When I've played FO4 I've hardy considered settlements, not that I haven't built a few but I've only done bare minimum for the settlement. My interest doesn't float in that direction. With that said, I do have a bit of experience with settlements.
To answer, "What is the purpose of settlements?" Well, settlements serve multiple purposes, and here are the main things settlements are good for:
- Resource Generation: Settlements can produce vital resources such as food and water, which are essential for maintaining the health and happiness of the settlers and for supporting the player's adventures.
- - Revenue Stream: They can also be developed to generate caps (the game's currency) through various shops and trading posts.
- - Safe Havens: Settlements provide safe places for the player and the NPCs to rest and recover, away from the dangers of the wasteland.
- - Customizable Spaces: They offer players the opportunity to creatively build and manage their own communities, allowing for a personalized touch to the game world.
- - Strategic Points: Strategically located settlements can serve as hubs for exploration and as defensive positions against "enemy" attacks.
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As to the second question, "How do I build a settlement?", as I've stated, I don't mess with settlements all that much but as I've discovered there are a few important key steps:
- Access Workshop Mode: Find the red workshop bench in your chosen settlement location. This will allow you to enter workshop mode and start building.
- - Clear Debris: Begin by clearing out any debris, ruined structures, and other obstructions to create a clean area for construction.
- - Resource Collection: Gather necessary resources like wood, steel, and concrete from the surrounding environment or by scrapping items within the settlement area.
- - Plan Layout: Strategically plan the layout of your settlement considering defense, agriculture, and living quarters.
- - Construct Buildings: Start constructing essential structures such as housing for settlers, defense posts, water sources, and food crops.
- - Power Setup: Install generators to provide electricity to your settlement, and connect them to your buildings and defenses with power lines.
- - Defense: Build walls, turrets, and guard posts to protect your settlement from raiders and other threats.
- - Recruit Settlers: Use the radio beacon to attract settlers to your settlement, who can help manage the resources and defend the area.
- - Assign Roles: Assign settlers to specific jobs like farming, guarding, or running shops.
- - Maintain and Expand: Continue to enhance your settlement by adding more features like shops, crafting stations, and decorative items to improve the happiness of your settlers.