Man, I quite enjoy the settlement building aspect of the game, although I can see how some might find it frustrating or tedious. Sometimes pieces won't snap on to where you should for no particular reason, but I've found some tricks that the game doesn't let you know. Its really rewarding when you finally build something that looks decent. Your settlements add to an already amazing Fallout universe, and I like to compare what I've created to what the developers made for raider/super mutant strongholds. Hopefully Bethesda will patch some of the more annoying bugs soon, and modders will add even more piff.
Mannn, I was thinkin the same thing ... scavenging around NW part of the map like, man this game is super easy. Decided to travel all the way NE and came across an alpha deathclaw.
I had to dip when I saw I couldn't put a dent in it in VATS and had very few mines on me. I must have gotten in too deep cuz I turned back west and ran into an Assaultron. shyt took half my health, in power armor, in one hit.
The AI is better than in the past, but only a bit. Even so, you can still be humbled by those stronger enemies outside the NW quadrant.