Some Sneak Tweaks, Thoughts for VATS, Legendary Drops

[dem0nbreather]

I have a couple of ideas/requests today in regard to some longstanding issues I've had with the game. Fun game, but I'd have ten times more fun with a certain personal blend of mods. Hopefully some of these ideas will appeal to the modders enough to inspire a new project (or a link to a preexisting one I may not have seen yet):

 

- I'm discouraged by the marriage of Sneak and what used to be Light Step. I want to be able to take multiple ranks of Sneak, but I find it fun to remain susceptible to mines and traps. Can the immunity to floor-based traps and mines possibly be removed from ranks 2 and 3 of Sneak? Ideally, these Light Step bonuses should still be available, but separately, though I don't know how to suggest going about it since the perk chart has no extra space to work with. I suppose removing the chart entirely and reverting back to a list of perks as in previous games would allow more drastic changes to be made. And a list/menu UI would probably be easier to create than an alteration to the chart I imagine. Depends on RL skillset in the end I guess.

 

- Would it also be possible to eliminate intentionally hidden threats like dormant ghouls or mines as eligible VATS targets? I feel like being able to pick out a tiny mine or identifying an unmoving body as an enemy from a mile away detracts from the tension of trying to make my way through hostile territory. It really just feels like straight up cheating to me so I never use VATS any more until I've already identified a threat first-hand. VATS ruined the surprise of Boston Common for me, and I have more than a little lasting resentment over that particular spoiler. (And I apologize if this comment on a spoiler is in turn a spoiler for someone else! I tried to keep it vague though...)

 

- An option that combines a bit of both items above would be to overlay a very, very faint [insert chosen HUD color] outline over mines or ghouls as you come within a certain range (based on Perception). I would want it to be so faint that I could miss the outlines if I weren't paying attention, but if I were intent on finding hidden danger, they'd be just a bit more visible. I should also note that I'm thinking of this as being outside of VATS. It would just be in your normal view as you explore. It could possibly even be added as a second rank of VANS with a little stretching of the imagination, though it would make more sense to me as a Perception perk. I'd probably start with a detection distance of 1 meter per point of Perception, and since probably every character has around 4 perception to start with, you'd be able to detect mines or ghouls at around 4m/12 feet away. That seems like a fair distance to me, and provides more incentive to take those Perception-enhancing drugs to extend your bubble of threat detection.

 

- Lastly for this post, I'm wondering if Legendary drops could somehow be weighted toward what you actually USE. Maybe if chosen weapon perks were taken into account, or favorited weapon types or currently equipped armor or something? If the kill counters could also keep track of weapon usage, maybe? And I wouldn't want all of the drops to cater to my build -- that would be too obvious -- but if the items I fought so hard for were a little more rewarding, well, then taking on Legendaries would literally be more rewarding. Alternatively, only allow Legendary enemies to drop items that could be used by them -- this would mean that pretty much the whole animal kingdom would have very little to offer in the way of Legendary drops (unless there were Legendary consumables or increased junk drop rates for some), but I wouldn't really mind if the drops were in context for the enemy I killed, even if context dictated that there was nothing to be found. I try to play as realistically as vanilla allows, so I don't go recklessly attacking everything in sight, and I generally avoid the Legendaries I see in the distance unless they're a direct obstacle. But back to this idea: things like the mongrels could have Legendary dog armor. Ghouls could carry basically anything and it could be assumed that they used the item before they went feral. Mutants could have Legendary versions of the limited weapons they're allowed to use, or Legendary mutant armor. I honestly wouldn't mind if the drops were no longer guaranteed, either. I'd rather find nothing but guts in a Legendary radroach than a sniper rifle. I guess I just want a bit more realism and I'm annoyed at getting shitty drops from creatures that would have no business carrying certain things.

 

- Okay, the actual last thing: would it be possible to remove the "Legendary" title and the little star and skull icons as well? How about the enemy health bar? I just don't think threat levels should be so blatant. If you pick the wrong fight, you die. How's that for threat analysis?