Fallout 3 loading screens

This page is a list of loading screen hints and slides found in Fallout 3.

Background
The loading screens show snippets of the general information that is found in the stats section under the general tab on the player character's Pip-Boy 3000, along with information regarding the various perks, creatures, factions, people, and locations of the game. The backgrounds, like the game introduction sequence, look like old projector slides. They show various articles and advertisements, most of which can be found as posters in the game, along with slides from the G.O.A.T. examination. A minimalistic clock face shows loading time with a simple, endless circle animation, as opposed to loading progress. It also displays helpful game hints.

General

 * The Capital Wasteland lacks a unified government, and any institutional system of crime and punishment. If you wrong someone, prepare to pay with your life.
 * The only way to reach the super mutant-occupied D.C. ruins is by traveling underground, usually through the abandoned Metro tunnels.

Combat

 * Crouching will both improve your accuracy, and activate sneak mode.
 * Picking someone's pocket and placing a mine or grenade in their inventory will activate the explosive... and cause one heck of a mess.
 * Want to prevent an enemy from fleeing? Cripple the legs.
 * Zooming in with a ranged weapon slows you down, but improves your accuracy.
 * Heavier weapons and apparel will slow you down when they're equipped.
 * You can run faster with your weapon holstered.
 * If you start a fight you can't finish, try putting away your weapon. Your opponent just might forgive you...

Stealth

 * Running is noisier than walking and makes you easier to detect, even if you are sneaking.
 * Stealth is affected by many factors, including light level, sound generated, weight and bulk of worn apparel, and line-of-sight.
 * If you want to stay hidden, stick to the shadows, move slowly, try to stay behind your opponent... and turn off your Pip-Boy light!
 * The light generated from your Pip-Boy light actually makes you less stealthy. If you want to effectively sneak, turn it off.

S.P.E.C.I.A.L.

 * Strength affects how much you can carry, and determines the effectiveness of all melee attacks.
 * Perception determines when red tick marks (which indicate threats) appear on your compass.
 * A high Perception grants a bonus to the Explosives, Lockpick and Energy Weapons skills.
 * A high Endurance gives bonuses to Health, environmental resistances, and the Big Guns and Unarmed skills.
 * High Charisma gives bonuses to both the Barter and Speech skills.
 * Intelligence determines your effectiveness with the Science, Repair, and Medicine skills.
 * The higher your Intelligence, the more Skill Points you'll be able to distribute when you level up.
 * Raising your Luck raises all of your skill values, and improves your Critical Chance with all weapons.

Skills

 * In general, the higher your Barter skill, the lower your prices on purchased items.
 * The Big Guns skill determines your combat effectiveness with the Fat Man, Rock-It Launcher, Missile Launcher, Flamer, Gatling Laser and Minigun.
 * The Energy Weapons skill determines your effectiveness with the Alien Blaster, Laser Pistol, Laser Rifle, Mesmetron, Plasma Rifle and Plasma Pistol.
 * The Explosives skill determines the power of any set mines, the ease of disarming any hostile mines, and the effectiveness of any thrown grenades.
 * The Unarmed skill is used for fighting without a weapon, or with hand-to-hand weapons like Brass Knuckles or the Power Fist.
 * The Medicine skill determines the effectiveness of a Stimpak used to heal Health or damaged limbs.
 * The Repair skill allows you to maintain any weapons and apparel.
 * The Science skill represents your combined scientific knowledge, and is primarily used to hack restricted computer terminals.
 * Small Guns determines your effectiveness with conventional projectile weapons, including the 10mm Pistol, BB Gun, Assault Rifle, and Combat Shotgun.
 * The Melee Weapons skill determines your effectiveness with any melee weapon, from a simple lead pipe to the high-tech Super Sledge.
 * The Lockpick skill is used to open locked doors and containers.
 * The Speech skill governs how much you can influence someone through dialogue, and gain access to information they might otherwise not want to share.

Perks

 * With the Animal Friend perk, you will never be the victim of an unprovoked attack from any animal.
 * With the second rank of the Animal Friend perk, animals will come to your aid in combat (but not against other animals).
 * With the Action Boy perk, you gain an additional 20 Action Points to use in V.A.T.S.
 * With the Better Criticals perk, you gain a 50% damage bonus every time a critical hit is scored on an opponent.
 * The Child at Heart perk improves your interactions with children with unique dialogue choices.
 * With the Comprehension perk, you gain one additional skill point whenever a skill book is read.
 * Fail a hack attempt and get locked out of a computer? Not if you're a Computer Whiz! With this perk, you can attempt to re-hack any computer you were previously locked out of.
 * With Concentrated Fire, your accuracy to hit any body part in V.A.T.S. increases slightly with each subsequent hit on that body part.
 * Once you have the Contract Killer perk, any Good human or Ghoul character you kill will have an ear on their corpse, which can be sold or traded to a certain Evil character...
 * The Cyborg perk adds 10 points to your Damage, Poison and Radiation Resistances, and 10 points to your Energy Weapons skill.
 * With the Daddy's Boy perk, a male character gains an additional 5 points to both the Science and Medicine skills.
 * With the Daddy's Girl perk, a female character gains an additional 5 points to both the Science and Medicine skills.
 * With each rank of the Demolition Expert perk, all of your explosive weapons do an additional 20% damage.
 * With the Educated perk, you gain three more skill points every time you advance in level.
 * With the Entomologist perk, you do an additional +50% damage every time you attack a mutated insect.
 * When you choose the Explorer perk, every location in the world is revealed on your map. So get out there and explore!
 * With the Finesse perk, you gain an additional +5% chance to score a critical hit on an opponent in combat.
 * With the Fortune Finder perk, you'll find considerably more Nuka-Cola caps in containers than you normally would.
 * With each rank of the Gun Nut perk, you gain an additional 5 points to the Small Guns and Repair skills.
 * The Here and Now perk immediately grants an additional experience level, complete with all the advantages that brings.
 * With the Impartial Mediation perk, you gain an extra 30 points to speech... so long as you maintain a Neutral karma level.
 * With the Infiltrator perk, you gain one more chance to pick any lock broken by an unsuccessful "Force Lock" attempt.
 * With the Intense Training perk, you can put a single point into any of your S.P.E.C.I.A.L. attributes.
 * With the Iron Fist perk, you do an additional 5 points of Unarmed damage per rank.
 * Once you have the Lawbringer, any Evil human or Ghoul character you kill will have a finger on their corpse, which can be sold or traded to a certain Good character...
 * With the Lead Belly perk, you take 50% less radiation every time you drink from an irradiated water source.
 * With each rank in the Life Giver perk, you gain an additional 30 Hit Points.
 * With the Light Step perk, you'll never set off an enemy's mines or floor-based mechanical traps.
 * When you take the Master Trader perk, the price of every item you buy from a vendor is reduced by 25%.
 * With the Mister Sandman perk, you can perform a special move that instantly kills any sleeping character, and will gain bonus XP for doing so.
 * With the Mysterious Stranger perk, your own personal guardian angel appear occasionally in V.A.T.S. mode to lend a hand... with deadly efficiency.
 * You've been pushed around long enough! With the Nerd Rage perk, your Strength is raised to 10 and you gain 50% to Damage Resistance whenever your Health drops to 20% or below.
 * The Ninja perk grants you the power of the fabled shadow warriors, and increases your chance to do critical hits, and the damage of each.
 * With the Paralyzing Palm perk, you will sometimes perform a special V.A.T.S. palm strike that paralyzes your opponent for 30 seconds.
 * With the Pyromaniac perk, you do +50% damage with fire-based weapons, like the Flamer and Shishkebab.
 * Rad Resistance allows you to—what else? -- resist radiation. This Perk grants an additional 25% to Radiation Resistance.
 * With the Robotics Expert perk, you do an additional 25% damage to any robot in combat.
 * If you have the Robotics Expert perk and sneak up on a hostile robot undetected, you can put that robot a permanent shutdown state.
 * Each rank of the Scoundrel perk raises your Speech and Barter skills by 5 points.
 * With the Scrounger perk, you'll find considerably more ammunition in containers than you normally would.
 * With the Silent Running perk, you gain 10 points to your Sneak skill, and running no longer factors into a successful sneak attempt.
 * With the Sniper Perk, your chance to hit an opponent's head in V.A.T.S. is significantly increased.
 * With the Solar Powered perk, you gain an additional 2 points to Strength when in direct sunlight, and slowly regenerate lost Health.
 * With the Strong Back perk, you can carry 50 more pounds of equipment.
 * With each rank in the Swift Learner perk, you gain an additional 10% to total Experience Points whenever Experience Points are earned.
 * The Tag! perk allows you to select a fourth Skill to be a Tag Skill, meaning it immediately raises by 15 points.
 * With each rank of the Thief perk, you gain an immediate bonus of 5 points to both the Sneak and Lockpick skills.
 * With the Toughness perk, you gain +10% to overall Damage Resistance.

Tenpenny Tower

 * Tenpenny Tower is the brainchild of Allistair Tenpenny, a British refugee who came to the Capital Wasteland seeking his fortune.
 * Allistair Tenpenny now rarely leaves the comfort and safety of his penthouse suite. His is a madness reserved for the obscenely rich.

Big Town

 * Although it has some crude fortifications, Big Town is the subject of constant attack from Slavers and Super Mutants, who view it as an easy target.
 * The population of Big Town has dwindled significantly in recent years. Most of the residents have been killed or dragged off by Slavers or Super Mutants.
 * The residents of Big Town are all refugees of another settlement, from which they were forcibly expelled...

Canterbury Commons

 * Canterbury Commons is the end of the Capital Wasteland's established merchant caravan route.
 * The remains of a large robot repair center loom over the settlement of Canterbury Commons.
 * Canterbury Commons has become a constant battleground for two costumed "super humans"—the sinister AntAgonizer and misguided Mechanist.

Megaton

 * At the center or Megaton's crater sits an undetonated atomic bomb, a remnant of the great conflict that destroyed the world.
 * Some of Megaton's first settlers were lured by the misguided hope of entering the nearby Vault 101.
 * Some Megaton residents wonder who's really in charge—Sheriff Simms, or saloon owner Colin Moriarty...
 * The members of the Church of the Children of Atom worship Megaton's atomic bomb.
 * Word is that Moira Brown, the eccentric owner of Craterside Supply, is looking for assistance on a new project.
 * The residents of Megaton feel safe behind their metal walls. Ironic, considering their proximity to a live atomic bomb.
 * The Church of the Children of Atom believe the war of 2077 was actually a great holy event perpetuated by their god, Atom.

Rivet City

 * The fore section of Rivet City is split from the rest of the carrier, and occupied by hostile Mirelurks.
 * What was once a small scientific community gradually grew into Rivet City, the largest settlement in the Capital Wasteland.
 * Doctor Madison Li, member of Rivet City's ruling council, is one of the greatest scientific minds of her generation.
 * Rivet City has no holding facilities for criminals, and zero tolerance for crime.
 * Security Chief Harkness and his officers are authorized to use deadly force when dealing with any and all transgressors.

Underworld

 * Underworld has become a haven for disenfranchised Ghouls throughout the Capital Wasteland.
 * Underworld was formed in the remains of the Museum of History's special exhibit, which showcased different civilizations' views on the afterlife.
 * The Ghouls of Underworld generally aren't bothered by D.C.'s Super Mutants, but resent the Brotherhood of Steel for turning their back yard into a warzone.

Tranquility Lane

 * Historical algorithms engaged. Processing Capital Post articles. Extrapolating American cultural references.
 * Loading Tranquility Lane simulation. Please stand by.
 * Vault-Tec prototype simulation engaged. Active program: Tranquility Lane.
 * Accept your perceived reality.

Vault 101

 * The Overseer is the incontestable leader of Vault 101, and his word is law.
 * At age 10, every Vault 101 resident receives a Pip-Boy 3000 personal information processor.
 * At age 16, every Vault 101 resident takes the Generalized Occupational Aptitude Test, or G.O.A.T., which helps determine job placement.
 * Vault 101 security officers are hand-picked by the Overseer himself for their discretion and loyalty.
 * Vault 101's residents remain protected from the outside world, with the exception of the occasional Radroach attack.

Factions

 * Raiders take whatever they want, whenever they want, and their favorite pastimes are torture and murder.
 * No job is too nasty for the mercenaries of Talon Company. If you encounter these heartless opportunists, be prepared for a fight to the death.

Robots

 * The Mister Gutsy model of robot was commissioned by the U.S. Army just before the atomic apocalypse of 2077.
 * Mister Gutsy is a combat variant of the popular Mister Handy, and is equipped with a Plasma weapon and flamethrower.
 * The sturdy Protectron model of robot was created before the great war, and served as a security automaton in both the private and business sectors.
 * The Robobrain, constructed by General Atomics International before the great nuclear war, is unique in that it uses an actual organic brain as its central processor.
 * Eyebots spread President Eden's pre-recorded Enclave message throughout the Capital Wasteland.
 * Disable a robot's Combat Inhibitor, and the confused machine will go into a killing frenzy, attacking friend and foe alike.

Animals

 * A Glowing One uses its special ability to deliver radiation to its enemies, and heal any nearby Feral Ghouls.
 * Disabling the antennae of insects, like the Giant Ants, will make them frenzy and attack anything nearby.
 * Super Mutants are often accompanied by Centaurs, which serve as "watchdogs" and alert their masters to danger.
 * Ghouls, both "normal" and Feral, are not only immune to radiation... they're healed by it.
 * Feral Ghouls have lost the ability to reason, and will attack any human on sight.
 * A Glowing One is a unique Feral Ghoul that has become a living conduit of radiation.
 * Mirelurk Kings use a devastating sonic attack to debilitate their foes from afar.
 * Yao Guai are fast, powerful predators, and are descended from the area's black bears.
 * Throughout the years since the bombs first fell, dogs have remained largely unaltered by radiation.
 * Deathclaws are some of the most frightening creatures ever encountered by settlers in the Capital Wasteland. Their speed and ferocity are matched only by the size of their claws...
 * Mirelurks are naturally armored throughout their body... with the exception of the face. Try using V.A.T.S. to target this area, and kill them before they get close enough to attack.

Operation: Anchorage

 * Loading Anchorage, Alaska simulation. Mission: the Liberation of Anchorage Alaska from Communist Chinese forces. Safeties: Disengaged.
 * Loading Anchorage, Alaska simulation. Motion sickness is normal, and will subside momentarily.
 * The VSS Facility, like those operated by many civilian contractors before the nuclear war, was eventually acquired by the U.S. Army and adapted for practical military applications.
 * The Brotherhood Outcasts now control the VSS Facility, and hope to gain access to the advanced technology contained within.
 * Welcome to Anchorage, soldier! Fight like you mean it, and we'll have you home by Christmas!
 * U.S. Army Historical Archives: Anchorage, Alaska was invaded by Communist Chinese forces in the winter of 2066.

Point Lookout

 * Thousands of Confederate prisoners of war died near Point Lookout in the later years of the American Civil War.
 * The unchecked forces of erosion have carved sinkholes and grottoes throughout Point Lookout.
 * Point Lookout remained very rural and isolated until the Isla Negra real estate company purchased land and began developing new homes and attractions.
 * The Swampfolk denizens of Point Lookout are the product of exposure to heavy radiation and generations of poor breeding.
 * Point Lookout is said to be one of the most haunted locations in Maryland.
 * Point Lookout's rural location shielded it from direct impact during the Great War, but the resulting fallout has irradiated the area in the intervening years.
 * Point Lookout's swamps are rich in natural gases, which sometimes manifest on the surface as explosive methane bubbles.
 * Mirelurks thrive in the humidity of Point Lookout's coastal shores and viciously defend their territory.
 * The Turtledove Detention camp was built near Point Lookout because of its isolated location.
 * Swampfolk have no organized society or creed, but seem to mark their territory with totems of wood and bones.
 * Smugglers roam Point Lookout, hoping to find their fortune scavenging this relatively undisturbed desolation.
 * Blackhall Manor was the ancestral home of a wealthy family before the Great War.
 * The Calvert Family had a long history in Point Lookout, but Calvert Mansion is all that remains of their legacy.
 * Coastal shipwrecks and bouys are good places to seek sunken riches.
 * The Ark & Dove Cathedral is named for two English settler ships which landed near Point Lookout in 1634, leading to Maryland's founding.

Combat

 * You can run faster with your weapon holstered.
 * Repair your weapons regularly—the lower the condition, the lower a weapon's effectiveness.
 * The lower the condition of your armor or clothing, the less damage it resists in combat.
 * Limb damage can be repaired directly by applying Stimpaks to affected areas, using the Pip-Boy.
 * Heavier weapons and apparel will slow you down when they're equipped.
 * Zooming in with a ranged weapon slows you down, but improves your accuracy.
 * Crouching will both improve your accuracy, and activate sneak mode.
 * Want to prevent an enemy from fleeing? Cripple the legs.
 * Picking someone's pocket and placing a mine or grenade in their inventory will activate the explosive... and cause one heck of a mess.
 * A weapon's DAM indicates its approximate damage, and is modified by factors like the weapon's condition, and your associated skill.
 * If you start a fight you can't finish, try putting away your weapon. Your opponent just might forgive you...

Crime

 * The Capital Wasteland lacks a unified government, and any institutional system of crime and punishment. If you wrong someone, prepare to pay with your life.
 * The Capital Wasteland lacks an institutional system of crime and punishment. If you wrong someone, prepare to pay with your life.

General

 * You can restore Health by using a Stimpak, eating food, drinking from a water source, or sleeping in a bed.
 * Sleeping in any bed will fully restore your Health and heal any crippled body parts.
 * Drinking from a water source is always a tactical choice—you will usually restore lost Health, but raise your radiation level.
 * Press and hold your Pip-Boy button to turn the Pip-Boy light off and on.
 * Sleeping in a rented or owned bed will give you a "Well Rested" bonus that boosts your earned XP for several hours.
 * Things a bit too tough, or too easy? You can pause the game and modify the difficulty at any time.
 * Changing the difficulty affects how hard combat is. But you'll also get more or less XP for killing enemies.
 * The only way to reach the Super Mutant-occupied D.C. ruins is by traveling underground, usually through the abandoned Metro tunnels.

Stealth

 * Running is noisier than walking and makes you easier to detect, even if you are sneaking.
 * Stealth is affected by many factors, including light level, sound generated, weight and bulk of worn apparel, and line-of-sight.
 * The light generated from your Pip-Boy light actually makes you less stealthy. If you want to effectively sneak, turn it off.
 * If you want to stay hidden, stick to the shadows, move slowly, try to stay behind your opponent... and turn off your Pip-Boy light!

Cut

 * In the year 2277, Washington D.C. has been reduced to a nuclear-shattered Wasteland, where the noble forces of the Brotherhood of Steel wage constant war against an army of hideous Super-Mutants.
 * Energy Weapons include the Alien Blaster, Cryolator and Mesmetron.
 * Endurance influences HPs, Resistances and the Big Guns and Unarmed Skills.
 * Agility influences the Small Guns and Sneak Skills, and the number of Action Points.