A List of Mods To Add Immersion

[kkman99]

So, as I play through Fallout 4 and follow the modding scene on the Nexus daily, I've been taking note of any aspects of certain features or systems I find to be lacking as far as playing to be as immersed as possible. Every time I think of something that I think would improve immersion (whether it be cosmetic or mechanical or whatever), I'll add it to this list (in an edit.)

>>> I would really appreciate any feedback on this, both the actual ideas and also the presentation/format of this list. Thanks! <<<

 

(also there is a pretty important DISCLAIMER at the bottom of this post I urge you to read (especially if you're an accomplished or potential mod author!)

 

So, here's the list:

• [sETTLEMENT] - One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure (lol, work with me here)
  
  So, I have trash cans/bins scattered around my settlement, and they never get any trash thrown in them. This is really, super minor, but.. it bothers me. I'd love to see a system that makes them (relatively slowly) fill up as time passes. Would be a great way to get some useful junk and also just make your settlements feel more alive in a subtle way. Also, why am I the only person ever scavenging for stuff in the wasteland? I'd like to see some kind of "lost-and-found" style community box (either place-able or denote-able) where settlers/scavengers would bring random junk and clothes and miscellaneous items to. It would fill up slowly over time like the trash bins/cans. There could be other applications for this system as well, if someone put some more thought into it.
  
• [ENVIRONMENT/IMMERSION] - RAIDER RADIO
  
  [ If you don't know, there's already a W-I-P Raider Radio mod in development.
  The mod author is currently looking for good royalty free/non-copyrighted punk/hardcore/trash/metal music and anyone with an interest in helping that mod come together should definitely check the mod page out! ]
  
  While prowling the wastelands and fighting raiders, I often find myself wishing there were any sort of cultural identity to any of the raiders at all. And a Raider Radio station would be really, really cool, yes, but I would love to see that radio music/programming being listened to around the wasteland. Imagine hearing music echo and reverberate through Diamond City (Fallout 3 intro cinematic flashbacks, anyone?) from (hopefully huge!) speakers repurposed/engineered/whatever by the raiders to play their music from. I especially love the idea of raider outposts built underneath the highways that play this music.
  
• [ENVIRONMENT/IMMERSION] - PLAYABLE RECORDED MUSIC
  
  Another idea I've had is a way to collect specific musical "holotapes" or casettes or even records. These musical platforms would work similarly to holotapes in the vanilla Fallout game. In fact, just picture the music discs from Minecraft. Naturally, hardware to play the music files is required - maybe a sort of craftable/find-able stereo (worked in to be lore-friendly) that can play casettes/holotapes, and also maybe a craftable/find-able record player for records. This, in my opinion, would prodive such an immersive way to play the music you want and add to the immersion and role-playing experience of the game. Also, it would cut down on the work load of the mod author, as with standalone music platforms you wouldn't have to create and develop a Radio DJ.
  
• [ENVIRONMENT/IMMERSION] - REALISTIC/REACTIVE BODY LOOTING (and movable skeletons...)
  
  I remember in a modded playthrough of Fallout 3 I used a mod that essentially made looting body parts off of people/creatures more realistic by actually showing the mutilated bodies after "looting" their appendage(s). For example, if you were to "loot" a mirelurk's claw off of it, upon leaving the transfer menu, you would hear a disgusting "rip" sound and the mirelurk's arm would now be missing the claw, similarly to how it would look if you blew it's claw off in combat. I'd like to see this replicated for humans/ghouls/synths as well. Also, perhaps this would be locked behind a perk or an addition to the "cannibal" perk, but I'd like for every humanoid body to have their body parts (being: head/skull, both arms and legs, and maybe even seperate hands and feet) able to be "looted". This would be a source of bones/meat (synth materials as well..?) and also just make you feel like a badass. ALSO, why can't you move skeletons in this game??? I want to place skeletons around my base and make it look ominous and raider-esque.
  
• [sETTLEMENT] - EXPANDED SETTLER NEEDS AND JOBS
  
  Firstly, let me get this out of the way: I think it's plain stupid that the settlers don't need a place to use the restroom/clean themselves some. I'd settle for a simple placeable outhouse style building that could be "used" like a crafting station or something by NPCs to do their business. Also, the settlers desperately need some entertainment. There's already working televisions in the game, though as far as I know they only ever display the "please stand by" screen. Perhaps some talented mod developer can one day replace the "please stand by" screen with some sort of programming, maybe use public domain television shows? Maybe even add a "broadcasting station" that you can place in your settlement and assign a settler to run the programming. Also, public domain radio shows! Those could be made into standalone radio stations. Also, instruments. In Skyrim, you can regularly see bards playing instruments and singing. That's missing in Fallout, and I'd love to hear some old shity acoustic or even electric guitar being played somewhere in my settlement. I want to revisit and add to this idea in future edits.
  
  MORE COMING SOON...

DISCLAIMER:

I might seem like I'm posting another "someone make me this mod!!!" thread, but rest assured that I'm not throwing this list out there into the void of the forums and hoping some kind soul(s) might grant my mod-wishes like some sort of forum-fairies. I'm posting this because:

1. I'd love to hear feedback on any of these ideas.
2. I am very passionate about modding games and follow many games modding scenes very closely, chiefly being Fallout.
3. I don't have a beefy enough PC to even run most newer games at all, much less develop mods for them. I do plan on building a high-end gaming rig over the next year and I want to dedicate a very defined portion of my life to learning how to make mods. ANY advice from ANY accomplished mod authors is highly, highly appreciated! I'd love to work with anyone with the skills needed to develop some quality mods!

Edited December 10, 2015 by kkman99