Attracted by this thread and led by nostalgia I've gave this project a try. I will compare to other servers I've played on (2238 obviously, TLA mk2, FOnline2 and Reloaded). I had a few evenings to spare, so why not?
First of all - starting up with some gear sounds awesome, but what use I can have from Mauser since I've decided to make pyromaniac character and ignore small guns as they are for pussies? In one of Fallout 2 mods there was a similiar idea but it was fitting the skills tagged more or less.
Worldmap travel speed - oh heavens here we go again, crippled pregnant snail is crawling between cities, one of the reasons unknown number of people decided to quit 2238. What purpose does it bring? Map is huge comparing to FOnline2's one, getting Pathfinder helps, getting a car helps even more, but it's just bad by design.
Combat - haven't checked TB mode, stupid spawning in the middle of mobs crowd no matter your PE is still present though. FOnline2 had it solved ages ago.
Crafting - hooray, 18 new items! Wait, what? MP5? SWAT vest? Uzi? Like what the hell? What setting is this? Reminds me those Russian servers with all the weapons in the world and their dogs mixed together no matter they fit lore or not. Removing advanced workbenches from towns - well yeah, hi-tech workbench placed at the back of filthy store or in some fogrotten dirty shack always made me laugh at Reloaded. But why on Earth put it in 3 places only? Especially that Mariposa one doesn't bring any danger or threat (30 HP dogs outside don't count), just mindless point&click to run through a couple of maps and elevators. Was that about to limit common and easy crafting of tier 3 equipment? Seriously? To make improved flamer?
Mining/gathering - didn't bother to check mining on Reloaded myself, on FOnline2 it's made from scratch so it's totally different, but if I've figured it out right, resources in mines respawn elsewhere in a mine right after as you deplete a pile. All I had to do is grab a hammer, stay there for ages and keep digging. The exception is Ghost Farm where I've established a settlement for the first try - nothing respawned there since I've mined it few days ago. Unguarded mines - cool there's something to fight against, not-cool this active coursor thingie doesn't work good enough and you actually have to have hammer/hatcher/knife in active hand. FOnline2 requires just to have it in inventory and that's it.
Trading - nonsense legacy of 2238 traders strikes back. You can't sell 10 mm ammo here, but you can sell flamer fuel. Over there you do opposite. And there you can't sell shit probably. This is so bad I won't even spit on this idea anymore. Of course due to playercount between 0 and 5 all the vendors have bazillions of caps.
Playercount - I've managed to meet 3,5 characters during entire stay: two TKs-something guys, one mysterious stranger wearing a balaclava and a bot in NCR's Bazaar. Didn't expect anything else to be honest, I know how to read player stats so no surprises here. The unexpected thing was that balaclava guy though. This has to be an ultimate form of autism to cover your identity on a server with population close to none. Advantage of this - all mines, cities, vendors etc are yours, you can select a house in any city and just use it as a base. Shame there's no parking slot in Hub Oldtown, I really like one house there to become my castle. I've found someone's secret stash in Redding, obviously it's not a secret anymore.
You better move, You better move, You better move, Really, Really, Really - what year is this, 2010 again?
Quests - haven't found any new, some ashaming leftovers from 2238 (Metzger's suitcase, woohoo, I've dreamed about it since I was 12).
I've read through project's forum to find some info or planned changes and frankly I can't explain the purpose of this server.
- Should it be yet another Reloaded clone that you can play on for an evening or two if you feel fancy to sense the stagnant smell of rotten 2238 spirit again?
- Something for hardcore roleplayers that take no hostages, ban for typing "xD" or "lol", enjoy permadeath, harshness, hours spent on getting the simplest guns etc.? Like Wasteland2155 in its intentions? Kilgore may still be in a possesion of some files or sketches of this project, I wish it ever works (2155, not Kilgore). For now FOnline Forever doesn't provide anything for this type of players apart from complete emptiness anywhere you go. Nobody will bother you and your friends if you decide to roleplay a bunch of gambling junkies drinking booze and throwing knives in one of New Reno's casino.
- My Very Own Server I Can Be The Admin On?
- A niche for people missing "good ol' 2238 fun", whatever this might be?
- Turboautists wearing balaclavas even though nobody can see them?
To sum up - since this thread has started in middle 2014 (and it states this is when the project has started as well), I'd expect much much more than few minor changes on Reloaded/2238 source, taking a few lazy afternoons to be made. In a current shape I honestly can't recommend it to anyone (apart from people mentioned above) as I couldn't recommend late 2238 with all its retarded and broken features.
I believe you might add "Alone" to the name of FOnline Forever and you will be justified.
