While Fallout 76 has gotten off to a rough start, Bethesda continues to implement bug fixes and patch updates to get the game into a more playable state. The game’s latest patch update, Wild Appalachia Patch 8.5, intends to address growing pains, adds the controversial repair kits, introduces a new photo mode, and more. Here’s a rundown on the highlights and the full patch notes.
The update is out now on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. On consoles, it’s approximately 2GB in size, while the PC version is a little under 1GB. The headlining feature is the addition of repair kits. These single-use items, which restore an item to 100% (Basic) or 150% (Improved) condition, have been added to the Atomic Shop and can be purchased using Atoms unlocked with either microtransactions or by completing in-game challenges.
In response to criticism, Bethesda has explained why these new items have made their way into Fallout 76. “While Repair Kits do offer a way to fix an item in the field, we feel you will find that they are a convenient option you can utilize during your adventures,” the patch update reads. “If we find that Repair Kits do offer any sort of competitive advantage once they are available, we will make any changes necessary to ensure that advantage is removed.”
Alongside that, the patch adds a new photo mode (along with accompanying challenges) and includes numerous bug fixes to C.A.M.P., items, quests, and more. Issues like infinite loading screens and incorrect Survival scoreboards have also been addressed. Additionally, balance tweaks have been made to what you receive when scrapping certain items, including aluminum oil cans, aluminum trays, and empty cans.
You can read the full patch notes below.
Fallout 76 Update 8.5 Patch Notes
NEW FEATURE – PROSNAP DELUXE CAMERA
- The ProSnap Deluxe is a functional in-game camera you can use to fill your Photomode Gallery with snapshots of your adventures.
- The ProSnap Deluxe can be equipped and favorited like a weapon.
- Use the “Aim” button to look through the Camera’s lens, and then press the “Attack” button to snap a photo.
- You can use a Tinker’s Workbench to build a ProSnap Deluxe and apply mods, like lenses.
- The Camera uses Film to take photos, and you can use the Tinker’s Workbench to craft additional Film.
- When you take aim with the ProSnap Deluxe, it will also display the names of nearby locations and creatures it recognizes in the viewfinder.
- Learn to craft a ProSnap Deluxe Camera by finding a broken one on the corpse of a tourist who met their end in the Wasteland.
- Once you’ve acquired a Camera, you’ll begin the new “Bucket List” quest, which allows you to finish the tourist’s photography collection, if you so desire.
- Many new Camera-related Challenges have been added to Fallout 76 that you can complete using your ProSnap Deluxe.
General
NEW CONSUMABLE UTILITY ITEM – REPAIR KITS
Repair Kits are new, single-use consumable items that immediately restore the Condition of an item in your inventory. They come in two forms: Basic Repair Kits and Improved Repair Kits.
BASIC REPAIR KITS
- Each Basic Repair Kit you own can be used to restore one item in your inventory or Stash to 100% Condition.
- Basic Repair Kits do not consume any of your crafting materials when repairing an item.
- Additionally, they cannot be crafted, dropped, sold to vendors, or traded with other players.
- After acquiring a Repair Kit, use it by opening your Pip-Boy, finding an item that you’d like to repair, selecting the “Inspect/Repair” option, and then choosing “Repair Kit”
- The number of Repair Kits you own will be displayed to you on the “Repair Kit” button in the “Inspect/Repair” menu.
- Basic Repair Kits are unlockable in the Atomic Shop using Atoms you’ve purchased or those you’ve earned by completing in-game challenges.
- Please note: If you purchase Basic Repair Kits by entering the Atomic Shop from the game’s Main Menu, they will be added to your most recently played Character’s inventory. Prior to purchasing Repair Kits, please ensure you’ve logged into a world with the character that you’d like to receive them.
IMPROVED REPAIR KITS
- Each Improved Repair Kit you own can be used to buff one of the items in your inventory or Stash to 150% Condition.
- Like Basic Repair Kits, Improved Kits cannot be dropped, crafted, traded, or sold, and do not use any of your crafting materials when consumed.
- Improved Repair Kits are not available in the Atomic Shop. They are rare items you can earn by completing in-game content.
- They are currently dropped as loot by the Scorchbeast Queen and may be added as rewards for other types of in-game content in the future.
- If you own both Basic and Improved Kits, you will be prompted to select which type you’d like to use when repairing an item.
Design and Balance
- Junk: Aluminum Oil Cans now each grant 1 Aluminum when scrapped, rather than 1 Steel, and the can’s base value has been increased from 9 to 13 Caps.
- Junk: Aluminum Trays and Empty Cans now each grant 2 Aluminum when scrapped, rather than 2 Steel, and their base values have each been increased from 1 to 10 Caps.
Sound
- News Screen: Sound effects have been added and will play when interacting with the News Screen.
Bug Fixes
C.A.M.P., CRAFTING, AND WORKSHOPS
- Blueprints: Attempting to add an object that was built on top of another object to a Blueprint, such as a chair on a foundation, no longer sometimes prevents the Blueprint from including those objects.
- Bulb Lettering: The letter “W” now correctly lights up when powered and activated.
- Wall Décor: The Nuke Mobile is now correctly located in the Wall Décor build menu rather than Lights.
CHALLENGES
- General: A number of Challenges and Subchallenges have received updated descriptions to improve clarity.
- Rad Storm Challenges: Nuke zones now count toward Rad Storm-related Challenges, such as the “Kill a Glowing Creature in a Rad Storm” Daily Challenge.
ITEMS
- Apparel: All Fasnacht masks are now immune to Condition damage.
- Headwear: The Baaad News Billy mask is now correctly located in the Headwear crafting menu rather than Outfits.
- Mods: Found Mods can now be correctly applied to Power Armor and weapons.
- Weapons: The Salvaged Assaultron Head’s crafting requirements now correctly include the Science Expert Perk rather than the Gunsmith Perk.
PERFORMANCE AND STABILITY
- Loading: Fixed an issue that could cause players to encounter an infinite loading screen.
- Performance: Implemented an improvement to reduce hitching while running the game client.
- Stability: Fixed an issue that could cause the PC game client to crash after exiting to the desktop from the Main Menu.
- Stability: Addressed an issue that could cause the game client to crash when entering the Atom purchase screen from the Atomic Shop.
QUESTS AND EVENTS
- Encryptid: Individual Pylons during the Encryptid Event will only register one interaction at a time and only count as one of the three required Pylons.
USER INTERFACE
- Photomode: Players who have unlocked the Looking to the Future Pose can once again select and use it in Photomode.
- Pip-Boy: Item stats now correctly remain visible when inspecting an item in the Pip-Boy.
- Power Armor: The Bone Raider Excavator paint preview image no longer incorrectly appears when inspecting unpainted Excavator Power Armor.
- Repair: Item stats now remain visible after entering and exiting the Inspect/Repair menu.
- Scoreboards: Survival Beta Scoreboard icons on the Map now correctly update to reflect new rankings after a player disconnects from a world.
- Scoreboards: The first score type listed on the Survival Beta Scoreboard now correctly matches the Top 3 for the week.
- Shop: Addressed an issue that could cause controls to become unresponsive upon returning to the Main Menu after exiting the Atom purchase screen.
- Social: The Friends List once again sorts friends based on their current status: Online, Online Different World, Main Menu, Offline, Ignored, and Blocked.
- Workshops: The Corvega Small Water Purifier variant is now correctly marked as a premium item in the Workshop build menu.
