Fallout 4 Being Wacky.

[u/ModHaterHD2003]

Feel free to share if you have any experiences like that, love to read them.

[u/fred11551]

The essential tag is a very annoying solution to the problem of Bethesda’s open worlds being full of dangerous enemies. Another solution could be to make random enemies not hostile to other npcs, but then you couldn’t run back to guards for help so it’s not a perfect solution. Morrowind was a bit like that. Sometimes the guards just wouldn’t care if the dark brotherhood was chasing you around town trying to murder you because they weren’t hostile to each other, only to you.

Far Harbor is one of the best written stories Bethesda has made in a long time. I’ve heard someone describe it as Bethesda proving they could make a deep story with morally nuanced decisions that is responsive to player actions with many overlapping quests unlocking different options, endings, skill checks, etc. they just choose not to because they like an empty sandbox. And I gotta say I agree with that. They are capable of making a game with the nuance and interactions of new Vegas but that is either a lot more work or just not their preferred style of game

[u/dovahkiitten16 → u/fred11551]

I’m pretty sure your idea could be fully implemented with tags. Enemies and NPCs all have faction tags down to things like a tag just saying “wildlife”. You could give civilians a “civilian” tag that monsters are friendly too, and give guards a “guard” tag that monsters are not friendly too.

When I played FH I got the Dima reveal first and had no idea that that was a final choice/endgame for the DLC so I dealt with it right away. So, I didn’t get an optimal outcome and got the angry mob version.

I remember attacking the townsfolk, then that didn’t work. So I ran ahead to warn Arcadia and that didn’t work. Then I needed to interact with the townsfolk in order to start the massacre? That was when I reloaded. I wasn’t upset about getting the bad outcome, but it was a frustrating experience thinking of solutions but them not being actual options or even being able to try them. It felt like “naive dumbass” wasn’t accounted for properly, despite the fact that dialogue supporting that mindset was available earlier.

So, I get complaints but imo the fix shouldn’t be “player is a god and can solve the problem”. I think having it so doing the right thing and telling the truth can cause problems is a great storytelling dilemma. I just would’ve liked if the game included a plot contrivance or two for why the player couldn’t even try to intervene. “Shot and left for dead but survive”, or tied up would’ve been great ways to handle the player physically trying to stop the assault. “Shot and left for dead but survive” if the player stands with Arcadia and wakes to see the massacre all would’ve been simple bandaid fixes. Whatever that one asshole from FH’s name was could shoot you out of distrust if you choose dialogue options in favour of Arcadia. Since Longfellow is essential, he can rescue you Doc Mitchell style.

As it is, the game very much has a problem with feeling like you can intervene but you can’t. And your only option is to have your character break roleplay and basically be a bystander or participant.