This mod is rather small and simple, it aims to make using VATS more interesting/tactical by changing a couple of fundamental things.

First, now to activate VATS you must aim at your enemy, or at least keep your crosshair on it.
Yes, this means no more routinely spamming the V key when running around to instantly detect nearby enemies, and no longer it acts as a panic button when ambushed at close range. Now you will need to actually be precise when using VATS, hence the name of the mod. OK, maybe I should've named it "Precision-requiring VATS", but nah, too long and boring.

Second, it makes VATS activation range and target switching distance to be dynamic and dependent on a few factors:
1. Your Perception level, this is the base. Range/distance will be very short with low perception, quite long if you max it out and very long if you go over the cap and/or couple it with bonuses from the below. BTW, with 0 Perception you won't be able to use VATS at all.
2. Weapon scope. Having scoped weapon doubles the activation range/target switching distance. Makes sense, isn't it?
3. Enhanced Sensors perk. Having ED-E as a companion (and thus having this perk) will give you 50% bonus to range/distance. Again, makes sense and will make this perk useful even if you playing with enemy markers disabled.
4. Power Armor. Having both body armor and helmet equipped will increase range/distance by 30% because of military targeting assistance system integrated into PA helmet (you need body armor to power it).
5. Spotter perk. Having Boone as a companion (and thus having this perk) will give you 30% bonus to range/distance, because, you know, he helps you to acquire targets. However do note that this doesn't stack with Power Armor bonus from the above because essentially it's the same thing.

However, factors from the above don't apply to melee weapons (except from not being able to use VATS at 0 Perception).
For melee weapons activation range will always be...wait for it...short range with a slight difference based on a weapon type.
It will be the shortest for Unarmed, medium for 1 handed melee weapons and the longest (basically almost max vanilla VATS melee range) for 2 handed melee weapons.
Yes, this means that with melee weapons you will only be able to activate VATS when you're able to hit the target, but this is actually a benefit because activating it too early only to be greeted with 0% hit chance can be quite annoying, right?

BTW, you'll hear different that typical "activation fail" sound when trying to activate VATS from too far away.
Also you won't be able to activate VATS by targeting your companions both as convenience and to prevent you from exploiting it by targeting them and then switching to an enemy.

This is it, enjoy your new VATS experience.
Be precise, think twice, invest into Perception if you plan to use VATS, make sure to bring scoped weapons for long distance shots, have ED-E on your side, use Perception-boosting gear, from time to time you may even use MENTATS. God forbid, MENTATS! And you will be fine.
Or even more than fine, because there's now almost no cap for max VATS distance and if you combine everything you can go way above vanilla limit and use VATS to id far away enemies.



As far as installation and compatibility go, everything is pretty basic.
Requires NVSE and JIP LN NVSE plugin make sure to use latest versions.
Copy .esp file into game's Data folder/install with a mod manager, and then activate it. Do it backwards to uninstall.
The mod is rather lightweight and is purely event based so it should be safe to install/uninstall midgame and compatible with anything except mods that also try to intercept VATS button presses/dynamically change target switching distance.



aitch-zed (former HeroinZero)

You can use this mod or parts of it for whatever you want as long as you're not selling it and as long as you credit me in a readme.