Walk into the building's main hall 4 and defeat all the ghouls. You now need to collect all the materials that you need for the experiment. From room C4 6 collect sample 413.Head deeper into room C5 and collect sample 65.While in the room, you can also use the terminal and open the door to the chamber with the reactor 7. Now, go to the room in the bottom-left corner of the facility 8.
The Contraptions Workshop is a complex addition to Fallout 4, with lots of machinery and no tutorials in sight. There are so many secret facets to the add-on, we’ve put together a list of 10 facts that just might make your Contraptions experience much more bearable. From secret armor customization additions, to useful machining tips, to flat-out hilarious item uses, keep scrolling to find our list of essential info on Bethesda’s second workshop DLC.
Explore Gameranx’s massive list of guides, how-to’s, secret locations, and everything else a fresh Vault 111 escapee needs to thrive on the Fallout 4 Ultimate Commonwealth Guide and become a true post-apocalyptic survivor.
Uncover everything there is to know about the Contraptions Workshop DLC with all the guides on Gameranx:
Contraptions – 10 Facts You Need To Know
No wasting time. Here are 10 facts you need to know about the Contraptions Workshop content.
#1: Builders Must Be Connected To A Terminal
Builders are the center of the Contraptions Workshop DLC, but getting these personal factories to start producing isn’t 100% obvious if you’re just getting started. There are three requirements to get a Builder, well, building;
- Power
- Most builders require between [4-12] power, but other types might require more. Make sure to check the power requirements in the Workshop menu before placing your preferred type. Each type produces a different type of item.
- Terminal
- Terminals are computer screens you can use to access controls for different Contraptions. Once connected, use the terminal and select your builder to assign a particular item to construct.
- You don’t need to directly wire a terminal to a builder — just make sure the terminal is connected to the same power network as the builder. Ex. Connect the terminal to the generator providing power to the builder.
- Materials
- The trickiest part of Contraptions is cobbling together all the junk you’ll need to complete those crafting projects. Craft items by selecting the project you want completed through a terminal connected to the builder. Check the material requirements in the terminal’s builder menu.
- Next, select to [Transfer] materials to the builder’s inventory. You can also use hoppers or sorters to connected by conveyor belt and run items directly into the input end of the builder to provide the machine with resources.
Getting items to builders can be a tricky, time-consuming process. If you’re like us, you keep all your items stored in the Workshop inventory shared between all your connected supply line network settlements. That’s a lot of junk — instead of sorting through it manually, let’s get a machine to do the hard work for us.
Want extra help collecting tons of materials? Check out even more detailed tips for earning infinite crafting junk here:
#2: The Vacuum Hopper Will Make Your Life Easier
The Vacuum Hopper is a godsend when it comes to extracting items from your massive Workshop inventory. The Vacuum Hopper, when connected to a power source, siphons items out of a closed container and puts the items on a conveyor belt, where they can be sorted or sent into builders.
- Place the Vacuum Hopper on the ground right next to your Workshop bench. The hopper functions only if you’re adjacent to the bench — although it will work through walls.
Don’t want to clog your conveyors? A connected terminal can set the output timer on the Vacuum Hopper to delay when items drop out into the conveyor. You can also set the output force if you want to speed things up.
Learn more about builders and hoppers with this workshop guide:
#3: The Fusion Generator Solves All Your Power Needs
Another insanely useful addition, the Fusion Generator provides 100 units of power. That’s enough to keep any complex manufacturing facility running without having to constantly make room for new giant ‘large’ generators.
The Fusion Generator has some serious requirements. Here’s everything you’ll need to build one:
- (12) Gears, (10) Screws, (20) Copper, (25) Aluminum, (12) Nuclear Materials, (8) Crystal, (2) Rubber
- Req: Rank 4 Science! Perk
If you’ve got all that, you’ll have a single source of easy power for everything in a settlement. Dealing with the mess of wires can be a problem, but Contraptions features a solution for that too — Wall Pass-Through Conduits.
#4: Use Power Conduits To Run Wires Through Walls
Conduits are a new way to run wire through your settlements. Now you can lay conduit lengths across areas of the settlement, snapping each piece of pipe to the next and connecting wires only where they’re needed. This solves plenty of messy wire problems — but most of it, the Sole Survivor can now run wire through walls instead of use random openings or windows.
- Go to Power -> Conduits -> Wall Pass-Through Conduit
- To make this conduit work, place it on one side of a wall. Now you can snap a second Wall Pass-Through Conduit onto the other side of the wall.
- You still have to connect wires to the inputs on both sides, but you can snap other types of conduits to the upper/lower connectors to keep your electrical connections orderly.
This makes indoor factories possible, or you can create dedicated generator rooms instead of creating generators all over your base. Speaking of building your base…
#5: Elevators Only Snap to Barn / Warehouse Structures
The elevators are an awesome addition to Contraptions and make towers much easier to climb. Still, there are some bugs to work out — elevators don’t seem to function properly when it comes to structures. Wood, metal, and concrete cause problems for elevators.
- If you want to connect elevators to your structure, you’ll have to build it out of the barn / warehouse tilesets.
Why is this a problem? Elevators really don’t work with other tilesets, mainly because the connections are improperly aligned — the heights don’t match up. You can still cobble together something with steps and gap-jumps but if you want a clean and properly-aligned elevator, you’re going to have to use the barn or warehouse structure sets.
#6: Contraptions Stop Working When You’re Away
Let’s get some other limitations out of the way. Contraptions, such as builders and other automated devices — they all stop working the moment you aren’t paying attention.
- Builders stop producing items if the Sole Survivor is; away from the settlement, waiting in a chair, or sleeping in a bed.
That’s right. There’s no reason to wait when it comes to Contraptions. Unlike settlers assigned jobs, the contraptions won’t work in the background while you do other things. You need to be there and watching the Rube-Goldberg machinery do its thing to get all the items you want.
#7: Don’t Store Equipped Display Cases
One final bug / issue / big deal we’ve found is with the new Display Cases. These awesome add-on exclusives allow the Sole Survivor to display cool guns and amazing armor in your settlement. They’re easy to construct, but there’s one big problem — storing an equipped display deletes whatever that display was carrying.
- To display items on Weapon / Armor Displays, you must equip or place the item in that display’s inventory.
- If you select the ‘Store’ option, placing the Display in your Workshop Inventory, you will not recollect whatever item was equipped onto the Display.
- The equipment on the Display will disappear forever.
Basically — always unequip your displays before moving, storing, or dismantling! It’s very easy to lose unique armor and weapons this way. Keep a fresh save file handy before messing around with these buggy items.
Learn more on our Fallout 4 guides and PSA:
#8: The Fireworks Mortar is Also a Weather Machine
The Firework Mortar is a new way to celebrate in your settlement. But, the Mortar is actually cooler than that — by crafting specialized shells, the Sole Survivor can change the weather or launch flares and call for Minutemen reinforcements at a moment’s notice.
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- Weather Change Shells and Emergency Flare Shells must be crafted.
- Go to the Chemistry Station and select Fireworks -> Scroll down to find all types of Mortar Shells.
- Weather Change Shells come in three varieties: Clear, Radstorm, and Rain.
- Clear requires: (1) Adhesive, (1) Cloth, (1) Fertilizer, and (1) Gold
- Radstorm requires: (1) Adhesive, (1) Cloth, (1) Fertilizer, and (1) Nuclear Material
- Rain requires: (1) Adhesive, (1) Cloth, (1) Fertilizer, and (1) Silver
Connect the Mortar to power and whatever shells are loaded will launch. After a few moments, the skill will change to reflect whichever type of Weather Change shell you’ve used. In our testing the weather doesn’t last very long – a few minutes tops – so don’t expect this to be a permanent change. If you want to keep the radstorm going, be prepared to build plenty of Weather Change shells.
Take control over weather itself and learn even more about fireworks here:
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#9: Upgrade Your Power Armor With Two New Custom Paint Jobs
Contaptions includes two bonus Power Armor paint jobs — and they’re totally free! No need to collect junks or resources. These two paint jobs freshen up your T-51 Power Armor with Abraxo or Sugar-Bombs advertisements. To find the paint, follow these steps;
- In the Power Armor mod screen, select each piece of T-51 armor, then select the second mod slot. This is the ‘Material Mod’ slot in the menu.
- Here, you’ll find the Abraxo Paint Job and the Sugar Bombs Paint Job.
- Both paint jobs require no crafting components or special perks.
- Abraxo increases agility with all pieces of a Power Armor set painted.
- Sugar Bombs increase strength with all pieces of a Power Armor set painted.
- To gain the Agility or Strength bonus, you’ll need to have the same paint on every piece of T-51 Power Armor.
- This includes: Helmet, Left Arm, Left Leg, Right Arm, Right Leg, and Torso
For even more details, including some T-51 Power Armor locations, browse over to our full guide here;
#10: The Junk Mortar Can Launch You and Your Companions
The unassuming Junk Mortar has one hilarious feature most survivors are bound to miss. You can launch yourself out of the mortar, along with any other trash you toss into the basin.
Hop inside and activate the device to go for a ride. Watch as xX Cavemann on Youtube shows us how it’s done.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6JArbmE8Co
Not a long ride, but still worth it. Know any other tips and tricks every Contraptions owner should know about? Sound off in the comments!
Need more Fallout 4 DLC guides? Check out these Far Harbor secrets, locations, and walkthroughs:
Find Nick Valentine
Before leaving Valentine's Detective Agency to begin your search, climb the steps to the east and locate the First Aid box on the dresser. You're free to swipe its contents but note that the items inside are highlighted in red. This indicates that they belong to someone else - and that taking them constitutes theft. If you do decide to take other people's belongings, you probably want to avoid being caught.
When you're ready to continue, return to the lower level and exit the building through the red door on the eastern wall. Back outside, take a right and head west until you reach the squat green shack. From here, turn left and follow the wooden walkway directly south until you reach the green trash, positioned between the steps to the right and the ramp to the left. Make your way up the steps and head down the tunnel at the end.
Once you're back at the stadium entrance, make your way through the turnstiles and out into the open air. Your next destination - Park Street Station - lies deeper into the city, a little way to the east. Join the road immediately south of the batter statue and take a left. Follow the road east passed the junk yard and continue forward at the junction.
Shortly the road will disappear, so work your way north-east through the debris, travelling directly toward the objective marker. Keep a lookout for raiders in the area (dealing with them swiftly) and continue following the marker until you reach Trinity Plaza.
Discovered: Trinity Plaza
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Continue forward, moving north passed Trinity Church to your right, then take a right at the junction. Follow the road east (you'll pass Hubris Comics to your left as you go) and push onward until you reach the large public park on the left.
Discovered: Boston Common / Boylston Club
Travel anti-clockwise around the park's perimeter and follow the road north. As you reach the fountain to your left, you'll complete the first step in the new Road to Freedom quest. We'll be revisiting this area - and the quest - much later in the game, however, so don't worry about it for the time being.
For now, we'll focus on finding Detective Nick Valentine. Just beyond the park fence to the north, you'll spot a squat stone building. Travel around to its north-facing side and locate the entrance to Park Street Station. Make your way through the blue double doors to continue your investigation.
Discovered: Park Street Station
Inside the station, enter Hidden mode and slowly descend the broken escalator. Once the chattering voices have subsided, barge into the next room and eliminate the sub-machine-gun-toting hostiles in the area.
You'll need to contend with gunfire from all sides here so, if you're struggling, consider slipping down the passage to the right and taking cover by the restrooms. Your opponents will approach along the corridor one by one, making them much easier to deal with.
When the coast is clear, head back into the main area and move south-east, travelling along the corridor to the right of the counter. Note that you can investigate the area behind the counter first if you choose - you'll discover a fairly useless terminal, plus a locked door to the rear of the room. Unlock the door and you'll find a small stash of caps. There's also a floor safe here - but it requires some expert unlocking skills to open.
Back along the south-eastern passage, check behind the crates on the left to locate a mattress - and take a nap if you need to restore your health. When you're ready to proceed, descend the steps to the right and, as you turn the corner, look for the proximity mine on the left-hand wall. Shoot it carefully then continue downward.
You'll emerge on the station platform and immediately be swarmed by enemies. As before, the wide open nature of the environment can make it hard to protect yourself from incoming attacks. If you're struggling to survive the fight, you might find it easiest to lure your opponents back toward the stairwell and deal with them individually.
When the enemy threat has been quelled, loot the corpses in the area then hop down onto the rail tracks. From here, make your way along the tunnel to the north-east, heading in the direction of the objective marker.
Once you reach the fallen debris blocking your route forward, take a left and continue north across the tracks. Shortly, you'll spy a partially-constructed tunnel housing a couple more hostiles. Eliminate them and follow the objective marker toward the illuminated staircase at the back of the chamber. Climb the steps and activate the vault door controls.
With the door to the Vault 114 now open, head along the newly-revealed walkway and pass through the gates at the end. Several more mobsters lie in wait to the left so clear them out and approach the locked door in the north-eastern wall.
From here, take a right and pass through the sliding door directly ahead. You'll find a couple of stimpaks on the shelf, plus Med-X and RadAways on the desk against the wall. While you're here, feel free to browse the terminal in order to find out more about the experiments going on in Vault 114.
When you're ready to continue, leave the room and head through the open doorway directly opposite. In the next room, locate the sliding door in the western corner and make your way through. Immediately, take a right and descend the staircase. As you near the bottom, you'll hear more voices - indicating another group of mobsters nearby.
Move into the next area then pass through the door to the left, dealing with the two hostiles further along the corridor. Loot the corpses then proceed to the door at the end of the passage. Step on through and you'll find yourself in another large, enemy-strewn chamber.
Immediately enter Hidden mode and carefully work your way down the staircase toward the walkway at the bottom. You'll spot a lone enemy patrolling the walkway so get in close and bring him down quickly. As soon as you pull the trigger, you'll alert the remaining hostiles - situated down the steps to the south-east - to your position.
Once the area is clear, follow the walkway around until you reach the eastern corner of the room. When the path splits, take either flight of steps down - both lead to the same room at the bottom. Be careful, however - there's one more hostile awaiting your arrival here.
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Locate the open hatch in the floor ahead and drop down to the lowest level. When you land, proceed through the doorway to the north-east and take a right along the corridor. There's another door to the right at the end of the passage so head on through.
On the other side, take a left and follow the corridor all the way along as it winds to the right. Finally, pass through the door on the right at the end. Inside the next chamber you'll find a mobster talking to Valentine through a window on the upper walkway.
Take a left and make your way toward the staircase in the south-western corner of the room. Carefully climb the steps, grab the bobby pins from the toolbox at the top then turn right. Up ahead, you'll see the mobster still yammering away. Take him out with a well-aimed molotov if you have one then loot his body to retrieve the Overseer Door Password.
Talk to and follow Nick
With the password in your possession, approach the terminal on the northern wall, immediately adjacent to the sealed room containing Nick Valentine. Select the 'Override Door Controls' option then enter the newly-opened room to your left. At long last, you've located your target. Approach Mr. Valentine and engage him in conversation. Explain that you're trying to find Shaun.
Shortly, your new friend will bolt through the door and you'll be instructed to follow him. Before leaving the room, grab the Speech Bobblehead from the desk - permanently giving all vendors 100 more caps for bartering. Next, head back through the door and catch up with Nick, who should be waiting a short distance away. As you near, he'll start sprinting again - so keep close and follow him through the complex.
Soon, you'll leave the current room and pass down a flight of steps. At the bottom, Nick will alert you to the presence of more mobsters ahead. Make your way through the doorway to the right and take care of the hostiles roaming the cafeteria. Your opponents will likely all be congregating to the west of the room - so another well-placed molotov should bring them down swiftly. Once the area is clear, Nick will race through the doorway to the west. Before joining him, use the water fountain on the northern wall to restore your health.
Once you've caught up with the detective, follow him north along the corridor and wait for him to bust open the door on the right. Head on through then climb the stairs. At the top, take a left then enter the sleeping quarters to the left. Follow the passage along, keeping close to Nick, and eliminate any remaining hostiles in the area.
Eventually, you'll reach another stairwell - climb it and take a right at the top. You'll find a few more mobsters along the next corridor so bring them down quickly. When the coast is clear, explore the adjacent rooms to the north (containing some much-needed stimpaks) then head east along the passage. Take a right at the end and climb the steps.
At the top, you'll see another door in the wall to the south. Once Nick has prised it open, follow him through to return to Park Street Station. On the other side, you'll be greeted by the mob boss and his cohorts. Let the conversation play out and then, assuming your persuasion level is high enough, convince the woman to leave. After she's fled the scene, follow Nick out of the vault and back through the station. When you reach the Back Bay ladder, clamber on up to return to the city's surface.
Discovered: Vault 114
Back outside, tell Nick that Ellie sent you. He'll suggest that you both reconvene at his office in order to discuss your missing son. As you've no immediate business to attend to in the area, agree to follow Nick back to Diamond City. This will initiate a new quest - Getting A Clue - and end the current one.
- Our walkthrough continues with a step-by-step guide to completing Fallout 4: Getting a Clue.
- For the rest of our Fallout 4 guide, head back to the index page of this article.