Fallout: New Vegas patch to improve performance and crush dozens of bugs

Fallout New Vegas Old World Blues

The Old World Blues DLC for Fallout: New Vegas is out on Friday. The Bethblog announes that a humongous patch is set to arrive alongside the expansion. The update will add make "massive world optimizations" and add a pre-ending sequence autosave for players who want to jump straight back into the New Vegas with all their gear. A swarm of miscellaneaous bugs have exterminated for good measure. You'll find the full list of patch changes next to lots of little red boxes below.

  • New feature: system save is automatically created prior to endgame sequence. After credits, user is prompted to load save game. This will allow single save players to play DLC without creating a new game.

  • Fixed issue where Minigun audio could get stuck/keep playing indefinitely when fired out of VATS.

  • Script fix to restore destroyed ED-E. This should address issues players have with attempting to use certain companions (e.g. Rex) or when the player needs to clear his or her companions before entering an area (e.g. Zion / Honest Hearts).

  • New “Companion Dismissal Terminals” added to Gun Runners and Lucky 38. These will allow players with lost companions from earlier patches to force-fire if they are experiencing problems attempting to get into DLC or areas that prevent companions from entering.

  • Arms no longer lifted above head when sneaking with certain weapons.

  • Fixed sound cutting out after extended playthroughs.

  • Massive world optimizations in major areas for better stability/performance with multiple DLCs installed.

  • Players can now have six or more DLCs installed without encountering an infinite “loading DLC” message on startup.

  • Navmesh fixes/NPCs no longer getting stuck.

  • Scripts added to keep certain NPCs who were marked as dead from respawning.

  • Extensive world optimizations for Hoover Dam.

  • Fixed lockup with Ranger Grant's forcegreet at HD/NCR path.

  • Fixed NPC AI packages so they don't get stuck at HD.

  • Fixed bug where upgraded ED-E could be killed in non-hardcore mode.

  • Post-assassination Kimball now gets removed prior to Hoover Dam battle.

  • Fixed navmesh around Camp Searchlight to improve performance over long soaks.

  • Searchlight Troopers don't bump into each other as often.

  • Fixed navmesh on HD Observation Deck.

  • New teleport locations for Legion path through Hoover Dam. Improves performance.

  • Radio stations will work properly now if DLC is uninstalled.

  • Fixed instances where it was possible to fast travel during Hoover Dam battle.

  • Fixed case where recruited Remnants were hostile to player during HD battle on Independent and House paths. They will still turn hostile if you shoot them too much though.

  • Two vending machines in Hoover Dam were facing the wrong way.

  • Made it so Big Sal/Nero no longer accepts yield if the other is already dead.

  • Removed Brotherhood objectives when ED-E is given to the Followers.

  • Fixed rare instance where Cachino turned hostile on the player if player attacks Big Sal/Nero prior to Cachino entering the room.

  • Fixed crashes in Ultra-Luxe.

  • Fixed Alpha Squad snipers getting stuck when told to support player.

  • Fix for Lily's weapon being displayed oddly on her back..

  • Improvements to navmesh and pathing in Great Khan Longhouse. Fixes crashes.

  • Plasma Spaz now gives 20% AP reduction (was 10%).

  • Fixed crash after hearing certain ED-E dialog triggers.

  • Fixed instance where Boone would constantly holster his rifle in combat if player had lost rep with the NCR.

  • Veronica no longer waits for player to speak to her before leaving after Hidden Valley is destroyed.

  • Extensive optimizations in McCarran.

  • Optimized NPC packages at Camp Golf to improve performance. Misfits now stay in a normal radius.

  • Arcade now properly rants against Caesar (once).

  • Motor-Runner Helmet now properly 0 weight. Also removed after quest completes.

  • NCR Heavy Troopers will now attack player if you attack Hsu.

  • Vulpes (and Alerio) now properly forcegreet if you somehow fast travel before their initial forcegreet fires.

  • Killing hostages while helping Khans no longer fails quest.

  • Gilbert/Ackerman now properly stay dead if murdered.

  • Mr. New Vegas will only mention failed NCR attack on Powder Gangers if Troopers are dead and Eddie is alive.

  • Fixed case where player could break quest with Orris if they fast traveled after he shoots thugs, but before forcegreet.

  • Generic Powder Gangers now set as Aggressive (previously Very Aggressive).

  • Fixed rare case of black screen during dialog at REPCONN facility.

  • Fixed phantom quest marker remaining on Major Knight after he's killed.

  • Fix for incorrect dialog if player meets Bryce Anders after killing Motor Runner.

  • Player can no longer isolate the BoS virus by hitting “isolate virus” three times on a single console.

  • Fixed crash related to Arcade leaving the Remnants bunker.

  • Fixed Nightkin encounter at Tumbleweed Ranch to occur after user reloads a save.

  • Arcade will no longer attempt to initiate his quest during Hoover Dam.

  • Hoover Dam Boomer Bombing Run now works properly after save/reload.

  • Cass now only barks (ahem, as in barkstring) once per gameday and not every two gamehours.

  • Fixed XP exploits with MantisForeleg.

  • Massive optimizations in Westside, North Vegas and The Thorn. Improves AI pathing and performance with high uptimes.

  • Optimizations in Vault 19.

  • Fixed issue where Oliver Swanick would respawn after three days if killed.

  • Pathing improvements to The Strip and North Sewers.

  • Moved teleport doors on The Strip so NPCs don't collide with players or other actors that stand in front of doors.

  • Ethel, Walter, and the Station Merchant no longer wander or patrol to avoid collisions with other NPCs.

  • Separated NPCs in the North Sewers.

  • Fixed issue where window in Vault 19 let player see through the world.

  • Greasers from Crandon's quest now become disabled when the player leaves the area.

  • Fixed a Legion melee NPC near Nelson that was under the terrain.

  • Modified Legion and NCR hit-squad NPCs to use new level lists. They now have a smoother leveling curve that takes into account new level caps. Legion and NCR hit squad spawning was also revised to make their appearance more consistent and less memory-intensive.

  • Fixed issue where Omerta thugs wouldn't leave Freeside if you killed Joana and Carlitos.

  • Cazador Poison Effect sound no longer plays globally if someone, somewhere gets stung. Only plays if the player is hit.

  • Player can no longer repair the Grenade Launcher with the minigun.

  • Fix for companions going into unconscious/conscious cycle over and over again when stung with Cazador poison. In normal mode (or against companions), Cazador poison now lasts 8 seconds, doing 18 points of damage per second. It is, in fact, even deadlier than the normal version, but lasts 1/4 as long. In hardcore mode or against the player, poison remains 30 seconds/5 damage per second.

  • Casino slot scripts altered so their max bets do not produce game economy-ruining levels of cap overflow

  • Hit the Deck and Stonewall now properly work with player's weapon condition. Hit the Deck is now +25 DT vs. Explosives instead of +50% vs. Explosives.

  • Adjusted Deathclaw fatigue to make them less exploitable with certain attacks. Inconsistent health values for Deathclaws were also corrected (in favor of stronger Deathclaws).

  • Cazadores are now properly flagged as fliers, so they won't set off mines.

  • Increased radii for plasma and pulse grenades.

  • Fixed bug where rescued Powder Gangers would return to the legion camp.

  • Added Followers of the Apocalypse supplies to three areas of Hoover Dam if you gain their support and fight on independent or NCR paths. This also enables the FoA + NCR “good” ending through Julie Farkas.

  • Optimizations for Westside.

  • Fixed issues with Recharger Pistol animation.

  • Fixed issue where Aba Daba Honeymoon wouldn't update if the player was running O My Papa simultaneously.

  • Typo: “Night Stalker Blood” changed to “Nightstalker Blood”

  • Yes-Man now checks both Loyal and Pearl's status before the player can tell him the Boomer leaders are dead.

  • Removed “Intelligence” flag from Int
  • Fixed scripting on Lonesome Drifter barter check so player doesn't get next objective with Tommy Torini if they fail.

  • Legion Assassins moveto script no longer occurs every frame (frees up memory).

  • Added recipe so player can now break down 12.7mm ammo.

  • Four Eyes now works with ball cap with glasses.

  • There is now always an option to give ED-E to Lorenzo, even if player has said no the first time.

  • Mister Sandman no longer works on The Forecaster (XP exploit).

  • Ultra-Luxe doors no longer disable player controls if player is an enemy of the White Gloves.

  • Fix scripting conflict between “Cold, Cold Heart” and Mojave Ghost with Vulpes/Benny.

  • Fixed issue where player could become control locked in Gommorah if they had installed Yes-Man.

  • Player can now re-hire Arcade if ED-E is in the party.

  • Ultra-Luxe now properly pays out in Legion and NCR money.

  • Veronica's companion perks (as in the ones Veronica gets, not the player) now properly assigned.

  • Waiting companions will no longer get teleported by the Vault 22 elevator.

  • Changed objectives for How Little We Know to better reflect branching paths.

  • “Return to Yes-Man” objective no longer reopens if player tells him to go to Lucky 38 in Wild Card: Change in Management.

  • Player can no longer pickpocket Button Man to break the scene where he shoots Cachino.

  • Player can no longer ask Cachino about plans if Bosses are already dead.

  • Fix for ED-E combat dialog.

  • Ranger Helmet now has weight/value.

  • Fixed Gomorrah holdout scripting to properly affect companions.

  • Lily now properly uses Stealth Boy when player is sneaking if told to keep it during her quest.

  • Fixed exploit where player could get infinite XP for punching Big Sal's corpse.

  • Fixed scripting for For the Republic II where exposing Karl would prematurely complete the objective to destroy the Khans.

  • Fixed instance where fast travel was disabled when creating new game post-credits.

  • Inventory will now show cumulative weight of item stacks instead of weight of a single item.

  • Missile projectiles will no longer show in player's target HUD.

  • Player will now unequip a weapon if consuming it in the crafting menu (fixes crash).

  • Weapons with recharging ammo now display ammo properly.

  • Fixed rare instance where player could be control-locked if loading an autosave created while lockpicking a transition door.

  • Beamsplitter mod fixed to proper DAM/DPS.

  • Crafting can no longer create weapons/armor at 100% condition.

  • Repair kits can no longer repair to 100% condition.

  • Throwing weapons can no longer take damage, and are dropped when shot at 100% condition.

  • DT Perks that increase DT based on enemy weapon should function properly.

  • Weapons using multiple rounds of ammunition per shot fired now show proper VATS damage estimate.

  • Fixed rare case where broken stick of dynamite could crash game if thrown.

  • NPCs will now play face cards on player's stack in Caravan.

  • Various tweaks to audio system to improve memory performance.

  • Fixed issue where looping reload weapons would get stuck, causing VATS camera to point to the ground.

  • Fixed clock/calendar so that it doesn't reset on a fresh load.

  • Fixed .45 auto pistol displaying incorrect condition/value on modding screen.

  • Both DAM and DPS now display on workbenches when creating explosives.

  • For ammo that reduce spread (like 12ga) effect is now properly applied to spread, not wobble.

  • Fixed crash when attempting to enter DLC1 with equipped quest items.

Tom Senior

Part of the UK team, Tom was with PC Gamer at the very beginning of the website's launch—first as a news writer, and then as online editor until his departure in 2020. His specialties are strategy games, action RPGs, hack ‘n slash games, digital card games… basically anything that he can fit on a hard drive. His final boss form is Deckard Cain.