How Fallout 4’s next update changes the game — and how to get it now

Time to consult Tim Gunn because Fallout 4 is giving you more decorating options. Wait, Tim Gunn is the fashion guy, not the interior-design guy. Oh, wait! I was thinking of Tim Allen’s character from Home Improvement. I always mix those guys up.

Bethesda is preparing an update for the publisher’s open-world role-playing game, and you can test it now on Valve’s digital-distribution PC-gaming portal Steam if you’re willing to play something that isn’t finished. In addition to the standard fixes and tweaks, fans can expect to find a pile of new items in the settlement workshop where players design their own towns (insert Tim Allen grunt noise here). Keeping players engaged with this kind of new, free content is a way to ensure that a dedicated audience is ready to fork over some cash when the DLC finally goes on sale. And with 50,000 people simultaneously playing Fallout 4 on PC alone each day, according to Steam, that engagement strategy is working and should extend Bethesda’s average revenue per player.

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The studio will also use this beta as a launching point for its downloadable add-ons, which is due to start rolling out soon.

This patch, which Bethesda is designating “update 1.4,” is still in beta, but the company is promising to deliver it on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 once it is ready.

If you don’t want to wait that long, here’s how you can play it now:

• If you have the PC version, boot up Steam.
• Right-click Fallout 4 from the Library tab.
• Click on Settings.
• Click Betas.
• Choose the Beta Update from the drop down menu.
• Click OK.
• Fallout 4 should start automatically updating.
• You will know this worked once you see “Fallout 4 [beta]” instead of “Fallout 4” in your Steam library.

As for a list of what’s new and different, here’s a list of upcoming features:

• Support for [downloadable content].
• Super Mutant clutter including meat totems, meat bags and meat cart.
• Raider clutter including raider poles, cages and tents.
• Abstract and portrait paintings.
• Variety of new signs.
• More metal and wood doors variants.

And here is a longer list of general fixes — again, directly from Bethesda:

• General stability and performance improvements.
• During “Getting a Clue” quest, Kellogg’s desk will remain a working container.
• During “Rocket’s Red Glare”, resolved issue where companions could not be dismissed after completing the quest.
• Fixed an issue with “Kremvh’s Tooth” quest item not spawning properly.
• Settlements under attack will now display an updated message with the results of the attack if player does not respond.
• Fixed an issue with screen effects not clearing away properly after using a scope.
• Fixed an issue with trying to sprint while in third person with a minigun equipped.
• Rank 4 of Demolition Expert perk now properly increases the area effect of explosives.
• The Scrounger perk now includes additional common ammo types.
• Fixed an issue where Calvin Whitaker would disappear in Vault 81.
• Fixed an issue where Ninja and Sandman perks combined would apply the incorrect damage bonus.
• Fixed an issue where Rank 3 of Grim Reaper’s Sprint did not fill critical meter properly.
• Fixed an issue with key cards not spawning correctly in Vault 75.
• Fixed an issue where enemies would stop spawning during “Airship Down.”
• Being in first person while wearing power armor and quickly switching weapons will no longer cause the Pip-Boy to be stuck.
• Fixed an issue with the autosave counter getting incorrectly reset.
• Fixed issue that would cause the Pip-Boy menu to turn invisible while swimming.
• Fixed an issue where scrapping larger quantities of a single item would inadvertently scrap a legendary item.
• Fixed issue where exiting workbenches would cause third person to stop working properly.
• The Scribe can now be assigned consecutive settlements properly.
• Fixed issue with duplicating scraps shipments.
• Fixed issue with vendors not properly exchanging caps after several consecutive transactions in a row.
• Fixed issue with the quicksave and autosave message persisting through loading screens.
• Fixed an issue where updating to the latest patch would cause Options settings to reset back to default (Xbox One).
• Fixed an issue with loading save with a placed object in water, not properly floating.