Forward note: This is in no way a negative review or a way to adversely look at this DLC.

I've spoken to many of my friends who played Automatron, and most, overall, enjoyed it. Yet, almost every one of players who have had the game for awhile did not feel that satisfied with this DLC. We spoke together and discussed that the original game's "no level" cap had significant impact on the DLC difficulty, replay value, and time to complete.

For those new to Fallout series since the 3rd game, each DLC would increase the level cap.

One friend stated she completed the DLC in about 1 hour, of course that was on easy mode, but for myself and the mass, our times averaged around 2.5-3 hours. This includes doing everything the DLC had to offer (quests, workshop crafting, traveling, exploring almost every room, and getting all dialogs).

Overall, the DLC did bring some enjoyment, but this was not expected, especially since Bethseda recently increased the price of the Season Pass.

For new players, you're very fortune to just now be coming into this, as your purchase can add more personal value. High level characters may question how future DLC will be developed.

The lesson we can learn from this is becoming to powerful in any game can only deem short term play for most people.

After reading/learning about this:

What will future DLC offer or provide to balance in game play?

If you have not bought the DLC, will this change your perspective?

tldr: a community awareness suggesting that the no-level cap can spoil the dlc and may not be value-added.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrbAmnlzym4

level cap increases came with story dlc not utility dlc. Lack of level cap made the entire game easy not just automatron.

I played the DLC on (current) survival mode with a level 85 character.

Consequently, I played it as one plot line, rather than as I would in future play throughs, start it at level 15 and progress it intermittently.

On this occasion my in-game save progressed around 8 hours,

including some time picking up some robot-related crafting materials.

I consider the OP's argument to be wholly flawed and entirely unrelated to DLC,

because it takes the form of the repeated criticism:

'I've levelled up and made my character powerful,

so I'm upset that my character is now powerful.'

I have no idea how powerful the DLC enemies would be at lower level,

but I found them tough at level 85, even if I did have an answer to them

(I was more challenged by the bots comparatively, than anything else in the wasteland at level 85).

I died several times, particularly when I did not account for self-destruction on death.

tl;dr

the balancing is fine.

no, my positive view on balancing is unaltered by the OP's case.

true, but affects DLC more given the cost.

should've been $4.99 cause it wasn't a story DLC. It was awesome to run through it but in no way can you compare it to anything. It was a crafting add-on that they happen to put a couple quest to it.

Everyone's got an opinion, huh? I think Automatron is worth every penny and challenging enough to be enjoyable.

First off, I love this DLC. The Tesla shotgun thing is my new favorite weapon until I find some way to not irradiate myself to death using the assaultron head gun. That being said, theres a few things I really think would make this DLC really stand on it's own.

1.More finishers for robots, when I saw the trailer and saw the robot doing the assaultron finisher on the sole survivor I was blown away and was hoping to see more of that, it really high lighted how deadly these robots can be and that you really don't want to get close to them like a deathclaw.

2. EYES BOTS. Two things. We can't have them as a companions which a lot of people are bummed but also the Eye bot pod schematic. THIS INFURIATED ME, it's such a wonderful amazing immersive concept I want to see in the game but they cut if off half way! The eye bots on scout out and mark materials on your map and don't bring back any materials. Why! I mean honestly spending the resources to build the pod isnt even worth it and it really kind of nullifies the reward of getting the schematic when you realize it's essentially useless! I have something that marks things on my map already, it's called Preston Garvey.

3. THE MECHANIST'S LAIR. This settlement needs to be tweaked right now it's basically not viable for a majority if not all players, we need some kind of room where the mechanist's been growing food to survive. and also the functionality for settlement raids would be amazing, I honestly have wanted a settlement where I don't need to have any settlers and it's literally my own personal base that I can live in but still be attacked by enemy factions you know? I want to have a hideout that doesn't require me to have to baby sit some random settler that I don't even want in my base.

4.I want Isabela as a companion, she's freaking adorable and I'd love to see the option to persuade her into reprising her role as the mechanist as my companion and to help me hunt down robots across the commonwealth to atone for her actions.

5. THE ASSAULTRON HELMET IS THE BEST THING IN THIS DLC. PLEASE DO MORE OF THIS STYLE!

6. I hate to say this but my robot keeps getting pathing issues and will end up running into a corner sometimes when it's trying to get into melee combat range.

Okay the 4th one is a personal request, but the other 3 I'm sure the community will agree with me on.

I love you bethesdaaaaa!

you forgot preston making request to go save the settlements form robots.

we always need more preston, right? =P

I went into the new DLC at level 18 I believe as soon as I received the quest on my pipboy. I ran there and during the onslaught, I was blown apart lol!!!

Being low level, it's not too rough. I am on Hard Mode. My only problem, which I saw mentioned in another post, is how our new companion tends to block your view more so than other companions.

Other than that, I am totally enjoying the new content. Because this is something we can continuously do / work on and change at a whims notice, I feel my money was well spent and I will get a lot out of this as time passes.

yes! yes! yes!

that's the exact point I'm trying to make. so when Far Harbor comes out, if players want to get the most out of their money, they shouldn't power level.

just a quick question, How would you propose an eyebot picks up a telephone or bowling ball or wooden plank? It's a little floaty ball. In all the entire Fallout series has an Eyebot ever picked something up?

Seems to me its a resource to identify where to go should you need a specific material. Much like a radiant quest.

Well you didn't have to rush through it and complete the objectives in a short time when you are on high level.

I took my time and did other things in between doing the individual quests of the DLC.

During my travels I found quite a few of the new foes at the random spawn locations.

Maybe it took longer because i don't use VATS or fast travel.

But i agree that someone starting a new game once all the DLC has been made available and most of the glitches fixed will have a better time of it.

On the other hand now that so many people have played it spoilers abound.

I prefer to go into a game blind and discover things for myself.

as a completioinst, we aim for the 100% =P

but hey, a little warning before the dlc came out would have been nice.

While you make a fair point I counter with the fact that in a Robot themed DLC one could just as easily workshop a single task arm/magnetic ray/telekinetic manipulation device, you know ANYTHING onto the floating eye bot for it's sole purpose thus further securing it's role as a resource scout and also practicality as well, how do eyebots manage to scout any of these locations when it can't even open a door? What do they use their antennae awkwardly and just try to jiggle the handle?

My thoughts are that Beth did not want a simple 'go fetch me Copper' command with a simple timer, in x hours you will get y copper put in your workshop. Because if they meant it to be like this, they could easily have done it.

Seems to me its a method for you to get information as to where a specific material type can be located, and then its up to you to go there, deal with the nasties and get said material. Thus generating playable content for you. Negating the need to come out of the game and googling "where to find nuclear material in fallout"

HAHAHA, thats a picture that'll have me chuckling for days!!!!

This DLC wasnt about story per say. It was away to add robot crafting, new factions, new enemies, new companion, new armour set, new weapons etc to the game. They couldnt just throw it all at you and say ''here, figure it out''. They had to have some sort of story to it with a few quests etc. I enjoyed it. I spend way more than ￡10 on a pizza from Papa Johns a few times a month. It was worth the money (even though i have the season pass) in my opinion.

I think Automatron should be completed as early as possible. Here's why. When you first start the game you haven't discovered much of the map. So, getting that quest out of the gate gives you motivation to explore. I'm level 28 and made a beeline to Diamond City right out of the vault. I skipped over The Minutemen quest line. I've explored virtually nothing of the northern part of the map and nothing in the south. I've covered a lot of area in the middle from Diamond City and Goodspring. Having the Automatron quest active is allowing me to kind of wander all over the place. It's given me a point to go to the north area of the map.

By the way. I really like the Automatron DLC.

I think the lack of a level cap in general is a bad idea, especially with the amount of exp the game throws at you. I don't care for the crafting in game much outside of my weapons and armor so outside of a short quest this dlc didn't offer anything for me. I bought the pass at launch so I own it, but if I was picking and choosing my dlc I would skip these crafting ones for sure.

I actually found the DLC quite difficult, fun and challenging. Most things I encounter in the world are easy because I ran through those areas at a lower level. .. Locking those enemy respawns at that lower level. These new enemies were all around my level. (level 80) I also built a character based on stealth with no defense. Anything that gets this character in close quarters is quite a challenge. I had to ramp up my armor.. (I was just wearing clothes.) I used the gauss rifle for a big chunk of this.. (which I've never had to do,) I had to use the companion.. meaning my lone wolf perks were useless.. my guns did less damage, I took more damage.. I never had any companion perks so Ada didn't benefit from anything either. I had to come up with new tactics and I died a whole bunch of times figuring out the best way to proceed.. I got used to using Ada as bait, sending her forward into a room so I could remain in stealth and snipe for a bit. My explosives perks became a real boon as pulse grenades, pulse mines and nuke mines finally had a real use. I finished the final battle without dying at all.. which made me feel a real sense of accomplishment. So yeah, I liked the DLC.

The one thing I've learned from past Beth games is that it's really easy to create a godlike character. It's up to the player to create their own challenges with their character builds. Since there are no character flaws to choose within the game it's up to you to invent your own flaws.

I'd go with that, for me anyway it only ever seems to find stuff in places and areas I haven't explored yet. Sent one out yesterday from Sanctuary to find 2mmEC and it found some at that retirement home by the Museum of Witchcraft, it also placed the new location on the map.

I just cannot wait until all the DLCs are out so I can start the second playthrough especially on new Survival mode.


My current character is at lvl 202. The Automatron was actually more challenging than I expected.. these robots actually had potential to kill me at least lol.



Anyway, I am continuously raising my character`s level to make the game easier for me.


I would be actually sad if my super level character have hard time dealing with anything thrown by DLCs. lol



The challenges can wait until all DLCs are out and I start new survival mode with the ultimate version of FO4. lol

Only one Fallout 3 DLC added to the Level Cap and that was Broken Steel.

I have not touched that much of the DLC since I am waiting for all the DLC's and the New Surival mode to be released and start a new character then for both the Xbox One and PC.

Have you ever considered OP, that maybe there's nothing wrong with the DLC, but there's something "wrong" with the way you and your friends play the game?

Just sayinz.

100% spot on. Given that the cost of the season pass was raised a few weeks ago for those that ended up paying the price hike, this DLC is insulting. I got my season pass before it went up and I still feel like this DLC was woefully subpar in terms of cost to gain.

Ehhhhhh......

It's certainly a hell of a lot more stuff than the $5 Hearthfire.

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I played it at lv60-63. Some of the enemies were quite tough. (And then there's all those "final explosion" deaths. )