... in fact the only part that really adds something is being able to mod weapons and armor which would have been much better if you had to find the upgrades rather than just being locked behind perks.
You can do that without any perks, finding same weapon with the mods, allows you to remove it and reattach to your weapon. No perks needed at all, I currently have 0 Science and upgrading my Gauss Rifle without any issue.
Apart from that, it's a shame you're not into it.
I'm currently level 44 and slowly doing the main mission before going off tangent to explore again. It's the exploration and hoarding side I enjoy about this game. Think Bethasoft improved the game enough with new stuff without overhauling an amazing setup they've introduced in Fallout 3 and NV. Pretty much most fans were expecting Fallout 3, but new area and story, and places to explore.
I have now found bowling pins. I now desire a Bowling Lane somewhere!