Fallout VIII: Another Thread Needs Your Help General

[factotum]

This goes back to what we've said before, though--the entire world of Fallout 4 makes sense for a world that's maybe 10 or 20 years after the nuclear apocalypse. Untouched skeletons, loads of stuff still left to scavenge in major towns, Diamond City being a bunch of tin shacks, maybe even the kid in the fridge, would make sense in a world where so little time had been available for rebuilding. It's Bethesda's insistence on shifting the whole thing 200 years into the future that turns all these things into "Huh?" moments.

[LibraryOgre]

This goes back to what we've said before, though--the entire world of Fallout 4 makes sense for a world that's maybe 10 or 20 years after the nuclear apocalypse. Untouched skeletons, loads of stuff still left to scavenge in major towns, Diamond City being a bunch of tin shacks, maybe even the kid in the fridge, would make sense in a world where so little time had been available for rebuilding. It's Bethesda's insistence on shifting the whole thing 200 years into the future that turns all these things into "Huh?" moments.

In a lot of ways, Fallout makes a WHOLE lot more sense if Fallout 1 was really Fallout 3, and Fallout 2 was Fallout 4... let Fallout 3 open the series, Fallout 4 be 10 years later, and Fallout 1 be the future. Of course, there's all sorts of timeline silliness inherent in that, but, well, there you are...

Fallout 1 was designed so you're just a couple generations out from the Apocalypse... Shady Sands and Junktown are post-apocalyptic towns, in a couple different styles. Fallout 2 isn't too bad from that standpoint. You've got nascent empires, new societies built up from vault survivors, and the fringe of tribals and outland communities (Klamath and The Den). New Vegas even fairly reasonably follows on to Fallout 2.

Fallout 3? Is there a SINGLE new building in the entire wasteland? That isn't a tin shack? Everything is 200 year old buildings filled with rubble.

[Brookshw]

This goes back to what we've said before, though--the entire world of Fallout 4 makes sense for a world that's maybe 10 or 20 years after the nuclear apocalypse. Untouched skeletons, loads of stuff still left to scavenge in major towns, Diamond City being a bunch of tin shacks, maybe even the kid in the fridge, would make sense in a world where so little time had been available for rebuilding. It's Bethesda's insistence on shifting the whole thing 200 years into the future that turns all these things into "Huh?" moments.

Yeah. Scenes a faire is the best explanation I can offer. Ah well, if it bothers someone then it bothers them.

Here's something I've been pondering, how did the Institute get the FEV virus?

FEV was found by the Master in Mariposa military base in the North West and we first encounter it in 2164 when the Fallout 1 is set. Presumably the master is in his early stages of building up as his army hasn't moved out to wipe the wastelands and give everyone the dunk.

Yet somehow in 2178, 14 years later, the Institute begins experimenting w/ FEV. So where did they get it? What connection did they have to the west coast? In the post war world we have a limited number of organizations that have transcended the great divide in the middle of the country, the Enclave, the Brotherhood, and maybe mutants themselves having trecked across it. Alternatively, Mr. House was a CIT graduate, possessed advanced technology, and had a long reach. So, though highly tentative, there's a connection there as well. There's also Vault 87 on the east coast. Then we also the possibility that pre-war there were samples on both coasts (makes sense maybe as we know the Robobrain program took place on both coasts).

The Enclave and Brotherhood are pretty anti-mutant so it seems unlikely either would have given it to them, though possibly for the purpose of trying to find a way to fight the mutants. However the Brotherhood are on the east coast when the Institute began experimenting, and the Enclave was in touch w/ the east coast via eyebots so might have been hard to send FEV samples back and forth (and why would they have?). I can't recall any evidence that the Institute was in touch with the Enclave, and the Brotherhood certainly isn't fans of the Institute so doesn't seem like they would have actively worked with the Institute on FEV.

So what about the east coast version a'la Vault 87? Well, the vault is still plenty populated by Super Mutants in Fallout 3 so doesn't seem like an Institute squad would have gone in and retrieved the virus. Could the Institute have reverse engineered it from a Super Mutant? Possibly I guess but I don't recall something conclusive that suggest it (admittedly I haven't gone through the FEV lab in a while).

CIT may have had a pre-war sample, sure. Makes sense. But why did they wait 100 years to begin experimenting with it? That seems odd given who they are, so it seems more likely they acquired it later.

House could have done it I suppose, he certainly has the ability and maybe wanted to support his almamatter, and has an incentive because mutants are a threat to his attempts to build his own empire in NV. But, again there's no evidence he actually did contact them and we haven't seen any securitrons on the east coast that I can think of so it's questionable at best.

Are there undisclosed sources of FEV out there that they may have acquired it from? Could be, they definitely have an interest in the other major research centers that remained and raid them for technology.

Am I forgetting somethinig in the FEV lab that explained how the Institute got the virus, or was there another explanation given in the game somewhere? If not, anyone have a theory?

[Triaxx]

I assumed CIT was the ones that originated the research that led the Military to the FEV.

[Brookshw]

I assumed CIT was the ones that originated the research that led the Military to the FEV.

Nope, that was West-tek (from the name I assume they originated on the west coast). West-tek got wiped out.

[GloatingSwine]

It's better not to try and relate Bethesdout's excuse to shoot orcs Super Mutants to Fallout. It doesn't work.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

You know, I got me a Switch and Breath of the Wild, and I must say...

Nintendo absolutely dominated Bethesda at their own game, which is to say, open sandbox games.

In Breath, you can, if you really want to, go straight for Gannon right after finishing the tutorial that, coincidentally, gives you all the tools you need to solve any challenge in the game. Not for the faint of heart, of course, as you'll still have at most four hearts facing him, which puts you into one-shot kill territory with any of his attacks, and you still have to do the boss-rush thing since you skipped the Beasts, but you CAN do it and people HAVE. There is a plot, and it does direct you to go to a place and talk to a person for more plot, but never does it *FORCE* you to do so. You can shrug off the old man's advise and head straight into Gerudo Desert once you jump off the tutorial plateau, and have a lot of fun doing it.

There's plenty of weapons, which was a departure from most Zelda games, but falls right in line with most other open world games, and weapons break, which means you cannot just fight all the things and come out ahead. Which is very similar to how ammo works in Fallout, shooting super mutants in the face repeatedly costs you lots of caps because the damn things are bullet sponges and simply WILL NOT DIE, and you can run out of bullets. This gives a strategic element to combat, asking yourself 'will this fight be profitable for me?'. And if not, you have several ways of simply leaving.

But most importantly, it gives you an immersive world to explore. It's a hundred years post-calamity, and it is obvious. Stonework is in ruins, there are practically no unoccupied wooden buildings left, you'll see at best a dilapidated wall and the stone slab foundation. There are areas that are lived in, and there are travelers, but they are few and far between, and mostly in the less dangerous areas. And in those populated areas, the place is more kept up and in repair, so you won't find ruined houses in a major populated area. Which also makes sense, because the locals would have, at worst, simply demolished it for lumber or other materials, if not refurbished it for living in. You even have an environment which will affect your tactical or even strategic decisions. You most certainly will not be climbing any mountains while it is raining, for example, and thunderstorms means you break out the non-metallic gear. You need cold-weather gear (or buffs) to survive cold climates, and you need gear designed for hot weather (or, again, buffs) to thrive in warmer climates. Hell, they have an actual reason for respawns that work within the contest of the game lore!

Likewise, the combat is actually superior in Breath. The moves are simple, but you need precision timing to pull off 'badass' moves like flurry strikes or shield-reflects. Sure, you get bullet time with the bow in the air, but that's a heck of a lot less immersion-breaking than VATS is, and achieves roughly the same goal. The game rewards precision with things like head-shots doing more damage to most enemies, flurry rushes and shield ripostes, and the energy system (unlike a certain OTHER Link game that people politely pretend doesn't exist) actually works well with these mechanics. If you want to do them more, you invest in your energy bar instead of your health bar, which is a trade-off. If you 'get good', you can invest exclusively in energy if you wish (with the exception of a certain item that requires a minimum number of hearts to obtain) and completely dominate, as long as you bring your leet skills.

Without even trying, Breath of the Wild put FO4 to *SHAME*.

Even better, is that Breath is simply going back to Zelda's original roots back in the '80's. When I first got my copy of Legend of Zelda, I got it at a used game store, without the map or the booklet. It took me a month of playing to find my first dungeon (it was actually Dungeon 3), but I almost didn't care because I was having so much fun exploring the world. I would probably say the original Legend of Zelda was the very first Sandbox game, or at least one of the first.

So.... yea. Bethesda... start taking notes. Go ahead and crib if you want, at this point you could use all the help you can get. Look at what Breath did right that you've been screwing up, before your company goes belly up.

[Anteros]

I'm thinking that I'm just going to hold off on playing FO4 at all for a while. I really don't enjoy the PS4 controls, and the game itself hasn't grabbed me. I think I'll pick it up on Steam whenever the GOTY edition goes on sale.

[Triaxx]

Yeah, for all that people wave the I hate Nintendo flag because they produce games that are not 'mature' which is to say bloody gore fests, they do make awesome games.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Yeah, for all that people wave the I hate Nintendo flag because they produce games that are not 'mature' which is to say bloody gore fests, they do make awesome games.

Really? Haven't heard that one. I've heard a lot of hate for Nintendo about their asinine policies regarding Youtube and livestreaming in general, though.

[Triaxx]

I've been a Nintendo fan forever, and so I've heard it all.

Though to be fair, they did take quite a bit of inspiration from things like Skyrim. (And then added a writing team that hadn't been lobotomised.)

[GloatingSwine]

So.... yea. Bethesda... start taking notes. Go ahead and crib if you want, at this point you could use all the help you can get. Look at what Breath did right that you've been screwing up, before your company goes belly up.

Knowing Bethesda the note they'll settle on is bringing back weapon degradation.

Seriously Nintendo, who thought it was cool to have swords explode if you wave them slightly too vigorously at a bokoblin?

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Knowing Bethesda the note they'll settle on is bringing back weapon degradation.

Seriously Nintendo, who thought it was cool to have swords explode if you wave them slightly too vigorously at a bokoblin?

I actually like this feature within the context of Breath of the Wild. You're having all kinds of weapons constantly thrown at you, so there's NEVER a point where you should be completely out of weapons, and several areas with respawning weapons in the off-hand chance that you do. So it isn't really that much of an issue, other than making you think about NOT taking on every bokoblin camp you encounter.

Besides, the weapons you get from defeating the Divine Beasts are effectively* immortal, so it's not a problem, and really makes those weapons feel awesome because you don't have to worry about them

* You can repair them if they break, or at least make new ones with stuff that respawns.

[GloatingSwine]

I didn't. Being showered with disposable trash isn't what I like about Zelda games.

Also, if all the swords weren't made of papier mache and twigs maybe we wouldn't be having all these Ganon problems.

[Triaxx]

Sounds like too much F3 and not enough NV. Weapons in 3 are a bit too fragile, while NV added the maintenance thing.

I assume there's no repair mechanic except the super weapons?

[ShneekeyTheLost]

I didn't. Being showered with disposable trash isn't what I like about Zelda games.

Also, if all the swords weren't made of papier mache and twigs maybe we wouldn't be having all these Ganon problems.

Most of the well-constructed weapons have quite the durability on them. You wouldn't expect a tree branch to last forever, would you? Besides, the problem becomes a non-issue once you beat a Divine Beast, as all of those weapons have enormous durability and can be rebuilt with items that respawn. Plus, yanno, Master Sword (with the trials completed to fully beef it up).

Even the Hylian Shield will respawn if it breaks. Wait for the next blood moon after the shield breaks and go kill the Stalhinox again.

And, there's never a scenario in which you should not be absolutely swimming in weapons anyway, I've had more problems deciding what to keep than running out. So not sure what your problem is.

[LibraryOgre]

So, I have a Pandora station for Fallout-style music, since I can listen to it on the public desk at work, and Glenn Miller's "I've Got a Girl in Kalamazoo" came on, and I was thinkin'... if you wanted to decide where to go next with a Fallout sequel, building it around a song isn't a bad idea. Imagine Fallout: Detroit.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

So, I have a Pandora station for Fallout-style music, since I can listen to it on the public desk at work, and Glenn Miller's "I've Got a Girl in Kalamazoo" came on, and I was thinkin'... if you wanted to decide where to go next with a Fallout sequel, building it around a song isn't a bad idea. Imagine Fallout: Detroit.

You'd be in the deepest parts of Legion territory, though. Kind of a rough area for someone who doesn't worship Caesar. But it has potential. I still think New Orleans would be *perfect* for the next setting, since it's about equidistant from all currently known factions, in a fairly inaccessible swampland, so there's all kinds of possibilities.

[Triaxx]

New Orleans is much closer to Caesar than Detroit. Closer still though to the Midwestern Brotherhood.

That said, I like both options.

[GloatingSwine]

And, there's never a scenario in which you should not be absolutely swimming in weapons anyway, I've had more problems deciding what to keep than running out. So not sure what your problem is.

I don't want to be swimming in individually valueless (because inevitably to be replaced) weapons though. I want a limited set of diverse upgrades like a Zelda game.

[Mando Knight]

You'd be in the deepest parts of Legion territory, though. Kind of a rough area for someone who doesn't worship Caesar. But it has potential. I still think New Orleans would be *perfect* for the next setting, since it's about equidistant from all currently known factions, in a fairly inaccessible swampland, so there's all kinds of possibilities.

It's Denver that's in Legion territory. Detroit, Michigan is too far north and east for Caesar, and is one of the best spots in the Midwest for a BoS vs BoS splinter group showdown (others being Chicago and St. Louis) given its history as the automotive capital of the US.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

It's Denver that's in Legion territory. Detroit, Michigan is too far north and east for Caesar, and is one of the best spots in the Midwest for a BoS vs BoS splinter group showdown (others being Chicago and St. Louis) given its history as the automotive capital of the US.

Oh. Right. My bad. Huge collossal derp on my part. Nevermind, and carry on.

You do have a point about BoS (cool) vs BoS (Stormtroopers) being ideal for that location. Although Boston and DC are close enough that one wonders if we'll ever see a Lyons vs Maxsons match, since they seem to be ideologically polar opposites of each other.

And instead of water being the dire need, considering it's on the Great Lakes, it's *heat*, or more specifically, power to generate heat.

I don't want to be swimming in individually valueless (because inevitably to be replaced) weapons though. I want a limited set of diverse upgrades like a Zelda game.

Is that what defines a Zelda game for you? Well, you're certainly entitled to your decisions, I suppose.

For myself, it's part of a larger thing Breath did right... Verisimilitude. Also, it gives Link a chance to show off what a complete badass he is because he's able to demonstrate his proficiency in nearly every single weapon style humanity has invented.

I wouldn't call any weapon 'worthless' just because they break. They simply have a limited shelf life, so you have to be careful which encounters you choose to take on. Fortunately, you have a wide variety of navigation options, most of which enable you to bypass or run away from encounters.

I realize not everyone appreciates the jump from Action/Adventure to Sandbox RPG genre, but I like it. As always, YMMV.

[Brookshw]

So, I have a Pandora station for Fallout-style music, since I can listen to it on the public desk at work, and Glenn Miller's "I've Got a Girl in Kalamazoo" came on, and I was thinkin'... if you wanted to decide where to go next with a Fallout sequel, building it around a song isn't a bad idea. Imagine Fallout: Detroit.

But imagine the fun to be had with Minnesota, the voice acting alone......

[Mando Knight]

Although Boston and DC are close enough that one wonders if we'll ever see a Lyons vs Maxsons match, since they seem to be ideologically polar opposites of each other.

We won't (other than deserters from the Eastern BoS, like the Pitt's Ashur or the Commonwealth's wandering Squire), as Maxson's BoS is Lyons' (plus 3's Outcasts), ten years later after significant post-FO3 setbacks during which Maxson grew into being something of a hero-king, saving the Capital Wasteland from a Super Mutant threat and restoring the strength and honor of the Brotherhood after its decline in the interregnum between the Lyons' death and Maxson's ascension.

[Rynjin]

For myself, it's part of a larger thing Breath did right... Verisimilitude. Also, it gives Link a chance to show off what a complete badass he is because he's able to demonstrate his proficiency in nearly every single weapon style humanity has invented.

I wouldn't call any weapon 'worthless' just because they break. They simply have a limited shelf life, so you have to be careful which encounters you choose to take on. Fortunately, you have a wide variety of navigation options, most of which enable you to bypass or run away from encounters.

I realize not everyone appreciates the jump from Action/Adventure to Sandbox RPG genre, but I like it. As always, YMMV.

Two things:

1.) I really don't see how weapons breaking adds to verisimilitude. Especially not with HOW quickly they break. It actually takes away from the internal consistency of the world because it defies reason how fighters that aren't Link function in this world where steel has the consistency of papier mache.

2.) That's not really the issue, the issue is fun. It does not feel good to have things break on you all the time, especially when they're unrecoverably broken. It leads to "saving it for later" syndrome like powerful consumable items in other RPGs. "Can't use this elixir, might need it for the next boss", "Can't use this cool sword I picked up, might need it for the next fight". It instantly takes all the excitement out of loot when you know no matter how cool the weapon is it's going to break in about a dozen strikes.

It's a good game but the kind that would have heavily benefited from mod support to fix its more fun-killing mechanics.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Two things:

1.) I really don't see how weapons breaking adds to verisimilitude. Especially not with HOW quickly they break. It actually takes away from the internal consistency of the world because it defies reason how fighters that aren't Link function in this world where steel has the consistency of papier mache.

2.) That's not really the issue, the issue is fun. It does not feel good to have things break on you all the time, especially when they're unrecoverably broken. It leads to "saving it for later" syndrome like powerful consumable items in other RPGs. "Can't use this elixir, might need it for the next boss", "Can't use this cool sword I picked up, might need it for the next fight". It instantly takes all the excitement out of loot when you know no matter how cool the weapon is it's going to break in about a dozen strikes.

It's a good game but the kind that would have heavily benefited from mod support to fix its more fun-killing mechanics.

Huh, that's an interesting, and valid, perspective.

For myself, it's as much about the crapsack world that he's in, everything is breaking down and falling apart, even the tools he wields to try and make a difference in the world.

As for your second point... tell me, did you ever tell yourself 'can't use this stimpack, might need it for the next fight' or 'can't use that Jet, might save my life down the road'? After the first half hour of the game, that is. No? Same concept. Elixirs are user-crafted, you can easily make more, and you can easily farm ingredients to make more with absolutely no risk to yourself whatsoever. And UNLIKE Fallout, you have infinite carry capacity, so they won't even weigh you down (although perhaps not a fair comparison as Stimpacks and Chems don't have weight either).

On the topic of duration, I am not sure if you are being hyperbole or serious, but swords do not really break all that rapidly unless you're picking up the deliberately balanced 'high damage for low durability' type weapons like Dragonbone Clubs and such. I picked up a Knight's Broadsword in a chest on my way to see Impa... I still had that same sword when I eventually got to Vah Ruta.

At worst, the only thing I'd want included is a way to repair weapons, so when it is 'about to break', you switch to something else, head back somewhere, pay rupees to fix it up chappie, and bob's your uncle. But eh... that would totally ruin one of the best parts about the game...

Variety

You don't *HAVE* to have just a single weapon. Now you can explore with a wide plethora of weapons, each with their strengths and weaknesses, and enjoy the various different playstyles.

The game isn't about beating it, it's about experiencing it, and all the things along the way. Or at least that's what it is like to me. For a powergamer like myself who simply wants to 'beat all the things', it's quite a refreshing change, and a break from my usual min-maxing. I'm simply exploring the game and all it has to offer. Sure, eventually I'm going to get around to doing the whole plotline thing. But for now, I'm climbing every mountain, fording every stream, and stopping to smell the roses.

And once you take down the Divine Beasts, it doesn't matter anymore because the weapons you get from beating them are effectively unlimited supply, so you can use them to your heart's content, which obviates pretty much most of the weapons in the game other than the Lyonel weapons, and kind of turns your argument back on its head.

And it's something FO4 has almost none of. You already know, at level one, what weapon you want to use, which one is the 'optimal strat', and as far as variety... FO4 falls flat on its arse. For all that link is a silent protagonist and very rarely actually says anything to people, he's got more character interaction than the Sole Survivor of FO4 and his 'Yes, Scarcastic Yes, Greedy Yes, Not Right Now' answers.

[Triaxx]

Well, that's annoying. So, had a computer issue while attempting to record. Too Whit I missed a cleaning cycle due to weather, and the system shutdown with a loose SATA cable to blame. And when I cleaned and reconnected it, no internet.

Uploads are now temporarily suspended while I wait on a new LAN card. Many expletives are currently ensuing.

[Anteros]

Huh, that's an interesting, and valid, perspective.

For myself, it's as much about the crapsack world that he's in, everything is breaking down and falling apart, even the tools he wields to try and make a difference in the world.

As for your second point... tell me, did you ever tell yourself 'can't use this stimpack, might need it for the next fight' or 'can't use that Jet, might save my life down the road'? After the first half hour of the game, that is. No? Same concept. Elixirs are user-crafted, you can easily make more, and you can easily farm ingredients to make more with absolutely no risk to yourself whatsoever. And UNLIKE Fallout, you have infinite carry capacity, so they won't even weigh you down (although perhaps not a fair comparison as Stimpacks and Chems don't have weight either).

On the topic of duration, I am not sure if you are being hyperbole or serious, but swords do not really break all that rapidly unless you're picking up the deliberately balanced 'high damage for low durability' type weapons like Dragonbone Clubs and such. I picked up a Knight's Broadsword in a chest on my way to see Impa... I still had that same sword when I eventually got to Vah Ruta.

I can't speak for anyone else, but absolutely yes for me. I usually end these types of games with the maximum amount of whatever consumables it lets me carry. There is no such thing as "well, I guess I have enough, better start using them!"

At worst, the only thing I'd want included is a way to repair weapons, so when it is 'about to break', you switch to something else, head back somewhere, pay rupees to fix it up chappie, and bob's your uncle. But eh... that would totally ruin one of the best parts about the game...

Variety

You don't *HAVE* to have just a single weapon. Now you can explore with a wide plethora of weapons, each with their strengths and weaknesses, and enjoy the various different playstyles.

The game isn't about beating it, it's about experiencing it, and all the things along the way. Or at least that's what it is like to me. For a powergamer like myself who simply wants to 'beat all the things', it's quite a refreshing change, and a break from my usual min-maxing. I'm simply exploring the game and all it has to offer. Sure, eventually I'm going to get around to doing the whole plotline thing. But for now, I'm climbing every mountain, fording every stream, and stopping to smell the roses.

You can do all that without enforcing it on the player though. Let people decide how they want to play. If I want to use various styles? Let me. If I find one I enjoy and want to focus on it? Let me. Versatility ceases to be a bonus when it's enforced.

And once you take down the Divine Beasts, it doesn't matter anymore because the weapons you get from beating them are effectively unlimited supply, so you can use them to your heart's content, which obviates pretty much most of the weapons in the game other than the Lyonel weapons, and kind of turns your argument back on its head.

Isn't this basically when the game is over anyway? Rewarding me with items I can finally use once I have no more reason to play isn't great game design to me.

[Balmas]

First things first! For those of you who weren't aware, I've gotten back into Fallout 3! You can find the most recent video here, as we go and reclaim America for the great King George the III.

I'm still thinking about when to do the DLC. Each of them feels like their own distinct chapter, since they each have a new landmass and explore different themes. I'd intended Chapter 2 to be Operation Anchorage, as a way to "gear up" the character, as well as explore some of the larger critiques of Fallout 3, but things don't look like they're going that way.

As for BOTW: To me, it all felt... samey, almost. The mechanics might have been interesting, certainly, but weapons all seemed to break down into two-handed smacky, two handed stabby, and broadsword, and the shrines were made up of the same puzzle mechanics that started to become mundane after the first dozen.

[ShneekeyTheLost]

Isn't this basically when the game is over anyway? Rewarding me with items I can finally use once I have no more reason to play isn't great game design to me.

IF you listen to Plot, you get funneled into the Vah Ruta beast pretty much right out of Impa's conversation, which is still pretty early game. Beating that Divine Beast nets you a free rez on cooldown timer, and the best spear weapon in the game which you can rebuild if it ever breaks for a Zora Spear and a Diamond and five Flint. Flint is very easy to obtain. There's a repeatable quest offering a Diamond for ten Luminous Stone, and there's a chest directly underneath the ledge where the quest-giver is for the luminous stone for diamond hand-in that respawns every Blood Moon that has a Zora Spear which is the final ingredient in making the spear. The chest is in the water (you have to Magnesis it), but setting it on one of the islands around the pillars supporting the town will ensure it remains there for respawning purposes.

Congratulations, you now have effectively unlimited use spear after your first Divine Beast kill, still generally very much in the early to early-mid game, depending on how much grinding you did before tackling the first divine beast. Which also just so happens to be the best spear in the entire game, so you can pitch any other spear-type weapons you encounter. At first glance, spears seem to be very sub-par because they deal relatively low base damage, especially for a two-handed weapon. However, the reach and speed of a spear will more than make up for it, making it a very newbie friendly weapon class.

Remember, there's two hundred shrines scattered about Hyrule that you need to complete if you want the end-game gear and maxed stats. Unlike most recent Zelda games, the majority of the game is not either in a dungeon or traversing to one.