Vending Machine (Fallout 3)

Nuka-Cola vending machines (called vending machine in-game) are large containers that dispense Nuka-Cola.

They appear in Fallout and Fallout 2 as a world object and in Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas as a container. It would have also appeared in Van Buren.

Fallout and Fallout 2
Nuka-Cola machines are commonly found throughout the wasteland, and in Fallout 2 they're usable. Just right click on the machine and put money into it. This will initiate a Luck and a Agility test which will see if:
 * Your character catches the bottle.
 * If you can't catch it, he/she will be able to dodge it with the bottle flying a few yards away. If you aren't able to dodge it, the player will get hit by the bottle in the groin area (With the player saying "Uff!" and a small HP loss).

Each bottle costs only $1 each from a machine, but are worth $3 when sold to a merchant. Since the bottles are weightless, this can be used as a (very slow) way of making money. Each machine holds about 10-20 bottles, and (oddly) restocks every 2–3 weeks.

Fallout 3
In Fallout 3 there are 152 of them located throughout the Capital Wasteland, in Metro stations and various buildings. The contents of a vending machine is randomly set the first time the player enters a map cell and remain that way for the rest of the game. In all other respects, it is a standard container and can be used for long term storage throughout the game.

A fully stocked vending machine contains 9 bottle caps, 3 Nuka-Colas and a Nuka-Cola Quantum, but it is an extremely rare occurrence. The minimum a vending machine will contain is a single Nuka-Cola with the rest being random. There are two chances (75%) for an additional Nuka-Cola. There is a chance (10%) for bottle caps (probably 11% for 9) and a chance (10%) for a Nuka-Cola Quantum. The odds (based on the above figures) for a fully stocked machine are 1 in 1,600 or 0.0625%. That works out to 1 fully stocked machine in 10 1/2 complete games (visiting every machine on the map).

Since the contents of a vending machine are set the first time the player enters a map cell, it is possible to "roll" for Quantums (save, enter cell, check for Quantums, reload) but this can quickly become tedious. In a map cell containing 2 vending machines, the odds are 1 in 100 of finding a Quantum in both of them. For 3 machines, it is 1 in 1,000 and so on.

A pristine Nuka-Cola machine can be bought for your house in Megaton or suite in Tenpenny Tower from Moira Brown and Lydia Montenegro, respectively. Putting a regular Nuka-Cola into the pristine vending machine converts it into an ice cold Nuka-Cola, improving the health benefits (+20HP/+1RAD vs. +10HP/+2RAD). Once converted, they are no longer available for the Quantum Chemist perk. As with all other vending machines, the one in the house/suite is a regular container and can be used to store anything else in the game.

According to Ronald Laren Nuka Cola vending machines have a label on them reading "Warning: If you tamper with this unit you will have to answer to the Nuka-Cola Corporation."

Fallout 4
Nuka-Cola machines are not storage containers as in Fallout 3 and New Vegas. You open the door, and you will see one or two Nuka-Colas available on the shelf. There can be any number of three varieties: Empty Nuka-Cola Bottle, Nuka Cola (Fallout 4), or Nuka Cola Quantum (Fallout 4). It is possible to craft and place a Nuka-Cola machine inside any of your settlements, however as with many craftable items the hit box does not seem to allow placement flush against a wall. One can place the machine and then an object against the back of it without issue, but re-selecting the machine will not allow it to be placed back in the same place that it was just picked up from. This workaround obviously cannot work with pre-existing structures that can't be moved.

Craftable with 2 steel, 1 rubber, 2 plastic. They can be scrapped for a yield of 2 steel.

Fallout: New Vegas
In Fallout: New Vegas there are 43 located throughout the Mojave Wasteland, in various buildings. The contents of a vending machine is randomly set the first time the player enters a map cell and remain that way for the rest of the game. In all other respects, it is a standard container and can be used for long term storage throughout the game.

A fully stocked vending machine contains 9 bottle caps and 3 Nuka-Cola. The minimum a vending machine will contain is a single Nuka-Cola with the rest being random.

Van Buren
It would have also appeared in the canceled Van Buren, but whether it would have been usable to the player is unknown.