Fallout 3 was Bethesda's first entry in the then-PC-only series. The game brought new fans into the series, while some old fans enjoyed the new emphasis on action gameplay. Those familiar with the series believed they knew everything that could be done in the series, but were quickly proven wrong. Fallout 3 brought a brand-new generation of Fallout games that emphasized action over role-playing.

Fallout: New Vegas and Fallout 4 changed the series forever. New Vegas emphasized the importance of strong storytelling. Fallout 4 reduced role-playing in honor of new features, such as settlement building and crafting. Gamers began to grumble over the changes Fallout 4 brought to the series. They quickly started replaying Fallout 3, since it managed to retain story-telling, improved gameplay and didn't place so much importance on crafting.

After a decade since its release, gamers are still finding interesting tricks and tips to make their journey in the Capital Wasteland. With the Broken Steel DLC Add-On, players could continue their adventures beyond starting Project Purity. Modders are also keeping the game alive by introducing new content to the game. Even if you didn't enjoy the Fallout sequels, you might find your favorite weapon or outfit added to the third sequel.

There are plenty of ways to enjoy Fallout 3. Players can create an evil karma character who makes horrible decisions or a savior who intends to make James proud. If you're thinking of journeying back into the Capital Wasteland with a new or old character, we've compiled a variety of tips to help.

25 Don’t Buy Unnecessary Furniture

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The Lone Wanderer has the choice of living in Megaton or Tenpenny Tower. The hotel residence may appear more beautiful, but you'll have more resources available to you in Megaton. The Lone Wanderer's home has several potential upgrades, including a workbench. Save your caps and skip this option.

There is a free workbench you will always have access to inside of Craterside Supply.

Though having a private workbench is tempting, you never know when you'll need those caps for later.

24 Make Use Of This Handy Skill

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The Lone Wanderer will need all the help they can get in the Capital Wasteland. Health items are in short supply, and medical services are expensive. Luckily, there are cheaper alternatives to boost your health.

Once the Lone Wanderer has a place to call home, they can employ a Mister Handy robot named Wadsworth. This handy machine can turn condensation into purified water bottles for free. The Lone Wanderer use their caps on precious equipment and firearms instead of health items.

23 Go Beyond The Default

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The Pip-Boy's green interface on a black screen is classic but doesn't have to star that way. Players have the option to change the color of the interface if they don't like the default green screen. There are four color options: amber, blue, green and white.

To access the color change options, the player must first press pause, and change it in the settings. It is not done through the in-game Pip-Boy, which many users would believe. Once you've made your choice, your new colors will appear in the in-game display.

22 Repeat That Quest

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Radiant quests are ongoing tasks that are reasonably easy to complete. They may seem like a waste of time, but will eventually pay off. Giving purified water to residents outside of major settlements will net you good karma.

Bringing Pre-War books to Scribe Yearling in the Arlington Library or collecting brotherhood of Steel holotags will net you the most reward with 100 caps and 10 experience points. With a variety of repeatable quests to complete, your Lone Wanderer always has a way to fill their pockets.

21 Do It Yourself

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Outfits are more than a fashion statement. Many outfits have bonus side effects that will benefit your character. Wearing Eulogy Jones' hat will give a +1 bonus to Charisma and +2 to Small Guns. Making a risky repair? Wearing your old Vault 101 utility jumpsuit will bump up your Repair skill by +5.

By wearing clothing with special side effects, you don't have to worry about using skill points outside of your character's build.

Wearing clothing is also stackable with edible items for a higher boost.

20 The Investment Is Worth The Effort

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Intelligence in Fallout 3 isn't limited to book smarts. This skill is work leveling up as soon as possible. Intelligence levels are critical because they determine how many skill points you receive when leveling up. A Lone Wanderer with only one point in Intelligence won't collect as many as another with a higher level.

Intelligence comes in handy later for boosting Medicine, Repair, and Science. If this didn't change your mind, there are Intelligence-based perks, such as Warmonger, which gives you access to every custom weapon type, even if you don't own the schematics.

19 They Just Want To Be Friends

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Dogmeat is the first friendly dog you'll meet in Fallout 3. The Capital Wasteland doesn't have many friendly animals. Most will turn hostile on sight. Luckily, there's a perk that will give you the power to befriend animals.

Invest in the Animal Friend perk to make these creatures your friends, not enemies. They won't attack you unless attacked first. To make this perk even better, if a wandering animal sees the Lone Wanderer in battle, they will jump in to defend you. Now you can have several animals helping you in combat instead of only Dogmeat.

18 Choose Your Battles Carefully

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The Capital Wasteland is a dangerous place. It explains why James taught the Lone Wanderer how to fire a BB Gun as a child, in case they leave Vault 101 one day.

There's no need to destroy every enemy you encounter.

Some may catch you by surprise, but it's easy to sneak past a Raider or wandering Mirelurk. Most sounds will not grab their attention. This allows you to save your ammo for the most important enemies, such as the Deathclaws in Old Olney.

17 Catch Up On Sleep Anywhere

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The Lone Wanderer's nickname is no mistake. Before learning how to Fast Travel, you'll spend countless hours wandering the barren landscape. Luckily, there's plenty of places to play your weary head. Any unowned bed can be slept in for any amount of time.

If you need to sleep to rest your character or wait for an NPC to appear, sleep in a nearby cot. Be warned, sleeping in the middle of enemy territory is a dangerous idea. They won't stop being hostile so you can get a few hours of rest.

16 Everything Has Value

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Bottlecaps are in short supply in the Capital Wasteland. Though the Lone Wanderer can learn how to repair their items, they may run out of materials. Some things are easier to purchase instead of hoping to find them in an abandoned building.

If you're looking for some quick caps, try collecting your stockpiles of "Junk" items. The Pip-Boy automatically sorts out the most useless things to make them easier to sell. The Lone Wanderer may have to sell a lot of junk, but it's an easy way to get caps with little effort.

15 Always Bring A Spare

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The Lone Wanderer can loot the remains of their fallen enemies. While there may be bottlecaps and bobby pins to unlock chests, there are also weapons to grab. There's a high chance you will find multiples of weapons you already own, or may currently have in your inventory. Don't pass by those weapons. Once your weapon degrades, you'll need to repair it.

Use your spare weapon as parts to fix your favorite item.

The effort is worth the carry weight. If you ever have to sell the weapon, it will be worth more caps than the original.

14 Trading Makes Everyone Happy

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If you're a Small or Big Guns Skill user, you may spend more time trying to find ammo than weapons. Luckily, there are plenty of options to build up your stockpile. If you run into the Brotherhood of Steel Outcasts, Protector Casdin will trade you ammo for weapons. He'll take a variety of items in exchange for ammo. Before trading, know the value of your goods. You don't want to turn in a piece of valuable Enclave Power Armor for a meager amount of ammo when it can be sold for twice as much to a merchant.

13 Animals Can Save You

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Fallout 3 focuses more on action over role play. Health items, such as Stimpaks, are rare and expensive. There are cheaper ways to heal the Lone Wanderer, even when a bed isn't nearby. Most animals are easy to defeat. Even lower level Lone Wanderer can take out a Mole Rat.

Consuming the meat from animals will give you a health boost. Unfortunately, it has side effects, such as administering a small dose of radiation. It's a low price to pay for a cheap meal compared to using up one of your precious Stimpaks.

12 Quickly Swap Your Arsenal

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During the heat of battle, there isn't much time to scroll through your inventory for weapons or health items. If you find yourself struggling to win fights because you can't swap through your weapons fast enough, use hotkeys.

Hotkeys are available for both console and PC users.

Console users can set a quick menu by pressing the directional pad, while PC users can use assigned keys. Now you can access your most essential items without entering the Pip-Boy.

11 Not All Companions Are Equal

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The Lone Wanderer doesn't have to fight alone. There are a variety of companions to choose from. They all have different requirements before they will join you. Most will demand a "fee" for their services before leaving their home.

Gamers don't have to pick the first companion that offers to join. Choose the best partner for your play style. If you like to jump into battle, Dogmeat and Fawkes are the ideal choices. Star Paladin Cross and Charon are great choices if you prefer to sneak past your enemies.

10 Use Temporary Boosts

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Fallout 3 offers players a variety of skills. There aren't enough skill points to max out everything. Gamers will have to choose their ideal build carefully. If you decide that you'd rather focus on firearms instead of explosives, you may have trouble detonating the bomb in the middle of Megaton.

For users that want the elegant room inside of Tenpenny Tower, they don't have to throw too many points into their Explosive skills. Consuming Mentats will temporarily boost the Lone Wanderer's explosive skills to complete the terrible act.

9 Don’t Jump In Empty-Handed

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The Lone Wanderer as the potential to be a weapons expert. While they may not have enough skill points to become a master of every firearm, this shouldn't hold them back from being prepared in battle. Enemies may appear close, mid-range, or on top of a building. Though weapons add to carry weight, the lack of storage space is worth it.

Having a variety of weapons means that you'll always be prepared to take out anything that stands in your way.

This is especially helpful if your Lone Wanderer doesn't travel with Companions.

8 Let The Targeting System Do The Work

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Gamers new to the Fallout series may not have realized the power of V.A.T.S. This targeting system slows down time and gives you enough time to strike targets. While it may seem easier to strike without it, V.A.T.S. gives you more power.

V.A.T.S. allows you to hit targets for the maximum amount of damage that's possible. When it comes to mutated threats, you'll want to take them out as quickly as possible. If not, your Lone Wanderer may find their adventuring days cut short.

7 Don’t Waste Money On Services

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The Lone Wanderer doesn't have to do everything alone. They can make use of services within cities, such as medics and mechanics. All of these services cost money, especially if you're accident-prone. Learning Repair may seem unimportant compared to other combat skills, but it pays off.

Investing in Repair means that your character doesn't have to spend precious caps. They can use their extra weapons and materials to repair their weapons. It will save you caps in the long run.

6 Double Your Carry Weight

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The Lone Wanderer has limits to what they can carry. Though looting everything in an abandoned building may seem ideal, your character will run out of backpack space quickly.

Companions can hold onto any extra items.

They will happily hold onto any additional thing you don't want to carry. This has the potential to double what you can bring. The only exception is Dogmeat. Since Dogmeat has no pockets or backpack, he can't carry anything for you.