History VideoGame / SimSettlements2

* Foreshadowing: During 'The Coolest Cat', the Sole Survivor encounters a pair of Gunners out in front of the Ron's office. [[spoiler: If the player pickpockets them via the dialogue tree, they can acquire the duo's orders, which mention their target was spotted in Downtown Boston. Guess where you and Jake just were?]]

* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: In "Who Can? ASAM!" the Sole Survivor meets a motley crew of wastelanders, which includes Stodge (a grouchy and wary ghoul), Hubert ([[TheDitz a ditzy]] ex-Child of Atom who sometimes idly wonder [[PottyFailure why he suddenly smells]]), and Doc Shock (a Protectron medic). To boot, the settler who volunteered to be your diplomat for this bunch is Old Paul. [[spoiler: You end up sending the crew to a settlement for a JustifiedTutorial on city plans and mayor assignments. For mayor, you can choose Stodge, Old Paul, or even Hubert.]]

** By the standards of turns in the first chapter, over half of Chapter 2 is a ''series'' of these, every quest throwing in something that shakes up the status quo in significant ways. It doesn't calm down until [[spoiler: "Moving Day"]] establishes a new baseline to last the rest of the chapter.

* TheRemnant: This is stated to be what any [[spoiler:Gunners]] encountered after ''End of the Beginning'' are -- you took out their headquarters (and communications network with it), top leadership and much of their forces, ensuring an end to their ability to act as a Commonwealth-wide threat or even as a meaningfully coherent faction, but it will take time for units out on long-term missions and other bases to realise this, and even when they do that doesn't necessarily mean they'll abandon their identity as [[spoilers:Gunners]] and loyalty to what's left of the faction.[[spoiler: Not long after it turns out that [[SubvertedTrope the Gunners had an HQ outside the Commonwealth they rallied to]], with a full-scale invasion of the Commonwealth now being readied]].

* TheRemnant: This is stated to be what any [[spoilers:Gunners]] encountered after ''End of the Beginning'' are -- you took out their headquarters (and communications network with it), top leadership and much of their forces, ensuring an end to their ability to act as a Commonwealth-wide threat or even as a meaningfully coherent faction, but it will take time for units out on long-term missions and other bases to realise this, and even when they do that doesn't necessarily mean they'll abandon their identity as [[spoilers:Gunners]] and loyalty to what's left of the faction.[[spoiler: Not long after it turns out that [[SubvertedTrope the Gunners had an HQ outside the Commonwealth they rallied to]], with a full-scale invasion of the Commonwealth now being readied]].

* TheRemnant: This is stated to be what any [[spoilers:Gunners]] encountered after ''End of the Beginning'' are -- you took out their headquarters (and communications network with it), top leadership and much of their forces, ensuring an end to their ability to act as a Commonwealth-wide threat or even as a meaningfully coherent faction, but it will take time for units out on long-term missions and other bases to realise this, and even when they do that doesn't necessarily mean they'll abandon their identity as [[spoilers:Gunners]] and loyalty to what's left of the faction.

* EnemyMine: Depending on the player's choices and when they embark on it, it is possible to get support from the Minutemen, the Brotherhood, the Railroad ''and'' the Institute for the [[spoiler:assault on Gunner Plaza]] thanks to just how much the Gunners have provoked ''everyone'' over the last ten years or so. It's tense, but your presence and the relatively short nature of the operation keeps things together until it is over and they can all go their separate ways. [[spoiler:Another of your potential allies for much of the Chapter 2 storyline is Captain Algernon -- a ''Gunner'' commander, albeit an old guard commander who disagrees with the direction Captain Wes has been taking them.]]

* HostageSituation: Early on, after helping Jake recapture his workshop an rescuing Preston and his group, a gang of raiders will abduct several of your new settlers and hold them hostage. Depending on your choices, you can bribe them into letting everyone go or get into a shoot-out.

** Early on, your only renewable source of ASAM units is through a group of Super Mutants, the leader of whom will only trade them for chalk (which he eats to calm his stomach). Chalk is surprisingly hard to find in the Commonwealth, meaning early expansion is dependent on scrounging for it.

* RidiculouslyFastConstruction: Buildings are constructed and upgraded in a matter of in-game hours. Justified, as the [=ASAMs'=] main point is that they automatically construct buildings. Characters marvel at how nifty these sensors are.

* EnemyMine: Depending on the player's choices and when they embark on it, it is possible to get support from the Minutemen, the Brotherhood, the Railroad ''and'' the Institute for the [[spoiler:assault on Gunner Plaza]] thanks to just how much the Gunners have provoked ''everyone'' over the last ten years or so. It's tense, but your presence and the relatively short nature of the operation keeps things together until it is over and they can all go their separate ways. [[spoiler:Another of your potential allies for much of the Chapter 2 storyline is Captain Algeron -- a ''Gunner'' commander, albeit an old guard commander who disagrees with the direction Captain Wes has been taking them.]]

* CommandAndConquerEconomy: In-universe, this is what the [=ASAMs=] ae designed to invert by allowing ignorant, uneducated, or inexperienced citizens to build things themselves. The sensors scan the surrounding environment for useful materials and direct settlers to collect them and then explain how to build a structure. As Jake describes it, the instructions are so simple even a savage can follow them.

** In "Stashed Away," Carn Asada will join you as a settler if you retrieve his stash of chems from some raiders. [[spoiler:Carn's stash is on the Wreck of the FMS ''Northern Star'', and the raiders in question are the Norwegian ghoul raiders.]]

* DummiedOut: If you peek at the mod files, such as through the Creation Kit, you can glean hints of the mod’s development through notes flagging certain aspects as unused or yet to be implemented.

* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: In "Who Can? ASAM!" the Sole Survivor meets a motley crew of wastelanders, which includes Stodge (a grouchy and wary ghoul), Hubert ([[TheDitz a ditzy]] ex-Child of Atom who sometimes idly wonder [[PottyFailure why he suddenly smells]]), and a Protectron medic. To boot, the settler who volunteered to be your diplomat for this bunch is Old Paul. [[spoiler: You end up sending the crew to a settlement for a JustifiedTutorial on city plans and mayor assignments. For mayor, you can choose Stodge, Old Paul, or even Hubert.]]

* {{Cliffhanger}}: On initial release, Sim Settlements 2 only had Chapter 1 of the main quest. Chapter 1 ends with [[spoiler: the Sole Survivor arriving at Jake's place and finding it trashed, with Jake nowhere to be found.]] Afterward, a new quest begins with the name [[spoiler:"The Disappearance of Jake Evans,"]] which contains only a ToBeContinued message and some pop-ups explaining what the player can do while they wait for Chapter 2.
* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: Plot types are color-coded in workshop mode, through floating UI, and by their ASAM Sensor. The interface uses red for residential, blue for commercial, yellow for industrial, green for agricultural, grey for martial, orange for municipal, and purple for recreational.

* FetchQuest: ''Sim Settlements 2'' have a lot of quests that involve bringing specific items to the quest giver.

In the mod’s storyline, the Sole Survivor works alongside Jake, who is bringing to the Commonwealth the gift of the ASAM. The ASAM Sensors automate building constructions, assisting the Sole Survivor in rebuilding the Commonwealth. As the Sole Survivor works with Jake to realize the [=ASAMs'=] full capabilities, the player learns more about Jake’s past and contends with the varying factions standing against progress.

* {{Cliffhanger}}: On initial release, Sim Settlements 2 only had Act 1 of the main quest. Act 1 ends with [[spoiler: the Sole Survivor arriving at Jake's place and finding it trashed, with Jake nowhere to be found.]] Afterward, a new quest begins, which contains only a ToBeContinued message and a pop up indicating that Act 2 is coming soon.

* ExpositionFairy: Throughout Act 1, Jake walks both the player and the Sole Survivor through the main mechanics.

* ProlongedVideoGameSequel: On release, the story for ''Sim Settlement 2'' exceeded the number of quests for ''Sim Settlements: Conquerer''--and [=SS2=] only released with Act 1.

* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: Plot types are color-coded in workshop mode, through floating UI, and by their ASAM Sensor:
** [=SS2=] borrows the standard color scheme from ''VideoGame/SimCity'' zones. red for residential, blue for commercial, and yellow for industrial.
** For more atypical zones, [=SS2=] uses its own color scheme: orange for agricultural, grey for martial, brown for municipal, and purple for recreational.

* Holiday Mode: One of Sim Settlements 2's additions is dynamic holiday decorations on buildings and city plans. When it comes December in the game, expect many of the houses to look extra festive.

Gameplay-wise, ''Sim Settlements 2'' takes the vanilla game's settlement system and expands it into a city-building simulator. Instead of constructing buildings piece-by-piece, players can zone plots that spawn pre-made building plans that settlers can interact with. From there, the player can expand settlements through the sub-systems, including building upgrades, dynamic needs, resource management, scavenging and caravan networking, recruitment of special settlers through side quests, and more.