Aug 20, 2020 Settlement mods. Fallout 4's settlement base-building system was a huge hit with most Fallout fans, but the vanilla mechanics are lacking in a few ways. These mods add cool features to the.
Ever since there have been open-world games, players have wanted to settle down and find a home for their characters to live out their days.
Some time ago you may even have seen people role-playing living under a tree or a bridge on certain games, especially MMOs. Nowadays there's usually some sort of housing option, if not an entire base of operations for your character to plan out their next move.
Fallout 4 takes all of this one degree further, introducing the Settlement system and allowing the player not only to set up their lodgings but to manage entire communities down to the individual tasks of its dwellers.
- Fallout 4 Does anyone know of a mod that adds fallout 3 enclave style or fallout new vegas hidden valley bunker style workshop items and similar to how the vault tec DLC works by having prefabs? I want to make my own bunker in that sort of style.
- Oct 17, 2019 Published on Oct 17, 2019 Welcome back to my mod spotlight series for Fallout 4. In this series we will look at the selection of fun and sometimes.
Did you want a house? Have fun managing your own post-apocalyptic town!
And yet when it's all said and done, where do you rest?
Are the walls you've brought up around you enough? Do you feel at peace within your quarters?
If these thoughts assail your character every night and you've yet to find a place to call home, allow me to act as your real estate agent as we take a look at some incredible home mods you can add into your Fallout 4 experience.
20. Grrlie's Home Plate
First up in our tour through the most coveted housing in the Commonwealth is the humble Home Plate, albeit with a much-needed improvement to give the place some personality and style.
Unlike many other Home Plate overhauls, Grrlie's doesn't completely take over the place, leaving some sizable free space for the player to add their own personal touch.
You'll feel as if you just left college and to live on your very first flat, just considerably more irradiated.
19. Rebuilt Croup Manor
Other very appealing accommodations to consider renewing among the vanilla settlements happens to be the Croup Manor, notable for its isolated location in the Nahant peninsula.
This lore-friendly mod from author Rdunlap focuses on improving the manor to make it a livable space without conflicting with the general layout.
Many walls and ceilings are repaired, along with the look of some internal areas, and a porch was added to the 3rd floor.
It remains somewhat run-down, as you'd expect from such a building, but after you take care of the ghouls, it'll become the perfect Wasteland mansion.
18. Rebuilt Jamaica Plain
Much like the Croup Manor, modder Rdunlap gave the Jamaica Plain a completely repaired base structure, sealing the gigantic hole previously occupying half the available space.
It introduces no new textures, only utilizing the vanilla ones to respect the game's artistic direction and cohesiveness. Making it the ideal mod for the players that chase the 'enhanced vanilla' experience.
17. The Coastal Cottage Bunker
The Coastal Cottage in vanilla Fallout 4 always struck me as a badly thought-out settlement option.
Not only is it unappealing, but there's also very little space you can actually build in.
Now thanks to modder RedRocketTV, that shouldn't be a problem!
If you can't build on the property you just have to build under it.
This mod enables you to build a 14-room interior cell bunker you may call your player home, directly below the Coastal Cottage.
16. The Goodneighbor Condo
If you played a lot of Fallout 3 and New Vegas then you're familiar with the kind of player housing mod people used to come up with.
Classic-styled, comfy homes with a lot of wood, a lot of warm colors, and a lot of static decorations.
Modder RedRocketTV tried recreating this well-known appeal in this classy private condo located in Goodneighbor.
Other than being pre-decorated and ready to be inhabited immediately, this player home includes many scripted interactive features. So have fun discovering those too!
15. Not Just Basements
Isn't it annoying to find NPCs sleeping on your preferred bed or going through your stuff while in a settlement?
I don't appreciate the breach in privacy either… and neither does modder Pra, who's decided to solve the issue by adding 11 different interior cells to serve as your private quarters in any settlement.
You just need to build a door leading to it, and voilà – your very own highly-customizable basement.
14. Do your damn job, Codsworth – Sanctuary Hill Overhaul
Sanctuary Hill used to be a beautiful place, perfectly designed for the average American family to live out the Suburban dream – and would still be if Codsworth had done its damn job.
But don't worry. Thanks to modder TheCoolest7248, the robot butler has been able to right its past wrongs.
To make this place actually livable, all major damage to walls and ceilings have been repaired in all of the houses.
Codsworth also had time to improve the textures, and some houses seem to never have been looted at all – as they're full of furniture, decoration and a story to tell.
13. Thirty-Yard Bunker
As anyone with even the most basic knowledge of the modding scene for Bethesda games must already know, you can't have a player home ranking without at least one mod by Elianora showing up.
In this case you can expect many, starting with this Thirty-Yard Bunker in Diamond City.
In this comfy underground home you'll find many of the basic crafting stations and other such necessities, along with a shelf to display your bobbleheads and a mirror to change your appearance.
12. Skyship Welder
Ever since I first boarded Cid's Airship in FF3, I've wanted to live in an airborne vessel.
It's simply the best kind of fantasy vehicle there is!
Thanks to this mod by creator Blary, it's now possible to set up a home inside a small skyship traveling the Commonwealth and stopping at either Bunker Hill, Diamond City or Lexington.
Inside you'll have access to the main room, a crafting garage with your basic necessities covered, and even a Power Armor station.
The skyships in the Fallout universe are far from looking like my Final Fantasy dreams, but they'll have to do.
11. Rockin' Red Rocket
Another wonderful home by interior designer/modder Elianora can be found inside the garage of Sanctuary's Red Rocket – after you install this mod, of course.
This was her first player home mod in Fallout 4, and it instantly became a hit thanks to the hand-placed decoration. And of course, the unique clutter.
It even has different lighting depending on the time of day!
Even after so many years of Fallout 4 modding, the Rockin' Red Rocket remains among the most comfortable and cozy accommodations you can install.
10. Basement Living – Bunker and Basement Player Homes
Before the Creation Kit was released and Elianora got down to business, one of the best options for enhanced player homes was Basement Living by FadingSignal.
It simply adds 10 different standalone basement-type player homes, equipped with anything you need to customize them yourself.
A private basement bunker, a storage warehouse, and a military bunker are only some of the varied housing options.
To access them just set up a door leading to the interior cell in any settlement.
9. Faction Housing Overhaul – The Castle
For someone as important as the Sole Survivor, you'd think the Minutemen could spare a private room in their Castle.
Elianora has improved the Minutemen's hospitality by granting you access to an interior cell in the Minutemen Castle.
This home is packed to the brim with antique-looking decorations, display spaces for your various valuables, and sources of very moody light.
This one is perfect for the smart survivors looking for a place to store all of their books and organize their investigations on their quest to find Shawn.
8. Faction Housing Overhaul – Railroad HQ
If rather than a detective you'd rather be an undercover Railroad operative, then you'll love the dark and moody atmosphere of Elianora's Railroad HQ private chambers.
Complete with a corkboard, plenty of historical pictures, and a cat, this new room in the Railroad HQ was made to house the most passionate of liberators.
As such, it gives you access to all crafting stations and the like, while also allowing you to display your clothing sets as badges of honor to remember your victories.
Among my favorite features in this mod is the kitchen, which looks incredibly natural and lived-in.
7. Faction Housing Overhaul – Prydwen Quarters
As a Brotherhood of Steel fighter, you never expected comfortable beds or ample accommodations – you are a soldier, and all you need can fit in a bag.
But with honor comes rank, and with rank, you've been awarded a glorious soldier's home in Prydwen with ample storage room, every necessary workbench, and direct access to Fast Travel so you don't have to deal with three separate loading screens on entering from the Wasteland.
Fallout 4 Underground Bunker Mod
One of the best bits about this mod is how perfectly Elianora captured the style of the area and reproduced it inside.
The Brotherhood of Steel banners were also a nice touch.
6. The Moon Palace
It's the same old story – you were looking to move from your run-down house in Boston, low on cash, and found this giant, luxurious late-18th Century mansion at a strangely low price.
Upon entering, you can't shake the feeling that something sinister is going on.
It seems the old British Embassy still holds some secrets.
Even if you're not up for spooky stories, this wonderful mod by Galejro is one of the most tastefully decorated player homes available, and the custom classical music soundtrack contributes to the atmosphere in a way few mods achieve.
5. Faction Housing Overhaul – Institute Director's Quarters
I always felt becoming Director of the Institute was the best player-fantasy you could achieve in Fallout 4.
It's the seed of future civilization, where everyone looks forward into the future, and you're at the helm.
To appropriately honor this high status, Elianora has overhauled your Director's Quarters to not only provide you with the tools you need to craft humanity's progress but also enough space to house your gigantic ego if you follow that route.
This is probably the least cluttered player home from Elianora, which also makes it one of the most relaxing.
The white color and sufficient lighting also contribute to making it feel calm and relaxing.
4. Commonwealth Express Courier Stations
One of the most immersive player housing mods I've ever seen is the Commonwealth Express Courier Stations, which adds a total of eight small stations in various locations throughout the Wasteland to be used by couriers and, of course, you.
This mod by RedRocketTV takes inspiration in the Mojave Express Courier Stations mod for Fallout New Vegas, which essentially did the same.
Every station has the basics for crafting and survival, including workbenches connected to common storage and access to fresh water, making them perfect for survival playthroughs.
3. Dauntless
For someone as important as the Sole Survivor, you'd think the Minutemen could spare a private room in their Castle.
Elianora has improved the Minutemen's hospitality by granting you access to an interior cell in the Minutemen Castle.
This home is packed to the brim with antique-looking decorations, display spaces for your various valuables, and sources of very moody light.
This one is perfect for the smart survivors looking for a place to store all of their books and organize their investigations on their quest to find Shawn.
8. Faction Housing Overhaul – Railroad HQ
If rather than a detective you'd rather be an undercover Railroad operative, then you'll love the dark and moody atmosphere of Elianora's Railroad HQ private chambers.
Complete with a corkboard, plenty of historical pictures, and a cat, this new room in the Railroad HQ was made to house the most passionate of liberators.
As such, it gives you access to all crafting stations and the like, while also allowing you to display your clothing sets as badges of honor to remember your victories.
Among my favorite features in this mod is the kitchen, which looks incredibly natural and lived-in.
7. Faction Housing Overhaul – Prydwen Quarters
As a Brotherhood of Steel fighter, you never expected comfortable beds or ample accommodations – you are a soldier, and all you need can fit in a bag.
But with honor comes rank, and with rank, you've been awarded a glorious soldier's home in Prydwen with ample storage room, every necessary workbench, and direct access to Fast Travel so you don't have to deal with three separate loading screens on entering from the Wasteland.
Fallout 4 Underground Bunker Mod
One of the best bits about this mod is how perfectly Elianora captured the style of the area and reproduced it inside.
The Brotherhood of Steel banners were also a nice touch.
6. The Moon Palace
It's the same old story – you were looking to move from your run-down house in Boston, low on cash, and found this giant, luxurious late-18th Century mansion at a strangely low price.
Upon entering, you can't shake the feeling that something sinister is going on.
It seems the old British Embassy still holds some secrets.
Even if you're not up for spooky stories, this wonderful mod by Galejro is one of the most tastefully decorated player homes available, and the custom classical music soundtrack contributes to the atmosphere in a way few mods achieve.
5. Faction Housing Overhaul – Institute Director's Quarters
I always felt becoming Director of the Institute was the best player-fantasy you could achieve in Fallout 4.
It's the seed of future civilization, where everyone looks forward into the future, and you're at the helm.
To appropriately honor this high status, Elianora has overhauled your Director's Quarters to not only provide you with the tools you need to craft humanity's progress but also enough space to house your gigantic ego if you follow that route.
This is probably the least cluttered player home from Elianora, which also makes it one of the most relaxing.
The white color and sufficient lighting also contribute to making it feel calm and relaxing.
4. Commonwealth Express Courier Stations
One of the most immersive player housing mods I've ever seen is the Commonwealth Express Courier Stations, which adds a total of eight small stations in various locations throughout the Wasteland to be used by couriers and, of course, you.
This mod by RedRocketTV takes inspiration in the Mojave Express Courier Stations mod for Fallout New Vegas, which essentially did the same.
Every station has the basics for crafting and survival, including workbenches connected to common storage and access to fresh water, making them perfect for survival playthroughs.
3. Dauntless
If rather than finding new lodgings all across the Commonwealth you'd rather take it with you on your journey, consider taking ownership of the SSBN Dauntless, the only player home that's able to travel up and down the coast.
As if that wasn't amazing enough, this unique submarine-based player home by NexusMods user CyberMoses is built 100% to scale, meaning that the interior of the vessel matches the size of its exterior appearance.
In practical terms, it's a very functional mobile home, with all crafting necessities covered and even a barber's chair to alter your looks.
2. Outfield Retreat – Diamond City RV Player Home
My personal favorite player home in the immensity of the Commonwealth is this RV just outside Abbot's home in Diamond City.
They may not be the most spacious lodgings I can aim for, but the way Elianora has used the limited room inside this tiny metal box to fit in so many details is a wonder to behold for anyone who's ever enjoyed playing Tetris.
Plus, the small size and moody lighting make it feel like a really cozy option for an adventurer who's not even home that often.
1. Faction Housing Overhaul – Vault 81
However, if you're looking for the one most amazing and complete player home in Fallout 4, the title has to go to Elianora's overhaul of the faction housing at Vault 81.
This gigantic pad isn't only high in detail but also rich in space, all occupied by themed rooms varying in decoration.
There's the main room, a laundry, a gym, and even a shower area so you can take a bath after working out – for maximum immersion.
I just hope you managed to avoid getting infected by Mole Rat Disease on the way here.
Browse:FalloutVideo GamesStay Connected
Related Posts
When Fallout 4 mods first started appearing on the Nexus, there wasn't much to try as far as mod companions. Most were unvoiced and silent. So imagine everyone's excitement when Heather Casdin, made by the author of the extremely popular Willow mod for Fallout New Vegas, appeared.
A little background there… I'd had mixed feelings about Willow back in the days of New Vegas. While technically what that mod did was far beyond any other companion mod on the Nexus, I felt a bit like Willow's quests overshadowed my own at points. As some others pointed out, she also seemed (to me) a bit too clean, cute, and girly to believably be surviving in a desert wasteland. It was clear llamaRCA (the author) put a lot of work into the mod and I commend that, but I found I preferred other companion mods like Niner and Delilah more.
But Fallout 4 is a different game, and Heather Casdin, I hoped, would be a different experience.
Iskysoft pdf editor for mac serial key. P.S. Also check out some of my other mod reviews at the end of this post!
Heather Casdin's Mod Features
One look at the Nexus page for Heather and it's clear that llamaRCA put the same commitment forth in making this mode as she did with Willow. The intro text states 'over 1200 lines of dialogue' for starters, which far exceeded anything else on the Nexus upon release.
Some other notable distinctions:
- Heather exists outside the game's normal companion system, meaning you can have Heather with you alongside any regular companion with no conflicts.
- Heather has her own affinity system separate from how base companions work. This is great because she doesn't have dislikes of specific actions you take, making her a much more flexible companion for any type of play through. You gain affinity with her by gaining levels, having her hack terminals, consuming her custom made aid items, and completing her personal quests.
- Heather starts out being able to hack novice terminals, and can eventually hack any terminal. Unlike companions like Nick Valentine where he can attempt but sometimes fail, Heather will always succeed at any terminal level she has the skill for.
- Unlike vanilla companions, any gun you give her will have infinite ammo as long as you give her enough bullets for a full magazine with that gun.
- She has maxed sneak and will not alert enemies as she moves around, which is useful for stealth characters.
- She has her own bunker you eventually gain access to where you can store gear, work on your (or her) power armor, etc.
- She has a radio device you can bind to a hot key that summons her back to you if you get separated. It's under the Aid section in your inventory, I believe.
- 3 options for combat AI, from vanilla aggressive to a much more stealth-prone unaggressive choice.
Once again, Heather Casdin is the most technically robust companion on the Nexus. And since she can be used alongside any other companion in the game, and will interact with them (and comment about them) she fits right into the world easily. The mod is totally self contained. Heather uses CBBE as a custom body, but it will work whether you have CBBE installed or any other body mod.
Story and Impressions
Given my earlier comments about Willow, I'll say right up front that I find Heather to be a much more believable person in this world.
Without spoiling anything as it relates to her quests, her parents were from the Brotherhood of Steel and she's survived for years as a merchant selling medicine and goods she creates herself. And if you've been wondering given the last name, it does seem she's related to Protector Casdin from Fallout 3.
Heather has a much more cynical, aggressive attitude toward raiders and the Institute than other companions, and especially compared to Willow. She's kind enough that she makes sense with a ‘good' player character, but also bloodthirsty enough to fit with a more ruthless play through.
The voice recording quality is pretty solid, though there are certain bits (like when she melee attacks and lets out a grunt) where the mic distorts and makes it clear she's a mod. However, these are seldom and in general I think the author did a great job as a singlular modder without a whole recording team like Bethesda had.
The voice acting itself is decent. It isn't as compelling as Piper or Nick Valentine generally, but also isn't so flat or bad that your attention is drawn to it. Some of her taunts against mutants are funny. Heather makes a lot of comments in a lot of locations, which makes her more immersive than vanilla companions because she reacts to so many things that happen.
Early game I loved a line she said after Sturges tells us he needs our help getting through a door to a fusion core.
She says, 'They expect us to believe… that that guy can't hack a terminal?' It's especially funny because Sturges is in the middle of hacking a terminal when you first meet him, right before that dialogue happens.
Her default laser rifle is a little overpowered if you pick her up early game. This didn't bother me though since you can equip her with anything else and it will also have infinite ammo. Giving her a basic 10mm pistol instead makes her viable without overshadowing the player early on, for example. Give her any gun and a little ammo and it will be infinite for her, which further expands the range of options.
Speaking of recruiting her, I like that the mod adds 'Heather's Console' as a craftable item. This means while first arriving in Sanctuary in the beginning you can build this computer terminal and set her to hired without having to travel all the way to where you normally find her. (Role play it like she was in Sanctuary and you met her there.)
Note that doing this will bypass her normal dialogue when you meet her, so I recommend it for repeat play throughs and not your first time. Still, I think that's a great feature and I haven't seen that implemented with any other companions. Otherwise, you can find her near the cemetery in the middle northern area of the map.
Heather Casdin also features an optional romance path during her quest line. That's fairly fleshed out and more 'complete' than vanilla companion romances — you can even give her your spare wedding ring and she'll acknowledge it. What I also like that the author has done is given clear dialogue options where if you're role playing that your character is still grieving their spouse and not ready to romance someone else, it's set up clearly for you to say so.
One minor gripe her is that it's actually part of the dialogue that your character has to at least seem apprehensive about romancing her at first when she asks if you're still in love with your former spouse.
If you were looking to role play that your character has dealt with the grief and put it behind them, you can't simply say that. Still, a small thing.
Heather's Compatibility
I've used this mod on and off in various play-throughs since its release. As someone who is always experimenting with new mods and removing old ones, my games are more prone to crashes than others. And yet I rarely experience any issues period, and none that I can trace back to this mod.
As far as I can tell the mod works with basically any weapons, armor, or body mod. None that I've seen conflict with the area that this mod designates as Heather's bunker.
The only time I've had an issue is with another mod causing Heather's radio quest early on not to play, but that was corrected by setting Heather's mod to load later in the list. The mod author also notes a compatibility issue with Better Companions by Tech Prince.
Heather Casdin, Final Verdict
I've replayed Fallout 4 many times, and can say that since trying Heather Casdin she ends up on a lot of my play throughs. Even if I only travel with her for awhile and I ultimately trade her out, she fits so well into the world she makes sense as at least part of my character's journey. She seems like a character that belongs in the wasteland, and believably survives within it.
She's a complicated woman who has has to overcome some hardships that have left her vengeful and cynical, which I find refreshing against brighter and bubblier companions like Piper, Curie, or Deacon. Heather acts like someone who's seen some stuff in her time, a survivor looking for someone she can rely on.
Heather's quests seem to align with yours pretty well, and it's a good partnership where (without spoiling much) you're both after Kellogg. I didn't feel like her quest overshadowed mine like I did before in New Vegas with Willow, which I think is a nice improvement.
Did I mention she's a merchant? Dialogue menus allow you to trade with her like a normal companion ORRRR open a shop interface where you can buy and sell with her. Handy for when you're lugging a lot of loot you're going to sell anyway – you have a walking shop with you anywhere as long as she has the caps for what you're unloading.
Also, I personally hate hacking terminals in the game, so her ability to handle that for me is super useful.
I'd give Heather an A. Very well developed, great tie-ins to the world, custom quests, and tons of dialogue that shows growth from New Vegas' Willow. The author put a lot of work into this, and it shows.
Other Fallout Mods To Read About:
Fallout 4 Bunker Mods
- The Machine and Her (Fallout 4 big companion and quest mod)
- Buttons, the Minuteman (Fallout 4 companion)
- Wastelander Barb (Fallout 4 companion)
- The surprising depth to Nick Valentine (Fallout 4)
- Delilah (Fallout New Vegas)
- Niner (Fallout New Vegas)
More Posts Like This:
- Delilah: Fallout New Vegas Companion Mod Review
When you've played New Vegas as many times as I have you need some new content to keep it interesting.…
- Niner: Fallout New Vegas Companion Mod Review
Both New Vegas and its predecessor, Fallout 3, have enjoyed an active modding community. From new weapons to new missions,…
- BGEE Isra Mod Review
I'd played bits of this mod a ways back in the days of TuTu. For those not familiar, Tutu was…