S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Loadouts
Perhaps the biggest change with the Locked & Loaded update is the option to have S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Loadouts. S.P.E.C.I.A.L. is the acronym the Fallout series coined in referring to the stats of a main character. The letters represented Strength, Perception, Endurance, Charisma, Intelligence, Agility, and Luck, respectively. From these primary stats, other key stats are derived. For instance, a character’s Carry Weight in the game is determined by calculating 150 + (STR x 5). These are further modified by Skills, Perk Cards, and Gear. In the past, S.P.E.C.I.A.L. was a fixed endeavor. Once you set up the distribution of points, there was no way to rearrange them (though they could be modified by effects and equipment). The Locked & Loaded update for Fallout 76 brings in a new mechanic that changes this up. Once a character reaches Level 25, players can choose the Punch Card Machine that can be found at the C.A.M.P. as well as Train Stations in Appalachia. These machines allow you to completely reset the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. numbers and the Perk Cards chosen and modify the arrangement. This opens up a lot of potential options for players one setting up roles for the character. To illustrate, you can have one S.P.E.C.I.A.L. loadout focused on melee and being beefy, while another loadout is for sniping and stealth. Currently, Locked & Loaded will allow players to save up to 2 different S.P.E.C.I.A.L. loadouts and name the slots however they wish.
C.A.M.P. Slots
Speaking of having multiple slots, another new revamp with Fallout 76’s Locked and Loaded update is adding C.A.M.P. slots. C.A.M.P. stands for Construction Assembly Mobile Platform, which is Fallout 76’s feature for setting up their character’s home away from home. Players can now have more than one C.A.M.P. This provides the players with a lot of freedom with how they want their C.A,M.P. to be designed without losing their hard-earned progress. Prior to this, players were forced to give up their existing C.A.M.P. in order to create a new one. As with the S.P.E.C.I.A.L. loadouts, you can now deploy a different C.A.M.P. from the one you are currently using. However, this also means you cannot have more than one C.A.M.P. active at any given time.
Display Cases and Vending Machines
On that note, the display cases and vending machines in one’s C.A.M.P. are also getting noteworthy changes. Players provided feedback that these features can be unintuitive and even a chore to implement. To address this, Bethesda is streamlining the inventory management system for these features. As the C.A.M.P. update will allow for multiple C.A.M.P. slots, the old system may prove unwieldy. Thus, vending machine inventory from multiple C.A.M.P.s will be shared, instead of having separate inventories for different C.A.M.P.s. Furthermore, vending machines will now allow players to choose the maximum number of items. This was a common complaint, as having many different items of the same kind can be time-consuming in the old vending process, regardless of whether you are buying or selling.
Daily Ops
The Daily Ops feature will have new and improved tracking and implementation. There will be new locations as well as rewards. There will also be a new game mode introduced. The rewards will also add new weapon skins, outfits, and C.A.M.P. amenities.
Mannequins
Mannequins are being introduced in Locked & Loaded to provide players with a means of displaying clothes and armor setups at their C.A.M.P. In a similar fashion to Power Armor Frames, mannequins provide a template for players to mix and match clothing and other accessories from their storage. As you might imagine, these mannequins will be sporting the equippable items for display. Mannequins allow players to brag their achievements to C.A.M.P. visitors. They will come in male and female versions. Unlocking the mannequins requires rising up the ranks in Season 4.
Aiming Assist
One of the problems Fallout 76 players have been vocal about is how difficult it is to stay aimed at their target when using a game controller. The Locked and Loaded update adds an Aim Assist toggle command to the game settings. This addition makes it notably easier to keep a target locked on with a game controller.
Season 4
Many of the new features in Fallout 76’s Locked and Loaded update are integral to the new Season. The plot of Season 4 involves assisting Armor Ace and the Power Patrol, who are fighting Commissioner Chaos and the Yukon Five. With the launch of Season 4, a new scoreboard is started and there are up to 100 ranks to be achieved in order for players to acquire the rewards at each tier.
Other Minor Changes
Aside from these key updates and additions, Locked and Loaded will also change the following:
Crafting Sliders – players will no longer need to go rummaging through their inventories to craft more than one item. With crafting sliders, players can have multiple items set to be crafted in quick succession. World Activity Menu – The World Activity menu will indicate important events, nuke zoned and nuke free areas, convenient locations of Vendors, and so on. Melee Improvements – There are very small updates to how melee works and connects with enemies. A more effective feedback response will make for faster, but more accurate games.
Locked and Loaded Update Deployment
Bethesda announced the specific date when Locked and Loaded would go live on their official Twitter account:
Watch to learn exactly what is coming next to the game on April 27.https://t.co/1W3CUxsXty pic.twitter.com/qagMfejIZp — Fallout (@Fallout) April 22, 2021 They went to to say regarding the Locked and Loaded update: The Locked & Loaded update for Fallout 76 is scheduled for public release on April 27. Fallout 76 is available for play on the Playstation 4, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
