I'd love to get excited for New Vegas, but I feel like I'm missing something. Everyone else seems to know something I don't about this, and whatever I'm missing must be pretty huge. Please, could somebody enlighten me?
As far as I understand, NV will use the same engine as F3, same combat system, same interaction with NPCs and objects, etcetera. Features being touted as "new" include "lots of new weapons", a "new location" and "new monsters", all of which I see as being simply content additions that anyone can do (and have done, thousands of times) using the G.E.C.K construction kit and whatever 3D modelling program. I'm not excited for any of that. That's heavy DLC/mod territory.
Second point; I've also heard about the expanded Companion commands and weapon/ammo customisation. The latter admittedly does sound interesting, but the former just sounds like one of the many companion mods that have implemented extensive behavior modifications for companions in Fallout 3, probably far beyond the scope that will be in an unmodded game of NV.
Finally, the point I hear raised most often: that Obsidian are developing it. Well, unless they can do things with the game that an average person cannot create using the G.E.C.K, I still don't see the significance. Is it the story? Will you be buying it for the interesting dialog and quests they'll come up with? I might understand that, but I'm not sure I'd agree about paying full game price for what seems to me like a glorified expansion pack.
I know it sounds like I'm berating the game or wanting to hate it, but I really don't. I just don't understand the excitement, and feel my suspicions will be proven right when I finally play it and realise it's just an updated Fallout 3 with new models and textures. Maybe this hype is being generated mainly by the console crowd, who haven't experienced the huge and incredibly talented modding community-- or perhaps that is the problem? Have I been spoiled by mods so that any new "features" they make official simply feel old and done to me already?
Please prove me wrong. If not just for the story, what should I be excited about?