Since the announcement of NPCs for Fallout 76 at E3 2019, fans have been waiting for new information and for the corresponding update “Wastelanders” to finally be released. During QuakeCon 2019, the developers revealed more about the NPCs.
What was discussed? At the Fallout 76 panel at QuakeCon 2019, Jeff Gardiner, Mark Tardiff, Tom Mustaine, and Chris Mayer talked about the future and development of Fallout 76.
One of the main topics was the expected NPCs. NPCs were already announced at E3 2019. They will appear with the Wastelanders update, which Gardiner says should be released around November. However, some details are already available.
Here are the details about the NPCs
The factions that will exist: As mentioned in the trailer and some discussions, the NPCs will appear in two factions: Settlers and Raiders. Both factions will come with subgroups that belong to them. One of them has already been revealed: The Cult of Mothman.
Players can join these factions in some way. Tasks for the factions can be completed and reputation can be earned. However, there are no permanent decisions to bind oneself to a faction. According to Gardiner, it should also be possible to play as a kind of middleman or even betray both factions.
How can I interact with NPCs? Players will be able to speak with the NPCs and will also receive dialogue trees. According to Gardiner, these will be more oriented towards Fallout 3 and less towards Fallout 4, which delighted the audience at QuakeCon.
The options available will depend on certain factors, such as:
- your own S.P.E.C.I.A.L values – certain attributes and perks allow certain options
- your standing with the faction – how popular or unpopular is the player?
How do NPCs change the game? According to Mayer, NPCs are said to “dramatically change the gameplay experience.” According to the developers, they will suddenly appear all over the vast map of Fallout 76. New settlements are also expected.
Along with the NPCs, new random encounters and quests are also to be introduced. New events may also come, as the event system will also be improved. They are said to become clearer and more transparent, and traveling to events will be free.
Furthermore, the story will continue after players have completed it. Thus, NPCs will not only be important for the Wastelanders update but also afterwards.
Will there also be companions?
What the developers say: According to the developers, there will definitely be companions again with the Wastelanders update. They will be available for various activities:
- They will spend most of their time waiting in your C.A.M.P.
- They will also accompany you on special quests
- The companions may prevent you from completing quests under certain circumstances
- You can romance the companions
The developers also discussed the possibility that new content could be tested by the community in the future, such as through the desired test server. However, when such a feature is to be expected has not yet been disclosed.
