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[Fahzgoolin]

I know this has been talked about over the years, but I just got Fallout 4 after reading a survival mode RTTP thread on GAF and I'm just dumbfounded by my experience. I have a mid range PC that runs the game without a problem. However in my 6 hours of play I have spent a lot of time dealing with stupid game breaking bugs.

Survival mode exacerbates Bethesda's inability to write stable code. You can't save until you get to a bed, so if anything wonky happens before you go to sleep you lose all your progress due to no fault of your own.

Off the top of my head I encountered:
-Getting frozen in place several times
-Getting stuck inside of power armor
-Quest NPC's not activating when completing a simple quest
-NPC's telling me to follow them and they run back in forth with no purpose
-Enemies teleporting into me through geometry to my demise
-Enemies detecting me through walls when sneaking
-Companions constantly blocking me and getting in my way
-Enemies running into walls
-Enemies floating mid air
-Enemies not making a sound when running behind me
-Games failing to load randomly, but loading properly at random
-Hard crashes
-Generally inexplicable performance woes

I have had to spend so much time troubleshooting and looking up solutions. For example, there is a quest where you are supposed to defend the Cambridge Police Station for the Brotherhood of Steel, but every time I completed it the NPC's just stood around repeating "Take cover!" or "Check your fire!" After a lot of searching, I almost gave up, but someone discovered a console command to force the quest to complete itself. I got really angry when I found out that this was a common bug that was happening near launch, yet the bug still persists. It's game breaking stuff. I read online that some console users had to create a new character and start over.

I'm only 5-6 hours in and this is what I experience on a regular basis. How is this acceptable, especially when the game has been out so long? I really feel bad for my console gaming friends, who have to deal with this stuff without the ability to use the console window.

Once again, I have to rely on modders to fix what Bethesda neglects to do. I have had to install a survival mode quick save mod just to prevent this from happening because the game is so consistently unstable.

Even if I'm in a good mood and can tolerate the bugs and fixing them, it's still jarring and immersion breaking. Even if some bugs make me laugh, it frustrates me that I'm laughing during a serious moment in game.

Luckily I only spent $16, but I can't ever see justifying a $60 purchase on a Bethesda title anymore. I didn't like The Witcher 3, but man did they get the tech right for an open world game. The game looks incredible, has a good draw distance, performs well, and is filled to the brim with fully functioning side quests. Bethesda's games are mediocre amateur products in comparison to what other company's are making.

 

[icespide]

ask Brad Shoemaker

 

[Skronk]

It's never showed up often enough to bother me.

 

[jack....]

Because lots of people have fun playing their games.

 

[harz-marz]

Because people continue to buy their games regardless.

 

[OnPoint]

 

[Askherserenity]

You should listen to the 2015(?) Giantbomb GOTY podcast.

 

[dugdug]

Because the worlds they make are big as fuck, and, things are just bound to break in those instances.

I understand the frustration, but, limitations happen.

 

[Rixxan]

It's awful

Personally I could suspend disbelief enough back in the oblivion and fallout 3 days

But with the two latest entries in each respective series it's so painfully apparently it really hurts the overall package

The combat is also atrocious but that's a different conversation

After playing games like Soulsborne and Witcher I really hope Bethesda realizes how far behind the curve they are

If they repackage some shit in that engine for their next title im skipping it

Edit: "The worlds are massive" excuse was a decent one until Witcher 3 came along and proved what is actually possible

 

[Fahzgoolin]

You should listen to the 2015(?) Giantbomb GOTY podcast.

I would love to

 

[BillyJack]

Yeah F4 was the final straw for me. Even the atmosphere which is Bethesda bread and butter was outdone by so many other games. They can't rely on that anymore

 

[civilstrife]

It's so weird... I've never experienced any problems with Bethesda games. I don't doubt that others have, but I've never encountered anything like what you describe.

 

[UnemployedVillain]

I think some people take the idea of large open world = complex = bugs/jank is inevitable a bit too far and use it to excuse Bethesda. It'd understand if they missed things, which is certainly possible even if you think you've tested enough, but relying on fan mods to fix them is embarrassing and definitely needs to be called out more

 

[Euphor!a]

Because no other games do what Bethesda games do and until someone comes along and does it better, consumers are willing to tolerate it.

 

[badcrumble]

It's a double standard that nobody would forgive any other developer for.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

because people have bad taste

 

[CharminUltra]

Bugs were the reason I gave up trying to enjoy Oblivion.

 

[Askherserenity]

I would love to

I forgot who was defending Bethesda on this, I think it was Brad? But it was pretty much this.

Because the worlds they make are big as fuck, and, things are just bound to break in those instances.

I understand the frustration, but, limitations happen.

 

[sir_bumble_bee]

Yeah F4 was the final straw for me. Even the atmosphere which is Bethesda bread and butter was outdone by so many other games. They can't really on that anymore

I feel like F4 got plenty of shit for its glitches

 

[inner-G]

It's never showed up often enough to bother me.

Same here

Worst I've ever had is needing to go back a save or two, or installing a mod to fix a scripting bug or something.

 

[Karak]

First one thing about bugs is. Unless they happen every single time to everyone they...won't. Which means some folks don't run into nearly as many bugs as others. This also depends on game-play. As a past tester and QA I can tell you that is one of the hardest things to figure out and clean.

All that being said. Those games we are talking about are massive constructions and for many that means more chances of issue simply due to size and thus they offer a bit more leeway. We could argue if that's fair or not for sure. But for some its understandable.

 

[BillyJack]

Because no other games do what Bethesda games do and until someone comes along and does it better, consumers are willing to tolerate it.

CDPR is going to take Bethesda's lunch just you watch

 

[MatthewB92]

The answer is they make good games so people give them a free pass.

 

[shiftplusone]

but you can carry all this cheese, this overwrites every issue you bring up

/s

I don't get it either. Having a huge game isn't an excuse when its failing at basic competency

 

[Lulubop]

Because you can pick up and drop cheese wheels where ever, so it's ok

 

[Mesoian]

CDPR is going to take Bethesda's lunch just you watch

I welcome it. They need the competition. Once CDPR gets open world combat down, there's no reason why they couldn't take the crown from Bethesda.

 

[Podge293]

It's so weird... I've never experienced any problems with Bethesda games. I don't doubt that others have, but I've never encountered anything like what you describe.

Same here. I've seen the bugs when my nephew has played but I've never encountered them myself luckily.

 

[SandwichMeat]

I would love to

Here ya go dude

https://youtu.be/K1SZgRL1n4o

 

[Huge Succeeded]

It's not dismissed, get your head out of your buttocks. And that goes for all of you dudes high on that 'free pass' crap. I see that same BS every thread, and that's coming from someone who fucking hates 3D Fallout.

Bethesda jank is the worst though. At least I won't intentionally put myself through it ever again. Fuck Fallout, fuck Elder Scrolls, they're aight but I'm good

 

[Hindl]

It's awful

Personally I could suspend disbelief enough back in the oblivion and fallout 3 days

But with the two latest entries in each respective series it's so painfully apparently it really hurts the overall package

The combat is also atrocious but that's a different conversation

After playing games like Soulsborne and Witcher I really hope Bethesda realizes how far behind the curve they are

If they repackage some shit in that engine for their next title im skipping it

Edit: "The worlds are massive" excuse was a decent one until Witcher 3 came along and proved what is actually possible

Plus Zelda and Horizon are releasing in 2 weeks and all impressions have said both are very polished

I would love to

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1SZgRL1n4o

 

[Ninja Scooter]

It's brought up in nearly every thread about Bethesda or fallout/elder scrolls.

 

[Professor Renegade]

Because the worlds they make are big as fuck, and, things are just bound to break in those instances.

I understand the frustration, but, limitations happen.

There are other companies that make games with bigger worlds, and still manage it get it better than Bethesda.

 

[.JayZii]

ask Brad Shoemaker

Don't forget Austin Walker.

 

[Anno]

Besides super minor things I haven't really run into many bugs with the last couple Bethesda games.

 

[dugdug]

After playing games like Soulsborne and Witcher I really hope Bethesda realizes how far behind the curve they are

See, I disagree. As much as I absolutely love Souls/BB and enjoyed the Witcher's story. Those two games pale, hugely, in interactivity with the world. If Bethesda paired that stuff down, would it function more properly? Sure, but, it'd take away the biggest aspect that makes their games standout from other RPGs.

 

[Guevara]

It's never showed up often enough to bother me.

Pretty much.

 

[Garrett Hawke]

It's awful

Personally I could suspend disbelief enough back in the oblivion and fallout 3 days

But with the two latest entries in each respective series it's so painfully apparently it really hurts the overall package

The combat is also atrocious but that's a different conversation

After playing games like Soulsborne and Witcher I really hope Bethesda realizes how far behind the curve they are

If they repackage some shit in that engine for their next title im skipping it

Edit: "The worlds are massive" excuse was a decent one until Witcher 3 came along and proved what is actually possible

Eh. try moving random objects in TW3, go away, come back to them and see if they're still there. TW3 and Bethesda games have very different priorities

 

[MCN]

CDPR is going to take Bethesda's lunch just you watch

Weirdly, I don't rate Witcher 3 as highly as some people here. I mean, it was alright, and it looked pretty, but I never found myself as invested in the game world as I do when I play Bethesda games, and I never really felt any sense of being able to wander off and explore a random cave for shits and giggles.

 

[Lunarwhale]

FO4 was the last Bethsoft game I plan to get unless they really switch shit up. All of their games feel like cynical, soulless husks to me now and the bethjank is a decent part of it. Just feels like I'm dropping money on a modding base.

I'm not even particularly hard on bugs, but it's how the same bugs and QOL issues keep coming up that's turned me off their games.

 

[funkystudent]

Bethesda has a pretty great PR team.

And they are not afraid to cut your ass off the second you go against them.




Witcher 3 just made me wonder WTF Bethesda are doing. W3 is bigger, prettier, more varied, more technically accomplished. But people still screamed "BUT BETHESDA GAMES HAVE FREEDOM" then Fallout 4 comes out with even less freedom and RPG-ness

Right now the defining aspects of Bethesda games are...

1 - You can pick up a lot of objects then their position will be saved for later

2 - They look, run and perform like dogshit.

 

[Euphor!a]

CDPR is going to take Bethesda's lunch just you watch

I mean, I certainly hope so. Better games makes things better for everyone, but as of now the games Bethesda games are pretty unique.

 

[KJRS_1993]

I feel like Fallout 4 had a level of choppiness and roughness well above Skyrim / Fallout 3.

Whereas I could tolerate it in those games, I found Fallout 4 exceedingly irritating and didn't put anywhere near as much time into it as I could have.

 

[psyfi]

I've never had a major issue. The small stuff is funny to me, part of the charm.

 

[Fitts]

It's never showed up often enough to bother me.

This is my answer.

Edit: "The worlds are massive" excuse was a decent one until Witcher 3 came along and proved what is actually possible

Difference being that I feel Bethesda's worlds are packed with discovery and a joy to explore whereas W3's world was dreadfully boring.

 

[Vincent Grayson]

It's easy for me to dismiss because it doesn't bother me much in the first place, and the game experience more than makes up for it.

That, and no other developer does what Bethesda does, much less does it better. If someone else out there did it better, I think there'd be much bigger outcry.

 

[abbyabs]

I never really had that many issues with Bethesda as games?

 

[Corpekata]

People are often forgiving of issues in service of the bigger picture (see Witcher 3's combat).

I have my issues with Bethesda games, but when it comes down to it, like nobody is making similar games. Competitors focus on different areas, or don't have half the budget and development time.

 

[Quonny]

Get brought up in every thread. Reviewers slam the games for them. People specifically don't buy these games because of the jank.

Free pass.

 

[EvB]

It's easy for me to dismiss because it doesn't bother me much in the first place, and the game experience more than makes up for it.

That, and no other developer does what Bethesda does, much less does it better. If someone else out there did it better, I think there'd be much bigger outcry.

Very well put

 

[Bedameister]

Because they're still amazing games I love to spend hundreds of hours in.