Yes the server is still working, but for the most part I was the only one on.
The crafting system uses different materials gathered in different location, but its familiar enough. There's a higher emphasis on repair, and science skill. With higher rewards as well. Essentially no "balance" as players can straight up craft pulse, Gauss, Bozar, APA MKII. and Vertibirds.
The Wasteland is also easier PVE wise. most creatures instead of Reloaded's 200-300HP have 20-60.
There is a different base design where instead of upgrading a tent, a similiar analogue to the Ranger Shack is crafted from wood and metal. This house is then used as a crafting material for bases. the base kits are then upgraded by combining house kits into them via the Fix boy. Essentially allowing players to create their own towns.
Instead of maps, the location of bases are only revealed to the people there at creation. I personally prefer reloaded's way of handling things. Though find upgrading tents to be a gesture that can only hurt new players, and is merely a formality for veterans on reloaded.
FO:Aussie has real time, and turn based combat. Turn based feels slower in Aussie, and real time kicks in at public location, or cave systems.
When entering a cave in RT, all the critters are immediatly notified and bum rush you. With the ability to craft power armor this should not be a problem for anyone who spent any time leveling/getting equipment.
Aside from killing enclave/Police there's not really much else to do on the server as it is currently since most players don't really play.
Some locations are just random shacks on a map, while some copy resources from the base game. I believe some of which are bugged as one of my disposable characters is current stuck in a vault with no exit. The game doesn't seem to have been updated in years. It was an interesting experience nontheless, and I'll probably still play it until I've done a bit of everything.
The only weapon skill I recommend anyone tag for combat is energy weapons, books handle small guns and big guns up to 170+
Searching for players requires both parties to meet on the same square rather than withing 2-3 squares. So it's harder to find other people when they're out farming. Players are also unmarked, so making a name such as "a traveler" with toss people off of your trail, Personally I like that the range is smaller, as that means more people will be out farming as it'll be easier to make profits on patrols without interference though the real exp maker are publlc locations full of canon fodder zombies to grind.
Player made bases have materials inside of them, generally they provide less benefit than ones found in public locations, but player bases can be set anywhere meaning it's incredibly easy to set up shot anywhere on the map rather than in key locations.
The wasteland in Aussie is essentally like around the NCR, except the bottom left corner has enclave. Overworld travel is also much faster in Aussie. For such a small map reletively speaking I think that's a bad thing. Unless you're hunting.