Fallout 4

[SJC ALPHA]

Hangman's Alley is awesome, I closed up the alley end (north entrance) with living quarters, so only one entry (door on the west) left, so very easy to defend.

At Murkwater, how did you deal with the respawning Mirelurk Queen in terms of defense?

I did the same at Hangman's Alley, trouble is I have 35 yes 35 settler's there and they will not leave.

For Murkwater I have totally walled it off, I built over the water for living quarters, I then extended platforms for turrets and because of the Queen quite a few are missile turrets. I have 116 defense and as she cannot get in, and so far has not spawned inside, she does not last long.

 

[Mr_X]

The glowing sea is awesome. Went hunting in power armour, killing everything I could. Got loads of radscrorpion, mole rat and deathclaw meat

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Figured out a way around that possible bug that came up in "Last Voyage of the USS Constitution", where Mr. Navigator sends you off to find parts to fix the radar guidance system, but the location on the map does not get marked: if you have intelligence at 9 or above, you should be able to fix it without needing the part, like with the power relay coils (if you intelligence is above 3).

I also found that location that couldn't be tripped near Haymarket Plaza and the final resting place of the Constitution - it's a rooftop terrace that can only be accessed from within Haymarket Plaza. Just be careful, though, as there is an Alpha Deathclaw lurking within it.

 

[GBO Possum]

So have you ever tried pressing the "reload" button during a loading screen? Does odd things on an Xbox when you press "X". Try it a few times.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

You know what? I'll pass.

Silly question: can I change my character's name after leaving Vault 111?

 

[bluemoon_19]

So have you ever tried pressing the "reload" button during a loading screen? Does odd things on an Xbox when you press "X". Try it a few times.

Also if you press the triggers it can make the object bigger or smaller.

 

[CoolColJ]

You know what? I'll pass.

Silly question: can I change my character's name after leaving Vault 111?

On the PC you can.
Bring up the console, and type showspecialmenu
Enter name at top, press R to save and exit

 

[prisonermonkeys]

On the PC you can.
Bring up the console, and type showspecialmenu
Enter name at top, press R to save and exit

Thanks, but I'm on the XONE.

I might actually have to start again (again). I haven't really had the chance to play for two weeks, and I will be away for another two. When I tried to get back into it this weekend passed, I had half a dozen open quests and I couldn't remember what I was supposed to be doing or why.

Also kind of curious to see how the game plays differently as a female character.

 

[Paulie]

I encountered a Legendary Glowing Deathclaw today, really quite an easy battle again just like the Mirelurk Queen was. I just blew the crap out of its legs and it was helpless. I didn't even take a single hit.

For Murkwater, if I ever build there (I kind of hope to build up every settlement eventually, I haven't built any yet except to make Sanctuary functional for myself), I plan on building a couple stories up so everything is out of the swamp. Interesting to know the Queen respawns there even with settlers present.

 

[Peasantslayer]

I tamed my first Deathclaw today, a Legendary Deathclaw Matriarch, it just ripped a raiders face off right in front of me. Probably the most interesting perk I've unlocked so far.

 

[Willfred_1]

Thanks, but I'm on the XONE.

I might actually have to start again (again). I haven't really had the chance to play for two weeks, and I will be away for another two. When I tried to get back into it this weekend passed, I had half a dozen open quests and I couldn't remember what I was supposed to be doing or why.

Also kind of curious to see how the game plays differently as a female character.

I think if you are planing to do a caring/ helpful play through as the female sole survivor comes across to me as more genuine. However some of the sarcastic lines are more entertaining Than the male options. The silver shroud quest line as female is more entertaining.

Does this help?

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Does this help?

I'm mostly interested because one of the units I teach is about "the merits of new and emerging digital media as a text type"; in other words, we ask the question of whether or not we can treat video games as serious literature. Given its setting and thematic concerns, Fallout 4 automatically joins my list of worthwhile material to consider (I also look at Red Dead Redemption, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Far Cry 4 and Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain), but one of the key areas that we examine is gender representation in video games. Within that, we try and look at character creation and how the choice of a male or female character affects the gameplay experience, but I don't really have any material to work with.

Once I finish with a male character, I might start over with a female character to pick up the remaining achievements.

 

[Willfred_1]

I'm mostly interested because one of the units I teach is about "the merits of new and emerging digital media as a text type"; in other words, we ask the question of whether or not we can treat video games as serious literature. Given its setting and thematic concerns, Fallout 4 automatically joins my list of worthwhile material to consider (I also look at Red Dead Redemption, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Far Cry 4 and Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain), but one of the key areas that we examine is gender representation in video games. Within that, we try and look at character creation and how the choice of a male or female character affects the gameplay experience, but I don't really have any material to work with.

Once I finish with a male character, I might start over with a female character to pick up the remaining achievements.

Fallout 3 might better for gender related stuff as there were a few female only perks. While in fallout 4 there's no difference in perks between gender. What might be better if your looking at gender representation and other themes is to look at the factions and their values, many of the factions and lore draw parallels to our world as well as making comments. This In turn could lead to look at gender representation within the faction hierarchy. Also I'm presuming the age of students would mean you could look how the characters gender naturally affects play style. From the sounds of it I studied something very similar to the unit you teach. I would recommend looking at the witcher series and comparing books to games as well.

 

[SJC ALPHA]

I'm mostly interested because one of the units I teach is about "the merits of new and emerging digital media as a text type"; in other words, we ask the question of whether or not we can treat video games as serious literature. Given its setting and thematic concerns, Fallout 4 automatically joins my list of worthwhile material to consider (I also look at Red Dead Redemption, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, Far Cry 4 and Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain), but one of the key areas that we examine is gender representation in video games. Within that, we try and look at character creation and how the choice of a male or female character affects the gameplay experience, but I don't really have any material to work with.

Once I finish with a male character, I might start over with a female character to pick up the remaining achievements.

Sounds interesting, love to know more.
Personnaly I found the first Dragon Age game make some steps in having in game differences.

I would like to be able to re-name companions, preferably change Paladin Danse to Paladin Dense. Been doing some exploring with him and several times have found him just standing next to enemies, just recently he stood next to two Synth's and did nothing.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Fallout 3 might better for gender related stuff as there were a few female only perks.

I'm not really interested in the perks because it's a core gameplay mechanic, and in order to demonstrate it, students would need to experience it first-hand, and that's not really possible since the game is rated MA15+ and is therefore unsuitable for the classroom.

Plus, I'm teaching fifteen year-old boys. The biggest challenge I'm facing is covering the content without devolving into a conversation about video games.

What might be better if your looking at gender representation and other themes is to look at the factions and their values, many of the factions and lore draw parallels to our world as well as making comments.

I'm already planning to. This is going to sound a bit weird, but there is almost something Shakespearen about Fallout 4. I believe that one of the key qualities of Shakespeare is what I like to call an "inverse" reading where there is a subtle, more nuanced interpretation of the play. Richard in King Richard III is a tyrant and a despot, an illegitimate king who rules for his own ego rather than the people, and whose brutality leads to his undoing. But on the other hand, he has the foresight to recognise that England is not necessarily at peace and that those who are in power have grown complacent, believing that their positions are secure. A friend who I work with agrees; she told me that Shakespeare moved away from histories and into tragedies and comedies because the ruling elite were uncomfortable with his representations of historical and political events.

Fallout 4 has the same qualities:

• Preston uphols the ideal of "freedom is always worrh fighting for", but he is naïve and makes for a poor leader, relying heavily on the chemically-induced visions of Mana Murphy for guidance
• The Brotherhood of Steel claim to be defending humanity from making the same mistakes as before, but become increasingly fascistic, taxing settlements and demanding authority over the Commonwealth.
• Diamond City is supposed to be a shining beacon of civilisation in the wastes, but there are huge socio-economic problems with wealth disparity and chronic xenophobia.
• The Railroad want to liberate synths from the Institute, but I am already growing suspicious as to why. I haven't found out their motives yet, but I intend to find out.
• The Institute is an enigma at the moment, but I have some idea of what they are trying to do; I have a feeling that it will be an altruistic objective achieved through very questionable means.
• As for the Children of the Atom ... I have no idea, but I want to find out more.

At the very least, Fallout 4 will ho nicely with Far Cry 4 in terms of its themes.

@SJC ALPHA - I will send you a private message to explain it, but you need to let me view your profile and send you messages first.

 

[Willfred_1]

I'm not really interested in the perks because it's a core gameplay mechanic, and in order to demonstrate it, students would need to experience it first-hand, and that's not really possible since the game is rated MA15+ and is therefore unsuitable for the classroom.

Plus, I'm teaching fifteen year-old boys. The biggest challenge I'm facing is covering the content without devolving into a conversation about video games.


I'm already planning to. This is going to sound a bit weird, but there is almost something Shakespearen about Fallout 4. I believe that one of the key qualities of Shakespeare is what I like to call an "inverse" reading where there is a subtle, more nuanced interpretation of the play. Richard in King Richard III is a tyrant and a despot, an illegitimate king who rules for his own ego rather than the people, and whose brutality leads to his undoing. But on the other hand, he has the foresight to recognise that England is not necessarily at peace and that those who are in power have grown complacent, believing that their positions are secure. A friend who I work with agrees; she told me that Shakespeare moved away from histories and into tragedies and comedies because the ruling elite were uncomfortable with his representations of historical and political events.

Fallout 4 has the same qualities:

• Preston uphols the ideal of "freedom is always worrh fighting for", but he is naïve and makes for a poor leader, relying heavily on the chemically-induced visions of Mana Murphy for guidance
• The Brotherhood of Steel claim to be defending humanity from making the same mistakes as before, but become increasingly fascistic, taxing settlements and demanding authority over the Commonwealth.
• Diamond City is supposed to be a shining beacon of civilisation in the wastes, but there are huge socio-economic problems with wealth disparity and chronic xenophobia.
• The Railroad want to liberate synths from the Institute, but I am already growing suspicious as to why. I haven't found out their motives yet, but I intend to find out.
• The Institute is an enigma at the moment, but I have some idea of what they are trying to do; I have a feeling that it will be an altruistic objective achieved through very questionable means.
• As for the Children of the Atom ... I have no idea, but I want to find out more.

At the very least, Fallout 4 will ho nicely with Far Cry 4 in terms of its themes.

@SJC ALPHA - I will send you a private message to explain it, but you need to let me view your profile and send you messages first.

I'll make the child of atom easy for you ! They're a post nuclear religion or cult. They draw a few parallels with several religions. However they worship the atom by giving up everything and moving to an area of high radiation. Bomb sites and craters would be their equivelant of a church.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Sounds interesting, love to know more.

My theory is that when we engage with a "traditional" text - watching a film or a play, reading a novel or a short story, etc - we take on the role of a passive bystander. We are positioned outside the text, looking inwards. We can observe and comment on the events of the text, and we can analyse and evaluate it, but we have no ability to directly affect the events of the text. Because of their interactivity, however, video games offer a deeper level of engagement. We are no longer passive bystanders, but rather active participants. Fallout 4 is a prime example of this, as the decisions that you make have a lasting impact on the Commonwealth. Likewise Far Cry 4, where the player's decisions influence the future of Kyrat.

Coupled with this is the emergence of home console ownership, which really took off in the 1990s. Prior to this, video gaming was a fringe hobby, but today it is a billion-dollar industry. Many gamers who were around for the original PlayStation and Nintendo 64 are gamers today, and as they have matured, so too have the games. I believe that we are now at the point where games can become literature, an idea that was inconceivable twenty years ago. Of course, we have to pick and choose which games fall into this category; I would not consider Call of Duty to be literature and more than I would any of Michael Bay's films. Just as Michael Bay's body of work is not representative of all films, Call of Duty is not representative of video games.

Because of the deeper level of engagement that video games offer, the demand for more mature story-telling and the lengthy nature of games, the medium is able to tackle some really compelling themes that I think would be beyond "traditional" texts. A prime example of this is Metal Gear Solid, which examines the nature of ideological conflict. Snake Eater establishes the idea of the individual being able to choose what they are fighting for, that this is an extension of what values and beliefs they identify with, and that this individuality is more enduring than politics. Peace Walker continues this, with the creation of Militaries Sans Frontieres, a mercenary company that is independent of nation-states and able to shape its identity based on individual ideology. The game also reconciles this ideological concept with the reality by putting MSF in a position where any action they take is inherently political. But as of The Phantom Pain, the situation has changed: the characters are no longer fighting for an ideological ideal, but for their place in history. It's a devolution that sees them do horrible things. Kaz Miller refuses to accept responsibility for his role in MSF's destruction, and is powerless to stop the MSF concept being appropriated by others and reduced to a business model, and so orders the deaths of strangers without proof of their guilt. Huey Emmerich is held hostage by the Soviets and MSF's successor, Diamond Dogs, and comes to view them as being no different to one another, using this to justify releasing a dangerous weapon. In fact, Quiet is the only character who stops resisting and accepts her fate - that she will eventually be forgotten and that she was never entitled to a place in history. In doing so, she takes control of her own destiny and is the only character to break free of the cycle of madness that possesses everyone around her.

Likewise, Far Cry 4 challenges our understanding of tyranny and oppression. When you arrive in Kyrat, it is under the control of Pagan Min, and you inevitably join the Golden Path, a resistance group trying to overthrow him. The point of the game is to overthrow Pagan, but the game hinges on you accepting him as the villain and the Golden Path as heroes simply because you're told to. If you're paying attention, there is a version of events where Pagan is not a tyrant, but simply a heartbroken man who tried and failed to implement his vision for the country and is now lashing out at those he holds responsible. Likewise, the Golden Path's leadership try and manipulate you at every step of the way; at one point, Amita asks you to save a religious site from Pagan, but later asks you to destroy one that is inconvenient to her. Similarly, Sabal keeps appealing to your emotions; he implores you to destroy an opium field because it is used to produce heroin - but it could also be used to create legal painkillers, which would form the backbone of the Kyrat economy under Amita's leadership. Destroying it is as much about damaging her as it is about damaging Pagan. It's a game with multiple endings, but ironically, all of them are the same: Pagan is gone, and it doesn't matter who is in charge, because Kyrat is still in a state of civil conflict; despite everything you go through, nothing changes - you just substitute one tyrant for another. The "best" ending can only be obtained by literally doing nothing from the start. Pagan invites you to dinner, and asks you to stay; if you do, he returns fifteen minutes later and explains everything, you complete your mission (which is pretty much forgotten about if you leave the table and join the Golden Path), not a single drop of blood is spilt, and Pagan lives up to another person's memory of him, implying that he can move on and that Kyrat faces a stable, peaceful future.

Fallout 4 takes a similar tack. The search for Shaun becomes so overwhelming that you will do a deal with every devil in the Commonwealth to get him back. You will use every faction - and they will use you in equal measure - to do it. You will willingly walk into hell on earth, the Glowing Sea, for the faintest hope of finding him.

I'll make the child of atom easy for you ! They're a post nuclear religion or cult. They draw a few parallels with several religions. However they worship the atom by giving up everything and moving to an area of high radiation. Bomb sites and craters would be their equivelant of a church.

I picked up that much from Isolde at the Crater of Atom and Piper's story about her exposé on the Bunker Hill sewers. But I'm curious as to what their agenda is.

 

[Paulie]

I was feeling a bit invincible myself today so went looking for some tough fights. First I figured I'd take Spectacle Island. It's amazing how different Mirelurk Queens can be so much weaker or stronger depending on their level. The one at Murkwater was easy to me, the one at Spectacle took a number of Mininukes. With that it was still a relatively straightforward battle however. As soon as I turned on the beacon to repel Mirelurks I went hunting all the bugger that randomly popped out of the ground to flee the island. I spotted a Legendary Glowing Mirelurk Hunter trying to leg it, and luckily for me he never turned around to fight as he was too concerned with the signal making his brain hurt.
After that I figured I'd finally pay Swanny a visit. I kind of felt sorry for him, as soon as he popped up and did some roar thing I crippled his legs. All he could do was sit there and whimper while I blasted him to the afterlife, he didn't even last through one clip of my Combat Rifle "Rain Man".
I also got Cait to admire me after picking her up last night, I've just been stipping down to my jocks for her when I fast travel, she's such a perve. Curiously she hasn't given me her personal quest yet.

Can anyone tell me, will helping a settlement (with raiders, kidnappings, ghouls etc.) time out if I haven't talked to the settler yet to start the quest? I want to go ahead with other stuff but I don't want to fail them either.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Can anyone tell me, will helping a settlement (with raiders, kidnappings, ghouls etc.) time out if I haven't talked to the settler yet to start the quest? I want to go ahead with other stuff but I don't want to fail them either.

Not that I have experienced. Preston gave me some early on that I knew - even when I was brand-new to the series - would be very difficult or which involved a perilous journey; Finch Farm and Somerville Place stood out as being way too hard for level 5 me. So I left them as until later when I was considerably stronger.

 

[ScottPuss20]

I got Fallout 4 for Christmas and bloody hell is it great. Even though I played for about 2 and a half hours. I have never played a First Person Shooter game in my life but I'll be playing this game for months because I had soo much fun with it last night. It's so much more entertaining than Project Cars... Not to mention way scarier.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I have never played a First Person Shooter game in my life but I'll be playing this game for months because I had soo much fun with it last night.

You can also play it in third-person, if that's what you prefer.

If you're interested in first-petson shooters after this, I would also recommend Far Cry 4.

 

[Paulie]

Just started with the Railroad, going to do a couple quick quests with them to get ballistic weave armour.

Edit: The first safehouse quest opened with them for me just as I finished up tonight, which as I understand it means I'm only two quests away from ballistic weave armour. I'm a little nervous the game will glitch on me though, as the Minutemen want me to clear the same location for one of their settlements.
BTW, I got Cait to Idolize me and moved on to Deacon who reminds me of Bruce Willis.

Not that I have experienced. Preston gave me some early on that I knew - even when I was brand-new to the series - would be very difficult or which involved a perilous journey; Finch Farm and Somerville Place stood out as being way too hard for level 5 me. So I left them as until later when I was considerably stronger.

Not sure if that's the same thing? Going and acquiring a new settlement always seems to be available, but going and helping one of your existing settlements I'm not sure. I know once you've started to help them it will time out, I took a kidnapping rescue mission on board once and didn't do it straight away. A couple in-game days later I almost failed it, got a message stating time was running out to do it.

 

[SJC ALPHA]

Can anyone tell me, will helping a settlement (with raiders, kidnappings, ghouls etc.) time out if I haven't talked to the settler yet to start the quest? I want to go ahead with other stuff but I don't want to fail them either.

Yes it will time out, you will get a failed notice, though the quest seems to stay longer before getting a fail.

@prisonermonkeys hopefully ok now.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

@prisonermonkeys hopefully ok now.

I posted it about six or seven posts above this one.

 

[Paulie]

Yes it will time out, you will get a failed notice, though the quest seems to stay longer before getting a fail.

@prisonermonkeys hopefully ok now.

Yeah, I let it run for a while and got the running out of time warning so had to go and do it.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Yeah, I let it run for a while and got the running out of time warning so had to go and do it.

The problem is that a lot of the time, they're random. You always get Tenpines Bluff as your first mission for the Minutemen, but then you might get Oberland Station or Finch Farm; the settlers at Oberland Station usually send you somewhere pretty simple, like Back Street Apparel, but the Finch Farm mission has you going into the Saurgus Ironworks, which is bloody difficult.

 

[NLxAROSA]

The problem is that a lot of the time, they're random. You always get Tenpines Bluff as your first mission for the Minutemen

I had different ones as the first mission in different playthroughs (e.g. getting Oberland first or some other settlement). I've also noticed that the targets are different too (so sometimes it's a simple one, other times it's a fairly difficult/long one like Corvega factory). So I guess there's a pool of settlements and a pool of targets, and it just lines 'em up (semi?) randomly? I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't the same on each playthrough, though it can be substantially harder or easier depending on what you get.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

So I guess there's a pool of settlements and a pool of targets, and it just lines 'em up (semi?) randomly?

I believe so, but the pool of targets is limited for each settlemen. If you go to Greentop Nursery, you could be sent to the dig site to the north-east or to the farm just north, you you won't be sent to the Saurgus Ironworks as that's the target destination for Finch Farm. It works the same way for the missions Hayden and Rhys send you on; I once had Hayden send me to Rocky Narrows Park, then a second time, on to Monsignor Plaza, up to the clinic next to Fort Hagen, and then back to Rocky Narrows Park for a third time.

You can also open the missions up manually; if you go to Graygarden and talk to Supervisor White or Blake at Abernathy Farm before Preston dispatches you to them, you get access to the missions and the workbenches upon their successful completion.

 

[NLxAROSA]

If a settlement has strictly disposable characters (and no immortal ones), you can als get access to the workbench by killing everyone in the settlement.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I'm still kicking myself that I did the Cambridge Polymer Labs mission without Curie as my companion the other day. That would have driven my relationship with her up for sure.