AWOP Low Loot and other patches.

[djmystro]

AWOP Version 4 has been relased.

 

I have had a lot of requests for the new low loot file in a very short space of time so I thought I would see what loot is the most bothersome or is causing the most harm to peoples games.

 

I was not gonna make one until the main version is complete but due to volume of requests I will attempt one in the next few days.

For version 0.4 it has become a much more difficult task to make one. There are now NPCS who will make modified weapons for you if you bring them the correct parts and to take out these weapons seems wrong which leaves me with the dilemma of what stays and what goes.

Low Loot will eventually be one of a series of patches for altering difficulty, adding new weapons, combining existing mods with the AWOP landscape, making an 'I love Vanilla' preset etc...

The next low loot will probably just be a harder version of the game with much less gear available early on.

I would check out the enemeies in The Underground before making any major judgements though - those guys are really tough. If I make a low loot version I'll probably have to lower thier health/DT too for balance (and it may just morph into the 'I Love Vanilla' version).

As it is I am aware that the weaponry availablein AWOP makes the majority of the vanilla game too easy and I have many plans to rectify this with Wasteland Weapon Specialist squads in the main version and many new ememies to be added via patches.

In the meantime if you do happen to find an Armor with a DT of 32 (there is one now - it was in the game already but as far as I can tell it was unused) my honest advice would be don't use it or give it to a companion.

 

This all leads me to my question:

Whay stays and whay goes? Here are a few options:

 

'M' Weapons: I was thinking of a low loot version with these and one without (the second with weaker enemies to compensate). As mentioned some are now quest based and I think I love the 308. Marksman Carbine too much to take it out (The rarity of it's ammo makes up for it's power in my opinion).

'M' Armors: Left in the last low loot if I remember correct. I never had any complanits about these, any opinions there?

Skill Books: I think there are currently three of each scattered about.

Ammo: Very high in areas with an Armory. Much less in abondoned areas such as Lost Legion Camp or Underground Incomplete Sector.

I have had reports in the past of too much ammo on NPCs and too little so I'm not sure about them.

I'll do the standard thing of lowering the AWOP ammo box/locker content but if anyone has any more suggestions let me know.

Clutter: I have had people specifically ask for less clutter like tool parts. Personally I just see this stuff as decoration but I can have a go at reducing it all the same. I never pick up anything with a value of 10 or less per 1 unit of weight (or 0.5 in NV) so no dirty water, conductors, beer, plungers etc... I have always played like this personally and can recommend it as a time-saving device (after all I have usually cleared out all vendor caps with just expensive stuff like unwanted rifles and grenades).

Health/Drugs: These have always been kept to a minimum in AWOP areas to promote tactical thinking. As a result no complaints about these so far.

 

Other factors:

Enemy Armor/Health: Some 'M' Weapons do above +50% damage compared to thier vanilla counterparts. Without this boost in firepower, especially towrds the end of the Underground

you will most likely have a great deal of trouble dispatching troops with 28 DT, 9 END and 500 base health. I can and will lower these values in the non-M Weapon version unless people think differently.

Underground Vendors: The best supplied vendors in the game, just where you will need them most. but do they have too much stuff? Is concentr8 too cheap? etc...

 

New patches:

In the future when the main version is complete (along with at least one variaton of low loot) I will start work on a series of patches. Each will incorporate a new mod into the AWOP landscape. I am open to suggestions for new mods to link in but here's what I have planned so far.

Standard Weapon Pack: Will require calibr/XCalibr. Will basically just add about twenty of my favorite guns from other mods as an otherwise stand alone package into the game. Will also distribute ammo boxes containing reserves of Caiibr ammo types around the game (vanilla and AWOP locations).

Advanced Weapon Packs: Will require specific weapon master files. Basically the same as above but specialised to one specific weapon mod per patch (adding many more guns as a result). Options include 19th & 20th Injection, Book of Earcahe, Mo Beta, Classic F0 Weapons etc...

Standard Armor Pack: Will add a load of my favorite armors to the game.

Optional difficulty levels: Easy, normal and Hard versions of AWOP.

Zombie World: Will add many zombies to the wasteland using Zombie Apocalypse and the recently released 'Zombie Mod' as masters. Will add new buildings explaining the source of the outbreak, lots more zombies and will drop supplies about to help deal with the hordes of undead (including a starter box in Doc Mitchells house).

Desert Succubus: Will use 'Shiloh DS - Desert Succubus Custom Race' as a master to add loads of babes to the wasteland. Will include new Underground areas with friendly recruitable ladies. Probably some new quests including defeating new hostile faction - The Psiclones (evil clones of captured babes).

Sexy armor pack: Sexy armors, probably with unusually high DTs and, if possible some piece of technology to explain how that works (I was thinking of a forcefield that only woks on exposed flesh).

Vault 24: Using the huge Vault 24 as a master to add an 'Operation Anchorage' style Deadly virtual reality machine. The player will get to keep thier own weapons (probably) and will have to fight through all thier own inner demons (basically every enemy from the game will be down here again). I may make the place look progressively more 'Hellish' too if possible.

Giants Mod: Using Valley of the Giants as a master to add huge retextured boss characters to the wasteland.

Friendly Guards/NPC Overhaul. New wepaons, armors and well-trained guard friends for friendly wasteland settlements and quest NPCs who would otherwise be slaugtered by all the new enemies.

 

I should add I have not contacted anyone yet with regards to getting permision to make these patches. I am still too busy making AWOP to start work on it's patches. They are just ideas I have had. If anyone refuses to let me use thier mod then that's fair enough.

 

That's it for now and all I have planned for the current version of AWOP. I am avoiding going beyond the game borders for the time being as I have heard there are plans for 8 or 9 DLCs so I figure it's best to see what they are up to first. In the meantime the new patches will take up most of my time anyway and will add a lot more fun.

Eventually I hope to have my game running like my old FO3 setup where I was under constant attack but had a ridiculous amount of firepower to deal with it. This time I just need to get the balance right.

 

Any ideas and opinions are welcome. I already have a list of bugs to fix with the 0.4 version (nothing game breaking - the worst is one of the UG Troopers is not following commands properly) but I am putting off making any changes until I have a bit more feedback.

Edited March 13, 2011 by djmystro

[Metoollhead]

Well, the thing is-

Personally, I use a realistic weapon damage mod, so most weapons already do big amounts of damage.

 

I think it's the same for a bunch of other people as well.

 

Question, tho- does switching to Low loot version after starting the normal version (0.32) screw with the save game?

 

 

And naturally, thanks for the great mod and good luck in the future!

[djmystro]

Metoollhead;

Yeah - will it mess up your saved games switching from a Low Loot Version to the main file coz they have different names. You can rename the files without worry. As far as I am aware doing that only affects custom audio files and there are none in AWOP so you have no worries there.

 

Switching to the new patch system should solve this promlem in the future (rather than having two seperate main files).

 

Good point about the Damage Mod. I have never used anything like that myself because I am uncomforatable running several mods that replace data rather than adding to it at the same time. Though I should say there's nothing wrong with doing that but I wan't to get my extra content mods in order first to help with future conflict detection (and also I don't get to play that often).

Edited March 12, 2011 by djmystro

[Metoollhead]

So there's no way to switch from normal to low loot if I already started it?

Even if I delete Frankie's voice files?

 

 

What a bummer.. Maybe if I wait for 0.4's low loot version?

Edited March 12, 2011 by Metoollhead

[VirtualMe]

Well, like Metoollhead, I use a weapon modifier (realistic headshots) and I haven't yet used your M weapons, but I have been all through the AWOP areas in its present and previous incarnations (killing all enemies as I go). For me, it I don't get a headshot - and I don't use VATS - then it's a gunfight, otherwise it's a straight kill. I don't have any comment about the amount of loot available, suffice to say: if you don't want it, don't take it. One thing that does factor into available loot is carrying capacity. Early in the game it's difficult to carry more than is absolutely necessary; later on, your allowance increases with things like your 4D storage device and applying perks etc. But by that stage, it shouldn't really matter that there is a treasure trove to rummage through because your player is pretty much on top of things by then. At least, that's how my character goes.

 

In terms of difficulty, I think AWOP should always be hard, in fact the harder the better to encourage entering the more dangerous places at a higher level. The zombie additions sound good, but how will they impact with other mods, such as Electro City or Populated Wasteland?

[djmystro]

Metoollhead:

You can switch from one version to the other and keep your saves intact but you will have to change the file name to the one you are currently using. This only really applies to switching from 0.32 Main to 0.32 Low Loot at there is no Low Loot equivalent for version 0.4 yet.

When I do release one it will be a patch so you can turn it on and off when you like and it will not affect your saved games. So in answer to your question you should be able to change from Version 0.4 Main to 0.4 Low Loot with no problem once it is released.

 

VirtualMe:

Thanks for the feedback, some good points there.

I'm running a few poulation mods at the moment and I'm not seeing anywhere near the amount of enemies I was after even on max settings. I don't think the changes I'll make in the Zombie Patch will interfere with any mods doing the same thing as I will be downloading and playing as many of the mods that add enemies as I can find and will be testing alongside those mods.

I can't speak for Electo City because I have not used it but as far as I am aware adding a load more zombies into the Wasteland should not affect it at all (I can't think of how it would - only if I dropped a new building on something important).

Edited March 12, 2011 by djmystro

[Metoollhead]

Got it! Thanks for the tip.

Again, I gotta say just how much it covers NV's shortcomings when compared to FO3..

 

NV's characters, dialogue and story are FAR more interesting then 3's, but the landscape design isn't as interesting. Your mod, along with IWR, eliminates that problem completely! Great job!

[djmystro]

Metoollhead:

Cheers, I know what you mean. Even back playing FO3 (especially pre-DC Interiors) I remember thinking 'I wish I could get into more of these random buildings' so it's nice to be able to make that happen.

I was a bit bored wandering the off-road Mohave, I kinda got the impression things had been cut short due to deadlines but it's hard to say. The charcters and quests were awesome and so was the ending so maybe the team just had other priorities. It's a shame they didn't hire someone or more people just to fill in random locations though. The free-roam/loot aspects are what continuously draw me back for more (along with the mods).

Edited March 12, 2011 by djmystro

[northfield]

Here's my 2 cents:

 

First of all, thank you for considering a low loot version of .4!

 

Clutter: I don't have a problem with the M weapons at all. I'm thinking more in terms of normal clutter (especially the useful stuff you can use for crafting), ammo, and NPC weapons and gear. There is just a bit too much IMO. But yeah, I can see the dilemma.

 

Skill Books: I would prefer there where none. It's a design question when Obsidian choose not to include more. They didn't wan't the player to be able to max out his character as in FO3, but instead think about what type of character they wan't. I like this.

 

Difficulty levels: As long as "hard" is an option I'm glad :)

 

Zombie World: Could you perhaps make this an optional module? It would ruin the lore a bit if zombies would be all over the wasteland.

 

Vault 22: Good idea. Perhaps fill Vault 22 with zombies? Vault-tec simply dug too deep when making this vault? :)

 

Have you thought about incorporating a slower XP function? Considering all the new enemies AWOP adds.

 

Anyway. Great job on this!

[djmystro]

northfield:

Cool, thanks for the feedback.

Thats two votes for less clutter so I'll look into fixing that. I never usually reigister the stuff (I dont use workbenches or make stuff at campfires - I just can't be bothered).

 

No skill books is an option. I was thinking of removing two of each but I will happily lose the lot if that's what people would prefer.

 

Zombie World. No worries there, all the patches will be optional and you should be able to turn them on and off without affecting the base AWOP game (or vanilla for that matter).

 

Vault 22: I'll have a think about that (filling it with zombies). I think that would be cool but after the Zombie patch I think it could get a bit repetative. Hard to say at the moment but it's an option and would save recasting it as a simulation.

 

Slower XP mod: I had not considered it myself. I don't use 'em often as my games don't last more than a few days (I don't think I have any saves past level 26 apart from back from my first play through). I probably won't be including one given that there are already a few mods that serve this purpose.