PDA

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This article is about the Engineer's Build and Demolish tools. For the weapon type, see the Weapons page.
I built that.
The Engineer

The PDAs are default weapons for the Engineer, consisting of the Construction PDA and Destruction PDA, which he uses to construct and destroy his various buildings respectively. The Construction PDA is a calculator-type device, whereas the Destruction PDA looks similar to a typical hand-held detonation device with a miniature screen and large red button.

These gadgets are not regular weapons as they cannot be used to attack; they mainly serve as a visual cue to the player and those that see the player's character. Therefore, switching between PDAs and the last weapon active does not result in the usual delay caused by weapon switching. While the player is using the PDA, a unique menu appears on-screen to allow the player to build or destroy available buildings.

Upon selecting one of the PDAs, a superimposed HUD appears in the middle of your view. Though it lists all four available buildings, only the highlighted choices will be selectable. Selection of the buildings is done through the preset numbered keys. Pressing the last weapon used key or primary fire key will cancel the PDA and return to the previous weapon. The Pip-Boy changes the look of the Construction and Destruction PDAs.

The selection keys will only function on the appropriate PDA under the right conditions. Should the player have insufficient Metal, they will be denied access to certain buildings on the Construction PDA, yet gathering Metal will re-enable the choices with the cost met. Conversely, the Destruction PDA will only destroy builds that have already been constructed. The Destruction PDA cannot be used to destroy buildings currently being sapped by the Sapper.

If a player chooses to construct an available building from the Construction PDA, the player model will then hold a Toolbox and the player will see a template on the ground in front of them showing the orientation of the chosen building. While the template is visible, secondary fire adjusts the building's orientation by 90 degrees counter-clockwise, whilst primary fire starts the build. The last weapon used button cancels the build.


Contents

Demonstration

Learn more about the Weapon Demonstration project.

Console Information

Note: The console versions do not have a separate Destruction PDA. Instead, both are handled by the Construction PDA, serving as a single PDA. After choosing the proper weapon slot to activate the PDA, the player uses the right trigger or 'R2' to construct the selected building if enough Metal is available, and the left trigger or 'L2' to demolish the selected building if it has already been built.


Strange variant


Update history

September 26, 2007 Patch

February 28, 2008 Patch

January 19, 2011 Patch

March 22, 2012 Patch

September 4, 2012 Patch

March 12, 2013 Patch

Unused content

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