The Rock Collecting Mod Walkthrough ----------------------------------- By Per Jorner 100124 The Rock Collecting Mod is a rock collecting mod for Fallout 2 by me. It can be a little tricky though, for people who don't collect rocks on a regular basis anyway. For this reason I have at last put together a helpful list of where the rocks and other things can be found. General tips ------------ * I would recommend that you tag weapon skills like Small Guns, Big Guns and Melee Weapons. * Set your stats to something like ST 5, PE 8, EN 10, CH 1, IN 1, AG 10, LK 5. It helps to have lots of AP and HP. If you want you can trade in the chance for an occasional critical (LK) for some skill points (IN). * Don't take Gifted, as the skill penalties will hurt you a lot. Beside weapon skills you'll need to use Lockpick and will probably want to use First Aid and Doctor a little for healing. * You will want to get Lockpick to at least 35% eventually. * You can count on getting to level 3, so you will get one perk. I'd consider Thief for the bonus to Lockpick and Traps; you could also take Healer or Quick Pockets, but they'll probably matter little at that stage. * For any ammo you find, there is a matching weapon. * The readme file for the mod states that "there is no case in which you have to chase a few brown or black pixels with the mouse pointer among a mass of brown and black scenery". This is true for some definitions of "a few". It definitely helps if you have a keen sense of what the outline of a Fallout Rock looks like! * Oh, and you're not just looking for Rocks. You *will* need to spot other hidden items and containers. * If you fight for instance the robot doctor, try to ignore messages such as "Peasant misses". Beginning and bottom left ------------------------- * After starting the game, go directly to the exit grid on the right. Once you're on the rock map, pick up and wear the Leather Jacket. * The manhole cover directly in front of you can be manipulated. Do so to reveal Rock #1. * There is a stunted tree directly to the right of the manhole cover. On the left side of it, the rounded corner of Rock #2 can be seen. * If you look below and to the left of the same tree, there's a hidden Back Pack with a Stimpak and a little ammo. * There are a few giant ants around that might attack you at this point. You should able to kill them easily with your Spear. * Follow the junk to the right. Between the second pile of tyres and the seat on the cinder blocks there's a hidden Grenade. * Near the end of the junk, Rock #3 is easily spotted by a swivel chair and a toilet. * If you go up you will see a barrel and a pole. The hay hides an Electronic Lockpick. * Go back left towards the hospital entrance. There's some ammo behind the small shed. * You may attract the attention of one of the dogs in the woods to the left, in which case you'll just have to take it out. Hospital -------- * Enter the hospital and beat up any ants that didn't venture outside already. * Talk to the robot doctor, it's pretty funny. Killing it may be tough at this point, but doing so yields some xp and medical supplies (although the Paramedics Bag is bugged and doesn't help with anything). * From the floor you can pick up a Beer, 2 Stimpaks, Money and the ever-useful Tome of Geological Prowess. When you use this book, time will pass, which is helpful if it gets dark (which it probably will once you start using healing skills). * Surely the ant nest is hiding something? Yes, Rock #4 protrudes in the upper right. * In the northern part of the building there's some ammo on the floor and two lockers containing among other things a Desert Eagle with some ammo and two books that boost useful skills. * Leave through the door on the right. There's a Shovel on the ground a little below the door and you need to take this. Upper right ----------- * Rock #5 is lying in the open by the pots. * Also note that the fourth pot from the left can be searched. That's Rock #6 and a healing Fruit. * The spore plants in the field can be killed easily using the Spear. If you think there might be a Rock hidden in the field, you're right: #7 is just to the right of the topmost spore plant, behind the top of a red cornstalk. There are also 2 Xander Root and 1 Broc Flower for those who collect everything. * Enter the fenced-in area above. To the right of the tank is a crate with Rock #8 and some junk. On the ground you will also find Brass Knuckles, some Flamethrower Fuel and another Water Flask. * Look at the upper left part of the fence. Between the barrels, there's Rock #9 disguised as part of the fence. * In case geckos are wandering in from the left, I'd suggest using the gun on them. Upper middle ------------ * Proceed to the left, killing any geckos and scorpions you encounter. They may have wandered a bit from where they started. One of the geckos will have Rock #10 on it. * Take note of the three grassy piles out in the open. The top left one actually hides a grave. Uncover the grave with the Shovel and search it for Rock #11 and a Stimpak. * In the burned-out house, you will find Beer, a Molotov Cocktail and a stash with a 10mm SMG, a Minigun and some ammo. * The junkie has three different sets of floats. You reach the second set if you use Beer or some other drug with a duration effect on him, or if he spawns Jet and uses it on himself. You then reach the third set if you also use some chem on yourself. He will tell you about the Back Pack, but little else (except funny things). It's interesting that in 2003 I could envision (though not actually expect - I think) a Fallout 3 using the same engine as Fallout 2. * You can steal Jet from the junkie. This is a better idea than killing him, since he will keep spawning more of it, and it helps in the tougher battles. * Examine the pile of rocks above and to the left of the junkie's house. There are two things here: Rock #12 on the ground to the left of the pile, and a hidden workbench above that. The workbench holds a syringe of Mutagenic Serum which will be very useful. Centre ------ * Go right from the house to find a monument. There's something odd about it... actually there is a hidden compartment on the left side of the pillar. It's locked (you need Lockpick 21% to have any chance at all of opening it) but once opened surrenders Rock #13, a Laser Pistol and a Stimpak. If you have trouble with the lock, you will find some picks eventually that will allow you to open it no matter your skill level. * The egg beside the monument can be killed for 10 xp. * Go into the woods and kill any remaining dogs. By this time you should have gained a level and can put a few skill points in Doctor, Lockpick or a weapon skill. * If you look at the pale yellow grass to the right of the barrel of goo, you will spot the handle of a Grease Gun. It will do nicely for taking care of any silly animals that remain. * Rock #14 is almost directly south of this, looking like a bulge near the bottom of a thin tree trunk. * Exit the woods to the east. Behind the fence under the lamppost you can see Rock #15. Lower middle and left --------------------- * Go straight down to find the telescope. The operator will drop a hint about the Rock-eating gecko, and there's a (useless) book in the grass. * Behind the nearby tent you'll find Rock #16. Inside there's some junk on the floor (Boots, three sorts of books). Kill the mantis outside. * Go up to the toll booth. Rock #17 is hidden in a string of rocks by the gate. * The ghost deathclaw isn't very useful; killing it yields a little xp but no items. A pot in the booth has a much more interesting Expanded Lockpick Set which will help with the monument. * At the beach, some planks stick out in the water, with Rock #18 at the end. * A little north of that, there's a mine between a tree and a barrel. * The fire gecko starts out around here, but can move pretty much all over the map. As it says in the readme, it won't attack you unprovoked, but it's on the same team as the other geckos (that start out at the top) so it will come to their defence. If you want to kill it, you had better have a good plan (like shooting it with a rocket). Upper left ---------- * If you go up past the "bathhouse", you'll see a lake of goo with a small island in it. On this island is a shiny Rock +2 and some sort of tunnel. You can't get there in this version of the mod, though. * To the left of the lake is the rock garden where the scorpions start out. Appropriately there are no less than 4 Rocks here: #19 near the bottom, above and to the left of a piece of rusted metal, #20 further above and to the left of this, sticking out just beneath a green bush, #21 fully visible at the top left of the garden, and #22 on the other side of the big pile, partially obscured by another green bush. * For Rock #23, follow the tracks and look in the grass under the cactus. * If you open the locker by the door there's a Cookie and a dose of Psycho. * Inside the installation is a super mutant. Administer the Mutagenic Serum to kill him and secure Rock #24 and a Rocket Launcher. You will also get 1000 xp and probably level up. * The door to the next room is locked. The Electronic Lockpick will be of help here. You need Lockpick 51% (31% with the Lockpick) to have any chance at all of opening the door. Failing that, you can destroy it with three hits from the Rocket Launcher, the Molotov Cocktail and/or the Grenade. If you didn't start with ST 6, you can use Jet to meet the Strength requirement of the Rocket Launcher. * All three containers in here are locked (same difficulty as the monument), and there's a mine in front of the lockers. The desk has a Plasma Pistol and a book to help your Energy Weapons skill. The left locker has 2 Stimpaks and a suit of Tesla Armor which beats your Leather Jacket in just about every way, the right locker has Rock #25. * Killing the mutants is difficult and not necessary, but you can do it using for instance Jet and a few rockets. Note that they'll be hostile if you attacked the mutant in the first room instead of killing it with the serum. Endgame ------- * Go back to the bottomless pit and look at the tree directly east of it. The poor box is visible between the rocks and the tree. * Put the 25 Rocks in the poor box and you have won! Nothing actually happens, but believe me, you won. * Optionally go and kill anything you left standing.