Details on Fallout 4's skill system

Turkey · July 24, 2015, 05:46:12 PM

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As always, you'll distribute a pool of points between those seven statistics at the start of the game, but they'll have a much larger impact on how your character develops this time around.

In Fallout 4, every time you level up you're able to unlock or upgrade a perk, giving your character new abilities and proficiencies. The perks you're able to unlock are directly tied to your SPECIAL stats — each stat has 10 perks corresponding to the 10 points you're able to allot to that stat. The more points you have in a given stat, the "deeper" you're able to go: If you have eight strength points, you'll be able to choose between eight of Strength's assigned perks when you level up.

That means there's 70 base perks in Fallout 4 to choose from, including some familiar faces — like a perk that increases the odds of "gibbing" your foes — and some newcomers. The series' Skills system is also tied into the tree, according to Howard. Most perks will also be upgradeable; with those additional ranks included, the progression system offers 275 things to unlock.

So it seems like it's a mix of what they did in Skyrim and traditional skill trees; in this case, there are 70 perks (10 for each attribute) which can be upgraded several times. So less spreadsheet-crunching-roleplaying and more tangible rewards for leveling up. Of course this is probably somewhat polarizing, because many of us are just used to adding a point to one of a dozen skills and not really seeing any significant change to gameplay, but I enjoyed Skyrim's model and think this is a decent improvement.

Additional news from Quakecon:

Spoiler

There will be about a dozen possible companions, including Dogmeat, Mr. Handy, Preston Garvey, and ‘Piper,’ a newly-revealed companion who you can meet in Diamond City.
Mr. Handy can actually say your name—be it John, or something more ridiculous like “Mr. Fuckface.” He will vocalize it all the same. I can’t wait to see all the offensive and silly names that people come up with! In any case, Mr. Handy is voiced by Stephen Russel, who PC Gamer notes also voiced Garret in Thief. Finally, the inside of Mr. Handy is actually modeled, because I guess Bethesda wants to make sure you can see the details if he’s ever blown up.
We’ve already gotten a look at Preston Garvey, as he was a character that was added earlier this year to Fallout Shelter. He is the leader of the Commonwealth Minutemen, a group which needs some serious help. Preston Garvey looks like this:
Spoiler
Dogmeat is based on a real dog, who is named River. Quakecon folks got to see footage of this dog, but we’ll have to settle for a Tweet:
Spoiler
Additionally, you can command your in-game dog to scout areas for items (fetching, looting, and so on.)
Piper, the new companion, wears a red leather coat and a newsboy hat.
You can romance your companions, regardless of whether you play as a male or female. Not clear on whether or not this includes robots like Mr. Handy, but here’s hoping.
Things that are back: bloody mess perk, Super Duper Mart, computer hacking, lockpicking, the Fat Man, and Behemoth mutants. The demo actually ends with the player shooting an atomic bomb at a Behemoth mutant.
Book/comic book covers will be more detailed this time around, and you can zoom in and look at them.
The leveling system works differently now. Perks are tied to SPECIAL stats, and not levels. Having specific high special stats means having good related perks.
It sounds like factions can war with one another. IGN described a scene where the player watched ghouls attacking raiders, and noted that the player had the option to let it happen without interfering. Awesome. Additionally, they also noted that at one point the Brotherhood of Steel appears and joins the player in a battle against raiders.

challengerX · July 24, 2015, 05:51:52 PM

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Girl of Mystery · July 24, 2015, 05:54:55 PM

Skyrim's system wasn't good though

Turkey · July 24, 2015, 05:55:00 PM

Quote from: challengerX on July 24, 2015, 05:51:52 PM

I don't need to read shit because I already know it's a good game.

But is Skyrim still a benchmark for modern games?

Girl of Mystery · July 24, 2015, 05:57:08 PM

Quote from: HurtfulTurkey on July 24, 2015, 05:55:00 PM

Quote from: challengerX on July 24, 2015, 05:51:52 PM
I don't need to read shit because I already know it's a good game.

But is Skyrim still a benchmark for modern games?

stop

Azumarill · July 24, 2015, 05:57:21 PM

Quote from: HurtfulTurkey on July 24, 2015, 05:55:00 PM

Quote from: challengerX on July 24, 2015, 05:51:52 PM
I don't need to read shit because I already know it's a good game.

But is Skyrim still a benchmark for modern games?

it never was. it was dumbed down beyond belief.

that being said, one can only hope that instead of copy-pasting the skyrim system, they learned from their mistakes and improved it.

Mr. Psychologist · July 24, 2015, 06:19:36 PM

Hmm I quite liked the numbers game with the original skill tree, but if it's got a decent enough replacement I can live without it.

Luciana · July 24, 2015, 07:22:00 PM

Honestly, like Gopher pointed out with skills, it was literally as basic as you can get in an RPG game. So them doing something different isn't TOO bad.

On that note, the game will have personality too for anyone who's afraid of Skyrim's crap. I feel the only game that didn't have it that Bethesda did was Skyrim, because it seemed they were all about "muh graphics" and "3D items/puzzles". Fallout 3's companions compared to Skyrim's makes it clear which they got more humor, wit, and depth out of.

Hahahaha very funny Zonda · July 24, 2015, 07:39:01 PM

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Turkey · July 24, 2015, 08:21:35 PM

Quote from: ねこ on July 24, 2015, 07:39:01 PM

Quote
You can romance your companions, regardless of whether you play as a male or female. Not clear on whether or not this includes robots like Mr. Handy, but here’s hoping.
So, yes to beastiality?

I think we know why he's called 'Mr. Handy'.

Azumarill · July 24, 2015, 08:22:03 PM

Quote from: HurtfulTurkey on July 24, 2015, 08:21:35 PM

Quote from: ねこ on July 24, 2015, 07:39:01 PM
Quote
You can romance your companions, regardless of whether you play as a male or female. Not clear on whether or not this includes robots like Mr. Handy, but here’s hoping.
So, yes to beastiality?

I think we know why he's called 'Mr. Handy'.

hes talking about dogmeat

Hahahaha very funny Zonda · July 24, 2015, 08:23:03 PM

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Azumarill · July 24, 2015, 08:24:02 PM

Quote from: ねこ on July 24, 2015, 08:23:03 PM

Quote from: Azumarill on July 24, 2015, 08:22:03 PM
Quote from: HurtfulTurkey on July 24, 2015, 08:21:35 PM
Quote from: ねこ on July 24, 2015, 07:39:01 PM
Quote
You can romance your companions, regardless of whether you play as a male or female. Not clear on whether or not this includes robots like Mr. Handy, but here’s hoping.
So, yes to beastiality?

I think we know why he's called 'Mr. Handy'.
hes talking about dogmeat
>.> I was just joking around about that dough

;]

Hahahaha very funny Zonda · July 24, 2015, 08:34:18 PM

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Mmmmm Napalm · July 24, 2015, 08:52:57 PM

Quote from: Mr Psychologist on July 24, 2015, 06:19:36 PM

Hmm I quite liked the numbers game with the original skill tree, but if it's got a decent enough replacement I can live without it.

Same here. I really do like skills, but this system doesn't sound too bad. Besides, I'm just excited that we're finally getting what looks to be some great combat and gunplay.

Tyger · July 24, 2015, 09:30:42 PM

The only thing I don't like about this is that there doesn't leave much room to change your character mid game. Other than that I'm fine, all skills were before was a way to gate perks

cxfhvxgkcf-56:7 · July 24, 2015, 09:41:47 PM

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Luciana · July 25, 2015, 12:33:23 AM

Quote from: Esoteric on July 24, 2015, 09:41:47 PM

As Gopher said it isn't possible to dumb down the skill system of Fallout being that its as dumb as can be. A change is nice though nostalgia still makes me miss the old dumb system.

Same. At first I was REALLY up in arms about it, but after Gopher offered his pov, I really kinda sat back and thought about it, and he really is right.

Just the nostalgia getting in the way.

A Cheese Potato · July 25, 2015, 01:26:37 AM

Sounds good to me, probably result in trying out more varied SPECIAL stat combos to get to the different perks which is good

BrenMan 94 · July 25, 2015, 03:22:43 AM

Wonder how my usual 2746975 setup is going to go this time around.

Batch · July 25, 2015, 05:22:18 AM

Quote from: BrenMan 94 on July 25, 2015, 03:22:43 AM

Wonder how my usual 2746975 setup is going to go this time around.

So your character is basically a smart wet noodle?

The Waifu Master · July 25, 2015, 12:55:28 PM

Sounds actually like a nice change.
But BGS has a rep for fucking changes up.
And the game will still be shallow from a story standpoint.
And a character standpoint.
And the quest design will probably be shite.
And it will probably miss the point of a Fallout game all over again, just like Fallout 3.
It's like watching the downfall of Silent Hill again.

Luciana · July 25, 2015, 02:27:17 PM

Quote from: The Waifu Master on July 25, 2015, 12:55:28 PM

It's like watching the downfall of Silent Hill again.

Not really

The Waifu Master · July 25, 2015, 09:46:50 PM

Quote from: Luciana on July 25, 2015, 02:27:17 PM

Quote from: The Waifu Master on July 25, 2015, 12:55:28 PM
It's like watching the downfall of Silent Hill again.
Not really

>Silent Hill
>Good game series
>eventually became shit because it was constantly given to the wrong devs
Yes, it's exactly like it, actually.

Mmmmm Napalm · July 25, 2015, 09:51:15 PM

Quote from: Luciana on July 25, 2015, 12:33:23 AM

Quote from: Esoteric on July 24, 2015, 09:41:47 PM
As Gopher said it isn't possible to dumb down the skill system of Fallout being that its as dumb as can be. A change is nice though nostalgia still makes me miss the old dumb system.
Same. At first I was REALLY up in arms about it, but after Gopher offered his pov, I really kinda sat back and thought about it, and he really is right.

Just the nostalgia getting in the way.

I'm assuming Gopher is a YouTuber or something? If that's the case, would someone mind linking me to the video in question?

Raw Sugar · July 25, 2015, 10:20:50 PM

I actually loved the skill system from fallout nv. I never got around to the other games. Anyway this games skill system will be interesting.

cxfhvxgkcf-56:7 · July 26, 2015, 01:41:34 AM

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Mmmmm Napalm · July 26, 2015, 01:35:45 PM

Quote from: Esoteric on July 26, 2015, 01:41:34 AM

Quote from: Mmmmm Napalm on July 25, 2015, 09:51:15 PM
Quote from: Luciana on July 25, 2015, 12:33:23 AM
Quote from: Esoteric on July 24, 2015, 09:41:47 PM
As Gopher said it isn't possible to dumb down the skill system of Fallout being that its as dumb as can be. A change is nice though nostalgia still makes me miss the old dumb system.
Same. At first I was REALLY up in arms about it, but after Gopher offered his pov, I really kinda sat back and thought about it, and he really is right.

Just the nostalgia getting in the way.

I'm assuming Gopher is a YouTuber or something? If that's the case, would someone mind linking me to the video in question?
YouTube

He's a pretty great YouTuber. This video is quite a ramble and was made before the skill system was actually announced. Gopher does a lot of modded playthrough stuff but more importantly he makes videos to explain all the necessitues of modding FNV and Skyrim. Such as installing script extenders, ENBs, making merge patches etc. You'll pretty much have to watch his videos at some point if you mod those games. He has also made a few of the most downloaded mods on the Nexus like immersive HUD, dynavision, and a few others. All around pretty cool Norwegian guy.

Alright, thanks!

Luciana · July 26, 2015, 02:00:30 PM

Quote from: The Waifu Master on July 25, 2015, 09:46:50 PM

Quote from: Luciana on July 25, 2015, 02:27:17 PM
Quote from: The Waifu Master on July 25, 2015, 12:55:28 PM
It's like watching the downfall of Silent Hill again.
Not really
>Silent Hill
>Good game series
>eventually became shit because it was constantly given to the wrong devs
Yes, it's exactly like it, actually.

Yeah, no. If it wasn't for Bethesda, Fallout would have stayed a dead series.

And mind you, NV follows the same foundations 3 does, so yeah. You can dislike Fallout 3, but to say the devs and the game is shit is laughably wrong.

The Waifu Master · July 26, 2015, 02:05:43 PM

Quote from: Luciana on July 26, 2015, 02:00:30 PM

Yeah, no. If it wasn't for Bethesda, Fallout would have stayed a dead series.

I like desiccated corpses too.

Quote from: Luciana on July 26, 2015, 02:00:30 PM

And mind you, NV follows the same foundations 3 does, so yeah.

>Foundations
Like what, having the same control scheme and character customizer?

Quote from: Luciana on July 26, 2015, 02:00:30 PM

You can dislike Fallout 3, but to say the devs and the game is shit is laughably wrong.

The devs are shit at making Fallout, no doubt. Because despite trying to make Fallout they made STALKER. Fallout 3 isn't actually a bad game, gameplay wise. But it is a shite Fallout game.