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Fallout 3

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Fallout 3
Fallout-3-cover.png
Developer(s) Bethesda Game Studios
Publisher(s) Bethesda Softworks
ZeniMax Media
Engine Gamebryo
First release date October 28, 2008
Fallout
Fallout 1997
Fallout 2 1998
Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel 2001
Fallout 3 2008
Operation: Anchorage
The Pitt
Broken Steel
Point Lookout
Mothership Zeta
Fallout: New Vegas 2010
Dead Money
Honest Hearts
Old World Blues
Lonesome Road
Courier's Stash
Gun Runners' Arsenal

Key points

Information Runs well on Windows 7 64-bit using the multiple core CPU fix.[1]
Information Uses Games For Windows Live.

Contents

[edit] Availability

Source(s) Store unlock Notes
Steam Steamicon.png Additional Games For Windows Live use.
GamersGate Steamicon.png
Disadvantage Unavailable for purchase in some regions due to Games For Windows Live region restrictions.

[edit] Games For Windows Live

Fix Games for Windows LIVE Disabler • Link

Information Requires Fallout 3 v1.1 or higher.[2]
Advantage Removes need to go authenticate with Games for Windows Live and reduces startup time.

1) Download and run the Games for Windows LIVE Disabler

2) To retrieve save games, move files from:

%USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Games\Fallout3\Saves\%NAME%\ to

%USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Games\Fallout3\Saves\

3) Use the 'Move DLC's' button to get DLC to work again.

[edit] Game of the Year Edition

Includes all DLC packs:

  • Operation Anchorage
  • Broken Steel
  • The Pitt
  • Mothership Zeta
  • Point Lookout

Note: You might have to move theses DLC if you are using Windows 7/8. If you don't the game will crash.

[edit] Improvements

[edit] Mods

  • Fallout Mod Manager - the best mod manager for Fallout 3, making the process of installing mods much easier.
  • Fallout 3 Nexus - the most popular host for almost all Fallout 3 mods.

[edit] NTCore 4GB Patch

Advantage Improves performance for any x64 bit operating system with more than 2GB RAM, by allowing it to access up to 4GB RAM.
Information This patch may remove GFWL!

[edit] Game data

[edit] Configuration file location

  Location 
Default %USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Games\Fallout3\FalloutPrefs.ini

[edit] Save game location

  Location 
Default %USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Games\Fallout3\Saves\

[edit] Save game cloud syncing

System Native Notes
GameSave Manager Hackable In the database.

[edit] Save games missing

If logged into Games for Windows LIVE, the game will save the save files under the currently logged-in username. If logged out of the service, the game will be unable to locate the saves.

Fix Retrieve Missing Saves • Link

  1. Locate %USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Games\Fallout3\Saves
  2. Search in the folders for your latest saves (if you're were not logged in while saving, the saves will be found in the Saves folder. If you were logged in, the saves will be under your Games for Windows LIVE folder)
  3. Copy the files out to either folder (your username if you plan on logging in each time, or the Saves folder if you do not.)

If you restart the game, your saves should be detected.

[edit] Video settings

Graphics option Native WSGF Notes 
Widescreen resolution Native WSGF WS Silver.png  
Multi-monitor Hackable WSGF MM Silver.png See #Multi-monitor. 
Field of view (FOV) Hackable See Field of view (FOV). 
Windowed Native  
Borderless fullscreen windowed Hackable See Borderless fullscreen windowed. 
Anisotropic filtering (AF) Native  
Anti-aliasing (AA) Native  
Vertical sync (Vsync) Native
Information Most graphics options are accessible on the main launcher screen.

[edit] Multi-monitor

Information Adds support for multi-monitor displays.
Advantage Displays HUD on the middle display.

Fix Multi-monitor • Link

1) Open %USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Games\Fallout3\FALLOUT.ini

2) Find the following lines:

iSafeZoneXWide=15
iSafeZoneYWide=15
iSafeZoneX=15
Information Relevant multi-monitor resolutions:
3840x1024 5040x1050
iSafeZoneXWide=610 iSafeZoneXWide=770
iSafeZoneYWide=15 iSafeZoneYWide=15
iSafeZoneX=610 iSafeZoneX=770

[edit] Field of view (FOV)

Fix Edit Field of view (FOV) • Link

1) Open %USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Games\Fallout3\FALLOUT.ini

2) Find the following lines:

fDefaultFOV=75.0000
3) Change the FOV value based on your aspect ratio.

These values use the 5:4 aspect ratio as a baseline FOV:

Aspect Ratio FOV Value
4:3 79.9000
16:9 105.3000
15:9 99.0000
16:10 95.2000

[edit] Borderless fullscreen windowed

Working using GameCompanion, Borderless Windowed, ShiftWindow and AutoHotKey.[3]

[edit] Input settings

Input Settings Native Notes 
Remapping Native    
Mouse acceleration Hackable  See Mouse acceleration.  
Controller support Native  Native Xbox 360 Controller support. 

[edit] Mouse acceleration

Fix Disable mouse acceleration

1) Open %USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Games\Fallout3\fallout.ini[4]

2) Find the section: [Controls]

3) Add the lines:

fForegroundMouseAccelBase=0
fForegroundMouseAccelTop=0
fForegroundMouseBase=0
fForegroundMouseMult=0

[edit] Issues fixed

Information TweakGuides has created a comprehensive guide for fixing issues in this game. It can be found here.

[edit] Game Crashes Randomly

Information Caused by problem with Windows 7 and multiple-core CPUs, such as dual-core or quad-core CPUs.

Fix Multiple Core CPU Fix • Link

Information This will limit the game to 1 or 2 cores and prevent the engine bug from causing the game to freeze.
Advantage The most common fix required for this game.

Follow this link for an in-depth guide https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYjblafxHYI

  1. Open up the FALLOUT.ini file in: %USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Games\Fallout3 using Notepad.
  2. Find the line: bUseThreadedAI=0
  3. Change it to: bUseThreadedAI=1
  4. Add another line after it and insert: iNumHWThreads=2
  5. If the game still crashes, try this line: iNumHWThreads=1

Fix D3D9.dll Replacement • Link

  1. Start the installer in compatibility mode for Windows XP SP3 and as an Administrator.
  2. Download D3D9.dll from MediaFire or a similar source.
  3. Place D3D9.dll in the directory that contains Fallout3.exe.

Fix Disable .Net 3.1 • Link

  1. Uninstall Fallout 3.
  2. Disable .NET 3.1 under the "Turn windows features on or off" menu.
  3. Reinstall Fallout 3.

[edit] Game Keeps Minimizing

Information Caused by the cursor being active in the background (and clicking Icons, Links, Buttons etc.)

Fix Disable Visual Themes and Desktop Composition • Link

Information This will disable Steam's overlay and playtime counter.
  1. Right click on Fallout3.exe and select Properties.
  2. Click the 'Compatibility' tab.
  3. Check 'Disable Visual Themes'.
  4. Check 'Disable Desktop Composition'.
  5. Click Apply.
  6. Click OK and run Fallout3.exe.

[edit] Crash When Starting New Game Or Loading Save

Information Commonly caused by a codec issue.

Fix Reinstall Codecs • Link

Information Test if you have codec issues is by temporarily renaming the Data/Music and Data/Video folders in your program directory to something else (try each one individually) and attempting to start the game. If that works, follow the next steps.
  1. Uninstall all audio/video programs not in active use.
  2. Download and install the K-Lite codec tweak tool.
  3. Run the codec repair tool.
  4. Restart the computer.

Fix Run as administrator • Link

Information This tweak seems to fix a lot of crashing issues.
  1. Locate your game's installation folder (Typically under C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\fallout 3 goty\, or something similar).
  2. Right click on Fallout3.exe, and select "Properties"
  3. Select the "Compatibility" tab.
  4. Under "Privilege Level," check the box marked "Run this program as administrator."
  5. Select "OK," and exit out of the Explorer window.
Now, when running the game, a dialog will appear, asking if you will allow the program to make changes to the computer. You must select "Yes" each time you run Fallout 3 in order to actually be able to play the game.
Information Apparent Windows 7 Aero Incompatibility

Fix Disable Windows Aero • Link

Information If the game works in windowed mode, but not full-screen, this may help.
  1. Right-click on the desktop and select Personalize from the context menu.
  2. In the Personalization Control Panel applet, scroll down to the Basic and High Contrast Themes.
  3. Choose one of the basic themes and Windows will apply the change immediately.

[edit] Pip-boy radio Skipping or Stuttering

Fix Creative X-Fi soundcards • Link

Information Try the Audio Codec fix for game crashes first, if your pip-boy radio still skips (test with the enclave channel) owners of a creative soundcard may find that this helps.
  1. Edit %USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Games\Fallout3\fallout.ini
  2. double the "iAudioCacheSize=2048" to 4096.
  3. Install the latest creative drivers and volume control panel for your soundcard, as well as creative alchemy.
  4. Add fallout 3 to creative alchemy: Select 'use game path' and point it to your fallout 3 install folder (probably "...\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\Fallout 3 goty". Do not install to subfolder. Settings should be: Buffers=10; Duration=5; Maximum Voice Count=128. Leave direct music enabled.
  5. SET CREATIVE CONSOLE TO GAME MODE! ALCHEMY WILL MAKE FALLOUT 3 CRASH IF YOU'RE NOT IN GAME MODE.

[edit] Game crashes on Start-up

Fix Disable Other Monitors • Link

Information If the game is crashing on start-up, disabling any other monitors in use could resolve this.
  1. Right-click on the desktop and select Screen Resolution from the context menu.
  2. In the Screen Resolution Control Panel, click on the drop down list labeled "Multiple Displays" and select "Show desktop only on 1" (or the monitor you wish to run the game on).
  3. Click apply then on the pop-up window click "Keep changes".

[edit] Game hangs on closing

Fix Disable threaded audio • Link

  1. Open up the FALLOUT.ini file in: %USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Games\Fallout3 using Notepad.
  2. Find the line: bMultiThreadAudio
  3. Change it to: bMultiThreadAudio=0

[edit] System requirements

Windows
Minimum Recommended
Operating system (OS) XP/Vista XP/Vista
Processor (CPU) 2.4 GHz Intel Pentium 4 Intel Core 2 Duo
System memory (RAM) 1 GB (XP) / 2 GB (Vista) 2 GB
Video card (GPU) nVidia 6800
ATi X850
256 MB of VRAM 		nVidia 8800 series
ATi 3800 series 512 MB of VRAM
Hard disk drive (HDD) 8 GB 8 GB
Information Game runs well on Windows 7 x64 bit provided that the multiple core CPU fix is applied.

References

  1. ↑ http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2352399
  2. ↑ http://fallout3.nexusmods.com/mods/1086/
  3. ↑ Tested by Andytizer.
  4. ↑ http://www.tweakguides.com/Fallout3_8.html TweaksGuides.com
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