FALLOUT 3 WANDERERS EDITION (FWE)


Project Team: Mezmorki (lead), Kai Hohiro, jjgun, delamer, The 3rd Type


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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CHANGES



This section provides detailed information for all of the changes made by FWE. Credits are given to integrated mods for changes attributed to those mods. Changes are grouped into the following categories:

  • CHARACTER - development, pacing, skills, SPECIAL, perks, experience
  • COMBAT - damage, accuracy, VATS, combat features
  • EQUIPMENT - weapons, armor, misc items, ammo, new gear
  • SURVIVAL - injuries, healing, chem / drug / ammo rarity, primary needs, radiation
  • ACTORS - Factions, NPC's, followers, creatures, leveled lists, trade caravans, AI behavior
  • IMMERSION - time settings, respawning, travel, quest, misc changes
  • SUPPORT - DLC support, FOIP patches for MMM, WMK, EVE, PB

Note, that all of the changes described below are the DEFAULT changes for FWE's configuration options. These options may vary depending on what config settings you choose. Refer to the control panel section for information on what the different options change.


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CHARACTER

Changes to the character development include changes to S.P.E.C.I.A.L, skills, perks, level advancement, and a number of other improvements. The intention of these changes is to foster more diverse character types and eliminate the inevitability of becoming a "master of all trades" as seen in the unmodded game.


Leveling, Experience, and Pacing

  • Adjusted the experience formula for a slower leveling and pacing experience. This is a configurable option, defaulting to 100-150% more experience being needed across all levels.

Experience Control Panel Options ( > Character > Experience )

Option 1 - Vanilla Leveling (iXPBumpBase = 150)

Option 2 - Faster leveling (iXPBumpBase = 225), requires 35-40% more XP across all levels, balanced for Level 30 Cap.

Option 3 - Moderate leveling (iXPBumpBase = 300), requires 60-90% more XP across all levels, balanced for Level 30 Cap.

Option 4 - FWE Default - slower leveling (iXPBumpBase = 400), 100-150% more XP across all levels, balanced for Level 20 Cap.

  • Tweaked individual experience rewards. You'll receive more experience from exploration but roughly half as much experience from lockpicking, hacking, and defeating opponents. This puts more emphasis on achieving quests and exploration.


S.P.E.C.I.A.L Are More Special

SPECIAL's are balanced to be more important, and to make choices between which attributed to increase more important and have greater consequences.

  • Each point of strength increase carry weight by +25 (was +10). Base carry weight reduced to 25 (was 150!). You can now carry more weight if you are super strong (strength 9 or 10) compared to the vanilla game, but less weight for other strengths. This option is configuable:

Carry Weight Control Panel Options ( > Character > Carry Weight )

Option 1 - High Carry Weight: 125 base + 25 per point of STR (150 - 375)

Option 2 - Vanilla Carry Weight: 150 base + 10 per point of STR (160 - 250)

Option 3 - FWE Default Carry Weight: 25 base + 25 per point of STR (50 - 275)

Option 4 - Low Carry Weight: 60 base + 20 per point of STR (80 - 260)

Option 5 - Harsher Carry Weight: 0 base + 20 per point of STR (20 - 160)


  • Perception now provides a multiplier penalty (below 5) or bonus (above 5) to your critical hit chance [credit: XFO]. The penalties range from a 0.5x multiplier at 1 PER, no multiplier at 5 PER, and to 1.65x multiplier at 10 PER.
  • Endurance only provides +15 hit points per point (instead of +20). However, hit points only increase by +5 per level, so endurance is relatively more important. This option is configurable:

PC Health Formula Control Panel Options ( > Character > Player Hitpoints )

Option 1 - Vanilla (High) Hitpoint Formula: 10 per Level + 20 per point of END

Option 2 - Moderate Hitpoint Formula: 5 per Level + 25 per point of END

Option 3 - FWE Default (Low) Hitpoint Formula: 5 per Level + 15 per point of END

Option 4 - Harsher Hitpoint Formula: 0 per Level + 20 per point of END


  • Charisma provides a small penalty (below 5) or bonus (above 5) to your ability to negotiate the purchase price for goods [credit: XFO]. This ranges from 1.25x increase at 1 CHA, no change at 5 CHA, and 0.65x decrease in cost at 10 CHA.
  • Higher levels of charisma will allow you to take on more followers, see Followers + Companions section for more details.
  • Each point of agility provides +6 action points (was +2). Base action points is now 40 (was 65). You get more action points with higher agility (8+) compared to vanilla. This option is configurable:

Action Point Formula Control Panel Options ( > Character > AP Calculations )

Option 1 - Vanilla: 65 base action points + 2 per point of AGL (67 - 85)

Option 2 - FWE Default: 40 base action points + 6 per point of AGL (46 - 100), makes agility more important

Option 3 - Harsher: 30 base action points + 7 per point of Agility (37 - 100), makes agility much more important


Bobblehead Changes

  • Bobbleheads are now interactive / havoced objects [Credit: FF Interactive Bobbleheads]. In addition, you can purchase a portable Bobblehead Stand from the major vendors to use in a location of your choice.
  • SPECIAL bobbleheads no longer provide +1 to their associated stat [Credit: FF Interactive Bobbleheads] but instead when you activate a SPECIAL bobblehead you will be confronted with a choice to raise that stat 'and lower a choice of one of three other stats, or do nothing. This provides an incentive to collect the bobbleheads and allow you to SPECIAL-ize you're character more without becoming to powerful.
  • SKILL bobbleheads provide a +5 bonus to their associated skill, instead of the default +10 bonus.
  • These changes for both SPECIAL and skill bobbleheads are configurable:

Action Point Formula Control Panel Options ( > FWE Feature Settings > Bobblehead Bonuses )

Option 1-a - Special Choices (FWE Default) SPECIAL changes described above are enabled.

Option 1-b - Vanilla Bobbleheads: SPECIAL bobbleheads provide +1 to the associated SPECIAL.

Option 2-a - FWE Default: Skill Bobbleheads provide +5 skills points.

Option 2-b - Vanilla: Skill Bobbleheads provide +10 skills points.


Skill Advancement

  • All specials now provide +3 to their associated skills (was +2), but skills only start at 0 [credit: Pointiac].
  • Tagged skills provide an immediate +10 bonus. Each point spent raising tagged skills during level up raises that skill by two.
  • Skill Books now provide unique skill related perks instead the usual +1 to skill (see details below)
  • Gain 10 skill points at level up (plus 1 for every two points of intelligence). [credit: Pointiac/XFO] This option is configurable:

Skill Increases at Level Up Control Panel Options ( Character > Skills )

Option 1 - Vanilla Skill Increase - 11 Skill Points at Level Up, every two points of INT provides 1 additional skill point.

Option 2 - FWE Default - 10 Skill Points at Level Up, every two points of INT provides 1 additional skill point.

Option 3 - Balanced Skills - 5 Skill points at level, every three points of INT provides 1 additional skill point. Balanced for Level 30.

Option 4 - Harsher Skills - 3 Skill points at level, every three points of INT provides 1 additional skill point. Balanced for Level 30 for a harder overall experience.


Barter Skill Tweaks

Barter settings adjusted to make higher levels of barter skill much more useful. At 100 skill you can trade with an equal exchange. With very low barter skills, items are significantly more expensive. This change is configurable:

Barter Setting Control Panel Options ( Character > Barter )

Values in the options show the range for a hypothetical item that has a base value of 100.

Option 1 - Give Aways (Vanilla) Barter Settings: Purchase price ranges from 155% (Barter 0) to 110% (Barter 100). Sell price ranges from 45% (Barter 0) to 95% (Barter 100).

Option 2 - Sale Every Day: Purchase price ranges from 225% (Barter 0) to 100% (Barter 100). Sell price ranges from 30% (Barter 0) to 90% (Barter 100).

Option 3 - FWE Default: Purchase price ranges from 300% (Barter 0) to 90% (Barter 100). Sell price ranges from 25% (Barter 0) to 90% (Barter 100).

Option 4 - Tough Bargains: Purchase price ranges from 350% (Barter 0) to 125% (Barter 100). Sell price ranges from 25% (Barter 0) to 95% (Barter 100).

Option 5 - Harsh Traders: Purchase price ranges from 400% (Barter 0) to 150% (Barter 100). Sell price ranges from 20% (Barter 0) to 100% (Barter 100).


Repair Skill Tweaks

In Vanilla fallout, a repair skill of 25 would let you repair items to 55%, 50 skill would allow you to repair items to 70% condition, and 75% to 85% condition. FWE tweaked the repair skill settings so you can now only repair equipment to a condition equal to your repair skill.


Security Changes (Lockpicking + Hacking)

Alternative Lockpicking + Hacking System [credits: Skill Based Hacking + Lockpicking]

A new skill based lockpicking and hacking option has been added to the game. When activating a locked door, container, or terminal, a message box will appear allow you to bypass the mini-games and the skill requirement check and utilize a new chance based system. This allows you, for instance, to open a level 50 lock with less than 50 in lockpicking. However, the chance of an unsuccessful attempt get's significantly higher with greater difference between your lockpicking or hacking skill and the lock level. In addition, you run a risk of breaking bobby pins, jamming the lock, or breaking the terminal. The mini-games can still be played normally as well.

In addition, your LUCK plays a minor role in determining success with the chance based system. Each point of luck over 5 provides the equivalent of +3 lockpicking or science skill when determining your success chance.


Science / Bypass Module

A second alternative hacking system has been added, which uses new bypass module items and your repair skill,to attempt to break into terminals. The bypass modules are created at the workbench, and require you to obtain one more schematics first (four are hidden in the game world; think about placed with people who might use these). Bypass modules are made from 1 sensor module, 3 microfusion cells, 1 wonderglue, and 1 camera combined at the workbench. Obtaining additional schematics will improve the quality of your built bypass modules. Creating a new bypass module will also upgrade any order versions of the modules that you might have.

When you have a created bypass module and you attempt to use a locked computer terminal, you'll be prompted to "activate" the terminal normally or "Use bypass module." Success with the bypass module is based on your repair skill (not science). However, there is a chance you'll overload your bypass module (breaking it) and locking-down the terminal if your attempt fails.


Explosive Entry (by Lap)

Explosive Entry allows you to bust inside almost any container or door using explosives. This is considered to NOT be a cheat mod and it is balanced to the best of my abilities using your explosives skill, luck stat, and ranks of the "Demolition Expert" perk. Based on your explosive skill you will be able to use a wider variety of ammunition and weapons to break a lock. A player with poor explosive skills may need a mininuke to open a tough lock that a master of explosives could do with a frag grenade or two. Depending on the game settings there is also a chance of the timer malfunctioning or the explosive destroying items inside a container.

Beware of the following when deciding to use explosives to breach a lock:

  • Explosions are the opposite of a stealthy act. Expect to alert any nearby NPC's to your actions.
  • Explosives may destroy the contents of container so think carefully about what strength of explosive you need. Using a mininuke on a safe will likely destroy the contents. This can include items you may need to complete quests.
  • The timers on explosives can malfunction and go off earlier or later than desired.

Your explosive skill, luck stat, whether you are in combat or not, and rank in the "Demolition Expert" perk, will also determine your effectiveness at using explosives.

The integrated explosive entries mod is configurable through the FWE Control Panel > Sub-Mod Configs > Explosive Entries


Stealth Overhaul [credits: XFO + Arwen's Realism Tweaks]

FWE changes a number of stealth gamesettings to make the stealth system more realistic and immersive. These options are configurable (see below), butby default provide the following major changes:

  • AI will search across a greater distance, indoors and outdoors, for the player.
  • The weight of armor has a more significant effect on your ability to remain undetected.
  • Sound and light both have a more significant effect on your ability to sneak.
  • Sneak messages can be disabled or turned into a more immersive mode that is less obvious.
  • All options are configurable:

Sneak Setting Control Panel Options ( Character > Sneak Settings )

Values in the options show the range for a hypothetical item that has a base value of 100.

Option 1a - Sneak Messages On (Vanilla)

Option 1b - Sneak Messages Off (FWE Default)

Option 1c - Immersive Messages

Option 2a - Very easy sneaking (Vanilla)

Option 2b - Easy Sneaking

Option 2c - Moderate Sneaking (FWE Default)

Option 2d - Harder Sneaking


Perks Overhaul

FWE features an significant rebalance and expansion of the vanilla perks, making a number of balance changes to perks and rewarding players that focus their perk advancements to make a more specialized character [credits: XFO].

  • The 5/5 skill perks -- Daddy's Boy/Girl, Scoundrel, Thief, Little Leaguer, and Gun Nut -- are all now available at level 2.  They also have five total ranks now (from 3), including the fifth "mastery" rank, which has double efficacy (10/10 SPs, for a total of 30/30).  With the lower SP formulas, this may make these overlooked skills much more worthwhile, as well as giving a bonus to specialized builds.  (In the near future, these will be again rebalanced.  I'm thinking something like 4,4,8,9,10)
  • Size Matters has been brought down to 10 SP per rank, to keep in line with it's fellow 5/5 perks.  It also now features five ranks, and the mastery rank adds a significant bonus to encumbrance (for hauling around those big beasts!).  The level req has been reduced to 6.
  • Cyborg has been revamped to give more love to the energy weapons users, who previously had no real way of raising their skill.  It now only gives 5 DR/PR/RR at level one, but gives 10 points to energy weapons for each rank up to five ranks.  Mastery grants the completion of cyberization, bringing the resistances up to 10 (like they were in vanilla).  Level req has been reduced to 8.
  • Chem Resistance now gives total immunity to chem addictions.
  • Intense training is limited to 6 ranks.
  • Finesse now has three ranks, granting +3% (instead of 5%) to critical chance per rank, with an additional percent at mastery for 10% for three ranks.
  • Cannibal can't be changed, I'm afraid, as it's scripted.  Same goes for Intense Training.  Not having a CS is like fighting your shadow in the dark.  (This isn't quite as true now, but I plan on tackling them when the official SDK comes out "sometime in December")
  • Lawbringer and Contract Killer, being "fun" skills, have been lowered to a level req of 10.  Child at Heart, for similar reasons, has been lowered to 2.
  • Nerd Rage has been "beefed up," in consideration of its high level and its low HP requirement.  It now maxes out the player's DR at 85% whenever HP drops below 20% (in addition to the previous 10 STR).
  • Toughness now has five ranks, for 5% DR each.  With the greatly increased weapon damage, this gives fighters the option to beef up without (or in addition to) armor.  This also balances with lower cyborg DR and lower initial DR.  Five ranks would grant +25% to DR!  Lvl req is 8.
  • Strong Back now has three ranks, for +30 pounds each.  Lvl req is 10.
  • Educated, also previously badly overpowered relative to other skill perks, now has a single rank which provides +2 skill points per level.
  • Life Giver now has three ranks, for 20HP each.  Strangely enough, these ranks were already programmed in the game, just deactivated.
  • Here and Now was a joke, so I kept it a bit of one: it now requires lvl 19, for some immediate need gratification ;)
  • Demolition expert now gives +30% explosives damage per rank, with an additional 10% at rank three for a total of double damage.  Puts explosives back where they should be when combined with the splash radius increase from my misc tweaks esp.
  • In accordance with radiation increases, Rad Resistance has been increased to 33% (from 25%).
  • Several perks have had their SPECIAL requirements upgraded where it made sense.  For example, someone should need a high charisma to be a "lady killer" or a "child at heart," and they didn't in Vanilla.  This makes your initial "SPECIAL build" more important, which is also very good for balance.


Integrated Book Perks Mod (by Kelenius).

  • Skill books no longer provide skill increases, but instead provide new "perks" relavant to their associated skils.
  • There are five ranks for each book perk (7 with comprehension). You need a minimum of 40 skill to read the first book, and an additional 10 skill for each rank after.
  • You need to read four copies of each book to gain a perk. Comprehension reduces this requirement to three books.

Book Perk List (adapted from the Book Perk Readme):

Barter "Jerky Vendor"
"Junktown Jerky is made of people!" With each rank of this perk, the price of every item you buy from a vendor is reduced by 3%.

Big Guns "U.S. Army Specialist"
You know how to effectively use your heavy weaponry and you know that you need and want to carry a lot of it with you. With each rank of this perk, you can carry 10 more pounds of weapons and equipment.

Energy Weapons "Teleforce Hardwiring"
You've learnt some tricks from Nicola Tesla and you've been exceptionally interested in his work with Death Rays. With each rank of this perk, all of your energy weapons do an additional 3% damage.

Explosives "Duck and Cover!"
"What to do if you are surprised by a Nuclear Explosion?" With each rank of this perk, all of your explosives do an additional 5% damage.

Lockpicking "Locksmith Training"
Your skill with the bobbypin has made you a natural at tickling the tumblers. Now, those pesky, easier locks are no challenge for you at all. You also have a increased chance with each Rank to recover any broken bobbypins. Lockpicking skill increased by +10 per rank for purposes of determining whether you can pick a lock.

Medicine "Living Anatomy"
You have a better understanding of living creatures and their strengths and weaknesses. You do additional 1% damage to living creatures with each rank of this perk.

Melee Weapons "Barbarian Rage"
Maybe you should show few tricks to those who still say comics are nothing but a waste of time. With each rank of this perk, all of your melee weapons do an additional +1 damage and you gain 10 Hit Points.

Repair "Expert Electronics"
You have a better understanding of repairing and scavenging items. You are more efficient at repairing and you scavenge more parts from items you repair with. With each rank of this perk you gain 1% more condition per repair and 5% more health from items used to repair equipment

Science "Scientific Knowledge"
You've gained knowledge about variety of hi-technology skills, such as computers, mathematics, biology, physics and geology. Now you've all tools to sound and look more nerdy. With each rank of this perk it feels that even harder terminals unlock automatically when you touch them.

Small Guns "Guns and Bullets"
You've read how to maintain and use your small guns and ammunition. With each rank of this perk, all your small guns do additional 3% damage.

Sneak "Special Ops Training"
Through intense study and training in the art of not being seen, you've learned how to become one with the shadows. With each rank of this perk, the weight of worn armor has less of a negative effect on your ability to sneak, allowing you to better sneak in heavier armors.

Speech "Congressional Style"
You have read about and learnt the ways of politicians, you now have a knack for lying. With each rank of this perk, every person you meet seems to like you a bit more.

Unarmed "Pugilism Illustrated"
You have learned the secret arts of the East, or you just punch harder. In any case, with each rank of this perk all your hand-to-hand attacks do an additional +1 damage and you gain 10 Hit Points.


Karma Overhaul

FWE reworks the karma levels and many of the rewards for Karma acts [credis: Karma Revamp]

  • Increased Karma level ranges. Very evil ranges -1600 and below, evil from -1600 to -800, neutral from -800 to 800, good from 800 to 1600, very good at 1600+.
  • Good Karma gained from donating at the church reduced from 0.25 (from 1)
  • Good Karma gained for giving Water to Beggars has been lowered (Vanilla was 50 now it is 10)
  • Good Karma gained for giving Scrap Metal to Walter in Megaton has been lowered (Vanilla was 10 now it is 2)
  • Good Karma gained for selling the Fingers of Bad Guys has been lowered (Vanilla was 10 now it is 2)
  • Good Karma gained for Freeing Slaves has been lowered. (Vanilla was 100 now it is 25)
  • Good Karma gained for killing certain evil characters has been lowered. (Vanilla was 100 now it is 25)
  • Bad Karma gained for Turning someone into Slavery has been increased (Vanilla was 10 now it is 100).

In addition, the Karma pop-up messages are removed [credits: Reeners Invisible Karma]


Alternative Starts [credit: Alternate Start Roleplayers by Khet]

FWE incorporates a heavily modified version of the Alt Start Mod. When you start a new game, after the opening video, the "birth scene" will begin playing normally. Towards the end of the birth scene you will be prompted to "continue dreaming" (which will allow you to play through the remainder of the Vault 101 starting sequence) or "Wake Up!" If you choose to wake up, you will find yourself in an empty shack (not in Vault 101). This is the begenning of the integrated "Alternative Start" mod.

There is a computer you need to activate that will let you choose your initial name, SPECIAL, skills, starting karma, race, and your "history." The different histories determine where you start the game and what equipment you have. While setting up your character, a number of scripts will be initializing in the background.

This mod has been tweaked moderately in FWE for better balance. The starts no longer provide overly advantageous bonuses, others receive better starting equipment, etc. Refer to the "FWE - Alternative Start Histories.txt" document for a description of the different alternative start options.

Android

  • You are a mechanically engineered bio-form known as an Android. You feel, think, breathe and eat just like a human but you are far from it. Your cybernetic nature makes you a little tougher than the average mortal (receive the Cyborg Perk) but a little slower to the draw (-15 Action Points).
  • Other Bonuses: Start with Rank 1 Cyborg Perk.

Chinese Officer

  • You are part of the Chinese Remnants located in what remains of the United States. Due to your poor English you suffer a penalty to your Speech (-5) and Barter (-5) skills. However, you gain bonuses to you Lockpicking, Sneak and Small Guns skills (+5 each) due to your training as an infiltrator.
  • Other Bonuses: None.

Doctor

  • You were raised by a rather accomplished Wasteland surgeon, granting you a bonus to your Medicine skill (+15). However, time spent fixing bullet holes in patients has left you with less time to practice making your own (-5 to Small Guns and -5 to Energy Weapons).
  • Other Bonuses: None

Enclave Refugee

  • Colonel Autumn has gone mad and declared you a Traitor to the Enclave. You've managed to escape but your former comrades will now shoot you on sight. Due to training you receive before being declared a traitor you receive a bonus to your Energy Weapons (+10) and a high aptitude for precision (+5% Critical Chance). A life in bondage has left you with few talents for negotiation (-10 barter).
  • Other Bonuses: Enclave is hostile.

Escaped Slave

  • You've lived a life of slavery and as a result you have become accustomed to using your hands to take care of business (+10 Unarmed) and moving quickly to avoid the whip (+10% Speed). However, a lack of education has left you woefully unskilled with technology (-10 science).
  • Other Bonuses: Slavers will shoot on sight. Unremovable Disarmed Slave Collar.

Ghoul

  • You are viewed as a walking corpse (-30 Disposition). And rightly so, as your body has been mutated due to severe radiation exposure. However, while humans see you as a Ghoul your mutations aren't as severe and other Ghouls still refer to you as being a 'smoothskin.' On the positive side, radiation will heal you.
  • Note: Ghoul history requires the Ghoul race. Disposition Modifier only applies to humans. Ghouls will have normal Disposition toward you.

Mechanic

  • You've always had an easy time with mechanical parts, earning a bonus to your repair skill (+15). Furthermore, you seem to possess an aura around you and robots will never fire upon you unprovoked. Time spent talking to machines all day has left you a little awkward around your fellow humans (-10 to Speech).
  • Other Bonuses: Robots and RobCo Robots are friendly.

Outcast

  • You were once part of the mighty Brotherhood of Steel but defected with your comrades. Due to the training you received you gain the ability to war power armor and a bonus to your Big Gun Skill (+5). The Brotherhood was never known for stealthy approaches and you are no exception (-10 to Sneak).
  • Other Bonuses: Can use Power Armor. In the Outcast Faction (their enemies are your enemies). Access to Fort Independence.

Politician

  • If the world hadn't been practically destroyed you probably would have been an amazing politician. You are more charismatic than most and possess amazing speech skills (+10). However, because you've talked you way out of most situations in life you've never been very good at fighting (-5 to Unarmed and -5 to Melee).
  • Other Bonuses: +10 Disposition for everyone you meet.

Raider

  • You've spent your life plundering and pillaging to your heart's content. Years of using force to get what you want has resulted in a boost to your Small Guns (+10) and being forced to fix your own weapon you gain a bonus to Repair (+5). However, the need to most fast from one place to the next has left you unaccustomed to heavy loads (-10 Carrying Capacity).
  • Other Bonuses: Added to the Raider Faction (their enemies are your enemies)

Refugee

  • For your entire life you've always been on the move, never taken settling down. You've been constantly attacked by Super Mutants, Raiders, and Slavers alike and have become quite proficient at hiding from them (+10 to Sneak). You’ve also relied on your words more find shelter among other wastelanders (+5 Speech). A lack of education has left you slower in certain subjects (-5 Medicine, -5 Science).
  • Other Bonuses: None

Regulator

  • You've spent most your life tracking and hunting evil throughout the Wastelands. You’ve become adept at reacting quickly to dangerous situations when enacting the rule of law (+15 action points). Heavy firepower usually leaves the suspect in poor condition, and your training is limited with those weapons (-10 big guns).
  • Other Bonuses: Added to the Regulator Faction (their enemies are your enemies). Start with the Lawbringer Perk.

Scavenger

  • Living the life of a scavenger you've learned to find parts and pieces in the most obscure locations. You have also become condition to lugging all of your “treasures” around the wastes (+15 to Carrying Capacity). But with all the time in world, speed has never been on your side (-5% Speed).
  • Other Bonuses: Starts with the Scrounger Perk.

Slaver

  • Humans and Ghouls are nothing more than a commodity and the world is full of commodities. Years of haggling for the best price for a slave has granted you a substantial increase to your barter skill (+10). Furthermore, keeping your slaves obedient has trained your hand (+5 Melee). However, you’ve always had your minions doing the manual labor, and your mechanical skills have suffered (-10 repair).
  • Other Bonuses: Added to the Slaver Faction (their enemies are your enemies)

Talon Company Mercenary

  • You were raised by the rutheless Talon Company Mercenaries. Due to the harshness of the life you have gained a bonus to your Small Guns (+10) from the extensive training. The Talon Company’s reputation precedes you, making those you meet a little uncomfortable (-10 disposition).
  • Other Bonuses: Added to the Talon Company Faction (their enemies are your enemies). Start with Contract Killer Perk.

Vault Dweller

  • You've lived your life underground in Vault 101 and have spent your time studying and learning and are granted bonuses to your Science (+10) and Medicine (+5) skills. Due to limited exposure to radiation in the vault, you have little stomach for it in the wastes (-10 radiation resistance).
  • Other Bonuses: None

Wastelander

  • You've spent your life wandering the Capitol Wasteland. Due to radiation exposure you've developed a slight resistance to Rads (+10 Rad Resistance) and skill at setting traps (+10 explosives). Rock and sand fills your days, and you’ve never given much thought to technology (-5 to Science).
  • Other Bonuses: None.

COMBAT

FWE's combat changes adjust a number of "game settings" and adds other features to make combat behave and function more like a true FPS that is more dynamic and challenging. Certain features expand the range of options at your disposal in combat to provide a more diverse combat experience. While the FPS component has been enhanced, your characters underlying skils and abilities will still play a significant role in determining your overall combat abilities, retaining important RPG elements.


Global Damage

FWE adjusts the global damage formulas in order make combat more unforgiving and ruthless. These changes will apply to all damage calculations, and will affect other weapon mods you might be running. The default changes are as follows:

  • Base damage is increased significantly across the board for all weapons (2x), more than doubling the original damage in the game.
  • Weapon condition has a slight effects weapon damage by +/- 30% (was +/- 33%).
  • The global damage is configurable:

Global Damage Control Panel Options ( Combat > Global Damage )

Option 1 - 1.0 x damage (Vanilla)

Option 2 - 1.25 x damage

Option 3 - 1.5 x damage

Option 4 - 2.0 x damage (FWE Default)

Option 5 - 2.25 x damage

Option 6 - 2.5 x damage

Option 7 - 3 x damage


Weapon Skill Effects

FWE Changes the effect of your weapon skill on both damage and accuracy. By default, weapon skill influences your accuracy by +/- 80% and damage by +/- 30%. This comapres to vanilla damage and accuracy of +/- 50%. These settings are configurable:

Weapon Skill Control Panel Options ( Combat > Weapon Skill )

Option 1 - FWE Default, accuracy +/- 80%, damage +/- 30%

Option 2 - Damage AND Accuracy, accuracy +/- 70%, damage +/- 40%

Option 3 - Vanilla, accuracy +/- 50%, damage +/- 50%

Option 4 - Damage NOT accuracy, accuracy +/- 20%, damage +/- 80%

Option 5 - Accuracy NOT damage, accuracy +/- 90%, damage +/- 10%


Accuracy Changes

In Fallout, there are two components that determine accuracy. First is the "aiming accuracy" component, that is based on skill, stance, arm condition status, and other variables, and determines how much your gun sways (when using the iron sights or a scope). The second component is the "gun spread" that determines the inherant accuracy of the weapon. FWE changes settings for both compnent to create a more realistic accuracy model.

  • Auto-aim settings tweaked to yield a more genuine FPS feel and greatly reduce the effect of auto-aim [credit: Auto Aim Fix – Headshot Edition].
  • "Aiming spread" accuracy is slightly affected by the condition of your gun (+/- 30%)
  • A broken arm reduces aiming accuracy slightly more (+60% rather than +50%).
  • Crouching provides slightly less aiming accuracy benefit than vanilla (-30% spread reduction instead of -40%).
  • Running now provides an aiming accuracy penalty (+33% instead of 0%).
  • Weapon Condition also has an effect on the gun's inherant accuracy. This option is configurable, and to a certain extent allows you to control NPC accuracy, as greater effect penalties will affect NPC's lower condition equipment more than the player, armed with better cndition equipment:

Weapon Condition + Accuracy Control Panel Options ( Combat > Weapon Condition + Accuracy )

Option 1 - Vanilla - No Effect

Option 2 - Low Condition Effect, -0.25 at 10% or less condition to -.05 at 50% condition.

Option 3 - Moderate Condition Effect (FWE Default), -0.2 at 10% or less condition to -.025 at 70% condition.

Option 4 - High Condition Effect, -0.3 at 10% or less condition to -.1 at 90% condition.

Option 5 - Very High Condition Effect, -0.5 at 10% or less condition to -.1 at 90% condition.


Melee + Unarmed Combat

  • Effect of strength is greater for Melee and Unarmed damage (+1.5x instead of +0.5x).
  • In addition, melee and unarmed combat provides a skil dependent bonus to your critical chance and crticial damage. The crit chance bonus increases gradually from 0% at 10 skill to 150% at 50 skill, and then then increases greatly to a max of 300% at 100 skill. The crit damage bonus ranges from -10% at 10 skill or less to 200% at 100 skill.


Explosive Damage

To help balance the general reduction in skill's affect on damage, the player recieves a special bonus to the explosive damage delt. Now, with an explosive skill of 0, you will do about 80% of the base damage of the explosive weapon, scaling up to 200% at 100 explosives. This effect stacks with the demolition expert perk. With the third rank, you will deal a total of 320% increased damage for explosives. Missile launchers, fat boys, the MIRV, and the Miss Launcher also recieve this benefit even through they are still classified as "big guns" and use that skill to determine base damage.


Dodging

Implemented a tweaked version of XFO's unarmed "dodge" bonus feature. This feature provides a chance to avoid damage based on a dodge bonus provided by your unarmed skill. This chance ranges from 0% at 0 unarmed skill to 40% at 100 unarmed skill (skill / 2.5). The weight of worn armor affects the chance of your dodge bonus as well, with armor subtracting its "weight" / 6 from your chance to dodge.


Wounding

Location Based Damage Tweaks [Credit: Mefiu]

  • Arm damage reduced to 33% (was 100%)
  • Leg damage reduced to 50% (was 100%)
  • Headshots are 200% damage for both the PC and NPC. Watch out!
  • An increase to the limb damage rate means that limbs are more likely get crippled, but reduce the overall health of the target less, resulting in more things running around with broken limbs.
  • Location damages have been tweaked for many creature/NPC types. For example, super mutants are less affected by headshots (125% bonus) while things like ghouls require headshots to effectively take down, their other limbs taking much less damage. Multi-legged things like rad scorps take less damage in their limbs.


Limb Explosion / Dismemberment

Reduced Limb Explosions / Dismemberment [credits: XFO]. The chance that limbs explode or fly off is reduced to 10%. Was 75% and 50% respectively in vanilla.


Falling Damage

Increased Falling Damage (by Azar) greatly increases the damage taken from falling. These options are configurable:

Falling Damage Control Panel Options ( Combat > Falling Damage )

Option 1 - Vanilla - 600 unit safe fall distance

Option 2 - Moderate - 500 unit safe fall distance

Option 3 - FWE Default - 400 unit safe fall distance

Option 4 - High Damage - 200 unit safe fall distance


VATS Tweaks

  • Hit location %'s are tweaked different body parts, making certain areas harder or easier to hit on different enemy types.
  • Weapon degradation in VATS is the same as out of VATS (was 5x)
  • Distance to the target is less detrimental to VATS accuracy than in the original game (i.e. you can be accurate further out in VATS) provided you're weapon skill is high enough.
  • Your base hit % chance in VATS has been adjusted. The base multiplier has been reduced to balance things with FWE's accuracy changes.
  • Each point of your perception STAT reduces the range penalty for VATS by .05, allowing you to snipe in VATS from increasingly longer distances.
  • VATS engagement distance extended out to 10,000 game units.
  • Players recieve 100% damage in VATS, this damage is configurable:

VATS Damage Control Panel Options ( Combat > VATS )

Option 1 - Vanilla - Player takes 10% damage in VATS

Option 2 - VATS "Realtime" Default - Player takes 50% damage in VATS

Option 3 - VATS "Halftime" Default - Player takes 75% damage in VATS

Option 4 - FWE Default - Player takes 100% damage in VATS


Optional VATS "Time" Modules

FWE includes two optional modules, "FO3 Wanderers Edition - Optional VATS Halftime.esp" and "FO3 Wanderers Edition - Optional VATS Realtime.esp," which controls how fast the player moves in VATS relative to the target and other actors in the area. With the half-time VATS module, VATS animations play at 50% that of real time, although players move slightly faster than their target. The real-time VATS module makes players and other actors move at normal speed in VATS. These options make using VATS a little more strategic and challenging, but also reduce the player damage taken in VATS down from the default settings.

VATS speed is 50% of realtime (faster). Players and NPCs/creatures move close to the same speed in VATS, and players take 75% damage in VATS.


Movement

  • Movement speeds increased by 10% for everyone at all speeds.
  • Actors now move faster when weapons are holstered (1.2 multiplier, up from 1.1).
  • Moving backwards is slower and dependent on agility. At agility 1, you will move backwards at 52% normal speed, and at Agility 10, 70%. [credits: Slower Backpedaling].


Action Point Recharging

Action points are now used for VATS (as normal) ANS the integrated bullet time mod and sprint mod (see below).

The base action point recharge rate has been increased from 4 to 5.

Two new perks have been added that allow you to further increase your action point recharge rate. The "Track Star" perk is a level three perk that requires 5 END and increases the AP regen rate by 40% (to 7, slightly slower than FWE's current rate). "Olympian" is a level 9 perk that requires 7 END and increases the AP regen by 80% (to 9, slightly faster than FWE's current rate)


Bullet Time (by Dunderklumpen)

Bullet time is the ability to slow down the world around you, allowing you more time, to aim, make decisions, and shoot. While time is slowed, you will burn Action Points. When your action points reach 0 normal time will resume. While you are in Bullet Time you can turn it off, saving those precious Actions for VATS, or another burst of Bullet Time.

An in-game configuration menu allows you to set the key binding used to initiate bullet time and to adjust various settings, such as the degree of the slowdown effect or the AP consumption rate. To access the config menu, open the FWE Control Panel (under the armor tab), choose "Sub-Mod Configs" and then "Bullet Time."

FWE adds two new perks that affects bullet time, increasing the amount of the slowdown effect and extending the length of time that you can remain in bullet time. "Swift Reflexes" is the first level perk and requires 6 Agility and Level 3. The second perk, "Super Human Reflexes" requires Swift Reflexes, 8 Agility, and Level 9. These perks work in conjunction with any custom settings you have specified in the bullet time config.


Sprint Mod (by Lork)

The sprint mod allows you to hold down a customizable key to "sprint" for a short distance. Sprinting drains your action points and requires putting away your weapon. It provides a big advantage for melee characters or those in lighter armor, as you can close in to your foe quicker or better incoming avoid fire respectively.

This mod has been slightly tweaked under FWE to account for adjustments to the carry weight and action point pool.

You can configure many of the sprint settings, including your key binding, turn radius while sprinting, and the graphic effects by using the in-game configuration menu. To access the config menu, open the FWE Control Panel (under the armor tab), choose "Sub-Mod Configs" and then "Sprint Mod."

The sprint mod includes two new perks. The "Charge!" perk allows you to sprint with your weapon still drawn. The "Tackle" perk requires Strength 7 and Unarmed 40, but allows you to "ram" into opponents and knock them over.


FPS Grenade Hotkey (by Kai Hohiro)

With the integrated FPS Grenade Hotkey Mod you will be able to throw any type of grenade and automatically switch right back to your previous weapon with the press of a single button. A seperate hotkey allows you toggle through the grenade type you are throwing without having to go into the inventory!

Usage:

Hold your Grenade Throw Hotkey (default is G) to instantly equip a grenade and charge the throw. Release the hotkey and you will throw the grenade and switch back to your previous weapon.

To toggle between the kind of grenade you wish to throw, hit the Grenade Toggle Hotkey (default H). You will automatically only toggle between grenades that you actually have in your inventory. If you have no grenades at all in your inventory and pick up one, you will automatically toggle to it. Also should you run out of grenades of the current type you have active, you will automatically toggle to the next available grenade!

The Toggle list looks as follows:

Frag->Pulse->Plasma->Cryo(only with Mothership Zeta version)->Nuka Cola Grenade

You can change both hotkeys with the 'Grenade Hotkey Menu'. To acces this menu, open the FWE Control Panel (under the armor tab), choose "Sub-Mod Configs" and then "FPS Grenade Hotkey."


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EQUIPMENT

FWE adds a number of new weapons, armor, and other useful equipment, increasing the diversity and range of options available to players. All new and existing items have been rebalanced for a consistent feel and to ensure that everything has a worthwhile use. New weapons and armor have only been added that were present in prior Fallout games to maintain the "canon" of the series.


Integrated Weapon Scanner [Credit: Kai Hohiro]

With changes to global damage and the weapon stat changes (describd below), the normal pip-boy dispay for weapon damage becomes very unreliable. FWE integrates Kai Hohiro's "Pip-Boy Weapon Stat" mod , which allows you to quickly view the base stats for weapons, including damage, fire rate, spread, and AP consumption.

To use the scanner, equip a weapon for which you want to view the stats and hit the weapon scanner hotkey (default E-key). You can change the hotkey settings for the weapon scanner by opening the FWE control panel and going to "Sub-Mod Configs > Weapon Scanner"


Weapon Rebalance

  • All weapons (including new additions, see below) were completely rebalanced, using T3T's Weapon Tweaks as a platform for additional tweaks.
  • You will find that all weapons are more accurate and do slightly more damage compared to the original weapon balance. This is in addition to the global damage increase described above.
  • Spread modifers for all weapons were adjusted and standardized by class of weapons (i.e. SMG, assault rifle, rifle, etc.)
  • AP costs for all weapons tweaked. You will be able to fire less shots in VATS for many of the higher powered weapons, while others have had their AP costs reduced.

Projectile Weapons

  • Properties based more on "real world" physics.
  • The 10mm round was used as a benchmark for adjusting individual weapon damage, and now does 20 base damage. Higher caliber weapons do scales up in damage (proportionally by kinetic energy) to the sniper rifle which does 75 base damage.
  • The critical damage of projectile weapons is typically 50% that of the base damage. Some projectile weapons with rarer round types (i.e. .44 magnum) do additional crit damage or have higher crit probabilities.
  • The speed and range of projectile weapons has been tweaked. Pistol cartridges are capped at 10,000 range (same as VATS engagement distance) while rifle rounds shoot much further. Pistol rounds are also slower, making them less effective over longer distances.
  • Automatic weapons have a greatly reduced durability to reflect their more temperamental nature. Simpler weapons (like a .32 pistol or shotgun) have higher durability.

Energy Weapons

  • Energy weapons generally do more damage than originally. Their crit damage and crit chance is higher than projectile weapons.
  • Laser weapons shoot very far, very fast, very accurately.
  • Clip sizes for most energy weapons reduced, forcing more reloads.
  • The durability of energy weapons is significantly reduced compared to projectile weapons to offset their increased power.

Explosive Weapons

  • Explosion damage and radius increased noticeably for most explosion types [credit: Realistic Explosions]
  • Plasma explosions have higher damage but a smaller radius, fragmentation explosions have a wider radius but less damage.
  • Explosive "ammo" (i.e. grenades, thrown grenades, mines) are targetable in and out VATS [credits: Explosive Explosives]
  • Added an explosion knockdown effect, inspired by Pararaptor's Explosive Knockdown mod. Most explosives now have chance to knock players, NPC's, and creatures down. This chance is based on the average strength and endurance of the actors in the explosion radius. With a 1 END/STR average, the knockdown occurs 100% of the time, scaling down to a 10% chance at 10 STR/END.

Melee Weapons

  • Knockdown effect added to the super sledge weapons, although the chance of knockdown is less than for explosions.

Unique Weapons

  • Nearly every unique weapon now has a unique texture or model, and have been extensively tweaked to fill new and unique roles.
  • Missing Unique Weapons added to game. these are hand placed throughout the wasteland [credits: Missing Unique Weapons]


New Weapons

FWE integrates a heavily tweaked version of Classic Fallout Weapons [Credits: War1982], which adds dozens of new weapons to the game, in addition to a few other new weapons, all occuring in prior fallout games. New items appear in loot containers, on NPC's, and in vendor lists. New ammunition types (CALIBR supported) are added to the game.

In addition, most new weapons feature new "pip-boy" style icons [credit: The 3rd Type]

Small Guns

  • SHOTGUNS: HK CAWS, Pancor Jackhammer, Shotgun
  • SMG's: PN P90c, Tommy Gun, M3a1 Grease Gun
  • Pistols: .223 Pistol, Desert Eagle, 14mm Pistol, PPK12 Gauss Pistol (credit to Einherjrar et al.)
  • Rifles: HK G11, HK G11 E, FN FAL, XL3OE3, M72 Gauss Rifle (credit to Einherjrar et al.)

Big Guns

  • Bozar, L86 LSW, M60 Machine Gun

Energy Weapons

  • Pistols: Wattz 1000 Pistol, Magneto Laser Pistol, Pulse Pistol, Glock 86 Plasma Pistol (credit to DaiShi)
  • Rifles: Wattz 2000 Rifle, Winchester P94 Plasma Rifle, Turbo Plasma Rifle, Pulse Rifle

Melee + Thrown Weapons

  • Rocks, Motoltov Cocktails, Cattle Prod, Wakizashi


Armor Rebalance + Additions

  • Max DR raised to 95%
  • Missing Unique Armors are added to game, these are hand placed throughout the wasteland [credits: Missing Unique Armors mod].
  • All armors are rebalanced and tweaked to improve the range of valid armor choices [based on: MR Armor Rebalance]
  • Many "light" armors are significantly less heavy and are are well-suited to sneaky types.
  • Other armors increasingly weight more for the amount of protection they provide.
  • New Advanced Combat Armor [Credit: Prometheus_ts], which adds three new sets of armor, in both Talon Merc and normal wasteland varieties. This includes Combat Armor Light, Combat Armor Mark II, and Combat Armor Mark II Heavy, and a new masked and unmasked combat helmet. You'll notice the talon versions appearing on the Talon Merc's, which adds to the diversity of their armor. The non-talon varieties will appear in vendor lists.

Night Vision [Credit: delamer]

FWE includes a simple night vision feature. When wearing power armor helmets, recon armor helmets, or the stealth armor helm (if using Operation Anchorage), you can now turn on night vision using a hotkey. There are two stages of night vision depending on the ambient brightness level. If wearing power armor on your body, night vision does not require any power to operate. If not using Power Armor, night vision drains a small amount of energy cells over time. The hotkey and energy use rates are configurable. Open the FWE Control Panel and go to "Sub-Mod Configs > Night Vision


Power Armor Overhaul

FWE completly overhauls power armor, in terms of acquisition, training, repair, and armor stats.

Obtaining Power Armor and Training

Regular (non-unique) power armor looted that you find in the wastes or loot from enemies can no longer be worn immediately. It must be carried back to a workbench and CRAFTe’d into a “fitted” version that your player can wear. This change applies to regular power armor, brotherhood armor, enclave armor, outcast armor, tesla armor, and hellfire armor (if using the Broken Steel DLC). Both the body armor and the helmet must be fitted.

Once power armor has been fitted at a workbench, it can be worn immediately, even without the power armor training perk. However, without training you will suffer additional agility, perception, and weight penalties when wearing power armor. Acquiring basic power armor training (through the usually methods or those added by the integrated “more ways to obtain power armor training mod) removes these extra penalties and provides additional benefits.

Finally, an Advanced PA Training perk has been added as a level 12 perk requiring 7+ END that can be selected during level up, and which provides additional benefits. The breakdown of power armor training benefits is as follows:

No PA Training:
Armor only accounts for 50% of its weight
-3 to AGL
-1 PER
no STR or other bonuses.

Basic Power Armor Training:
Armor accounts fully for its weight,
-1 to AGL
+1 STR
+1 PER

Adv. Training:
Armor accounts fully for its weight
No agility penalty
+2 STR
+2 PER
+1 END

Alternative Power Armor Training (by Gryphon)

This feature adds a number of alternative ways to achieve power armor training aside from the usual Brotherhood of Steel route. This is essential for starting histories that don't let you follow the normal main quest. Highlight the space below to see spoilers for what these other means of obtaining training are:

  • Branchtender Linden's reward for the Oasis Quest
  • Graining the Outcasts trust
  • A book near the Medic Power armor
  • A terminal near the T-51B power armor

Power Armor Stat Changes (Armor/Helmet)

*** Note that power armor continues to provide extra effects specific to their type (i.e. hellfire armor continues to provide fire resist)

T-45d / Brotherhood Power Armor
Weight: 100 / 5
DR: 65 / 10
Condition: 1000 / 75

Outcast Power Armor
Weight: 100 / 5
DR: 65 / 10
Condition: 1200 / 100

Enclave Power Armor Mark II
Weight: 80 / 5
DR: 70 / 15
Condition: 1500 / 120

Tesla Power Armor
Weight: 60 / 5
DR: 55 / 10
Condition: 950 / 60

T-51b Power Armor
Weight: 110 / 10
DR: 75 / 10
Condition: 1800 / 150

Enclave Power Armor Mark I
Weight: 110 / 10
DR: 80 / 15
Condition: 1600 / 130

Hellfire Power Armor
Weight: 120 / 10
DR: 75 / 15
Condition: 2000 / 200

Repairing Power Armor

Repairing power armor uses other suits of power armor or fusion batteries (for the suit) and sensor modules (for the helm).In addition, you can CRAFT a power armor repair kit at a workbench. These repair kits are made from 3 scrap metals, 1 abraxo cleaner, and 1 conductor, and will yield two power armor repair kits. You need at LEAST 50 repair skill in order to CRAFT the repair kit.

Disabling Power Armor Fitting Requirements

You can disable the Power Armor fitting requirements, allowing you to immediately wear looted power armor (provided you have the basic training perk) by going to the FWE Control Panel > FWE Settings > Power Armor. You will no longer be able to create fitted PA suits, but you can wear found power armor normally provided you have basic training.


Equipment Tweaks

Weapon Condition

  • Starting at 80% condition, there is a 0.1% chance of a weapon jamming, to 10% at 10% condition.
  • When reloading, there is a chance the weapon will jam. 1% at 50% condition, to 25% at 10% condition.
  • Weapon condition has a slightly greater effect on fire rate for automatic weapons, with slower rates of fire at progressively lower conditions.
  • Reduced equipment condition degradation rates [credit: XFO]. Damage to weapon and armor condition is roughly halved. This option is configurable:

Equipment Wear Rates Control Panel Options ( Combat > Wear Rates )

Option 1 - Very Low Wear Rates - 12x slower

Option 2 - Low Wear Rates (FWE Default) - 6x slower

Option 3 - Moderate Wear Rates - 2x slower

Option 4 - High Wear Rates (Vanilla Default)


Medical Equipment

Various items of medical equipment now provides a bonus to your medicine skill when combined at a workbench into a medical kit. Combining a Bonesaw, Scalpal, Forcepts, Tweezers, and a Toolkit at the workbench creates a "Medical Kit" misc item that provides +10 to your medical skill when in your inventory.


Item Values

Full rebalance of item values, in particular weapons and food/chem items. Weapons are typically worth 2-4 times LESS caps than previously, reflecting the relative abundance of weapons across the capitol waste. Many over priced food items are reduced in value (in particular pre-war foods) and the value of many drugs were reduced as well. This contributes to an improved economy and makes accumulating mountains of caps more challenging.


Misc Items

The weights for most miscellaneous items has been tweaked and adjusted for better reflect real world weights [credits: Miscellaneous items Fix].

FWE includes T3T's Misc Item Icons mod, which adds new pip-boy style icons for many misc items in the game.

A configurable option has been added to control the rarity of misc items in loot, containers, and vendors.

Misc Item Rarity Control Panel Options ( Loot Settings > Misc Supplies Rarity )

Option 1 - Abundant Loot (Vanilla)

Option 2 - Less Loot (FWE Default)

Option 3 - Rare Loot


Ammo Overhaul

Ammo now has weight [Credit: Weighted Ammo Mod] when held in your inventory. Now you can't carry an entire ammo supply dump around with you. Ammo weight is applied to used CALIBR ammo types as well. Ammo weight is as follows:

  • 0.01 lbs : Darts; BB Ammo; 5mm
  • 0.03 lbs : 10mm; .32 Caliber; Small Energy Cell; Alien Power Cell
  • 0.05 lbs : 44 Magnum; .308 Caliber; 5.56mm; Microfusion Cell; Electron Charges; Flamer Fuel; Rail Spikes
  • 0.10 lbs : Shotgun Shell; Mesmetron Cell
  • 1.00 lbs : Missile
  • 3.00 lbs : Mini Nuke

The weight of the different ammo's appears in their item name in the pip-poy [credits: DAV Weighted Ammo Weight].

The total weight of ammo carried can be seen by looking at the < Ammo Supply > item in your misc items tab.

You can DISABLE ammo weight by opening the FWE Control Panel and going to "FWE Feature Settings > Ammo Weight" and choosing the disable ammo weight option.

Ammo is typically 2-3 times more valuable. This makes ammo a significant commodity for trading.

Ammo is now much less common (by default) throughout the wasteland, including ammo found at vendors, in loot containers, and on NPC's. This option is configurable:

Ammo Rarity Control Panel Options ( Loot Settings > Ammo Rarity )

Option 1 - Abundant Ammo (Vanilla) - Chance none ~25%

Option 2 - Common Ammo - Chance none ~40%

Option 3 - Limited Ammo (FWE Default) - Chance none ~66%

Option 4 - Uncommon Ammo - Chance none ~75%

Option 5 - Rare Ammo - Chance none ~90%


Repair Overhaul

Cross Repair

The range of items available to repair armor and weapons is greatly expanded [credits: Repair Rethought].

  • Many weapons and armor are now cross-repairable with logical counterparts.
  • Schematic-built weapons repairable with original parts
  • Clothing and leather armor repairable with fabric items and wonderglue
  • Weapons and metal armors repairable with scrap metal
  • Wooden stuff repairable with wooden stuff

Scrap Metal

Changed the role of scrap metal for use in repairing weapons and armor. Scrap metal is no longer used in the repair lists. Instead, you must use the workbench to CRAFT "repair parts" out of scrap metal. You will gain this ability once your repair skill reaches level 50, at which point TWO scrap metals will yield TWO repair parts. At repair skill 75, two scrap metals will yield three repair parts, and at skill 100 four repair parts. The weight of scrap metal has been increased from 1.0 to 1.5. Repair parts weigh 0.5, so converting scrap metal into repair parts is a weight effect solution.

Toolkit

You can now CRAFT a tool-kit at a workbench by combing a lunchbox with a hammer, wrench, scissors, and iron. The "toolbox" will provide +10 to your repair skill when held in your inventory.

Other Repair Changes

Standing next to a workbench provides an addition +10 to your repair skill [credits: Haldur's Improved Workbench].

Tweaked the repair gamesettings. You can now repair weapon armor condition the same level as your repair skill. For example, in the original fallout, 50 repair skill let you repair things to 70% condition, and in prior FWE versions only to 30% condition. Now with 50 repair skill you can repair to 50% condition.

The repair skill of vendors has been increased to provide an alternative to those who do not specialize in repair.

The base cost for repair has been reduced, from 2x down to 1.25x base weapon cost. In conjunction with the broad price reductions for weapons and armor, it should be more feasible to use vendors to repair.


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SURVIVAL

FWE changes a number of gameplay components that makes living in the wasteland a true day-to-day struggle for survival. You'll find that injuries are more crippling, the things you need to survive harder to come by, and that you have to take care of yourself to live.


Chem, Drugs, Medicine, and Food Overhaul

FWE adds many new ingestible items (foods, drinks, chems, and drugs) to the Fallout gameworld and completely rebalances all existing chems and drugs. You find that chems and drugs are more rare, but criticial to your survival in the wasteland.

  • Over 20 new chems to the gameworld, and correctly added to loot and vendor lists [credit: Better Living Thru Chemistry and the FDAMod]. FWE has tweaked and altered the effects of many of these items. Most new chems are mildly to strongly addictive. The following is a list of the new chem effects:

Alprazolam causes extreme muscle relaxation, sedation and mental slowness.
EFFECTS: Increased Damage Resistance 25%, Increased Fire Resistance 25%, AP -20, Agility -2
ADDICTIVE: Moderately
WITHDRAWAL: Endurance -3, Strength -3 (Benzodiazepene Withdrawal)
WEAPON: Cripple legs, Unconsciousness for 10 seconds

Amphetamine causes enhanced focus and CNS stimulation.
EFFECTS: Repair & Science +15, AP +15
ADDICTIVE: Mildly
WITHDRAWAL: Perception -2 (Amphetamine Withdrawal)

Aspirin dulls pain.
EFFECTS: Increased Damage Resistance 5%
ADDICTIVE: Not

2CB is a powerful empathogen causing visual distortions and euphoria.
EFFECTS: Visuals, +3 luck, +2 Intelligence, +1 Perception
ADDICTIVE: Mildly
WITHDRAWAL: Reduce Radiation Resistance 10% (Serotonin Sickness)
WEAPON: Fear

Ceremonial Herbs for your ceremonial rituals.
EFFECTS: +1 Luck, -1 Intelligence, Ignore Crippled Limb Effect
ADDICTIVE: Not

Coldturkene is that "pre-war stuff" the doctors talk about.
EFFECTS: Cures addictions.
ADDICTIVE: Not

Clonazepam causes moderate muscle relaxation and mental slowness.
EFFECTS: Increased Damage Resistance 20%, Agility -1, AP -10, Steady Aim
ADDICTIVE: Moderately
WITHDRAWAL: Endurance -3, Strength -3 (Benzo Withdrawal)

Cocaine speeds the metabolism and stimulates the brain's reward center.
EFFECTS: Damage Head 10, Agility +3, AP +10
ADDICTIVE: Very
WITHDRAWAL: Charisma -3

Dextromethorphan is a dissociative anesthetic similar to PCP when taken in high doses.
EFFECTS: Increased Carry Weight +50, Agility -2, Perception -2, visuals
ADDICTIVE: Mildly
WITHDRAWAL: Endurance -1, Strength -1 (DXM Withdrawal)

Diazepam is a habit-forming muscle relaxant.
EFFECTS: AP -10, Damage Resist 10%, Steady Aim
ADDICTIVE: Mildly
WITHDRAWAL: Endurance -3, Strength -3 (Benzo Withdrawal)

Diet Mentats are made with aspartame instead of sugar. I dunno. Regular Mentats look sugary to me.
EFFECTS: Intelligence & Perception +2, Rads +5
ADDICTIVE: Mildly
WITHDRAWAL: Intelligence -2, Perception -2 (Mentats Withdrawal)

Heroin is a potent and highly addictive painkiller.
EFFECTS: Agility -2, Strength -2, Damage Resistance 50%
ADDICTIVE: Extremely
WITHDRAWAL: Charisma -2, Strength -1, Endurance -1 (Opiate Withdrawal)
WEAPON: Massive poison

Ibuprofen dulls aches.
EFFECTS: Increased Damage Resistance 5%
ADDICTIVE: Not

MDMA provides euhporia, focus, and a sense of oneness.
EFFECTS: Luck +5, Visuals
ADDICTIVE: Mildly
WITHDRAWAL: Reduce Radiation Resistance 10% (Serotonin Sickness)
WEAPON: Calm

Methamphetamine is a dangerously potent stimulant.
EFFECTS: AP+30, Damage Health 10
ADDICTIVE: Very
WITHDRAWAL: Endurance -1, Perception -3 (Meth Psychosis)
WEAPON: Poison, rage

Morphine is what Med-X was called before the Australian government went all Psycho on Bethesda.
EFFECTS: Damage Resistance 25%, Agility -2, ignores crippled limb effects
ADDICTIVE: Very
WITHDRAWAL: Charisma -2, Strength -1, Endurance -1 (Opiate Withdrawal)

Methadone is an opioid often used to manage Heroin addiction.
EFFECTS: Restore health +10,  +1 Endurance
ADDICTIVE: Not

Multi-vitamin Pills for a balanced diet.
EFFECTS: Damage Resistance 10, AP -10, Agility -1
ADDICTIVE: Mildly
WITHDRAWAL: Charisma -2, Strength -1, Endurance -1 (Opiate Withdrawal)

Phencyclidine is a dissociative anesthetic used first on humans medically, then on animals, and then by humans recreationally.
EFFECTS: Damage Resistance 25%, Endurance +2, Stentgh +2, Perception -3, Visuals
ADDICTIVE: Mildly
WITHDRAWAL: Strength -1, Endurance -1, Intelligence -1 (PCP Withdrawal)
WEAPON: Frenzy

RedEye NoDoze Pills keeps you up all night, and all day, and all night
EFFECTS: Temporarily grants you the "well-rested" perk.
ADDICTIVE: Not

Sativex provides euphoric relief for radiation symptoms.
EFFECTS: Charisma +1, Rad Resist +25, mild visuals
ADDICTIVE: Mildly
WITHDRAWAL: Charisma -1

Tobacco is cheap, common, and well-known for its deleterious effects.
EFFECTS: Charisma +1, Rads +10, AP +5, Speech + 10, smoking effect
ADDICTIVE: Extremely
WITHDRAWAL: Charisma -3, Endurance -1

Thorazine is an antipsychotic sedative with a paralytic effect.
EFFECTS: Ends hallucinations, 15 second paralysis, AP -20. Thorazine lasts one minute longer than all other chems.
ADDICTIVE: Not
WEAPON: Paralysis for 20 seconds

Tribal Healing Powder can fix you up!
EFFECTS: -2 Perception, Restores 1 health per second for 45 seconds. Counts as "medicine" so higher medicine skills heals for more.
ADDICTIVE: Not

"Weed" provides good vibes.
EFFECTS: Charisma +1, Radiation Resistance +25%, Euphoria, smoking effect
ADDICTIVE: Habit forming
WITHDRAWAL: Charisma -1 (THC Withdrawal)

  • Many chems can be used as a weapon by finding and "filling" an empty syringe with the chemical [credit:  Better Living Thru Chemistry]. To fill the a syringe, drop into the gameworld and click on it. A message box will prompt you to fill the syringe with a chem from your inventory.
  • You can now smoke cigarettes and joints.
  • New alcohol types [credit: FDA Mod], including Grandpa's Brain Tonic, Mad Macho Tequila, Mutfruit Rotgut, and Wasteland Moonshine.
  • All achohol now provides a slight rad reduction effect as in prior fallout games. Removes 20 rads over 10 seconds per drink.
  • New visual effects for many drugs. These visual effects are configurable and can be turned on or off in the FWE Control Panel under "FWE Settings > Drug Visuals."
  • Revamp of addiction and withdrawal effects for existing chems, consistent with the BLTC/FDA mod.
  • Some "medicine" type chems are now addictive, including rad-x and radaway.
  • The duration of most drugs and chems is increased to 600 seconds (game time).
  • Stimpacks now heal over time (5 seconds). Consuming multiple stimpacks does not let you heal faster, so watch out!
  • Morphine (Med-x) and Ceremonial Herbs (added by the FDAMod) now provide an "ignore crippled effects" property, letting you temporarily fight through crippling injuries and ignore their penalties.
  • All chems and drugs now have weight.
  • The value of most chems and drugs have been adjusted.
  • Revamped loot and vendor tables significantly to increases the rarity of most drugs, particularly stimpacks. "Placed" drugs have not been removed, so there are still some up for grabs but they will not respawn. This option is configurable:

Drug Rarity Control Panel Options ( Loot Settings > Chem Rarity )

Option 1 - Abundant Drugs (Vanilla) - Chance none ~25%

Option 2 - Common Drugs - Chance none ~33%

Option 3 - Limited Drugs (FWE Default) - Chance none ~50%

Option 4 - Uncommon Drugs - Chance none ~66%

Option 5 - Rare Drugs - Chance none ~90%


Crippled Effects

Crippled injuries are more severe and greatly impact your ability to fight in battle [Credit: RI - Healing]

  • Wounded arms affects your aiming accuracy more (60% reduction rather than 50%).
  • Cripple leg movement speed reduced significantly (60% with one leg, 30% with two broken)
  • Crippled torsos results in a random chance (85%) to stagger and fall over and reduced endurance.
  • Crippled heads induces a nasty blurring effect to vision and concussion effects (reduces PER).
  • Damage multiplier to crippled limbs increased to .66 (was .5), so limbs tend to get crippled more easily.


Healing + Recovery [Credit: Triage by Kearsage]

FWE integrates a modified version of the "Triage" mod that changes the way you heal crippled limbs and recover from injuries. FWE adds a Control Panel option to enable or disable the Triage healing system if you do not like it. To access this option, open the control panel and select "FWE Settings > Triage." By default, triage is enabled.

Usage

You are no longer able to apply stimpaks directly to injured limbs, but instead must use the triage menu item (under the armor tab) to open the healing options. If you apply stimpaks directly to crippled limbs in the pip-boy, they will be consumed and contribute towards healing your overall health, but they will not restore that limbs condition.

In addition, two new perks, Wasteland Doctor [requires 40 medicine, 5 INT] and Wasteland Surgeon [requires 60 medicine, 6 INT], control your ability to recover wounds more effectively. By default, these perks require you to choose them during the normal level up perk selection process. However, you can change this so the perks are automatically awarded when you meet the requirements in the FWE Control Panel under "FWE Settings > Triage > Free Perks On."

When opening the triage menu, you will have three choices depending on what perks you have, how injured your limbs are, and whether you are in combat or not.

First-Aid

  • Used without the doctor or surgeon perks or during combat.
  • Restores crippled limbs by regaining +5 condition.
  • Requires brace (for limbs) or surgical supplies (for head/chest injuries) with no chance to recover the brace/supplies.

Triage

  • Used with doctor or surgeon perks when out of combat
  • The surgeon perk is required to triage chest and head injuries.
  • Restores crippled limbs to full condition from crippled status over time (100 seconds with doctor perk, 50 seconds with surgeon)
  • Requires brace / surgical supplies with a chance to recover equipment dependent on your medical skill.

Injured Limb Healing

  • Used with doctor or surgeon perk when out of combat to heal limbs with over 5% health (i.e. not crippled)
  • Restores injured limbs to full condition
  • Does NOT require brace / surgical supplies

Note, that resting no longer automatically heals you after a single of hour of sleep. This changed is described more below under the Primary Needs section.

CRAFTING Medical Braces + Surgical Supplies

Added an option to CRAFT medical braces and surgical supplies, IF you have the wasteland doctor perk, courtesy of razorwire. You can make a medical brace from 1 leather belt and 1 scrap metal, and surgical supplies from 1 abraxo cleaner and 3 empty bottles.


Radiation

FWE greatly increases the rate that radiation is gained by default [credits: XFO]

  • Radiation accumulated 5x the normal rate
  • Swiming and wading increases rads even faster
  • Radiation no longer decays over time, you have to use rad-away or visit a doctor to reduce it.
  • Radiation accumulation rates are configurable in to the FWE Control Panel:

Radiation Rates Control Panel Options ( Combat > Radiation )

Option 1 - Low Rads (Vanilla), 100% radiation decay

Option 2 - Moderate Rads, 2.5x accumulation, 10% decay rate

Option 3 - High Rads (FWE Default), no rad decay

  • More severe radiation sickness effects [credits: Radiation Revamp] You suffer more SPECIAL penalties and other ill effects from increasing levels of radiation poisoning. At higher rad levels, you begin to glow with radiation!


Home Lab + Infirmary

Tweaked the costs of the home lab + infirmary upgrades down to 750 from 1200.

The lab requires ONE stimpak to heal addictions.

The infirmary requires 1 stimpak to restore you to full health. Limb healing requires 1 stimpak and you must have 1 medical brace and 1 surgical supplies in your inventory. The medical brace and surgical supplies are not consumed, only the stimpak. Lastly, curing rads requires 1 radaway. There is still an advantage to using these features, as regardless of your medicine skill, it only takes 1 stimpak to heal to full health and all of your limbs, and to remove all rads.

Portable Lab + Infirmary

  • Integration of FF Portable Laboratory + Infirmary (by Fritz_Fretz). This adds a purchasable lab and infirmary to the game, so you can get those services even if you don't live in Megaton or Tenpenny tower. Includes cool new models .
  • To set up either piece, drop it from your inventory and position it as desired on a level surface. The set up has fairly tight angular restrictions, so a table or floor work best. Activate the placer to to enter the set up menu. Once placed the model will change, i.e. the med-kit opens and a chemistry set is placed on the locker. A delay (default 3 days) is built into the set up of each item.
  • The items must remain set up for the duration of the delay in order to be used. This was done to make placement of these items more semi-permanent in an effort to avoid using them as an exploit. Activating the item prior to the expiration of the delay will allow you to check how many hours are left prior to its being usable.
  • After the delay has expired, performing this check will enable the item's use. Once enabled, activate the contents of the med-kit/chemistry set to use the infirmary/laboratory. Activating the lid/locker will allow you to pack the infirmary/laboratory for transport.


Primary Needs (by K.Schenk and FritZ_FretZ)

FWE features a fully customizable (and disable'able) primary needs mod for hunger, thirst, and sleep. In addition to controlling how often (and how much) you need to eat, drink, or sleep, the mod also controls how sleeping affects health recovery and how food and water restores health (or not). When the game loads, the configuration menu will run. You can re-access this menu by HOLDING the keypad enter key for a few seconds or through the FWE Control Panel under the "Primary Needs" option on the main menu. The configuration menu allows you to choose health recovery on rest, food and drink healing, the rate of how quickly you get hungry/thirsty/sleepy, and how much you need to eat/drink/sleep to reduce your needs levels.

Default Needs

By default, you are required to eat and drink a few times (3-4) each day or else you will suffer increasingly severe penalties to your SPECIAL stats. Different types of food provide different amounts of hunger satisfaction, typically in-line with their weight (i.e. 1 WG of meat provides more food value than 0.1 WG item of junk food). If you eat too much too quickly, you will get "full" and suffer a minor Agility penalty. When eating or drinking, pause a second or two to allow your status condition to be updated. You will typically need 6-8 hours of sleep per day to be well rested.

In addition, by default, food and water sources do not heal your health, again this can be changed in the Primary Needs section of the control panel if desired. In addition, you do not automatically heal limbs + health when resting. Instead you heal health slowly overtime (based on endurance and strength) and you cannot heal crippled limbs during sleep.

In the control panel, you can disable the entire primary needs system, or enable disable each of the components (hunger, thirst, and sleep) independently.

Other Features

Primary Needs allows you to bottle water from most water sources. You will see empty bottles in your aid tab of the pip-boy after drinkinkg collected liquid items. Click on a Empty Bottle, exist the pip-boy, and then click on a water source to collect water from that source. Water sources range from Purified to Lethal.

In addition, Primary Needs adds new items to the main vendors, including a portable bed roll, a water purifier, and cooking oven. The water pruifier uses RadAway packets to turn "dirty" water in to cleaner types (although never as good as purified water). The bedroll allows you to sleep nearly anywhere, and the cooking oven lets you make "grilled" meats that are more light weight but nutritious rations. However, cooking some food items will remove their unique properties (i.e. deathclaw meat special bonuses). In order to re-pickup these items, hold the "use" key (z) and then hit activate key.

Darn's UI Support

Integrated support for Darn's UI with primary needs, so that the x-panels display your current hunger, thirst, and sleep levels from primary needs.


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ACTORS

FWE makes a number of changes to actors in the game, including NPC and creature stats, leveled item lists for faction equipment, AI behavior, followers, trade caravans, and much more.


Faction Overhaul

FWE incorporates a heavily reworked and expanded version of the Foes Reworked NG mod (by Tarrant), that creates much more distinction in equipment and gear between Fallout's major factions and between classess of actors within factions. The main goal of these changes is to make Fallout3 combat more challenging, even if you bring along several followers with you. This is not accomplished by just simply giving enemies more HP and damage bonuses, but by providing new and exciting enemy variants with special abilities, traits and weapons.

Faction equipment lists are reworked, so you will see the new weapons added by FWE more frequently on enemies where it makes sense. Make no mistake, this mod makes combat very difficult and I recommend not to play on any difficulty higher than 'Normal'. Also beware of Fast Travelling to dangerous areas, you could be taken by surprise and killed without much of a fighting chance when you arrive.

Talon Company

  • Talon Company has a new, higher level soldier known as the Talon Company Staff Sergeant.
  • TC equipment is now in slightly better condition relative to Raider gear. Their level of weaponry has also been improved, though slightly. Both of these changes reflect their status as a military organization, which should have better gear than futuristic bandits.
  • TC mercs now wear multiple different kinds of head gear including wraps, bandanas, glasses, and their own combat helmets. This should reduce the 'clone factor' of seeing four TC mercs that all look identical.
  • TC mercs are now named according to combat role and rank in TC, culminating with the Staff Sergeant.

Raiders

  • Four new types of Raider have been added to the leveled lists
  • Marauder - Wandering the wastes looking for adventure and whatever they can plunder, these vagabonds are stronger than other raiders and carry much better gear. Their wanderlust has gifted them with experience and strengthened their cold instinct for the kill.
  • Pit Dogs - Reared in Raider pit fights, these former slaves know of no comfort other than the spray of blood and the cheers of frenzied onlookers. Given their freedom in adulthood, they fight in their metal gladiator's armor alongside their former masters.
  • Medicine Men - The raider also fears death, though he masks it in cruelty and violence. With the last remnants of organized religion gone, the barbarians of the wastes have turned to the shamanic faith of the woodlands and the night skies. The Medicine Men administer this new faith, and their only sacrament is battle.
  • Fallen Brothers - Not all of the Brotherhood Outcasts adhere to their original precepts. Some, seduced by the power they could weild among the undisciplined raiders, left their former organization entirely and now serve as captians among the malicious hordes.
  • Raiders now wear more head gear, including wraps, bandanas and biker goggles. They should now look less generic, and the stronger raiders will be recognizable to the discerning eye based on their garb.

Super Mutants

There are 4 tiers of Super Mutants that appear as the player levels (Low, Mid, High, BrokenSteel)

Tier 1

  • Super Mutant Basher - An 8 foot tall, 800 lb muscled monster wielding a sledgehammer is not a threat to be taken lightly by young characters.
  • Super Mutant Infantry - Wields a variety of assault rifles and is more than happy to lay down a lot of damage.

Tier 2

  • Super Mutant Gunner - A staple of the Super Mutant squad, he packs heavy weapons like M60s, Miniguns or Flamers.
  • Super Mutant Breaker - A Super Sledge and a Super Mutant make a naturally dangerous combination.

Tier 3

  • Super Mutant Berserker - Without weapons or armor, abusing chemicals to enhance their abilities but paying the price in sanity. Known as the Berserkers, these are among the biggest, strongest and most blood-crazed humanoids alive. Due to their their great Unarmed skill and strength, they can knock you temporarily senseless and blind, momentarily helpless, scrambling to orient yourself and keep moving to save yourself from more blows. Should your followers take a hit like that, most of them will crumple to the ground at the Berserker's feet.
  • Super Mutant Grenadier - Usually packing missile launchers and grenades, but sometimes trading them off for something else if the whim hits them.
  • Super Mutant Hunter - A terror when encountered by a mid-level player. A Super Mutant energy weapon specialist. He will stand at a medium distance, perhaps unnoticed by your followers, and lay down extraordinarily high damage with a plasma rifle or laser rifle. If you don't notice that he has joined the fight, he might burn you and your followers into the ground before you know it.

Tier 4 - Elite Supermutants (Only if using Broken Steel)

  • Super Mutant Overlord Breaker - No-one can stand up to the sickeningly-powerful blows from his Super Sledge for long. He can knock you senseless like the Berserker, but does more damage and is much harder to kill.
  • Super Mutant Overlord Hunter - He packs a Tri-Barrel Laser Rifle and is more skilled with it than you will ever be. He slaughters your health at range.
  • Super Mutant Overlord Gunner - In his steady, strong hands, a high-quality Laser Gatling Gun becomes an instrument of destruction. Assuming you kill him, feel free sell the valuable weapon to restock your stimpack supply since it's probably been lightened by the confrontation.
  • Super Mutant Overlord Grenadier - Knocking the Missile Launcher out of his hands is possible, but not always what you want to do. The wave of plasma grenades that can come your way afterward may not be to your liking. Running right up to him won't make him break off his attack, he 's more than happy to drop a missile or grenade right in your face without care for his own safety.

Other Supermutant Changes:

  • All MeleeUnarmed Super Mutants run faster than normal.
  • Berserkers, Super Mutant Overlord Bashers, and the Behemoth have a special attack. They will frequently hit with such power that it blinds and disorients you. You are semi-paralyzed for a moment, unable to fight and maybe even unable to move. This also affects followers, but they don't stand up to it as well as you do, they collapse helplessly to the ground when hit like this. This effect rotates among the Mutants present who can do the special attack. This means that it can stack on the same target repeatedly if enough Mutants who can do the attack are present, which is pretty much a death sentence for the target. Manage your fights so that this does not happen!
  • Behemoths are now team players. When the Behemoth is not attacking you, it will often charge among your followers, knocking them to the ground repeatedly instead of always focusing on pounding one target. This makes your followers less able to contribute to the fight and makes the enemies focus more on you.
  • Some encounters cannot be survived without extreme care, setup, and strategy. You can see tier 3 and 4 mutants as early as around level 13.

Melee to Gun Spawn Ratio

Adjusted the ratio of gun to melee spawns for raider and super mutant factions. Two of every three spawns for these factions will be a melee equipped NPC/creature, and one of every three will be a gun equipped NPC/creature. This will reduce the amount of ammunition available in the game world from looting, and may provide a greater range of encounter types between factions.


Optional Worn Weapons (Optional FWE Module)

  • FWE includes an optional module that reduces the quantity of good condition weapons seen in leveled lists across the wasteland, the effects of which are most prononced among lower tier spawns. This module creates new "worn" weapon variants for the more common weapons in the wasteland (10mm weapons, hunting rifles, etc.). These weapon variants will show up on all relevant leveled lists for encounters INSTEAD of their normal (i.e. good condition) versions. The worn weapons have greatly reduced max condition (so they break more often), do slightly less damage, and have worse accuracy. They also do not accept mod kits from WMK! The names of worn weapon's have been pre-fixed with an appropriate "janky" sounding adjetive to signify their status.
  • Normal (good condition) weapons will start appearing on leveled lists at a higher level, although at a reduced occurance compared to the worn varieties. The lowest tier of most factions will rarely have good condition weapons, while the highest tier of opponents have moderate chance for good condition weapons.
  • In addition, an even higher proportion of spawns are now melee based instead of gun based. While this might appear to favor the player, it does mean there is significantly less ammo available from defeated enemies, and can provide some relief for melee based characters.


Creature Features

FWE includes a re-built version of Mihoshi333's "Monster Perk's Addon for MMM" as a functional mod into FWE, even if not using MMM. This feature adds perk effects to many creatures, including super mutants, ghouls, robots, yau gaui, deathclaws, scorps, and more. Most notably, various creates now recieve the toughness perk (of which FWE has up to 5 ranks) to provide DR protection for creatures and a modified nerd rage perk to make close combat opponents real nasty as their health gets low.

The health formula for NPC health is the same as for the player character. Previously, NPC's had a minor health penalty.


AI + Combat Behavior

FWE incorporates a modified version of Arwen's smarter AI module (originally based on Taylorsd's Combat Enhanced Package (CEP). This features makes the following major changes:

  • NPCs are much more likely to take cover during combat, will reload under cover, search for cover while moving towards you, and will often fire from cover.
  • NPCs now dodge much more realistically (are much less able to dodge bullets).
  • PCs open ammo boxes and containers to equip themselves with better weapons and explosives. You'll now be competing more with the NPCs, so these items will now be much harder to come by.
  • Most NPCs will now attempt to flee/retreat to survive (much less likely to make suicidal attacks). This also applies to mutants, wild dogs and mole rats.
  • NPCs are now much less predictable. For example, snipers will now wait up to 35 seconds before firing (increased from an 11 sec. maximum wait in the default game).
  • NPCs (and some creatures) are now much more likely to stop attacking after their victim if it is rendered unconscious.
  • Super Mutants are now a bit more aggressive


Followers Enhanced (FWE Optional Module)

FWE includes an optional "Followers Enhanced" module that significantly changes how companions function. There is both an Broken Steel version and a Non-Broken Steel version of this mod. Use only one version. If using one of these optional modules, you will see the following changes:

  • Companion stats slightly improved to compensate for the extra challenge [credits: Better Companions].
  • Companion weapons now require ammunition but can be used by the player as well.
  • Companions are set to essential.
  • The unconscious timer is increased to 90 seconds (from 10). Once your companions are down in combat, they will likely be out of action for the remainder of the fight.
  • You can now have multiple companions (0 to 5) at once based on your karma [credits: 0h Followers]. This option can be customized as well.

Supported Mod Configs ( Followers Enhanced )

Option 1 - One follower (plus Dogmeat, Vanilla)

Option 2 - 1 Follower per 2 Charisma (FWE Default)

Option 3 - One Follower per 1 Charisma

Option 4 - Unlimited Followers

  • The karma requirements for hiring and retaining companions have been tweaked to allow a little more flexibility.
  • Integrated b3w4r3's Remote Control Companion mod . This mod adds a "command headset" to your apparel tab, that let's you give orders to your companions remotely, including group orders. Orders include follow (variable distances), wait, relax, etc. This headset can be hotkeyed to allow you to quickly issue orders to your companions.

Companion Healing Overhaul

Companions now much more lifelike, and will use stimpaks and chems in and out of combat to heal themselves and improve their fighting abilities. The following changes apply to all companions except Dogmeat.

All followers are marked essential but they require supplies to keep up their health (i.e. no autohealing). For the six human/humanoid followers (Charon, Jericho, Clover, Star Paladin, Butch, and Fawkes) they need Stimpaks to heal and medical braces and surgical supplies to heal crippled limbs, just like the player. If they have these supplies in their inventories, they will handle all of their health maintenance themselves.

Stimpaks will heal for 50% of the followers max health PLUS a bonus based on the player's medicine skill (equal to your medicine skill / 4; as a percentage). 100 medicine, you'r companions heal for +75% of their base condition when they use a stimpak. Stimpaks also heal the condition of all six body parts (head, torso, left leg, right leg, left arm, and right arm) by the same percentage. Body part condition ranges from 0 to 100 percent. A crippled limb has a condition of zero.

In combat, followers will automatically use Stimpaks if their health falls below 25% or if the condition of any of their six body parts falls below 25%. No healing is applied to crippled limbs during combat and stimpaks heal over 5 seconds (like the player).

During combat Stimpaks have a 15 second cool-down. So if a follower is taking heavy damage he or she won’t be able to Stimpak themselves out of trouble instantly. Again, crippled limbs cannot be healed during combat. However, in combat followers will also use Morphine, Psycho, and Buffout to help themselves in dire situations.

  • Morphine: When the follower gets a crippled limb or the follower has less than two Stimpaks (for DR boost)
  • Psycho: When and enemy's health is over 300 or the player's health (not the follower's) is below 25%.
  • Buffout: When the number of enemies in the fight is over six or if the follower is using melee/unarmed attacks and the number of enemies is over 3

Out of combat, if health or limb condition is below 50%, the companion will use a stimpak to heal (as above). Furthermore, if any limb is crippled, during this action, a check will be made to see if they have a medical brace or surgical supplies in their inventory. If medical braces are present, crippled arms and legs will be restored. If surgical supplies are present, the head and torso can be restored. Only one medical brace is needed to heal all crippled arms and legs. One set of surgical supplies will heal both a crippled head and torso. There is a chance (as with triage) for the follower to recover the brace/supplies, which ranges from 50% to 100% depending on the players medicine skill.

Out of combat followers will also use RadAway if their radiation level is 200 or more (RadAway cures 100 rads) and RadX if the radiation level is 5 rads per second or higher for the area they are occupying.

Health is no longer automatically restored after battle. If a follower is knocked out during battle he or she will wake with 10% of his or her health. Limb conditions will be what they were when the follower was rendered unconscious.

Sergeant RL-3

Sergeant RL-3 is handled a little bit different. As a robot it doesn’t use drugs, it is immune to radiation, and doesn’t suffer from crippled limbs. It uses a variety of spare parts (scrap metal, conductors, sensor modules, fission batteries, and repair parts) to perform repairs. These parts improve its overall condition (health) and limb condition in a manner similar to the way stimpaks heal the human/humanoids followers. The major difference is that the player's repair skill not medicine skill influences the effectiveness of the spare parts.

Spare parts will heal by +50% of RL-3's max health PLUS a bonus based on the player's repair skill, equal to your repair skill / 4 (as a percentage). i.e., at 100 repair, RL-3 heals for +75% of its base condition when it uses any spare part. Spare parts also heal the condition of all six limbs (head, torso, left leg, right leg, left arm, and right arm) by the same percentage. Crippled limbs (i.e., limbs with a condition of zero) do not require any special equipment to be repaired and can be repair during combat.

Companion Healing During Sleep

All followers heal while the player sleeps at a rate of 12.5% of their maximum health points per hour (for main health and uncrippled limbs). Waiting does not cause any healing. So they will heal to 100% over 8 hours.

Follower Condition Report and Hand-On Maintenance

As long as you provide your followers with the appropriate supplies they will automatically manage their health and wellbeing. However, there are times that you might want to take a more hands-on approach. A new dialog option has been added to the followers. If you ask “What’s your condition?” you will be presented with a menu interface that allows you to see and manage their overall health status. The six human/humanoid followers use the same reporting and management menus. RL’s is different because there is less to control.

For the human/humanoids followers there are two menus. The first menu provides overall status and the second menu detailed limb status. On the overall status menu you see overall health, radiation level, the number of Stimpaks, the number of RadAways, and what drugs (Morphine, Psycho, and Buffout) are currently in effect. If Stimpaks are available and the follower’s health is less the 100% you can direct the follower to use a Stimpak. Remember that Stimpaks also provide healing to limbs as well. If RadAway is available and the follower’s radiation level is above zero you can direct the follower to use RadAway. On the Limb Detail Menu you can see the condition (0% to 100%) of all six limbs and the number of Stimpaks, medical braces, and surgical supplies available. The Limb Detail menu will also tell you what crippled limbs the Stimpaks will be able to heal base on the availability of other medical supplies. For example, if you have a medical brace the stimpaks will be able to heal crippled arms and legs but not a crippled head or torso.

For Sergeant RL-3 its overall condition, the condition of its six limbs, and the number of repair parts is display on the same menu. You can direct it to use repair parts to improve its general condition which also improves its limbs slightly to focus on repairing a particular limb.

Note that the condition menus may take up several seconds to appear and change so be patient.

Caravans

Caravans are improved in a number of ways to better survive in the harsh wasteland. [credits: Caravan's Upgraded]

  • The trade caravan's now have four unique, named guards per caravan, armed with an more distinct set of equipment. Crow Guards all have better armor. Doc Hoff's have meds that keep them from dying as quickly. Crazy Wolfgang's have a missmatch of armor, and weapons, but never both on the same person. Lucky Harith's have powerful weapon, by weak armor.
  • The source mod is altered so carvan's no longer respawn if killed.


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IMMERSION


Timing + Spawning

Many containers throughout the game that did not respawn now do, particularly in areas where NPC's are likely to respawn (like camps and hideouts) [credits: Selected Containers Respawn].

The global timescale changed to 1:5, so that 1 real-life minute equals 5 in-game minutes. This means that it takes 12 real-life minutes to equal 1 in-game hour, compared to the vanilla setting of 1:30 (there two minutes is one hour). Note that changing the timescale may require you to fine-tune your primary needs settings, as you might find that you'll end up needing to eat/drink too often or not often enough. The timescale change is configurable:

Timescale options ( Time > Timescale )

Option 1 - 1:30 (vanilla)

Option 2 - 1:24

Option 3 - 1:18

Option 4 - 1:12

Option 5 - 1:8

Option 6 - 1:5 (FWE Default)

Option 7 - 1:2

Option 8 - 1:1 Realtime


The gobal respawn timer has been increased to 7 days. This option is configurable:

Respawn Timer Options ( Time > Respawn Timer )

Option 1 - Yearly!

Option 2 - Once a fortnight (14 days)

Option 3 - 7.5 days (FWE Default) 

Option 4 - 3 days (Vanilla)

Option 5 - Daily

Option 6 - Hourly


Vendors now respawn independently of the global respawn. They now respawn every 2.5 days. This option is cofigurable:

Vendor Respawn Options ( Time > Vendor Respawn Timer )

Option 1 - 7.5 days

Option 2 - 5 days

Option 3 - 2.5 days (FWE Default) 

Option 4 - Daily

Option 5 - Twice Per Day


Fast-Travel Changes

Disable Fast Travel

FWE Includes an option to disable fast travel through the FWE Control Panel under "Immersion Settings > Fast Travel"


OPTIONAL FO3 Wanderers Edition - Alterative Travel (by jjgun + malacova)

As an alternative to just disabling fast travel, the "Alternative Travel" module can be used.

This module provides an altenative fast travel mechanism based arounfdthe use and maintenance of the "wasteland Explorer," a pre-war motorcycle waiting for a new rider. This mod disables the normal-fast travel system, and instead requires you to use the motorcycle for your fast travel needs. The motorcycle requires fuel and parts to keep ir running, and can be upgraded with saddlebags, a GPS unit, and other amenities.

In addition this module includes a "morrowind" style fast travel system where you can hire NPC's to escort you between major settlements [Credit: Arthmoor's Wasteland Travel Caravans] . NPC's outside of the major towns will provide a fast travel service for modest fee between a set of locations. The mod has been tweaked to improve follower behavior when traveling this way, as well as increasing the costs for traveling. Traveling to unvisited locations is more expensive compared to known locations.

The Wasteland Explorer - Motorcycle Manual

RIDING

Select Ride from the menu to ride your motorcycle. This brings up your Pip Boy to select you destination from the World Map. You can only travel to previously discovered locations. Your Explorer comes from the factory with a carrying capacity of twice your Carry Weight. As your carrying capacity increases so does your motorcycle’s carrying capacity. As long as your inventory doesn’t exceed the Explorer’s carry capacity (i.e., weight limit) you can ride it. You can adjust the carrying capacity of your motorcycle using the Configure Options menu described below under CONFIGURATION.

Note that you can only ride the motorcycle if it has fuel and its condition is greater than zero (see the FUEL and MAINTENANCE sections below). Note that the Explorer has a special fuel reserve so you will always arrive at your destination but you may arrive with negative fuel in the tank. You’ll have to replenish this reserve before using the bike again. Superior engineering insures that your vehicle won’t break down in mid-journey but you may arrive at your destination with the Explorer’s condition below zero. This simply means that you’ll have to get its condition back up above zero before you can ride it again. WARNING: A poorly maintained motorcycle may not start. If this happens your motorcycle will sustain some damage. You can try riding it again but each time it fails to start the damage sustained increases. Once successfully started the damage counter is reset. So to avoid these problems keep your motorcycle in good condition.

Recovering a Lost Motorcycle (New Feature)
Occasionally because of technical problems you may lose your motorcycle. You just can’t seem to find it where you left it. Well we’ve got you covered. After your first ride an item called <Recall Motorcycle> is placed in your Aid inventory. Activating this item from your Pip Boy will return the motorcycle to the last place you rode it. Note that this doesn’t bring the motorcycle to you it simply returns it to its last destination; if you are standing at that location your motorcycle will appear.

However, if you forgot where you left it this won’t help much. Purchasing the GPS option described section 5 will help you locate your motorcycle. However, if you don’t have this option and you can’t afford it you can always stop by the dealership and ask the staff to locate your motorcycle. For a small fee of 100 caps they will locate and deliver your motorcycle to the dealership. How’s that for service!

FUEL

The Wasteland Explore requires special fuel that can be difficult to obtain. Bring this Owner’s Manual to the dealership just south of Megaton to get our secret formula for creating fuel from common supplies. To refuel your motorcycle select Refuel from the menu. This option will only be available if you have fuel. The tank can hold 10 units and cannot be overfilled so if you have between 9 and 10 units in the tank you can't add anymore fuel. Fuel stored in the saddlebags has to be transferred into you inventory to be used.

MAINTENANCE

Be sure to keep your Explorer in tip-top shape. Those with a little mechanical ability can perform routine maintenance using ordinary motorcycle parts, leaf blowers, conductors, and scrap metal. If the condition of your motorcycle falls to zero you won't be able to use it until you repair it. To repair your motorcycle select repair from the menu. The repair option is only available if you have suitable spare parts in your inventory. Spare parts stored in the saddlebags have to be transferred into your inventory to be used.

Your Repair skill influences the effectiveness of your repairs in two ways. (1)The maximum condition of the motorcycle cannot exceed your Repair skill. (2)The repair value of each part is adjusted by your Repair skill. A player with a Repair skill of 100 gets the full repair value of each part while a player with a repair skill of 50 only gets half the value of each part.

STORAGE (Dealer Installed option)

This handy option equips your Explorer with an internal storage compartment often called "saddlebags". You can use this to store all of your gear while on the road. When initially installed they have a capacity of 100 pounds so they add 100 pounds to your motorcycle’s carry capacity. You can change their carry capacity in ten pound increments using Configure Options. You can also enable the Infinite Capacity feature. As long as the combined weight of the items in your inventory and the saddlebags doesn’t exceed the Explorers carry capacity you can ride. If you enable Infinite Capacity the weight of the items in the saddlebags are ignored.

Note that after accessing the saddlebags there is about a seven second period during which you cannot activate the Explorer, move, or access your Pip Boy. This period is required for the Explorer to reweigh the contents of the saddlebags. A message will appear in the top left corner informing you when the reweighing is complete.

GPS (Dealer Installed option)

Did you ever forget where you parked your motorcycle? This feature allows you to locate your Explorer on your Pip Boy World and Local maps. Select the Wasteland Explorer quest and the location of your motorcycle is shown with a quest marker.

ESCAPE (Dealer Installed option)

This option allows you to escape from an enemy infested location back to the safety of the dealer showroom. From there you can ride your motorcycle to your desired location. To use this feature select the new Escape option from your Explorer menu. Note that this feature uses fuel and the motorcycle will sustain twice the usual wear and tear.

CONFIGURATION

Select Configure Options from the menu to adjust fuel use, wear rate, carry weight, and saddlebags capacity parameters. You can also use this menu to disable the Explorer and return to normal fast travel. Note that if you disable wear you will not encounter any failures to start as described in the RIDING section above.

POSITIONING THE MOTORCYCLE

Sometimes when you arrive the Explorer may not be ideally positioned. You can drag the Explorer forward, backward, left, and right by holding the Grab key (default z key) and walking in the desire direction. Release the Grab key to terminate the drag. While dragging the motorcycle you will not be able to look around or turn (after all you are dragging a several hundred pound motorcycle). If you want to rotate the motorcycle press the left or right arrow key to rotate it in that direction. Be careful of the terrain because your motorcycle can fall over at the end of a drag. If that happens, you can attempt to stand it up by tapping the Grab key. If you can’t get it to stand up move it to level terrain and try again. Note that in order to drag or rotate your motorcycle you have to see the Activate prompt.

MILEAGE REWARD

Your Explorer comes with the Desert Shadow paint job. Four additional paint jobs are available and are earned by accumulating miles. These paint jobs are on display at the dealership. Activate the desired paint job to get the mileage requirement for it. Your Explorer will inform you each time you have earned a new paint job. You can switch among all of the earned paint jobs at the dealership whenever you want at no charge; so have fun showing your colors!


Graphical Tweaks

Persistent Skill Books (by Tukka).

  • Makes it so skill books no longer disappear after reading them. Now you can build a library with something other than burned books! This works with the Book Perk mod as well.

Projectile Fix (by jayfoxx)

  • Changes the mesh and texture for bullets to match the actual caliber/type of round being fired. Nice effect in the VATS sequences.
  • Also removes the tracer effect from bullet firing weapons. Makes it more realistic and harder to tell where from you're being shot.
  • Optional Restore Tracers (Optional FWE Module) Restores some of the traces to weapos that are removed by the projectile fix mod, for those who can't live without their tracers!


Quest Tweaks

Outcast Tech Recovery

Inclusion of a modified version of T3T's "Outcast Tech Support" mod along with changes to the reward schedule. This expands the range of tech you can provide to the outcast, as well as expanding the ammo reward choices to include ALL ammo's used in FWE, both original Fallout ammo and those added by CALIBR.

Additionally, Protector Casdin will no longer take away your outcast armor if you start as an outcast (Alt Starts) or have gained their trust from turning in tech.


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SUPPORT


DLC: Operation Anchorage

  • Rebalanced the wasteland versions of all weapons and armor for consistency with FWE. Weapons and armors within the simulator were not changed.
  • Modified the stealth suit to be helmet-less and provided a standalone helmet next to it on the shelf.
  • This fix is courtesy of Nairax's Stealth Suit Fixed mod. Removed the stealth field effect but provided alternative bonuses for wearing the suit.
  • Added winterized combat armor, and the Chinese dragoon and alloy steel weapons. They have a higher durability and better accuracy than their normal counterparts.
  • Included a fix for the gauss rifle inspired by Coelomate Gauss Rifle VATS damage fix.


DLC: The Pitt

  • Rebalanced all weapons and armor for consistency with FWE, including power armor properties.
  • Applied location based damage effects to the Trog.
  • Added expanded repair options to the new weapons and armor. Other minor tweaks.


DLC: Broken Steel

  • Re-applied broken steels companion scripts. This may cause a conflict with the follower changes incorporated into FWE. Please let me know if you find specific conflicts.
  • Rebalanced weapons and armor for consistency with FWE.
  • Updated aqua pure and other water sources to work with Primary Needs.


DLC: Point Lookout (by Kai Hohiro)

  • Tribal Armor had it's AR slightly increased
  • The DLC creatures now have Bodypart data equivalent to the FWE variants (for example Swamp Feral Ghouls have the same as FWE Feral Ghouls now)
  • Reworked the repair lists according to FWE variants (added Scrap Metal, Wonder Glue, etc..) and some weapons like the new shotgun and Lever-Action Rifle share appropriate repair lists with Vanilla counter parts.
  • Non-Playable weapons used by monsters now do damage according to their Vanilla FWE counter parts.
  • All weapons had their values changed according to FWE standards


DLC: Mothership Zea (by Kai Hohiro)

  • Adjusted AR values of armor to be in line with Vanilla FWE counter parts.
  • Reduced Limb damage on new monsters and robots according to FWE standards.
  • Added Conductor and Scrap Metal to the alien weapon repair lists.
  • Made Cryo Grenades targetable, like the other grenades
  • Changed Alien Rifle weapons to be energy weapons, as they should be (in Vanilla Mothership Zeta they are falsely defined as Small Weapons).
  • Brought enemy weaponry inline with player weapons (they did pathetic damage, so no wonder this DLC was a pushover)
  • ebalanced all weapons according to FWE standards


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