So, obviously they have completely rehauled the Power Armor in this game. But my question is, how do you think they will balance it so to speak? Because unlike Fallout 3 where Power Armor was essentially glorified combat armor and had no where near the strength the lore or other games potrayed it to have, (which New Vegas partially remedied) you could clearly see Power Armor in the trailer tanking rounds from several rifles and even missiles, and having mods like jet packs and such. (like it should)

But I personally think that some cool things to balance this blatant display of Power (ha) is to actually focus on the "Power" part of Power Armor. What I mean is in the other games they only focused on the protection part of it, not the actual physical specifics of how it works. But with this new customization ability, I think it would be cool to have to keep it fed with microfusion cells and energy cells or something of the sort. Of course it shouldn't be a MASSIVE Power hog that needs to be fed constantly, but rather just be something you have to keep your eye on occasionally. Also, it should still work without Power, but it should have a negative like forced walking speed or losing your mod buffs temporarily until you Power it up again or something. And of course some obvious negatives would be like making sneaking about unnoticed nearly if not completely impossible and having it slow your speed overall. (Of course they will probably have mods to make you move faster) Also, it should be hard to repair due to the new dynamic armor destruction. Most things shouldn't scratch it much if at all, but if it does, it should be more of a hassle to fix compared to basic combat armor. Also, I believe their should be "perks" so to speak affecting Power Armor, and if you have only minimal training in the way it works it should be harder to move around and aim, but with more skill into the subject it should become easier to repair and fix and aim etc.

Anyway these are just some ideas I came up with of the top of my head, but there are some more things I could probably think up if I gave it some more time. But I just want to know what you guys think of these ideas, and what are some ideas you have come up with on your own.

I hope that it's completely OP and only some weapons can do serious damage to it (however after sustained damage from small arms you will start to get hurt)

HOWEVER, it should be REALLY hard to get and it would make taking on the BoS or Enclave early on impossible.

I think there will be weapon and armor damage we have to repair from combat rather than wep/arm use degradation.

If you watch the E3 video it shows the protag slap what I'm assuming is a power cell into the back of it to make it active. I think this will be the only way to operate it. Also, there's a gauge on the HUD that is more than likely power %.

I hope it's a pain in the ass to move from one location to the next but that it is really powerful as well.

Which basically means you can be a walking death tank if you want to, but you're gonna have to trog it around wherever you go or go back to wherever you left it to collect it.

Wow, I'm glad i'm not the only one who thinks similarly to this. I imagined some people wishing that it was just some normal armor that would be completely OP with no drawbacks lol.

Judging by how each piece has health, I suspect that will be the balancing. It'll probably be an absolute horror to repair. They might also have batteries in them until you're able to get the proper fusion reactor. As for mobility, it seems like they make you more mobile than ever before. I mean, they have jetpacks on them. Jetpacks. I'm really looking forward to ground pounding a deathclaw.

Yeah, it's alright if it requires some type of fuel, that would be reasonably acquirable, even if expensive. It should provide near immunity to small arms. It should be durable vs stuff that don't put a dent on it. Overall, the trailer looked like all these are already present so I'm not worried.

I highly doubt we will be able to do the following in PA:
○pickpocket
○sneak
○lock pick
○read books
○Engage in advlt acts with "ladies of the night" (I'm looking at you Fallout 2)

Forgot fit through most doorways, perhaps even use the pipboy.

Its rumored that you can travel with the power armor in the vertibird and its the only reason you would ever need to use the "jump" button while in a vertibird (cus if your not in power armor and you jumped.. youd die)

Maybe even the possibility to have your power armor dropped off to you by air. as long as they make it expensive to maintain they dont need it to also be hard to get to so could easily have an option to have your power armor dropped off to you when you need it.

I didn't forget sneak, but I did forget the others you mentioned.

I'd prefer a shut down; like a crashed car. I would also hope that EMP grenades cannot be used with impunity ~while in Power Armor.

It's also be interesting to "dis-armor" an enemy with an EMP grenade that shuts down their PA suit.

*I do think that one should have to hit the PA suit hard to kill the operator; hard enough to ruin parts of it.

My guess is there will be two versions the heavy slow version we saw in the trailer and a version that is easier to move in. Or they will have Power Armor Training that will increase our speed and decrease it's weight.

I hope they find a way for it to be balanced under the idea that we know Enclave and BoS troops wear this stuff all the damn time, which means it needs to be able to handle travel well. Also i would hope the custom HUD changes with the helmet you choose to better simulate their differences.

Also i hope it doesnt become a "you need this specific fuel source which you can only find when you need the armor for certain quests" because then the armor becomes a gimmick. I want to be able to patrol and defend my settlement fully-clad in my Enclave armor

As far as obtaining power armor, my guess is you can't until you get a vertibird that will end up airlifting your power armor, dropping it off wherever you wish. I think it will have some kind of power system in place so that you cannot just keep wearing it forever. My biggest question is if we will see a jetpack aside from the power armor...

The biggest similarity I can think of would be werewolves or vampire lords in skyrim. You could only use them once a day (again, power armor requiring power) but it allowed you to murder everyone in your path for a few minutes.

Vampire Lords never had that restriction, they can used be used infinitely

Could they? I was not aware as I never got around to playing a Vampire (too much busywork for me). I suppose my lycanthropy example works better then.

I really like this idea. I was excited when I read how encounters are being handled in the game (I believe rubber banding is the word Todd used). I like the idea of having to cautiously enter every new cave, building, or area for fear that you might just be walking into a world of pain. I don't want Power Armor to be "god mode" but I think if it is extremely durable and intimidating, it would make the Enclave or Brotherhood that much more menacing. Imagine a naive player encounter a power armored baddie for the first time and getting excited at the opportunity to wear the new prize, only to discover that his assault rifle bullets just ping harmlessly off the armor. And then they open up with the Gatling Lasers... O.O

It looks like the power armor will be available early in the game, on the roof of a building in Concord, which appears to be South of Vault 111, and player prewar home if the water tower and RR station seen in background are any indication, and a level 2 character can use it, if the X-Box video is true on all counts.

I think power armor will be more like a vehicle, and there will be some places that power armor can't go.

I don't think a complete set of power armor will be able to be picked up and stashed in inventory like the previous games, that there will be an underlying frame, or chassis, and only parts, upgrades, and accessories that can be added or upgraded and put onto the base chassis can go into inventory.

I think power armor might be too large for some indoor locations, like, it might not fit through some doors, forcing a player into places without the protection of power armor.

I think there might be some doors, and obstacles that can't be cleared or opened without the assistance of power armor.

If power armor can swim, that will be [censored].

Thanks

I hope its like Fallout 3 & New vegas its just armor that can take a while to get & I hope its not there for just big groups of enemies & that's it, I mean come on that's fps like " Oh no a group of 50 enemies what do I do? ......Power armor...ok, done power armor off" I mean come on I get overhauling the power armor but that doesn't feel like fallout it feels like a call of duty or battlefield to me. power armor does have drawbacks there just not visable to see, that's all I want the drawbacks to be more seen not for it to be a horde clearer & then back to the real armor. Some people may think that would be great for fallout & I respect there opinion but i'm sorry that wouldn't feel like fallout power armor should be like it was in Fallout 3 & New vegas just with its drawbacks more visable.

I'm guessing that the pipboy will be projected on the hud of the helmet or the arm piece will open up when we need to change weapon.

It better not be a vehicle that requires refueling. Every model of power armor since the T-45d was nuclear. That's what made power armor viable; it burned through energy cells too quickly before that.

I don't even know how the Pip-Boy is going to integrate with it since the armor closes over the screen.

I wouldn't be surprised if the pip-boy is unusable whilst in PA.

I guess it's a high risk, high reward style of mobile "vehicle".

something you use only when there is no other choice. Even if you decide to use it. chance is your jorney comes to quick and sad end.

Most likely the upkeep is painfull process. You can move only Limited range By your own power. Also getting hands on the armor will most likely take some time.