newbie: how does item and body despawning work?

[caphe_boda]

Hello all, playing through for the first time. I'm wondering if anyone can tell me how body and item despawning work?

I experimented a bit with one mission, I completed all objectives, went back to base to lighten the load, and came back for items. Some bodies and enemies despawned, some did not - not sure if there was a pattern.

Current mission: I need to retrieve a package from Docent. I went to his base and killed all his guys. But I *have not* opened the door and talked to him to complete the mission. There's a lot of dropped loot around that I'd like to pick up and sell for coupons, but i'm over encumbered. If I go back to base, sell stuff, and come back, will the bodies and weapons still be here?

Note: I threw down a save and tried to find out for myself, but as I got close to base, a mutant jumped me and killed me :(

[z1]

I'm not sure about the actual time frame, but if it was spawned, it will probably disappear after being away from there for a time. The hand placed bodies seem to stay even if you move them.

Apparently you can just overload a body with what you want, and carry the body back. Like a backpack with limbs :D I keep forgetting to try that.

[Othobrithol]

Yes, they'll still be there if you don't take too much time or go too far away.

There are a lot of bodies that were placed by the devs. Those don't despawn at all. Same with weapons they placed in the world, so long as you don't move them at all.

In my experience anything put inside a stash container stays there, so I use stashes in really convenient spots to store excess loot.

[caphe_boda]

Thank you all!

[prawns]

Bodies go fast. Dropped items slower, everything else never

[caphe_boda]

Thank you! FWIW, I tried loading up a body with items and carried it back, and that worked.

One weird thing though: I had loaded a body with items upstairs, walked downstairs, saved my game, and tried to get back to base. I was attacked and killed once I left the structure I was in and had to reload a save. Strangely, I wasn't holding the body when the game was reloaded - I was downstairs, but the body was on the ground upstairs.

[z1]

So the stuff was still there after a reload? I haven't tried it yet.

[HiggsLP]

Main missions are usually not the place to loot around,unless some cool 100% armor/weapons are laying around for grabs.

Exploration and artifact runs are main ways to loot around, then do a mission for a change...

[GrenadeMagnet6]

The bodies will soon disappear, but items you drop will stay around longer. What I do on missions with lots of bodies and more loot I can carry is

1) Loot all the bodies
2) Drop all items I cannot carry onto the ground next to the body, or in a permanent stash or storage container if nearby
3) Carry what I can back to a base, or another nearby accessible stash, then go back to the body site and pick up all items I can, repeat until the area is clear of items
4) Don't quit the game in the meantime before the looting operation is completed or some items may disappear upon the next game load.