Miscellaneous Fallout 4 Questions.

[IceForce]

Another few questions.

Spoiler: Some minor spoilers about the Institute and Brotherhood of Steel

1.) Is the Enclave in this game or has the Brotherhood of Steel officially replaced them?

2.) Do the Railroad and the Institute have non-stop misc. quests like the other two major factions?

1] I haven't found them. If they *are* in this game, then they're certainly not a major (or very visible) faction, and probably just an 'undercover' thing like in New Vegas.

2] Railroad certainly does (opening storage caches that can only be opened with an RFID chip, and also putting up those surveillance node thingies for the tinfoil hat guy). Institute... I dunno, I don't think so, as the main reason for the radiant quests is to improve your 'rep' with that faction, and uhh... you don't need to improve your rep with the Institute (I won't say any more than that because spoilers).

 

[vallorn]

Does anyone know how/if you can modify dog armor or dog collars? I see they have an actual defense on them, but it's rated zero, and inspecting them shows a single empty "misc" slot?

I don't think you can and people wear them on the right arm if memory serves.

Another few questions.

Spoiler: Some minor spoilers about the Institute and Brotherhood of Steel

1.) Is the Enclave in this game or has the Brotherhood of Steel officially replaced them?

2.) Do the Railroad and the Institute have non-stop misc. quests like the other two major factions?

Be warned, there's a LOT of, sometimes subtle, plot spoilers below.

Spoiler

1. The Enclave is just gone as a force and they aren't in Boston at all outside of being able to find some Remnants Power Armour (now named X0-1), their ideology seems to have been split between the (now back to their old ways) BoS and The Institute. The BoS are trying to purge the wasteland of everything they see as not "human" (though they, at least, consider wastelanders as Human and not subhuman mutants like The Enclave did) and The Institute seek to

Spoiler: MAXIMUM SPOILER

"Restore everything to the 'good old days'"

through technology and tend to tinker with it and create some abominations like The Enclave did (Fallout 2's Frank Horrigan is a good example as are their Talking Deathclaws from the same game).

2. I haven't tried yet but yes, I would think that they would have those radiant misc quests. Though, scrounging around online doesn't really show anything much on that front so they may not have infinite radiant quests.

 

[FrozenLaughs]

Does anyone know how/if you can modify dog armor or dog collars? I see they have an actual defense on them, but it's rated zero, and inspecting them shows a single empty "misc" slot?

I don't think you can and people wear them on the right arm if memory serves.

I kind of have them on Dogmeat, actually. I liked the idea of him taking more abuse before going down,but if the defense ratings are still zero it defeats the purpose and makes them cosmetic. But if they're intended to be cosmetic then why put defense stats on them at all?

 

[IceForce]

Are there any remote-detonatable explosives in this game? Because I haven't found any yet.

One of my favorite things to do in FONV was to plant C4 all around inside Caesar's tent, hide in the corner, and then detonate it all.

Wouldn't surprise me if they took that out of FO4 though, given that the AI never seemed to react to it in FONV. You'd think the NPCs would get a bit suspicious of someone planting C4 all around the place, but they don't.

 

[DefunctTheory]

Are there any remote-detonatable explosives in this game? Because I haven't found any yet.

One of my favorite things to do in FONV was to plant C4 all around inside Caesar's tent, hide in the corner, and then detonate it all.

Wouldn't surprise me if they took that out of FO4 though, given that the AI never seemed to react to it in FONV. You'd think the NPCs would get a bit suspicious of someone planting C4 all around the place, but they don't.

C4 bundles seem to have been replaced with half a dozen 'Throw grenade to mark for orbital strike' weapons.

 

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

Institute and main quest spoilers ahoy!

Spoiler

If anyone could please answer the following questions, in case I missed anything:
1. What is the Institute's reasoning behind making human-like synthetics and giving them programming that mimics human appearance? I can see it for Coursers and infiltration units, but why do it for your gardening (like Z1) and maintenance synths?
2. What is the Institute's plan when replacing people with Synths?
3. Is there any in-game explanation of whatever synths are truly sentient or are just "very advanced programs" as the Institute says?
4. Is there any explanation of why the Institute created Nick Valentine or if there are other synths with similar "programming"?

As far as I can tell there are no answers or explanations for these questions in the game and it made the Institute feel half-baked to me.

 

[pookie101]

What classic game is Grognak the Barbarian and the Ruby Ruins a knockoff of?
I can identify the source game for all the other holotape games, but I have no idea what the inspiration for Grognak is.

haha its source game is "the bards tale" ah those were the days , even played it on a green screen monitor as well.fighters attacking a group of bandits in a single round and "fighter has hit bandits and killed 99 of them"

 

[IceForce]

Institute and main quest spoilers ahoy!

Spoiler

If anyone could please answer the following questions, in case I missed anything:
1. What is the Institute's reasoning behind making human-like synthetics and giving them programming that mimics human appearance? I can see it for Coursers and infiltration units, but why do it for your gardening (like Z1) and maintenance synths?
2. What is the Institute's plan when replacing people with Synths?
3. Is there any in-game explanation of whatever synths are truly sentient or are just "very advanced programs" as the Institute says?
4. Is there any explanation of why the Institute created Nick Valentine or if there are other synths with similar "programming"?

As far as I can tell there are no answers or explanations for these questions in the game and it made the Institute feel half-baked to me.

Spoiler: 1]

I assume it's because they have the tech, so they might as well use it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that 'gen 3' synths are the only ones in production, and the gen 1 and 2 synths (the robotic ones) are only still in use simply to use up 'old stock', so to speak.

Spoiler: 2]

Reconnaissance, I assume. Being able to covertly spy on what's happing around the wastes. Well, that, and also being able to subtly influence what happens in certain places (such as infiltrating the mayoralty of Diamond City).

You do raise a good point though, and what you've said here has been bugging me for a while. The whole 'abducting people and replacing them with synths' thing is the main reason why the Institute is hated and feared as much as it is. It's a main plot point, and it's drilled into you wherever you go. And yet, oddly, it's an issue that you can't actually raise with "Father" or anyone else in the Institute.
If one wanted to side with the Institute but put an end to the whole 'abducting' thing, then I suppose you can. You are made director of the whole establishment afterall, so I guess you can headcanon it and pretend you told them to stop with that abducting crap.

But you're right, for something that the game goes on and on about in the early stages, it's weird that it goes basically nowhere.

Spoiler: 3]

No idea. I get the feeling this is left deliberately ambiguous. Probably Bethesda trying to get players to do some critical thinking on what exactly constitutes "life".
Gen 3 synths are created to be exactly like actual humans, if you go and look at the synth production machine in the Robotics department of the Institute. They have bones, and organs, and flesh, and blood, and whatever else. If they develop free-will as well, and they're held against that will, then that means they're basically slaves.

 

[Drathnoxis]

What classic game is Grognak the Barbarian and the Ruby Ruins a knockoff of?
I can identify the source game for all the other holotape games, but I have no idea what the inspiration for Grognak is.

haha its source game is "the bards tale" ah those were the days , even played it on a green screen monitor as well.fighters attacking a group of bandits in a single round and "fighter has hit bandits and killed 99 of them"

Oh yeah, I can definitely see the similarities. They definitely took more liberties with this game than the others, but I guess Bard's Tale was too much game for them to rip off completely. Thanks, I had almost given up on getting an answer.

 

[IceForce]

Ookay, my OCD can't take much more than this. Has anyone found a way of CLOSING vault doors? Call me crazy, but I always like to close them after I've finished in the vault. But for some reason they only have an opening animation and not a closing one.

 

[cathou]

Base Building is insane XP for the effort required.

i got my 14th level by building a 5 story building and a buch of flying turrets

 

[faefrost]

Just some stuff that I've been wondering about:

- Is there any point or reward to the base building stuff?
I did what was required for the building tutorial mission, then just dropped it. It feels like Minecraft to me: amazing possibilities but no reason to actually enact them.

- Do companions give you more than one quest each?
I tried the Minuteman guy, but he was a do-gooder who kept pouting every time I stole some unattended drugs or demanded payment for risking life and limb. Then I tried the reporter lass, who had a more flexible attitude towards property laws but still objected to my mercenary ways. Eventually ended up with Cait. Finally, someone who appreciates theft, sarcasm and drug-fueled rampages. Stuck with her long enough to get a quest from her. (Haven't done it yet because it's clean across the map.) Will there be more after that or would I be better served trying to make nice with one of the others?

- Does Codsworth give you a quest at all?

?

One point of base building, assuming you have gone some distance into the Minutemen chains ( which does not interfere with any other factions) is Artilery. The Artilery is not limited to just The Castle. By putting it in all of your settlements you can blanket the entire map with coverage. Of course this assumes that the Artilery is useful for anything besides laughs and blowing yourself. Up more spectacularly than simply with grenades.

Each companion technically has a quest chain. But some are really really minor. Such as Pipers Interview. Strongs quest is actually before he joins you where you rescue him. Codesworth's is that opening sequence where you search Sanctuary. Some others such as Valentine and Curie are much more complex. Hancock and Dogmeat don't really have quests themselves, but rather interweave substantially in other freestanding quests.

 

[sXeth]

So been doing a melee character on my second run-through, has anyone found a particular ultimate melee weapon?

I'm currently using Kremvh's Tooth for most cases, and General Chao's Revenge for robots (who are immune to Kremvh's poison, and the damage is higher with the 2x). Occasionally a Super Sledge, though the slow weapons I've found get interrupted by enemy hits too often.

The radiation sword I guess I just found way too late as its drastically weaker, and the Shiskebab just seems disappointingly ineffective despite having higher damage on paper (I think its because on my other character with Awareness, I noticed everything seems to have higher energy resist then ballistic, and the incendiary effect seems to rarely go off.

 

[XT6Wagon]

So been doing a melee character on my second run-through, has anyone found a particular ultimate melee weapon?

I'm currently using Kremvh's Tooth for most cases, and General Chao's Revenge for robots (who are immune to Kremvh's poison, and the damage is higher with the 2x). Occasionally a Super Sledge, though the slow weapons I've found get interrupted by enemy hits too often.

The radiation sword I guess I just found way too late as its drastically weaker, and the Shiskebab just seems disappointingly ineffective despite having higher damage on paper (I think its because on my other character with Awareness, I noticed everything seems to have higher energy resist then ballistic, and the incendiary effect seems to rarely go off.

Try the Barbarian Axe. I haven't used it myself, but companions start killing stuff before I can even put a shot in them for the XP.

 

[IceForce]

So been doing a melee character on my second run-through, has anyone found a particular ultimate melee weapon?

I'm currently using Kremvh's Tooth for most cases, and General Chao's Revenge for robots (who are immune to Kremvh's poison, and the damage is higher with the 2x). Occasionally a Super Sledge, though the slow weapons I've found get interrupted by enemy hits too often.

The radiation sword I guess I just found way too late as its drastically weaker, and the Shiskebab just seems disappointingly ineffective despite having higher damage on paper (I think its because on my other character with Awareness, I noticed everything seems to have higher energy resist then ballistic, and the incendiary effect seems to rarely go off.

Try the Barbarian Axe. I haven't used it myself, but companions start killing stuff before I can even put a shot in them for the XP.

Pickman's Blade is also pretty good. It has a double bleed effect on it; one from the stealth blade attachment, and one from the legendary effect.


Not sure if it's an oversight or not, but the bleed effect applies to everything, including things that can't 'bleed', like robots.

 

[WolfThomas]

No idea what's going on with caps on the east coast. It'd make more sense if the currency were Bullets or something since there's no real organized government or merchant organization maintaining confidence in the currency.

I think it, like many other things in Bethesda's Fallout games, is meant to pay both homage to the old games and because it is one of those things that "are Fallout" (never mind that Fallout 2 actually used "money" instead of "caps" for currency, complete with a picture of gold coins). Just like the over-abundance of Super Mutants and many other small things it works until you start thinking about it, at which point the entire Fallout East Coast feels more like a finely set playground then an actually believable game world.

It is one of those things that makes New Vegas into such a treat for those of us who are long time fans, I suppose. Obsidian, and Avellone in particular, has the ability to make interesting worlds that also come together with explanations for all those things that you see. The Water Merchant and Caps explanation is just one such example, it is something Bethesda still hasn't learned or cared much to implement.

I agree the caps are dumb and not thought out like in New Vegas. Diamond city is slightly more organised than either Megaton or Rivet City, so I guess it could be backed by them, but still it's weak. There was also a provisional government that the Minutemen supported which collapsed in their decline, so some holdover from them possibly. But there's nothing to tie to the value of a cap to make it worth something.

Spoiler: However the Supermutants...

Are neither from the Capital Wasteland or remnants of the Master's Army, they are humans kidnapped by the institute experimented on with FEV and released, sometimes after replacing by a Synth. Presumably they kidnap and replicate their numbers like the Capital Wastelands one's did too

 

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

Spoiler: However the Supermutants...

Are neither from the Capital Wasteland or remnants of the Master's Army, they are humans kidnapped by the institute experimented on with FEV and released, sometimes after replacing by a Synth. Presumably they kidnap and replicate their numbers like the Capital Wastelands one's did too

Spoiler: More on super mutants

I know how Fo4 justifies its' super mutants, the problem is that the entire idea doesn't make a lick of sense. Fallout 1 was rather specific about how West-Tec (the Glow) was the original place of research for FEV, but that Mariposa Military Base became the new location after the Government raised concerns about doing the research in a non-military facility. It was the nuke that destroyed West-Tec that scattered FEV into the air and caused the Ghouls/Radscorpions/Deathclaws and what not to mutate. Fallout 2 makes it even more explicit that Mariposa was the only place for FEV research prior to the proto-BoS mutiny that ended the research, when you find logs that indicate the Enclave was ready to sacrifice a whole lot of manpower to get to the remaining FEV in Mariposa, despite most of Mariposa being ruins and the extreme resistance they met from mutated critters.

Fallout 3 then says that Vault 87 also experimented in FEV. Sort of fine, maybe. It can sort of be retconned by imagining that the Enclave wanted to ensure continued FEV research post-war and didn't believe Mariposa would be able to do it. It isn't perfect but it works. But Fallout 4? Are we seriously supposed to believe that either a) a non-Enclave backed civilian organization got their hands on FEV prior to the war or that b) the isolated, isolationist Institute somehow found records of FEV research, then found out where it was being done and then sent a gazillion or so Synths to secure FEV samples from Vault 87? The same Insitute which Father laments is constantly short on resources.

And exactly how are the Super Mutants in the Commonwealth making more mutants? If they are the byproduct of Institute experiments they have no access to any FEV, which means no dipping. If they come from Vault 87, do they make week long trek with prisoners just to dip them?

I get that Bethesda feels that Super Mutants is part of what makes Fallout Fallout, just like caps and the exaggerated Americana the game satirizes. For us lore hounds the Institute explanation just isn't very good. It doesn't make the game bad or anything, I just sort of disconnect Fallout 4 from 1/2/NV in my head. All the half-assed explanations and cop outs in Fallout 4 just add up to create a lore mess that the lore hound in me just can't cope with.

 

[pookie101]

So been doing a melee character on my second run-through, has anyone found a particular ultimate melee weapon?

I'm currently using Kremvh's Tooth for most cases, and General Chao's Revenge for robots (who are immune to Kremvh's poison, and the damage is higher with the 2x). Occasionally a Super Sledge, though the slow weapons I've found get interrupted by enemy hits too often.

The radiation sword I guess I just found way too late as its drastically weaker, and the Shiskebab just seems disappointingly ineffective despite having higher damage on paper (I think its because on my other character with Awareness, I noticed everything seems to have higher energy resist then ballistic, and the incendiary effect seems to rarely go off.

Try the Barbarian Axe. I haven't used it myself, but companions start killing stuff before I can even put a shot in them for the XP.

Pickman's Blade is also pretty good. It has a double bleed effect on it; one from the stealth blade attachment, and one from the legendary effect.


Not sure if it's an oversight or not, but the bleed effect applies to everything, including things that can't 'bleed', like robots.

those are all good choices but they dont hold anything to the beauty of the 2076 world series baseball bat. its slow, but has a knock back effect that occasionally activates that hits the victim for a home run.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=593657006

the flying ghoul in the photo was on his way down after a 300ft hit. i dont care if there are more damaging weapons in the game, there is simply nothing more fun

 

[WolfThomas]

Spoiler: More on super mutants

I know how Fo4 justifies its' super mutants, the problem is that the entire idea doesn't make a lick of sense. Fallout 1 was rather specific about how West-Tec (the Glow) was the original place of research for FEV, but that Mariposa Military Base became the new location after the Government raised concerns about doing the research in a non-military facility. It was the nuke that destroyed West-Tec that scattered FEV into the air and caused the Ghouls/Radscorpions/Deathclaws and what not to mutate. Fallout 2 makes it even more explicit that Mariposa was the only place for FEV research prior to the proto-BoS mutiny that ended the research, when you find logs that indicate the Enclave was ready to sacrifice a whole lot of manpower to get to the remaining FEV in Mariposa, despite most of Mariposa being ruins and the extreme resistance they met from mutated critters.

Fallout 3 then says that Vault 87 also experimented in FEV. Sort of fine, maybe. It can sort of be retconned by imagining that the Enclave wanted to ensure continued FEV research post-war and didn't believe Mariposa would be able to do it. It isn't perfect but it works. But Fallout 4? Are we seriously supposed to believe that either a) a non-Enclave backed civilian organization got their hands on FEV prior to the war or that b) the isolated, isolationist Institute somehow found records of FEV research, then found out where it was being done and then sent a gazillion or so Synths to secure FEV samples from Vault 87? The same Insitute which Father laments is constantly short on resources.

And exactly how are the Super Mutants in the Commonwealth making more mutants? If they are the byproduct of Institute experiments they have no access to any FEV, which means no dipping. If they come from Vault 87, do they make week long trek with prisoners just to dip them?

I get that Bethesda feels that Super Mutants is part of what makes Fallout Fallout, just like caps and the exaggerated Americana the game satirizes. For us lore hounds the Institute explanation just isn't very good. It doesn't make the game bad or anything, I just sort of disconnect Fallout 4 from 1/2/NV in my head. All the half-assed explanations and cop outs in Fallout 4 just add up to create a lore mess that the lore hound in me just can't cope with.

I agree. It's still rather poorly implemented explanation.

I'd really like to see a Fallout game where Super mutants and Ghouls had become rare, the last of two infertile not reproducing species. Meeting one would be like "Woah I heard legends of your kind" with some new monster or species to be an enemy (?Inteligent Deathclaws, something like the Beastlords or Reavers from tactics?)