The game begins in Vault 101. The protagonist matures and learns quickly, communicating with other residents of Vault. In 10 years, Warden presents the main character, Pip-Boy 3000A, and his father, James gives a first weapon. At 16, the character is a traditional test of "K. O. ZA ", by which determines the future of the profession shelter residents.
In 19 years, the protagonist learns that his father left the shelter. The son or daughter decides to follow him and leave the Vault. After that it gets the nickname Lone Wanderer.
The road leads him to Megaton - the closest city to the shelter. In the saloon Moriarty he learns that the shelter opened earlier research, but because of several deaths shortly before the birth of the hero he was again closed to anyone not to endanger. His father, he said, went to the radio station "News of the galaxy."
Further, the way a lone wanderer passes through the abandoned subway tunnels, the output of which he is faced with the Super Mutants, and a gang of raiders, but he promptly helped the Brotherhood of Steel soldiers, marching to the aid station. Inside the "Galaxy News" hero meets DJ Three Dog who asks to be of service: to find the relay and put on top of the Washington Monument to increase radio coverage area. Break the Historical Museum and take a plate of Lunokhod protagonist soldiers helped the Brotherhood of Steel. Upon completion of the mission Three Dog thanks stranger and says that his father went to Rivet City, referring to the project "Clean." The mission is also possible to bypass a conversation with Three Dog, use skills, "Eloquence," and perform it later.

In Rivet City Lone Wanderer meets Dr. Lee Madison - a scientist who worked with James on the project "Clean." She told me about his childhood hero, and said that his father went to the Jefferson Memorial. At the memorial it was found records of his father, in which he said that he went to the Vault 112 number to talk with Dr. Stanislas armor (Brown), the caretaker of the Vault. Lone Wanderer went out there and hit the virtual reality Tranquility Lane, which ran gone mad caretaker. The protagonist finds a way to get out of there with his father.
On his return James and the protagonist to the doctor whether the work on the project "Clean" is resumed. The Jefferson Memorial is a cleaner that jointly manages repaired. Just before starting the purifier Enclave soldiers arrive and capture the building. Colonel Autumn, threatening, trying to get James to give the technology, but provokes the release of radiation from which he killed and kills the soldier. Dr Lee with scientists escape through an underground passage leading to the Citadel of the Brotherhood of Steel. A further object of the hero becomes a Garden of Eden Creation Kit (GECK), with which you can begin restoring the ecological situation and the revival of the society.
Lone Wanderer is sent to the shelter number 87, which had previously been exposed to the virus FEV tests on people and meets friendly super mutant Fox learned to talk. If the protagonist releases super mutant, the one in exchange for the services rendered to him brings GECK of the most radioactive part of the Vault. After that, the protagonist is sent back, but gets trapped Enclave and regains consciousness only on their base in the canyon Raven Rock. It frees President John Henry Eden Enclave and gives it a cleaner chemicals that must finally destroy the mutants in the Capital Wasteland, although they are designed for water contamination. Colonel Autumn rebels against the president, but with the help of robots Eden stranger gets ou.
After returning to the main character of the Citadel Brotherhood of Steel initiate an operation to capture the Jefferson Memorial, under the control of anklavovtsev. To support the offensive is actively used by scientists revived the Brotherhood prewar machine designed for the release of the Chinese Alaska - a giant robot Liberty Prime, providing substantial assistance in suppressing the resistance of the Enclave. When he reached the memorial, the protagonist and Sara Lyons sneak inside. In the rotunda, they meet Colonel Autumn, after the victory over the hero who will decide what will happen to the Capital Wasteland in the future.
Endings
The game has an actual ending 4 and 32 varieties, depending on sex, race, color, karma, and the one who went to include cleaner. Actual ending:
1. You can only turn cleaner. This will clean the water and most of the mutants die or go away, and the main character in the game will fall into a coma for two weeks;
2. You can put chemicals and incorporate cleaner. This will lead to contamination of the water and the disastrous consequences for the inhabitants of the wasteland;
3. You can wait for the explosion of a cleaner or send Sarah to it is activated instead of the cleaner main character;
4. When the prescribed addition Broken Steel, and the presence of a companion of the hero super mutant Fox, Sergeant RL-3 or ghoul Charon can ask one of them to include cleaner.

Satellites
In some scenes quest NPCs can become companions of the hero. As such, they follow on the heels of the main character, to help him in the battle, in some cases, carried out his instructions and can communicate with the equipment. There are also long-term companions, who can travel to the main character throughout the game after the meeting. For most of the hiring of associates need a certain level of karma for some - good for others - neutral, and for the third - the evil.
At the same time the player can travel no more than two constant companions. In addition, there are temporary companions who join before the end of the heroic quest (if you prefer you can never finish, keeping the satellite). These characters are usually much less permanent, not all of them may carry gear to use weapons and armor, which gives them a player. However, they can be quite useful, especially early in the game.
Constant companions - a dog named Dogmeat and another companion, which may be human, ghoul, super mutant, or a robot. If Dogmeat die, then instead you can take the second satellite (to return the dog was made possible with the release of a supplement Broken Steel: perk "Puppies!", Which is made available to the 22 level, allows you to get a puppy that will grow rapidly and become a dog). In the case of death or dismissal of a second companion protagonist can hire another.
Gen. characters
The game uses a real-time prototype, is accelerated in the game. Many game events depend on the current time (the opening and closing of the store, the activity of the mutants, etc.). The game carried the day and night, the change of which also depends on the time.
Life NPCs in Fallout 3 is a certain degree of realism. Characters can peremeschatsya within its location, if necessary, specifically to travel from one place to another game world (including between locations), sit, lean against the walls, in some cases, to take on the present locations weapons, food, and drink, eat (using items your inventory and if necessary replenishing life points or not using these items), and sleep.
The main character can also sit down on the seat and sleep in designated areas. Bedtime hours the player chooses. Furthermore, for the protagonist realized the possibility of waiting for which, unlike the sleep, do not beds. The protagonist can not expect to sleep or when enemies are nearby, and wait if he is in the air or at high levels of radiation.

Karma and your own character
In Fallout 3, there is the concept of karma, which determines the character of the protagonist of his deeds in the game. At the beginning of the game neutral karma. A player may do good deeds (eg, to give water to the poor or to release prisoners), which resulted in his karma will rise, or make the crime (eg murder some positive characters) with a decrease in this indicator. Karma radically affect the attitude of many characters the player in the game and on its ending.
Also in the game there are a crime: minor and serious. For smaller items are stolen from the room directly from the owner, breaking the lock or terminal. If the landlord notice of the protagonist of such actions, then take away the stolen and make instruction. In the case of repeated attempts, he will attack the main character. Serious crimes are divided into attack and murder. When attacking you can try to give up, removing weapons, and if the character is initially neutral, the retaliatory attack on his part does not follow. If the hero commits a murder, then he tries to kill him.
In addition to objects, characters belong to some locations. In the city the presence of undesirable characters in many homes, as well as cafes and shops at night. But there are also entire location, such as Fort Independence, the owners of which will attack the hero, if he will go to their territory. As a rule, the owners of such sites or the initially hostile or neutral, but killing them gives good karma. However, if you establish a good relationship with the owners, they may be allowed to visit the location at any time. But to engage in dialogue can only be a neutral mood of the characters - characters hostile attack immediately.
Dialogues with the characters and trade
The game provides an opportunity for dialogue both between the NPC (does not affect gameplay), so between the NPC and the main character. When prompted, the protagonist of the dialogue with the NPC first remark says NPC. The main character is given the opportunity to choose an answer among the options presented, with the selected option might seriously affect the future course of events. Some replicas are opened only when the possession of any skill level above a certain, or if there is the main character of a certain perk. Some of the replicas are marked as "false", and under certain circumstances can reduce the karma of the hero.
There is also a replica of the reaction to the NPC that mixed and divided into positive and negative. Option reaction is chosen randomly with a probability that depends on the development of skills "eloquence," the main character, and the probability of fraud NPC. Such replicas are used protagonist, mainly for persuasion or intimidation characters.
In the game there are NPCs who give the protagonist the opportunity to trade a variety of subjects (sometimes - only at certain times of the day or week). The main character can communicate with traders both inventory items and bottle caps - the only currency in the game. The cost of the sale and purchase of items varies and depends on the ratio of the merchant to the protagonist, the skill "barter" and the protagonist of the quality status of the goods (if a weapon or suit). Some items can not be sold a particular dealer, some others are not fit to sell at all; quest items can not be sold.
Hacking locks and terminals
The game is available to hack locked containers and doors. To break the lock requires players barrettes scattered around the game world, along with other objects and used during the break-in as the master keys. The process of breaking the lock and a mini-game takes place with the help of a screwdriver (which is present by default) and pins inserted into the keyhole. For a complete turning a screwdriver is required to hairpin was in the correct position, in case of error barrette can irreversibly damaged. Also available is an option of breaking the lock pins without using force - the likelihood of a successful hacking accident, and in case of failure of the locking irreversibly broken (if the character has no counteracting perk), then can be opened only with a key.
The game sold hacking - hacking terminals. The terminal can store the necessary information to the player, it can also make any game action. The process of breaking a four password guessing attempts on the options presented. If you select the wrong password during the first three attempts terminal displays the number of letters guessed correctly in their positions. In the case of the fourth incorrect attempt terminal blocked, then it is impossible to crack.
As for the mechanical locks and for terminals, there are five levels of difficulty cracking. To be able to break the lock a certain level of skill is required a rather high "hack" in the case of the terminal - a fairly high skill "science." Locks of different difficulty levels have a different number of possible positions of the pins, in accordance with the difficulty level of protection of the terminal changing the number of letters in the password.

Health characters, stimulants, food and beverages
The game has different effects that lead to a decrease in the number of points of life of the characters. Damage can be applied to parts of the body of the character separately. There is both a character's overall health, and private figures for individual parts of the body. The body of different types of characters in the game mechanics is divided into several parts, for example, in humans, ghouls and super mutants is the head, torso, arms and legs (left and right). When the indicator of the health of the body is cleared, it is injured, causing negative effects (eg, visual impairment due to head trauma or low-speed movement of a leg injury). Also attack weapon damage can be obtained due to a fall from a great height, from a long stay under water without oxygen and so on. Health NPCs and the main character can be restored with the help of a dream, a stimulant, food, water, mini bolnichki or with the doctor.
On health protagonist is also affected by secondary factors. Chief among these is radiation poisoning at a critical level in the body is the number of points of life of the protagonist begins to decrease, which may result in death. Radiation sickness can be healed antiradinom mini bolnichku or with the doctor.
Points of life can be replenished as food and beverages. Wastes can be found on food products left over from pre-war times, but they tend to be radioactive, and their shelf life has expired long ago. In addition, food and animal meat Useful mutants that also radioactive. Less common are fresh, not radiation irradiated fruits, vegetables and ready meals. If there is a particular perk protagonist can eat human flesh, and that restores hit points, but as a result of each of these feast hero loses karma. To improve health can also use ordinary water, which in the game is divided into radioactive and purified. There are non-alcoholic beverages, which increase health - "Nuka-Cola" and "Quantum Nuka-Cola."
The game has a lot of stimulating (narcotic) drugs that temporarily increase damage resistance (Med-X [12]), applied character, resistance to radiation (Rad-X), the amount of damage caused to the character (psycho) or increase attributes (baffaut, Mentats) . For partial replenishment of health character used stimulants. Alcohol present in the game, able to temporarily raise the value of certain skills and options SPECIAL character. "Stealth Boy" raises the level of secrecy. Some of the above funds (Med-X, psycho, baffaut, Mentats and alcohol) at multiple reception addictive (if a character does not have the opposing perk). The dependence is expressed in the appearance of visual distortions and negative impact on the skills and options SPECIAL. This disease is treated by a doctor or a mini-laboratory in his house or suite.
Weapons and Costumes
The game provides an opportunity to battle with the characters using fists, weapons and explosives. For the fist fight with fists and weapons meets the skill "without weapons", the fight for the cold - "Cold Steel" for fire-fighting weight and small size (pistols, submachine guns, shotguns, rifles, etc.) - "Easy weapon" for the fight much weight and size (grenade launchers, minigun, flamethrowers and more) - "heavy weapons" for the battle of the laser and plasma - "Energooruzhie" of explosives (mines and grenades) - "Explosive". It is possible to neutralize delivered mines, explosives underlay in inventory (followed by the explosion). Most models have a unique weapon modification, usually endowed with any special abilities - increased damage resistance, and so on. D. Some weapons have effects.
Fallout 3 offers a wide range of costumes. Almost all the NPCs have their own costumes, which can range from the pre-war civilian clothes, provide an extremely weak protection against the effects of weapons, radiation and mutants to severe kinds of equipment (eg power armor), provides good protection. The protection level is determined by a single parameter: "resistance to damage" (SU). Hats and helmets in the game can get on and off independently of the majority of the costumes. In a separate category, you can highlight the power armor, which is necessary to wear special training, after which the character gains the ability to "ability to wear power armor." Some items of clothing in Fallout 3 have different effects - such as the increase or decrease in any parameters or SPECIAL skills or a certain degree of protection against radiation.
All weapons and costumes worn when using and when there is no break repair. With a decrease in the quality of weapons reduced its damage (and reloading weapons can jam) [9], and with a decrease in the quality of the suit - its resistance to damage; thus reducing the cost of the weapon or costume. Completely broken item can not be used, and the sale, he is 0 caps. How worn and broken item can be repaired independently with the help of other suitable parts of the subject, and some NPC, if they can repair this thing. In both cases, the level of health of the subject after the repair depends on the skill "Repair" character, a repair technician.
It is also possible to create your own weapons from a variety of objects found on wasteland. To create such a weapon requires a workbench, the scheme and the necessary materials. It has certain advantages over other types of weapons of this type. Schemes may be in certain places, or sold by traffickers to be the reward for the quest. Hits schemes affect the quality or quantity of weapons (for explosives).
The combat system and V.A.T.S.
In Fallout 3, there is the possibility to conduct armed attacks to almost all the characters (except children) in real time, with or without the use of various weapons. NPCs can attack the main character and each other in the same mode. Weapons, ammunition requires, has a limited capacity of the shop is required to recharge interval.
The game uses a "system of automated guided Vault-Tec», or VATS (Eng. Vault-Tec Auto Targeting System), which allows the player to determine The order of the actions in firing at the enemy. At the time of engagement VATS playing time stops and the screen is centered on the character of the target. The player has the opportunity to choose your character's body parts in the order in which the protagonist will make shots in the next moment, without the participation of the player. At the same probability of hitting the VATS mode It may vary due to different factors; when selecting parts of opponent's body appears on the screen projected percentage chance to hit. The number of actions in the mode VATS, available to the player is limited by the amount of action points (OD). It depends on the characteristics of the weapons available to the protagonist of perks. In different parts of the body can spend a different amount of action points. By reducing the number of action points the figure arbitrarily restored over time. When shooting without using VATS as part of the damage it falls on those parts of the body that have been damaged as a result of the attack.
Critical hit - attack, which resulted in deals to increased damage. If after a critical attack firearms character dies, possibly tearing his limbs or his decapitation [8]; if a critical hit is conducted energy weapon, the enemy can be disintegrated (eg, transformed into a substance called "viscous slurry"). Critical damage is random, the probability of its occurrence is responsible Skill "luck" character, conducting a critical hit. Crit can also be applied if the opponent can not see the protagonist ..
If you have the perk "mysterious stranger" in the battle may appear to a person charged "Magnum" 44 caliber, which causes considerable damage to the part of the protagonist.
Almost all the characters can be killed. Some plot important NPCs in the case of loss of life points only to lose consciousness for a few seconds, and then come to life.
Deaths (including disintegrated) characters can scour the protagonist. The player is available for almost the entire inventory of the character a human body mutants and some of the technical details of such robots in a search.