In the beginning: October 23, 2077 - In the time it takes for the main player to escape Vault 111 (or alternate beginning), and after accepting the fact that you've not only been in Cryostatis for 210 years, but lost your family, and somehow through mankinds genius and technonogy you've miraculously survived an apocalyptic event.
While assuming the various but limited player roles, after multiple playthroughs with all the factions, learning each of their goals and ideologies, such as the Minutemen, the Railroad, the Brotherhood of Steel, and the Institute.
Mostly though indulging my gameplay with immersive mods that boost enjoyment, from the Enclave to the role of Elder of the BOS. It is fun and at times challenging to manipulate the player to choose and play along with or oppose other factions. Each choice has a significant effect on the game's outcome and to a limited degree the future and fate for the Commonwealth and its' reconstruction. All of that is dwarfed by the ultimate enjoyment one gets by playing. And playing FO4 means diversity, options, goals, and endgame.
Playing through the game and learning each faction's fundamental goal for the future of the Commonwealth and their ultimate vision for mankind, - and being told at every encounter by some NPC, who I should kill, what I need to steal, which faction should be destroyed. Turns out the fate or future of Commonwealth isn't what I envisioned, and there's nothing I can actually do to make the Commonwealth better... not even for the synths... except listen to folks that have never fixed a car, built a house, or planted a garden... They b&@*$ about everything and expect you to do everything... except Make Life Better.
Too bad for having all that experience, gaining skills beyond any and all enemies, master settlement builder, ... only to find that not only doesn't war ever change, but neither do the 200-year-old opinions of the narrow-minded citizens and factions.
(mod concept)
After infiltrating the Institution and playing along with that faction, the gameplay moves on to the player making critical decisions based on the outdated ideologies of people who have never stepped foot inside or outside the institute depending on whom your taking your quests from. Thinking like that could bring about the endgame for the Institute. - That's the part I can't wrap my gameplay head around.
When it's finally time to face the 'Boogyman'. A mod that would truly allow you to decide where things take a turn.
Talk about lore? You've crawled out of a roach infested bunker, devastated, confused, but almost immediately you find out what it takes to be a survivor. Using the most basic of skills and abilities, rise to the rank of General of the Minutemen. Through time, trial and error, and slowly gaining skills in everything from health to warfare, science, engineering, weapons, robotics, you name it. From building shacks to productive, high-tech industry ...
To this point, all is vanilla follow the storyline and live with.
When all else is clearly on the path to more murder, mayhem, and eventually left with simply pushing a button. What if there was another way? A mod opportunity arises. An option!
Save the Institute and fulfil the players prophetic words "I want to make the Commonwealth a better place to live."
If you've read the in-game article published in Publick Occurrences by Piper Wright, she expresses an interesting but provocative commentary. It's a bit long but here's Piper's take on the issue as she sees it.
"The Boogeyman Banished?"
"... That, dear readers, is the question. For the boogeyman may indeed have been banished, but isn't it possible other monsters may step out of the closet to terrorize us in the night? There are other players in the Commonwealth. None had been as strong as the Institute - but that's sure to change. Will they work with the Commonwealth, or against it? Are they for the people, or against us?"
The mod I'm suggesting brings new thought, a bold vision and hope to the Commonwealth: The Institute Rebranded
"Rebranding is a strategy to change a company's image, identity, or market positioning. The goal of rebranding is to create a new brand identity in the minds of consumers, investors, and other stakeholders."
What it boils down to is experiencing the possibilities of building upon a part of the game that already has potential, already has the core elements of character development capabilities. (*) Proven when the player becomes a lame duck Director, the possibilities for Oh boy @ @ what I can do next shoot right out the window.
Please create something game changing. Give The Institute a chance and add that much needed attention to what feels like "Walking the Plank" when it comes to challenging quests that fall short due to lack of creative spirit.
When it comes to making the Commonwealth a better place, I detest from the bottom of my heart that the evil, scary, and dangerous Institute background-story is constantly being forced into the player head at every opportunity.
The Rebranding of the Institute should continue with its' familiar groundbreaking technology. But in spite of its' past reputation of crimes against the people of the Commonwealth and vale suspicion and secrecy, a New Director has been appointed. One who may already has made alliances with outside factions to keep the storyline going, an Institute Director who is also a General, and possibly Leader of the BoS, and had the insight to form a tight alliance with a faction of synth freedom fighters, who pledge to continue the mission of the Railroad.
(*) Aligning the Survivor as General of the Minutemen, as Elder of the BOS (mod) , as Director of the 'Reformed' Institute, and keeping an alliance with the Railroad to keep on keepin on, with there cause of synth equality...
It's gotta start somewhere. . . It's gotta start with a great mod designer.
