Fallout 3 on the PC...

[MinionZombie]

Ah yes, I saw you could defuse it, but I knew I wouldn't have the required skills yet ... do you know what you need to do that? Also - picking locks - how on earth is that done? I've only done two and I was just randomly turning the lock and wiggling my mouse. I assume there's a technique, but I couldn't figure it out from the manual.

[mista_mo]

I think you just need explosives at 40 or something like that. it should say when you go up and attempt to diffuse the bomb. With lockpicking, all I ever do is leave the bobby pin in place, turn screw driver. If it doesn't work, I move the pin to one of the lock corners, turn screw driver. If you don't get the lock unpicked in 2 tries, simply exit the lock pick screen, and then repick the lock. Each bobby pin only lasts for 3 attempts, and leaving and re entering the lock pick screen resets that counter. If I get fed up with beign unable to pick the locks, I just enter the console (~) and type in unlock, the click the thing i want unlocked, then enter. Cheating yea, but it makes you feel better when you get frustrated. Also, I blew up Megaton...it was..just way too cool to pass up.

[krakenslayer]

Ah yes, I saw you could defuse it, but I knew I wouldn't have the required skills yet ... do you know what you need to do that? If you don't have the required skills, try chowing down of a shitload of Mentats and trying it again. It might not work, but sometimes you'll get lucky. Also - picking locks - how on earth is that done? I've only done two and I was just randomly turning the lock and wiggling my mouse. I assume there's a technique, but I couldn't figure it out from the manual. Yeah, there's a knack to it. Nowadays I play the game on my PC with an Xbox 360 controller which makes lockpicking a little simpler, but basically the technique is the same - you move the bobby pin a little to the right or left, then gently turn the barrel of the lock and see how far it goes, if it barely moves then try moving the pin around further to the left or back to the right and gently try again. When you have the pin at an angle that seems to be letting the barrel of the lock move more, then you know you're in about the right place, just gingerly move the pin around very slightly to find the sweet spot. Whenever the pin meets resistance, immediately release the pressure on it, as the more resistance it meets, the more likely it will snap.

[slickwilly13]

I received a lot of experience and positive karma for defusing the nuke in Megaton. It seems Sims is hard to keep alive, but you still get all the same rewards if he lives or not. The deed to his house was a good reward and you even get a robot butler. I also gave it a science theme, since my guy was very high in science. Btw, a very high science level will pay off inside the spaceship.

[ProfessorChaos]

i've still not got around to nuking megaton yet...right now my character is a level 30 with almost all skills maxed out at 100, so starting all over seems like such a chore, but i think i'm going to start a new character just to set off the nuke, as soon as i finish the last mission of broken steel and experience the mothership zeta add-on.

[MikePizzoff]

i've still not got around to nuking megaton yet...right now my character is a level 30 with almost all skills maxed out at 100, so starting all over seems like such a chore, but i think i'm going to start a new character just to set off the nuke, as soon as i finish the last mission of broken steel and experience the mothership zeta add-on. Shoulda done what I did... I saved my game, then I nuked Megaton and enjoyed the display of power and destruction. Then, because I wanted to have GOOD karma, I loaded my saved game from just before nuking Megaton and continued the game, defusing the nuke. I still have the pre-nuke save, too, for any time I want to enjoy it again (trust me, it's REALLY cool).

[EvilNed]

Word of the wise, don't rush the main quest. You'll regret it.

[ProfessorChaos]

yeah, mike, i probably should've done that...i wish i had also done that with the achievements for karmic balances on levels 8, 14, and 20, too...after i complete mothership zeta, the neutral karma achievements are the only ones i'm gonna be missing.

[MinionZombie]

Mike - good idea actually, I might just do that. Even though I've seen it on YouTube, or on TV videogame shows, it's not the same as doing it yourself. Ned - indeed, I think it was hellsing (or maybe someone else) who was amped about Fallout 3, bashed through the main story, and was pissed at the length. They they went back to the game and started doing side quests and it was a whole new experience. That's what I'm doing - I think I've now just passed the half-way point of the main story, so I'm leaving that be for a while now and I'm just going around doing side quests - like I finally had enough Medicine skill to revive that Riley's Rangers chick and went off and did that whole thing. I'm now in Andale - which seems to be a really creepy, fucked up town - have only just gotten there, but already from talking to one of the kids there, it sounds like Chainsaw Massacre, or Hills Have Eyes or something, haha. Will see how that pans out. I'm also on the trail of an android who has had facial surgery and a mind wipe - my intention is to not bring it back to Zimmerman, who seems like an asshole slave driver ... but I'm unsure where to get my next clues. I got a tape from Doctor whatever at Rivet City, but that didn't tell me much at all. Might go and have a look at the IGN Walkthrough for some hints on that one. Mike - I ended up doing as you said, made another save and nuked Megaton just to see it - hella fun. ... Oh yeah, finished up in Andale - creepy as fuck - as I suspected, they were killin' folk and eating them - I stole the shed key and snuck in there - really creepy in there - then exited and leapt out of my seat in fright as I saw I was confronted by the four adults, hehe - a few shots later and the old dude is now the foster father of two kiddies. Went into that house's basement too - goddamn that was even MORE creepy. An excellent little aside in this great open world game. I'm now doing the quest "Tenpenny Tower" - trying to resolve it through non violent confrontation and speaking, but both sides seem to be really pissed at each other, I don't know what to do (will have to seek out that IGN guide for assistance before I make any mistakes by accident) - it seems you either let the ghouls in, or you take out Roy and his followers. Hmmm... ... Also, some chick ran up to me and I got a special part so I can lie to Zimmer and say the android is dead, thus letting me let the poor bugger go on in his new life. LOVING this game, so I am.