I'm not sure if it's the aliens adding strange magic stuff into the wastelands or Beth just using some of the magic effects that are still built in from Skyrim and throwing a few more on top, He He

No TBH some of these 'magic' effects are just damn silly, a gun that never needs reloading so you just keep shooting until you actually run out of ammo, they must be joking?

I'll probably get some negative response's to this next opinion but I believe the 'magic' should be removed from fallout games, I know it's fun but it makes no sense. There was

a FO3 mod that did remove most if not all magic if I recall but it may be a memory from forum conversations about making a mod like that? it was a good few years back???

For clothes I can rationalize it pretty easily in my mind as not being magic, a baseball uniform increases agi and str because players need str for batting and agi to run from one base to the other. So in other words I'm just assuming that my character gets into 'character' when wearing certain clothes like grognaks costume increasing str and melee damage.

Yes that's how some of this stuff is supposed to work, you put on as you say a baseball uniform and skills increase because you go into baseball player mode But if you went and purchased the best pair of running shoes in the world would you really run noticeably faster because the fastest runners in the world use those same shoes? Probably Not?

Maybe there should be special perks or traits that will give you access to those bonuses to justify it.

It comes from a certain http://www.girlgeniusonline.com/comic.php?date=20081205#.VpyRlPkrIpt. Be prepared to spend hours at that site.

Exactly. Assuming that magic existed, magic would have its own set of rules and follow some weird form of cause and effect. For a world that uses hand gestures and incantations to produce "magic", it makes sense if they are commands to tell a highly advanced machine to run a certain program. Forcing one's will on the universe doesn't require useless actions like hand gestures and incantations.

How was previous weapon effects explained? Yes you had some who was plausible as they was experimental prototypes like the cryolator or X-01 armor in FO4. Also the legendary powerarmor chest you build in the lab.

However in FO3-NV most unique items did only have an flat damage increase or protection making it easier to just overlook.

Fallout 4 also put the FO:NV ammo effects into weapons, giving you explosive or two bullets, yes it has been tried and it was not an good idea

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2015/04/30/m198-the-cartridge-that-should-not-have-been/

When science cannot explain or fails, it's Magic. Magic do not fit in FO so science should do.

Cheers,

-Klevs

I just call it space magic and be done with it whenever futuristic technology is involved. Either that or alien.

Just because science can't explain something right now it doesn't mean it's magic, we just aren't advanced enough yet to understand. We have no idea how the Universe works, we have theories but no proof.

That actually seems like a great idea. Fallout has always been missing an in-depth feeling to apparel.

I love Girl Genius. I let it stockpile just so I can binge on it with a tasty snack.

There have been some fictions to take "magic understanding" to that level. As in it's just a science of its own that is still bound by the laws of physics - or it intentionally breaks them in an organized way.

I think the "immersion-breaking" part of this installment lies in the fact that a 2-shot, an Exterminator, and whatever else legendary mod, all look the same. 2-shot weapons should have 2 barrels (or something else), and each legendary mod should have some sort of special glow or something so it stands out from the rest of the gear, and it then looks legendary.
But, to be fair, I think the whole "legendary" concept is weak. An unnecessary addition to the endless grind of the poor console players, and like 10-15 minutes of moderate fun on PC when adding them all to you inventory to test them out.

I'm sure it is not worth to think about it too deeply in the nuclear-magic Fallout universe. But ok.

Legendaries are magic but in my opinion it's a fun to have. I like it that you can find stuff that is better than what is craftable. You could substitute the two-shot for example with a receiver for a stronger round, a more "realistic" way to get more damage. But then all would be crafting again. So it's a combination of finding and crafting. I like it.

Of course you can do all the balancing stuff yourself (I'm on PC and with intent so), for example I gave miniguns and the .50 receiver more damage. But if that were the only way, the surprise what senseless or nice legendary effect you got after each legendary kill were gone. I even modded the Loot Overhaul mod I use to make all loot rare back to near vanilla for legendaries: it's just fun to find them, although most I never use especially if too strong.

magic has no place in fallout , maybe a few random encounters like the alien ship or dunwich borers are ok-ish BUT plasma bullets no , i wish they would scrap the bonuses but keep the system , remove the magic stuff on legendaries but keep the legendary system

While the legendary effects are fun, they do seem too 'Magical' at times. I've gotten to the point now where I don't use any legendary items. Either the effect is pointless (+50% damage to bugs) or it's too OP (double damage Missile Launcher if target is full health). So either way they just don't need to be in the game IMO and I'm just selling them off for caps.

I do have a problem with the clothes bonuses also. I can get that wearing a tux could add some CHR to the character. But farmer clothes adding END, and others just don't make any sense that can be explained other than with 'Magic', which I don't feel really belongs in FO. I get that prior games had the same thing, but if they can remove SKILLS from the game then they can remove MAGIC CLOTHES also.

Personally I'd rather the game geared a little closer to realism in many regards. Mutations and such I don't have issue with as that can be explained away with science. But as the OP suggested the Magic just doesn't fit FO IMO and these is a little too much of it in FO4.

The original fallout games had ghosts, fyi.

That's supernatural, which I can also accept better than just magic.

I don't see the distinction

You can't say my farmer's clothes gives me +2 END because I have a ghost in my pants. Well you could, but it wouldn't make much sense. Ghost historically don't give bonuses to clothing and weapons in the fashion that Legendary gear does.

If each Legendary weapon had some spiritual aura around it you could detect which would then be the cause of the legendary effects, I could accept that, as long as it was very rare (like maybe one item ... like the Tooth blade in FO4).

It's actually quite a difficult subject to consider how to change the basic 'magic effects', I said they could (should) be removed with this I was aiming at the ridiculous ones like self loading shotguns that never need you to reload until you run out of ammo, or the assassin gun that does 50% more damage to humans, I found that on a Synth legendary. These sort of examples are the ones I class as just damn silly, TBH I actually think they are almost laughable and in some degree insulting to the players intelligence.

But items like a stealth suit (or shadowed armour) that have say 25% increase in stealth literally must have those effects because without them you could not do a 'real life' hid in the dark type thing, if you stand in the shadows in dark clothes in real life someone may pass you by and not notice you? In a game the AI can only (so I believe) allow that to happen if the maths of stealth bonuses stack up enough to duplicate a real life situation, NPC's from what you can experience in game can see you as such in the dark just the same as daylight. They see you to shoot at you in the dark even if you cannot see them, so the 'stealth bonuses' give your character the 'magic effect' of not being seen so easily?

IMO opinion those Over the Top 'Magic items' should be removed and the sensible 'magic effects' needed to duplicate 'real life' should stay, things like a special armour that increases sniper damage, is that really possible??? I must admit I scrapped the never reloading shotgun as I felt it was just too stupid an idea.

Communists.


Well, you have to remember that when a scientists says "in theory" he means "according to current knowledge and evidence". And apart from Dark Matter and Dark Energy, we have a pretty good idea. ...Though those two do form the majority of the universe, so i guess we really have no idea
"We" as in humanity.

I had the Laser Rifle/Pistol that automatically loaded all fusion cells that you had on you. It was kinda cool but after a while I found myself NEVER using it because the reloading animation made the game feel sort of "real" in battles....and this silly 'magic item' made that go away,

And I guess wearing nice clean clothes might increase your charisma compared to looking like a bum...

It's not magic. It's science on steroids.

Magic or Science! or aliens or whatever. Just don't mess with my Deep Pockets and we're all good . Pleaseeeeee don't mess with my Deep Pockets.

Not really what I was getting at. I'm talking about simpler explanations for weapon EFFECTS, (that had no need of magical explanations [Spray and Pray, Unlimited ammo usage; Double Shots]); not necessarily technology as you've alluded to. I'll keep it brief due to RL time constraints, and only briefly discuss ballistic weapons, but will add to it if needed:

Ammunition:

Hollow points - ammunition designed to obliterate unarmored targets. It's effect is high damage to unarmored targets, yet very little damage to armored targets.

Armor piercing - ammunition designed with steel cores to penetrated armored targets. Effect is significant armor penetration and immediate damage to armored targets...does slightly less damage against unarmored targets.

Explosive rounds - Emphasis on "ROUNDS", not magical weapons. It's effect is an explosive charge on contact.

+P - Ammo designed to generate higher chamber pressures. Effect is higher damage and reduction of DT/DR.

Incendiary ammo - Ammunition designed with incendiary compounds to ignite on impact. Effect is setting organic or non organic targets on fire.

HE - high explosive ammunition designed with higher charges, and a larger area of effect. Effect...big boom.

Magnum - higher charged ammo. Effects include higher DAM, and reduction of DT/DR.

Match ammo - custom made handloaded ammunition. Effects include higner DAM, a significant reduction DT/DR.


Mods:

Custom bolt: Increased rate of fire.

Extended Mags: Increased ammo capacities

Long Barrel/Match Barrels: Increase Damge; reduce spreads.


Instead of these, Beth hand waves much of it away and institutes a magical drop system. Some like it due to it's overt simplicity. I, and apparently many others, think it was an unnecessary contraction or reduction of better gameplay mechanics, and detracts from the game.

TL;DR: Weapon effects were better explained before, and had no need of magic.