I am a little disappointed that we have to lock in our SPECIAL stats. I kind of wish they would say that no stat can go above 15 or below 1. Then let us place a number of perk cards equal to our level plus 7 up to level 50. This would give us flexibility to build our character based on what we were going to do that day.
The author’s explanation of how PVP works does not jibe with what I have read on other sites. Makes it sound like you can ignore them and that’s it. Not the case. You can still be killed by people even if you choose not to take part in PVP. Kind of disappointing the approach they are taking.
I gather that it takes a bit of time to make the kill. If you have not counter attacked them, they get flagged as a high payout kill and can’t hide on the map. You can set a pacifist flag to make sure you don’t accidentally attack them. There will be inconveniences if they choose that route. Some players still will, but I expect it to be reduced from pure open PvP.
I am on the fence about a PvE/PvP server setting. On one hand it would suck for the PvP player to wind up on an instance with only PvE players. On the other hand, if our characters can share inventory, I might want to make a PvP character.
I will be checking it out in beta.
Unless things change or they better explain the system I’ll probably wait for private servers before bothering, much as I love the Fallout series.
The choice of which faction to join in F4 was frustrating enough… I don’t need the aggravation of being pwned by 13 year olds with anger issues (as my friend described it after hearing about the system). 
I was very hesitant about the multiplayer aspect of Fallout 76 but it should be pretty fun playing on a OTG private server. Hopefully it doesn’t take too long after launch for them to enable that ability if it isn’t allowed immediately.
Well, Pete Hines said they will be hosting the private servers. They have not said we will have to pay, but I suspect we will.
I suppose the proof will be in the pudding, but from what I’ve heard the pvp mechanics are designed to mitigate that from happening.
I’m going to be playing on public servers right away and would sure love to group with some grown-ups. Did you see that you can link up houses/forts to make big connected ones? Also, the endgame is going to require some group co-op to get things done (and fight bosses in the nuked areas :^).
Warmly,
TEEM
Yeah, I’ve read on how they are handling PvP and all I can say is…
I think they need to let you flag as PvP before you join the game. This way you can wind up on an instance with other PvP’ers.
Later if you want to play PvE, don’t flag before you join the game.
@RanterX, I’m curious where you think the exploits are going to manifest? If you’re invisible on the mini map (“block” everybody) and can’t be tricked into pvp (“pacifist” set) and can only be “slapped” (very minor damage) by a griefer and can fast travel to numerous places away from there for free, etc. where is the grief going to come? Perhaps he are in a boss or swarm fight and low on health and even the slap(s) finishes you off?
What happens, worse case and you are killed? You don’t lose any gear, any XP, and you can respawn right were you were before. The griefer gets no loot, no experience and no caps, just the “fun” of producing the grief. OK, so maybe that’s a PITA, and if that’s a deal breaker then I guess Fallout 76 is not for that sort of player. I sort of like the idea of turning assholes into “content”. The griefer is now a “boss” fight, with the griefer’s location on the map marked with a red come-kill-me star that everyone can see (everyone else’s location is blocked on the griefer’s map) and if the griefer is killed, the bounty is paid out of the griefer’s own caps (with a bounty that increases with the griefer’s level). What an interesting “boss” fight.
The only exploit I can imagine is if the griefer has some compatriots on the server who then kill hir for the bounty and reset the “griefer” flag. I’m uncertain if Bethesda has puzzled that one out, but I’ll bet there is some clever way to counter it.
TEEM
Experience playing video games most of my life says griefers always find a way and they don’t care about the penalties. Bottom line is we’ll see what happens. But have seen the whole “we’ve found a way to control griefers/hackers/spammers/whoever” thing fail way too many times…
Either way, the reviews I’ve read so far have been mixed but are highly dependent on how the reviewer likes to play Fallout games is my impression.
@RanterX, I hear you. The true griefer only gets off on, well, causing grief and it going to look for loopholes and exploits.
On the plus side, I saw some footage that seemed encouraging: youtuber got spooked when a player char came up behind him, turned and took a swipe at him. No damage to the other player because he had “pacifist” set, so couldn’t accidentally get into pvp. Dude was mad and shot him a few times. Nearly no effect. Health bar moved every so slightly. It really is an almost trivial amount of damage. In another shoot, dude stumbled into some pvp going on in a building and took a number of rounds–health bar moved a smidge, but this sort of damage cannot kill you unless you are very near death or afk or just stand there and take it, without eating or meds, for a long, long time.
TEEM
Was talking about the game with friends and the obvious solution to my potential issues with how the game handles PVP suddenly struck me…
"Let’s be griefers!"
} “Let’s be griefers!”
:^)
Clearly Bethesda is hoping the griefers will “become content” i.e. griefing the griefers. Clearly there is still some issues to be worked out…
In today’s beta I grouped with a gal who was getting griefed. She didn’t know or realize she needed to toggle passive on the avoid full damage. Once she was passive the lone griefers were able to do much, though @$$hats were trying to trash talk folks into taking passive off to “duel” in the came voice channel.
I did get ganked one time by a group of four well-armed players…even with the minor slapping damage, if you are not at full health and you have a number of folks gunning for you they may take you down before you can fast travel away (granted I was kinda slow on the draw… I bet a 14-year-old could have gotten away, but then again a 14-year-old would be a griefer :^).
TEEM
Sounds annoying. Guess we’ll see how things develop… thanks for the recaps! 
I gave in and bought it. Enjoying it a lot but hit level 5 just before shutdown tonight. Eek! 
I am almost level 9 now, made my camp and completed a couple of the intro quests lines. Liking it a LOT more after my second playthrough - I feel it has a huge learning curve even for FO4 fans. I recommend taking your time and really learning the game. I missed a lot my first time through.
I’m level 5,6, and 7 working on 3 char so far. Yes if you have altitis you can indulge.
Oh no why did you say that? Urge for altitis rising! 