For as long as I can remember whenever I'd have the option to ask 'What's new?' to a vendor in Fallout 4, they'd always say they haven't heard anything and insist we go back to talking about bartering.
Do any NPCs actually ever have information to share? If so, who does, or do I have to do something to give them something to talk about (ex: I become Minuteman General which causes vendors to then say "I've heard the Minutemen are coming back!")?
Best Answer
No they do not, all they do is complain about the settlement or grumble about something or the other (in all my playthroughs, and siding with different factions). Once in a while they may talk about something you have done/a nest you have cleaned, etc. But that's about it. You can learn about new missions/places/enemies from other NPC's though (mostly from eavesdropping in the big cities for example or creeping up on Raiders/Gunners and listening in).