Support NeoGAF

[Hunter D]

Anyone that has this game running it on a 8600gt windows vista 64? I want to know how it runs because I don't know if I should get this for 360 or pc.

 

[Gerald]

So, to the guys who got the dog, tell where it is please (with spoilers).

Continuing now! Almost 14 hours in.

Go

Spoiler

south of Minefield to Scrapyard.

 

[Zzoram]

Anyone that has this game running it on a 8600gt windows vista 64? I want to know how it runs because I don't know if I should get this for 360 or pc.

You should probably get it for 360. You could run it fine on PC, but only at low resolutions (1024x768), and probably medium/high mixed settings.

 

[Gerald]

By the way do enemies and items respawn like Oblivion?

If you clear a "dungeon" the enemies won't respawn, but there are frequent random outdoor encounters so you'll never be left without stuff to kill or loot to collect.

 

[dark10x]

Any word on PC performance? I tested Oblivion on my old 8800GT and, honestly, I thought it ran like shit (when it should have been a locked 60). I'm now using a GTX260, but haven't tested it out.

It's not that it was unplayable or anything, rather, it just wasn't as smooth as it should have been and was constantly dropping from 60 fps even at 1280x720. Outside of Crysis, pretty much every game could run at 60 fps on that 8800GT so I was pretty shocked.

I'm hoping Fallout 3 runs smoother as I'd prefer to play it on the PC. I know the 360 version will be limited to 30 fps, but that feels better than a fluctuating framerate without a limiter.

 

[Zzoram]

Any word on PC performance? I tested Oblivion on my old 8800GT and, honestly, I thought it ran like shit (when it should have been a locked 60). I'm now using a GTX260, but haven't tested it out.

It's not that it was unplayable or anything, rather, it just wasn't as smooth as it should have been and was constantly dropping from 60 fps even at 1280x720. Outside of Crysis, pretty much every game could run at 60 fps on that 8800GT so I was pretty shocked.

I'm hoping Fallout 3 runs smoother as I'd prefer to play it on the PC. I know the 360 version will be limited to 30 fps, but that feels better than a fluctuating framerate without a limiter.

I highly doubt the GTX260 will have a problem with Fallout 3. Remember, Fallout 3 doesn't have the wavey tall grass and trees.

 

[TheJollyCorner]

so is the early release specific to any particular chains (i.e. Target/Walmart/TRU) or is it just random?

 

[Gerald]

I got a question for the gamers playing this already. It's about the su

Spoiler

rvival

gu

Spoiler

ide

quest, a part in Ri

Spoiler

verton

. Where is

Spoiler

the place of Pinkerton?!

I presume you mean

Spoiler

Rivet City

. He's

Spoiler

in the broken bow of the carrier, you get there by swimming beneath the water and finding a door that leads inside. It's right around the middle of the ship section. Take some anti-radiation chems before diving in.

 

[Chiggs]

Any word on PC performance? I tested Oblivion on my old 8800GT and, honestly, I thought it ran like shit (when it should have been a locked 60). I'm now using a GTX260, but haven't tested it out.

It's not that it was unplayable or anything, rather, it just wasn't as smooth as it should have been and was constantly dropping from 60 fps even at 1280x720. Outside of Crysis, pretty much every game could run at 60 fps on that 8800GT so I was pretty shocked.

I'm hoping Fallout 3 runs smoother as I'd prefer to play it on the PC. I know the 360 version will be limited to 30 fps, but that feels better than a fluctuating framerate without a limiter.

I haven't seen any benchmarks yet, but I'll be running some later tonight when I get my copy. The good news is that there aren't as many trees and really no grass.

Edit: Beaten!

 

[JSnake]

I highly doubt the GTX260 will have a problem with Fallout 3. Remember, Fallout 3 doesn't have the wavey tall grass and trees.

Do those things really kill performance? I had more problems at the very beginning when the knights walk into your jail cell. It may have been because I had face shadows on but I dunno. Dropped to about 30 FPS or so.

 

[Hunter D]

You should probably get it for 360. You could run it fine on PC, but only at low resolutions, and probably medium settings.

Oh man WTF!?! I can run the witcher with mostly high and some medium no problem on my laptop and farcry the same thing. I could probably run Deadspace on max also, but not this game which looks average graphically? I really would prefer the pc version because of mods.

 

[Rocks Off]

So when should all the reviews be rolling in?

 

[Gerald]

I'm thinking about getting the hardback one, you think it's worth the cash?

It's an extremely thorough guide. Well worth it, imo if you like finding everything.

 

[Zzoram]

Oh man WTF!?! I can run the witcher with mostly high and some medium no problem on my laptop and farcry the same thing. I could probably run Deadspace on max also, but not this game which looks average graphically? I really would prefer the pc version because of mods.

Well, I'm basing my assumption on maxed out Oblivion, but Fallout 3 may very well perform better due to the lack of grass/trees. It's hard to say until the game is out and benchmarks are done. I'd recommend you wait 1 day.

By Farcry do you mean 1 or 2?

 

[Zeliard]

So when should all the reviews be rolling in?

Eurogamer's review is coming at 12 EST.

They also wrote a nice Fallout retrospective: http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=269648

 

[Gerald]

So when should all the reviews be rolling in?

Tonight.

 

[dark10x]

I highly doubt the GTX260 will have a problem with Fallout 3. Remember, Fallout 3 doesn't have the wavey tall grass and trees.

That's true. Plus, perhaps Bethsoft has actually managed to optimize the engine.

I suppose my issue with Oblivion was simply that, when the game dropped from 60 fps, the controls felt really laggy.

 

[Hunter D]

Well, I'm basing my assumption on maxed out Oblivion, but Fallout 3 may very well perform better due to the lack of grass/trees. It's hard to say until the game is out and benchmarks are done. I'd recommend you wait 1 day.

By Farcry do you mean 1 or 2?

Far Cry 2.

This game doesn't look better than any of the games I listed and is using the engine of a game that was released a few years of go. Really now how hard can it be to optimize an engine that they have been working on for years?

 

[dexterslu]

Tonight.

roughly this time next week I suspect all the reviews will have rolled in.

 

[klownboots]

Eurogamer's review is coming at 12 EST.

They also wrote a nice Fallout retrospective: http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=269648

I both thank and curse you for linking me to that.

I am seriously dying at work wanting to play this game...

 

[Zzoram]

Far Cry 2.

This game doesn't look better than any of the games I listed and is using the engine of a game that was released a few years of go. Really now how hard can it be to optimize an engine that they have been working on for years?

You might be fine then, I'm not sure. We'll know soon enough though.

 

[GDJustin]

A lot of my game reviewer friends won't stop raving about this game, FYI.

You'll see the reviews soon enough (tonight?) but expect perfect scores and (eventually) GotY awards.

 

[Zzoram]

A lot of my game reviewer friends won't stop raving about this game, FYI.

You'll see the reviews soon enough (tonight?) but expect perfect scores and (eventually) GotY awards.

Just like Oblivion, I figured this game is hard to show in gameplay clips.

 

[Loudninja]

If you clear a "dungeon" the enemies won't respawn, but there are frequent random outdoor encounters so you'll never be left without stuff to kill or loot to collect.

Oh ok,that's cool than, thanks.

 

[dark10x]

Far Cry 2.

This game doesn't look better than any of the games I listed and is using the engine of a game that was released a few years of go. Really now how hard can it be to optimize an engine that they have been working on for years?

*shrug*

If you're happy with the performance of those other games on your machine you should be fine. I doubt Oblivion would run well on that computer, however, which is why people are suggesting that you go with the 360 version. As I noted, nearly every game (outside of Crysis) was capable of running on my previous 8800GT at 60 fps without any issues. Oblivion was one exception and I thought it ran rather poorly. That 8600 Mobile that you're using is much less powerful than an 8800GT. Now that I'm using a GTX260 (which is generations faster than the 8600) I'm STILL concerned with performance.

Just wait and see before you leap or you might end up with a less than stellar experience.

 

[Cornballer]

You'll see the reviews soon enough (tonight?)

IGN just put up a note that their review is going up at midnight ET tonight.

 

[Majima Everywhere System]

Nope. I think all Gamestops have gotten their shipments and it's out of the system. If you're lucky they may have gotten some extras, or someone may cancel their preorder and you can pick up theirs.

The had one unreserved. They might have gotten 1 just by default, my town doesn't seem like a hotbed for PC pre-orders of collector's editions. They let me switch to it though. Now I have a lunchbox to keep important receipts in! Hopefully it survives fires.

 

[FrankT]

IGN just put up a note that their review is going up at midnight ET tonight.

Cool

 

[bathala]

so is the early release specific to any particular chains (i.e. Target/Walmart/TRU) or is it just random?

i called my local walmart they said its only available online.

 

[Dr. Acid Avatar]

IGN just put up a note that their review is going up at midnight ET tonight.

Thanks! So we have Euro and IGN doing theirs at midnight. Anyone else?

 

[Chiggs]

I can't wait to see the reactions to this game. Thumbing through the strategy guide, I've seen a couple of "WOW!" images that made me immediately close shut the jaws of this guide.

 

[Darklord]

IGN just put up a note that their review is going up at midnight ET tonight.

When is it midnight their time?

 

[Zeliard]

I can't wait to see the reactions to this game. Thumbing through the strategy guide, I've seen a couple of "WOW!" images that made me immediately close shut the jaws of this guide.

You're picking it up tonight, right?

We're gonna need some insta-impressions. INSTA-IMPRESSIONS, YOU UNDERSTAND?

 

[Chiggs]

When is it midnight their time?

Well, midnight EST for them should be 9pm.

 

[Chiggs]

You're picking it up tonight, right?

I definitely am. I'll take some screenshots with FRAPS and screw around with the settings and whatnot. Despite Draft's best efforts, I'm still quite excited about this game. :lol

 

[Phoenix]

The had one unreserved. They might have gotten 1 just by default, my town doesn't seem like a hotbed for PC pre-orders of collector's editions. They let me switch to it though. Now I have a lunchbox to keep important receipts in! Hopefully it survives fires.

It survived through a nuclear war, so I'd bet on it.

 

[DenogginizerOS]

Gah! I just looked in the strategy guide and saw a big monster I didn't want to see. That's it, no more spoiling for me.

This is why I may buy the guide after I beat it once. :lol

 

[Zzoram]

I'll have to wait til tomorrow night to give impessions. Steam version and all.

 

[Cornballer]

When is it midnight their time?

Eastern.

Fallout 3 Review Coming Tonight
Stay tuned for our verdict.
by Erik Brudvig

October 27, 2008 - The highly anticipated role-playing game from Bethesda Softworks, Fallout 3, is finally releasing on October 28. To coincide with the midnight release parties, IGN will be posting its review in both written and video form at 9:01PM Pacific tonight. That's 12:01 AM on October 28 for you folks on the east coast.

 

[MMaRsu]

Eastern.

Which is in how many hours?

 

[Cornballer]

Which is in how many hours?

A little over seven hours from now.

 

[JSnake]

I definitely am. I'll take some screenshots with FRAPS and screw around with the settings and whatnot. Despite Draft's best efforts, I'm still quite excited about this game. :lol

I know this sounds odd but do you mind listing what the various graphical settings are and what one can set them to?

 

[Chiggs]

I know this sounds odd but do you mind listing what the various graphical settings are and what one can set them to?

Yeah, I'll take a screenshot of the graphic options, unless someone beats me to it.

 

[Alex P]

Yeah, all review embargoes lift tonight at midnight, EST.

 

[grendelrt]

These review embargos until the day of release are so damn retarded, especially when a person has about 2 bajillion new releases to pick from in the fall.

 

[nelsonroyale]

Oh man WTF!?! I can run the witcher with mostly high and some medium no problem on my laptop and farcry the same thing. I could probably run Deadspace on max also, but not this game which looks average graphically? I really would prefer the pc version because of mods.

hey man, pc WILL look and run better.... I am playing crysis warhead almost on enthusiast settings on my laptop...fallout 3 will run great on your system

 

[Zeliard]

These review embargos until the day of release are so damn retarded, especially when a person has about 2 bajillion new releases to pick from in the fall.

I'm getting the game, but review embargos always make me pessimistic when it comes to this sort of thing. It's like a movie studio who doesn't screen their film for critics pre-release.

 

[MindWash]

That's absolutely not true. While certain texture/poly conversions can offer a radically different aesthetic experience for users, it's always entirely subjective as to the level of improvement.

In some cases, like the rebirth mod for System Shock 2, many of the so-called 'improvements' can actually detract from the overall experience by implementing an art style which strays too far from the developer's original intent, thereby changing the dynamics of the game.

With graphic overhauls, there's simply no black & white involved, it's purely to the discretion of individual preference. Having said that, I did enjoy playing through multiple versions of Oblivion, pouring in over 100 hours in the 'vanilla' 360 version, and then an additional 40-50 hours with user-created texture packs and AI routines. Both experiences were equally satisfying for what they offered.

I disagree. The texture packs I'm referring to simply uncompressed the textures and made things look better. There is no way someone would prefer the original after seeing the upgrade. It's superior.

But I'm not some mod bigamist. I have no issues with playing the vanilla versions of games, but in the case of the texture mods for Oblivion, it's a no brainer that they should be applied. Other gameplay mods obviously depend on taste.

 

[The Chef]

These review embargos until the day of release are so damn retarded, especially when a person has about 2 bajillion new releases to pick from in the fall.

No kidding. I am definitely interested in this game but there is no way I will consider buying it till I get a wide range of reviews first. WAY too many choices this fall to blow money on a game that ends up sucking.

 

[klownboots]

These review embargos until the day of release are so damn retarded, especially when a person has about 2 bajillion new releases to pick from in the fall.

I am on the fence about this. I think forcing everyone to have the review out on the same day is a great thing. It also makes reviewers play as much of the game as they can. On the other hand it does not force them to play it all for the same amount of time, as some reviewers have had it longer then others.

I rarely base my purchases on reviews, but when I do, having to wait until the day, or even day after a game comes out, does blow.