectiveness of Repair skill reduced

*Destructible bottles, and other small clutter objects
*Brand new mechanics to breach locks with explosives

Increased Realism Features
- Power Armor takes more damage from battle, possibly being destroyed and unrepairable
- Heavy Weapons can always be wielded, but require Power Armor to be truly effective
- Movement speed is reduced while firing Heavy Weapons
- Power Armor increases control when firing heavy machine guns significantly improving accuracy

Demo of brand new Scrapping & Salvage system
- When Power Armor is destroyed, it can be scrapped at a Workbench or with the new Field Salvage Kit
- A variety of new component parts are salvaged from each item, based on your Repair skill
- Scrapping allows you to reduce your carry weight, and in future updates salvaged components will be used for increased cross-repair and for crafting new items!
- Work is near completion to expand Scrapping & Salvaging to all Weapons, Armor, Apparel, and various Misc. Items!
- A few junk items can already be scrapped to obtain new component parts. Can you find which ones?

Automatic FOSE Detection
- Advanced features automatically disabled or modified if running the game without FOSE
- Game will not break without FOSE (FOSE is strongly recommended)

Visual Effects
Dozens of new visual effects for energy beams, projectiles, impacts, explosions, and critical deaths
Greatly improved blood-spatter effects
Brand new, custom Nightvision effects that look authentic and really work!

Options & Settings
Easy to access, single menu for various options
Many features can be modified or disabled at any time in game, without the need for additional plugins

User configured options include:
- Nightvision: HUD NV Charge meter, audible warning, and activation options
- Heavy Weapon Handicaps: Turn the particular features of HWH on or off
- Explosive Breach: Adjust several settings for this feature, or disable it completely if you prefer
- Screen Blood: 5 levels of screen blood intensity, including "Off"
- PipBoy Glove: Default behavior of the Player Character always wearing the PipBoy Glove, or allow the use of the equipped outfit's handwear
- Single option to restore all FOOK2 default settings
- Single option to remove FOOK2-added perks if uninstalling FOOK2 from an existing game (not required with latest version of Fallout 3 - option only accessible from console)

Overview
Fallout 3 Wanderers Edition (FWE) is a major overhaul mod for Fallout 3 that changes underlying game mechanics and adds new features to the game. The aim of the mod is to improving the challenge, sense of immersion, depth of gameplay, and range of options compared the vanilla game. Generally, you'll find the wasteland to be a more dynamic but far less forgiving place.

FWE began when it became apparent that using many independent mods together (in an effort to overhaul the basic gameplay) led to other problems in terms of balance, compatibility, and ease of use. Integrating a diversity of mods together created the opportunity to comprehensively overhaul the game and get everything working in a seamless package.

FWE's development is guided by two objectives. The first is to enhance the First-Person-Shooter (FPS) elements of the game (while still preserving non-FPS options). This includes making combat faster paced, exciting, and more player-skill based. The second objective is to enhance the role-playing elements of the game by emphasizing choices and consequences, balance, character development, immersion, and the range of viable options. Both these objectives aim to increase the replay value of Fallout 3.

Key areas of change in the mod include:

:::::: Richer Character Development

Developing a character requires careful attention to how you balance stats, skills, and perks. No longer can you be a master of everything by the time you are level 20. Leveling is slower, and choices of perks and skills are far more important. Many underpowered skills and perks are improved and the effects of SPECIALS are improved, all adding more opportunities for different character paths. An "alternative starts" mod let's you choose a variety of background and starting conditions, further adding to the role-playing element of the game.

:::::: More Realistic + Lethal Combat

Weapons and attacks do significantly more damage, both to you and your enemies. Combat is faster paced and "feels" more like a real FPS and not like a FPS "simulator.
Hit location damage, VATS tweaks, accuracy changes, wounding effects,
bullet time mode", and many other features adds to the intensity of combat, keeping the game fresh and challenging.

:::::: Struggle for Survival

Getting injuries, particularly crippling ones, is no laughing matter. The effects of injuries are more severe, and putting yourself back together after a grueling engagement is more difficult. You can't lie down on the ground for an hour and wake up a fully healed individual. An optional "primary needs"
feature requires you to eat, drink, and sleep or suffer grave consequences. All of this makes the wasteland a gritty, harsh, and demanding place.

:::::: Weapon and Armor Rebalance

Weapons and armor are all rebalanced so that everything has a potential use and benefit. There are real trade-offs to using one armor over another. Weapons have been completely rebalanced, so many weapons you'd never use now can serve a purpose. Once worthless armors now can now make a difference between life and death. Power armor has been revamped to be more beneficial while still remaining balanced.

:::::: Item + Loot Enhancements

Tweaks to leveled loot lists make the wasteland a less forgiving place; you'll now find even less ammo, drugs, and the things you need to survive. Many new drugs have been added to the game world, expanding the range of options for keeping yourself alive. Item weights and other properties are tweaked, all with the aim of making the world more immersive and challenging.

:::::: Elimination of "Immersion Breakers" and free hand-outs.

A number of small graphical tweaks, changes to spawning lists, hand-holding, and un-realistic handouts are altered or removed from the game. The result is an experience that is more challenging and rewarding.

so as you can see FOOK and FWE really do alot of the same things, the FOOK developer is making the "merger" mod (so they can both work), and he tends to favor the "FOOK" decisions when the 2 conflict over something, which is ok, because FWE becomes balls hard for somethings that weren't really designed around for in the main game (ammo weight, and radiation lethality for me)

 

[randomwab]

Do PC mods disable Fallout 3 Achievements?

 

[Mr YuYu]

Just buy it. For the price u can pick it now, u really can't go wrong.


In general i liked the exploration part a lot more than fallout 3.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

they can if you use fallout script extender (which blocks the gfwl loader from loading).

 

[DietRob]

Oh man. I loved Oblivion but couldn't really get into Fallout 3. I tried and tried with FO3 but would eventually get bored with it. Oblivion on the other hand I've put close to 100 hours in on 360. Just recently I got the vastly superior PC version. I'm playing with close to 30 mods and it is SPECTACULAR. If you do get it do yourself a favor and get it for PC.

But if you can't the console version is a great game also. It is just sooo much better with mods.

 

[randomwab]

they can if you use fallout script extender (which blocks the gfwl loader from loading).

Really tempted to jump back in now. The Wanderer's Edition mod sounds amazing.

 

[DR2K]

More or less they're the same. I really can't imagine liking one and disliking the other, outside of theme.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

More or less they're the same. I really can't imagine liking one and disliking the other, outside of theme.

more or less, however the quests in fallout 3 i feel are better, and having your stats play a roll in them are good (again this is all inherited from the black isle design philosophy), and vats makes an otherwise crappy combat system (oblivion included) decently fun, especially when modded out of the "god mode" it is in vanilla.

honestly I hope the next elder scrolls is more fallout 3 and less oblivion, maybe make it a bit bigger but keep working on the quest design, writing, and outcomes.

 

[orion434]

I played Obilvion for over 100 hours, and started getting bored with Fallout 3 around 40 or 50. Maxing your stats in Obilvion was difficult, Fallout 3, not so much especially with the DLC.

 

[DimmuBurgerKing]

The class you choose (or create) in Oblivion tends to make or break the game, I've found. The first character I started was a fairly vanilla sword-and-board warrior type. I was literally bored to tears about halfway through the main quest, and I didn't touch the game for several months. When I finally decided to give the game another chance, I used a custom-made Mage/Thief/Assassin type, which I found INFINITELY more fun to play.

 

[DietRob]

The class you choose (or create) in Oblivion tends to make or break the game, I've found. The first character I started was a fairly vanilla sword-and-board warrior type. I was literally bored to tears about halfway through the main quest, and I didn't touch the game for several months. When I finally decided to give the game another chance, I used a custom-made Mage/Thief/Assassin type, which I found INFINITELY more fun to play.

Another thing to love about the PC version there is a console cmd that allows you to change your class anytime.

 

[-PXG-]

I loved Oblivion, couldn't get into Fallout. I put 150 hours in one character, including all the DLC.

 

[Ledsen]

If you're going to play Oblivion, the only choice is the PC version. The horrible loot and enemy scaling in the vanilla game basically makes it unplayable (for me at least) since exploration is completely worthless. All caves, forts and ruins have the same enemies, the same (randomly generated) loot, and they all look the same. Totally kills the game. Compared to Morrowind (one of my favourite games of all time) Oblivion is a hollow shell of the series former glory.

If you, on the other hand, play with mods, it becomes a completely new game that removes the most annoying flaws and adds so much content that you'll never finish playing it. More specifically I'm talking about Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul, one of the three (four?) huge Oblivion mods that all share similar goals (fixing the scaling system and adding tons of new content including hundreds of weapons, armor and enemies). Getting a huge mod like this makes you not have to sift through tens of thousands of mods to get to the real gems, it has most of the things you need (aside from graphical upgrades) in one neat GB-sized package ready for you to install. Check out the readme for Oscuro's here:

http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/OOO/OOO_133_readme.pdf

It's a 60-page PDF, but you don't have to read the whole thing. Just check out the first few pages to get an idea of what it's all about. It's still being worked on, but the latest updates have been beta releases which is why the readme if so old (it only covers the latest "official" release). You can get the 1.33 version of the mod from the same page:

http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/OOO/OOO_Guide.html

but you should really head over to the Bethesda Oblivion Mod forums for the latest updates on this mod.

Oh, and for those doubting the power of mods... do you remember Morrowind? It looked like this:

But now, in 2009, with mods, you can make it look like this:

 

[DietRob]

http://devnull.sweetdanger.net/OOO/OOO_133_readme.pdf

It's a 60-page PDF, but you don't have to read the whole thing. Just check out the first few pages to get an idea of what it's all about.

Thank you so much for posting this. It will make a great read for me today at work. I've been looking for a good all in one 'expansion mod'!

 

[Whipped Spartan]

I hope they make a sequeal to Oblivion some time this gen.

 

[yellowjacket25]

Not necessarily. I was the opposite. I loved Oblivion and bought Fallout 3 hoping to like it as much. It didnt happen, I just couldnt get into Fallout 3. Oblivion is a great game though it just may or may not be your cup of tea.

 

[LocoMrPollock]

Why do people keep saying this?, the only similarity I see is the wasteland type area.

Yeah, I guess there's really not anything else that's similar, like the rpg mechanics, quests, classes or loot.

Wait a minute...

 

[SundaySounds]

nvm

 

[ElyrionX]

The world and atmosphere in Oblivion and Fallout 3 both feel really life-less and dead. The only difference is that one is supposed to be that way and the other is not.

Don't get me wrong, Oblivion is still a decent game when it comes down to it. Unfortunately, the awful and illogical leveling system and the lack of atmosphere means it's nowhere near the greatness of Fallout 3.

 

[HiResDes]

The world and atmosphere in Oblivion and Fallout 3 both feel really life-less and dead. The only difference is that one is supposed to be that way and the other is not.

Don't get me wrong, Oblivion is still a decent game when it comes down to it. Unfortunately, the awful and illogical leveling system and the lack of atmosphere means it's nowhere near the greatness of Fallout 3.

According to you they both have similar atmosphere so then this statement doesn't really make any sense to me.

 

[RadarScope1]

Been wondering the same thing. Loved FO3, and have the GOTY Oblivion my shelf. Figured I couldn't go wrong for $30 after really digging 90 hours of Fallout.

One thing I don't get is several people have talked about how life-less and same-y the Oblivion environment is, therefore FO3 is better. Uh, did you actually play FO3? That's one of my biggest criticisms of the game. Despite the fact that, yes, it's supposed to be that way after a nuclear war, locations like Raven Rock, Tenpenny Tower and Lamplight Caverns proved you could have varied and imaginative environments within the Wasteland. I just wish there were more than three or four of them.

If you liked playing Fallout 3 stealthily, like I did, creeping around the old buildings, looting, you can get the same kind of experience from creeping around old dungeons and temples in Oblivion. They do tend to get a bit repetitive after a while because the ones with decent loot are few and far between, usually quest locations. There are SO many of them though, it is great fun exploring areas of the map for the first time, coming across a new cave or ruin high in the hills and creeping in in stealth mode, using range weapons and magic on the unsuspecting Necromancers or ghosts!

Sounds like I'll be enjoying Oblivion then....

 

[Ken Masters]

Oblivion has no story and I never felt the needed to finish, that can't be said about fallout 3

 

[cmonmanreally]

Well just an update, I picked up the GOTY edition for the 360 today while I was also out looking for a cheap tv stand. I'll probably get into it after my new tv arrives. Thanks for all of your guys' inputs!

 

[Ledsen]

Well just an update, I picked up the GOTY edition for the 360 today while I was also out looking for a cheap tv stand. I'll probably get into it after my new tv arrives. Thanks for all of your guys' inputs!

Any reason for not going PC? Your rig not up to the task?

 

[cmonmanreally]

Any reason for not going PC? Your rig not up to the task?

Yeah unfortunately my desktop isn't really designed for much gaming. It's one of those thin dell towers and I haven't really done the research to see what graphics cards are suited for it (I am not very computer savvy either). I meet the minimum requirements for the game, but its something that I think would compromise how well I would want it to look and feel, compared to my 360.

 

[lastplayed]

Well just an update, I picked up the GOTY edition for the 360 today while I was also out looking for a cheap tv stand. I'll probably get into it after my new tv arrives. Thanks for all of your guys' inputs!

Awesome, have fun!

If you ever find yourself getting lost or bored, just head to the Shivering Isles (once you've installed it). You don't have to do the quest there right away, but it's an amazing place to visit.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

Yeah, I guess there's really not anything else that's similar, like the rpg mechanics, quests, classes or loot.

Wait a minute...

so baldurs gate = diablo also? :lol

 

[DopeyFish]

oblivion is one of the best games out there as long as you don't play the main quest for as long as you can stand not doing it.

once i got into the main quest, the gates started opening up randomly and it made the game irritating

 

[LocoMrPollock]

so baldurs gate = diablo also? :lol

Don't be an idiot.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

Don't be an idiot.

just following you!

 

[LocoMrPollock]

just following you!

Right.

 

[Toby]

Oh, and for those doubting the power of mods... do you remember Morrowind? It looked like this:

But now, in 2009, with mods, you can make it look like this:

HOW!? You must tell me. I fucking love Morrowind, I need this.

 

[xelios]

Oh, and for those doubting the power of mods... do you remember Morrowind? It looked like this:

<3

I've been playing through Morrowind again with mods for a while. Amazing, but even vanilla Morrowind is in comparison to vanilla Oblivion.

 

[senahorse]

edit: nm

 

[Ledsen]

HOW!? You must tell me. I fucking love Morrowind, I need this.

Well I'm pretty sure it's a combination of quite a few mods, I made a list of a few graphic mods (I also sneaked in a few other types of mods, namely the last three ) that should get you started, but the pictures aren't mine so I don't have any specifics.

First of all you need Morrowind Graphics Extender. It's not a mod, but an external program that runs in the background as you play. It allows you to, among other things, generate distant land in the same way that Oblivion does, to make you view distance infinite while still keeping the same graphical fidelity on distant objects and terrain. It also creates the grass that you see in one of the pictures. It allows the use of shaders like depth of field, ambient occlusion, god rays, bloom, HDR, new water shaders etc, all things you can see in the pictures. This is the most crucial step to get your MW to look like in those pictures. I believe the shaders used in those pictures are called

knu SSAO
knu DoF
sunshaft
truebloom
phals water shader

Other than MGE and shaders, these are some good mods to get for starters:

Visual Pack 3.0 (or other world retexture mod, should be the first texture replacer you install)

Vvardenfell Visages (or other NPC face replacer)

Better Bodies

New Beast Bodies

Better Clothes

Bloodmoon Landscape Overhaul

Texture Fix

Weathered Signs (or other sign replacer mod)

Correct UV Rocks

Darknut's Armors, Weapons, Creatures, Dwemer textures etc (check out his user page at Planet Elder Scrolls at http://planetelderscrolls.gamespy.com/View.php?view=User.EntriesListing&id=119915&#8203; , all the Model/Texture stuff is worth grabbing)

Better Books

Vality's Ice Caverns (installed after Bloodmoon Texture Replacer), Ascadian Isles and Bitter Coast mods

CanadianIce's Customizable Robe Replacer

Better Almalexia

Azura Replacer, Vivec God Replacement, Golden Saint Replacer by Psymonizer

Moon's Soul Gem Replacer

Oblivion Septims

PirateLords Expanded Sounds

Morrowind Patch Project

Morrowind Code Patch

Get them from either The Elder Scrolls Nexus or Planet Elder Scrolls. There are many categories I didn't cover, such as mods that make windows glow at night, more texture replacers (for misc items and other smaller stuff) and much more.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

HOW!? You must tell me. I fucking love Morrowind, I need this.

try this

http://morrowind2009.wordpress.com/

 

[cmonmanreally]

Well guys, just a little update without making an entirely new thread. I am roughly 10 hours into the game and so far I'm on the fence as to whether or not I am enjoying it. Some of it has to do with me reflecting upon the fun I had with Fallout 3 while playing, and the similar mechanics in the game which Fallout improved on, but that was something I expected going into it. The thing that I'm not really enjoying right now is the disparity between how the developers intended on how they wanted people to play the game, and how the player community is actually playing it. I'm talking about how (on the 360 version at least) I have to basically micromanage how my character levels throughout the game, exploiting how enemies scale and how major and minor skills are set up. Designating skills that I would like to define my character with as the minor ones and those that I rarely use or can be avoided to be used as the major ones, avoiding sleep, etc. is just something I didn't really want to deal with. There are other little things too, such as quests that are still bugged (the Go Fish! one in particular), but it's not something I'm letting myself get too bothered over it.

Anyway, I think I initially approached this game in the wrong way. Read too much for my own good and instead, should have jumped right in and learned as I progressed and explored the content. But this is just me and how I play some games, especially those with committed classes/stats, as with Fallout 3 which I almost immediately loved. I'm not giving up on Oblivion just yet though. I know that 10 hours is nothing compared to how much time most people put into the game. We'll see how the rest goes I suppose.

 

[MattNY]

I hope you keep playing Oblivion and stop worrying about whether you are enjoying it as much as F3 and just appreciate it for being a solid WRPG. It is a good game, don't let yourself nitpick it to death.

 

[beelzebozo]

tried BORDERLANDS?

 

[NeoForte]

Yea if you liked Fallout you might like Oblivion. I hated a lot of things about Oblivion but I played it to death o.o This was before mods, I recently replayed it with the mods and holy crap is it so much better. Seriously give it a try.

 

[JCtheMC]

the fcom of fo3 right now would be

fallout wanderers edition + F.O.O.K 2.0 + Martigens Monster Mod + Weapon Mod Kits + E.V.E

I've tried to get this combo of mods running as well (along with Project Beauty, UWWUT and a ton of others), but there's many conflicts between them, so getting them to run well next to eachother is an almost impossible task. Also, the process of correctly installing mods is too complicated for an average gamer, mostly through the lack of decent documentation. I've literally spent whole weekends reading, installing and reinstalling with only a couple of hours of play to show for it. But - if you do get the game to run your flavor of mod combo's, it's a much better game than the vanilla one.

MMM adds variety to the encounters, Weapon Mod Kits should've been in the vanilla game, FOOK2 adds a ton of guns, retexture and a bunch new locations, FWE really makes the game feel like you're roleplaying through struggle to survive; things like ammo having weight, you actually having to take care of your primary needs, radiation finally becoming an actual threat, and because you're not being able to develop a "god character" because of reduced skillpoints your character development choices actually mean something.

It's a shame there's so many egos in the mod community. There is the FWE-Fook merger and the Fallout Interoperability Program, but true cooperation to make the biggest mods work together seems to be very much secondary to garnering praise for their individual efforts. Although i can understand it - making mods takes a lot of time - But if you'd combine 4 or 5 large mods and merge in a bunch of small ones, you'd essentially have a piece of software that has much more to offer than any DLC could (And i love the FO3 DLC's). Oh well, the game's only been out for a year. Who knows.

I've been aching for more Fallout-like action too, but i've realised that no fantasy RPG will be able to satisfy this hunger. Obsidian better release New Vegas out in 2010 (yes i know this won't happen).