Re-iterating the same argument doesn't make it more valid. You want a perk to bypass large segments of the game. Great, they have something like that. Its called easy mode. You make the claim that the old animal friend would get rid of annoying encounters in fallout 4. That's a guess at best. You are making assumptions that the content they create is going to be *annoying*. I'd be annoyed if folks were assuming that about a product they haven't even tried.

And finally, your claim about my need for 'realism'. Funny that you think my objection lies there, instead of just liking the new system more then a passive buff to avoid encounters.

You're also making assumptions and guesses, such as animals attacking you being "large segments of the game," something I very much doubt as it hasn't been a large segment of any Fallout game to the best of my knowledge. You're also, for whatever reason, assuming easy mode allows you to bypass segments of the game, which is something I've never seen tied to a difficulty setting, especially not in a Bethesda game.

Animal Friend was anologous to Light Step (which has been bundled into the Sneak perk): A perk that removed a specific threat that wasn't that big of a deal in the overall world, but might be a challenge in a couple specific areas. This new system seems to do nothing but throw annoyances and RNGs into the mix of a perfectly functional perk to tweak it into being a copy-past job of two other perks.

Hopefully, the higher rankings of the perk bring it more in line with what the old perk was, and instead of it being a chance that the animal won't attack you, the only RNG in play is whether or not they'll follow your orders. I doubt it, but maybe.

Either way, the change made to Animal Friend made it go from my automatic pick for first perk to "I'll wait and see what the other ranks do" or "I'll wait for a mod to fix it."

Well, we don't really know what the final animal/creature/human friend perks will be. It could be that the last perk in the string will act just like animal friend did before. Low level, point the gun to pacify or cause fear. Mid level, point gun to friend for a period of time. High level, run around naked to make friends with everyone.

I do know what you mean about getting sick of killing things at higher levels.. I usually have fun clearing an area the first time.. but if it's an area you run through quite a bit it can get annoying having to kill the same respawning creatures over and over. .. Although at high levels you also don't have to worry about them killing you so it's pretty easy to just continue running through the area simply ignoring all enemies. "go away wolves.. quit biting my butt."

All kidding aside, so far I like the sound of the new Perk. I was defending the old Perk because people were being all critical about it (go back and look; you'll see). I actually wasn't talking about the new Perk at all.

Mavkiel, I don't know how much F3 or FNV you've played. I've played hundreds of hours of both. In the vast majority of those hours I did not use Animal Friend. I tried it out a couple times, thought it was neat, but generally prefer more combat. Walking around the Yogi Bear cave was just weird, you know? Also, as the reputable REL Dovahkin says, at higher levels it rarely comes into play. Also also, where's that big bunny?

The reason I repeated that post is because you've been so unpleasant and assumed so much. Really, man. It's just a game. We're just shootin' the breeze here, no need to get all haughty. I'm happy to talk about the games with you but please cool your jets a little.

o.0?

1) Submit finalized game for production and distribution

2) Release info on upcoming game a month prior to release

3) If initial reaction warrants changing somehting, create Day 1 patch to fix it

4) Game is released and users download Day 1 patch as the install the game

So, just because the release candidate doesn't change between now and launch doesn't mean the game won't get patched immediately with something that changes it before anyone can play it.

...yes >.>

Well that is certainly your right! In today's world you can romance whoever or whatever you want to; so kiss those deathclaws and see where it goes from there! maybe it will let you mount it ( I mean ride it into battle not the other "mount"....)... Unless your protagonist is into that sorrta thing.

Deathclaws aren't on the list of Animal Friend targets, so if you are hoping this perk will protect you from them, see Coffin Bob over there for your prepaid funeral plan.
At least, they aren't in FNV, I don't know if they changed them for F4.

I dispute the claim that we "must try the perk ingame" before we know if we like it.
The tooltip for level 1 already tells us what we need to know, it is not the same perk anymore and therefore, we don't need to try it ingame to know we do not like it.
Unless higher levels of Animal Friend change it to be like we prefer or it is changed to the familiar version prior to release, I honestly cannot see any of us Animal Frienders saying that we approve of the new version.
Not when we are neck deep in an animal pack and hoping to pacify them one by one.........

Deathclaws are probably covered under the Rank 9 Charisma Perk "Wasteland Whisperer". I doubt they will qualify as animals like Molerats, Dogs, Bears, etc.

if u know anything about game development, patch day 1 are just to fix lunch bug, they will not change anything on the core game. They can change/fix/balance something on the coming months of a game coming out, bc what they do on this 2 month since the release is check and check everything for bug, so they are sure the can deliver a smooth release, and even so they know [censored] can happen.

Plus ppl react about stuff they read and havent see on action, so that isnt something u can trust on.

If u want to go and check for stuff like this u dont need to go far and watch the patch CD-proyect release after the first month to fix ppl exploiting cows for gold. For any game changing patch u need real feedback from player playing the game, and no just ppl speculating on forums.

Day 1 patches are for anything they feel they should fix on day 1, not just bugs. Yes, I know something about game development.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/batman-arkham-knight-3-5gb-day-one-patch-revealed-/1100-6428348/

More evidence that your statement isn't correct:

http://kotaku.com/more-than-a-third-of-2014-s-big-budget-games-got-day-on-1686398805

learn to read, first, most of that info speak about different type of game, any MMO style game like u see there on Destiny patch, will have 1 one patch 2 , 3 and 4 but they do a huge open and close beta testing BC is a MMO style game.

LOL u give me Batman patch info and Batman day 1 patch was about bug stability issue ( no content change game) (suits arent content is a stupid new way for team to make u think they giving u free stuff, Marketing dude), plus Batman to the record is the worst game release till date probably, looking how they still havent relaunch it on pc.

And all those game from the list if u read are bug stability path or free cut stuff they release for marketing, they arent change stuff on day one, only MMO game do that bc they do extensive beta opening to balance the game WITH PLAYER PLAYING IT.

So ur statement die, they will not change stuff on day 1 path, they will probably take 1 month to do it.

Actually i will correct myself most game on Greemlight or Early access have day 1 patch with new stuff but they have a open Beta style u can call it. sooo yeah w/o player giving u real feedback and no speculations they will not change something just bc a lot of baby QQ on a forums when normally they are less that the 10% of player that will play a game

Let's clarify this for some people... and let's also keep in mind that animal behavior in today's world or even in the past couple hundred years is NOT the same as animal behavior that evolved after a global nuclear apocalypse.

The OLD Animal Friend perk was total garbage and completely unrealistic in every way imaginable. It was a totally pointless perk in addition to being unrealistic, especially as a two-level perk.

The NEW Animal Friend actually makes sense and not only as a basic game mechanic (i.e., pointing a gun to pacify/befriend something or someone). The fact is that there are many instances in both nature and human societies where something or someone may be hostile initially but become a trusted friend/guardian once domination occurs. Anyone who has a problem with this mechanic being labeled "friend" is ignoring facts of how many relationships between individuals and groups are often formed. In a hostile, survival of the fittest environment such as the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout, this type of behavior and relationship formation would be the rule rather than the exception.

finally someone that make sense.

Yes, because Fallout's perks have always been about realism. That's why Solar Powered and Nuclear Anomaly exist. Or Rad Child and Rad Absorption, or a host of other perks in the game. That excuse is always going to fall flat to me when a perk like Light Step, which is essentially has the same effect on a different thing that can hurt you, remains.

And how was it pointless? It rendered animals neutral to you unless you attacked them. That was its point, and it did just that. The second rank made them friendly to you. That was its point and again, it did just that.

Honestly, the entire "Point gun at thing and it'll listen to you" line of perks doesn't sound like they should be high ranking Charisma perks at all. Charisma is about having a winning personality and good people skills. Threatening people to get them to do what you want strikes me as the complete opposite of that.

--------

You know, instead of aiming your weapon at them, why couldn't we just look at them and if they get charmed we get a little animation like Crippled Vault Boy in the upper right but instead it's Vault Boy doing that finger gun thing he likes doing so much.

Let me be direct as possible, if that's what you think of the Animal Friend Perk, nobody is forcing you to use it, it is entirely optional.

But for those of us who want the experience we had in FNV, we regard this change as making the Perk worthless.
End result, we'll just look for other Perks instead and not waste our points on this, as it will achieve nothing at all.

Closed for review.