H00V3RD8M Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 In Fallout 4, Bethesda really did overdo applying essential protection to some NPCs during development. One of their staff was too lazy to program quests to fail if one of their associated NPCs were killed, so they made them essential instead, because that was when most of the quests were already implemented, and it was near time for release. They knew that changing the scripts would screw everything up, so they left them be. Obsidian had non-essential characters and player freedom in mind when they were writing and implementing quests and NPCs for Fallout: New Vegas, during development, so they programmed those quests to automatically fail if one of the characters essential to the plot were killed, sometimes implementing alternate ways to complete the quests. They also implemented an Independent ending should any of the other 3 questlines become unavailable. Applying the essential tag to characters important to the main plot in FO3 was okay, but it was really overdone in FO4. I have been think of ways we can resolve these issues. NPCs essential to a sidequest can now be killed. Upon death, the associated sidequest will automatically fail, and a message will show on screen to remind. Characters essential to the main plot can be killed, though only after a certain point in the questline. Killing them will have negative side effects, including permanently locking several options later in the game. For example, the settlers in Concord will remain essential until you complete When Freedom Calls. Upon arrival in Sanctuary, the settlers will be set to protected, allowing to silence Jun and Marcy once and for all. Preston and Sturges can be killed also, but you will lose a companion and their associated perks, plus it will permanantly make you enemies with the Minutemen, in turn locking you out of the Minutemen questline, failing all associated radiant quests, losing access to a unique weapon and outfit, also making all Minutemen permenantly hostile and attack on sight. Regarding companions, all of them will be set to protected, though Piper and Valentine are essential to plot and will be essential until you progress enough in the main questline. Deacon can be killed when he is incognito before you join the Railroad, though it will lock you out of their questline and their associated sidequests and potential ending. They will shoot on sight upon arrival at their HQ. Killing some companions can have an effect on some questlines. Even Dogmeat is protected and can be killed, but for you Dogmeat lovers, you don't have to worry, as he still cannot be killed by NPCs. Upon death, you will recieve a message saying the companion has died, and if they have an associated personal quest, it will fail, and their affiliated factions will turn hostile. Regarding Dogmeat, Mama Murphy will have a change in dialogue. Upon talking to her in the Museum of Freedom, she will forsee a dog fallen to the scourge of the wastes, his luck ran out. She will tell that dog's name was Dogmeat, and that he was a good dog. All ranks of Attack Dog will be automatically removed, and the perk's icon permenantly grayed out in the perk chart, as that is Dogmeat's personal companion perk. Regarding the sidequests, not all of them will be failed upon killing a plot-essential character. In the quest Emogene Takes a Lover for example, the quest will not be failed upon killing Magnolia, Ham and Whitechapel Charlie. Instead, you will asked to search the Third Rail in Goodneighbor for clues to Emogene's whereabouts. You will find a suspicious pamphlet on the circular endtable near Magnolia's amp behind the bar, which will lead you to Charlesview amphitheater. That are just some of the examples of how we can make NPCs non-essential while squashing most of the bugs that come with killing them, regarding screwing up quests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H00V3RD8M Posted June 7, 2016 Author Share Posted June 7, 2016 Bump. Of course, the mod theft crisis and illegal uploads to Bethesda.net are the main interests here, but there's other things we could discuss here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KataPUMB Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 Yea sure, all of this is fine what do you want to say?, just do it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXsQAXx_ao0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wunderbot Posted June 7, 2016 Share Posted June 7, 2016 Seems overly complicated for something that can be fixed far easier. There's already a mod out there that changes all essential NPCs to simply protected. Sure, it'll miss some of the finer details that you're trying to describe, but it works just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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