Fallout 76 | Creating camps in the wasteland

[jawa]

Our posts crossed again, Photek. I get that some MMO games do run at higher framerates for some users... but I'm not sure how this works.

...Would this offer any gameplay advantages to 60 FPS players over 30 FPS players? I can't quite see how this works... in an online MMO gameworld, objects can't move at different rates, so I wonder what information is being changed if some systems are running it at a higher FPS?

I guess that, for MMOs with players using different consoles, systems running a higher FPS are doing some sort of additional processing to make things look a bit smoother, even though nothing is changing in the actual gameworld?

[Parksey]

I'm with Photek on this, the game needs to get its frame rate sorted out in the next gen consoles.

It felt quite jerky at times when I first played it, and it's going to feel worse as the next gen gets into gear. Even switching from Fallout 4 to 76 had a noticeable difference. It takes some comfort out of playing the game.

Other big, cross gen titles are doing it and, frankly, if they offer it up on the new consoles then they need to try and improve them accordingly.

The game has stabilized now and while it may not grow any bigger, it has the potential to keep ticking away as a live service game for a few years at least. It'd not a busted flush and there's a reason to play it.

There needs to be a reason to stick around though. On the content side of things they'll need to work on that, but also on the technical side, a it's all going to be for naught if the game feels like a relic once most players abandon the old console.

The new consoles, especially the X/S with their under the hood, backwards compatibility upgrade...stuff and F76 presumably now being on Gamepass forever, it doesn't need to be left behind or to feel anymore dated or restricted than it should.

[imbusydoctorwho]

Do you need to PS Plus to play the game on your own?

[jawa]

Do you need to PS Plus to play the game on your own?

You do need PS Plus, ibdw; it's an online, multiplayer* game.

* If you subscribe (pay monthly) then you do get the option to have a private server and play the game solo; although any effects/inventory/CAMPs are carried between the two modes.

[jawa]

I tried out the new Shelter functionality. There is a mini-quest to get the shelter and then you can build it at your camp.

There will be a larger shelter available for free to 1st subscribers soon, and a huge shelter available as an additional purchase. More will undoubtedly arrive in the future.

The free shelter is fairly small but you can fit a reasonable amount of gear into it. It is... okay, in my view. Shelters are pre-built and hard to personalise; great for people who just want to plonk all their stuff down, but probably not as much fun for people who enjoy the building aspect.

I'm about to re-build my camp but I will stick to the traditional method rather than doing much with the shelter option.

[jawa]

Oh, and I'm super-frustrated not to have the new glass walls option. It was only available for those who completed the entire (100-level) board last season. I wasn't playing the game at the time and wouldn't have got through all the levels anyway.

It seems like the season achievement boards are now the only way that some cool stuff can be gained. A bit annoying as it feels like that is where most of the better furnishings will be.

[jawa2]

Stash Increase – We’re currently planning to increase the Stash limit by 50%, to a maximum of 1,200 pounds. So, whether you stockpile weapons and armor, squirrel away lots of Junk, or hoard Perfectly Preserved Pies, you’ll have much more space to continue collecting.

Stack Weight – Speaking of weight, large stacks of items like food, chems, and ammo can get quite heavy! Going forward, when you select any stackable item in your inventory, its Item Details will show the total weight of that stack to make it easier to see what’s consuming your storage space.

Pip-Boy Updates – Finding the perfect item at just the right moment is about to get easier, because we’re adding three tabs to your Pip-Boy menu: “New,” “Armor,” and “Food/Drink.”
> New – This tab will keep track of all the items you gather during a play session, sorted by newest to oldest.
> Armor – We’ve split Armor into its own menu tab so that you can keep your gear separate from your other Apparel.
> Food/Drinks – You wouldn’t want to chomp on some Funnel Cakes when you meant to use a Fury. Your food and drinks are going to get their own tab, while Chems and Serums will remain in “Aid.”

Vending Machine Map Previews – The tooltip that appears when you’re previewing another player’s Vending Machines on the Map will now show the number of 1-, 2-, and 3-star legendary weapons and armor they’re selling. Additionally, it will no longer display any empty categories.

These new "quality of life" features will be available on the test system in January and, if they work well, then released into live. Click here to read more about them and also get news about the upcoming Season 3.

[Victor Mildew]

Welcome back Jawa

I started playing this the other day, have put maybe 2 hours in. It's alright so far, I've not really strayed far from vault 76 (just gone to a few buildings and a lighthouse). It doesn't really feel like the world of fallout at the moment, maybe though I've just not been to the right places yet. Stumbling on other people's camps is very strange, it really feels like I'm trespassing. I've done the basic camp requirements for the missions and must say I like how simple the building is, as everything seems to snap where you want it very quickly.

As all my mission interactions have been with NPCs, what on earth did the game do before they were added? Did the game even have a main quest?

[jawa2]

...I started playing this the other day, have put maybe 2 hours in. It's alright so far, I've not really strayed far from vault 76 (just gone to a few buildings and a lighthouse). It doesn't really feel like the world of fallout at the moment, maybe though I've just not been to the right places yet...

My camp was right near to the lighthouse until just recently (I'm now back on the river to the west of the map). You're in the forest area and so it's very green and lush; other areas of the map vary dramatically. Heading down and away from the lighthouse you'll soon reach the Wayfarer's Inn which is where you'll pick-up opening missions :-).

...Stumbling on other people's camps is very strange, it really feels like I'm trespassing. I've done the basic camp requirements for the missions and must say I like how simple the building is, as everything seems to snap where you want it very quickly...

The camp aspect is my favourite thing about 76. The building is so creative - although, even if this doesn't float your boat, you can purchase small pre-made buildings to plonk down and use instead. I love checking out other people's camps. Usually they're pretty basic but it's nice to stumble upon one which has clearly had a bit of work put into it.

...As all my mission interactions have been with NPCs, what on earth did the game do before they were added? Did the game even have a main quest?

Yeah, the Wastelanders update in April has really changed the game. Previously it really was a "lone wanderer" experience; no human NPCs and so missions were centred around robots and computers. It was a different atmosphere but I think I do prefer the revised approach. All the original missions still exist with the new people built into them; they were updated pretty well. I still haven't progressed the main missions too far even though I've played a lot!

The player community is pretty friendly overall. Most players will wave (emote) and maybe drop stuff for you if they're higher level. Some players will ignore you and occasionally you'll find a troll; in this case it's better to just fast-travel away (and you can player for the session if needed). But, yeah, most folk are friendly.

twitter.com/jawafour/status/1335252198180212737

I finished building my new camp last week. I like how cosy it feels and I have put up a Christmas tree :-).

[Victor Mildew]

Thanks Jawa, your place looks great! One of the camps I encountered had a vending machine which had a few free plans in it, which are pretty handy.

I was kind of hoping this map was a training area of sorts, and you'd move on to a much bigger one, but going by what you're saying it seems this is it.

[jawa2]

...I was kind of hoping this map was a training area of sorts, and you'd move on to a much bigger one, but going by what you're saying it seems this is it.

The gameworld is pretty big; four times that of Fallout 4. It sounds like you've just seen the forest area, Ad? If you explore further south and east, you'll reach differing zones. This map website is handy for checking out where places are.

Things have changed a bit in that, following the one wasteland update, enemies scale to your level. On paper this means that it should be easier to visit some of these other areas but really it just makes things a bit of a slog in the forest area, let beyond that. IMHO it's way tougher to play than before - unless you're high-levelled and pretty much overpowered; which many hardcore players are but, even then, some are now saying on the official forum that the missions are a lot tougher now.

[Victor Mildew]

I've really noticed that everything is the same level as me, which is pretty annoying as it makes every enemy a bullet sponge at the moment. Yes I've only been to the forest (I've been to that woman who gives you some quests at her bar). Maybe it's just the scale of the map when you press options but it just didn't seem to be expansive. I shall have a good look around thoug regardless!

[OrangeRKN]

The map is gigantic

As jawa said, four times the size of Fallout 4. It's easily the most varied Fallout map too.

[Victor Mildew]

I've put about 10 hours in to this so far and I'm starting to really enjoy it. I think my initial hours were more longing for something thst the game just can't offer (a full bodied fallout game), but now I've pretty much forgotten it's online, I'm enjoying it about as much as I did fallout 4.

[Photek]

I've put about 10 hours in to this so far and I'm starting to really enjoy it. I think my initial hours were more longing for something thst the game just can't offer (a full bodied fallout game), but now I've pretty much forgotten it's online, I'm enjoying it about as much as I did fallout 4.

Dem Xbox Studios are rather good huh?

[Victor Mildew]

Hi Vault-Tek

[jawa2]

Bethesda have issued the game roadmap for the first quarter of 2021 and I'm looking forward to those "quality if life" changes. Bethesda are also taking a look back at the updates and game events that have taken place during the past year; click here to have a read.

[jawa2]

The Escapist has published a pretty positive article about the game.

It may have had a rocky start, but Fallout 76 finally feels like it is on track to becoming what it always had the potential to be. I have said it before, and I will say it again: War never changes, but thankfully, Fallout does.

I also liked how they mentioned the camp building aspect; it's a key attraction of the game for some of us creators :-).

[Victor Mildew]

I can't speak for the early game because I avoided it, and reading that it seems most of the game I've been experiencing has only been put in relatively recently. I'm really enjoying the game now, it's just what I want from a fallout game, the world is interesting and there's been some great little unmarked quests told through notes and things dotted about.

If only it had launched like this, but I'm glad i waited AND I only paid £11 for it.

[OrangeRKN]

I should really go back just so I can probably complain about the changes as a counterpoint