Since we already have separate threads for future Fallout locations, soundtracks and now armors, I think it's worth it to institute a new one about one of the most diverse and important aspects of Fallout: Combat

COMBAT IN FALLOUT

and its integration with gameplay, environment and skill mechanics

Since I believe the next game will be first/third person with realtime and VATS again (and since I like these concepts, feel free to disagree), I will base my considerations on these premises.

First of all: The role of timing. Time is an important factor. This is not an FPS. So one thing we should have is a dedicated, tactical pause button. You can inspect your surroundings via manipulation of the camera angle during pause. You can't do anything else though.

Healing items and chems should require time (animation) to use them during combat AND heal over time only (except Buffout for example). It should be a drawback if you've been hit, not something you can easily counter with spamming stimpaks with no disadvantage. It would also require tactical thought if healing cost time.

Some actions like First Aid and Doctor's Bags should be only useable outside combat.

The second big aspect of combat is the role of Action Points. This heavily intertwines with the role of VATS. Today, the use of action points is limited to VATS shots. VATS is a pause button that lets you target specific body parts of enemies and then attack them, combined with a time slowdown for this specific enemy. First, cut this slowdown. It's unneccessary, since you can very well slow down time for everything during the important times, meaning when the bullets hit (and possibly destroy bodies). In fact, it destroys balance. Throw a grenade on some raider in a group of raiders with VATS? This raider will stop running, while the other ones are swift enough to make it out of the grenade's range. This is a bummer.

VATS should be reworked. Instead of targeting a body part, you simply target an area (the camera zoom should stay, as well as the percentages). Say you want to shoot somebody's head - you target the head manually. So the enemy can move away after your first salve to prevent witnessing the entire situation in VATS mode without interaction and without the enemy having any chance - VATS as it is installs like a magnet on the enemy atm and I don't like that. You can of course still make multiple shots in VATS, but the chance of hitting will possibly greatly decrease.

This way of targeting would work well with grenades. Add a visible throw arc to show us the location of where it's gonna land.

Every action in VATS will cost AP specific to the weapon and possibly your skills with the number of available AP influenced by Agility. Weapons with more than one use have all of them as possible options during VATS.

AP will also be consumed by sprinting (which comes with a handy sprint button of course). Endurance would influence sprinting AP cost.

I'll later continue this.

What do you wish from future Fallout combat? I want it to require more thought and be more tactical.

Use the official thread please.