Fallout 4's Next Gen Update: A Heavy Load with Little Show

Gamers and wasteland wanderers, gather around the campfire, because we’ve got some news that’s as heavy as a super mutant’s sledgehammer. Fallout 4’s long-awaited next gen update has finally dropped from the skies like a Brotherhood of Steel vertibird, but instead of delivering salvation, it’s brought a bit of chaos to the Commonwealth—at least for PC players. After a two-year wait that felt longer than a day in the Glowing Sea, the update is here, and it’s a whopping ~14.4 gigabytes. But hold your Nuka-Colas, because not all is well in the world of Fallout 4 modding.

The patch, which was supposed to bring the game into the ‘next gen’—more like the current gen, am I right?—has landed with the grace of a radroach at a fancy dinner party. For starters, those of us who’ve spent countless hours modding our game to perfection are finding that our modded saves are as broken as a Protectron after a run-in with a Deathclaw. And if you’re a fan of the essential Fallout 4 Script Extender, well, let’s just say you might be feeling as left out in the cold as a ghoul in Diamond City.

Let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of this update, shall we? First off, the ‘next gen’ patch seems to have forgotten to pack its graphical improvements for the trip. That’s right, despite the hefty download size, the vistas of the Commonwealth look much the same as they did before—no shiny new textures or lighting effects to write home about. And for those of us sporting ultrawide monitors, hoping to immerse ourselves even deeper into the post-apocalyptic world, the update’s support stretches the user interface like taffy, leaving us to rely on the ingenuity of our fellow modders to patch things up.

Speaking of patches, the Creation engine, which is about as old as the idea of using bottle caps for currency, still doesn’t support frame rates over 60fps. And if you’re one of the lucky ones with an RTX card, beware—the ‘Weapon Debris’ graphics setting is still a one-way ticket to Crashville, a bug that’s been buzzing around since RTX cards first hit the market. With all these issues, it’s enough to make you wonder if the update was worth the trouble it’s caused, especially considering the minor bug fixes and added Creation Club content don’t seem to balance out the scales.

I’m not one to look a gift Brahmin in the mouth—Bethesda did manage to squash a particularly nasty glitch in the settlement system that even the most talented modders struggled with. The glitch, which could corrupt your settlement and mess with resource counts, is now as dead as a raider after a run-in with the Sole Survivor. And hey, there’s a silver lining: a 1% reduction in Preston Garvey’s relentless quest-giving. That’s something, right?

The update also throws a few free quests and gear into the mix, courtesy of Bethesda’s premium paid mod service, the Creation Club. The standout addition is an Enclave-themed quest, complete with new weapons and armor. It’s a nod to the Witcher show-themed gear sets that were added in The Witcher 3’s own tumultuous next gen update. So, while the update might not be the shiny new Power Armor we were hoping for, it’s at least a new set of Raider leathers to play with.

Do not forget the modders, the unsung heroes of the Commonwealth, who are likely already hard at work fixing their projects in the wake of this update. If you’ve ever fallen in love with an abandonware mod, you might want to consider disabling those auto-updates on Steam and launching Fallout 4 through an alternative launcher like F4SE. And keep your Pip-Boys tuned to the Nexus, because a user-made rollback patch might just be on the horizon.

As we sit amidst the rubble of our modded saves, let’s take a moment to appreciate the hard work of the modding community and the joy they’ve brought to our Fallout 4 experience. And to Bethesda, we say: thanks for the bug fixes, but next time, maybe give us a heads-up before you drop a nuke on our modded wasteland, okay?

The Fallout 4 community is nothing if not resilient and resourceful. With the ‘next gen’ update causing more than a few raised eyebrows and furrowed brows, the community’s response has been a mixed bag of frustration, ingenuity, and a collective push towards a path forward. Let’s talk about how the players and modders are handling the situation and what this means for the future of Fallout 4 on PC.

The modding community has been hit hard.

The Fallout 4 Script Extender, or F4SE, is a lifeline for the modding scene, and with the update breaking it, modders and players alike have been left scrambling. The developers behind F4SE have made it clear that an update is in the works, but with no timeline and the potential for critical technical issues, the uncertainty is palpable. The message from F4SE developer ianpatt was clear: ‘Do not email with questions.’ This speaks volumes about the pressure and the complexity of the situation they’re facing.

The Fallout 4 community isn’t one to sit back and wait for the storm to pass.

They’re taking matters into their own hands. The Nexus Mods comments section has become a hub of activity, with users sharing workarounds and guides on how to disable auto-updates or even roll back the update. Destructionares’ walkthrough on reverting the update has been a beacon of hope for many who found their modded saves in jeopardy. GameRevolution and Nexus Mods have also stepped up, providing additional guidance for those who haven’t yet downloaded the update.

The impact of the update extends beyond individual players and modders.

Larger mod projects, like the highly anticipated Fallout London, have been forced to delay their releases. Dean Carter, the project lead, expressed his frustration with the lack of communication from Bethesda, stating that the update ‘has, for a lack of a better term, screwed us over.’ The timing was particularly unfortunate for the Fallout London team, who had planned their release to coincide with the post-Prime Video series buzz and a significant in-game date.

“Fallout 4 Wallpaper is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Despite the setbacks, the community is showing its resilience. The modders are hard at work updating their creations, and players are sharing tips and tricks to keep their modded experiences intact. It’s a testament to the dedication and passion that has kept Fallout 4 alive and thriving years after its release. Bethesda’s update may have thrown a wrench in the works, but the community is determined to keep the Commonwealth as vibrant and diverse as ever.

Looking to the future, it’s clear that communication between game developers and the modding community needs to improve. The surprise nature of the update and its impact on mods highlight the need for a more collaborative approach. After all, mods have played a significant role in extending the lifespan of Bethesda’s games, and it’s in everyone’s best interest to support this ecosystem.

In the meantime, players who wish to continue enjoying a modded Fallout 4 have options. By disabling auto-updates, using alternative launchers, and keeping an eye out for user-made rollback patches, the game can still be played as intended by its passionate fanbase. It’s a bump in the road, but one that the community is already smoothing out with their characteristic ingenuity and solidarity.

As we navigate the post-update landscape, let’s not lose sight of the positives. The update does bring some new content and bug fixes, including the resolution of a long-standing glitch in the settlement system. And while the update may not have delivered on all fronts, it has sparked a renewed interest in Fallout 4, reminding us why we fell in love with the Commonwealth in the first place.

““Fallout 4”.” by FilmFans.com is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

The ‘next gen’ update for Fallout 4 on PC may have caused some initial chaos, but it’s also brought the community together in a way that only a shared challenge can. The path forward is being paved by the very players and modders who have made Fallout 4 the enduring title it is today. With their continued efforts and Bethesda’s attention to the modding scene’s needs, the future of Fallout 4 remains as promising as ever.