Choose Lockpick or Use Key
⚪ Last updated 2020⚠️ Install Order · 5 steps
Install in this order, then this mod last — most mods fail to load without their framework and dependencies in place.
Preview
🔍 Analysis
- 👍 6.5% endorsement rate — high engagement, a strong quality signal
- 🏆 #237 of 369 Gameplay Effects and Changes mods in this game by downloads
📋 About This Mod
Deprecated mod. There is an ESPless version available now.
Choose Lockpick or Use Key
This mod enables the option to lockpick locks after already possessing their keys.
Terminals can now also be hacked after already possessing their passwords.
Ever noticed how when you own the key for a locked door, you lose the option to attempt lockpicking the door? In my case, the foreknowledge of this bizarre game mechanic has forced me to literally avoid picking up (or being given) keys until I've managed to open their corresponding doors with just lockpicks and skill.
Why would it matter how you unlock something?
The obvious reasons:
-
[]Experience points.
[
]Extra challenge.[]Getting the most out of the game.
The not so obvious:
Fallout New Vegas, like Fallout 3 before it, maintains a record of the number of things you've managed to lockpick.
You get nothing for using a key.
So on the one hand, the creators of the game acknowledged that players would place some value on personal statistics such as this, yet on the other hand, because keys unavoidably unlock their corresponding locks, the creators damaged the utility of this statistic, in effect punishing the player for being resourceful enough to find more than one solution to locks.
Out of all the locked doors, safes, etc. in Fallout New Vegas, there are close to 100 which fall into the category of being open to both lockpicking and unlocking with a key. And there are about 30 computer terminals which can similarly be either hacked or opened with passwords.
Do you like to be the sort of player who can collect all of those completely optional keys? And wouldn't you rather have the completely reasonable and realistic option of choosing what to do when you find those locked doors and safes? (And terminals?)
New in V1. 3:
[]Terminals can now also be hacked even after already possessing their passwords.
[]Fixed a bug that would prevent NPCs from passing through some previously-locked doors.
[]Tightened the mod with the use of newe
This small gameplay mod for Fallout 4 lets you choose to lockpick a lock even if you already have the key, and hack terminals even if you have the password. It's a simple quality-of-life tweak for players who want the challenge or roleplay flexibility. With 221 endorsements and 3,378 downloads, it's a niche but appreciated utility.
✨ Key Features
📊 Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Community-approved with 221 endorsements and over 3,300 downloads.
- Adds roleplay flexibility—you can ignore keys and pick locks for the challenge.
- Lightweight and focused, does exactly what it says without bloat.
⚠️ Cons
- Last updated in April 2020—may have compatibility issues with current game patches.
- Niche feature that most players will never use—keys and passwords are usually better.
For Fallout 4 players who enjoy lockpicking and hacking minigames and want to experience them even when they have the key or password. Also for roleplayers who want to ignore quest-given keys for immersion. Skip if you prefer convenience over challenge.
💡 Beginner Tips
- Since it's a simple ESP, place it in your load order after any mods that alter lockpicking or hacking mechanics.
- If you use a mod manager like Vortex, deploy and enable the mod, then launch the game to test.
- Remember that this mod only adds the option—you'll still need to have the lockpick or password in your inventory to use it.
📊 Mod Details
- Game
- New Vegas Mods
- Author
- Asterra
- Version
- 1.3b
- Downloads
- 3,378
- Endorsements
- 221
- Category
- Gameplay Effects and Changes
- Created
- 10/10/2016
- Updated
- 4/5/2020
🔧 How to Install New Vegas Mods
Download from Nexus.
📖 Full step-by-step install guide for New Vegas →
Visit the official mod page for specific installation instructions for this mod.
🎮 Need cheat codes or console commands? Check ur gaming wiki for New Vegas commands, item IDs, and more.
Keep browsing — more New Vegas mods await