Getting this tomorrow, super amped. Any suggestions for a first time Fallout player?
Basically you have to decide how you want to play the game. If you're a looter that likes to open every chest in sight, get all the items in the game, then go for lockpicking. There are lots of doors and chests and stuff that requires quite a high lockpicking skill to open. Never know what's in there, at least I don't
There are 4 main weapon types in this game. Guns, which include pistols, rifles, shotguns etc. Then there's energy weapons like laser pistols, plasma rifles etc. Also, there's melee weapons like slegehammers, golf clubs, machetes etc. Lastly there is explosives like dynamite, bottlecap mines etc. So decide which weapon you'd like to specialize in and rank your skills accordingly. I think on my second playthrough I'm going to create a melee charcter
Other than that, just explore, talk to everyone and try and uncover as many quests and side quests as you can. There are a LOT of quests in this game.
For combat, make use of the VATS system. That allows you to take aimed shots at enemies individual bodyparts. So for instance, if there is a strong and fast enemy, try to take out his legs with mines. There was this one time when a glowing ghoul attacked me and I have to reload like freakin' 4 times because he was so damn strong compared to me at that stage. And blerry fast as well. So I put some mines down and crippled his legs. That way you can take him out nicely as he tries to stumble toward you
You can also bind your weapons to specific number keys. If you are in your inventory, you hold "1" then click on a weapon to assign it to that slot. Then you do the same for 3, 4, 5 etc. For instance, I put my pistols in 1 and 3. My shottie on 4, sniper rifle on 7 and my dynamite on 8.
The "2" key switches between ammo types in your currently equipped weapon. For instance, having a rifle equipped, pressing 2 will switch between hollow point or armor piercing ammo, providing you have both types on you
That's about it, all I can think of right now. Enjoy!