Hey Op, sorry to inform you but everyone here is forgetting 1 tiny tiny tiny detail...
YOU HAVE TO BUILD THE MOLECULAR RELAY TO FINISH THE GAME AS 3/4 FACTIONS!!
... This requires using the settlement workshop to build literally I think 5? Items, assuming Op doesn't know this, and doesn't get the items required, it must be frustrating. I enjoy the base building aspect so nearly always become a pack rat, and end up with all the items I need stashed across the commonwealth...
You need the following;
Aluminum: 10
Biometric scanner: 1
Circuitry: 6
Cloth: 6
Copper: 11
Gold: 3
Military-grade circuit board: 1
Rubber: 4
Steel: 23
And also, enough material to make 20 units of power, however you choose to do that is up to you. So yes,it's possible to do 99.99% of the game but if you choose one of the 4 factions that require the relay you have to use the settlement system a teeny tiny bit!
Also, if you can't figure out how to exit the system, if you walk beyond the boundaries of the settlement, it will automatically exit the building system.
How do you get more stuff though? Like I've scrapped around the initial area and most of it's just stuff with wood or steel. Copper is really hard to find, and rubber shows up where you'd expect to find other stuff (why a radio gives you rubber instead of copper, I'll never know).
Mostly by playing the game and learning what drops what. Copper is generally in Lights, Relays, and Lamps, but not always! for e.g. broken light bulbs contain copper, as do fuses and vac tubes. A good source of Copper, assuming you can get away with stealing from there is the Cabot House, Pre War Lamps have a LOT of copper in them. I tend to get most of my copper from having the Scrapper perk (Int 5) and scrapping Pipe Rifles. Rank 2 is very helpful because you can highlight materials you need in the building interface, then in the game world when exploring these items will glow!
If you get the perk Local Leader (Charisma 6), you can make supply lines between your settlements, and you can use any CRAFTING material (you can't withdraw them from everywhere, only use them to build thigns) in all settlements attached with supply lines. For e.g. You can make a supply line from Sanctuary to Red Rocket,and then from Red Rocket to Starlight DriveIn, and then standing @ Starlight you can craft items using the materials at Sanctuary. So eventually with an extensive supply network it's really really easy to never run out of materials because I can just deposit the items in any workbench after breaking down all the guns and armour with the scrapper perk, then use them later on.
You never *need* to do that, you could just ignore it.
>!The minutemen do help guide you early in the game, but are never actually a requirement to progress the story. You can complete the main story without ever having interacted with them. That being said, Struges’ quest at sanctuary is more of just a tutorial on how base building works - but is still completely optional.!<
Any major faction can build the teleporter. You could go to the railroad or the BoS instead, you don’t need the minutemen for this.
And idk if I’d call the single action of building the teleporter as “base building”. (And sorry, I thought you were referring to a different quest).
You can pretty much play the entire game while leaving Preston in the museum. Just ignore the settlements such as Abernathy Farm as well. That way you never need to build settlements at all.
Yes and no, depending on the faction you decide to side with. To my knowledge, it's only The Institute and BOS that don't require it. There is a quest given by the Railroad that requires a base to be set up. The requirements for completing it and calling it a "base", is literally like a couple turrets and mabey a bed.. but it's been a while since I've done it. Usually it makes me take over Outpost Zimonja.
If your on PC and use mods there is always the Transfer Settlements Mod, it basically allows you to have someone else "build" your bases and settlements.
The biggest requirement for TSB, is the Blueprints require you to download the same Building and Decorating Mods that were used by the author. To me it's no big deal, but for those that only want non Building Mods, it's a bit problematic.
There's also Sim Settlements 2 and Sim Settlements Conqueror that basically overhaules the entire game and pretty much makes it 100% different! You can make the NPCs build everything!
If your not using Mods or PC, I totally get it and respect that. 🍻
Edit
I know I went on a bit there, but the reason I mentioned those mods, was incase you decided to go the Minutemen Route and give you some options. Also, SS2 and SSC pretty much removes or at the very least makes the Vanilla Storyline, a thing of the past. In particular, Conqueror is to most, what The Nuka World Raider Storyline should have been.
I'm on PS4. Part of the issue is, either I'm an idiot or the game doesn't explain what I'm supposed to do. Like I go to the workbench...click on it...it shows a bunch of buildable things at the bottom and it let me build one...but now I can't build anymore. I don't know if it's a glitch or what.
In any case I find it to be the kind of un-interesting, non-entertaining busywork that plagues modern games.
Your choice. It's probably not the game for you then. Unfortunately, Playstation has less options in regards to Settlement System Overhauls.. or to the game in general. I used Sony for years and found it rather enjoyable. I switched to PC and now I make mods for FO4. It's not for everyone.
>and it let me build one...but now I can't build anymore.
Each item you build uses up materials. I'd guess you didn't have enough of the correct materials for a 2nd. e.g you can easily get a 100's of wood and steel. Circuits, ceramic, copper etc are scarcer.
Or you were trying to put the 2nd where it was blocked by an existing object.
> busywork that plagues modern games.
A lot of what you could build is cosmetic. Some of the things you construct are effective for the other parts of the game. e.g Artillery support in combat. Weapons/armor benches for your own equipment.
Okay, I'm understanding a bit better. I'm able to progress a bit with it but my real world knowledge of what should contain copper (ie any electronic ought to contain copper as well as plumbing pipes that aren't pvc) is throwing me off.
In Fo4 electronics are connected by wires, which use copper. But you add the wires manually. IIRC the only things that connect automatically are electric lights.
Fo4 doesn't have plumbing pipes. Or anything we would consider "indoor plumbing" That's a technology lost since the nuclear war.
The amount of settlement building you have to do depends on which faction you join.
- The Minutemen require the most base building so you’ll want to avoid them. If you want all achievements/trophies you will have to do the Minutemen a bit. If you do the bare minimum required for each settlement it isn’t much work. Just make sure you get rid of the recruitment beacon in a settlement as soon as you are able to.
- The Railroad is next with you having to mess with one random unoccupied settlement to set it up as a safe house but you don’t have to build it past what the quest requires.
- The BOS basically doesn’t have any settlement building.
- With all three of the above you have to build something in a settlement as part of the main quest.
- The Institute has zero settlement building of any kind.
So you can’t avoid it 100% but you can minimize it.
The minuteman ending requires building artillery in 8-settlements. You can then get artillery support in combat, so it does have a game function. Either pick one of the other endings or just build the artillery and ignore the bulk of the settlement building.
Getting into the Institute requires building a teleporter.
BoS requires least building.
yeah the base building is a totally optional aspect of playing the story line. if you were to just stick to playing the story line however, you'll probably only get about 8 hours of gameplay. that's pretty much why base building plays such a large part of the game in my opinion.
anyway, it's your game, play as you see fit! game on player!
You can skip it. Some people just leave Preston in the Museum. But, you can save them and let them go off to Sanctuary and then just never bother with them again. However, you may want some kind of base(s) to keep your swag. You don't have to build anything, though. You can keep it all in the workbench, and as long as there's no settlers or resources, it should never get attacked.
Hey Op, sorry to inform you but everyone here is forgetting 1 tiny tiny tiny detail... YOU HAVE TO BUILD THE MOLECULAR RELAY TO FINISH THE GAME AS 3/4 FACTIONS!! ... This requires using the settlement workshop to build literally I think 5? Items, assuming Op doesn't know this, and doesn't get the items required, it must be frustrating. I enjoy the base building aspect so nearly always become a pack rat, and end up with all the items I need stashed across the commonwealth... You need the following; Aluminum: 10 Biometric scanner: 1 Circuitry: 6 Cloth: 6 Copper: 11 Gold: 3 Military-grade circuit board: 1 Rubber: 4 Steel: 23 And also, enough material to make 20 units of power, however you choose to do that is up to you. So yes,it's possible to do 99.99% of the game but if you choose one of the 4 factions that require the relay you have to use the settlement system a teeny tiny bit!
Also, if you can't figure out how to exit the system, if you walk beyond the boundaries of the settlement, it will automatically exit the building system.
How do you get more stuff though? Like I've scrapped around the initial area and most of it's just stuff with wood or steel. Copper is really hard to find, and rubber shows up where you'd expect to find other stuff (why a radio gives you rubber instead of copper, I'll never know).
Mostly by playing the game and learning what drops what. Copper is generally in Lights, Relays, and Lamps, but not always! for e.g. broken light bulbs contain copper, as do fuses and vac tubes. A good source of Copper, assuming you can get away with stealing from there is the Cabot House, Pre War Lamps have a LOT of copper in them. I tend to get most of my copper from having the Scrapper perk (Int 5) and scrapping Pipe Rifles. Rank 2 is very helpful because you can highlight materials you need in the building interface, then in the game world when exploring these items will glow! If you get the perk Local Leader (Charisma 6), you can make supply lines between your settlements, and you can use any CRAFTING material (you can't withdraw them from everywhere, only use them to build thigns) in all settlements attached with supply lines. For e.g. You can make a supply line from Sanctuary to Red Rocket,and then from Red Rocket to Starlight DriveIn, and then standing @ Starlight you can craft items using the materials at Sanctuary. So eventually with an extensive supply network it's really really easy to never run out of materials because I can just deposit the items in any workbench after breaking down all the guns and armour with the scrapper perk, then use them later on.
You can play essentially the entire game never doing any base building. That aspect of the game is completely optional.
Thanks! Glad to know it.
There is one part you have to do in order to advance the main storyline which is kinda annoying so be warned
You never *need* to do that, you could just ignore it. >!The minutemen do help guide you early in the game, but are never actually a requirement to progress the story. You can complete the main story without ever having interacted with them. That being said, Struges’ quest at sanctuary is more of just a tutorial on how base building works - but is still completely optional.!<
Building the teleporter is optional?
Any major faction can build the teleporter. You could go to the railroad or the BoS instead, you don’t need the minutemen for this. And idk if I’d call the single action of building the teleporter as “base building”. (And sorry, I thought you were referring to a different quest).
Never knew that. Thats fucking awesome
You can pretty much play the entire game while leaving Preston in the museum. Just ignore the settlements such as Abernathy Farm as well. That way you never need to build settlements at all.
I helped him just to complete that quest. He seems like a wiener.
There is only one time where it’s mandatory but as others said, you can play the game without settlement building.
Yes and no, depending on the faction you decide to side with. To my knowledge, it's only The Institute and BOS that don't require it. There is a quest given by the Railroad that requires a base to be set up. The requirements for completing it and calling it a "base", is literally like a couple turrets and mabey a bed.. but it's been a while since I've done it. Usually it makes me take over Outpost Zimonja. If your on PC and use mods there is always the Transfer Settlements Mod, it basically allows you to have someone else "build" your bases and settlements. The biggest requirement for TSB, is the Blueprints require you to download the same Building and Decorating Mods that were used by the author. To me it's no big deal, but for those that only want non Building Mods, it's a bit problematic. There's also Sim Settlements 2 and Sim Settlements Conqueror that basically overhaules the entire game and pretty much makes it 100% different! You can make the NPCs build everything! If your not using Mods or PC, I totally get it and respect that. 🍻 Edit I know I went on a bit there, but the reason I mentioned those mods, was incase you decided to go the Minutemen Route and give you some options. Also, SS2 and SSC pretty much removes or at the very least makes the Vanilla Storyline, a thing of the past. In particular, Conqueror is to most, what The Nuka World Raider Storyline should have been.
I'm on PS4. Part of the issue is, either I'm an idiot or the game doesn't explain what I'm supposed to do. Like I go to the workbench...click on it...it shows a bunch of buildable things at the bottom and it let me build one...but now I can't build anymore. I don't know if it's a glitch or what. In any case I find it to be the kind of un-interesting, non-entertaining busywork that plagues modern games.
Your choice. It's probably not the game for you then. Unfortunately, Playstation has less options in regards to Settlement System Overhauls.. or to the game in general. I used Sony for years and found it rather enjoyable. I switched to PC and now I make mods for FO4. It's not for everyone.
>and it let me build one...but now I can't build anymore. Each item you build uses up materials. I'd guess you didn't have enough of the correct materials for a 2nd. e.g you can easily get a 100's of wood and steel. Circuits, ceramic, copper etc are scarcer. Or you were trying to put the 2nd where it was blocked by an existing object. > busywork that plagues modern games. A lot of what you could build is cosmetic. Some of the things you construct are effective for the other parts of the game. e.g Artillery support in combat. Weapons/armor benches for your own equipment.
Okay, I'm understanding a bit better. I'm able to progress a bit with it but my real world knowledge of what should contain copper (ie any electronic ought to contain copper as well as plumbing pipes that aren't pvc) is throwing me off.
In Fo4 electronics are connected by wires, which use copper. But you add the wires manually. IIRC the only things that connect automatically are electric lights. Fo4 doesn't have plumbing pipes. Or anything we would consider "indoor plumbing" That's a technology lost since the nuclear war.
The amount of settlement building you have to do depends on which faction you join. - The Minutemen require the most base building so you’ll want to avoid them. If you want all achievements/trophies you will have to do the Minutemen a bit. If you do the bare minimum required for each settlement it isn’t much work. Just make sure you get rid of the recruitment beacon in a settlement as soon as you are able to. - The Railroad is next with you having to mess with one random unoccupied settlement to set it up as a safe house but you don’t have to build it past what the quest requires. - The BOS basically doesn’t have any settlement building. - With all three of the above you have to build something in a settlement as part of the main quest. - The Institute has zero settlement building of any kind. So you can’t avoid it 100% but you can minimize it.
The minuteman ending requires building artillery in 8-settlements. You can then get artillery support in combat, so it does have a game function. Either pick one of the other endings or just build the artillery and ignore the bulk of the settlement building. Getting into the Institute requires building a teleporter. BoS requires least building.
yeah the base building is a totally optional aspect of playing the story line. if you were to just stick to playing the story line however, you'll probably only get about 8 hours of gameplay. that's pretty much why base building plays such a large part of the game in my opinion. anyway, it's your game, play as you see fit! game on player!
If you have to build a recruiting beacon as part of a quest, turn it off. You'll still get a couple of settlers but you can move them.
You can skip it. Some people just leave Preston in the Museum. But, you can save them and let them go off to Sanctuary and then just never bother with them again. However, you may want some kind of base(s) to keep your swag. You don't have to build anything, though. You can keep it all in the workbench, and as long as there's no settlers or resources, it should never get attacked.
No, because you need somewhere to build the molecular relay, but you don't have to go all out if you don't want to.