XFO-NV
A Massive, Modular, Customizable, Scalable Overhaul for Fallout: New Vegas
*link removed* Donate!

Many of you may remember XFO for Fallout 3. For a long time, it was the choice for Fallout mods, incorporating a wide degree of changes and additions. Unfortunately, I ran out of both money and time (hence my new donate button! ) and it eventually was incompatible (as of Broken Steel, IIRC). However, I'm pleased to discover that FO:NV has the same engine and mostly the same code. I had so many big ideas for XFO and had just started to realize the possibilities of beth's code (The first 20 or so revisions of XFO were done entirely in Hex before the GECK!).

XFO-NV Alpha will be released by the end of the month, and will fix, add, or rebalance most of the following in its first incarnation:
Pacing/leveling/capping, SP formulas, Weapon Damage, Item Rarity, hardcoe Mode, Perks, SPECIAL and other stats, Bartering, Crippling and body part effects, Gore, Degradation, Annoying Messages, Karma, Radiation, Enemies, Sneaking, Speed, VATS, and more. As always, every piece and change will be individually de/selectable and scalable to your preference, along with an all-inclusive recommended-options version.

Following are the details. Please let me know what you think, any additional ideas you have, etc. Please read about the donation button at the bottom!

Here's the whole shebang... Unless listed otherwise, most of these should be up and running by the end of the month:
(Oh My Poop: there's no [list]ing in this forum? Well, the following ugliness is totally not my fault)


* Weapon Damage and Weapon Skill effects
- This became the crux in gameplay difference in old XFO
- The main issue is that weapons do far too little damage (both directions) in V, providing a noticable lack of both realism AND balance (I love when I don't have to choose which to fix! )
- Options range in strength
- Options to limit weapon damage to base damage, unaffected by skill (realism option: weapons don't shoot "harder" if you're better with them); this option gives higher consideration to skills for accuracy
- Options to focus weapon damage on skill (balance/RPGish option: higher skills, higher damage); this option comes with higher accuracy consideration to weapon condition
- Combined options, scalability, etc
- This changes the game feel greatly, and in a very pleasing and satisfying way!

* Armor / DT/DR / Defense rebalance
- First, I'll do my best to implement DR for those who want it back (like myself) -- it makes balance much easier
- For those who don't want it, I'll definitely have to do something to keep it in check with weapon damage rebalancing. In early versions, it may be incorporated into the same group of submods as the weapon damage changes.
- DT is awkward, or it seems so to me, but I'll try to salvage it by messing around with it. Suggestions are welcome here. Playtesting some different ideas will likely be key.

* Perk Mods
- This includes a bajillion ideas, directions, overlaps and nonoverlaps, and will be the most time-consuming; also therefore very donation-dependent
- First, I will offer about 100 new perks of all different types, carefully balanced (released in waves)
- I will also remove the every-other-level limitation; especially important given the higher difficulty of XFO-NV
- There will be more options, like V perks on even levels and added perks on odd levels, and other kinds of perks (given like achievements, e.g.)
- Eventually, I hope to implement what I had 3/4s finished in the original XFO: complex perk skill-trees. These may also be available added mechanisms to this, like an optional class-based system, or another level of perks (XFO included a tertiary perk path based on linear XP)
- Of course, there will be extensive trait-system expansion as well. In addition to new traits (many!), I may remove altogether (optional as always) the limitation on traits taken; they're internally balanced, after all.
– There's a lot more available for this area. It's the most time-consuming, as I said, but I have a lot of plans and ideas.

* SPECIAL and Derived stat changes
- SPECIAL will be optionally rebalanced and extended
- Health per level reduced for PCs, increased for mobs/NPCs, making top-end enemies tougher, as the game typically gets easy as perks and skills stack up
- Base Health reduced, giving more importance to END
- More encumbrance per point of STR; lower base ENC
- Base AP reduced, AP per AGI increased, like most stats, crossing at V's stat at 5
- AP regen increased
- Perception will have a stronger effect on all guns, and especially on VATS and long-distance shooting
- CHA will have a stronger effect on barter prices
- The main issue is that some stats were preferable pragmatically, or affected too few gameplay aspects relative to other stats

* Pacing rebalance
- Adjustable scaling of leveling speed
- Readjustment of xp rewards (eg more for finding new places, for explorer types)
- Level cap removed
- Skill cap removed (later, might take some figurin')

* Aim Choice / Cripple / Body Part rebalance
- The main issue is that everyone shoots for the head, every time, which is boring. This is actually made worse by XFO's increased damage, making quick kills easier *and* more desirable.
- Head dmg multiplier changed from 2x to 1.5x
- Limb damage easier to accomplish (easier to cripple)
- Crippled limbs have FAR greater effects, allowing for greater tactics
- Leg cripple movement speeds reduced from 85%/75% (one/two legs) to 60%/20% -- both you and enemies.
- Arm crippling has a far greater effect on accuracy with guns or damage with melee/UA
- Torso crippling causes heavy bleeding
- Tactics: Supermutant has too many HP? Cripple his legs and torso, then run off while he dies (e.g.)

* Item rarity changes
- This takes extensive rooting (and for me, hex code rooting), so may be a couple weeks out, depending on donations
- Options to reduce ammo found, stimpaks found, meds and food found, etc., in combinations and strengths choosable
- Much more of a hostile wasteland, this can get rough. Top difficulty on these makes for a serious survival game!

* Skill point formula adjustments
- Tag skills give x2 SP instead of immediate jump
- INT has half the effect of Vanilla ("V") (odds give +1 SP every other lvl)
- Base SPs are lower
- Tons of permutations and options from the above and other formulas
- Main issue is that INT is OP in V

* hardcoe mode mods
- Faster/scalable degradation of hunger/thirst/sleep
- Scalable changes in day/night cycle time rate
- Changes in med/food strength and multiple effects (food may not give HP in HC mode, e.g.)
- All beds usable, optionally
- A lot more, based on forum recommendations and further gameplay (I haven't had the chance to play a whole lot)

* Sneak rebalance
- Main issues are (a) that the V sneak/spotting calculation doesn't make sense, and (B) the "sneaky sniper" playstyle is grossly OP relative to others, especially late-game
- This will have a mild/med/hard version setup, but is a very complicated overall formula (that also affects your compass hashes/perception), so it may (like with FO3) take me awhile to nail; alpha versions are for patient testers
- Main change is that line-of-sight is 3x more effective at spotting you (sneaking directly in front of someone who should see you will get you caught)
- *Moving* within line-of-sight multiplies that another 3x, so even at sneak 100, you can't just walk up to someone from the front and stab them in the face (sneak from behind and both these changes are ignored)
- The effect of heavy armor is increased in perceived sound, BUT the base is reduced, making sneaking with low-weight (<10lbs) quieter
- The sound made by a gunshot is hugely increased (wouldn't you notice someone shooting in your base?) and the range of sound doubled - but silencers are more effective (relatively)
- Sneak skill is stronger and more effective (will probably cross around 50, will require tweaking/testing)
- Obstructions will be more effective in reducing perceivability (assuming I can figure that out )
- Low/high light level will have more of an effect (may require tweaking or removing based on lighting mods)
- *Proper* sneaking (from behind, low armor, melee/silencer, etc) will be *easier* than in V (except in hard version), especially with high sneak

* Karma rebalance
- Main Karma ranges, especially neutral, have been widely expanded, giving more significance to evil/good recognition
- "Very" good/evil ranges are hugely reduced, making it require consistent and long-standing good/evil behavior to maintain that status
- Minor acts, such as stealing, have far reduced karmic effect. (See below for removing those obnoxious messages/sounds)

* Annoying messages/sounds fix
- Karma messages and sounds removed (optionally just for stealing)
- [EMPTY] optionally removed for people who are masochists ("realists")
- Lots more as I see them, and as people ask

* VATS rebalance
- VATS is so screwed up in so many ways that I don't really want to get too specific, here.
- Main issue is that the character is invulnerable during VATS play.
- VATS accuracy is uneven, unpredictable... weird. Usually too high, especially in early game.
- I *love* VATS and wouldn't even play the game without, so I feel compelled to fix it (I'm an RPGer, not a FPSer, but I try to satisfy both) - may include options to turn it off, speed it up, other fun poo

* Barter Balance
- It's too easy to loot and get rich. Not with this.
- It will drastically increase the barter price range, both for sales and purchases, scalably and somewhat configurably.
- Makes barter a crucial and more balanced skill, especially for those who wish to... barter.

* Speed rebalance
- Base speed of movement is increased.
- This has many effects, and though subtle (about 12-15%), really changes the feel of the game, makes melee more viable, and strangely, enemies make very good use of it as though they know, bobbing, weaving, kiting, etc.
- May make it scalable; optional as always; goes well with the cripple rebalances!

* Radiation rebalance
- I got pretty sadistic with this one in FO3. But don't worry, it will be scalable
- Radiation was never scary in V.
- Now radiation reduces more slowly, accumulates VERY quickly while swimming or wading as appropriate
- Radiation penalties may be higher, but you could get a lot more use out of rad regen
- May want to keep a suit handy for some areas

* Gore rebalance
- Gore was too common to be fun, now reduced hugely to 10% chance
- Bloody Mess raised for those who like the silliness
- If requested, I may make additional scalable options for this

* Degradation fixes
- Degradation rates reduced for both weapons and armor (though repair has a larger range of effectiveness from low to high)

* Enemy Rebalance
- Enemy by enemy, type by type, careful rebalance of stats, HP, behavior, etc., based on other XFO changes, assuming most/all XFO options are enabled in moderate degree (or standalone)
- This is low on the time-based priority list, because other mods often screw it up, like if Martigen adds an MMM-NV (or someone ports it), or if FOOK starts adding a lot of variables. It also takes more time/tedium than possibly all the others (perks aside) put together.

* "PlayStyles"
- Playstyles was a submod to the original XFO. It attempted to create satisfying and fun differences in different types of weapons, making eg energy pistols feel much different than regular pistols. It also added modifiers based on movement, kiting restrictions, UA dodging, defensive modifications
- The old rundown is still http://home.comcast.net/~xodarap777/XFO/XFO_Readme_Current.html#Mods (scroll down slightly, I botched the anchor - and the style sheet is now long-gone, so you may have to highlight to read)
- It's low on priority. Much of these deficiencies have been addressed, and I need to play a lot more to figure out how to readdress this idea!

* Other
- Running will more negatively affect accuracy for you and NPCs (maybe - gotta playtest)
- Med rebalance (also not at specifics yet)
- If I *can*, I would like to include an option to return the old DR armor option (percentage instead of straight subtraction; seemed better to me)
- Either way, Damage reduction needs to be rebalanced. Perks/classes will address this, too, but the "tank" player type and melee types need some love, especially after I increase damage, but it's a tough balance to strike
- Skills are rebalanced within more specific mods, but I may use an esm to coordinate appropriate skill rebalancing. Typically, I make skills have a wider range of effect, crossing around 60 with V values.
- Explosion splash radii increased by 30%
- Increase stat multipliers for "boss" categorized enemies
- Paralyzing Palm chance reduced (UA will get other love, trust me, but PP is OP)
- Player limbs will be damaged more easily (?)
- Graphical fixes, ingame help, mini-quests, easter eggs, other things outside of the mod's original idea, especially if they're easy, like declutter mods, lighting changes, etc. Low priority for a core overhaul mod, except if an issue gets donations tagging it.

* The "Standalone" Mod
- The most popular and highly-recommended (also easiest!) option, the Standalone mod incorporates all of the recommended mods from XFO-NV, balanced together, for the ultimate experience.
- Obviously not as customizable, but much more easily made compatible with other mods, and prevents cluttering your mod list with twenty bajillion XFO mods and figuring out which work together or don't (though I will have a numbering system to make that as intuitive as possible and make clear references in the readme)
- This one also gives me the most "why is this happening" message headaches
- Eventually, I'll incorporate NVSE (the script extender) to make as many of the submods as possible customizable/selectable/scalable from within the standalone, reducing clutter without reducing customizability/compatibility). Some things, like perks, really hate it when I mess with them from within a module.

*link removed* Donations!
- Let me be clear: this mod will kick ass and get my serious attention and best effort with or without donations!
- Hey, I'm (seriously) poor, I'm very busy, and I XFO fell off right as it was getting good and creative because I just couldn't justify the intense time-sink; This is honestly the only way I can really do this...
- There will be a complex donation/reward system, a domain-hosted XFO forum, priorities based on donations, etc. No one who doesn't donate will lose any content, but, for example, the original XFO got thousands of comments; I just can't respond to all of them...
- If you have an idea, or a favorite aspect/feature of XFO, send a donation with that (and your forum handle so I can thank you in the readme and respond more quickly to your messages) in your donation message. I'll *guarantee* to spend $/10 hours on that aspect AND keep track of donation totals toward various issues to dictate my overall priorities. Hit the [+] sign next to the message header in the confirmation page - if you leave me your email, I'll send you my official XFO email address so you can reach me directly about anything XFO, at which time I'll also ask you if you want on the email list for updates. Of course, your email with otherwise be totally private
- As implied above, donations will proportionately increase how much time I spend on XFO. I will spend time on it either way, I just, you know, need to live. $1 counts as a donation, gets a thank-you note, gets high priority on responding to your emails/posts, AND gets your favorite aspect upped on my priorities, so I'm not asking much! Just a little help.
- Yes, I feel like a [censored]; let's try not to make a big deal out of this (even if I start out by plastering donate buttons everywhere. I just don't know how other people do this...) (Heh, they censored me -- I used a word for someone who sells him/herself )
- Donations will be kept track of carefully, and will also get a big consideration regarding your presence, authority, access, etc., when the XFO forums are up
- Obviously, I don't expect too many donations before it really comes together. But, as you can see from the leftover http://home.comcast.net/~xodarap777/XFO/XFO_Readme_Current.html and now-defunct section on the nexus for the http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=334, I know what I'm doing, and do good work
- All donations are FOR MY TIME ONLY (and my priorities for that time). They ADD time to my already extensive XFO schedule. Any content is the sole property of Bethesda Softworks.

This is going to be a little harder to do then it was in FO3 because of the addition of DT replacing simple DR. If you simply increase weapon damage and don't touch DT it will make armor totally pointless.

Well, I definitely want to see if it's possible (or reasonably straightforward, at least) to reimplement DR; I definitely preferred it. It just seems simpler to balance and like a more across-the-board and easy-to-assess damage mitigation style. Of course, even if I do have a module that replaces DT with DR, it'll be optional, so I'll have to figure out how to balance the weapon damage with DT. The obvious answer would be the same multipliers: if I multiply base weapon damage by, say, 5 (seriously, I shot a guy in the face at point blank like 20 times with a pistol at the beginning of NV), I could just multiply DT by 5. There are a lot of other variables and balances to consider -- Oh, how I know Some form of consideration of this will certainly be in the alpha, but there's also a reason I call it alpha. Thanks for bringing this up, though, so I can ensure that the OP gets some clarity on the issue.

I have been trying to tackle a reasonable way to increase damage and DT together its harder to change this than you might be expecting especially when you consider armor piercing rounds ect.
Honestly I think its easier to simply reduce max hp of all characters XD...

I don't think it's wise to replace DT with DR. With DR, the only important thing is DPS. Slow firing snipers that do more damage per shot but less over time are just a complete waste compared to high DPS miniguns. With DT, there is a useful difference where high damage per shot has its place (armored targets, like BoS) and DPS does as well (unarmored targets, like most animals and ghouls).

As for crippling vs headshots only, I really miss being able to shoot stuff in the eyes like in FO1&FO2. That was a cool feature.

First of all, welcome back!

It is good to see you and the news that you are making XFO NV has just made my day! I will definitely try that and give you feedback time to time.

It is also good to see that you are making NV version just like the old one with so many esp files so that we can adjust the mod for our own liking. This flexiblity is one of the best things I liked about XFO in the first place.

As for the DT, I actually quite liked the idea. I guess it is a terrible feature in terms of balancing and I heard that many moders are having difficult time because of that. On the other hand when you are wearing a Power Armor you can actually ignore that stupid raider with a 9mm pistol next to you. :laugh: And I think it is as it should be. Armor piercing bullets, using different weapons on different enemies... These are all good for tactical approach. I hope you can figure out something and keep the DT in the game.

Anyway, keep up the good work!

Ciao

Welcome back Xodarap! i think that the DMG increase module will be a lot harder and not so useful than it was in FO3, in New Vegas i've found things way more balanced than in FO3 but i would love to see the Item Rarity module, hell , if i've had any money right now i would've donate just to have it!

Pay money for item rarity when I released a module that does exactly that for free?
I wonder if there is something I am missing at that point.

hahahahaha, that was a joke directed to the OP

In FO3 Xodarap not just edited the Loot list, he edited a lot of cells removing stimpaks , ammo, etc;

Yes, any content is the sole property of Bethesda Softworks.

That includes the time that they and Obsidian put into providing the GECK for you, for free, to share your mods for free with the members of this community. That includes the forums provided for you for free on which you can discuss your mods; and the GECK Wiki to teach you how to make the mods.

I'm sure that when they were working - probably unpaid overtime - to get that GECK in working order for you to make your mods, it was not with the intention that you should solicit donations for your work. If they wanted you to solicit donations for your work, they would not have made it so abundantly clear that mods are not to be charged for in any way, shape or form.

For your time! What else would you possibly be charging for! And no, you may not!

Every other member of this community provides their endeavours for free, and no modder works in isolation. All of us need the help and support of other members, whether it's contributed time and resources, hosting bandwidth, advice or just feedback. Everyone puts in for free, everyone gets the files for free. I've released 139 mods for this community, of which four took over six months and two took over one year to make. Others have far eclipsed that: Tamriel Rebuilt, for example, has taken about eight years so far. We all share our time and effort freely as a co-operative community endeavour so that we can all experience an enhanced game.

That is how it works.

I'm going to lock this up now. You may open a new topic without any reference to soliciting donations or monetary contributions of any kind.