Where to head after Goodsprings?

[Poobah Gorg]

I seem to have finished all the quests in/around Goodsprings. Including the one where the powder gang comes to town. Killed the ones at the west camp as well as the ones on the way to the quarry. I got that one hidden something something with the traps over by somewhere somewhere (spoilers!). When I got up to the quarry, I couldn't beat even one of the creatures they're having a problem with. I seem to be able to kill everyone/everything else I've encountered without much trouble, so looks like I want to level up a bit more and head back afterward?

I'm level 4 now, and I appear to be a little bit stuck. Where should I go next?

[Papa Shekels]

I assume you're talking about Quarry Junction. Deathclaws are a late game enemy and you will not be able to kill one in the early game. Skilled players might have a chance with the right gear, but that would require some precise knowlege of the game and mechanics. Unless you manage to glitch its pathing (like standing on a rock too big for it to hit you on), but that's no fun, is it? The answer you're looking for is to follow that same road further south. It will lead you to other low-level areas of the game that are kind of the "intended" route to take after you finish Goodsprings. If you ask some of the NPCs for directions, they're basically telling you that the road is blocked by the deathclaws and you need to take a detour through some other roads further southeast.

Although keep in mind the game is free for you to explore. Invisible walls are not that common in this game, at least compared to Fallout 3, and the game only has soft level locks on areas by putting in tougher enemies and skill checks around them. If you can power through or run from the enemies there is nothing stopping you from exploring the "higher level" areas early on.

[Ladez]

If you talked to the people in town you'd know that going north you'd run into some nasty wildlife. Going that way is a bad idea unless you know what you're doing.

For your first playthrough, I strongly advise that you follow the main quest and stick to the main path until you reach New Vegas. Just follow your quest objectives.

[Military Industrial Complex Simp]

Prim.

[wicked lester]

When in doubt, follow the main quest lead; it generally takes you in a direction you can handle.

[Belanos]

Originally posted by Poobah Gorg:

I seem to be able to kill everyone/everything else I've encountered without much trouble, so looks like I want to level up a bit more and head back afterward?

Well of course you can kill everything that early in the game, Powder Gangers are wimps. Deathclaws on the other hand are the most fearsome creatures in the game, there's no way you're going to take them out just after coming from Goodsprings. As mentioned, simply follow the leads given to you by every character in the game so far, and eventually make your way to New Vegas. It's been explained to you very well, I'm not sure why you're confused.

[Oliverio]

Go to primm and do the sheriff quest, I believe the game has a quest indicator? You're asking this because you dont want to follow the storyline right? If not this thread is pointless

[Razputin]

After talking to the townspeople, use your PIP BOY to find the next quest.

[Juna]

Head to vegas

[Poobah Gorg]

My PIP-Boy was giving me one or two quests that were clearly tied to DLC (read: out of town, off hte main quests, entirely optional and probably above my level). The only thing it had to say about the main quest was something like "Find the people who tried to kill you." I have the guy's name, I've got no idea where he/they are at. When I first walked to Primm earlier on, the guy at the bridge seemed to be telling me I wasn't ready. Maybe just because I hadn't yet finished the job in Goodsprings at the time? The quest about the drive-through I decided was for later because I personally remember LV's only drive through as being somewhere north of The Strip, maybe up in North Las Vegas?

Anyways, I lived in Las Vegas for nine years in real life, so I wanted to check Primm out up close. Fast traveled there and it hilariously took me PAST the guy at the bridge.

I'm going to suspect that a lot of Las Vegas-area things are basically just sort-of right. They absolutely nailed Primm (except that you really wouldn't want to walk there from Goodsprings). It's basically two casinos, with names/themes close to what's in the game, and one has a big roller coaster and the other one the Bonnie and Clyde "death car." Yes, American hero J. Edgar Hoover had the FBI try and execute suspected criminals on the spot with machine guns.

[Poobah Gorg]

Anyhow, while I was giving the cop the gun it let me take his holo-whatever which mentioned "my killers" explicitely. So the Primm job actually was related to the main quest.

I wonder if Pahrump in the game has billboards for a brothel within plain sight of the town's high school? Real-life Pahrump does...

[Papa Shekels]

Originally posted by Poobah Gorg:

I wonder if Pahrump in the game has billboards for a brothel within plain sight of the town's high school? Real-life Pahrump does...

It might be renamed or changed (i.e a vault or ruin), but Pahrump is not in the game. There are, however, billboards for places like the Gommorrah (sexualized casino) in pretty clear sight in many parts of the game.

[Poobah Gorg]

Prostitution is actually NOT legal in Las Vegas (nor in Reno). The state law allowing for brothels was specifically tailored to exclude the two largest counties in the state by way of their population back then. Smaller counties MAY allow for brothels if they want to (several don't, in part due to local Mormons not wanting it). Hilariously they are legal in/around the state's capital of Carson City. Pahrump (Nye County) is just over the county border from Las Vegas' county (Clark) and carries trucker traffic on I95, so it's legal there.

Pahrump was in the service area for my job in Las Vegas, needless to say I used to take a bit of ribbing from the boss when he sent me there.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to heading over by the airport, that was my neighborhood BitD. I'm about 98% sure the map for Nellis AFB is all kinds of wrong.

[Papa Shekels]

Originally posted by Poobah Gorg:

Anyways, I'm looking forward to heading over by the airport, that was my neighborhood BitD. I'm about 98% sure the map for Nellis AFB is all kinds of wrong.

Probably, the majority of it is just empty space with the single purpose of being the place it is (no spoilers).
Also, I've gotta admit I enjoy getting a Vegas resident's perspective on all this. My only experience was a very brief drive through vegas at night while I was basically falling asleep, so I can't really recognize the area. Thanks for the stories, OP

[baumgartner]

This thread contrasting the real Nevada/Las Vegas with the game is absolutely fascinating. Loved the discussions of Primm, Pahrump and the I 95 trucker routes and of course the way the Prostitution industry was gerrymandered throughout the state, with the center of the trade conviently centered on the state capitol. I mean somebody's gotta love those politicians.

So how about the other towns and locations? And most importantly - is here a real life Novac with a Dino Dee-Lite Motel and of course Dinky?.

[Poobah Gorg]

Actually I don't believe the Carson City brothels are there for the politicians. The best-known and presumably ritziest brothel in the state is located there, the Moonlight Bunny Ranch, featured on HBO's "Cathouse." I got sent down there once or twice to fix something when I was filling in for a co-worker in Reno. AFAIK, that was the brothel that got the law passed. Carson City is about halfway between Reno and Lake Tahoe. Like nearly every brothel in the state, it's located just on or across city/town limits.

What I forgot to mention is that the population levels were put in the law for some pretty-good reasons. The gaming industry did not want legal brothels in Las Vegas and Reno. Not only would they be unwanted competition for relieving tourists of their excess money, it was felt that theywould steer away the very-important convention/trade show business. Your boss is a lot less likely to agree to send you somewhere with an even seedier rep than Las Vegas has right now. Even worse, your spouse might not let you go!

Note: Primm's similarity in-game to real life is limited to the sign, roller coaster and casino names/themes. Buffalo Bill's looks nothing at all like Bison Steve's on the inside. The casino with the "Death Car" keeps it over in their outlet mall. There's no walls around the town, and I can't recall there being a prison in/near Primm. Maybe in Jean? I forget. There IS a state prison for men a ways north of the Vegas valley along I95, which does indeed feature signs warning that hitchhikers may be prisoners. I got sent there to fix things, didn't get teased as much as the time I was sent to a women's prison in Las Vegas proper.