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[Blood-Pigggy]

Sup Yoga.
The average playtime for your first Fallout game can take anywhere from 15-25 hours, so I'd estimate about a week at the most for you to beat the game.

You can buy and download the game at GOG for 5.99$ (US) http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/fallout/
GOG sells internationally so you can buy it no matter where you live.

As for a walkthrough, Per's guide is the absolute best, it also has the info about builds and stuff you need to make it through tough patches and to get the most out of the game.
http://user.tninet.se/~jyg699a/fallout.html

I really suggest you go through it blind the first time though, it's a very interesting and memorable game to experience fresh.

As for the version, downloading the latest patch (which comes with GOG's download) and Killap's fix patch is the best course of action. Any High Resolution mods are ancillary and shouldn't really be necessary, the game isn't pretty, but it isn't terribly ugly either and gets the job done.

I wish you the best of luck and am looking forward to your updates.

[Paco]

Killap Download

nuff said

and if youre done with F1 and start playing you can use this too for F2.

nearly ultimative Walkthrough

[Scatty]

Originally Posted by Paco

Killap Download

nuff said

and if youre done with F1 and start playing you can use this too for F2.

Heavily second that. Killap's latest Restoration Patch for Fallout 2 is very recommended. It fixes lots of (still remaining after last official patch) bugs and adds some content that was planned in by the game developers but left unfinished due to lack of time or design decisions. I played Fallout 2 with that patch and everything the patch does fits perfectly into Fallout 2 in my opinion, so I very recommend it.
Also Killap's Patch allows to choose few other, optional things during installation like the already included High Resolution patch (not really necessary), Ammo patch (very recommended since for default armor piercing ammo in Fallout 2 is bugged, even with latest official patch) and some others.

For stats, best to set Strength in both Fallout 1 and 2 not higher than 7, because Power Armor already gives bonus of 3 to Strength, also in Fallout 1 you can raise Strength, Intelligence, Perception and Charisma each for 1 point early enough. So even Strength of 6 should be better the highest amount during character generation, anything higher are wasted points. Better increase Perception or Agility as both are very useful.

[twillight]

I don't know anything about Killap's patch for F2, but the official patch creates tons of new bug, and unlike the bugs in the unpatched version there is no way then to circumgo the bugs. So I'm very much against patching F2.
Besides, armor piercing is not an issue in F2, as you simply almost never use weapons that allows armor piercing bullets (except maybe in the hand of certain NPCs).

"Best stats" in F2 is VERY strange issue. With all the upgrades the "best" strenght for example is only 2(!) at the start for Fallout 2! (+1 from memory module, +4 from advanced power armor, +1 from perk, +1 from gifted trait = 9, and that's the highest requirement)

[Scatty]

Originally Posted by twillight

Besides, armor piercing is not an issue in F2, as you simply almost never use weapons that allows armor piercing bullets (except maybe in the hand of certain NPCs).

There're actually many weapons that can have normal and armor piercing bullets in Fallout 2. After installing the ammo patch from Killap's Restoration you actually will find yourself using weapons more tactically and armor piercing ammo becomes much more useful against armored enemies (and there're many of those). It's also a small mod which modifies ammo stats from DT to DR which makes all things concerning weapons and ammo more tactical, which I think add a lot more depth to Fallout 2.

That said, I did play Fallout 2 with official patch earlier, then with latest Killap's Restoration patch. It does add quite a few good things to the game so I wouldn't play it without the patch anymore, but everyone got to decide for himself anyway.

[twillight]

Originally Posted by Scatty

There're actually many weapons that can have normal and armor piercing bullets in Fallout 2.

That said, I did play Fallout 2 with official patch earlier, then with latest Killap's Restoration patch. It does add quite a few good things to the game so I wouldn't play it without the patch anymore, but everyone got to decide for himself anyway.

As I said I don't know Killap's patch, just the difference between the nonpatched and the officially patched version, and the official patch ruins the game totally, according to my experience - and don't fix those bugs you'd really want (like rats for questwandering out of map).

Now as I said you simply do not use armor piercing bullets at all, no matter how many weapons allows you to use that version of bullets.
You'll either use energy weapons or big guns 99% of times - energy cells have no AP-version (and the sun-pistol requires no ammunition at all, and can be found VERY early), and the sheer number of buletts in big guns will do any job. Rocket launchers sucks in Fallout 2, no matter the ammunition (in Fallout 1 they were the best weapons), so those don't change anything.
From small guns you'll use sniper rifles / hunting rifles and combat shotguns after the first 5 minutes of the game, and those too don't have AP-version of buletts.
On the matter of SMGs, you'll also use those only what don't have AP-version for bullets (those are MUCH stronger). Only your partymembers will use what can have, and they suck (compared to you) no matter what you give into their hand.

[DarthHelmet86]

You seem to know a lot of how you "should" play Fallout...which ignores the fact that Fallout 1 and 2 can be played in anyway the player likes. I have beaten two in many different ways, some harder then others, some easier but all fun.

In other words Yoga, just play the way you like. The game is meant to be open and will more than likely take a few attempts to get a really full playthrough and thats the way the game is meant to be played.

[twillight]

It is not about how you "should" play, but how anyone with the normal sense "would" play.

If you want melee, then that is a way. If you want ranged - well, you'll grab guns. You won't restrict yourself to the most basic pistols (except for extremes), but will pick up all weapons and use what is efficient to use. And that means in Fallout 2 you won't use the weapons with the possibility of AP-bullets. Pure and simple.

And justto mention: a FULL playthrough of Fallout 2 is NOT the way it was ment to play. Like joining all four families was not intended, but you CAN do it.

[DarthHelmet86]

And that normal person is you right. I guess me and my friends who often used guns which could use AP bullets were just not normal. Oh well nice to know.

Once again Yoga just play the game the way you want, and don't worry about what is the best way to play the game.

[Scatty]

Originally Posted by DarthHelmet86

Once again Yoga just play the game the way you want, and don't worry about what is the best way to play the game.

I second that. The best fun in the game is to figure out the game for oneself, not sticking to some pre-defined methods. Everyone has his own ways to play the game, and even if that's melee only.