In between the flood of Fallout:BoS newsbits, here's a few interesting remarks from JE Sawyer on the BIS feedback forum.
First the most interesting, on expanding the little-used and underestimated outdoorsman-skill (probably the worst applied skill in Fallout 1, together with doc and first aid, though a bit better in 2):
<blockquote>I think that Outdoorsman could also allow the experienced character to make simple items like the healing powder that Hakunin whipped up in Fallout 2. Sure, it had side effects, but you only needed two ingredients to make it happen. If those ingredients were pretty common, the Outdoorsman would able to get excellent cheap healing with predictable side effects. Not as nice as a stim, but not as expensive. Doesn't make Outdoorsman eclipse Medic, but does make it a little more useful.
Also, I think that even without a special perk, Outdoorsman should give a chance to collect hides/teeth/scales from animals the party kills. Maybe not every gecko you kill yields a hide, but a few of them do. The higher the skill, the higher the chance. You could then turn around and use those parts to make simple weapons -- or trade them for other equipment, just like in Fallout 2.
The only other benefit I'd extend to Outdoorsman would be to allow characters to adjust their starting position on random encounter maps based on their Outdoorsman skill. Map loads, everyone in their default position, player sees what his or her characters can see from those starting positions. The game asks if the player wants to adjust the starting positions of his or her characters. If yes, he or she moves each character within a radius determined by that character's Outdoorsman.</blockquote>
Link to thread
Then, he posts in a thread about power armors and their implementation, repeating the same old arguments as he did umpteen times before, which boil down to this:
<blockquote>Actually, it's the highest rung on the ladder of military technology. It turns the wearer into a mobile tank with superhuman strength. If you're going into combat, that's the point. </blockquote>
Add this good argument for "no Power Armor MkIII"/"no variants on power armor":
<blockquote>It took the U.S. government ten years to take power armor from its prototype stage in 2067 to its proper T-51b version in 2076. That leaves one year before the bombs fell. And it took the Enclave more than a hundred years to improve upon it. Variants don't seem likely. </blockquote>
First the most interesting, on expanding the little-used and underestimated outdoorsman-skill (probably the worst applied skill in Fallout 1, together with doc and first aid, though a bit better in 2):
<blockquote>I think that Outdoorsman could also allow the experienced character to make simple items like the healing powder that Hakunin whipped up in Fallout 2. Sure, it had side effects, but you only needed two ingredients to make it happen. If those ingredients were pretty common, the Outdoorsman would able to get excellent cheap healing with predictable side effects. Not as nice as a stim, but not as expensive. Doesn't make Outdoorsman eclipse Medic, but does make it a little more useful.
Also, I think that even without a special perk, Outdoorsman should give a chance to collect hides/teeth/scales from animals the party kills. Maybe not every gecko you kill yields a hide, but a few of them do. The higher the skill, the higher the chance. You could then turn around and use those parts to make simple weapons -- or trade them for other equipment, just like in Fallout 2.
The only other benefit I'd extend to Outdoorsman would be to allow characters to adjust their starting position on random encounter maps based on their Outdoorsman skill. Map loads, everyone in their default position, player sees what his or her characters can see from those starting positions. The game asks if the player wants to adjust the starting positions of his or her characters. If yes, he or she moves each character within a radius determined by that character's Outdoorsman.</blockquote>
Link to thread
Then, he posts in a thread about power armors and their implementation, repeating the same old arguments as he did umpteen times before, which boil down to this:
<blockquote>Actually, it's the highest rung on the ladder of military technology. It turns the wearer into a mobile tank with superhuman strength. If you're going into combat, that's the point. </blockquote>
Add this good argument for "no Power Armor MkIII"/"no variants on power armor":
<blockquote>It took the U.S. government ten years to take power armor from its prototype stage in 2067 to its proper T-51b version in 2076. That leaves one year before the bombs fell. And it took the Enclave more than a hundred years to improve upon it. Variants don't seem likely. </blockquote>
