So, the other day I pre-ordered the Fallout 3 Collector's Edition. I
trust Bethesda to handle it right, and besides, the CE comes with a
Vault-Tec lunchbox and a Pip-Boy bobblehead.

I've also been playing Fallout Tactics again. Surprisingly, I
actually made it past the first mission without completely losing
interest. Then again, it may be because I've set an incredibly high
standard for myself: A solo playthrough as a melee/big guns
character, on Tough Guy mode (no saving except in bunkers :\ ). I'm
currently having difficulties with the Quincy mission, which would
have been a snap were I playing a Sneak character; no, instead, I get
to run around confronting multiple Deathclaws with my power fist and
my none-too-accurate Avenger minigun. (Perhaps if I'd notched my
Perception up higher than 1, it might actually be of use...)

Actually, the character I'm playing has several glaring flaws. I
stupidly picked Gambling as a tag (I mean, it's nice, it gets me free
stuff, but I haven't yet scored truly phat lewt with it). If I were
to do the character over, I'd definitely tag Sneak instead. And I'd
kick Endurance down to 1 and redistribute the points among
Intelligence and Perception (to help with the Minigunnage). I may
even take the Gifted trait (Which I've been dodging ever since I
discovered how much it cripples skill growth).

I've also been having the hankering to reinstall both Fallout 2 and
Arcanum. There's even been a fanpatch released for Arcanum: http://
rpgcodex.net/phpBB/
viewtopic.php?t=23720&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 . Warning,
though, page 16 and on of that thread focuses on Internet drama and
the patch author's stated intent to take his ball and go home.

The fanpatch's list of fixes is pretty impressive, and definitely
sounds like it'd make Arcanum a lot more fun. My only lament is that
the author fixed the exploit wherein you could make certain magic
effects permanent by means of manipulating one of the shield spells.
Ah, well; the Fallout 2 fanpatch similarly crippled the Pariah Dog
luck glitch, yet that patch is indispensable for any Fallout 2 needs
I'll have for the rest of my life.