A valid concern, but that's where other senses come in for me, primarily hearing (no disrespect for any deaf gamers out there of course). Not many enemies attack without some kind of sound, or battle music. If the world is still spinning while you're reading your pip-boy I'd expect the sound to still be in the background even when in a pip-boy game. Also I've never really been in a situation in FO3/NV where I couldn't be assured an area was cleared and I wouldn't be attacked while standing still, they always come out of nowhere if I'm moving and not paying attention.

I hope so honestly. The only time the game should pause would be the main menu ordeal where you save/load, change settings, etc. Everything else, in my opinion, shouldn't pause the game and would make it more immersive and fun. This is one of the reasons why I am liking the FOE game so far, as it has been confirmed that the Pipboy won't pause the game. So hopefully FO4 will be the same.

Ah, I thought you were asserting that conversation and V.A.T.S. would pause time themselves, which we've already seen that they don't. My mistake.

https://twitter.com/DCDeacon/status/613687437534056448

Dumb, pausing the game should completely pause it. This is not Dark Souls.

Not a dealbreaker but just dumb, maybe it's just vats only which is fine but if it's pipboy screen too then like above, it's just dumb.

Arr, that answer's only about the second-screen app, which doesn't say anything about the in-game pipboy.

To be fair, there will at least for sure be a pause menu like the ESC menu in prior games. I agree, Dark Souls is dumb for not letting us pause, but I wouldn't mind if time kept rolling on with a Pipboy in hand as long as there was *some* way to pause.

If anything it's more immersive, especially if you consider that looking at your Pip-Boy is the real life equivalent of removing your backpack, selecting the pocket the stimpacks are in, digging through that pocket if there is anything else in there, then removing the stimpack and using it. Realistically in combat I wouldn't have my stimpacks in my backpack, I would have them ready to go, and that is represented too by hot keying. Granted it would be even more immersive if stimpacks worked how they do in hardcoe mode for NV, but that would probably just piss off a whole lot of casuals.

Frankly pausing time in battle to select something in your pack, debate it's merits and then use it is incredibly immersion breaking. It also encourages stimpack spamming because by doing it you can never lose a fight provided you have the resources on hand.

The context seems to imply he's talking about the in-game, by stating it doesn't pause the game while referring to the in-game screen he answers both questions. Given that VATS no longer pauses the game I would err on the side of caution and believe the Pip-Boy has the same feature.

But we don't really know right now, Hines never answered the follow up question. Could be a sign that he meant both, or could be nothing.

Dark Souls has legit reasons for not pausing (Online Multiplayer) for Fallout it makes absolutely no sense at all. Vats is fine for not pausing and I'm ok with that change, pip boy though I would have a huge problem with, especially with needing to heal. Would pretty much need to hotkey Stimpacks which is possible but just not feasible.

Wait, this might actually be possible? Pausing in vats was one of the best features about it, allowing one to tactically prepare for a fight, or perhaps one needs to use the bathroom? I hope fallout still has its identity intact, twitch gaming has its own genre for fans.

Thank goodness not everybody is going the way of the Dark Souls series. While I'm 100% cool with combat actions (VATS, here) only slowing down time, open world games need a way to fully pause everything, at any time.

It's MY game. Bought with MY money. Played on MY time. If I'm in a serious conflict/boss-battle/big-battle in the game and the really real world suddenly and unexpectedly intervenes, I'd damn well better have the option to pause that action and come back to it in a few minutes (or hours) without loss of progress or risk of punishment. Some of us do have lives to tend to outside of video games, lives that come with unexpected interruptions.

I think the idea of real time pip-boy is good. Same with hacking/lockpicking. Not sure why people are comparing it to dark souls as I'm sure clicking pause will still pause it but why should we be able to stop time to get a stratigical advantage. As for hotkeys I think it would be cool if they acted like pockets/holsters so if I'm wearing an outfit without many pockets I don't get as many hotkeys but if it has more pockets I can have more hotkeys to use stuff quickly in combat (ie stimpacks).

I don't see how this goes against rpgs as my charaster wouldn't be able to magically get anything out of his backpack (Wish I had a backpack) but would find cover to do it safely. Same with checking my inventory I would check an area is safe before using my pip-boy even out of combat.

Bethesda games have never had a pause key that I know of..

Aside from lizards -stare-

We do not think Bethesda combat is good enough for fps.. Sorry but it is what it is..

i can't imagine that the menu will be in real time,

If you want to stop and go for a bathroom break, use the Pause function rather than VATS.

The Main Menu is the Pause function.

Not pausing in the Pipboy would be a bit of a pain, but not a dealbreaker. It would be more realistic, if less convenient. Same thing with lockpicking and hacking--it's a bit of a cheat as it is now. As long as I can sneak to the lock without being seen, I can spend as long as it takes to pick it. Worrying about being caught would add a level of immersion.

Seems to me the poster's concern is unwarranted. I mean, isn't the advantage of the Pipboy app supposed to be you can look down at the map, notes, or inventory without pausing the game? I seriously doubt that the in-game Pipboy does not pause the game.

I think the new form of VATS was an attempt at compromise for Bethesda.
Vats can get severely over powered, and rather than make a TB component, they went with no time stop. Criticals have changed- I wonder what other stat based stuff has changed (for better or worse).

For the Pip-Boy app, it would seem it is optional. You can have the more traditional UI brought up, with pause, or you can forgo that and simulate using an actual Pip-Boy.
There has to be a pause w/o the app, I would think, because you simply cannot see enemies when you bring up the pip-boy UI, whereas if your are actually using something physical (as the PC would be doing in game), you can still see the PC field of view, radar and damage markers with some confidence, by keeping it on the periphery of your sight.

I'm still wondering how the app will be communicating with the game itself. Direct bluetooth connection between your device & your computer; online link to some sort of Bethesda server/account thing; or what.....

I could be wrong but I think they said it was going to connect to your game through (wi-fi) on your local network.. not sure what would happen if you have 2 games going on the same network. If I find it I'll drop a link.

And here's your link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5esyZPt5Jo&t=17m42s

Local wifi on your home network, like Apple AirPlay.