Could someone tell me what this thing is please.

A GECK is a wormhole into the fabric of a universe. With the right skills, you can use it to manipulate how that universe works. While you can't change the molecular structure of the universe, you can manipulate such powerful things as the physics, nature, the objects and inhabitants within, and even time itself...



oh wait, well [censored]. Sorry. Its a [censored] piece of software. Tutorial here: http://geck.gamesas.com/index.php/Category:Getting_Started#My_First_Vault_Tutorial_Series

It's an editor similar to the TES III and TES IV Construction Sets.

But your answer was so boring....

It is an editor similar to the TES construction sets, yes.

If you're not familiar with what those are, basically GECK is the software that was used to make Fallout: New Vegas.

It contains not only the code for every item, location, quest, NPC, perk, object and objective in the game (and quite a few that aren't even used in the game), but also editing tools for creating your own of any of the above, a snap-together map creation tool, and essentially every other function and feature needed to build the game from the ground up.

Okay, this may be super-nitpicky and make me sound like a prat, but the GECK does not contain any data. The GECK merely reads the game data from the .esm and .esp files you provide it with.

It's all data man, unless you're referring to the source code...

Yes, but simply downloading the GECK does not mean that one has all the items, objects, npcs, etc data. Only the tool which can work with them.

Partially True, but there are plenty of underground tools/discussion you could start up to aid you in accessing the rest...pay a visit to http://forum.xentax.com/index.php

You are, of course, entirely correct. Well except for some base effects and their archetype and defaults which are in the GECK not the .esm files for FO:NV, if I recall correctly, because even if you were to write an .esm from scratch they'd still be there. The difference is probably lost on someone that doesn't know what TESCS and GECK are.

So let me amend my statement:

The GECK is an editor that allows you to open up the archive files of FO:NV (as well as FO3) as well as your own files and use them as a construction set to recode, change, modify or add to the base game up to and including your own quests, zones, NPCs, items, effects, ect.

If it's in the game it can be made with the GECK and between the GECK and FOSE you can do things that the designers never even thought of.


And my original statement still stands, you could rebuild almost all of FO:NV from the ground up using just the geck, some 3d modeling software and a sound recorder program.

"The GECK does not contain any game assets," better?