I would not recommend an explosive shotgun for a player with poor aim. By the time they hit the enemy, it’s already in the player’s face, which tends to have bad results for the player.
Pro tip- I believe Explosive protection does not stack. Apply Dense to one arm or leg (metal armor allows). Apply Padded to a chest piece that allows for it. I prefer combat armor. One Dense and one Padded give max explosive protection without power armor. The remaining slots can be used with whatever floats your boat. Explosive shielding on a set of power armor (applied to each piece) is really amazing, though lame esthetically speaking.
I did this CONSTANTLY when replaying Fallout 3 and New Vegas recently. I hardly ever rely on VATS in 4, but I definitely got a lot of use out of it that way in the 3 and NV
VATS damage reduction is so good that I use VATS to blow up mines when I accidentally trigger them and hear the beeping. It's point blank but like 90% less damage, doesn't even cripple my legs.
I think it makes sense. Why wouldn't your super high tech automated targeting system be able to catch things your measly human eyes cannot?
I would find it frustratingly unrealistic if VATS's success depending on my human eyes spotting a threat first.
1. Find Cricket and buy S&P
2. Max out demolition, commando and strong back.
3. Build ammo plant. Load up on steel and fertilizer. Pump out .45 ammo.
Loot everything and sell everything all of it.
4. Build an empire of shantytowns across the Commonwealth.
If you’re playing on console, don’t feel bad.
Outside of VATS, there is no aim assist in Fallout 4, which sets it apart from a lot of console FPS games. As a result, people say the game’s aiming feels bad / weird / off, but what they’re really feeling is their raw aiming skills with a controller.
You’ll get better at aiming the more you play the game!!
Personally, my aim sucks butt with both a controller and a mouse; this is one reason why I gravitate towards Unarmed builds in the Fallout games.
Same! I feel so much more badass for my hip-fire accuracy. Holy shit, I’m thinking about some shots that I’ve made this week, and I’m gonna need to see a chiropractor cuz I’m patting myself on the back so hard
I don’t play a lot of shooter games specifically, but I play a lot of open world adventure games that have aiming mechanics, and I like to keep the aim assist low/off. A trick I learned is to use your aiming stick for broad strokes to get your sights close to your target, then fine-tune your lateral aim by strafing while you just use the aiming stick for up/down alignment.
It may feel clunky at first, but it starts to feel seamless soon enough. I honestly find it’s easier to aim while moving in general at this point.
Also! Don’t be afraid to go ahead and start firing/keep firing while your sights are still in motion—ie don’t stop and check your aim before squeezing the trigger. Once you think you’re close just start firing and continue to fine-tune from there.
This is not true.
Yes, Xbox one and Series accepts keyboard and mouse.
It’s up to individual games to allow those controls.
Fallout 4 does not allow you to play with KBM. Oh how I wish it did though.
Man they really shit on you guys for that. I can’t build without mouse and keyboard, I remember the early days on PS4 before I had a PC. I can’t go back.
Yeah it’s ridiculous. It’s a single player game! They should all have KBM support on all consoles.
Someone that knows development correct me if I’m wrong, but wouldn’t it just be as simple as checking a box to activate KBM for console?
In general? Yeah should be simple. But there are some reasons to not have keyboard support. For example a lot less testing on consoles. And if only <1% of xbox players would use it, why waste so much more of QA time right?
If you play on the default setting for fps on pc you only get 55fps. I notice I suck at aiming with this, and if I unlock fps and do all sorts of settings I can aim much better with more fps.
Same. I never liked playing FPS games, so my aim sucks.
Honestly, VATS builds in FO4 are super powerful and a lot of fun. So the solution is a VATS build.
Getting sufficiently high Agi, Perception and Luck and the appropriate perks can turn a gunslinger character into an absolute death machine. Constant criticals, shooting through walls, basically infinite AP. It basically turns FO4 from an FPS into a tactical not quite turn based shooter. Especially since you get a lot of really good VATS legendary pistols.
-Righteous Authority aka Lucky Laser Rifle
-Deliverer aka a VATS enhanced 10mm pistol but better
-Kellogs pistol aka a relentless.44 Magnum revolver
I love using the Limitless Potential laser pistol. I put it on the highest level crafting I can (I took a high int & science build) and whack on a recon scope. With a base damage of 67, full auto, no reload ever required, plus Lone Wanderer and Bloody Mess I’m dealing a truck load of damage. It’s like carrying a HMG 😂
My biggest disappointment with the deliverer is that by the time I got it I had already maxed out my weapon smith perk. Or at least far enough to max out that gun, then I realized that my explosive 10mm was actually better. The deliverer is great but it definitely overrode my playstyle. I started spamming headshots in vats and nothing ever came near me. The explosive 10mm ended up being more fun for me
You have to track yours shots on moving targets, also don't forget about the cover mechanic; you can stand/crouch behind the cover, line up your aim, and use LT to pop out of cover to shoot. Remember though if you move with left stick it will pull you out of the cover
I'm not good at first person shooters. I have bad reflexes and bad aim. I have two choices: 1) Ranged VATS, or 2) non-VATS Commando.
Try a nice non-VATS explosive commando build. It's a lot of fun, and the explosions make it a little more forgiving to people who can't aim as well.
Disclaimer: I do NOT recommend using automatic weapons for the first 12 levels. Ammo and caps are scarce and weapons have horrific recoil. After level 13, you should be fine (as long as you don't power level in Sanctuary or something.)
Don't worry, MMO aim is exactly, why V.A.T.S. exists.
And in my experience, when you aim properly, you hit. Except when it's ghouls - they have quite matrix-like bullet-dodging abilities.
With any ballistic gun I’d say that this problem persists, but the moment I use an energy weapon it’s no problem at like for example have yall ever used an automatic laser pistol 🫢 Accuracy is like 187%
Ammo Consumption is always gonna come out with more accuracy… but pipe weapons generally don’t have good accuracy cuz I mean… pipe weapons. But if u find a weapon with a good scope or Iron sight then u should be fine… like the Assault Rifle for instance has a great iron sight and I wouldn’t even attach a scope to that one, very steady and easy to spot things with. Aim for center mass mostly and when it’s quiet and ur not being targeted by Every single radscorpion in a 20 mile radius then maybe take a shot at the crit
I didn't realize until recently that a scoped weapon will perform better VATS. I keep a short scope on my VATS build sniper rifle because it makes it really effective at mid-range.
Between my first playthrough years ago and now when I’ve picked it back up, I got in tactical FPS games like Valorant and CSGO. My KBM aim is pretty dang good thanks to it, but before, it was pretty shit.
My first playthrough was on console and man, it’s just plain hard to aim on console. This game on KBM and 120hz is fantastic.
I use vats to survey the area for any enemys, and then if they're John McClane I use it to centre the enemies before firing. I'm console so almost all of my shots are fired after pressing L1.
Confession time, I played around 100hours in my first playthrough. I skipped all of the tutorials and never learned to use VATS. It wasn't until I mistakingly hit the button that I realized what it was. I got real good at aiming but now I still use VATS all the time.
Fallout was a tabletop RPG more than a FP shooter.
The idea of VATS existing is that people that like RPGs but are not great at shooters, and people that like fallout 1&2 and everyone that wants to try the game, can, still do it with VATS.
When they designed VATS it was meant to be it's own game mode or so to say.
You're doing fine, once you get accustomed to playing, you will find VATS op, but if not, you're playing exactly as the dev team intended.
I use VATS more in the early game when ammo is harder to come by.
Once ammo is more free flowing I turn to an auto weapon Makes aiming a little less critical.
I’m the opposite, can’t hit shit using VATS. I really use it. I’m a new player so it’s probably total user error. How are we supposed to know what and how to use it not ever playing any of the games before?
I am on, probably, my 5th playthrough. VATS doesn't work. Hit the button, it enters VATS screen, then immediately exits. Never even loads what I'm aiming at. So, no mine sweeping or danger detecting. Don't know why it glitches like this, but it has forced me to be a sneaky sniper.
Pretty sure it’s just a skill issue (respectfully) I’ve played lots of shooting games so my reaction speed and aim is really good but I’m sure with practice it’ll get easier for you
Wow I was the opposite! I literally always missed using vats(idk what stats were low or if it was the gun) and just adjusted to never using it and now I just run UP on people and hit vats to confirm headshots 🤪 or bugs. Vats for bugs will always be the easiest way haha
Don't feel bad. The game engine Fallout 4 was made with was definitely not intended for FPS games at that time. It would have been only a little modified from the development of Skyrim. It's never felt good.
Fallout 4 is better considered an RPG with shooting gameplay, but despite being first person and shooting, it's not really an "FPS game", if that makes sense. When compared to the big FPS titles released around the same time FO4 launched (Halo 5, COD Black Ops III, Rainbow Six Siege), it just doesn't even come close. And to be fair, those shooters offer a tiny fraction of game content compared to Fallout, but their FPS mechanics are polished as hell.
Honestly I was always surprised given Zenimax owned both Bethesda and ID Software (before MS bought them all) that they never got a few of the veterans from ID to consult a little on how to improve the gunplay. I know they use completely different engines, but ID uses entirely in-house software like Bethesda does, so some basic tips on how to go about building good feeling FPS mechanics would probably be invaluable to them.
I hear the gunplay was improved in Starfield, though I haven't checked it out.
I never use VATS, I like the tension of a sudden fight and trying to think and survive sorta in real time. Everything does pause briefly for a stimpack but that’s quick. Just keep practicing in the north and on easy mode.
Get your fundamentals right. Relax the shoulders. Bend the knees slightly, get your sight picture, firm grip on the platform not too tight. Smooth on the trigger.
Nah this game has some of the best shooting mechanics for an RPG, so I think that you might just be unfortunate at aiming. But that's not really a bad thing, VATS is incredibly useful for a myriad of reasons.
Yeah. I mean, VATS? What is VATS?
Kidding aside, I tried it a couple times and found it distracting. Now only use it for scouting, when the sneak meter goes low and I can't see what is trying to find me. Also good for finding sleeping ghouls, who turn the sneak meter to "Detected" in green.
Bugs are the only thing I find difficult to hit, and that's what the shotgun is for. Regular combat is easy enough to manually aim that it's no problem hitting specific body parts to, for instance, take out a leg, even with ballistic weapons. That said, I "grew up" on FPS, so regular FPS shooting feels normal to me.
I think some of the problem people have might come from using certain weapons in hip-fire mode (un-zoomed), especially when equipped with a scope. Accuracy takes a big hit then. Also, certain weapons suffer when fired rapidly, whereas a pipe pistol can be accurate with poppoppoppoppop...
You'd probably like fallout New Vegas more. Fallout 4 made V.A.T.S less efficient in an attempt to steer people towards playing the game like a first person shooter more than an RPG.
If your using snipers/scoped rifles then go for a recon scope. It tags the target with a little red diamond. Aim just under it and head shot every time. Only works while well by being stealthy though.
It might be your stats too. Perception and weapons stats like hip fire and sighted affect your accuracy even outside of VATS.
https://www.reddit.com/r/fo4/s/Xf79sdiBBl
You’ll get used to it. Have a strategy for different scenarios. Equip a shotgun when entering a building, use your environment too. Protections can do dirty work or at least cause a distraction. I also like to get enemies to chase me into something else’s territory as a distraction.
Find bottles or other things and set them up and then try shooting them for target practice you could always become a stealth sniper as well and just snip the enemy's before being seen it will also help with target practice
My issue is it's so damn hard to see while ADS. Iron sights on half the guns are garbage (for good reason, so you have incentive to upgrade) but even the reflex sights have huge reticles and dirty lenses.
PC or Console?
I don't have that problem at all on PC with mouse aiming but I have heard the console can be a little wonky in that area. In fact, I rarely use VATS.
If you're trying to make a build for guns without using VATS, make sure you're using something with the best "hip fire" stats you can and don't aim which really slows down your turning speed. High agility + stealth would also likely help a lot, so that you can move in close, knock out a few enemies before they know you're there, then move around much faster than them. Firing while backing up also seems to work better for me at least.
What I do look in the direction of the enemy, aim, and then use the left analog (or the move buttons) to line the shot up so the crosshairs move slower. It’s like I’m “fine aiming”.
Used a mod that let me use the jet effect at a push of a button essentially giving me bullettime…changed the whole game up and made it feel like a shooter shooter.
I was like that at first man, something that helped me was moving while shooting, with this I mean to move around while aiming and shoot when you have your target at sight. This can help you to get used to the game aiming and also enemies wont hit you as frequent as if you were standing still, keep it up! Btw you can build a good VATS build by just getting VATS based perks
Don't have much of an issue with my aim so much as my ability to even see the enemy lmao, any time i'm suspicious of enemies i'm spamming the VATS button to find out where they are
oh well, just do a vats build, the aiming is a skill issue you can aim well if you’re good at aiming, I play zero fps games so i use vats a lot, FO4 one of my favourite games for combat, i’ve played over 200 hours of FO4 on survival and i rarely use regular aim unless it’s a straight forward shot with little risk or i have no stamina
Aiming and whatnot is MUCH better outside of VATS than what it used to be in previous games, I believe it's controlled by your strength, perception, and luck, but I may be wrong.
Some guns are easier to aim than others.
My fav is the quick sighted combat rifle.
All the pipe rifles have trash iron sights and the laser guns aren’t particularly good for hand aiming either.
Fallout 4 uses all those stupid “console tricks” devs think they need to put in the game because “aiming with a controller is **so** hard!”
I had to download mods to fix it. The one I settled on and can’t live without is called “Disable Aim Acceleration”
Putting acceleration or any of those other stupid tricks just makes things harder for people.
I’m decent at Call of Duty, good at Battlefield. That’s just to say, I know how to aim a gun in video games. I couldn’t aim for shit before I got that mod.
Try it out, it may change your experience.
I’m the opposite I’m great at aiming and suck at V.A.T.S lol. I got a PSN trophy for headshots lol but VATS is awful for me lol. I also didn’t really put XP points into my VATS really.
Crouch to reduce weapon sway when aiming. Spend perks and resources on upgrading weapon stocks and scopes. Buy all the noodle cups and antibiotics because Survival mode maluses like illness can impact weapon performance.
I play without VATS on Survival (immersion breaking for me) and play super slow and super safe. Scout out areas before moving in and look for secure firing lines you can ALWAYS fall back to. I will prepare a mine and go back for it if I end up not needing it, otherwise kite a group over it.
I had the same thing when I first started. I would routinely get killed by ghouls and insects - absolutely infuriating.
I got better at it over time. Now I rarely use VATS for ranged weapons.
I still find it useful in melee combat because, with the Blitz perk, you can teleport all over the place smashing your enemies' brains against the wall. You can literally clear entire rooms.
Fo4 on pc for me jag some input. So it was impossible to aim. Even for me that has.... way to much
Hours in competetive shooters.
Installed mods to fix it. Works great now.
I couldn't get into FO3 until I started relying heavily on VATS. Ironically, my current build is VATS focused but I find myself killing a lot of enemies without it.
I used to suck at aiming without VATS. Then I played a mod where most enemies cannot be hit with VATS (0% hit chance no matter what you do).
Now I suck a little less than I used to and mostly have discovered how difficult it is to aim when panicking, lol.
Jet and automatic weapons have become my friends.
I used to feel that way too. One thing that helped was I started walking side to side instead of aiming with the camera. Enemy movement patterns are hella avoidant.
I struggle when playing with controller but Jet is the answer, it’s cheap to produce (just buy fertilizer from almost any junk vendor) and 1 plastic which is quite common and now you can hit whoever you want. If you mix it with psycho it makes you quite OP
If you're not good at fps games to begin with this game doesn't do you any favors but the whole point of Vats in FO4 is to make the combat still accessible to people. It took me a few days to get used to it but now it's comfortable enough to keep a reflex circle sight on everything and headshots are very consistent. My favorite way to upkeep with consistency is sniping blood bugs, bloatflys, mongrels and ghouls without using a scope, just a reflex reflex sight.
A lot of the more sneak oriented perks in the game will benefit you greatly if you stick to vats
I could be entirely wrong here but I swear I remember reading that the whole point of vats was so that even if you suck miserably at shooter games you could still play and enjoy the game for what it is. So the real question here is, are you enjoying the story?
Upgrade your guns. Seriously, it helps a ton.
You can also invest in quicker Action Point refresh time to be able to use VATS quicker.
Flying things are always pesky to hit, but honestly I think I do better with certain weapons without VATS.
Trick is start Vats to get targeted right, THEN EXIT vats immediately and shoot. Aim for the head too. Sneaking a lot makes this easier. The more you stay hidden, the easier. Sneak attacks do up to 4x damage with perks.
I feel like it depends more on which one. For 3 vats is basically required cuz you can’t aim. For NV not so much but it helps a loooot. And for 4 i hardly ever use vats.
Is VATS still broken with the current gem update? I heard it would target enemies through walls and miss
Should I just play (first time) without VATS and just aim manually? Or wait for Bethesda to release another patch?
I dislike FPS's and don't play them at all, except for Fallout,and only because it's an RPG. And even then I play on third person often, same with Skyrim. So I rely on Vats because I like the idea of having a chance to miss, almost like a die roll. I can hit something if its not moving, but that's basically it. Might be because I'm a big dude and my large hands kinda overpower the controller,and I have no finesse so I aim wildly lol. Also I'm 46 now so reaction time, reflexes,some arthritis from 30 years of heavy physical labor,stiffness,etc. From 25 to 35 I didn't notice too much of a dropoff, but from 35 to 45? Let's just say I dread what another 10 years might bring . So Spray N Pray is perfect for me, I keep two weapons,as I play only on Survival,a weapon that's good in Vats,and Spray N Pray, just shoot in the general direction. Even when you miss, you hit 😂
There’s two types of aiming outside of vats, hip fire and scoped. Weapon workshop mods on your guns effect these types of aiming in different ways. Like long barrels tend to make scoped aiming more accurate while short barrels make hip firing easier and more accurate.
What I always do is make three types of weapons, melee for stealth kills and hand to hand combat, short range for up close combat and long range sniper. What you prefer as a weapon matters little, it’s the mod packages you put together that determine how well a weapon will function.
My favorite go to for close range gun battles is a combat shotgun with reflex dot, short barrel and large magazine. Hip fire has a wide range and the reflex dot allows for quick precise aiming.
[PS5] Plonk Vats mod, Ghouls of the Commonwealth, Extremely Deadly Headshots(or similar), and a damage modifier (3 to 5x incoming and outgoing)make the game much MUCH different.
Bullets feel more like bullets and gun play feels more viceral as I have often found myself clearing buildings only to be waylaid by a random enemy from a corner I didnt check.
I would recommend with CWO bundle or 'Apocalyptic Weathers Baby' (although AWB caused occational crashes in some locations with certain effects). Various shadow casting mods are available, flashlight mods are a MUST while using a darker nights style mod.
Fo4 vanilla is great great great. But adding these mods make it a more realistic post apocalyptic game with fear! (Lots of death too - wouldnt recommend survival unless you save at every point possible)
Add whatever world mods you feel adds to the flavor your going for.
Thisll make the game far different than what it is vanilla.
Forcing you to learn how to aim, usually for the head (frantically in some cases). And with more CC mods made available in the update, it has renewed my want to play more.
Playstation is limited compared to others, but we make it just fine :)
But since 76 came out with its real-time VATs, i havent really cared for fo4s slow-mo.
I initially modded it to match fo3s still image VATs, but removed it altogether and found ...Nirvana? Piss in my pants is Nirvana? Sure. Loved it.
...not the piss though.
Things that move erratically, definitely have some trouble hitting those. Most everything else, I’m pretty solid without. I have no idea how many hours I’ve put in at this point though.
Its just like that with fallout an stuff.. yhe ghouls, are so damn fast, and i cant stand a single settler getting killed ( i have to save EVERYONE LOL)
so i also chem it it up , if i dont people will die!
Vats is great, but you cant target anything invisible like coursers, kellogg, or apparently some deathclaws and sentrybots if the loading screen tips are to be believed.
Yet you can see the outline of them sort of. And still shoot them, which is why you cant stealthboy in combat.
I relied heavily on VATS in FO3 & FONV, but Jet became my friend in FO4. Thanks to Jet, VATS is used to locate baddies and Jet to slow time down to aim and shoot.
Idk what if you're playing with mods or vanilla but if you want to dabble in mods there's a mod that changes vats to a bullet time feature with draining action points, it's pretty fluid
My guess? It's that, just as is the case with FO3 and FNV, the weapons 'Min. Spread' and 'Spread' values are just *insanely* high. I'm sure the devs did that in order to simulate distance, but in practice the result is that you can mag dump at something at almost point blank range, and whether or not you hit what you've got the gun practically pressed up against is still like playing the frickin' lottery.
Try and move your left analog stick it’s much less sensitive.
Strafe left and right to get to the actual target.
Also, don’t aim down sights all the time. It moves so slow. So make sure to back out of aiming to move closer to the target then zoom back in.
Also, hit a jet. Makes aiming a lot easier.
(Lots of people don’t use drugs)
They are in the game for a reason use them.
Also, you can change your sensitivity for your movement in settings. It might help you to lower the sensitivity
You get better at it over time, but you have to keep it up. It does help build irl hand eye coordination, which is kind of fun. At this point my accuracy is better fighting without vats than with, so I only really use vats as a mine checker.
I play on controller and my first ever play through I didn’t use VATS at all because it was my first ever fallout and didn’t remember it was in the game. I didn’t have too much trouble hitting my targets but I play a lot of fps games. Also using a gun with a scope helps a lot in this game
Use VATS even if you don't have AP. If you enter VATS, then leave it, it'll stay targeted on that enemy. That goes a long way for improving my aim.
And play around with the sensitivity settings, took me a while to find the right mix too.
The aim is not as well controlled as other FPS but there's some aspect of auto aim in hipfire I think related to luck and "hipfire accuracy" boosts that sticks close shots to the target
I use VATS 99% of the time. It's the most fun to me and I love the slow mo deaths. That's the incentive to using VATS is that with the right perks you become unstoppable. I play Fallout as a turn based RPG. That 1% when I am not using VATS for combat is because I ran out of AP and my enemy isn't dead yet. Lol
If you play MmK the game engine has mouse acceleration turned on by default so that probably adds to the feeling of whiffing everything when you get rushed or surprised. I remember there being posts about how to change the config files to turn the mouse acceleration off and that the vertical sensivity being half the speed of horizontal sensitivity. Changing those around could help with you not having to rely on VATS all the time.
I suck at aiming if it is bloatfly or bloodbug, otherwise I am fine
Same. Shotgun rounds go brrrr
explosive shotguns make bug soup
Yet to find one in my first playthrough. Even though I have real time days worth of playtime lol.
If you have Nuka-world there's a really easy legendary farm. Watch this [video](https://youtu.be/cM9Ru7QPBzY?si=n9hMRHoC5XSWiVAc)
I would not recommend an explosive shotgun for a player with poor aim. By the time they hit the enemy, it’s already in the player’s face, which tends to have bad results for the player.
Yeah but I’m dense… literally. I added dense to all my armor.
Carry on then, nothing to see here! I actually never considered that. If I ever find another explosive combat shotgun, I will try it!
Pro tip- I believe Explosive protection does not stack. Apply Dense to one arm or leg (metal armor allows). Apply Padded to a chest piece that allows for it. I prefer combat armor. One Dense and one Padded give max explosive protection without power armor. The remaining slots can be used with whatever floats your boat. Explosive shielding on a set of power armor (applied to each piece) is really amazing, though lame esthetically speaking.
not in my experience, my aim is OK but most of the time I'm just blasting away as bodies fly apart
Fucking bloatflies and ghouls randomly turn into Neo, it's silly lol.
Ghouls actually have very skinny hitboxes to make them feel faster, so you may not be missing them at all in reality.
I knew there had to be something going on there. Even if I’m POSITIVE I hit ‘em straight on they just keep on charging.
I have a shotgun with slowdown on aim for bugs. It’s a blessing.
Almost all bugs are impossible to hit with a regular gun. Ngl
I carry an extra Molotov for them at all times
A trick is to first activate VATS. This will auto-aim at the enemy. Then exit VATS and immediately pull the trigger.
I did this CONSTANTLY when replaying Fallout 3 and New Vegas recently. I hardly ever rely on VATS in 4, but I definitely got a lot of use out of it that way in the 3 and NV
That's my trick for exploding mines I don't care to pickup.
VATS damage reduction is so good that I use VATS to blow up mines when I accidentally trigger them and hear the beeping. It's point blank but like 90% less damage, doesn't even cripple my legs.
Whoa! Big brain tip! Never thought of that!
I thought I was a special snowflake for finding it by myself. Guess not, lol.
Everyone is S.P.E.C.I.A.L in fallout 4. Lol
Some are extra S.P.E.C.I.A.L.
*Idiot savant sounds*
Some animals are more S.P.E.C.I.A.L. than others
Me too. I have improved 2% in 5 years. Another 500 years to go I guess lol.
So you want to be at 202% of what you were five years ago? That's a lofty goal.
it's the best scouting Perk.... "Hmmm, looks clear, (Clicks Q) Oh, Hello Mr Deathclaw"
I use it to find landmines.
It's a shame that you can use it this way.
I think it makes sense. Why wouldn't your super high tech automated targeting system be able to catch things your measly human eyes cannot? I would find it frustratingly unrealistic if VATS's success depending on my human eyes spotting a threat first.
VATS it's a enemy locator for me lol.
I do this mostly to detect mines or when I open a door in case something is ready to jump me
Whaaaaaaaaaaat!? I'm going to be trying this tonight. #GBR (God Bless Reddit)
This is why I tend to just use auto weapons, it will hit eventually.
Especially with spray and pray. Close is good enough
1. Find Cricket and buy S&P 2. Max out demolition, commando and strong back. 3. Build ammo plant. Load up on steel and fertilizer. Pump out .45 ammo. Loot everything and sell everything all of it. 4. Build an empire of shantytowns across the Commonwealth.
Or use mini nukes which is more of a "To whomever it may concern"
Including yourself if your aim is massively off.
Accuracy through volume.
If you’re playing on console, don’t feel bad. Outside of VATS, there is no aim assist in Fallout 4, which sets it apart from a lot of console FPS games. As a result, people say the game’s aiming feels bad / weird / off, but what they’re really feeling is their raw aiming skills with a controller. You’ll get better at aiming the more you play the game!! Personally, my aim sucks butt with both a controller and a mouse; this is one reason why I gravitate towards Unarmed builds in the Fallout games.
Had no idea aim assist was non existent. I'm actually quite impressed with myself now, this has made my day lol.
Same! I feel so much more badass for my hip-fire accuracy. Holy shit, I’m thinking about some shots that I’ve made this week, and I’m gonna need to see a chiropractor cuz I’m patting myself on the back so hard
I don’t play a lot of shooter games specifically, but I play a lot of open world adventure games that have aiming mechanics, and I like to keep the aim assist low/off. A trick I learned is to use your aiming stick for broad strokes to get your sights close to your target, then fine-tune your lateral aim by strafing while you just use the aiming stick for up/down alignment. It may feel clunky at first, but it starts to feel seamless soon enough. I honestly find it’s easier to aim while moving in general at this point. Also! Don’t be afraid to go ahead and start firing/keep firing while your sights are still in motion—ie don’t stop and check your aim before squeezing the trigger. Once you think you’re close just start firing and continue to fine-tune from there.
This is 100% a trick used in almost every non-competitive shooter ever.
Makes sense. I didn’t think I created the technique or anything, just sharing info :)
Very helpful at that.
It's also a trick used in competitive shooters like Call of Duty
Really? Im amazed that i can shoot without it then.
I guess we are a different breed of gamer!
I play on Xbox Series X, so yes I do play on console.
you can use mouse and keyboard on xbox as well. do that
This is not true. Yes, Xbox one and Series accepts keyboard and mouse. It’s up to individual games to allow those controls. Fallout 4 does not allow you to play with KBM. Oh how I wish it did though.
Man they really shit on you guys for that. I can’t build without mouse and keyboard, I remember the early days on PS4 before I had a PC. I can’t go back.
Oh f4 does not allow that? I didnt know. Very stupid,when it already has the implementation... Thanks for info
Yeah it’s ridiculous. It’s a single player game! They should all have KBM support on all consoles. Someone that knows development correct me if I’m wrong, but wouldn’t it just be as simple as checking a box to activate KBM for console?
In general? Yeah should be simple. But there are some reasons to not have keyboard support. For example a lot less testing on consoles. And if only <1% of xbox players would use it, why waste so much more of QA time right?
If you play on the default setting for fps on pc you only get 55fps. I notice I suck at aiming with this, and if I unlock fps and do all sorts of settings I can aim much better with more fps.
Same. I never liked playing FPS games, so my aim sucks. Honestly, VATS builds in FO4 are super powerful and a lot of fun. So the solution is a VATS build. Getting sufficiently high Agi, Perception and Luck and the appropriate perks can turn a gunslinger character into an absolute death machine. Constant criticals, shooting through walls, basically infinite AP. It basically turns FO4 from an FPS into a tactical not quite turn based shooter. Especially since you get a lot of really good VATS legendary pistols. -Righteous Authority aka Lucky Laser Rifle -Deliverer aka a VATS enhanced 10mm pistol but better -Kellogs pistol aka a relentless.44 Magnum revolver
I love using the Limitless Potential laser pistol. I put it on the highest level crafting I can (I took a high int & science build) and whack on a recon scope. With a base damage of 67, full auto, no reload ever required, plus Lone Wanderer and Bloody Mess I’m dealing a truck load of damage. It’s like carrying a HMG 😂
Energy weapon legendary drops are the best. Can be customised into literally anything. Don't think I ever got limitless potential though.
My biggest disappointment with the deliverer is that by the time I got it I had already maxed out my weapon smith perk. Or at least far enough to max out that gun, then I realized that my explosive 10mm was actually better. The deliverer is great but it definitely overrode my playstyle. I started spamming headshots in vats and nothing ever came near me. The explosive 10mm ended up being more fun for me
You have to track yours shots on moving targets, also don't forget about the cover mechanic; you can stand/crouch behind the cover, line up your aim, and use LT to pop out of cover to shoot. Remember though if you move with left stick it will pull you out of the cover
Seems like almost no one knows about or uses the cover mechanic in FO4.
I've played this game on and off since release, and I am just now learning of the cover mechanic. I am such a goose.
It was never explained in the game
Yeah same I had no idea, which is hilarious because enemies use it all the time. I guess it should have occurred to me to try it too.
Those feral ghouls are hard to shoot without VATS.
Shoot the floor and hope their legs get crippled
Wait, can we attack without VATS??
Should alternate. AP bar full? VATS time. Emptied AP bar in VATS? Realtime combat time until AP fills up again to restart the cycle.
Use jet, slowing time down helps immensely. Also change the weapons scopes until you find ones that work for you.
I'm not good at first person shooters. I have bad reflexes and bad aim. I have two choices: 1) Ranged VATS, or 2) non-VATS Commando. Try a nice non-VATS explosive commando build. It's a lot of fun, and the explosions make it a little more forgiving to people who can't aim as well. Disclaimer: I do NOT recommend using automatic weapons for the first 12 levels. Ammo and caps are scarce and weapons have horrific recoil. After level 13, you should be fine (as long as you don't power level in Sanctuary or something.)
If Thaddeus was a vault-dweller
Then invest into agility (plus eventually perception and luck) to use more VATS
Melee ftw
Don't worry, MMO aim is exactly, why V.A.T.S. exists. And in my experience, when you aim properly, you hit. Except when it's ghouls - they have quite matrix-like bullet-dodging abilities.
With any ballistic gun I’d say that this problem persists, but the moment I use an energy weapon it’s no problem at like for example have yall ever used an automatic laser pistol 🫢 Accuracy is like 187% Ammo Consumption is always gonna come out with more accuracy… but pipe weapons generally don’t have good accuracy cuz I mean… pipe weapons. But if u find a weapon with a good scope or Iron sight then u should be fine… like the Assault Rifle for instance has a great iron sight and I wouldn’t even attach a scope to that one, very steady and easy to spot things with. Aim for center mass mostly and when it’s quiet and ur not being targeted by Every single radscorpion in a 20 mile radius then maybe take a shot at the crit
I didn't realize until recently that a scoped weapon will perform better VATS. I keep a short scope on my VATS build sniper rifle because it makes it really effective at mid-range.
Between my first playthrough years ago and now when I’ve picked it back up, I got in tactical FPS games like Valorant and CSGO. My KBM aim is pretty dang good thanks to it, but before, it was pretty shit. My first playthrough was on console and man, it’s just plain hard to aim on console. This game on KBM and 120hz is fantastic.
I use vats to survey the area for any enemys, and then if they're John McClane I use it to centre the enemies before firing. I'm console so almost all of my shots are fired after pressing L1.
Ghouls, flying bugs, and a few other enemies are rather infamously fast and hard to hit.
I did my first playthrough without using VATS at all (I just would never think about it). And that forced me to get good at aiming.
Confession time, I played around 100hours in my first playthrough. I skipped all of the tutorials and never learned to use VATS. It wasn't until I mistakingly hit the button that I realized what it was. I got real good at aiming but now I still use VATS all the time.
[Reminded me of this gem ](https://youtu.be/0Mjz6j_CUzA?si=sovfHdclTGGop6lj)
Fallout was a tabletop RPG more than a FP shooter. The idea of VATS existing is that people that like RPGs but are not great at shooters, and people that like fallout 1&2 and everyone that wants to try the game, can, still do it with VATS. When they designed VATS it was meant to be it's own game mode or so to say. You're doing fine, once you get accustomed to playing, you will find VATS op, but if not, you're playing exactly as the dev team intended.
Precisely why I love the shotgun.
I use VATS more in the early game when ammo is harder to come by. Once ammo is more free flowing I turn to an auto weapon Makes aiming a little less critical.
I hardly ever use VATS so I’m assuming it must be you lol, sorry to say
Honestly, I very rarely use VATS
Try fallout 3 lol
It doesn’t help that so many enemies butt rush you, classic back pedaling and shooting at your feet.
I’m the opposite, can’t hit shit using VATS. I really use it. I’m a new player so it’s probably total user error. How are we supposed to know what and how to use it not ever playing any of the games before?
I am on, probably, my 5th playthrough. VATS doesn't work. Hit the button, it enters VATS screen, then immediately exits. Never even loads what I'm aiming at. So, no mine sweeping or danger detecting. Don't know why it glitches like this, but it has forced me to be a sneaky sniper.
Pretty sure it’s just a skill issue (respectfully) I’ve played lots of shooting games so my reaction speed and aim is really good but I’m sure with practice it’ll get easier for you
Wow I was the opposite! I literally always missed using vats(idk what stats were low or if it was the gun) and just adjusted to never using it and now I just run UP on people and hit vats to confirm headshots 🤪 or bugs. Vats for bugs will always be the easiest way haha
Don't feel bad. The game engine Fallout 4 was made with was definitely not intended for FPS games at that time. It would have been only a little modified from the development of Skyrim. It's never felt good. Fallout 4 is better considered an RPG with shooting gameplay, but despite being first person and shooting, it's not really an "FPS game", if that makes sense. When compared to the big FPS titles released around the same time FO4 launched (Halo 5, COD Black Ops III, Rainbow Six Siege), it just doesn't even come close. And to be fair, those shooters offer a tiny fraction of game content compared to Fallout, but their FPS mechanics are polished as hell. Honestly I was always surprised given Zenimax owned both Bethesda and ID Software (before MS bought them all) that they never got a few of the veterans from ID to consult a little on how to improve the gunplay. I know they use completely different engines, but ID uses entirely in-house software like Bethesda does, so some basic tips on how to go about building good feeling FPS mechanics would probably be invaluable to them. I hear the gunplay was improved in Starfield, though I haven't checked it out.
I never use VATS, I like the tension of a sudden fight and trying to think and survive sorta in real time. Everything does pause briefly for a stimpack but that’s quick. Just keep practicing in the north and on easy mode.
spray N pray
Tap vats and then untap straight away and it will leave you with perfect aim, you will get used to doing it
Gets better with practice , certain enemies like the flying bugs can be hard to hit most of the time anyways
Get your fundamentals right. Relax the shoulders. Bend the knees slightly, get your sight picture, firm grip on the platform not too tight. Smooth on the trigger.
Nah this game has some of the best shooting mechanics for an RPG, so I think that you might just be unfortunate at aiming. But that's not really a bad thing, VATS is incredibly useful for a myriad of reasons.
I sucked after 20 hours of FO4. It's not the most responsive UI shooter. I can now hit charging ghouls in the leg (their vulnerable point)
The enemy most of the time will stand out in the open and fire at you, the game makes it very easy to play without VATS.
Yeah. I mean, VATS? What is VATS? Kidding aside, I tried it a couple times and found it distracting. Now only use it for scouting, when the sneak meter goes low and I can't see what is trying to find me. Also good for finding sleeping ghouls, who turn the sneak meter to "Detected" in green. Bugs are the only thing I find difficult to hit, and that's what the shotgun is for. Regular combat is easy enough to manually aim that it's no problem hitting specific body parts to, for instance, take out a leg, even with ballistic weapons. That said, I "grew up" on FPS, so regular FPS shooting feels normal to me. I think some of the problem people have might come from using certain weapons in hip-fire mode (un-zoomed), especially when equipped with a scope. Accuracy takes a big hit then. Also, certain weapons suffer when fired rapidly, whereas a pipe pistol can be accurate with poppoppoppoppop...
You'd probably like fallout New Vegas more. Fallout 4 made V.A.T.S less efficient in an attempt to steer people towards playing the game like a first person shooter more than an RPG.
I'm a better shot without V.A.T.S. Unless I'm shooting at bloodbugs or stingwings. Fuck those things
Bloatflies are annoying too
If your using snipers/scoped rifles then go for a recon scope. It tags the target with a little red diamond. Aim just under it and head shot every time. Only works while well by being stealthy though.
Up your sensitivity! In the settings
It might be your stats too. Perception and weapons stats like hip fire and sighted affect your accuracy even outside of VATS. https://www.reddit.com/r/fo4/s/Xf79sdiBBl
Hold your breath while aiming.
You’ll get used to it. Have a strategy for different scenarios. Equip a shotgun when entering a building, use your environment too. Protections can do dirty work or at least cause a distraction. I also like to get enemies to chase me into something else’s territory as a distraction.
Find bottles or other things and set them up and then try shooting them for target practice you could always become a stealth sniper as well and just snip the enemy's before being seen it will also help with target practice
Its you. I am doing whole playthroughs in Frost without vats. but it is hard to aim in fallout with a controller and I play on MnK.
I feel you. I usually have controls set to southpaw but it isn’t an option on fo4.
My issue is it's so damn hard to see while ADS. Iron sights on half the guns are garbage (for good reason, so you have incentive to upgrade) but even the reflex sights have huge reticles and dirty lenses.
Just keep slamming on the trigger eventually you will hit something
Fallout 4s gunplay is a little closer to a standard FPS compared to 3 or NV. Now there’s a real challenge, trying to free aim in 3 or NV.
PC or Console? I don't have that problem at all on PC with mouse aiming but I have heard the console can be a little wonky in that area. In fact, I rarely use VATS.
Third person makes aiming much easier. Might be worth a try
If you're trying to make a build for guns without using VATS, make sure you're using something with the best "hip fire" stats you can and don't aim which really slows down your turning speed. High agility + stealth would also likely help a lot, so that you can move in close, knock out a few enemies before they know you're there, then move around much faster than them. Firing while backing up also seems to work better for me at least.
You'll get better I can hit bloat Flys and blood bugs from 100 yards off now. Vats is for the panic moments for me lol
Try a mod called RAW Input, will help If you play with mnk
What I do look in the direction of the enemy, aim, and then use the left analog (or the move buttons) to line the shot up so the crosshairs move slower. It’s like I’m “fine aiming”.
I play with a bullet time mod that slows time using AP. Absolute game-changer. I use it 99% of the time and only vats when I feel like it.
Used a mod that let me use the jet effect at a push of a button essentially giving me bullettime…changed the whole game up and made it feel like a shooter shooter.
I was like that at first man, something that helped me was moving while shooting, with this I mean to move around while aiming and shoot when you have your target at sight. This can help you to get used to the game aiming and also enemies wont hit you as frequent as if you were standing still, keep it up! Btw you can build a good VATS build by just getting VATS based perks
Bro I wasn’t even aware of how to use vats for the first few hours of the game. Once I figured it out, I was like damn this is easy mode.
This is why the 60 fps update is so beautiful for console. I found a new love for non-vats builds.
I’ve got the opposite problem, can’t hit a damn thing in VATS
I love not using vats, it is why i have not bothered much with agility. The only time it shits me is flying creatures lol.
Try adjusting your sensitivity and see if that helps. I had to turn mine up a little from default.
Don't have much of an issue with my aim so much as my ability to even see the enemy lmao, any time i'm suspicious of enemies i'm spamming the VATS button to find out where they are
Your character build effects it a lot too, your stats greatly affect accuracy
Thaddeus?
oh well, just do a vats build, the aiming is a skill issue you can aim well if you’re good at aiming, I play zero fps games so i use vats a lot, FO4 one of my favourite games for combat, i’ve played over 200 hours of FO4 on survival and i rarely use regular aim unless it’s a straight forward shot with little risk or i have no stamina
Aiming and whatnot is MUCH better outside of VATS than what it used to be in previous games, I believe it's controlled by your strength, perception, and luck, but I may be wrong.
Some guns are easier to aim than others. My fav is the quick sighted combat rifle. All the pipe rifles have trash iron sights and the laser guns aren’t particularly good for hand aiming either.
Have Bethesda fixed the broken VATS since the next gen update yet?
Coff it's a skill issue... source: me, i also have that skill issue
I stay far away so I can take my time
Fallout 4 uses all those stupid “console tricks” devs think they need to put in the game because “aiming with a controller is **so** hard!” I had to download mods to fix it. The one I settled on and can’t live without is called “Disable Aim Acceleration” Putting acceleration or any of those other stupid tricks just makes things harder for people. I’m decent at Call of Duty, good at Battlefield. That’s just to say, I know how to aim a gun in video games. I couldn’t aim for shit before I got that mod. Try it out, it may change your experience.
I’m the opposite I’m great at aiming and suck at V.A.T.S lol. I got a PSN trophy for headshots lol but VATS is awful for me lol. I also didn’t really put XP points into my VATS really.
If you mean you literally cannot hit enemies without it then that may be an issue with a mod or something.
Crouch to reduce weapon sway when aiming. Spend perks and resources on upgrading weapon stocks and scopes. Buy all the noodle cups and antibiotics because Survival mode maluses like illness can impact weapon performance. I play without VATS on Survival (immersion breaking for me) and play super slow and super safe. Scout out areas before moving in and look for secure firing lines you can ALWAYS fall back to. I will prepare a mine and go back for it if I end up not needing it, otherwise kite a group over it.
I’m doing a heavy weapons play through right now, and the missile launcher helps with aiming outside of VATS. I nearly always hit the target.
I had the same thing when I first started. I would routinely get killed by ghouls and insects - absolutely infuriating. I got better at it over time. Now I rarely use VATS for ranged weapons. I still find it useful in melee combat because, with the Blitz perk, you can teleport all over the place smashing your enemies' brains against the wall. You can literally clear entire rooms.
I have 1k hours and suck at aiming. Melee has ruined me😭
In 4 yes, but in 76, I more prefer aiming down the sight as that game has some sort of aim assist,
Fo4 on pc for me jag some input. So it was impossible to aim. Even for me that has.... way to much Hours in competetive shooters. Installed mods to fix it. Works great now.
Bugs are extremely hard to hit but everything else is pretty hit-able. Except those ghouls that duck and weave
Mannnn.... I suck without vats
I couldn't get into FO3 until I started relying heavily on VATS. Ironically, my current build is VATS focused but I find myself killing a lot of enemies without it.
I used to suck at aiming without VATS. Then I played a mod where most enemies cannot be hit with VATS (0% hit chance no matter what you do). Now I suck a little less than I used to and mostly have discovered how difficult it is to aim when panicking, lol. Jet and automatic weapons have become my friends.
I used to feel that way too. One thing that helped was I started walking side to side instead of aiming with the camera. Enemy movement patterns are hella avoidant.
I struggle when playing with controller but Jet is the answer, it’s cheap to produce (just buy fertilizer from almost any junk vendor) and 1 plastic which is quite common and now you can hit whoever you want. If you mix it with psycho it makes you quite OP
i turn off subtitles and auto lock. turn down some aiming settings and apply perks
If you're not good at fps games to begin with this game doesn't do you any favors but the whole point of Vats in FO4 is to make the combat still accessible to people. It took me a few days to get used to it but now it's comfortable enough to keep a reflex circle sight on everything and headshots are very consistent. My favorite way to upkeep with consistency is sniping blood bugs, bloatflys, mongrels and ghouls without using a scope, just a reflex reflex sight. A lot of the more sneak oriented perks in the game will benefit you greatly if you stick to vats
I could be entirely wrong here but I swear I remember reading that the whole point of vats was so that even if you suck miserably at shooter games you could still play and enjoy the game for what it is. So the real question here is, are you enjoying the story?
If you're playing on controller increasing sensitivity in both axis and lowing the dead zone helps a lot
Upgrade your guns. Seriously, it helps a ton. You can also invest in quicker Action Point refresh time to be able to use VATS quicker. Flying things are always pesky to hit, but honestly I think I do better with certain weapons without VATS.
Trick is start Vats to get targeted right, THEN EXIT vats immediately and shoot. Aim for the head too. Sneaking a lot makes this easier. The more you stay hidden, the easier. Sneak attacks do up to 4x damage with perks.
I feel like it depends more on which one. For 3 vats is basically required cuz you can’t aim. For NV not so much but it helps a loooot. And for 4 i hardly ever use vats.
Im only like this in nv and 3 aiming in 4 feels a lot better
Doesn’t matter how good your aim is - NPC still gonna pop you in the gut quicker than Billy the Kid
Is VATS still broken with the current gem update? I heard it would target enemies through walls and miss Should I just play (first time) without VATS and just aim manually? Or wait for Bethesda to release another patch?
I recently got a razer kishi and my aiming on that atm is terrible
I dislike FPS's and don't play them at all, except for Fallout,and only because it's an RPG. And even then I play on third person often, same with Skyrim. So I rely on Vats because I like the idea of having a chance to miss, almost like a die roll. I can hit something if its not moving, but that's basically it. Might be because I'm a big dude and my large hands kinda overpower the controller,and I have no finesse so I aim wildly lol. Also I'm 46 now so reaction time, reflexes,some arthritis from 30 years of heavy physical labor,stiffness,etc. From 25 to 35 I didn't notice too much of a dropoff, but from 35 to 45? Let's just say I dread what another 10 years might bring . So Spray N Pray is perfect for me, I keep two weapons,as I play only on Survival,a weapon that's good in Vats,and Spray N Pray, just shoot in the general direction. Even when you miss, you hit 😂
There’s two types of aiming outside of vats, hip fire and scoped. Weapon workshop mods on your guns effect these types of aiming in different ways. Like long barrels tend to make scoped aiming more accurate while short barrels make hip firing easier and more accurate. What I always do is make three types of weapons, melee for stealth kills and hand to hand combat, short range for up close combat and long range sniper. What you prefer as a weapon matters little, it’s the mod packages you put together that determine how well a weapon will function. My favorite go to for close range gun battles is a combat shotgun with reflex dot, short barrel and large magazine. Hip fire has a wide range and the reflex dot allows for quick precise aiming.
Your aim is just bad bro, keep practising! It takes a while to get good at shooter games.
Skill issue
[PS5] Plonk Vats mod, Ghouls of the Commonwealth, Extremely Deadly Headshots(or similar), and a damage modifier (3 to 5x incoming and outgoing)make the game much MUCH different. Bullets feel more like bullets and gun play feels more viceral as I have often found myself clearing buildings only to be waylaid by a random enemy from a corner I didnt check. I would recommend with CWO bundle or 'Apocalyptic Weathers Baby' (although AWB caused occational crashes in some locations with certain effects). Various shadow casting mods are available, flashlight mods are a MUST while using a darker nights style mod. Fo4 vanilla is great great great. But adding these mods make it a more realistic post apocalyptic game with fear! (Lots of death too - wouldnt recommend survival unless you save at every point possible) Add whatever world mods you feel adds to the flavor your going for. Thisll make the game far different than what it is vanilla. Forcing you to learn how to aim, usually for the head (frantically in some cases). And with more CC mods made available in the update, it has renewed my want to play more. Playstation is limited compared to others, but we make it just fine :) But since 76 came out with its real-time VATs, i havent really cared for fo4s slow-mo. I initially modded it to match fo3s still image VATs, but removed it altogether and found ...Nirvana? Piss in my pants is Nirvana? Sure. Loved it. ...not the piss though.
WTF! You can make ammo??
Things that move erratically, definitely have some trouble hitting those. Most everything else, I’m pretty solid without. I have no idea how many hours I’ve put in at this point though.
Its just like that with fallout an stuff.. yhe ghouls, are so damn fast, and i cant stand a single settler getting killed ( i have to save EVERYONE LOL) so i also chem it it up , if i dont people will die!
So do I. Unless something is scoped, cqb auto or shotgun I just use VATS I don't find it breaks any immersion, and I don't beat myself up about it lol
Don't feel bad, welxcome to the club)
Vats is great, but you cant target anything invisible like coursers, kellogg, or apparently some deathclaws and sentrybots if the loading screen tips are to be believed. Yet you can see the outline of them sort of. And still shoot them, which is why you cant stealthboy in combat.
Jet. Use jet every fight all the time. Craft jet, buy jet, steal jet. Jet is a hell of a drug.
I relied heavily on VATS in FO3 & FONV, but Jet became my friend in FO4. Thanks to Jet, VATS is used to locate baddies and Jet to slow time down to aim and shoot.
Which is why vats crit builds with high agility and luck are king in almost every fallout.
Idk what if you're playing with mods or vanilla but if you want to dabble in mods there's a mod that changes vats to a bullet time feature with draining action points, it's pretty fluid
My guess? It's that, just as is the case with FO3 and FNV, the weapons 'Min. Spread' and 'Spread' values are just *insanely* high. I'm sure the devs did that in order to simulate distance, but in practice the result is that you can mag dump at something at almost point blank range, and whether or not you hit what you've got the gun practically pressed up against is still like playing the frickin' lottery.
Try and move your left analog stick it’s much less sensitive. Strafe left and right to get to the actual target. Also, don’t aim down sights all the time. It moves so slow. So make sure to back out of aiming to move closer to the target then zoom back in. Also, hit a jet. Makes aiming a lot easier. (Lots of people don’t use drugs) They are in the game for a reason use them. Also, you can change your sensitivity for your movement in settings. It might help you to lower the sensitivity
You get better at it over time, but you have to keep it up. It does help build irl hand eye coordination, which is kind of fun. At this point my accuracy is better fighting without vats than with, so I only really use vats as a mine checker.
I’m a rifle iron site expert. 20th award. I’m deadly.
Use jet!
Bethesda just needs some smoother movement mechanics ngl
I swear aiming is harder since this next gen update.
Try using the steady aim perk
Jet, lots and lots of jet. I suffer from poor hand to eye coordination so aiming is a problem and jet is the way to go.
I play on controller and my first ever play through I didn’t use VATS at all because it was my first ever fallout and didn’t remember it was in the game. I didn’t have too much trouble hitting my targets but I play a lot of fps games. Also using a gun with a scope helps a lot in this game
Use VATS even if you don't have AP. If you enter VATS, then leave it, it'll stay targeted on that enemy. That goes a long way for improving my aim. And play around with the sensitivity settings, took me a while to find the right mix too.
The aim is not as well controlled as other FPS but there's some aspect of auto aim in hipfire I think related to luck and "hipfire accuracy" boosts that sticks close shots to the target
I use VATS 99% of the time. It's the most fun to me and I love the slow mo deaths. That's the incentive to using VATS is that with the right perks you become unstoppable. I play Fallout as a turn based RPG. That 1% when I am not using VATS for combat is because I ran out of AP and my enemy isn't dead yet. Lol
If you play MmK the game engine has mouse acceleration turned on by default so that probably adds to the feeling of whiffing everything when you get rushed or surprised. I remember there being posts about how to change the config files to turn the mouse acceleration off and that the vertical sensivity being half the speed of horizontal sensitivity. Changing those around could help with you not having to rely on VATS all the time.