Fallout 76's last update the year is a semi-big one

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Scribe of Avalon

It’s time for the third season of Fallout 76to begin, and we have patch notes to mark the occasion.

This week on the official Fallout 76blog, Bethesda laid down their plans for the “final update of the year,” preceding the upcoming quality of life patch in early 2021, as well as the subsequent Brotherhood of Steel storyline content. While season three is the big thing in version 1.5.1.3, new “Core Vault” objects can help spruce up your C.A.M.P. through the completion of a very easy Home Expansion quest, and a bunch more bugs have been fixed.You can find the full patch notes below.

Having scanned over each and every patch, it’s kind of crazy just how many bugs are still in the game, or are being added with subsequent updates. The biggest hit this week was regarding combat challenge fixes; as six enemy types were previously not counting toward challenge completion progress. I can’t imagine how maddening it must be to not understand why any given aspect of the game doesn’t work after all this time.

These are the sort of things a lot of people can brush off in a single-player game, but the “games as a service” approach has really put this one in a corner. Direct rewards are tied to mechanics like this, which can drive people to the Atomic Shop (in-game and real-money transactions). While Fallout 76has markedly improved before my own eyes, I hope Bethesda learns from this experience and doesn’t try to force this sort of model into a game that can’t handle it again.

Update Notes [Bethesda.net]

FALLOUT 76 SEASON 3 HAS BEGUN

  • We’re kicking off Fallout 76 Season 3 with the all-new “Scribe of Avalon” Scoreboard, where you will join the intrepid time-traveling historian, K.D. Inkwell, to investigate the mysteries of a medieval civilization.
    • The new Scoreboard features 100 ranks to achieve as you and Inkwell work to find and preserve technology in Avalon over the coming months.
    • As always, we’ve added a host of new rewards that you will unlock as you rank up, including Power Armor paints, Weapon Skins, Outfits, themed cosmetics, C.A.M.P. items, in-game currencies, consumables Perk Card Packs, and more.
    • This Season, we’ve also implemented several new types of rank-up rewards that are available for the first time ever, like Lite Allies, Backpack Flairs, Perfectly Preserved Bubblegum, the Antique Speed Bag, and Perk Coins.
  • We’ve made a few adjustments for Season 3 that you may want to keep in mind as you dive in:
    • For the first time, we’ve added several bonus rewards to the Scoreboard for Fallout 1st Members at certain rank milestones, which can be claimed in addition to the normal rewards those ranks offer.
    • We’ve implemented some new Challenges in the Daily and Weekly rotations, as well. These include Shelters-themed Challenges, and Challenges to take down different enemies, like Blood Eagles and Mothman Cultists.
    • Finally, last season’s Weight Bench reward is now available for purchase from Gold Bullion vendors so that players who missed it have another opportunity to grab one.
  • Head to theSeasons page on Fallout.comand read our recentSeason 3 Preview articleto get more information about Season 3, as well as a check out the rewards that will be up for grabs.

ITEMS

  • “Core Vault” Objects:We’ve added a few new items to the set of “Core Vault” C.A.M.P. objects that are unlocked after you complete the “Home Expansion” quest, including a Foundation version of the Core Vault Floor, a new Doorway Wall, and a Vault-themed door to match.

BUG FIXES

ART & GRAPHICS

  • Power Armor:The headlamp on the Blue Demon Power Armor Helmet now shines in the correct direction in third-person view.
  • Underarmor:The Brotherhood of Steel Camouflage Infantry Uniform no longer clips through equipped outfits.

C.A.M.P. AND WORKSHOPS

  • Ammo Converter:Flamer Fuel can now be sold using the 100x sell option, and Railroad Spikes can be purchased using the 100x buy option.
  • Defenses:The Encampment Gate is now centered between its posts.
  • Defenses:Encampment Fences can now be snapped to the left side of the Encampment Gate.
  • Exploit:Addressed a C.A.M.P. budget exploit related to Patio Chairs.
  • Spooky Sound Machine:The Spooky Sound Machine can now be placed at the same time as the Fog Machine.
  • Vault Catwalk:Straight sections of Vault Catwalk can now be properly snapped to corner pieces.

CHALLENGES

  • Combat:Killing the Scorchbeast Queen now count toward “Kill Different Kinds of Tough Enemies” Combat Challenge progress.
  • Combat:Killing the Flatwoods Monster now counts toward “Kill an Alien” subchallenge progress for the “Kill different kinds of human-like creatures” Combat Challenge.
  • Combat:Killing a Small Frog now counts toward “Kill Different Kinds of Critters” Combat Challenge progress.
  • Combat:Killing a Hermit Crab now counts toward “Kill Different Kinds of Arthropods” Combat Challenge progress.
  • Combat:Killing Mirelurks and Fog Crawlers now counts toward “Kill Different Kinds of Aquatic or Semi-Aquatic Creatures” Combat Challenge progress.
  • Combat:Killing Cave Crickets now counts toward “Kill different Kinds of Insects and Bugs” Combat Challenge progress.
  • Daily:Fixed an issue that prevented some Holotapes from counting toward “Listen to an Audio Holotape” Daily Challenge progress.
  • World:The “Discover the Overseer’s C.A.M.P.” World Challenge now displays the correct reward icon in the Challenge menu.

ITEMS

  • Armor:Red Viper Armor Skins can now be favorited for use in Nuclear Winter.
  • Headwear:Red Viper and Camouflage Skins can now be applied to the Urban Scout Mask.
  • Plans:Fixed an issue that prevented the Plan for the Poodle Sleeping Bag from dropping as a reward for level 50+ players in Daily Ops.

PERFORMANCE AND STABILITY

  • Client Stability:Fixed a PC client crash that could occur when fighting Scorched in the Forest.
  • Client Stability:Fixed a PlayStation 4 client crash that could occur when exiting another player’s Vault Atrium Shelter.
  • Client Stability:Fixed an Xbox One client crash that could occur when entering the Foundation Supply Room during the “Supplying Demands” quest.
  • Performance:Fixed an issue that could cause client hitching during gameplay.

QUESTS AND EVENTS

  • Property Rights:Sheena no longer spawns inside a wall during the “Speak to Sheena” objective.

SHELTERS

  • Build:Floors and other objects can now be built at the spawn point inside Shelters, excluding items like Traps and Pressure Plates.
  • Floor Décor:Potted Plants can now be built near Shelter ceilings more easily, and no longer sometimes place outside the playable area.
  • Entrances:Fixed a case where Large Shelter Entrances could not be placed near water.
  • Entrances:Objects built on top of Large Shelter Entrances no longer clip through the pre-existing metal beams.
  • Programmable Objects:Light Boxes, Switches, Cycling Lights, and other objects that can be “programmed” now retain their settings between play sessions.
  • Wall Décor:Fixed an issue that could cause the Eat-o-tronic to clip into the floor when built inside the Vault Lobby Shelter.
  • Wallpapers:Only Wallpapers that the player owns can be placed inside of Shelters.
  • Wires:Wires attached between Generators and certain powered objects, like Decontamination Showers, now persist after exiting and re-entering a Shelter.

SOUND

  • Collectron Stations:Added Sound effects that will play when opening or closing the container attached to Collectron Stations.

USER INTERFACE

  • Atomic Shop:Fixed an issue that could prevent further menu navigation in the Atomic Shop after purchasing a Bundle.
  • Help Menu:Added Shelters information to the Fallout 76 Help Menu.
  • Inventory:Opening a Holiday Gift no longer causes the player’s current selection to automatically move up one row in the Aid menu.
  • Scoreboard:Purchasing multiple rank-ups quickly no longer sometimes causes the rank-up button to become non-functional.