Since I play FO4, I often do not see the XP gained message - it is too short. No problem with this.

I also heard, that you do not gain XP when a Companion (for example Dogmeat) kills an enemy alone, i.e. if you did no or nearly no damage to this enemy. No problem with this also. I cannot tell for sure if this is true, because most of the time I am wandering alone, and also have the perk for it.

But - I am not sure if this was so from the beginning, or if it started with the patch or even later - I receive XP (mostly only a few, what you receive for weaker monsters) while running around and doing nothing (no fighting, no dialogs)! Just out of nothing the XP gained message pops up.

Example: I am running from Red Rocket, passing Concord outside and I hear shooting from the distance, but far away. There are sometimes Raiders in the woods and sometimes they fight against the wildlife. But - far away, not targeted, and doing nothing, weapon put away - the popup announces 8 XP? Why? My last action was at least minutes before that.

And now it became clearer: In Boston area (Financial District, I think) a Vertibird crashes into a smaller Raider camp (these things crash much too easy, btw.). I did not fight anything, I remained hidden and watched. One BoS in power armor survived and fought the Raiders, quite efficient. And every time a Raider falls - I receive the XP, for one of them even 38 XP. Doing nothing, just watching! Why? I am friendly with the BoS, but did not yet start their quest arc, that means I watched their arrival, and I did quests for them based in Cambridge Police Station before the arrival, but have not yet visited the Prydwen.

So what happens here? It is not a big problem, but could this be a bug? I am level 36 now. The game runs on PC, and it runs very well (Patched, Windows 7, 64 GB, GTX 980Ti)

Any ideas?

Do you have supply lines set up between your settlements? I was wondering why I was randomly getting xp once as well until I realized it was from my provisioners killing things.

Same here, happened since day one and way before I got any companion. No idea, really.

No - not yet. No supply lines. No provisioners.

Hmm - when we get XP from provisioners (which surely are not companions), do we get XP from kills from friendly factions too? This cannot be right. My example from the BoS fight in Boston showed clearly that I received XP for kills the BoS soldier made. I watched it from a distance and every time a Raider fell, I received XP. I do not think that this is a serious problem, it is not much, you can get 10 times more easily in the same time. But I find it interesting and it could be bug which does have more inconvenient side effects.

Ah yes - I have no item with the 'Recon' ability (red marks over enemies), and I do not have the Perk. So it is not a 'recon problem'.

If I get random XP walking around then I run towards gun fire and there's normally a provisioner there, probably happens if you're in a certain area of them. I've taken to equipping them with good gear, they love a fight. Otherwise it could be a faction you're afiiliated with that is killing things near you?

I suspect you get XP from any enemy deaths in the game cell that you are located in.

Not sure if you have to be aligned with one of the groups doing the killing though.

I only have to stand on the roof of a building in the Financial District and the XP notification pings away as groups fight.

Maybe it's the BOS, who I am friendly with, doing one of their patrols.

Or maybe you get points for any kills.

I'm assuming the game gives XP for kills made by aligned/friendly faction members, companions, turrets you've built, settlers and provisioners, etc.

Whenever I decided to scout around after a seemingly random XP ping occurred, one of the above was always seemed to be the case.