Despite being released almost a decade ago, Fallout 4 continues to be as popular as ever, with new and old players exploring the Commonwealth as they look for Shaun. However, in such a massive game, there are some details and tricks that even the most seasoned Sole Survivors may have missed that can make life in the wasteland just that little bit easier. From knowing where to find early game loot to gameplay features that can change any playthrough.

One of the best things about Fallout 4 is there is always something new to find, an odd little detail to spot, or a new way of doing things to learn. The Commonwealth is a big place packed with hidden locations and quests to keep even the most dedicated fan busy. While some of the secrets here might be well-known to veterans, others may surprise them, and with an influx of new players, thanks to Amazon Prime’s Fallout series, some of the Commonwealth’s most well-hidden details are being rediscovered by a whole new set of Sole Survivors.

10 Homerun! Achievement In Diamond City

Lean Into The Baseball Theme By Running All The Bases

One neat little detail in Fallout 4 is linked to an achievement called Homerun! and can be done at any time after discovering Diamond City. Baseball fans will immediately recognize the Commonwealth's largest settlement as Fenway Park, home stadium of the Boston Red Sox, and a lot of the town's aesthetic is linked to America's favorite pastime. To get the achievement, the Sole Survivor will have to run over each of the four bases like they've just hit a home run.

At the time of writing, Homerun! has only been completed by 5.9% of players on Steam.

Starting at home plate, located just outside Publick Occurrences, heading right and past the Dugout Inn will lead to first base. Second base is in a puddle in the farm section of the settlement, while third base is in the alley past Nick's offices close by the school. Finally, the Sole Survivor will need to return to home plate to get the achievement.

9 Early Game Loot In Duffle Bags

Two Leveled Duffle Bags Found Close To Sanctuary

Getting, and hoarding, loot is part of the fun of any RPG, and finding somewhat decent weapons early on can be a lifesaver. Luckily, almost as soon as the Sole Survivor leaves Vault 111 and heads into Sanctuary Hills, they can find two duffle bags filled with loot. The first is on the roof of one of Sanctuary’s houses and can be accessed by carefully walking up a fallen tree at the back of the property. Once on the roof, the green duffle bag can be seen next to the chimney.

The second duffle bag is across the Old North Bridge and is next to the Minutemen Monument. After crossing the bridge and encountering the body of the wanderer and dog, the monument will be on the left on a small raised area. Sitting at the foot of the monument is the duffle bag whose contents will change depending on the Sole Survivor’s level.

8 Sanctuary Hills Root Cellar

A Small Safe Spot To Rest

Staying in Sanctuary Hills for loot, many may not know there is a secret bunker hidden under one of the houses there. Heading towards the back of the cul-de-sac there is a blue house, the same one with the duffle bag on the roof, with several mutfruit growing at the rear. Hidden behind the mutfruit is a cellar door that leads to a root cellar and makes for a great place to rest, especially during Survival playthroughs.

The cellar was created by one of the Sole Survivor's neighbors, but it is unclear if it was ever used. The bunker has lots of junk items along with gold bars, aid items, and an Advanced locked safe. However, the best part of this bunker is that the containers in it are safe to use as they don't respawn, and no settlers can gain access to take things, making it a perfect hideaway.

7 Full Set Of Power Armor In Covenant Lake

Going For A Swim To Gain A Leveled Set

There are a lot of places to find Power Armor in Fallout 4, with some being more obvious and well known than others. One set many may miss can be found close to Covenant, a strange walled settlement east of Lexington. Right across from Covenant's entrance is a lake, and at the north end of the lake is a crashed and submerged vertibird.

Diving into the irradiated water, a full leveled suit of power armor can be spotted near the tail of the vertibird. If the Sole Survivor has picked up some fusion cores, then the easiest way to get the armor is to simply climb inside and walk it out of the water. It might be worth waiting until level 28 to visit this area, as this will increase the chances of an X-01 suit spawning there.

6 Pre-War Money Is Still Worth Something

Sell The Stacks Of Bills For Caps

There are plenty of junk items all over the Commonwealth and most can be easily broken down for crafting or even used as decorations. One such item is stacks of pre-war money that can be found in neatly wrapped bundles dotted all over locations and in containers. While these bills can be broken down for cloth when crafting, they aren't as worthless as they appear in the post-apocalyptic world.

Each bundle of pre-war money can be sold to merchants in Fallout 4 for approximately eight caps, which might not sound like a lot but can quickly add up. However, the best part of gathering and hoarding the dollar bills is that they are weightless, and therefore don't count towards the Sole Survivor's encumbrance. This makes them a great way to get caps from vendors when looking to save up for some of their unique items.

5 Change Pip-Boy Colors For Better Flashlight

The Green Is Iconic But Not The Best Flashlight Color

Exploring is one of the most fun and rewarding aspects of Fallout 4, with so much to discover even after multiple playthroughs. While much can be found on the surface, some of the most interesting locations are deep inside ruined buildings which can be dark, and some details may be missed. Luckily, the Pip-Boy has a flashlight that can be activated to illuminate an area.

To activate the flashlight, the button to use the Pip-Boy must be held. This is B for Xbox, circle for PlayStation, and Tab key for PC.

Unfortunately, the default colors for the Pip-Boy don't make for a very good flashlight, as the green light isn't very appealing. The colors can be changed in settings under the display option and then choose Pip-Boy Color. The best colors for the flashlight are pale blue, orange, or white, which makes seeing details much easier. These are also great color choices for when playing for long periods of time, as they are also much easier on the eye.

4 Starlight Drive-In's Radioactive Water Fix

A Simple Fix For A Troublesome Radiation Problem

Settlement building is a key part of Fallout 4 and especially the Minutemen questline. One of the best settlement locations in the Commonwealth is the Starlight Drive-In, as its large flat area is one of the easiest to build on, making it incredibly flexible for any settlement idea. However, it does come with the downside that its only immediate water source is contaminated by several barrels of radioactive waste.

While some opt to build walls around the offending barrels to prevent their settlers from getting radiation sickness, there is a simpler option. The barrels can be scrapped, which means each one can be removed to leave the water ready for a water purifier. This is definitely one of those tips that once pointed out seems obvious but can be overlooked by a surprising number of people.

3 Boston Library Has A Collectible Journal

A Trip To The Library Is Always Worthwhile

Scattered throughout the Commonwealth are books named Overdue Books, and while they can be sold for caps, there is a much better use for them. If they gather Overdue Books and take them to a Book Return Terminal, the Sole Survivor will be rewarded with five Book Return Tokens per book. These tokens can be exchanged for prizes ranging from chalk and toy cars to stimpaks and even grenades. However, there is one excellent collectible magazine only available through the Book Return Tokens.

Be careful when entering Boston Library for the first time, as there is a tripwire immediately inside the entrance which will trigger a grenade bouquet.

Heading over to Boston Library, the Sole Survivor can find a Book Return Terminal immediately in the entrance room. Inside this terminal is the Massachusetts Surgical Journal #13 for 50 tokens. Getting this magazine will increase the amount of limb damage the Sole Survivor's weapons do by 2%, which will increase with each issue of the journal.

2 Make Fallout 4's Hacking Easier

One Trick Makes Hacking Much Simpler

Hacking is a great skill for the Sole Survivor to have and there are plenty of terminals throughout the Commonwealth just waiting to be cracked. Sometimes hacking a terminal in Fallout 4 will open up a previously closed-off area, while other times it will turn off a location's defenses to make exploring a little easier. Hacking terminals acts as a mini-game with the guessed from a list of seemingly random words.

Hacking isn't too complicated once the basics are understood, but there is a way to make hacking even easier. Looking through the code, close attention should be paid to sections enclosed in brackets like (), [], {}, or . Highlighting and clicking on these areas will remove dud words unrelated to the or reset the number of attempts the Sole Survivor has.

1 Never Get Over-Encumbered By Power Armor

Broken Power Armor Is Easier To Transport

Finally, one of the worst things to happen when exploring and looting in the Commonwealth is for the Sole Survivor to reach their carry capacity. When over-encumbered, they will slow to a walk and be unable to fast travel, which, depending on the situation, can be dangerous. This is particularly annoying when coming across something valuable, needed, or just plain cool, such as a set of Power Armor. Power Armor in particular can take up a lot of the Sole Survivor's carry capacity with different models weighing different amounts.

Empty Power Armor Frames can be found all over the Commonwealth or bought from merchants such as KL-E-O, Proctor Teagan, or Arturo.

However, what many might not realize is that broken Power Armor in Fallout 4 has a weight of zero, making it much easier to transport. Shooting the Power Armor until the pieces have zero health, means that multiple full suits can be carried without any worry and fixed later. This trick works whether the Power Armor is on an enemy or found on a Power Armor Frame and is perfect for Power Armor collectors.