New Vegas gets a much needed Patch

Fallout: New Vegas

Fallout: New Vegas has received its first major bug-fixing patch. Bethesda Softworks, publisher of the Fallout series, released Patch 1.02 on December 9th for the Play Station 3 version of the game, with patches for the XBox 360 and Windows PC becoming available later this week.

The PC version of the game previously received a patch that fixed many of the bugs that are corrected by the new patch for the console versions (PC-only Patch 1.2.0) and when the new patch rolls out, it will fix many of the bugs that have had gamers complaining vocally on the official chat boards as well as on chat sites all over the 'Net, giving the impression that the game was barely playable.

-- Specific Bugs Fixed --

While there are many bugs in the game, only a few are the sort that can break the game, and those are addressed in the new patch. The first all-system patch includes the following fixes:

-- The crash state caused by the quest "Debt Collector" which caused the game to crash when entering the New Vegas Strip has been fixed.

-- The infinite XP bug associated with the HELIOS One site in the game has been fixed.

-- The Laser Sight add-on for the 10mm pistil no longer creates graphical errors when it is attached to the unique version of the gun, the Weathered 10mm Pistol. The Weathered 10mm Pistol no longer bugs when mods are attached to it.

-- Various issues that caused the corruption of save files for the game have been fixed.

-- The error that caused warnings to appear when using the Mojave Express Boxes has been fixed.

-- The Crafting Menu now places valid completable recipes at the top of the list.

-- The Raul / Ranger Andy bug has been fixed.

In addition to the bug fixes, a number of corrections have been added to the game for balance and to cause the various processes to work as intended, including:


-- Ammunition Issues --

- 12.7mm ammunition can now be crafted at Reloading Benches.

- EC/ECP/MC standard ammunition now has -2 DT

- EC/ECP/MC overcharge ammunition now has -5 DT

- EC/ECP/MC max-charge ammunition now has -10 DT

- Multiplan Rifle now consumes 3 units of ammunition per shot rather than 5.

- Plasma Defender now consumes 2 units of ammunition per shot rather than 3.

- The amount of .45 cal and 12.7mm ammunition found on vendors has been increased.


-- Companion Issues --

- Companions will now fast-travel to their destination when they are dismissed by the player.

- Companions now show up as waypoint markers on the local map.


-- Misc. Issues --

- All reputation-based safe houses have been updated to offer additional supplies in them.

- All-purpose science suit can now be made in the Followers Safe House.

- The Brotherhood of Steel Safe House now contains T51b and T45d Power Armor, Recon Armor, a Gatling Laser, Tesla Cannon, and additional ammunition in it.

- The Legion Safe House now contains Vexillarius, Centurion, and Praetorian armor, as well as a sniper rifle, displacer glove, and machete gladius in it.

- The NCR Safe House now contains NCR Combat and Patrol Armor, salvaged Power Armor, an Assault Carbine, Hunting Rifle, and Trail Carbine in it.

- The value of normal Stimpacks has been increased from 25 caps to 75, and Super Stimpacks has increased from 100 to 150 caps.

- The recipe for Mass Purified Water has been changed, and now requires 5 bottles of dirty water, 2 glass pitchers, and 1 surgical tubing to create 4 bottles of water.

- The Atomic Wrangler Casino now provides tiered rewards when gambling.

- The weight of an empty syringe has been set to 0.0



-- Weapon Issues --

- The weapon system on companion ED-E now shoots a blue laser after it is upgraded.

- The night scope mod on some weapons now has the night vision sight applied to it.

- The land mines on the bridge to Primm have been removed.

- The Sniper Rifle damage has been changed from 62 to 42 DAM


A number of additional bugs impacting the game engine, including a bug that caused the player to sink a foot into the surface of the ground/road has been fixed, and a number of bugs that caused the player to become trapped on objects in the game have been fixed.


-- First DLC Coming --

Players of the XBox 360 version of New Vegas can look forward to the first DLC content for New Vegas, titled "Dead Money " which will be available on Microsoft's XBox Live Marketplace on 21 December for 800 Live Points.

According to the official description of the DLC the content presents the player with a new mission to recover the legendary treasure of the Sierra Madre Casino with the help of new companions.

No word has been given on when -- or if -- PC and PS3 gamers will be receiving this expansion, but if the release trend follows that of Fallout 3 , gamers on those platforms should expect to see the DLC around March or April of 2011.