UPDATE 2: Here's a couple of GIF images showing HBAO+ and the FleX based weapon debris in action.
UPDATE: NVIDIA reached out to us in order to clarify that the technology used for the new weapon debris effects is NVIDIA FleX. You can read a lot more about it here.
ORIGINAL STORY: Bethesda has just posted the changelog for the latest Fallout 4 update (1.3), and there's quite a few interesting items in the list.
For instance, there is now a new ambient occlusion setting for HBAO+ (the technology developed by NVIDIA which is however available on AMD cards as well). Moreover, Bethesda added new weapon debris effects in this Fallout 4 update and specified that these will be NVIDIA only. It seems likely that they are based on NVIDIA's PhysX, though there is no such official confirmation yet; we'll update this story once we have screenshots and/or videos of the new effects.
Keep in mind that this is a beta update, so you'll have to follow this procedure in order to try it right now, and the developer also recommends to back up any saves before trying it.
- Log into Steam
- Right Click on Fallout 4 in your Library
- Select Settings
- Select Betas
- A drop down menu will appear. Select Beta Update
- Select OK.
- Wait a few minutes and Fallout 4 should update.
- When done, Fallout 4 should appear as Fallout 4 [beta] in your Library
Here's the full changelog of the 1.3 Fallout 4 update:
New Features
- New ambient occlusion setting, HBAO+
- New weapon debris effects (NVIDIA cards only)
- Added status menu for settlers in your settlements
- Added ability to rotate an object you are holding with left/right triggers and pressing down on left thumbstick lets you switch the rotating axis
- Improved "ESDF" keys remapping support while in Workshop mode
Gameplay Fixes
- General memory and stability improvements
- Improved performance when looking through a scope
- Fixed issue where player could warp to a different location when aiming
- Companions can no longer get stuck with radiation poisoning
- Fixed an issue where Vault 81 residents would not dismember correctly
- Big Leagues perk now displays calculated damage correctly
- Fixed issue with third person camera not displaying properly after exiting certain crafting stations
- Fixed an issue where subtitles would occasionally not update properly
- Effects will properly be removed on companions when items are unequipped
- MacReady’s Killshot perk now calculates headshot percentages properly
- Fixed an issue with NPCs getting stuck in Power Armor
- Fixed a rare issue with companions getting stuck in down state
- Second rank of Aquaboy now calculates properly
- Fixed an issue with resistance not always lowering the damage correctly when added by mods
- Enabled number of characters available when renaming an item (XB1)
- Fixed issue with player becoming dismembered while still alive
- Robotics expert is now usable in combat
- Stimpaks can now be used on Curie after the transformation
- Playing a holotape found in wilderness while switching point of view no longer causes the screen to blur or controls to be locked
Quest Fixes
- Fixed an issue with "Taking Independence" where the minutemen remaining from the battle against the Mirelurk Queen would not gather in the Castle
- Fixed an issue where invulnerable characters would get stuck in combat
- Fixed an issue where Preston would send player to a settlement instead of a dungeon as part of a Minutemen quest
- Fixed an issue where Synths could attack the Castle while the player was friends with the Institute
- Fixed an issue where killing a caravan would leave a quest open
- Fixed an issue where Dogmeat would stay at Fort Hagen after "Reunions" was completed
- Fixed an issue where the player couldn't talk to Desdemona to complete "Underground Undercover"
- Fixed an issue where the player could get stuck exiting the cryopod
- Fixed an issue where the player could no longer get Preston as a companion
- In "The End of the Line," fixed an issue that would prevent the player from killing the leaders of the Railroad
- Fixed an issue with Minutemen quests repeating improperly
- Fixed an issue where the player couldn't get back into the Railroad headquarters after being kicked out of the Brotherhood of Steel
- After finishing "The Big Dig," fixed an issue where Hancock would no longer offer to be a companion or help with the "Silver Shroud" quest
- Fixed an issue with obtaining the Dampening Coils from Saugus Ironworks before going to Yangtze
- During "Unlikely Valentine," fixed an issue where the player could be blocked from entering Vault 114
- In "Confidence Man," Bull and Gouger can now be killed
- During "Taking Independence," fixed an issue that would prevent the radio transmitter from powering up
- In "Human Error," fixed an issue where killing Dan would cause the quest to not complete properly
- Fixed an issue with "Tactical Thinking" where leaving dialogue early with Captain Kells to reprogram P.A.M. could cause quest to not completely properly
Workshop Fixes
- Fixed a bug that would cause settler counts to appear incorrectly
- Fixed an issue that could prevent the player from setting up a supply line in settlements with a high population
- Improvements to snapping pieces together while in Workshop mode
- Fixed an issue that caused powered items to stop functioning permanently if its power source was ever removed
- Player can now build workbenches in their Diamond City house
- Building wires no longer uses up copper
- Fixed issue with certain settlement attacks not generating properly
- Fixed an issue with settlement happiness calculations
- Settlers assigned to weapons stand will now stand next to it
- Diamond City house now shows provided power
- Repairing items will now correctly consume resources
- Fixed an issue where companion would ignore commands at workshop locations
- Fixed an issue with crops appearing destroyed after saving and reloading
In case you're still pondering whether or not Fallout 4 is worth buying, you may check our full review of the game.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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