RPG MOD (MADWorld)

[tathel]

So the general review from everyone I've talked to, myself included, seems to be that Fallout 4 is a really innovative first person shooter. Sadly, that's been a rather low bar, and when first person shooters like Bioshock can out RPG Fallout... there's a problem. So I've done a lot of thinking about this game and tried to think up ways to make the game more like an RPG, and less like a shooter.

The first step would be to change up the perks system. A couple perks are pretty cool and innovative, and some are just nice ones to have, but a lot feel useless or necessary to simply stay alive. Doing 100% extra damage stops seeming great once enemies have 500% extra health. Instead adding in more perks total, and possibly increasing perks per level, could let the player flesh out an interesting and unique character. Perks should be built around either items (weapons, armors, chems, etc), play styles (run'n'gun, stealth, sniper, power armor, etc) or world affecting (rad resistance, random luck effects, companions/army, settlements, crafting). These perks can not only add passive bonuses (like damage increases) or game altering affects (like the VANS perk, but not shitty) but also active abilities. For example, in New Vegas there were hand to hand abilities you could learn from wandering, and there are some different strikes you can pull of by moving certain ways already. But adding a variety of different attacks for each weapon, with differing costs and abilities, can vastly alter how the game is played. Since I'm guessing the "cannon" ending is that the PC is the General of the Minutemen, lets use that as an example of some new perk possibilities. The idea would be you have your PC leading Preston, Dogmeat, and maybe three or four minutemen in the early game. If we say they are a speech focused but squishy character looking to build settlements, then here's an idea of some perks:

Passive: Strength in Numbers: Allies all gain some passive bonus(es) based on the number of allies around.

Just not Scary: While an ally is around, enemies are less likely to target you

 

WA: Commander: Command troop movements from the map. Assign units and their function. Get some f***ing guards around your provisioners.

Likeable: Have more companions

Fearless Leader: Opens new dialogue options. Allows you to say something supportive or condescending, each giving the ally different effects.

Drill Sergeant (for Preston): Allows training residents of a settlement into troops.

 

Active: Focus fire: You have perfect aim! Because all you have to do is aim your finger at an enemy, and tell your allies to shoot it. At the cost of a critical hit all allies focus fire on an enemy with increased accuracy.

Jump!: Jump to target location, and gain +15 explosion resistance during the jump.

 

The second step would be to change how the world itself operates. The commonwealth is supposed to be a clusterf*#@, and I'd like to see it turn into one. One incredibly labor intensive way to make this work would be to make alternate maps. For example the castle in Vanilla is all smashed up. However if a Castle Restoration project were to be initiated by the player, than after a certain amount of time a new Castle (one repaired and more easily defended) could be loaded. This, or some sort of auto building mod (I know there is one out there) could let the player feel like they are changing the world, where they are actually rebuilding a society rather than building a sick new fortress. Fighting for other buildings could let the player rebuild and use it. For example, Saugus ironworks could be refurbished and allow the player to mass produce metal armors for troops. If buildings, and even settlements, can be taken, then they should also be lost.

 

Another change that should be made is to how factions work. Each faction should have a number of needs (units of food, water, resources) based off of their size/what projects they want to take on. This could also allow factions to act against the player, or each other, without the player having to do anything. A raider band nearby in need of food may send a raiding party off to a settlement. The BoS could seek all the parts of Liberty Prime they need in real time, so if you are their enemy and take too long you could face off against Liberty Prime with the BoS on the offensive. Super mutants and gunners can trade control over buildings in the Commonwealth. Different types of units (peaceful humans/ghouls, wandering raiders, wandering supermutants, etc) can also come into and leave the map. This could lead the player to have to defend not only the routes inside the commonwealth, but the traderoutes heading out. I hear the Capital Wasteland has plenty of clean water to trade. This could open up new options to the player of facilitating trade routes to, and through, the commonwealth. However each soldier would have to be recruited, either as a hired mercenary, or as a trained troop. Since people wander in and out of the commonwealth, this would allow a good reason for why the player could defend the routes (especially the one right near sanctuary early on) to build up settlement populations quickly. Other factions would have to do the same. For example, taking out the named Gunner leaders becomes important because that would stop the spawning of other gunner troops. And to train their troops they would have to pay a certain resource cost. Raiders could just recruit from the roaming raiders to refill their ranks, but would then be more likely to send out a party for food. The BoS wouldn't even recruit, since they get to bring in a ton of badass gear with them, and they'redicks like that. Unless you're in the BoS.

 

This would all lead to a greater feeling of trying to supply and fight a war for the commonwealth, or at least let the player feel a bit more badass while they go on a murderfest.

I'm sure some of these ideas are not realistic, and others have been done. But if anyone in the modding community feels like they can take a good idea from this, feel free!

Edited May 30, 2017 by tathel