Is FO4 worth it yet (w/ mods)?

[NNS10]

I haven't followed FO4 much (aside from hearing how the base game and story is terrible). Bu I have seen that F4SE has made little progress and I'm not holding my breath for it to be developed to maturity any time soon given Skyrim SE is probably higher on their priority list (which also doesn't seem to be making much progress).

 

The game is 1.5 years old now though. Ignoring F4SE, is the game ready for playing with mods yet? Is it worth it to get the game yet? Or wait some more?

[Guest]

That is HIGHLY subjective. Depends what you're looking for, depends what your play style is, etc etc.

 

I play it for the fashion. I can convert any clothes I want and I got high heels to work for me. So I'd say yes it's pretty finished and worth it to play.

[Guest Tyramath]

i love fallout 4, for me it was always more about the journey than the destination, mods can make that journey punishing, intense, fun, sad, memorable. there are mods that accomplish all of these things. in my particular case, ive modded it to hell to make it super difficult, sort of like a risk/reward thing going not Frost survival simulator hard, but more enemies, more guns, more things to build.

[NNS10]

Fair point, Sun. I guess I should be more specific.

 

I guess I'm asking about two things:

(1) Availability of "Essential" mods (e.g. stuff that fixes the base game experience)

(2) Breath of mods that extend the base game experience

 

#1 would be more about mods that "fix" the base game experience. For example, an alternate start mod seems mandatory for FO4 considering the main storyline is too character-specific to allow for roleplaying. Other things might be mods to fix combat, crafting, empty towns or whatever else is broken, annoying, or lackluster. Since I don't have FO4 or follow it, I don't know what those would be.

 

For reference, here are some Skyrim mods that I would classify as essential:

• UI mods (e.g. SkyUI, Better Dialogue Controls)
• Alternate Start (e.g. Skyrim Unbound, Live Another Life)
• Character Creation Mods (e.g. RaceMenu/ECE, Hair mod, skin textures, eye mods)
• Combat Mods (e.g. Deadly Combat, TK Dodge, Dual Sheath Redux)
• NPC Population Mods (e.g. Populated Towns and Cities)
• Environmental Visuals (e.g. weather mods, environmental textures) <--semi-essential for Skyrim but maybe not for FO4

 

#2 goes beyond the essentials and extends the experience. Examples: Need mods, revamped cities, new equipment, new locations, new extended gameplay features.

 

[ercramer69]

Fair point, Sun. I guess I should be more specific.

 

I guess I'm asking about two things:

(1) Availability of "Essential" mods (e.g. stuff that fixes the base game experience)

(2) Breath of mods that extend the base game experience

 

#1 would be more about mods that "fix" the base game experience. For example, an alternate start mod seems mandatory for FO4 considering the main storyline is too character-specific to allow for roleplaying. Other things might be mods to fix combat, crafting, empty towns or whatever else is broken, annoying, or lackluster. Since I don't have FO4 or follow it, I don't know what those would be.

 

For reference, here are some Skyrim mods that I would classify as essential:

• UI mods (e.g. SkyUI, Better Dialogue Controls)
• Alternate Start (e.g. Skyrim Unbound, Live Another Life)
• Character Creation Mods (e.g. RaceMenu/ECE, Hair mod, skin textures, eye mods)
• Combat Mods (e.g. Deadly Combat, TK Dodge, Dual Sheath Redux)
• NPC Population Mods (e.g. Populated Towns and Cities)
• Environmental Visuals (e.g. weather mods, environmental textures) <--semi-essential for Skyrim but maybe not for FO4

 

#2 goes beyond the essentials and extends the experience. Examples: Need mods, revamped cities, new equipment, new locations, new extended gameplay features.

 

While I might not use the mod types you are asking about I can safely say I have seen an alternate start mod, a dialog mod, a looksmenu mod, lots of hair/skin/eye mods, npc pop mods, weapon mods, armor mods, power armor mods and environmental mods.

 

So in a lump sum yes to some extent everything you are looking for is out there.  And what is out there that uses F4SE's limited capabilities are well done.  So you can try to make it an experience you want to play over and over again.

 

However unlike Skyrim, Oblivion, FO3 and FONV FO4 isn't quite as open, not due to the fact that game was designed in a very straight line story driven mindset.  But more for the fact that the side quests aren't as broad as the other games mentioned.

 

If you do decide to go forward with FO4, and I think you should, make sure you get all the DLC's available as each one in my opinion not only added different elements to the game but also a bit more excitement as well.  I've logged 1316 hours in FO4 compared to the 3317 in Skyrim.  Yes FO4 isn't quite up to the standards of Skyrim, due to the toolsets available to them both, its not a waste of ime either.

 

Just my two cents worth.  I'm sure others will disagree with me.

 

[NNS10]

 

However unlike Skyrim, Oblivion, FO3 and FONV FO4 isn't quite as open, not due to the fact that game was designed in a very straight line story driven mindset.  But more for the fact that the side quests aren't as broad as the other games mentioned.

 

If you do decide to go forward with FO4, and I think you should, make sure you get all the DLC's available as each one in my opinion not only added different elements to the game but also a bit more excitement as well.

 

 

So there's not much to do outside of the main storyline? And the main storyline sucks if you're trying to roleplay...

 

What do you do if you want a sandbox roleplaying experience?

 

 

And separate question. What mod application is everyone using? MO2?

[ercramer69]

 

So there's not much to do outside of the main storyline? And the main storyline sucks if you're trying to roleplay...

 

What do you do if you want a sandbox roleplaying experience?

 

 

And separate question. What mod application is everyone using? MO2?

 

 

Well the alternate start mod covered a lot of options and had a way for you to bring your character into the main storyline without it being so forced upon you.

 

But really even if you don't go with the alternate start mod and start the main game, it is still possible to just start exploring on your own and ignore the go here go here the game wants you to do.  It is possible to do things in the game in a way the game designers not might have expected.

 

Even if you follow the main story you can still roleplay whether your character is a saint who even though they have their own desires drops everything to help everyone else first, or you can be the total jerk who says no to everyone until you're own goal is met or somewhere in-between.

 

I never played the FO games previous to FO3 but even in FO3 and FONV, you were basically told your origin story (without using any alternate start mod) and you went out from there.  I think the biggest difference before adding the DLC is the map itself isn't as big as the other games were, or at least it doesn't seem to be.  But then again you also don't run into areas where it looks like you should be able to just climb over this rubble and continue on the other side, so there aren't as many obstacles keeping you from going from point a to point b.

 

If you compare FO4 to Skyrim the game seems limited because in Skyrim before going to far in the main story you can become the arch-mage, master of the thieves guild, leader of the companions and listener of the brotherhood before visiting the greybeards, even though the game wants you to visit te greybeards first.  In FO4 you can avoid joining one faction completely if you avoid going into one building.  You can completely miss the option to join a second faction.  But you can't join every faction you are limited to your choices in the long run which is determined by what you chose as the game goes on.

 

I've got 2000 less hours playing FO4 compared to Skyrim and Skyrim was out 4 years earlier then FO4.  So if you ask me FO4 has a lot to offer and has replayability.  But I also have all the DLC's, three of which added more to do quest driven wise.  And I'm not one of those who is big on building settlements so its not like I've spent hundreds of hours making my settlements these grand places to visit.  Usually I do just the minimum needed for a settlement and never bother with making sure the people are happy after that.  I'd rather be out fighing raiders, than building a vast settlement system.

 

As for Mod applications I either use NMM to install my mods or do it manually, I've never had much issue using NMM for installing or upgrading my mods.  The ones I do manually were done because of the way they were packaged required it.

[skyrimsucks]

i played fallout 2, fallout new vegas and fallout 4. what modding community cannot fix is large/major alterations as those require large, coordinated group effort that is unheard of in human species outside of corporate discipline;

 

1)the story/writing is fucked and cannot be fixed (too big). but its not that bad. if u dont pay much attention to it it almost tolerable. much better than skyrim but still mostly incoherent and often simply preposterous in its absurdity (cant tell for sure if its even intentional or not). this is game where farmers are executed by "scientific" underground organization and replaced by organic robot spys/doubles to plant melon seed on their farm.

 

2)ui cannot be fixed (much)

 

3)just like dialouges. unless by fixed u mean more than 4 choices at once.

 

fallout4 is action adventure pseudo rpg with survival elements (only if u play on survival). its strenght is crafting, building/base/robot customization. dont expect much rpg. its more of 7 days to die in terms of gameplay. its focused/strong in terms of resources gathering and usage not characters or story.

 

although graphics are poor even with mods, map is detailed, mostly interesting. it has very open in design, invisble walls only on outside perimeter which can be removed by mods, not much tunneling like in skyrim. on the surface i mean, dungeons/interiors tend to be linear like intestines just like in skyrim. it has quite monotomous looking/feeling, although it brings more sense of cohesion of landscape i guess.

 

mod managers are unreliable and pointless in comparison to manual installation which is as easy as adding line in txt file. also u need ssd. hdd wont cut fallout "optimized" streaming technology from bugthesda. u probably also want 16 gb of ram if u want use heavy mods, my 8 gb barely cuts it and fallout 4 tends to abuse page file.

 

 

 

[zigyzxz123]

"So there's not much to do outside of the main storyline?" There is an absolutely absurd amount of stuff to do outside the main storyline, it's a massive world, Fallout 4 is all about exploration and side activities/quests . Some people say "main storyline sucks" some say "they love it" who is right ? Reminds me of the old saying, opinions or like assholes everybody has one. Assuming you haven't played the game, I would say you have some intrest in it, so instead of letting someone elses subjective opinions keep you from playing the game, why not get it and experience the game for yourself ? Who knows you might or might not like it, but to come at this game or any other game with a built in bias that was given to you and not formed from  your experience, thats like kicking yourself in the teeth.

[Poet Olette]

I have many issues with fallout 4 and by itself id say its a really crappy fallout game. Mods do make it a lot better though, but for me personally, the mod selection and the mods I prefer, that i use in new vegas and fallout 3, just arent there yet. Although its a good game for style and fashion. Lots of clothing mods.

 

When I say I find fallout 4 pretty crappy, that of course is my opinion, so if you disagree and you enjoyed it then thats awesome, im glad someone could enjoy the game but for me, i just didnt like it too much.

[NNS10]

I have many issues with fallout 4 and by itself id say its a really crappy fallout game. Mods do make it a lot better though, but for me personally, the mod selection and the mods I prefer, that i use in new vegas and fallout 3, just arent there yet.

 

What type of mods aren't there yet that you're looking for?

 

[Halstrom]

I haven't followed FO4 much (aside from hearing how the base game and story is terrible). Bu I have seen that F4SE has made little progress and I'm not holding my breath for it to be developed to maturity any time soon given Skyrim SE is probably higher on their priority list (which also doesn't seem to be making much progress).

 

The game is 1.5 years old now though. Ignoring F4SE, is the game ready for playing with mods yet? Is it worth it to get the game yet? Or wait some more?

Well if you need to ask... probably no

[Poet Olette]

 

I have many issues with fallout 4 and by itself id say its a really crappy fallout game. Mods do make it a lot better though, but for me personally, the mod selection and the mods I prefer, that i use in new vegas and fallout 3, just arent there yet.

 

What type of mods aren't there yet that you're looking for?

 

 

More UI mods, animation mods, race mods, camera mods game overhaul mods ect. Dont get me wrong though, fallout 4 is still somewhat new compared to new vegas or other bethesda games so its only a matter of time i guess.

[Phelps1247]

• UI mods (e.g. SkyUI, Better Dialogue Controls)
• Alternate Start (e.g. Skyrim Unbound, Live Another Life)
• Character Creation Mods (e.g. RaceMenu/ECE, Hair mod, skin textures, eye mods)
• Combat Mods (e.g. Deadly Combat, TK Dodge, Dual Sheath Redux)
• NPC Population Mods (e.g. Populated Towns and Cities)
• Environmental Visuals (e.g. weather mods, environmental textures)

Nope. Well there's better dialogue but that was one of the first mods.

Yes, thank goodness. It's even super easy to edit it yourself and write your own.

Not to the level of Skyrim but there's better creation menu mods and lots of hair. My characters keep looking too old or too young.

Nope.

I don't think so? There's stuff for settlements but not the general game world. There's a "Populated Interiors" mod but there's not really any info given on it and it doesn't appear to have been used much. I think a part of the problem is that the game is already filled with buildings you can't go in.

Yes.

[tomomi1922]

 

• UI mods (e.g. SkyUI, Better Dialogue Controls)
• Alternate Start (e.g. Skyrim Unbound, Live Another Life)
• Character Creation Mods (e.g. RaceMenu/ECE, Hair mod, skin textures, eye mods)
• Combat Mods (e.g. Deadly Combat, TK Dodge, Dual Sheath Redux)
• NPC Population Mods (e.g. Populated Towns and Cities)
• Environmental Visuals (e.g. weather mods, environmental textures)

Nope. Well there's better dialogue but that was one of the first mods.

Yes, thank goodness. It's even super easy to edit it yourself and write your own.

Not to the level of Skyrim but there's better creation menu mods and lots of hair. My characters keep looking too old or too young.

Nope.

I don't think so? There's stuff for settlements but not the general game world. There's a "Populated Interiors" mod but there's not really any info given on it and it doesn't appear to have been used much. I think a part of the problem is that the game is already filled with buildings you can't go in.

Yes.

 

 

I have been longing for a better UI framework in FO4 like it was with Skyrim.  But at the stage of FO4, I don't think it's coming.  Either there are lacks of talents (and interests that attract and motivate proper talents) or the way the game put together is just more restrictive.  Same with a lot of features that the modding community could offer Skyrim is never going to be seen in FO4.  FO4 in general is a lot more rigid and resistance to savegame corruption though.  In Skyrim, if you play like a total ignorant player on mod shopping spree downloading mods totally on eye candy with no regard for installation instructions and general mod knowledge, you will just end up with a big CTD situation within 2 days.  In FO4, this literately describes the entire game console community: click to download, play.  FO4 is stable enough to be ignorant.  

 

But then you can't just base everything off Skyrim and expect every game you play from now on to have exactly what it offers, like a Skyrim engine reskinned to house new world and story.  

 

There are at least 3 worthy additions to FO4 that were not quite there (or not matured) 1 year ago:

 

- Sim Settlement: literately Sims City.  You establish the zone, watch settlers build on their own. Buildings are limited to presets (just like Sims City) but you can download extra as more are being built this mod.

 

- Settlement Blueprint (maybe under a different name) lets you capture hours and hours of your time spent building a very nice settlement.  You can share it online, or transfer to new character.  This makes it very worth while to spend time building up.

- Looksmenu: Everyone knows of SLM console command, but this mod lets you save your character as preset file to share and save.  But the biggest and somehow not getting enough attention is the ability to customize each and every NPC with sliders.  Yep, you now have a set of Bodyslide sliders to customize each and every character. And the values carry over to outfits too (outfits must be built by Bodyslide that carries a .tri file to be supported).  I think this is a huge feature because you can get to have custom bodyshape and all the clothing automatically fit.  I wonder why not many people talk about this.  I am quite sure Skyrim doesn't have this feature.

[NNS10]

The fact this thread is still on the first page seems to speak about the amount of activity on FO4 mods...

 

I was rethinking it again and considering it may be pointless to wait for F4SE maturity, given SKSE64 is in limbo at the moment.

[Guest]

The fact this thread is still on the first page seems to speak about the amount of activity on FO4 mods...

 

I was rethinking it again and considering it may be pointless to wait for F4SE maturity, given SKSE64 is in limbo at the moment.

There were two updates, albeit small, to F4SE in the past two weeks. We are actually seeing better progress and have somewhat of a confirmation that F4SE isn't being completely abandoned prior to speculation.

[vinfamy]

F4SE isn't the second coming of Christ. Most things can be done without it. FO4 Papyrus is way more powerful than Skyrim. And not all mods require any scripting anyways.

 

The FO4 modding scene is not too alive simply because a lot of modders lose interest (Nexus ban hammer, left for indie game development, etc) / never have an interest in the game to start off with ('Disney wasteland'), let's not blame it all on poor F4SE.

[Kelinas]

If all else fails, Bethesda just announced that this weekend, friday to sunday, is going to be a free weekend for Fallout 4. I plan on giving the game a spin myself and hopefully this means the complete package is going to be all on sale as well. Play around a bit, see how much you can tolerate it without mods or try to install a few mods to enjoy alongside it. I'm highly doubting that they'll be including the DLCs as part of the free weekend, which sadly means the Unofficial Patch is right out, but hey, there may be a few things that don't rely on them worth testing during the weekend.

[Outlast1]

Its really up to you in terms of what your are looking for, The game is not terrible but again not amazing either. Ill bullet point what in my opinion makes it tolerable.

 

I.) Combat, with mods you can have really nice gun fights, being an assault person who uses cover and weapon for suppression and shock its glorious.

 

II.) character customization, I love skyrim and it has many mods dealing with this aspect, I found I used less mods to achieve my personal feeling of what I wanted to look like in game.

the sculptor was very nice add-on and fine tuning my assault grenadier to make her look like one of my drawings was very pleasing, it was harder to do that even with ECE in skyrim.

 

III.) building the settlement option is very fun but has one major problem, Why am I building this if it has no effect the world I am building it in. there are many points in the game where even if you build a fortress outpost with 20 people living in it, it still does not exist, the game has no clue its there if your looking for RPG, the only attention it gets are weak petty attacks that even I would not launch, me being a raiding psycho grenadier, ( I do feel like more of raider in game, love that) it means very little. But the building is fun but hollow.

 

IV.) fashion, this like others have said is very nice it is easier to customize and there are tons of options available.

 

V.) Power armor is very nice. I still prefer light to clothing for armor but it is fun to have this.

 

VI.) now this is very limited at first till you get mods, arsenal! there are literally tons of mods that add guns I have modern firearms 2.41 and frankly wont play the game without them, or play with out the fusion laser rifle.

 

VII.) I can be a raider, I love this and personally find it enjoyable, sadly your gonna have to build these outposts and farming settlements in order to get the most of it. although its limited I can raid diamond city, which is very annoying.

 

VIII.) I can punish Preston gravey, I dont hate this character as he is well thought out and honestly a cool looking dude, but dam does he piss me off, all the freaking time.

 

This is all my opinion but if your gonna get this game get all the DLC, lastly dont think of it too highly I still have more game time on skyrim than this game, 4000 hours on skyrim vs. 600 hours on FO4, 3456 hours on Fonv, and 2945 hours on FO3, 3789 hours on witcher 3, exanima has 1112, and my favorite stellaris has 1035 hours only because. It is a decent game but honestly once bannerlords comes out Ill probably forget this game. good luck hope this helps.

[Tripleekz]

You would of thought that with all the negativity thrown at Fallout 4 it would have died, but to be honest it was actually a very small percentage that didn't like it for "reasons of there own". With the amount of mods still being made for it it is far from being bad or dead or less thought of. It isn't perfect, and no game is, there was just as much hate for Mass Effect Andromeda because of some strange but unimportant facial and walk animations just like Tracers ass pose and etc. etc. etc. the list could go on for days. you either like it or you do not but going by what someone else says that you do not know from adam, well I got some beach front property in Arizona I'd like to sell. I love the game myself (the occasional ctd and all) but some do not and that is fine, they aren't playing my game and I'm not playing theirs. 

[NNS10]

you either like it or you do not but going by what someone else says that you do not know from adam

 

There are some things that you do not need to play to understand the impacts of. For instance, the specificity of the character's background and the impact on the story does seem to restrict roleplaying. The player character had backgrounds in Skyrim and Fallout New Vegas as well, but they were more generic and situational. It didn't say anything about the PC itself.

 

In Skyrim, the PC is the Dragonborn. And the Dragonborn was captured while crossing the border. That all still leaves the Dragonborn as a blank slate in terms of history, personality, etc.

 

In FNV, the PC is the Courier. The Courier was shot and left for dead but somehow survived. The Courier still remains a blank canvas to be filled in by the player.

 

However, in FO4 the PC is the Sole Survivor. The Sole Survivor was either an Army veteran (if male) or a lawyer (if female). The Sole Survivor is married to a spouse and has a son name Shaun. During cryogen, the Sole Survivor's spouse is killed and son abducted. The Sole Survivor's goal in the game is to seek revenge and recover Shaun. AND it turns out Shaun plays a major role in the story and is the leader of one of the major factions, and the Sole Survivor can choose to either fight or join the son.

 

Isn't that a real big difference? In FO4, the game defines who your character is, why it matters, and ties it heavily to the main questline. It doesn't take playing the game to realize what a shitty impact that has on roleplaying and replay value. The reputation of these sandbox Bethesda games are that they offer a lot of freedom as roleplaying games... so FO4 is being pretty counter-productive.

 

 

 

Its really up to you in terms of what your are looking for, The game is not terrible but again not amazing either. Ill bullet point what in my opinion makes it tolerable.

 

I.) Combat, with mods you can have really nice gun fights, being an assault person who uses cover and weapon for suppression and shock its glorious.

 

II.) character customization, I love skyrim and it has many mods dealing with this aspect, I found I used less mods to achieve my personal feeling of what I wanted to look like in game.

the sculptor was very nice add-on and fine tuning my assault grenadier to make her look like one of my drawings was very pleasing, it was harder to do that even with ECE in skyrim.

 

III.) building the settlement option is very fun but has one major problem, Why am I building this if it has no effect the world I am building it in. there are many points in the game where even if you build a fortress outpost with 20 people living in it, it still does not exist, the game has no clue its there if your looking for RPG, the only attention it gets are weak petty attacks that even I would not launch, me being a raiding psycho grenadier, ( I do feel like more of raider in game, love that) it means very little. But the building is fun but hollow.

 

IV.) fashion, this like others have said is very nice it is easier to customize and there are tons of options available.

 

V.) Power armor is very nice. I still prefer light to clothing for armor but it is fun to have this.

 

VI.) now this is very limited at first till you get mods, arsenal! there are literally tons of mods that add guns I have modern firearms 2.41 and frankly wont play the game without them, or play with out the fusion laser rifle.

 

VII.) I can be a raider, I love this and personally find it enjoyable, sadly your gonna have to build these outposts and farming settlements in order to get the most of it. although its limited I can raid diamond city, which is very annoying.

 

VIII.) I can punish Preston gravey, I dont hate this character as he is well thought out and honestly a cool looking dude, but dam does he piss me off, all the freaking time.

 

Thanks, helpful to know. My main interest in FO4 is the gun play. I do prefer that over Skyrim's combat. The main question is what is there to do.

 

If you don't do quests (and the main quest I certainly have no interest in doing b/c of how restrictive it is roleplaying-wise), what's there to do?

 

 

 

 

This is all my opinion but if your gonna get this game get all the DLC, lastly dont think of it too highly I still have more game time on skyrim than this game, 4000 hours on skyrim vs. 600 hours on FO4, 3456 hours on Fonv, and 2945 hours on FO3, 3789 hours on witcher 3, exanima has 1112, and my favorite stellaris has 1035 hours only because. It is a decent game but honestly once bannerlords comes out Ill probably forget this game. good luck hope this helps.

 

I had to google Exanima and it looks real interesting. But the big question is whether it's another Early Access game that has gone nowhere. Looks like it's been in Early Access for over 2 years already.

[Kain82]

I say yes.  There have been a lot mods made for FO4 without a fully functional F4SE.  Of course since we're in LL there has also been progress in sex mods.  But aside from them we have companions, guns, armor, armor tattoo's, player tattoo's, hair and makeup, and big quest mods.

[Ernest Lemmingway]

If you're into shooters and not that concerned about plot depth, then FO4 is great. If you're more into role-playing games, then FO4 isn't that hot even with mods.

[Realill]

http://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-4-is-free-this-weekend-on-steam-for-the-first-time-ever/

 

It's free for the weekend, just try it out for yourself.