Gunner Radio

[outsidefactor]

I was recently watching Oxhorn's lore video about the Gunners (

) and part way through he discusses the Gunners' obsession with/focus on communications, and a mod idea occurred to me.

 

There would be multiple phases to the mod.

 

In the first phase an encrypted radio signal would appear on your PipBoy all across the Wasteland and in the remote DLC locations. Listening to the station would play a sound file of scrambled audio.

 

The second phase would begin with the discovery of either a radio handset on a Gunner or a scrap of paper with a call-sign written on it (these would be added to the loot table for Gunner Commanders, Sergeants and Lieutenants). Finding either one would add a quest to find someone with the technical know-how to decipher the encrypted radio signal. This character will become the hub for the second phase: finding more radio handsets and call-signs. Once enough of each is found, phase three begins.

 

Phase three is a quest to steal specific data and equipment from Hub City Auto Wreckers, Vault 75 and Gunner Plaza. Once they have been obtained the mission giver assembles a working decryption program for the Sole Survivor's PipBoy, the encrypted signal becomes Gunner Radio and phase four begins.

 

In phase four, Gunner Radio acts like Radio Freedom, in that it issues missions. Missions could be of a few different types:

• You have overheard a Gunner transmission about reinforcements being deployed, and would be a radiant quest. This mission is only available if a Gunner location has the Cleared flag. It repopulates the location with enemies and sends the Sole Survivor there to clear them out.
• You have overheard a Gunner transmission about a planned strike on a settlement. This is another radiant quest.
• You have overheard a Gunner transmission about you! They are angry that you have been interfering with their plans. This is an unmarked radiant quest that adds a Gunner strike team to the deck of Random encounters. The strike team lays in wait and attacks you on sight!
• You have heard a Gunner transmission about an important Gunner leader. There would be several entries for this mission that are sequential, crafted quests, that could use existing or new locations. They would advance a longer term, multistage quest to gain a military advantage over the Gunners. Each quest stage can be completed through different means (stealth, brute force, etc). This quest would reward you with a Gunner themed player home. It could also be episodic, allowing additional stages to be added to the quest. The means that the mod could be shipped at part completion and then have the final stages of the craft quest be completed as time allows

The rest of the time the station would play news stories (couched as strategic reports) that discus your interactions with the Gunners, for example:

• "Warning, be careful near the Mass Turnpike. A company of Gunners has been wiped out by unknown assailants" after you progress MacCready's quest far enough
• There could be flavor reports about Quinsy before you attack it, and then reports about Clint and Co being taken out if you retake Quinsy)
• There could be flavor reports about any Gunner location that are different based on the Cleared flag
• There could be flavor reports about Gunner activity outside the immediate Boston region

I am not sure about music. Music could be a great addition, but would a para-military organisation like the Gunners play music over the same channel as their reports? I guess the Minutemen do, but I think there would have to be some real thought put into that aspect.

 

I'd love to hear other suggestions! i love the idea of elevating the Gunners a little as they are the only real enemy left after the Nuclear Option/Nuclear Family is completed.

 

It's a big project covering a lot of disciplines. It needs scripting/coding skills, voice acting and some writing and direction. I'd love to help with this, but I have only ever tinkered with mods for Bethesda games before. If you're interested in helping me take it on, let me know!

Edited July 5, 2018 by outsidefactor

[dev235]

Was just about to write about this, I think this would be amazing. Also I think there should be a quest chain after the minutemen have retaken enough settlements to drive the gunners out of the commonwealth, the radio would remain operational, but instead of getting reports of jobs inside the commonwealth, you get reports of their next targets (they go back to war with the minutemen), perhaps eventually they'd try to assassinate Preston and/or Ronnie. I was also planning to offer some voice work for free if anyone wanted to work on this mod.

[TheGreatAndMightyWalrus]

Love it