fallout 3 GOTY will not launch (windows 7)

[vVPREDATORVv]

i recently bought it off steam and it wont launch i click play then it opens to the little bar but if i hit play again the bar disapears as if i hit exit

[Konr]

Happened to me, I just clicked play over and over, and it worked after awhile
Now it works 24/7

[vVPREDATORVv]

really should i just try that for a little?

[Rebearth]

try downloading the Windows Live Marketplace, once i downloaded that I was able to play fallout 3 on windows 8.

[t0fu]

Uncheck "Update.esm" from the data files in the launcher and it should work.

[vVPREDATORVv]

anyone else have ideas?

[Kerdic]

I had issues with getting fallout 3 working on Windows 8... I tried a few different things until I finally got it to 1) launch and 2) be stable.

I can't remember the issues I had exactly, and I tried multiple solutions, but I believe these are the steps that actually got the game working for me.

To get live working (and to get it to launch), I installed the games for windows live client from here:
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/live/pc/downloadclient
(Note: I had a live account already, and wanted to play on Xbox Live. A different solution would be needed if you wanted to disable the Xbox Live functionality... which I think is possible, but I am not sure how to do it.)

To get the game to be stable I modified the fallout.ini file which will exist in your documents directory once you have played the game once.
Change 'bUseThreadedAI=0' to 'bUseThreadedAI=1'.
Then below 'bUseThreadedAI=1' add a new line 'iNumHWThreads=2'
(Note: there is a default version of this file in the main game directory which I assume gets duplicated for each user playing the game into their documents folder... but I am not sure about that. The file that actually gets used when the game runs is the one in your documents directory however.)

I also ended up running the game in compatibility mode for Windows XP SP2 I believe. I am at work, or else I would be more descriptive.

[KNGPN]

happens to me 2, but i have windows 8, hate it but still love it lol. it may be a fail in an update :s

[UndeadWeasel]

mine launches, and i have a gfwl offline profile so i could play bioshock 2 amoung other things, but whenever i get into the game menu and press new game and confirm that i want to start a new game it crashes, please help :(

[vVPREDATORVv]

try the .ini fix

[UndeadWeasel]

how do i do that

[Besatt]

Tried many of the fixes and did not get it to work. (Not yet tried the GFWL thing yet).
After some rage, hate and breakfast I for no reason at all tried to run the game in windowed mode and it started...

So now I can either play the game in windowed mode covering 1/4 of the screen or not play at all.

[Midnight Demon]

I've tried EVERYTHING. (the .ini fix, windowed border, unistall/reinstall, compatibility) and NOTHING has worked... I am completely done with it. Worst part about it is that its was gifted to me... Do you think if I talk to Steam support, they will give my friend a refund?

[UndeadWeasel]

hey vulcan, i was in the same pickle as you and then i found the simplest yourube video ever, heres the link (note i also have the .ini fix so i wouldnt suggest undoing it) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GN5HbMsMVE

hope this helps, fallout and all the dlc appear to work for me now

[Besatt]

I downloaded Games for Windows LIVE Disabler ( http://fallout3.nexusmods.com/mods/1086 ) and ran it. Now my copy of Fallout 3 GOTY works perfect.

Read the "Read Me" file before using it.

[JustTheFacts]

Another possible security issue, and quite possibly a EULA violation.