Seven years after Fallout 3 took the gaming world by storm, Bethesda is finally introducing the world to their much-anticipated follow-up, Fallout 4. After Bethesda ended months of speculation by officially announcing the game earlier this month, not only did Fallout 4 instantly rocket to the top of every gamer's must-have list, but it was also guaranteed to be one of the star attractions at this week's E3 2015 conference.

Bethesda kicked things into gear tonight with a press conference featuring looks at the new Doom, Dishonored 2, and, of course, Fallout 4. And there was much to reveal: the game opens before the bombs drop, features an extensive character creator, and the collector's edition even comes with its very own Pip-Boy. But one of the biggest Fallout 4 bombshells Bethesda dropped in their press conference regarded crafting and customization -- in short, there's going to be a ton of it.

Borrowing a page from Minecraft, Fallout 4 will let players break down almost anything they find in the wasteland to get raw components to build homes, bases, even entire settlements. Bethesda showed off a real-time structure editor that featured tons of options, ranging from the materials used to construct the building to the decorations and amenities that building included. And to make sure Dogmeat isn't left out in the cold, gamers can even build him a cozy doghouse.

Some players will likely be content just to build a kickass base where they can keep all their stuff, but Fallout 4 allows for bigger ambitions. Players can keep on building until they've got the makings of their very own town. Of course, towns need supplies and infrastructure, so players will have to plant food, provide water, and set up power generators. And power will be important, because the Wasteland is a dangerous place. Those generators can power turrets and an array of other defensive weaponry to keep players' settlements safe from raiders -- and, to paraphrase Field of Dreams, "If you build it, raiders will come." So best be prepared to greet them with a flamethrower to the face.

Bethesda's Todd Howard said during the press conference that there will be numerous large areas within the game world that will provide players with plenty of room to build. Gamers won't be limited to creating just one settlement, either; those who opt to build more will have access to caravans that run supplies between the multiple settlements.

But Fallout 4's crafting and customization isn't limited to tweaking the protagonist's look or building him/her a sweet hometown. Fallout 4 will be channeling the Borderlands franchise with guns...lots and lots of guns. The game will feature around 50 base weapons, but those core weapons can be rebuilt and specialized with around 700 modifications. Want a "focused sniper laser rifle?" Gather the parts and build one.

The modifications, such as scopes and stocks, can be crafted using items found in the game world, in various combinations. So all that random junk that cluttered up the Wasteland in Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, like teddy bears and tin cans and and toy cars? Now it'll actually serve a purpose, because it can make those baseline guns way more interesting.

And finally, as we suspected, Fallout 4 will let players customize their Power Armor in numerous ways. Gone are the days of stock Brotherhood of Steel looks - replaced with a fully customizable suite of options. Want to build Power Armor that has a jetpack? No one's stopping you.

All in all, Fallout 4 is looking more and more like the game to beat in 2015. Fallout 3 swallowed up hundreds of hours for many players, and the sequel looks to improve on that already excellent game in every way. Howard was quick to clarify that the settlement building and customization won't be mandatory to enjoy Fallout 4, but for players who enjoy resource management and really digging in to make the game experience their own, it's just another layer that's sure to prove addictive.

Fallout 4 will be available later this year for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.