The Pip-Boy is supposed to be a semi-primitive, anachronistic device in order to fit the game's narrative, so it can't be too fancy. But I'm all for improving the UI for the inventory transfer screen (like the one we use on the workbench). A search function would definitely be helpful there because a workbench may have a long list of things. Better navigation shortcut keys would help too, especially for PC users, such as using the Home, End, and other shortcut methods.

I admit, "archaic" probably is not the correct choice of words - "lousy" perhaps?

I didn't add anything fancy - I just added an extra row of navigational tabs and an extra column for comparison.

But your numerous additions would make Pip-Boy look like a major upgrade. Since FO4 is set only a few years after FO3, their Pip-Boy should look similar, as they do now. The Pip-Boy is made by the Robco company, a place that we actually visited in FO3, and whose founder we met in FO:NV. So we need to be careful not to violate the game world's reality. If the Pip-Boy were to be improved, the game's story would probably have to be revised to reflect that and explain that. FO4's Pip-Boy actually loses the separate screen for keys in FO3's Pip-Boy. That would be the only addition I would like to have back.

That's also the same reason why the terminal hacking mini-game looks exactly the same in FO4 as it is in FO3. Since you hack with your Pip-Boy, if the Pip-Boy is similar, the hacking method should be similar too. And all the terminals are Robco products, just like in FO3.

Maybe future FO games will be set way into the future, when Robco has competitors that make rival Pip-Boys and computer terminals and software that will have different looks and functions..

https://media.giphy.com/media/1Z02vuppxP1Pa/giphy.gif

I'm all for a Mod that does this!

Let's be honest, the Pip-Boy is a complete cluster[censored] due to being developed for consoles/controllers. I has all the basic information it needs, but it definitely needs to be better organized. Simplicity is key here, both to keep the classic Pip-Boy look intact and to not add more clutter. It should be simple and easy to navigate. It is not.

I like the fixed bottom (or top) bar with essential information. It's a huge pain having to navigate to Map every time I want to see what time it is. Even more of a pain to have to go to Stats, then hit Q to see my current effects. Those should just be listed there, like in FO3, without having to press yet another button.

The worst sinner of all, however, is the cumbersome scrolling sideways between the main menus. They all need to fit on one screen and be accessible by a mouse click and nothing more.

It's also amazingly frustrating that they have given some items so long names that they can't even be displayed on the screen. Either shorten the names or increase the area displaying names.

I can't wait for mods =(

Hmmm... Good point. However, I don't see how changing the user interface of the Pip-Boy would affect the lore in any way. The user interface of an operating system changes all the time (much like how Apple switched from the skeuomorphic iOS 6 to the minimalistic iOS 7), and since the UI of FO4's Pip-Boy has already changed a little from that of FO3, it wouldn't hurt to add a tad more functionality to the Pip-Boy.

Some of those changes in FO4 do require more than just an UI update, but also a corresponding change in the game's reality. The addition of holotape games, for instance, needs to be reflected and "explained" by the presence of Robco magazines. My point is every change to Pip-Boy needs to be given consideration as to how it will affect, or be affected by, the game world's reality, since the Pip-Boy is so much a part of the game world.

FO3's PIp-Boy shows the date and time only on the Data and Map screens, just like in FO4.

In FO4, Pip-Boy only shows current effects only if you have them. Since they moved your RAD level somewhere else, there is now much less purpose for a separate current effects screen. Chems' effects last only a short while, so now we rarely need to see the current effects screen anymore.

I'm all for better scrolling, though. PC users need a vertical scroll bar that we can drag.

And as I mentioned, we need a separate list for keys, just like in FO3.

Its an improvement.

Though you may want to consider the fact that the screen is much wider than it is tall.

Consequently, zero and first level navigation should be from left to right, not top to bottom.

Oh yeah, forgot about the completely missing Rad meter.