Fallout 4: 5 Things to Know After the 1.02 Patch

The first major Fallout 4 patch is now available for PC, PS4 and Xbox One. And now that it’s finally here, we want to take a look at a few things you should know post-release.

On Monday, Bethesda finally pulled the first major Fallout 4 update out of beta. The company stuck to the plan and PC Fallout 4 users got it first.

On Tuesday, the developer rolled it out for the PS4. Like the Fallout 4 1.02 patch for PC, the PS4 update delivered numerous bug fixes and performance enhancements. Much-needed fixes and enhancements. Fallout 4 problems have been plaguing Fallout 4 owners since early November.

Yesterday, Bethesda released the Xbox One Fallout 4 1.02 patch. The update brings the same fixes and enhancements to those touting Microsoft’s console.

Now that we’re settling in with the Fallout 4 1.02 patch, we want to take a look at the most important things to know post-release.

This roundup includes details about old Fallout 4 problems, new Fallout 4 problems, some information about performance, and a few reminders.

Fallout 4 Patch Downgrades Graphics

The Fallout 4 1.02 patch features a number of changes but one of the biggest is to the Corvega Assembly Plant, a huge multi-level building in Lexington.

The building was the site of some frustrating frame rate problems on PC, PS4 and Xbox One. As we noted in our impressions, most of our issues were isolated to the final room with the boss raider but we also experienced some stuttering in other parts of the facility.

The Fallout 4 patch stabilizes the performance in the facility though that stabilization unfortunately comes with a cost. That cost? A downgrade to the graphics inside the facility.

Bethesda has eliminated shadows in an effort to improve the experience inside the building. To get a feel for the change, take a look at the screenshot above from the PC.

End of the world? No. But it just goes to show that some fixes for Fallout 4 problems might come with an added cost.

So far, we haven’t noticed any other major changes to the game’s graphics but we know that there are several other locations where frame rate dips. Vault 114 being one of them.

Fixes Worked

The Fallout 4 1.02 patch delivers a number of other fixes for Fallout 4 problems and fortunately, it looks like most of them have done their job.

We’ve been stress-testing the patch and we’ve been unable to replicate the bugs that the 1.02 patch corrected.

We haven’t gotten stuck in any terminals, the When Freedom Calls quest completed like it should, we didn’t run into any issues during the Confidence Man quest, and we were able to jump into a body of water and reload a game without crashing.

As we noted in our impressions, the patch also fixed a few other bugs that weren’t listed on the change log. We’ve also been able to get near Monsignor Plaza without crashing and we haven’t locked up or froze during the game or before the menu screen. At least not yet.

The game feels more stable for us and others but there still are problems. Lots of them.

PC Fallout 4 Problems Continue

The PC version was the first to get the Fallout 1.02 patch which means we have a lot of feedback to draw from. A lot of it’s good but there are still tons of complaints about Fallout 4 problems post-patch.

One issue that PC users ran into almost immediately were problems with unofficial mods. The 1.02patch disabled many popular Fallout 4 mods. Fortunately, Fallout 4 players quickly uncovered a fix for the issue and things have returned to normal. If your mods suddenly stop working, head here.

PC users are complaining about a number of other Fallout 4 problems post-patch. These problems include frame rate issues, a crash to desktop issue, flickering, HUD problems, launch issues, black screen problems. and more. The list goes on.

Several of these links come with potential remedies so if you’re running into these same issues, make sure you take a look.

Xbox One & PS4 Fallout 4 Bugs

Fallout 4 problems are present on the PS4 and Xbox One as well.

PS4 users are complaining about several different quest bugs including issues with Sanctuary Hills, Special Delivery, and Vault 75. They’re also complaining about sound issues, a fast travel bug, a common CE-34878-0 error, problems with captions, and more.

Tons of people are also complaining about problems with The Molecular Level, a quest in the game. The issue appears to be affecting PS4, PC and Xbox One owners. We haven’t found a permanent manual fix yet so you might want to avoid the quest until Bethesda can patch it up.

Xbox One users aren’t immune to post-patch issues either. They’re complaining about problems with bloodbugs, freezes, missing notifications, an odd problem where items start sinking into the surface after placing them, major stability problems, and more.

We don’t point these out to nitpick. We point these out so that you’re aware of the potential dangers and to bring attention to them so that gamers and Bethesda can conjure up fixes and help those struggling. Many of those links contain potential fixes.

How to Report Fallout 4 1.02 Problems & Get Help

If you do run into a problem after installing the 1.02 patch, don’t just sit back and twiddle your fingers. Report it to Bethesda so that it can try and fix the problem in a future patch.

As a reminder, you will want to head to Bethesda’s Fallout feedback page. There, you can send them a detailed description of your problem.

In the meantime, you’ll want to be proactive and seek out help. Our list of fixes for common Fallout 4 problems is a great place to start though there are other resources that will come in handy.

We also recommend the Fallout Reddit (make sure you follow the rules when you post) and Bethesda’s own forums. You might also want to check out the websites for Steam, Sony and Microsoft.

The company hasn’t announced an 1.03 patch yet so you’re going to be on your own for the foreseeable future.

Fallout 4 Tips for Beginners

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Fallout 4 is an intimidating game. It's a game that could eat up hundreds and hundreds of hours if you let it. There's no wrong way to play the game but there are some thing that we think everybody should do when you first start out.  We've put together a list of tips for beginners and even open-world RPG vets that need some direction. Fallout 4 is a deep game with a mind-boggling amount of crafting. The game also does a bad job explaining some of core mechanics. These tips will help. We've rounded up those tips in our Fallout 4 explainer for people new to the Fallout series and open-world RPGs in general.

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